Ludza Estonians

Ludza Estonians (in Ludza dialect of Estonian: Lutsi maarahvas - ‘Luutsi country people’) were a group of ethnic Estonians, who lived in the area near Ludza, south-eastern Latvia.

Most of the Ludza Estonians probably moved into the location in the 17th century but the settlement may have originated earlier. Throughout the era of feudalism, this ethnic group retained its Estonian origin and ethnographic features (the life was mostly confined to one's nearer environment).

The people were catholics and had closer contacts with neighbouring Latvians and Belarusians. Till the church ceremonies such as confession were held in Estonian, the people had little need to speak Latvian or Belarusian language (nevertheless, Latgale dialect of Latvian, Belarusian and Russian were spoken to a certain extent in the areas were those people were the neighbours). In manors, Polish was heard (in this region, it was the cultural language at the time). By the 19th century, however, the church had become Latvianised and Russian gained the roles of the official language and the major lingua franca. The maximum number of the Ludzi people is estimated to have been 4,000.

In 1970s - 1980s, there were some 20 people left in the area, who were still using the Estonian language.

ources and links

* Paul Ariste "Keelekontaktid". Tallinn: Valgus 1981. et icon
* "Eestlased Lätis" - http://www.estemb.lv/lang_1/rub_1316. Retrieved May 8, 2007. et icon
* Väinö Klaus "Läti eestlased" - http://www.lib.helsinki.fi/elektra/melasumeest.pdf Retrieved May 8, 2007. et icon
* Hannes Korjus "Lutsi maarahvas - 110 aastat hiljem" - http://www.suri.ee/il/2004/1/lutsi.html Retrieved May 8, 2007. et icon