“I love reading and listening to Latvian music,” says Elvira Latiss.  “I’m surrounded by people who speak my language and share my religion. I know where they come from.  How can I not be happy?”

Elvira, 88, loves living independently in her unit at Uniting AgeWell Latvian Community in Wantirna South which houses both the residential facility and the retirement village where she lives  The site has beautiful birch, gum and oak trees and is set against the iconic backdrop of the Dandenongs.  It is close to the High Street shopping strip and to the Knox Shopping Centre.

Elvira moved in 12 years ago with her late husband, Osvald.

Over the years Elvira has made a lot of friends, including Betty, who she helped organise a display cabinet for the community hall to house historical Latvian artefacts and ornaments.

Elvira and many of the other residents in the retirement village share a rich cultural history as well as a shared adventure of their new lives in Melbourne.   They also share memories of fear and horror that cannot be unseen.  Of shared trauma that is understood without the need to express it in words.

Elvira was among the 20,000 Latvians who relocated to Australia in the late 1940s and early 1950s after being forced to flee their homeland during the Soviet occupation of Latvia during World War II.

Elvira recalls, as a six-year-old, hiding in the swamps with her grandmother while soldiers stormed into their city. “Use a stick when you walk through the swamps,” her grandmother told her.  “That way you can feel your way across them at night.”

Elvira recalls the fear and the bitter cold she and her family felt as they escaped out of Riga by hiding in an open carriage of a goods train.  And she recalls the feelings of displacement as she and her family arrived in Australia and were sent to four migrant camps before finally settling in Melbourne. 

It stands to reason that Elvira and so many others regard the Latvian Community as a haven.  One that was built through fund-raising, bequests and hard work.  One that reflects who they are.  Some of the walls of the community offer a fascinating snapshot of Latvian culture including beautiful wooden plates, paintings, and artefacts.  It’s a home from home and a little bit of Latvia in the heart of Melbourne.

Family is also very important to Elivra.   She is close to her son, daughter and her two granddaughters.  “I am very blessed,” she says.

Interested in finding out more about living at Uniting AgeWell Latvian Community in Wantirna South?