The Talka, or 'joint work', is a very Latvian concept sometimes rendered into English as 'Big cleanup day' – a concept which captures the power of people coming together on a voluntary basis to accomplish some big task of mutual benefit.
In the historic countryside, it was the only way to do things: gathering hay at the end of the summer, digging up potato crops in autumn before the rain sets in or building a new shed for the animals. After a job well-done, the hosts would treat their helpers to a sturdy meal and a few drinks, and you would have the opportunity to get to know your neighbors a bit better and have a good gossip into the bargain.
While those types of joing task are relatively rare – but far from unknown – these days, this official Talka day is dedicated to clearing away the accumulated trash of winter and making everything look neat and tidy for Spring and Summer.
Most years at the end of April about 200,000 people join forces to clean up littered forests or improve a neglected urban space to keep the tradition alive. If you would like to join in – everyone is welcome – you can sign up on talkas.lv as an individual or a group and see a map showing what is planned in your area and other necessary details.
