“These Pilgrims” – A Look Inside Musician Laura Valters’ Family Home
“We’ve been in this house for 13 years,” says Vita Valtere, beauty specialist and wife of musician Laura Valters, of their property in Lielvārde, where she lives with her 17-year-old son Gabriel and 14-year-old daughter Anna. The family’s home is a haven for animal lovers, with horses Bella and Akords enjoying the spacious grounds, and cats Francis and Prince providing companionship. Even the family dog, Skubijs, plays a role, affectionately dubbed the “security system” by the Valters. “If a car pulls up, he’s the first to let us know,” laughs Laura.
“In Soviet times, this was a communal house with several small apartments and one shared toilet at the end of the hallway.”
In fact, the building was originally a horse stable with a second story added later. The home’s name, Čibuki, translates to “pilgrims” in ancient Greek, according to Laura.
Vita hails from Rembate, while Laura is from Brocēni. The couple first connected through Vita’s mother. “Laura was initially great friends with my mother because of her interest in Ķeguma Krusta Kalns, a hill she had created,” Vita explains. “At the time, I was living in Germany with my two children and my ex-husband.”
Laura came to Germany for a concert and stayed at Vita’s apartment for a few days. “We met. I liked him because of his depth – you could talk to Laura about spiritual things, and I also liked his music,” Vita recalls. “I had been living in Germany for five years and had gotten used to the idea that I didn’t want a new relationship.” Soon after, Vita returned to Latvia with her children and settled into Čibuki, a home her mother had purchased in 2000.
“When she bought the house, I didn’t understand – why would my mother require such a ruin? There was no sewage, no water, no toilet. The windows were old, and one end of the house had been burned,” Vita says. “My mother worked in Germany and invested the money she earned into renovating the house, and eventually, Laura and I helped too.” Laura previously lived in an apartment in Riga, but wasn’t drawn to city life, and readily agreed to establish a family nest in Lielvārde.
A Recent Separation Brought Them Closer
“We never actively sought out television,” Vita says of their appearance on the reality show Ģimene burkā, where viewers have been following the Valters family’s life for the past two months. “I work in a beauty salon in Lielvārde and unexpectedly received an offer to participate in the show,” she explains, adding that the whole family decided whether or not to participate. The show’s popularity reflects the ongoing public fascination with Latvian celebrity families and their everyday lives.
“Interestingly, the television was in my daughter’s room for a long time. She was also an active viewer of Ģimene burkā and had seen all the seasons. Now the television has moved to the living room on the first floor, and watching it has turn into a good reason for all of us to get together at least during the show’s broadcast. I see participating in the show as a great opportunity for Laura, our children, and me to look at ourselves from the outside,” says Laura’s wife.
Visiting the Valters Family
Vita describes Laura as quite conservative, while she enjoys stepping outside of her comfort zone. “I’m for trying something new,” Vita smiles, adding there’s another reason the Valters are allowing others a glimpse into their daily lives.
“Last year, Laura and I were briefly separated. The reason was a feeling that we had grown distant from each other. We were each working in our own areas and, although we lived in the same house, we weren’t really doing anything together anymore. In 12 years of living together, many things had become taken for granted, until in August I said:
“That’s it, we need a break!” Laura went to live elsewhere for six weeks, and I felt what it was like when he wasn’t around. Now I can say – it was a good decision to be apart, because that’s what allowed us to appreciate each other and realize that we still want to be together. We want to inspire couples going through similar situations not to give up,” Vita concludes.
