XXXIII Seto Kingdom Day

On the first Saturday of August, the village of Mikitamäe located in Southeastern Estonia will become the Seto Kingdom for a day. This is the most important cultural day of the year for Seto people when everyone is welcome to celebrate all things Seto. Launched in 1994, the day celebrates Seto language, culture and traditions through folk singing, dancing, food contests, and the democratic election of the community's earthly leader (ülembsootska).

Who is the Seto King? 

Peko is the hero of the Seto national epic. According to legend, Peko is asleep in the caves of the Pskov-Caves Monastery and cannot rule the kingdom himself. The Setos therefore choose an ülembsootska (leader) in his place. The person is elected in the most democratic way - by how many people line up behind him or her.  The result speaks for itself.

On Seto Kingdom Day you can hear the Seto hymn, see the Seto army march, spend Seto money, and enjoy traditional Seto food and drink. 

Schedule:

12.00 Kingdom Day opening
12.30 Food and beverage area opens
12.30-15.00 Competitions
13.00-15.00 Village stage and mainstage program
16.00 Ülemsootska speech and new ülemsootska election
17.30 Awarding of Kingdom's champions 
18.00 Military parade
19.00 A performance by popular Seto folk rock band "Zetod" 

Seto Kingdom Day will take place on August 1st this year, more information can be found here.

Photo flashback: Pärnu 1890

Colourised photograph of Rüütli Street Pärnu in 1890.

The Continental Rift: Sabotage and Sponsorship

An interesting podcast with former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves.

Estonian etiquette: What is considered good manners?

Every country has their social norms of what is considered acceptable behaviour and what actions are frowned upon. In Estonia, there are certain things you must be aware of to earn the respect of locals. Etiquette in Estonia centres around respect for personal space, silence and punctuality. If you do something objectionable in the presence of an Estonian they will rarely tell you to your face, instead, they will quietly step away and avoid you. There is a golden rule in Estonian culture when it comes to social etiquette - "mitte tüütata", which means "do not bother" or "do not be burdensome." It represents respect for personal space, privacy, and silence.

Estonians are known to be reserved, self-sufficient and private people who live by the rule of "mitte tüütata". Estonians do not like to burden others or have other people encroach unnecessarily upon their time, energy or space. When it comes to asking others for help or assistance, Estonians are very reluctant to do so, and its usually only done as a last resort. So with this in mind, here are ten things you need to be aware of when it comes to Estonian etiquette.

1.  Respect personal space. Do not stand too close to others in lines, queues or crowds. Stand at least an arm's length away, ideally further. Never sit close to someone on public transport when there are plenty  of seats available. It's not uncommon for an Estonian to get up and change seats if you do.

2. Don't speak loudly in public. Estonians are private people who value quietness, personal space, and emotional restraint. Speaking loudly in public is seen as rude, disrespectful, and attention-seeking. It is greatly frowned upon. 

3.  Embrace silence. Silence is golden in Estonia because it is a sign of respect and sincerity.  Estonians don't like to engage in small talk and when there is a pause in conversation, Estonians don't feel uncomfortable about this. Instead they will be thinking carefully about what the other person has said before adding to the conversation, if at all. 

4. Do not touch others during conversation unless you are close friends.  

5. Be quiet on public transport. It is greatly frowned upon in Estonia to speak loudly on a bus, tram or train.  It is viewed as disruptive and rude. Talk only loud enough for the person next to you to hear. No one else wants to hear your conversation.

6. Always be punctual.  This cannot be overstated. Punctuality is a cornerstone of respect in Estonia. If you agree to meet someone at 7pm, the expectation is that you are there, no later than 7pm. It is very normal in Estonia for people to arrive, 5, 10 or 15 minutes earlier than the appointed time. Arriving even five minutes late can be seen as disrespectful, implying that you don't value the other person's time. 

 7.  Estonians value direct communication. When meeting someone offer a firm, brief handshake and make direct eye contact. When speaking be clear, honest, and direct. Do not use confusing, sugar-coated language to avoid conflict. Be sincere.

8. Always remove your shoes when entering an Estonian home. Never assume you can walk straight in.

9.  If you are invited to an Estonian's home always bring a small gift. Never arrive empty-handed. Usually a bottle of wine, chocolates or flowers are warmly welcomed. When it comes to flowers always give a bouquet with an odd number as even numbers are only for funerals.

10. When dining in an Estonians home, do not eat until the host begins or someone says "head isu" (bon appetit). 

Volume IV of Truth and Justice available in English

The fourth volume of Anton Hansen Tammsaare's classic Estonian pentalogy Truth and Justice (Tõde ja õigus) is now available in English. Entitled 'Karin', the fourth installment once again follows the life of Indrek Paas who is now an intellectual and lawyer living in Tallinn. Set in newly independent Estonia, Karin is a psychological drama about marriage, betrayal, social aspiration and competing emotional needs.  

Tammsaare famously described the first volume of Truth and Justice as man's struggle with the land. By contrast, he defined Volume IV as a struggle with oneself and the happiness of one's life. It highlights how people's complex emotional needs (love, pride, and truth) clash with societal expectations.

Volume IV of Truth and Justice was translated by Matthew Hyde and published by Vagabond Voices.  The English translation of the fifth and final volume of Tõde ja õigus will be available later this year.  You can buy a copy of Karin here

5 Interesting Facts about the Estonian Island of Ruhnu

Ruhnu is a small remote Estonian island located in the Gulf of Riga. It is famous for its extreme isolation, with a tiny year-round population of less than 100 people. For centuries the island was populated by ethnic Swedes and traditional Swedish law was applied. Up until 1944, the island was entirely Swedish-speaking but its population fled to Sweden during World War Two to escape Soviet occupation. 

Today, Ruhnu is a beautiful tranquil island with untouched nature, quiet beaches, and a close-knit, self-sufficient community. It is the prefect place to visit for a unique getaway.

Here are five interesting facts about Ruhnu. 

1. The island has two churches standing side-by-side. Ruhnu is home to a unique architectural anomaly where two distinct churches stand just metres apart. St. Magdalena's Church was built in 1643. It is the oldest wooden building still standing in Estonia.  The newer stone church was built right next to it in 1912.

2. The French Lighthouse. Rumour has it that before creating his architectural masterpiece in Paris, Gustave Eiffel designed a lighthouse for Ruhnu. This cannot be confirmed, however, it is true that the red metal cylindrical tower was made in the Le Havre plant in France and was erected on Haubjerre Hill in 1877. The height of the lighthouse is 39.5 metres and it stands 65 metres above sea level. The French lighthouse is the only lighthouse of its kind in the Baltic region.

 

3. Singing Sand. Ruhnu's singing sand is a unique acoustic phenomenon found on the island's beautiful Limo Beach. When you walk or slide your hand across the dry quartz sand, the friction makes the grains vibrate and emit a high-pitched, musical squeak or whistling sound. 

4. In 2006, the island had a surprise visitor when a 150 kg brown bear travelled across the freezing waters on a block of ice from mainland Latvia. The bear became a media sensation and for months tourists outnumbered locals on the island hoping to catch a glimpse of the bear. It evaded capture hiding in the forest for months before eventually disappearing, presumably returning to Latvia. In 2007, to mark the event, Latvian chocolate company Laima gifted the people of Ruhnu a 40 kg chocolate bear.

5. Ruhnu is 11.9 square kilometres and has only one settlement making it impossible to get lost on the island. There are two ways to get there, either a three hour ferry trip from Pärnu or flying on board a small 8-seater airplane. 

Photo flashback 1930

People from Lepiku village playing volleyball near the Tindi farm house in the 1930s.