The women standing up against Vladimir Putin

 

 

So proud of our Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. She is doing a fantastic job! 

13th Youth Song and Dance Festival begins Friday!

This week, the XIII Youth Song and Dance Festival "Sacred on Earth" will take place in Tallinn. Nearly ten thousand dancers and thirty thousand singers will participate. Public transport will be free for everyone in the Estonian capital.  On Friday, the Dance Celebration "Bridges" begins at Kalevi Central Stadium and will continue throughout Saturday. On Sunday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m there will be will a five-kilometer procession through Tallinn leading to the Song Festival Grounds. The Song Festival begins at 2pm.

Choral singing has a long history in Estonia, dating back to the Baltic Germans, who often used polyphonic choral singing during church services. By 1865, the first Estonian-language singing group was founded, and others followed. By singing in Estonian, these choirs helped create a national identity separate from that of the Baltic Germans and, later on, from the Russians.

The Song and Dance Celebration will be the greatest festival in Estonia this year!

Estonian film: Noored kotkad

Noored kotkad is an Estonian silent film about the Estonian War of Independence that was fought between 1918 and 1920. The film was made in Tartu, Mustvee and Värska, and released in 1927. Noored kotkad was digitally restored in 2008.

Jaanipäev celebrations soon to begin!

On Friday Estonians will gather in their communities around the world to celebrate 'Jaanipäev'. Midsummer or St. John's Day (Jaanipäev in Estonian) is one of the oldest and most important days on the Estonian calendar. To some, it's even more important than Christmas Day.  On Jaanipäev Estonians will gather with their families,  friends or attend larger events to celebrate this joyous day with lots of singing, dancing and wearing beautiful flower crowns. The highlight of Jaanipäev is of course the lighting of the bonfire and jumping over it. This ritual of jumping over the bonfire is believed to bring good luck and protect against evil spirits. Jaanipäev is a beloved tradition Estonians have enjoyed for centuries!

Estonia 6th in the World in Economic Freedom

Estonia has improved its economic freedom score since last year rising from 80.0 to 82.0. The score measures economic freedom of 184 countries based on trade freedom, business freedom, investment freedom, and property rights. This is another excellent result for Estonia. So proud!

The History of Estonia Video Series

 

Estonian history until the 1700s 

 

 

Estonian history from 1700s to 1920s

 

 

Estonian history from 1920s to present day

 

Karl Erik Nazarov sets new Estonian record in the 100m sprint

So proud of my cousin! Karl is now officially Estonia's fastest man of all time! One day we will see him represent Estonia at the Olympic Games! 

You can watch his winning performance here.

Classic Estonian facial expressions

It has often been said that Estonians have excellent poker faces. They are known to be good at keeping their emotions hidden and careful about what they reveal. This is probably something that started during the Soviet occupation when people were regularly spied upon and expressing too much emotion could lead to trouble. Today, thankfully, Estonians are a little more carefree and we even give a wry smile when we hear the expression 'may your face be as ice' when others refer to us.

Remembering the victims of the June 14 Soviet mass deportations

Today is a day of mourning in Estonia, marking the 82nd anniversary of the June 1941 deportations that were carried out by the Soviet Union. In Tallinn today President Alar Karis tied symbolic black and white ribbons to a pole on the platform of Tallinn's main train station as did Tiia Nurmis and Malle Järvik, both of whom were deported from Estonia as children in 1941. The black and white mourning ribbons will fly at 70 railway stations across Estonia throughout the day.

 

 

1939: Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany colluded to divide Europe.

1940: USSR occupied the Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, killed political & military leaders.

14 June 1941:  Soviet occupiers deported tens of thousands of innocent Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian citizens to Siberia, including ethnic Russians with citizenship from those countries.  

Almost every Estonian family was affected, including mine, by this crime.  

We will never forget this heinous crime against humanity.

5 ancient Estonian remedies to cleanse the body and soul

Natural medicine has long been part of Estonian culture. Over the centuries Estonians have tried and tested many different healing methods to overcome illness and improve health. Estonian folk medicine is often passed down from generation to generation and is still practised to this day. My grandmother had an old book of health remedies that her mother had given her but sadly it was lost before it could reach me. Now I have compiled my own. Here are five traditional Estonian remedies that promote health and well-being.

1. The Sauna

Estonians have known the invigorating health benefits of the sauna for centuries. The first written  records of the sauna date back to the 13th century in Northern Estonia. Saturday is traditonally sauna day in Estonia which is usually a family affair designed to relax the body and mind. Saunas offer many health benefits including detoxification, increased blood circulation, pain reduction, improved cardiovascular and immune function. Breathing in sauna steam deeply and slowly is also good for your lungs and respiratory health. Typical sauna temperatures range between 70 - 100 degrees Celsius.

 

2. Sea Buckthorn

Estonians are old forest people and within the forest many varieties of berries can be found containing healing properties. Perhaps one of the best is sea buckthorn. It is rich in many nutrients including vitamin C and is good for the immune system, skin, heart and liver. Sea buckthorn has many health-promoting effects including neutralising free redicals in the body and improving mental clarity.

 

3. Birch Juice (sap)

For centuries Estonians have collected birch juice to strengthen their bodies after long winters. It is a good source of vitamins and minerals including vitamin C, magnesium, potassium, calcium, zinc and iron. Birch sap is a good antioxidant that helps against rheumatism, gout, kidney disease and muscle spasms. Birch juice has a very brief harvesting time. It can only be collected once a year, only during a the few weeks of spring. This precious liquid is known among Estonians as the 'elixir of youth'.

 

4. Hike in the Forest 

Estonians love to get out in nature and when they have a troubled mind, a hike in the forest often provides clarity. One of the best things about the Estonian forest is that you can immerse yourself in beautiful nature and not encounter another person for hours or miles.

 

5. Spruce Tips

Another plant rich in vitamin C and iron and found everywhere in Estonia is the spruce tree. Spruce tips are the light green buds of spruce branches you see every spring. Estonians eat these spruce tips/needles raw or add them to their tea.  They can also be made into a syrup or oil and be frozen or dried to preserve them for later use.

The multiple meanings of the Estonian word 'maa'

There are many words in the English language that have multiple meaning, on average three or four,  but they don't quite compare to the Estonian word 'maa'. With eight meanings maa really is a word that says so much.

What to write in an Estonian birthday card

It's my uncle's birthday soon and I realised it's been a few years since I've written his birthday card in Estonian only. To make him happy to read a card in his native language I have included some of these birthday greetings. You might find them useful too.

 

Happy birthday - Palju õnne sünnipäevaks 

Happy and joyous birthday to you  - Ilusat ja rõõmsat sünnipäeva teile 

On this day I celebrate you and your life - Sel päeval tähistan sind ja sinu elu

Hope you have a wonderful birthday - Loodan, et teil on imeline sünnipäev

Good luck - Palju õnne 

All the best - Kõike paremat
All the best to you, your special day, and to all the birthdays to come! 

Kõike paremat teile, teie erilise päeva ja kõigi tulevaste sünnipäevade puhul!

 

Estonians consume the most ice-cream in Europe

Now that summer is here, no doubt retailers will see a rise in ice-cream sales. According to the latest figures, the largest consumer of ice-cream in Europe is Estonia. The average Estonian consumes 12.5 kg of ice-cream per year. Warm summer days and Jaanipäev celebrations see spikes in sales and Estonians also enjoy ice-cream at home throughout the year.

 

Premia is the largest ice cream producer in Estonia, they produce around 5,000 tons of ice cream for the domestic market and also export. The main destination of ice-cream exports from Estonia are: Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Denmark. Estonians consider ice-cream part of a healthy diet when it is consumed in moderation because it contains some key nutrients such as calcium and vitamin A, B, C, D and K.

 

 

Estonians love their ice-cream!

Today we celebrate Estonian National Flag Day!

On this day, 139 years ago, the first Estonian flag was consecrated in Otepää. Estonia’s ‘sinimustvalge’ was made in a kitchen, blessed in secret during Tsarist rule, hidden in a farmhouse chimney during the Soviet occupation, and is now kept securely in the national museum. Few countries still have their first ever created national flag but Estonia does and it's one of the oldest original flags in the world.

Happy 139th birthday to our beloved blue-black-and-white (sinimustvalge) flag! 

Blue is the colour for the clear sky, black for the fertile soil and thick forest, and white for winter snow. Today we decorate our homes with our beautiful national colours. Head Eesti lipu päeva!

Estonian Flag Song - Eesti Lipu Laul

English lyrics:

Let's decorate the houses of Estonia
with the three colours of home,
under which the sons of Estonia
could unite as one.
May their endeavour be united
with brotherly love.
May our cry be heard loud:
Estonia, Estonia, live long!

Blue is the colour of your sky,
my dear homeland, Estonia.
Should you be in danger, trouble,
look up there.
Black is the colour of your soil
that has been toiled in sweat.
Black is the coat that has covered the chest of Estonia
since the old times already.

Blue, black and white,
may you decorate the land of Estonia!
May the grain sprout well here,
may they be fully grown!
May the houses of Estonia
echo of bravery and brotherly love!
From the dust, may the loud cry be heard towards the sky:
Estonia, Estonia, live long!

Estonia’s unwavering support to Ukraine

Despite its small size, Estonia has been a major supporter of Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale war that commenced on the 24th of February 2022. In total, Estonia has provided an impressive 1.100% of its GDP to help Ukraine, making it the second biggest contributor in the world.

Humanitarian aid includes:
Medical supplies
Assistance with the displaced population
Machines and equipment for rescuers
Generators
Financial aid for the purchase of fuel
Basic necessities
Computers and tablets

Military aid includes:
Javelin anti-tank missile systems
Missiles for anti-tank missile systems
Howitzers
Anti-tank mines
Anti-tank grenade launchers
Mortars
Vehicles
Communication equipment
Medical supplies
Personal protective equipment
Dry food packages
Field hospitals
Demining equipment
Estonian instructors teach medical & sniper practices

The people of Estonia have been unwavering in their willingness to come to the aid of Ukraine in its time of need, despite the considerable costs incurred. As a result, Estonia stands as a shining example of what countries can do when faced with an international crisis. 

Quadruplets born in Estonia on Children's Day

The second set of quadruplets to be born in Estonia this century entered the world yesterday on World Children's Day. The three boys and one girl were born at East-Tallinn Central Hospital (ITK) and each weigh between 1.4 to 1.8 kilograms. The children were born prematurely and are all healthy, they have two older siblings. In 2017 Estonia's first set of quadruplets — Loore, Luise, Leene and Lagle — were born at the same hospital. Last year, 3,293 babies were born at East-Tallinn's Central Hospital, including 58 pairs of twins.

THE OLD MAN MOVIE: LACTOPALYPSE

Estonia's new stop-motion animation film The Old Man Movie: Lactopalypse has been described as 'brilliantly weird' by the UK's Guardian newspaper. The film is based on the popular Estonian web series and is soon to be released in cinemas in the United Kingdom.

Plot: The Old Man Movie: Lactopalypse is set in a remote Estonian village, where three children from the city are forced to spend the summer on their grandfather's farm. Determined to make them see the simple beauty of country living, the old man puts them to work, only for the children to accidentally set his prized and thoroughly mistreated cow loose. They then have just 24 hours to find and milk the rogue bovine before the impending "Lactopalypse."