BONJOUR L'ESTONIE

Estonians celebrate ‘white nights’ during festival

TALLINN - The tiny Baltic state of Estonia went wild yesterday, as people lit thousands of bonfires nationwide and were set to party into the early hours of the next day in their traditional Midsummer festival.

The annual "Jaanilaupaev" celebrations, held every June 23 to mark the summer's "white nights" in northern European countries, are rooted deeply in the pagan traditions of Estonia, which converted to Christianity in the 13th century, far later than western Europe.

Similar festivals take place in neighbouring Baltic states, Lithuania and Latvia, and are also celebrated worldwide by expatriates from all three countries.

"First of all, it's a celebration of the sun and sunlight. The most important Midsummer ritual is lighting a bonfire," Maarja Kouts, organiser of one of the biggest parties in the Estonian capital Tallinn, said. "It's believed in Estonia that fire has the power to cleanse the surrounding area of bad spirits and to grant prosperity and a good harvest to people who attend the ritual," she said.

Flax Line, Raekoja plats, 13, Tallinn

This shop will only bring you the best "stuff" and to please you, you also will get the best service around town. Since it is located in a place that everyone passes by at least 10 times a day, then you have to walk into this fantastic boutique.

This is what Leena says about it :

"Here is a picture of something we have in our shop. You can see the napery I was telling about in the previous posting.

This is the right time to come shopping for Christmas, to decorate your home and create christmas spirit with these beautiful colors !!!

We also provide ordering service. For example if you need something in special sizes, then it is possible to order it from us, or if you want a product you have seen on the home page and it is not possible for you to visit the shop, then on mutual trusting we can reach an agreement.

You can find the most interesting and original ideas in our shop. The products are designed only for our shop ; they are unique and added to that, they are of very good quality."

So, now that Xmas is well on its way, don't wait any longer. I am sure that you all have so many more presents to make to someone you love.

You may drop a line to Leena at flax.line@mail.ee and her site is here (there are many more pictures so that you can forge yourself an opinion). Happy hunting !

Biggest Trees : an Estonian tradition

There is a tradition in Estonia of preserving and naming the biggest trees of each major species, and also for large groves or unusual trees. My map of Estonia contains perhaps two hundred such marked trees, and all the ones I've visited so far (something like 30 or 40 of them) have signs or other markings, and usually some parking and a path to the tree or trees. I have no idea of the origins of this custom, and I have not yet ever found anyone else visiting the trees to ask. But I like it, and I've very much enjoyed finding and visiting various trees.

The tree at right above is called the Mäe-Lehtsoo Tamm, and it's located near the small lake (Punde) pictured at right, near the town of Urväste in south-central Estonia. If I understood the sign correctly, it is the second-largest oak in all of Estonia. The area around the tree had recently been cleared of brush, along with the hillside above it, giving a clear view of the entire tree. This was a nice presentation, but the tree itself looks like it's not in such good shape. There are many large broken branches, and much of the tree looks quite sickly.........

Olesummer Festival much more than beer

TALLINN - The Estonian Ollesummer (Beer Summer), once again hits the historical Song Festival grounds of Tallinn this week. First held in 1994 as a local beer trade fair, Beer Summer has made a considerable leap to becoming a massive national event that celebrates the diversity of Estonian culture from contemporary urban to ethnic.

Spanning five days, July 6 -10, the Estonian Beer Festival recreates a world of its own, where the proximity of the sea and the taste of the sudsy brew enhance the festive mood. For beer drinkers, this is the best place to sample something new -with over 100 varieties, the beer comes in all colours and varieties. “Beer Wall”is the place to get your brew – a row of beer sellers greet you at the main alley. But if you hesitate to dive into the beer right away, the drink can be also purchased in giant beer tents and stands that are scattered all over the site.

Common knowledge tells us that in order to appreciate the best taste of beer, it should be accompanied by a ...........

SLEEP IT OFF, THEN DRIVE !

*This message on a public awareness campaign poster at the intersection of Kreutzwaldi and Raua in central Tallinn didn’t penetrate the awareness and/or conscience of all jaanipäeva (St. John’s Day / Midsummer) revellers on the eve of June 23. Estonians were enjoying a 4-day long weekend and a record number of people visited the islands – 16 000 people and 9000 cars to Saaremaa alone.

The tabloid newspaper SL Õhtuleht (Evening paper) was the only paper that went to print last Saturday, but it got its sensationalism. Its front page read: Jaanipäeva kurb lõpp (A sad end to St. John’s Day) : 2 tapetut ja 122 joobes autojuhti (2 murdered and 122 drunk drivers). That figure jumped to 317 (the weekend total) in Monday morning’s papers. Perhaps there were more patrols out this year, but in comparison, a mere (?!) 83 drunk drivers were stopped on jaaniöö (the eve of St. John’s) last year. This year’s statistics also included a total of 144 underage drinkers and 68 speeding drivers being charged.

The highest incidence of violations was on the west coast where 12 traffic accidents were reported in which 2 people were injured. Local police fined 59 people under the influence and 42 underage drinkers for consuming alcohol in public ......

The Estonian Native Religion

*The Estonian native religion is the only native nature worship in Estonia. It was never created, it has arisen and changed in this country together with maarahvas (1)(Estonians) during innumerable generations. Estonia has been inhabited for about 10000 years. Maarahvas and their religion are considered just as old.

Being an inseparable entity together with our land, traditional culture and aboriginal languages, its something more than a religion. It is a consistent worldview, tradition and way of life, which in this form exists only here, in Estonia.

Variants of the Estonian Native Religion

Just as maarahvas and maakeel (aboriginal language) (2) vary in different regions, so does the religion. We meet somewhat different customs in different regions. For example, in the southern region the powers of nature are called ema; isa (mother, father) but in the northern regions haldjas (guardian spirit). In the southern and western regions the arrival of spring is ........... 

Autumn market at the Open Air Museum

September 16 - 18 : AUTUMN MARKET

Autumn farming days in the Pulga household are filled with harvest tasks and chores, as well as cooking. Guests can buy and taste fresh vegetables and sweets, and buy handicraft and much more.

Not to be missed.

Create your own Tallin during Old Town Days : 03rd-05th June

TALLINN - Old Town Days are like a regular Botox injection; they make Tallinn’s ancient face, wrinkled with history, resemble a city brimming with youth over and over again.

Each June, thousands of tourists flock to Tallinn in search of pretty-pretty things to buy. Under a glowing summer sky, the town looks superb. Even if it’s overcast the festival’s bright handicrafts, fresh food and spinning folk costumes lighten the dreary sky.

Whatever the weather may be this year, there are so many activities on the Old Town agenda you’ll probably need a consultation - either that or a map and program in-hand. If you can’t choose whether to see the ..............

Eesti etnograafilised eksponaadid Lakewood muuseumis

Estonian artefacts join Lakewood museum

Published in the Asbury Park Press : 07/01/2005

By RICHARD QUINN
TOMS RIVER BUREAU

LAKEWOOD, USA -- A used linen shirt, an orange wool skirt and a well-worn pair of leather shoes need some special qualities to be in a museum.

Oh, they're 216 years old? Yep, that'll do it.

And so the Lakewood Heritage Museum accepted a traditional folk costume from the Lakewood Estonian Association. Thursday in the first official partnership between the two groups.

Juhan Simonson of Lakewood, a current member and former president of the Estonian American National Council, said he wanted the museum to have an Estonian presence because his community has been prevalent in the township since World War II.

Estonian refugees came to Lakewood -- via New York City -- in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Many became hard labourers, as evidenced by the Estonian Lutheran Church built on E. Seventh Street in the 1960s.

The Lakewood Estonian Association will celebrate its 60th anniversary later this year in part by donating more artefacts to the museum.