In the footsteps of ancestors: how I explored my Estonian roots. Cultural heritage, lifestyle, traditions of Estonia

My exploration of Estonia began in the summer of 2021: 30 participants of exchange, more than a dozen cities and cultural heritage sites. For many centuries Estonia stood on the border of East and West of Europe. Such location has determined a holistic image of the national culture. The interweaving of the main cultures — Estonian, Finnish and Russian, was reflected in the architecture and heritage of these places. Despite many trends, Estonians still retained their traditional way of life and worldview. Particularly impressive is the reverent attitude towards the land, care for the environment and respect for personal space.

During the trip, our group completely immersed in the local life of different regions of the country in order to better understand ourselves. We saw authentic monuments of Estonian culture and art: the ancient windmills of Saarema Island, the vibrant performances of traditional dance ensembles in Kuressaare, the original songs of the Seto people in Obinitsa, the colorful multi-colored vertical striped skirts on the island of Kihnu and this is not the whole list.

The trip was possible thanks to the educational program “Back to Our Roots”, which has been implemented for more than 7 years by the Estonian organization Seiklejate Vennaskond (means brotherhood of adventurers). The purpose of the trip is to introduce young people from all over the world who have Estonian roots to the culture, traditions, history and modern life of Estonia. During short time we have seen almost the whole of Estonia: the most significant places, cultural and historical side, art, IT, sports, education, culinary, ecology.

The organization of the project was at a very high professional level, for which I want to express my gratitude to the organizers, in particular Eleri, Heleri and Kristi. Thanks to all participants for the creativity, friendly and positive atmosphere on the project and this unforgettable experience.

LEISURE AND PASSTIME

The first you pay attention to from the window of an airplane is the beautiful nature and a lot of greenery in Estonia. About half of the entire area of the country is covered with forests. Foxes, wolves, bears, lynxes, hares and deer, more than 380 species of birds live in the forests. Nature is one of the main national values in Estonia.

Thanks to its natural beauty and clean air, hiking is well developed here. The trails run through national parks, forests, canyons, swamps and the sea coast. During the hike you can observe unique plants and trees. With the help of a special RMK app you can find information points all over Estonia, where equipped indoor campfire sites and recreation areas.

Also, canoeing, kayaking or boating along the river is quite popular in Estonia. The journey usually passes through the surrounding forests, sandy river valleys, hidden swamps, and sometimes even right through the courtyards of houses.

Among other things, in Estonia it is pleasant to gather around the fire and visit the sauna. By the way, the tradition of taking a smoke sauna in Võru County of Estonia is included in the UNESCO Intangible Heritage List.

- Selisoo hiking trail, in the Seli bog. We walked along the water surface of lakes and swamp paths, enjoying the silence of this area. A pleasant end to the route was lunch, which we prepared on the eve of the trip and took with us.

- In the Ontika landscape reserve, we explored a hiking trail that has access to the beach of the Gulf of Finland. Despite the fact that the length of the trail is only 1.5 km, there are quite a lot of ups and downs. Particularly impressive was the end of the route — the Valaste (Ontika) waterfall, the highest in the Baltics (height 30 m). To get to it, we overcame many steps on the stairs from the beach. An observation deck is equipped at a height of 25 m, the views from the height are breathtaking. The waterfall was created by an artificial channel to drain excess water from the fields.

- Hiking in Härma Mäemin. In groups we went to low but very picturesque rocks. We walked along the cliffs of mighty trees and the Piusa River. Surrounded by the abundance of mushrooms which you could collect.

- The hiking trail on the island of Saaremaa is laid through the largest swamp — Koigi (area 2371 hectares). We divided into groups, each had a task to find as many plants and birds as possible. At the end of our trip, the winner in this small competition was determined. The length of the route is only 5 km, but it seems that you can spend an eternity here, enjoying the surroundings.

- Canoeing on the Ahja River. We had to overcome many obstacles, maneuver, dodge tree branches, slow down and accelerate. We covered the 10 km route in 2.5 hours, taking selfies at the backdrop of colorful views.

By the way, the Estonian company “Tahe Outdoors” is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of kayaks, canoes and rowing equipment.

We went in search of sea seals in the Vilsandi National Park, on the island of Saarema. We drove to the harbor in an open truck on a bumpy road, and then sailed on a boat, cutting the waves. Harbor seals are the largest marine mammals in the Baltic Sea, weighing up to 300 kg. We were lucky to see seals and a variety of birds of various colors.

We took part in the master classes of the Maarja Magdaleena Gild creative workshop in Pärnu. We created handmade key chains from colored threads in the traditional Estonian style, glass pendants for the neck, and also tried the craftsmanship of carpet making.

- We taught the movements of Estonian folk dances. We enjoyed it so much that the dancing went on all night.

- We attended a language lessons, where I learned the key phrases for everyday life (ordering food in a restaurant, looking for sights in the city, buying food in the local market). The Estonian language has no gender (no nouns, no pronouns, no verbs) and no future tense. Instead, use the present tense or the word “begin”. Instead, use the present tense or the word “begin”. In general, there is no language barrier in Estonia, as the locals speak English at a fairly good level.

In addition, we played Estonian games and learned Estonian songs. For example, we filled in the missing words in the folklore song “Kauges külas”.

- Joint cooking of Estonian dishes. We prepared traditional Estonian breakfast, lunch and dinner in groups. For breakfast — buckwheat and oatmeal, cottage cheese, sprats. Lunch was stewed cabbage and beetroot potato salad. For dinner — meat pies.

- On the coast of the city of Pärnu (the summer capital of Estonia) we had a yoga master class. Morning dawn, wide beach and light sea breeze contributed to the lesson and meditation.

CULTURAL HERITAGE

Estonia’s diverse cultural heritage has been marked on the UNESCO Treasure List: from old songs, wedding and bathing customs, to capital architecture. The folk culture and traditions are carefully revered in Estonia.

- On the island of Kihnu we felt like part of the community. The population of the island is small, about 700 inhabitants. The cultural heritage of Kihnu — clothing, language music and crafts — are included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List.

In the Kihnu Museum we learned more about the traditions of the island, the history of agriculture, wedding ceremonies. Until now ancient way of life has been preserved on Kihnu, here you can meet a woman in a traditional skirt, hear the local Kihnu language and songs. Women weave local wool on traditional looms, knit mittens, stockings, skirts and sweaters, often brightly colored, with colorful stripes and embroidered.

An integral part of the daily life of the islanders is dancing and playing musical instruments. The locals invited us to a musical evening, where we fully felt the flavor of island life.

- Setomaa is the historical area of the Setu people (Finno-Ugric people), who live on the border between the South-East of Estonia and the Pskov region of Russia. The ethnic and linguistic minority profess Orthodoxy and in their culture combine ancient Estonian features with East Slavic elements (clothes, housing, rituals, folk calendar, music, folklore, etc.).

We visited the Obinitsa Village Museum. In addition to the fact that we saw the skillful handicrafts of Seto craftswomen and the national clothes of the Seto, we were lucky to get to know song traditions more closely. Setos have long been famous for their vocal art (polyphonic singing). The Setos themselves consider singing a natural and everyday way to express their thoughts and emotions, store memories and pass them on to the next generations. Together we sang songs and danced traditional dances.

- Vastseliina Bishop’s Castle is located near the borders with Latvia and Russia. The castle is included in the list of 21 unique objects in South Estonia, each of which is marked with a yellow National Geographic border.

In the Middle Ages, the castle became famous thanks to the miraculous cross kept in the chapel, which attracted many pilgrims. We visited the castle museum, where we had the opportunity to try on knightly armor and get into the punishment cell. There is also a holy cross and you can climb the castle tower, which offers an amazing panorama of this area.

- On the island of Saaremaa, time flows slowly, the locals have their own islander style of clothing, architecture, and dialect. A typical house here is a roof covered with reeds and stone fences. The cultural heritage and symbol of the island are windmills. One of such now is equipped with a hotel where we lived.

On the central square of the island, Kuressaare, on certain days there are free performances of musical ensembles. We were lucky to catch the traditional dances of young groups.

UNIQUE PLACES

Despite its small area (45,227 km2), Estonia can offer the traveler both lakes, beach holidays, and the silence of island life, where you can experience a leisurely, stable and comfortable atmosphere. Due to the short distances, it is convenient and fast to move around the country.

There are more than 2000 islands in Estonia. Although the majority of Estonia’s islands are uninhabited, it is the only one of the Baltic countries that has a diverse and deeply rooted island culture. The Estonian islands are predominantly rural, with some of them bearing traces of local Vikings, traditional and medieval culture.

It is interesting how Scandinavian minimalism and advanced technologies are intertwined with the post-Soviet past and European modernity in Estonia today.

- Saarema Island is the largest island in Estonia, with a population of about 40 thousand people. The island has long been the richest land in Estonia and the base of Estonian pirates.

Saaremaa is an ecologically clean place. Rare birds live here, deer have been seen on the roads, and many sea seals live in coastal waters. Wild orchids, juniper and hawthorn grow in the surrounding meadows. Nature blends harmoniously with historical architecture: medieval churches, villages and picturesque windmills are found everywhere.

The capital of the island and the only city on the island is Kuressaare. Its main attraction is the Kuressaare Episcopal Castle, the fortress of which is the only one completely preserved in the Baltics. Here you immediately get into the distant past of the island and the history of its inhabitants through historical exhibitions.

- 18 km from Kuressaare, in the forest near the village of Kaali, there is a Crater formed as a result of a meteorite fall about 3 thousand years ago. years ago. In terms of the number of craters from the fall of meteorites, Estonia is in first place in the world. For some unknown reason, falling meteorites fell in love with this area. We went down to the jade green lake, which is almost perfectly round, and walked around the grounds.

- Piusa sand caves — artificial mineral caves, the largest place in Eastern Europe where bats spend the winter. Quartz sand was previously mined on the territory, which was used in glass manufacturing enterprises. After the cessation of industrial work, the caves were inhabited by thousands of bats.

Now this territory has the status of a reserve. We descended into the underground galleries and saw sand columns and domed ceilings.

- Estonian Kohtla Mine Museum, operated until 2001. Previously, oil shale, the most important ore resource in Estonia, was mined here. Sorting of combustible stone was carried out manually, without equipment. The men worked mostly underground, the women at the sorting tower. The mine differed from others in that shale was mined in it simultaneously both on the surface and underground.

Now there is a museum on the territory. To go underground, we had to put on a miner’s helmet and jacket. Mine tunnels located at a depth of 8 m from the surface of the earth. Underground, our guide demonstrated various technologies and equipment for mining. We also took a ride on an underground train: the same train used to take miners to their workplaces. And in the underground dining room we tasted a miner’s lunch — Ukrainian borscht.

- Lake Peipsi is the largest transboundary lake in Europe, located on the one hand in the territory of Estonia, on the other — in Russia. We lived at a recreation center, near the lake: beautiful nature and picturesque views of the lake from the beach are fascinating. The shore of the lake with sand dunes, spits and shoals reminded us of the sea.

- The city of Sillamäe have been an industrial city, where was located the center of mining and processing of uranium ore. Today the city is valued as a summer resort due to its location on the coast of the Gulf of Finland. We saw the post-war architecture of buildings from the Stalinist era, walked along the classical alley and even looked into one of the Soviet grocery stores.

- We walked in the protected area of Oru Park in Toila. The park was laid out around the summer palace and belonged to the first president of Estonia, Konstantin Päts. During World War II the palace was completely destroyed. However, the park has been restored. Today, more than 250 species of various plants grow here. We walked along the green alleys, saw the fountains and the Swallow’s Nest gazebo, and also enjoyed the picturesque landscapes.

EDUCATIONAL ASPECT

The educational aspect of Estonia is based on knowledge and innovation, as well as free access to information. During our stay, we visited various educational institutions (museums, science centers, co-working spaces, universities, etc.).

- We visited the largest museum in Estonia — the Estonian National Museum (ERM) in Tartu, dedicated to folklore and ethnography. The museum is located on the shore of the lake, on the site of a former Soviet military airfield. Here we got acquainted with the complete collection of traditional Estonian national costumes and handicrafts (from handmade carpets to linen tablecloths). I was impressed by the large amount of multimedia content.

Next to the ERM is the Upside Down House (everything upside down) — Tagurpidi Maja, which we visited after the museum.

- We learned more about technology, wildlife, medicine and mathematics at the AHHAA science and entertainment center in Tartu. I liked that most of the exhibits can be felt and tasted. So, we rode a bicycle on a hanging rope, made an inscription on a water printer, got into a mirror maze.

- Visit to the Parliament of the Riigikogu in Tallinn. The Estonian Parliament sits in the premises of Toompea Castle, it located on Vyshgorod opposite the Orthodox Cathedral of Alexander Nevsky.

- In the Museum of Occupations and Freedom in Tallinn (Vabamu) we studied the history of Estonia from 1940 to 1991. There are expositions that tell how Estonians fought for their independence, which is confirmed by an extensive collection of documents and photographs. The museum has real prison doors, military uniforms, and everything is complemented by 30-minute video stories. The interior of the Estonian family’s apartment has also been restored in the museum.

We had a movie night and a screening of the film “Seltsimees laps”/”The Little Comrade” at the Museum in order to learn more about the history of Estonia. After the movie screening, we shared stories about our ancestors and presented treats from our countries.

- E-Estonia showroom — an innovation center designed for the use of the electronic system of public administration. We learned how digitalization has benefited the people of Estonia, as well as increased their ability to participate in government processes.

Estonia is one of the first countries in the world to build a full-fledged electronic infrastructure and become a leader in the IT field. At the age of 15, citizens receive an ID-card which is simultaneously a passport, a driver’s license, a means of signing documents and voting. In addition, hundreds of digital services are available in the country, thanks to which you can launch a startup or file a tax return in minutes.

- Higher education institutions. We visited 2 Tallinn Universities: TalTech — Tallinn University of Technology (the country’s leading technical and engineering university) and EKA — Estonian Academy of Arts (higher education in architecture, fine arts, artistic culture and design). We learned about available educational opportunities and saw what university life is like in Estonia.

We also visited Pärnu College of the University of Tartu, there is a program for the design and management of Wellness and Spa services.

SUMMARIZING

During the Project we exchanged experiences, stories of our ancestors and learned more about the cultural, educational and everyday life in Estonia. An important element of the exchange was the joint work on projects aimed at developing interest in Estonia and its digital culture. With the help of the World Café method (live discussion in groups), we were looking for solutions to the problems faced by young people of Estonian origin.

As a result, we have created the following projects: 1) an Instagram page (@youngeesti), which will help you adapt to Estonia, feel the culture and language; 2) a series of videos on Tiktok (@estonianroots, @estplained) about youth and travel in Estonia; 3) playlist of different genres of Estonian music.

P.S.

Every day we became more connected with Estonia, got to know it more deeply, plunging into the local color and way of life, in fact, we returned to our roots. The population density in Estonia is almost the lowest in Europe, which allowed us to plunge into the silence of the local nature, enjoy the beauty of deserted beaches and the mysticism of marsh paths, breathe clean fresh air and find ourselves here.

The main treasure of Estonia is the people we met along the way. These are people who gave us their warmth and hospitality, attention and cordiality. People, thanks to whom we felt the true identity of this land and belonging to our roots.

The article was prepared by Sana Lisova — journalist, researcher, public activist