Most Estonian?

In Facebook there is a group "You know you are from Estonian when..." where Estonians and people knowing Estonians have gathered lots of great and funny observations about Estonians. Like for example:

You know you are from Estonian when...

1. You use the word ‘normal’ if something is ok.
...
24. Your best friend's girlfriend is your English teacher's daughter and they live next door to your grandparents, who were colleagues with your advisor, who is friends with your...
...
61. "Ühesõnaga" means that a really long explanation is coming
...
93. When you hear "Kristina", you think of Shmigun, not Aguilera.
...
141. You say to a foreigner "Sure! I'll help you learn the Estonian language!", and then you disappear...
...
148. As a child you went looking for a fern flower on Jaaniõhtu.


In the moment it ends with number 148 and still says "to be continued..."...
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art by 5-year-old Mari Lee "an one"

Least religious?

The BBC reported that Estonia was the least religous country... by survey.
But do Estonians believe in anything?... or thats what they ask.
You can hear the radio version here This is quite interesting radio programme and includes a lot of interesting cultural and historical points... some can be read in the written summary here.

Here are some stats from wikipedia and interestingly it seems to be the "Scandanavian" countries that seem to have a low percentage of "Religion". On this page there is an additional column that says "I believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 54% Estonians said yes to this, along with the Scandanvian countries too.

Anyway no real comment apart from that interesting comparison.
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art by 5-year-old Mari Lee "a two"

Conservation Holidays for this Year

You maybe interested in the holidays for this year. With the BTCV you can find information here and with ELF you can find some details here. O and happy birthday ELF... it is 20 this year :)

Tallinn - Capital of Culture

Tallinn is joint Capital of Culture (with Turku) this year and I spotted this article in The Telegraph. You can read about the programme for the year of culture and like the Programme Director says Estonians "have strong folk traditions in singing and poetry".

Enjoy :)

P.S. The official website in Estonian (Also English , Finnish and Russian options available)

Iceland #7

Trip trap trip trap
goes the troll
crossing the wooden bridge
over the deep valley

Splish Splash Splish Splash
goes the troll
having a shower in the waterfall
using moss for a towel

Slurp gulp slurp gulp
goes the troll
having a long cold refreshing drink
from the little windy stream

Stomp Crunch Stomp Crunch
goes the troll
avoiding the hidden holes and valleys
over the glacier face

Bang Clatter Bang Clatter
goes the troll
Jumping down the hillside
and starting little rockfalls

Rumble grumble rumble grumble
goes the troll
thinking of his next meal
that he will surely find soon

Then shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

as he waits...

round the next bend

for...


YOU!


Photo and Poem by Ian

For people who do like Trolls.. and like puppets (maybe one for the kids)
I have seen it recommended to go to the Estonian State Puppet theatre (although never been myself)
Anyway they do the troll boy which is described here :)

Iceland #1

Poems and Photos from Iceland trip 2010...
In 1991 (just over 19 years ago), "Iceland became the first nation to recognise the newly restored independence of Estonia" - wikipedia . In fact there is an Iceland Square (Estonian: Islandi väljak ) in Tallinn ... anyway back to my Icelandic poetry...



#1
The sun dips down
but never sets
on the night life
which only seemed to start
when the sun flirts with the horizon

poem and photo by Ian

1st Anniversary

It all started here a year ago!





I thought it would be fitting to have an Estonian Poem here. A poem I found about the Emajõgi river. A river that flows from one lake (Võrtsjärv) to another (Peipsi). It flows through Tartu and past Palupõhja (which is where we were based for our volunteering).

Betti Alver was born in Jõgeva and live from 1906 to 1989. She is one of Estonia's notable poets and more information can be found
here.

I have included both the Estonian and an English version of the poem.

Korallid Emajões - Betti Alver (from a collection of the same name)

Ikka meenuvad minutid
millal
viras vikerkaar
üle vee.

Me seisime raudsel sillal.
Sinu ees oli
raudne tee.

Aeg raputas aardeid mu ette.
sinu ees oli
raudne tee.

Raudsillal
viskasin vette
ma punakorallidest
kee.

Kõik mu aegade aarded on hallid.
Jumet
pole ka jumalatõel.

Veepõhjast
vaid punakorallid
vahel vilavad
Emajõel.


English version
(From Tuulelaeval valgusest on aerud. Windship with Oars of Light. Estonian Modern Poetry, Huma, Tallinn 2001)

My own note here is that the translator decided to say "Ancient River" whilst the original text specifies Emajõgi which means Mother River. Ema being mother and jõgi being river. The Emajõgi is mentioned in the title and also on the last line.

Corals in an Ancient River

A shimmering rainbow’s high ridge
arched over the river that day.
We stood on the cast-iron bridge;
ahead lay your iron-paved way.

Time’s treasures have all lost their lustre,
God’s truth has a dull, lifeless glimmer;
but the river flows stronger and faster
where the beads of coral still shimmer.


This along with other poems by Betti Alver can be found at the Estonian Literary Magazine.