From a distance, Estonia looks like a tiny dot on the globe, but when you take a closer look, every corner of Estonia hides its own culture and way of life. Moving from northern Estonia southwards, you will notice the landscape changing. Estonians’ language changes, too, and their world view with it, in some people’s opinion.
Pärnu river in the southwestern Estonia. Photo by: Valdis Skudre / Enterprise Estonia
Differences between the North and South are apparent also in
their capitals – the maritime Tallinn and the inland Tartu. Visitors to the
latter will no doubt hear about ‘the Spirit of Tartu’, the essence of which is
supposedly incomprehensible to the pragmatic capital city slickers. People from
Tallinn might on the other hand make fun of the self-complacent academia of
Tartu.
One of many neoclassical buildings in Tartu. Photo by: Tõnu Tunnel / Enterprise Estonia
The southern part of Viljandi County is called Mulgimaa, and its
inhabitants are ‘Mulks’. They have always been considered wealthy and
entrepreneurial, but also arrogant and miserly.
Despite their arrogance, or
perhaps thanks to their stubbornness, the Mulks played an important role in
shaping the Estonian selfawareness and later on in the creation of the nation
state. Today, the county capital Viljandi, with its Culture Academy, is at the
centre of Estonian folk tradition; every year in July, the biggest folk music
festival in Estonia takes place there.
Boats on the Lake of Viljandi. Photo by: Siim Verner Teder / Visit Viljandi
Women in the traditional folk clothes of southern Estonia. Photo by: Heiko Kruusi / Enterprise Estonia
One of the most unique places in Estonia is definitely southeastern Estonia, or Võrumaa, which is decidedly different from the
northern Estonian flatlands, boasting numerous lakes and a hilly landscape. The
language of the people living there differs from standard Estonian enough to
justify its status as a unique language in its own right. The Võro people have
plenty of reasons to be proud of their culture – from the written Võro language
having set rules to the creation of multiple neologisms and offering school
education in the Võro language.
Four parishes in the farther corners of
southeastern Estonia together with a few border regions in Russia make up
Setomaa. Even though they are Russian Orthodox, the Seto people still keep
alive old pagan customs and beliefs such as honouring their ancestors by
bringing food to their graves.
On the shore of Europe’s fourth largest lake, Lake Peipus, there
lives a community of Old Believers, who are known as great fishermen and onion
growers. Driving along their village roads laced with colourful houses, you can
see onion braids for sale hanging on doors.
In the east, right on the
Estonian-Russian border, there is the former great industrial and Hanseatic
town Narva. Nowadays, the mostly Russianspeaking bordertown hosts a college of
the University of Tartu and of The Estonian Academy of Security Sciences. In
recent years, more and more cultural life is finding its way there, due to the
opening of a contemporary performing arts centre and international music
festivals taking place in the region. The nearby resort town Narva-Jõesuu, with
its sprawling sandy beaches, is also a big draw for visitors.
Western Estonia
boasts many different islands. Estonia’s largest island Saaremaa has throughout
history been associated with maritime activities; both ancient Viking ships and
treasures have been discovered there. The small island Kihnu, with its 700
inhabitants, belongs to the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible
Cultural Heritage of Humanity thanks to its music, garments, language, and
handicrafts.
Peipsimaa visiting house. Photo by: Danel Rinaldo / Enterprise Estonia
Woman and her dog fishing near Kihnu island in western Estonia. Photo by: Meelika Lehola / Enterprise Estonia
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