LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT

Crazy Estonians

  November 10 doing rounds is an ancient custom – gifts were

collected for monasteries during medieval times.

Germans brought this tradition to Estonia in the late Middle Ages. IN THE PASTMartinmas mummers went from one house to another on Martinmas Eve and danced.

It was an entire Mardi-family: led by the mardi-father and mardi-mother. The Mardi-father was the most important character.

OUR TRADITIONS: MARTINMAS

Mummers made even more noise by playing trumpets or clashing pans, as this was supposed to ward off all evil and bring good luck. Traditional food at home was a Martinmas

goose. Every goose has

its MARTINMAS

MARTINMAS

NOWADAYS mummers are mostly school children

they usually do not ask the families to dance with them

MARTINMAS

To ask permission to enter, they usually sing a special song at the door.

HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE IT?

Pildi lisamiseks klõpsake ikooni

Riddles are posed. It is customary to put some sweets, cookies

or other treats into the mummers’ bags. Sometimes people also give them money.

Our ancestors celebrated kadripäev to honour Kadri, the guardian fairy (spirit) of cattle.

Kadri mummers brought cattle good luck.

St. Catherine’s Day November 25

chores associated with wool such as spinning, knitting and sewing were forbidden, as it was believed that this might harm the sheep. In order to get in, they had to baa like a

sheep at the door. Indoors they sang, posed riddles, danced and played games.

Beans or peas were tossed on the floor.

NOWADAYS Clothing does not have to be light-coloured Kadri mummers sing a special song at the door. Songs, dances and riddles are similar to Martinmas. the number of Kadri and Mardi (Martinmas) mummers

has decreased in cities WHY ? HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE IT?

7 weeks before Easter either in February or March and related to entertainment of spring. 

Sledging was important – the longer the slide, the longer the stem of flax would be in the fields

Humming tops were made of bones of pigs’ feet It was forbidden to light a fire or to spin lamb’s

wool. It was advisable and customary to comb and cut hair.

WHY?HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE IT?

Shrove Tuesday

NOWADAYSSledges, boards and plastic are used for sliding.

People still speak about the length of flax but flax is very rarely grown in our fields.

Children are taught to make humming tops using big buttons.

Traditional food

Buns with whipped cream are eaten, also pigs’ trotters with pea or bean soup. 

Midsummer Eve or the night of June 23 is important for the Estonians.

people make whisks and go to the sauna A jaani bonfire is built quite high. Young

people try to jump over it.

MIDSUMMER DAY (St. John’s Day  -  Jaanipäev) June 24

Old dances are also quite popular, especially those that allow the audience to join in.

Competitive games and contests are held (tug of war).  Swings are a natural part of Midsummer Eve.

Many families build a small fire in their own garden or drive to a scenic place to have a picnic.

They barbecue meat and sausages on the fire and drink beer or bread drink.

 some seek fern flower (is it possible to find one?)

Some girls put 9 flowers under pillows(chaplet) WHY?

Traditional food included barley porridge (which was also taken to neighbours), lamb with porridge, peas and beans cooked in salty water, kama  and kama balls, cottage cheese open pie

during the four-week period children put their slippers or socks on the window sills. At night dwarves place sweets in these slippers but only for good children.

A spruce tree or some spruce branches are brought home and decorated

Plants called Poinsettia (Christmas flowers) are bought to decorate homes and offices.

.

 

CHRISTMAS

people go to graveyards and light candles on the graves of relatives and friends - a breathtaking and picturesque site for reminiscing.

families gather together, children always try to come home

Father Christmas comes on Christmas Eve and children have to sing or dance or recite poems to receive the gifts.

Sometimes Father Christmas is so busy that gifts are left on the doorstep

jellied meat or brawn black pudding or blood sausage

pickled pumpkin or cowberry salad roast meat (pork), sauerkraut  Piparkooks- biscuits made from flower and spices,

sometimes decorated with glaze

: Traditional Christmas food

Procession More than 70 000 spectators 30 000 singers 15 000 dancers Song Festival ground What is your favourite song? What is the most well-known dance?

Song and Dance Festival

Tallinn-based expats compiled a list that distinguishes Estonians.

Characteristics of Estonians

1. You presume that all other countries also have ubiquitous internet access.2. When visiting friends abroad you bring along a box of Kalev chocolate.

3. You attended a song festival at least once either as a performer or as a spectator.4. You know that going to the sauna is 80% about networking and 20% about washing.

5. You are nationalistic about Skype (it was actually set up in Estonia).6. Kohuke (Estonian curd snack) belongs to your menu.7. You actually believed for a while that Latvians had six toes per foot when you heard that as a child.8. You have been at least once in your life at Pärnu beach.

9. You spit three times around your left shoulder for good luck.10. You grin when someone you know says that they bought a BMW.

11. You have been to Finland.12. 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…

13. You know the lyrics to “Rongisõit” and „Mutionu pidu“14. You grin very mysteriously when people ask about your national food.15. When someone says “Estonians are so beautiful” you answer almost without emotions “I know”.

16.You know how to end the sentence “Kui Arno isaga koolimajja jõudis…” (from Oskar Luts’s book “Kevade”).17. it is totally normal to eat food gone sour (sour milk, pickled cucumbers, sauerkraut, sour cream)18. You know the moves to the song “Põdra maja“.19. Swimming in +18°C water is a perfectly normal summer activity for you.

19. Every year you believe, deep in your heart, that Estonia will once again win the Eurovision Song Contest.

20. Ten months of the year it is too dark to be up and two months it is too light to go to bed.

21. Estonians like black bread and sprat sandwich

It is yours to fill up…