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EESTI ELU reedel, 26. juunil 2020 — Friday, June 26, 2020
Nr. 25
Jaaniöö and singing
English-language supplement to the Estonian weekly “EESTI ELU” Tartu College Publications Founding Chairman: Elmar Tampõld Editor: Laas Leivat 3 Madison Avenue, Toronto, ON M5R 2S2 T: 416-733-4550 • F: 416-733-0944 • E-mail: editor@eestielu.ca Digital: www.eestielu.ca
Russia revokes MRP and rejects history In December of 1989 the Congress of People’s Deputies of the USSR adopted a resolu tion condemning the MolotovRibbentrop Pact (MRP) of 1939. This was widely inter preted as an apology for the USSR’s complicity in the Nazi and Communist atrocities that followed. The MRP formalized mili tary and political co-operation between Moscow and Berlin, sanctioned the mutual invasions of Poland, gave pre-approval for war crimes such as the Katyn murders of Polish offi cers, and paved the way for the Soviet invasion and occupation of most of Eastern Europe. It endorsed each other’s use of concentration camps (helped in sharing trade secrets enhancing their efficiency) to suppress and kill people based on political and racial criteria. It marked the internationally recognized be ginning of WWII. Now the Russian State Duma is ready to pass legislation that would revoke the 1989 Soviet condemnation of the MRP, in essence rescinding any apology. The existence of the MRP’s secret protocols was vehemently denied by the Soviets for decades. The content of this new bill directly contradicts undeniably determined facts, that have been clearly estab lished by original documents and proven by genuine histori cal evidence. It’s a politically driven distortion of actual facts – once again, the Kremlin’s rejection of truth. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have all summoned their local Russian ambassadors and pro tested the justification of tyranny by the Soviet and Nazi regimes that this new bill represents. This proposed legislation would in essence approve internation ally recognized criminal atro cities. One must note Moscow’s usual inconsistency to justify its internationally contentious ac tions. The condemnation of the MRP was declared by a SO VIET institution, the Con gress of People’s Deputies. Now a RUSSIAN State Duma is prepared to revoke a SOVIET declaration, Russia thereby as serting its status as the legal successor of the USSR. It claimed the same when it took over the Soviet embassies
worldwide and assumed its rights to Soviet continuity when it’s to its a dvantage. Russia’s variability is inten tional and its inconsistencies are an insult to the countries affect ed. Moscow chooses to distance itself from the regime that signed the Tartu Peace Treaty. Nor will it claim any respon sibility for the invasion, an nexation and oppressive occu pation of Baltic states – coun tries that have no international political leverage, other than moral principles and historical integrity – that have any conse quences for the Kremlin. Vla dimir Putin’s popularity thrives on his contempt for world opinion. His recently waning popularity rating is the result of Russia’s abject economic mis management, not Putin’s dis dain for historical truth. Putin’s own about-faced on the MRP matches the creeping Stalinism evident in Russian society. In 2008, while a prime minister, Putin approved the 1989 Soviet Congress of People’s Deputies condemna tion of the MRP and said the Pact was strictly a personal matter between Stalin and Hitler. But now Putin approves the rehabilitation of Stalin, and thus the MRP was necessary to en sure the security of the Soviet Union. His acolytes echo Putin’s pro-Pact stance. His minister of culture says the MRP was a “great achievement of Soviet diplomacy”. Stalin’s return to acceptance, even greatness is reflected by the increasing number of post ings on social media that reject ed the existence of the MRP’s notorious secret protocols. This is seemingly a cultural regres sion to the Soviet era when a similar government denial lasted well beyond the US release of the original documents dis covered in German archives. Facts will not budge Putin’s Kremlin whose total control of mass and digital media regulate the ‘truth’. The scholarly estab lishment seems to acquiesce. Is this sufficient cause for Baltic anxiety? Certainly not yet, but authoritarian manipula tion and control of historical reality eventually gives unac ceptable facts acceptability, normalcy and inevitability. Just witness Hitler’s domestic and
Midsummer is inspirational! I first experienced midsum mer eve bonfires held in the Estonian tradition when I was a little girl. These were on the Estonian community’s pineforested land in south Jersey, just as those in other areas of the United States and Canada no doubt did the same in their communal gathering places, or in the yards of private homes or farms. Estonian communities in North Ameri ca and around the world kept many homeland traditions alive, including this beautiful, radiant one – June 23rd to 24th, when dusk and dawn meet. As I grew older, I learned more and more about the special customs and magical qualities of this ancient holiday as it was practiced in Estonia. There is so much to read and view through the internet that gives access to both modernday and historic accounts. For example, I am especially grate ful for Ahto Kaasik’s class on ancient Estonian spiritual heri tage (Eesti Vaimse Pärandi Aluskursus), which I recently completed online. Today this holiday is known as Jaanipäev (St. John’s Day) and it flourishes in present day Estonia with celebrations and lighting of bonfires throughout the land. But its age-old roots as the summer solstice reach back prior to Christian times. Known by various names, such as Päevakäänak (Day’s turn) or Leedopäev, it has always been one of the most important calendar events of the year. Seasonally, its major impor tance lay in the start of summer hay-making. Memoir accounts describe people preparing by cleaning homes; visiting ancestors at the cemetery; gathering birch branches to decorate indoors and out, including their carriages and horses; making birch whiffs for the all-important sauna attendance, preparing foods
foreign atrocities, Mao’s brutal Cultural Revolution, and Sta lin’s establishment of a vast Gulag system. Is it alarmist to say as many in Russia itself have observed – that the Kremlin is laying the groundwork for new aggres sion? Just in the last decade and half the invasion of Georgia’s South Ossetia, the uncontested annexation of Crimea and con tinued Russian military involve ment in Ukrain’s Donbass initially aroused local Russian consternation and spurred inter national outrage. But this has deteriorated to cynicism and ennui in the opposition move ment in Russia and to a new normal of pro forma, impotent sanctions internationally. Leaving well enough alone is not an option. LAAS LEIVAT
Tulge Jaaniku Tulele, Jaaniku, Jaaniku… Come to the St. John’s Bonfire.
(especially dairy) and drinks, such as õlu (beer) and mõdu (a unique fermented, alcoholic drink made with water and honey and sometimes added fruits or spices); partaking of rituals for well-being (such as washing eyes with clear stream water or rolling in evening dew); and creating cornflower wreaths – even the cattle were made wreaths of flowers and greens! Everyone, young and old, was expected at the bonfire. “Dozens of fires at dusk that shone like stars in the sky, so many you couldn’t count them,” was the recollection of Minna Kokk (1892–1971) who was interviewed by Jaanika Oras (Viie 20 sajandi naise regilaulu maailm). She describes dancing, swinging on the big wooden vil lage swing, the romantic search for a magical fern blossom and an “evening kiss, that on Jaanipäev’s next morning still burned on a maiden’s lips.” The search for the shining fern blos som, which originally was tied to good fortune and later evolved to a sweet courting rite, is amusing since, though mytho logically ferns may blossom – botanically, they do not! (There is speculation that a special light in the forest may be Jaanimardikad – glow worms.) But the ritual is lovely and en ticing and survives to this day. There is a long line of moving Estonian songs of mid summer that I have sung and listened to. One of the first songs I learned was Jaan lä’eb Jaanitulele (Jaan goes to the St. John’s Bonfire). Though there are countless older variations, this one is a more “modern” tune set by Riho Päts (1899– 1977). As a teenager I heard the most beautiful rendition of this song – sung by Reet Hend rikson, with her simple, flowing voice and artistic guitar accom paniment. I still remember when my older brother Tönu brought back the record for me from Canada and its cover had an inscription to me from Reet. I listened to it over and over, mesmerized by her singing! It was our great fortune that Canadian-Estonian singer and record producer Andres Raud sepp had the foresight to record this only recording of that gifted young singer in 1969.
Hainsoo, whose grounded tradi tional singing soars to new heights with wonderful impro visation and modern overtones. It is a perfect example of how creative young musicians in Estonia are cultivating ancient art in their own time. Here she is with singers and both acous tic and electronic instruments performing a call to all to come to the St. John’s Bonfire, Tulge Jaanista Tulele. h t t p s : / / w w w. yo u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=CPlUWQQhygo
Finally, an a cappella choral piece by the famous Estonian composer Veljo Tormis (1930– 2017), who was greatly inspired to use authentic ancient FinnoUgric songs as a basis for his many compositions. This is a short one called Jaani Hobu (Jaan’s Steed) about the horse with which Jaan, with a silkclad maiden, rides to the bonfire. It contains wonderful sound-illustrations, such as rhythmic pace and accents that mimic trotting. The old runic text describes Jaan making for himself – a steed of fire: eyes from coals of fire, ears from stalks of straw, twisting a mane from flaxen, hooves fashioned from bent-grass. h t t p s : / / w w w. yo u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=pFUooTsC7Pc
It is this kind of imaginative word painting in the old regi laulud (runic songs) that I find particularly inspiring. It is a window like no other into our ancient history. I sing regilaulud with others or by myself when ever I can. When sung with several people, the regilaul is commonly “call and response,” with the leader and small group in a continuous and overlapping chain of singing. These songs can have many, many verses, and the act of singing is both soothing and hypnotic. (Continued on page 9)
h t t p s : / / w w w. yo u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=xA_FCBZ_MdA
More recently, I am smitten by the singing of Meelika
Kaja Parming Weeks
