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EESTI ELU reedel, 28. augustil 2020 — Friday, August 28, 2020
Without a visa in the USSR
ESTONIAN CULTURE LINKS by Vincent Teetsov
26 August 2020
Belarus: Joint Statement by EU HR/ VP Josep Borrell and the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, FrançoisPhilippe Champagne Video still from the Muinastuled öö YouTube channel.
Burning the night away on Muinastulede öö Previously, we talked about the celebration of museums taking place on August 29th, for Muuseumiöö. But just as much as the night is a time that makes us curious about what lurks in our museums, the primal pursuit of glowing fire prompts Muinastulede öö (the Night of Ancient Bon fires) all around the Baltic Sea. In the late 8th century CE, fires were lit along the Baltic coast to indicate the best way to travel and reach a port or beach to land. Seafaring people de pended on these lights for safe navigation and direction, for their livelihoods. Fires could serve as warnings and commu nication signals when enemy boats were in the vicinity. 12 centuries later, in 1992, Finnish surveyor Kristian Lindroos and his Estonian friend Toivo Saue agreed to light fires in their respective towns of Kemiö and Tahkuna (on the island of Hiiumaa). Locals on Hiiumaa were told to light their own fires, too. At the same time, it’s also thought that Finnish cultural activist Birgitta Bröckl was the creator of the new bonfire tradition. 121 kilometres apart, who knows how well a coastal bon fire could be seen from across the water, but especially when Estonia had regained its inde pendence, fire was a sign of camaraderie between neigh bouring countries. Every year since then, at 9:30 PM local time, on the last Saturday of August, fires have been lit in Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Russia, and Sweden. Look ing at this year’s map, there are fires being held in the United States, too. At muinas
tuled.ee, you can see which bonfires are private, publicly accessible, or ticketed events. The site allows you to enter the details of your own bonfire, if you’re lõkke enough to have one! Jaanipäev takes most of the spotlight for bonfires, as it’s based around the longest day of the year. However, when the end of August has quite a bit of its focus placed on the immi nent return to school and the hustle and bustle of work life, it’s refreshing to give ourselves time to relax. There’s no need to rush by the water’s edge, where civilizations and tribes have been drawn for millennia. Water and the horizon are psychological magnets, remind ing us that there is something beyond. We aren’t alone. Even without coastlines and the sea nearby, Muinastulede öö can be an acknowledgment of the eventual end of summer, just as we noticed its beginning in June. It circulates, just like the mythical fööniks (“phoe nix”) is engulfed in flame and regenerates over time. Those who take part in the night also share an interest in keeping fire areas clean and free of garbage and pollution. Be careful not to burn anything other than wood, and stay away from areas where fire is prohi bited, or places that would dis turb wildlife. When the fire is at its end, clean up the area and make sure the wood is com pletely burnt, so that it doesn’t cause a brushfire. Look out for the Muinas tulede öö Tulelaul (“fire song”), which comes with lyrics and a recording, so you can sing along on the night.
Estonian officials…
the European Union is to get a vaccine together,” he said. Foreign Minister Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) also does not predict new rules which would apply to all member states. “Countries have their sovereign right to do so. Understandably, countries have different views on their public health experts; different views on which types of measures are more effective and which are
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works and that the borders are as open as they are today,” he said. According to Kasemets, the role of the European Union is to maintain green transport corridors, ensure safety for air customers, but also ensure the readiness of the health care system. “Today’s big push by
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We, as friends of the Bela rusian people and supporters of the sovereignty and inde pendence of the Republic of Belarus, stand by the people’s wish for democratic change. We have clearly and re peatedly expressed our posi tions regarding the conduct of the 9 August presidential elections in Belarus and their aftermath. The presidential elec tions were neither free nor fair. The massive demonstrations in Minsk and across the country on Sunday 23 August should make it clear to the authorities that it is now urgent to launch an open and constructive na tional dialogue to find a way forward in Belarus. Belarus has international ob ligations, which we expect the authorities to respect. As an Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) participating state, Belarus has committed to holding genuinely democratic elections and to upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms. Only a peaceful and democratic pro cess can de-escalate the situa tion and provide sustainable solutions. Therefore, we support the Albanian OSCE chairman ship-in-office proposal to sup port dialogue in Belarus by a joint visit with the incoming OSCE chairperson-in-office, Sweden. We call on the Bela rusian authorities to accept this proposal without delay. We call on all other OSCE participating states to support this proposal as well. We will continue to follow the situation closely and stand ready to contribute to efforts to peacefully resolve the crisis. Canada and the European Union will continue to stand with the people of Belarus and will continue to work with our international partners to ensure that their voices are heard and their rights upheld.
not,” Reinsalu told AK. However, he said the harmo nization of rules may be successful in the future, at least in neighboring countries. “As far as the general rules of movement are concerned, a positive example of how we built the Baltic bubble is given throughout Europe. I have also called on Finland to harmonize its rules in a similar way,” Reinsalu added.
The Beatles sang, somewhat idiotically, how lucky a fellow was to be back in the USSR. Really? Talk about Lennon and Lenin, rose-coloured glasses. But I’ve been there. Illegally, to boot. 30 years ago this summer a beautiful three months were spent working and travelling in occupied Estonia. Working for rubles, part-time, among the few Canadian-born Estonians, I believe, who have done so. Had a visa for occupied Esto nia – but not for the Russian Soviet Federal Socialist Re public. In 1990 the Soviets were lax about travelling within. Hence plenty of time to explore the ancestral land, birthplace of both parents. But thanks to brave others I left occupied Estonian terri tory a total of four times. Only once into the RSFSR. That was when I was invited to join a boat tour from Tartu along Emajõgi to Lake Peipsi, along with some intrepid German tourists, stopping at Piirisaar. Beautiful place, had great sweet onions and smoked sudak, pike-perch for lunch. Then the captain suggested putting foot on Soviet soil – on the eastern shore of the lake at Samolva, in Estonian known as Samblaküla. The dilapidated village was a revelation, so rundown and shabby compared to the Estonian side of the border lake. Speaking in high school German with the tourists aroused the wrath of the ba bushkas, the only ones on the dusty main street other than a few mangy dogs. Fascists, they muttered. But the memorial to those who fell defending the Rodina was impressive, although surrounded by weeds. Another time was to Valka and beyond. Occupied Latvia. Not the USSR in my books. The last two were to Jaanilinn (Ivangorod) and Petseri. Both Estonian cities, according to the Tartu Peace Treaty of 1920. In 1945 borders were redrawn, placing them outside Estonia. Petseri was perhaps the most interesting of my transgressions. There actually was a border crossing of sorts – much more lax than the one internally, taking the ferry to Saaremaa. Armed soldiers only looked at us and waved us through. I was advised, however, not to repeat my Samblaküla experience. If directly approached in Russian, let someone else answer. The Southeastern part of Estonia as well as the littoral of Lakes Peipsi and Pihkva has a strong Russian Orthodox in fluence. The city of Petseri formed around an Orthodox monastery, established in 1473. The larger geographical area is known for substrata sandstone, resulting over time in numerous caves. In Estonia the area around Piusa, 10 km from Petseri, became the source for excavating sand for the manu facture of glass after WW I. Until recently it was possible to visit the caves there. The famous Petseri monas tery was built there in small part thanks to the extensive
cave network below. The monks created catacombs for the burial of their brothers. Taking part of a tour, led by a monk, who if not a centenarian was pretty close to that age; the catacombs were cool, dark and fascinating. Niches held ancient coffins, some merely skeletons. The entire grounds, as far as we were allowed to visit, were spectacular, harkening back to an earlier era, where religion was taken seriously and not dismissed as the opiate of the masses. Certainly a highlight of the summer, especially as this inkstained wretch, sworn to silence so as to not reveal the inability to speak Russian, felt much like George Smiley, John le Carré’s famous spy, operating illegally in Soviet occupied territory. 1990 was also the year when the Oka crisis occurred in Canada. Indigenous protesters asserted their land claims there, very much in the public eye. Estonians in Canada pointed out the similarities – their lands were also illegally occupied. Interestingly, during the summer before a visit was made to the Oka region. To visit the Trap pist Cistercian monastery – The Abbey of Notre-Dame du Lac, known more familiarly as the Oka Abbey. Partook in quiet meditation, matins service, pur chased the excellent cheese known as Oka, still available today. Sadly, the abbey has been sold; the monks are no longer there. Thanks to the land claim issues, among other factors. The summer of 1989 had seen separatist feelings running rampant, tensions were high in Québec. Evidence was given, when at Mirabel airport, after picking up a visitor from Estonia. Aeroflot only flew to Montréal and asking for directions to the closest station d’essence in English was met with a stony silence. Even repeating the same in joual, Québec French, was begrudg ingly answered, as I had re vealed my seemingly maudit anglais origins. Could use a derogatory epithet to describe the gentleman on the public payroll. He merited such. Could also have, at the time, presented the Estonian case, but con frontation was not a desire. And unfortunately, at the time, some Canadians conflated Baltic desires to regain indepen dence with Quebecois separatist demands. Historically two dif ferent issues. As we celebrate the fact that in August of 1991, Estonia peacefully shook off the shackles of illegal occupation it might serve to remind Cana dians of that fact. Alas, with the FLQ and terrorism leading up to the Montréal Olympics no comparison can be made. As an Estonian born in Canada, allow me to use the official motto of Québec, Je me souviens. Translated as we do not forget. Words to live by, for both Estonians and residents of la belle province. TÕNU NAELAPEA
