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EESTI ELU reedel, 12. novembril 2021 — Friday, November 12, 2021
Nr. 45
Catch Puuluup this November on their North American tour! Vincent Teetsov 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
A young Estonian actor is auditioning for a part in a play at one of the Mirvish theaters. Director: What’s your name? Actor: Armin Armpit. Director: No, no. We’re are a prestigious group and that name makes us a laughing stock. Actor: I’m Estonian. Director: Well and good but you can use a stage name. Actor: But this is my stage name.
Photo: Kai Kiilaspea
Thomas Hillar Heinsoo, a belated observation
How’s this connected to Thomas Heinsoo? That’s his stage name. His real name is Shuns Praise. Yes, he’s uncomfortable with adulation or flattery. So I’ll keep it low key. As most know Canadian law does not allow honorary con suls who have been duly appointed by a foreign country, and recognized and ‘licensed’ by the Canadian government to re ceive any remuneration from the home country. Similarly with any associated costs. Without Tom’s support the existence of the consulate at Etonian House would not have been possible. With this, I do not trivialize the support kindly received from Estonian orga nizations. It’s also been invaluable. But Tom, for the past 20 has been the constant, depend able resource that helps maintain a presentable facility, one which the consulate is proud to use. The motivation? I’m convinced it’s partially the legacy of Ilmar, his father’s past. After fighting in Finland, Ilmar re turned to Estonia in 1944, as the Red Army was making sub stantial headway in conquering the Estonia. He fought them, was wounded and escaped to Sweden. He then agreed to be parachuted back to Estonia by the British – an operation that was abandoned due to a security breach. Why all this about Ilmar? Because it speaks about the righteous fight, about commitment, principles and a sense of mission, something I’m convinced gives Tom direction in his decisions. Something not well known in the community is Tom’s largesse in constantly supporting most events, gather ings and organizations. I’m sure to upset Tom if I continue in this vein. I once complained to Tom about the unresponsive audience to my stupid jokes the other day. Tom said, “But Mrs. L….o laughed hilariously at all of them.” “Why?” Tom: “She was showing off her new teeth.” Brutally true. But also tolerant. He can quietly sit and suffer my rants, concerns, complaints, ideas, protests and take them in stride. Genuine forbearance. I‘m laying it on a bit too thick, knowing he’ll be embar rassed. But why this unusual column? Tom passed his 60th mile stone in August. Only a couple of associates helped him mark the occasion with a brief lunch, which probably suited him for someone who eschews the limelight. He’s Estonia’s Hon. Vice-Consul. I’m blessed that he’s got the energy of a young hockey player, which he still continues to play. And he has the caring of a solid family man to Kristiina and his super-spirited boys, Mik and Jakob. Tom cannot avoid growing older, but he can avoid getting old. And he does it with a vigorous pursuit. LAAS LEIVAT
Two years ago, in November 2019, “Neozombiepostfolk” duo Puuluup twirled around Estonian Music Week listeners at Artscape Sandbox like they do with the very bows they play their instruments with. They took the audience to a mischievous, pastoral realm. With on-stage musical backup from The Tiki Collective, and the jazzy counterpoint of Mari Sild Band and Kaili Kinnon who were also on the bill, it was an eclectic Friday night. On that same weekend, Puuluup played at The Cotton Factory, in Hamilton’s north end, and a set at DROM Taberna on Queen Street in Toronto, pointing to their curiosity for all kinds of music, venues, and audiences. Their songs are difficult to categorize. Hence the aforemen tioned, chimera-like genre name. The duo list punk, klezmer, gospel, hip hop, and music from Africa’s Sahel region as influences. And if you concertedly listen for these influences, you can detect each for a few seconds at a time. For one, hip hop is found in their occasional ex perimental use of AutoTune and clattering rhythms. Low register singing is used instead of other bass instruments, like in a choir. The result is spooky. Both halves of the duo – Ramo Teder (whose stage name is Pastacas) and Marko Veisson – play the Hiiu kannel (AKA talharpa), made by Finnish instru m ent builder Rauno Nieminen. They also share sing ing and pedal effects duties. These are the connecting liga ments of their songs, while Teder is in charge of operating the looping gadgets. The overall flavour of Puu luup’s music is Vaude villian, akin to a comedic folk tale or the soundtrack to an arthouse film: an approach that our con tinent isn’t exposed to frequently. But then their compositions have an academic foundation, too. They often speak in detail about their methodology, such as at TEDx Toompea in 2016 and with the University of Pennsylvania in 2021. Veisson himself is an anthropologist at the University of Tartu Viljandi Culture Academy and has con ducted research in Ghana. At their shows, they will make you stroke your chin and think laterally. Even lyrically, Estonian is blended into a linguistic stir fry of jocular Russian chastushka poetry, Finnish, and “made-up languages.” Teder and Veisson say, “The lyrics set the mood. Mostly they are rather abstract and are open to different inter pretations.” For instance, in their song “Paala järve vaala baar”
Maj. Ülo Isberg receiving a special commendation from Estonia’s Minister of Justice Maris Lauri recently.
Statement on the crisis at the Belorussian-European Union border Mölndal, Sweden 2021-11-10 The Estonian World Council, representing thousands of organized Estonians in eleven countries: The United States of America, Canada, Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, Australia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and the Czech Republic strongly sup ports the recent joint statement of November 8, 2021, by the Chairmen of the Foreign Affairs Committees of the parliaments of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, where they con demn and oppose the triggering (“Paala Lake Whale Bar”), the lyrics start with a reference to the game of rock-paper-scissors (“Kivi paberid siis käärid / Kivi all on rukki staarid”) before singing about a whale that lives in the said lake and who owns a bar. To give their own interpreta tion of their sound, the duo say, “This is what happens, when two smart men in midlife crises decide to start living the rock & roll lifestyle... And they suc ceed!” To start their short North American tour, the duo will play at the 10th edition of Mundial Montréal festival. But then they will be coming to our neck of the woods. Puuluup will be returning to The Cotton Factory on November 19th at 8:00 PM. Then they will head to the Paradise Theatre in Toronto on November 20th for a 3:00 PM matinée show. Tickets for each event cost $20. Toronto readers will be fa miliar with the stylish art deco Paradise Theatre from night one of this year’s Estonian Music Week festival. The Cotton Factory, meanwhile, was once known as the Imperial Cotton Company Limited, in the year 1900. Now it is a transformed arts centre that has hosted many Estonian artists in the past as part of The Hamilton Arts Council Artist Residency Program, live concerts, and more. If you get to see them,
and escalation of a crisis on the Polish, Lithuanian and Latvian borders, organised by Alexander Lukashenka and supported by Vladimir Putin’s regime. These borders are also the external borders of the Euro pean Union and NATO. We find it unacceptable to use people as human shields for cynical political actions aimed at diverting the attention of the world from the Belorussian dic tator’s illegally exercised power. We call on all democratic states and the United Nations to introduce broader sanctions against people and institutions contributing to this crisis in order to end it as soon as pos sible. AHO REBAS President of the Estonian World Council www.uekn.ee
Puuluup will play songs from their recently released album Viimane suusataja (The Last Skier). The title is emblematic of their sardonic, elusive sense of humour. Who is that last skier? What on earth happened to them? You’ll have to go and watch them closely to find out. Get your tickets for their performance in Hamilton (https:// w w w. e v e n t b r i t e . c a / e / p u u luup-live-at-the-cotton-factoryhamilton-tickets-205672831977) and their performance in Toronto (https://www.eventbrite. ca/e/neo-folk-duo-puuluup-liveat-the-paradise-theatre-toronto-all-ages-tickets-205320969547) through Eventbrite. Note: at these events, all Health Canada, Public Health Ontario, and Toronto Public Health guidelines will be implemented (i.e. proof of vaccination/ID, wearing of masks, and hand sanitizer provision).
Photo: Taavi Arus
