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EESTI ELU reedel, 14. veebruaril 2020 — Friday, February 14, 2020
Eesti Sihtkapitali Kanadas stipendiaat
Mihkel Jaenes Mihkel Jaenes is one of 7 exceptional Canadian-Estonian youth to be granted a 2019 EFC Scholarship. A second-year commerce student at McMaster University, Mihkel was born and raised in Toronto but has spent significant time in Esto nia. He attended TES Estonian School and is now a teacher in the TES Kindergarten and helps with the chil dren’s day program at Metsaülikool. He speaks Estonian fluently and hopes to be able to incorporate Estonia in his fu ture career. On being Estonian: Being Estonian means a lot to me. It’s my identity as well as my heritage and it has shaped the person I am…. To me, the Estonian language is one of the most beautiful languages in the world. Knowing Estonian opens many doors, from op portunities to live in Estonia, make new friends or to achieve a broader understanding of Estonian culture. On the role of EFC: The Estonian Foundation of Canada is important to our community because it creates a network of Estonians in Cana da…[EFC] supports many acti vities in the Estonian community and grants scholarships to young Estonians, pro viding them with the opportunity to study and do more in life…[The Foundation] also helps us to stay connected to Estonia. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, Estonian Foundation of Canada has granted over 130 scholarships to CanadianEstonian youth since 2003. See www.estonianfoundation.ca for details on eligibility and a pplication dates or to make a donation to help support youth in our community.
Buddhist Against Empire (VI) Marju Broder, Independent Researcher, Organizing Chair for International Conferences Buddhism & Australia, Perth Australia (Unaltered text, as submitted)
II. Conclusion The proposal for the creation of Estonian National Inde pen dence Party was a solo project of a Buddhist Vello Vaartnou- all from the idea and programme to execution was his arrange ment. It nullified the commu nists perestroika plan to conti nue as an empire. So the ‘out of box’, the Buddhist way of thinking is a part of Estonian fight for independence and cata lyst for the collapse of the USSR. A Buddhist Vaartnou was the first in Soviet times to openly attack the foundations of the communist country, giving the direction of independence fight in the future. However, about Vaartnou` historical proposal for ENIP keep quiet Estonian history books. In some news paper articles he is mentioned as a member of MRP AEG, which he has never been. Moreover, in newspaper ‘Eesti uudised’, Vaartnou ‘s idea and press-conference in Moscow were introduced like belonging to Isamaa Party (History of the Isamaa:Introducing the idea of the ENIP in the apartment in Moscow). Isamaa patented the name ‘Estonian National Inde
pendence Party’ without asking any permission from the author of this idea and this title. This is called sa violation of intellec tual property. But what says Vaartnou about himself? Vaartnou: “The West allowed me to do everything I wanted regarding my projects, which was not allowed in the Soviet Union including the current Republic of Estonia who did not let me realize my projects. I may look like an Estonian, but I’m really more like an Asian in the way of thinking and lifestyle, and I have always buried all my money in Buddhism. I believe that people should get part of this grand cultural heritage offered to us by the Orient. This is my pas sion, my addiction. These are the only symptoms I have.” Here some opinions 30 years later: - Sir Arvi Parbo AC FTCE (Australia): “It was undoubtedly a bold act, even at Gorbachev’s time when the situation in the Soviet Union was freer than before. It was new and bold that it was said in the Soviet Union, and moreover, at a press con ference in Moscow.” - Mart Laar (Prime Minister 1999-2002): “A historic propo sal, it made the way open for the whole Soviet Union” - Tunne Kelam (the last chair man of ENIP): “Creating an ENIP broke the dam, the wave of new parties was followed, not only in Estonia, but also elsewhere in the Soviet Union.” - Urmas Reinsalu (Minister of
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Saying ‘no’… (Continued from page 8)
manifesto’s signatories. “Mil lions of votes are needed against the policies of Vladimir Putin. . . . Say NO to Vladimir Putin.” There weren’t many plebi scites called by authoritarian regimes that ended in their defeat. But there is at least one precedent that gives Putin’s opponents hope: On Oct. 5, 1988, Chileans voted in a national referendum called by the military junta to prolong the 15-year rule of Gen. Augusto Pinochet by another eight years. In a stunning upset – me morialized in Pablo Larraín’s 2012 Oscar-nominated movie “No” – 56 percent of Chileans rejected the proposal, opening the way to multiparty elections and a transition to democratic rule. Few are expecting the same result in Russia this year. Putin’s regime maintains tight control over society, and there is little international pressure of the kind that compelled Pino chet’s junta to count the votes honestly (and accept the result). But now, for the first time in decades, Russian citizens are getting a chance to make a clear, binary, black-and-white choice: yes or no to the regime. As former opposition lawmaker Dmitri Gudkov noted, “it would be a shame not to use the opportunity.”
Marcus Kolga interviewed and moderated a Q&A with former Ukrainian political prisoner and filmmaker Oleg Sentsov at Toronto’s HotDocs Cinema on Monday, February 3. The discussion followed the screening of the film “The Trial” which chronicles Sentsov’s arrest, trial and incarceration, by Russian authorities, after the illegal annexation of Crimea. Sentsov was in Toronto on speaking tour and met with Prime Minister Trudeau and Deputy Prime Minister Freeland on Tuesday. Photo: Mykola Swarnyk
Let the north wind blow
For some time now the slen der one has enjoyed the won derful recent (2018) EP of Revals, Kirjad ääremaalt, or letters from the borderland. My iTunes player identifies the recording as being coun try but beg to differ. The six tunes on this disc defy such categorization. Although, with a nod to the excellent pedal steel and banjo work on this album, one can see how the Apple geniuses might have pigeonholed this compilation. Reval is the old Germanic name for Tallinn, taking from Justice 2015-2019): “It can be the name Estonians used for the said without exaggeration that region, Rävala. Revals are thus the political contribution of the Tallinns, a bit of a quaint name. ENIP has made it possible the But hey, Boston was the name of an interesting, commercially Republic of Estonia today.” successful band so why not. - Mai Raud (Estonian historian Even though they were a onein Sweden): “Respect to Vello hit (album-wise) wonder. Revals Vaartnou who started a great have been around only since organization work. He is a really 2017 but have a healthy discog worthy man. I think the ENIP raphy to their credit already. was a courageous step from the EPs are maligned by some. bold people and eventually lead Too little music for too much to the liberation of Estonia.” money. Disagreement here, for - Trivimi Velliste (Member of the shorter-play disc usually results in a more focussed Parliament): “The courage of recording, the band does not this initiative must be empha sized! And the Kremlin, of need to place filler, which is often not up to snuff to flesh course, perceived and inter preted this resistance precisely.” out the release. Remember the B-sides of hit 45’s? Much the - Mati Kiirend (Estonian dissi same. dent): “Vaartnou’s initiative had ‘Tis a bit of a challenge to a major catalytic role . And this single out the best cut here. role proved to be very timely Guitarist Martin Saaremägi and fundamental to further seems to be the dynamo, re developments.” sponsible fully for the lyrics - Sander Jurisson (The Mu and melodies of 4 selections. seum of Occupations): “Gor Soku is credited with doing the batchov’ reaction is a kind of same with Merehunt, which inadvertent recognition by the translates to old salt, ex head of state for the activities perienced sailor. (Some musi cians do choose a single name, of the Vaartnou.” nickname usually or first name - Silver Tambur (Estonian as their nom de musique. If not World): “ENIP played a very rappers then the majority are important role in Estonian women, think Beyoncé, Cher society, Gorbatchov apparently and Madonna. Soku is the feared Vaartnou’ initiative, it genitive of sokk, or billy goat. seems a logical conclusion.” A curious name to perform - Jyri Estam (Journalist): “Was under, by any standard.) Saare it Buddhism that gave him a mägi and Soku collaborated on cold stomach? But the idea the title track; Kirjad ääremaalt itself was a worthwhile idea, shines for the philosophical and maybe it wouldn’t have lyrics. germinated if there hadn’t been The slimster must point out a man who was not afraid.” the appeal of Saaremägi’s
Põhjatuul (North wind) and Kuradile (which in our beauti ful Estonian could mean either damn it or for the devil. The lyrics printed in the accompany ing booklet do not have the kuradile word; however it is certainly on the recording. Selfcensorship? But then why?) Three lines from Kuradile are splendid. Peotäis uhkust// mao täis sappi// liig suur suutäis ajab kõigil suu lõhki. A handful of pride// a bellyful of bile// and then truly an untranslatable phrase – literally, too big a mouthful or bite splits every one’s mouth. Check this won derful tune out on YouTube. That last example shows the care given to the lyrics, mirrored in the arrangements. Revals has, according to the liner notes, seven members who perform on the EP. 8 musicians guest here as well on almost eclectic instruments such as bouzouki, bodhran and bagpipes beyond yeoman work on keyboards. The aforementioned pedal steel and dobro do add very much to the tight tunes. Indeed, a short recording of but a little more than 18 minutes but well worth the in vestment. The slimster bemoans the fact that the internet, while providing access to some great, quality music means fewer sales, income for the musicians. Circumventing copying, pirat ing, even from YouTube is, for some, no challenge. Thus the advice to listen to Revals on Spotify seems contrary to per sonal philosophy. Yet perhaps such exposure to a most deserv ing Estonian band will result in the purchase of either this EP or their other recordings. Worth the dinero. Or euros. OTEPÄÄ SLIM
ESTONIAN LIFE
