Estonia: Traditions, Culture,Characteristic features (seen by foreigners living in Estonia)

1. Crazy Estonians

2. 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 PAST
Martinmas 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.

4. 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

5. NOWADAYS
 mummers are mostly school children
 they usually do not ask the families to dance
with them

6. To ask permission to enter, they usually
sing a special song at the door.
HOW DO YOU CELEBRATE IT?

7.  Riddles are posed.
 It is customary to put some sweets, cookies
or other treats into the mummers’ bags.
Sometimes people also give them money.

8.  Our ancestors celebrated kadripäev to honour
Kadri, the guardian fairy (spirit) of cattle.
 Kadri mummers brought cattle good luck.

9.  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.

10. 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?

11.  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?

12.  NOWADAYS
Sledges, 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.

13.  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.

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

15.  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?

16.  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

17.  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.
.

18.  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

19.  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

20.  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?

21. Tallinn-based expats compiled a list that
distinguishes Estonians.

22. 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.

24. 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.

26. 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…

28. 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”.

30. 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.

32. 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

33. It is yours to fill up…