Estonia Art / Culture Profile 2012

The culture of Estonia incorporates indigenous heritage, as represented by the country's rare Finno-Ugric national language Estonian and the sauna, with mainstream Nordic and European cultural aspects. Due to its history and geography, Estonia's culture has been influenced by the traditions of the adjacent area's various Finnic, Baltic and Germanic peoples as well as the cultural developments in the former dominant powers Sweden and Russia. Traditionally, Estonia has indeed been seen as an area of rivalry between western and eastern Europe on many levels. An example of this geopolitical legacy is an exceptional combination of nationally recognized Christian traditions: a western Protestant and an eastern Orthodox Church. Like the mainstream culture in the other Nordic countries, Estonian culture can be seen to build upon the ascetic environmental realities and traditional livelihoods, a heritage of comparatively widespread egalitarianism out of practical reasons (see: Everyman's right and universal suffrage), and the ideals of closeness to nature and self-sufficiency (see: summer cottage).

The Arts

Literature

Though Estonian written language could be said to exist since J.J.Köhler translated the New Testament into Estonian in the 18th century as a result of the Reformation, few notable works of literature were written until the 19th century, which saw the beginning of an Estonian national romantic movement. This prompted Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald to collect Estonian folk poetry and Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald to arrange and publish them as Kalevipoeg, the Estonian national epic. The era saw a rise of poets and novelists who wrote in Estonian, notably Lydia Koidula.

After Estonia became independent there was a rise of modernist writers, most famously Jaan Kross. The second World War prompted a repression of national interests. Literature in modern Estonia is in a healthy state, with detective stories enjoying a particular boom of popularity.

Music

Despite its relatively short history of art music, Estonia today is well respected for its musicianship, with a quality education of classical musicians having produced a high proportion of world-class conductors and singers. Estonian art music came to the forefront as a part of the national romantic movement.

Modern Estonian popular music has received attention also in foreign countries, especially on the rock and metal scenes, with such bands as Vanilla Ninja, Metsatöll and Arvo Pärt gaining international acclaim.

Visual Arts

Art Museum of Estonia was founded on November 17th, 1919, but it was not until 1921 that it got its first permanent building – the Kadriorg Palace, built in the 18th century. In 1929 the palace was expropriated from the Art Museum in order to rebuild it as the residence of the President of Estonia.

Theatre

The Estonia Theatre is an opera house and concert hall in Tallinn, Estonia. It was built as a national effort with the leadership of Estonia society in 1913 and was opened to the public on August 24th. At the time, it was the largest building in Tallinn.

Cinema & Broadcasting

Cinema in Estonia started in 1908 with the production of a newsreel about Swedish King Gustav IV’s visit to Tallinn.[1]

The first regular radio broadcasts in Estonia began 18 December 1926.

Estonian Television Eesti Televisioon or ETV is the national public television station of Estonia. Its first broadcast was on July 19, 1955, and it celebrated the 50th anniversary on July 19, 2005.

The Way of Life

Historical aspects

The area of modern Estonia has historically been inhabited by the same people as today, mostly Estonian speakers, but the some minorities (Russian) have have immigrated recently. Before the Great Northern War, Estonia was considered at the periphery of the Swedish empire, then was incorporated into the Russian Empire. So although it was alternatively ruled by Sweden and Russia, and while Baltic Germans who ruled Estonia enjoyed considerable autonomy with the administrative language being German, the indigenous population retained their native language and culture.

The formation of a more defined Estonian cultural identity in the modern sense was accelerated in the 19th century during the period of overall national Romanticism and Nationalism in Europe. Support from the German speaking Estophiles in upper strata of the Estonian society for a separate Estonian identity led to the Estonian Age of Awakening

People

Traditionally, Estonian have attributed themselves as typically straightforward and stubborn.

Today, the Estonian society encourages equality and liberalism, with a popular commitment to the ideals of the welfare state, discouraging disparity of wealth and division into social classes. The Protestant work ethic remains a significant cultural staple, and free education is a highly prized institution.

The traditional occupation of Estonians, like most Europeans, is agriculture. Until the first half of the 20th century, Estonia was an agrarian society, but in modern times Estonians have increasingly embraced an urban lifestyle. Nonetheless many Estonians maintain a fondness for a rural lifestyle close to nature, and it is a very typical practice to visit a summer cottage in the countryside during vacations.

Family structure

Estonian family life is nowadays centered around the nuclear family. Members of an extended family typically live apart, and youths seek independence and typically move from their parents' residence around the age of twenty.

Festivities and Traditions

Estonian holidays are mostly based on the Western Christian calendar and Protestant traditions.

Notable among these is Jaanipäev, the Estonian Midsummer which involves seeking one's way to non-urban environments and burning large bonfires and drunken revelry of Jaaniõhtu. The midsummer traditions also include different versions of pairing magic, such as collecting a number of different kinds of flowers and putting them under one's pillow, after which one is meant to see the future spouse in one's dreams.

The Estonian Christmas, Jõulud, is generally in line with the North and Middle European traditions of Christmas trees and Advent calendars and traditional meals, involving a number of dishes which are typically only eaten on Christmas. Christmas is the most extensive and appreciated and commercialized holiday in Estonia. Holidays start from the 23th December and continue through Christmas Eve (24th), Christmas Day (25th). In schools and in many workplaces, the vacation continues until the New Year.

The Estonian independence day is the 24th of February and a national holiday.

Food and Drink

Historically Estonian Cuisine has been simple peasant food, which today is influenced by many countries. Today it includes many typical international foods. The most typical foods in Estonia are black bread, pork, potatoes and milk-related products. Estonians themselves have considered blood sausage (verivorst) and sauerkraut "typical Estonian foods", but mostly those are eaten only at Christmas.