Santa is Santa no matter the nationality, right? In the case of the Estonian Santa Claus, the answer is yes and no.* Santa Claus comes in many different forms. There is the seasoned mechanical engineer, unceremoniously displaced from a lucrative career by a recent college graduate, working part-time at the shopping …
Sappho gave us Ode to Aphrodite. Beethoven composed the musical setting for Ode to Joy. John Keats praised a songbird in Ode to a Nightingale. But seemingly nobody has paid poetic homage to those odd little Estonian verivorstid (blood sausages). And frankly, that’s a tragedy.* Traditionally the centrepiece of the Estonian …
It seems every culture has their own version of the dumpling, but, in a hypothetical bracketed dumpling tournament, the Estonian pirukas would come out on top, Andres Simonson from the US writes. The pirukas is Estonia’s savory gift to the fattening world of turnovers, or if you prefer, dumplings. Although …
The pirukas vs the empanada and other ethnic dumplings Read More »
Estonians, especially diaspora, are inclined towards clan mentality – but they do not fit the strict definition of a clan; so, why is this so? Although maybe more accurately described in terms of a tribe, the Estonian diaspora are rather clearly inclined to clan mentality. There is a difference between …
Yes, we clan: Why do Estonians have a clan mentality? Read More »
Ever wish you could be a fly on the sauna wall? Well, thanks to a new Estonian reality television series, now you can.* Reality television fans and channel surfers, take note. The relatively new Estonian production company, Rumal Productions, is premiering a new series tonight on the BBC. Entitled “Sauna Secrets”, the …
Estonian reality television series, Sauna Secrets, premiers on the BBC Read More »
Although older in origin, the Estonian flag was officially adopted in 1918. Now, 100 years later with an important anniversary, is it time for an update?* When broached by the geographically uncertain and the subject is Estonia, I typically explain that it’s a small country located just south of Finland. …
Andres Simonson gives an overview of Estonian-American youth camps in the United States. Summer beckons many things – vacations, barbeques, picnics and, for those of us on the US east coast, high humidity and city folk wearing socks with sandals at the beach. And, for many Estonian-American youths, it is also …
Estonian-American summer camps in the US are still vibrant Read More »
Andres Simonson writes about the Beebi Boomers – the children born in the United States, Canada, Australia, Sweden and other countries to native Estonian political refugees who fled the Soviet invasion and the illegal occupation of their fatherland.* In the war-torn Estonia of 1944, two families from disparate parts of the country make a …
In 2018, Estonia will celebrate its 100th birthday, and many wonderful and relevant gifts have been proposed; however, ensuring national security may be the most practical gift of all. As Estonia approaches the century mark in 2018, birthday gifts are already trickling in. In this case, with a country celebrating 100 …
Estonia 100: the gift of security – Andres Simonson Read More »
Ever run out of beer and curse the heavens? For Estonians, that happens all the time. Well, now there’s an app for that. * Often, new apps are a solution in search of a problem. But not this time. Issue: you finish a hard day of work, open the fridge …
