AESL

Preserving Estonian Language in Australia

Language classes have been held in Australia already since 1929, with big boost in 1950s when, after-war, big waves of Estonians arrived and about 10 language schools were run over Australia.

Tiiu Salasoo got interested in 1970s into formalising the language studies, including getting Estonian Language to university level, and for this representation, Tiiu was elected as Language Coordinator at AESL Board in 1975. Tiiu remained the language coordinator for 50 years, until 2023, when the position was handed over to next generation – Iti Connor –representing Eesti Keel groups and classes in AESL Board since 2024.

These were complicated years that Tiiu Salasoo inspired the classes continue – small student numbers, no study materials from Estonia, only one grant from Australia’s government, success was slow but existing – own study material was produced – “Estonian for beginners” a book and 6 tapes, and in 1988 Estonian language was recognised as a curriculum subject for high schools. In Victoria Estonian language was taught at University High School and there were 3 graduates on high school level in 1990s (teacher Sirje Jogi Rivers).

The change in language groups and classes did not occur right after Estonia’s independence – the increased interest arose within born here generation of young, but the biggest change arrived when newly arrived Estonians started having children.

Besides the language classes there had been the children’s groups all along, learning a bit of language through games, society performances, songs, get togethers. There has been a steady rise in kids groups and interest in passing on Estonian language since 2010, being at its peak today in 2024, with new camps starting etc. New Estonians clearly are interested to hold on to Estonian heritage from young age. Language classes are different these days as adults are able to learn and keep their language skills online. Main emphasis is to support the children groups and their language practise.

– by Sirje Jõgi Rivers, Vice President, AESL

Last Updated June 2024.

Estonian Media in Australia

The legend goes that the dream of ​​an Estonian newspaper in Australia emerged from the very first ship that brought Estonians to Australia.

There are a few others who claim the idea initiating from them. But the official meeting was held in Sydney Eesti Maja on 26.2.1949, initiated by Estonian men’s choir in Australia and the thought to establish a newspaper was presented by previous Viljandi newspaper Sakala editing team member.

It was agreed that the purpose of the Newspaper is to be the bearer of culture and Estonianism for the Estonian community, in order of preservation and spreading the voice in Australia, including publishing and sharing of literature in the Estonian language.

The first newspaper Meie Kodu was published on 11.2.1954. The first editor Ilmar Raudma said – Although we are physically uprooted from our homeland, we are not that in heart and spirit. If we were, we would offer no value to our new country nor ourselves.

The first paper in 1954 had a circulation of 300, the last paper in 2019 had a circulation of 1,300. It was a valuable source and connecting point for the Estonian generation who arrived to Australia after WWII.

Meie Kodu (Our Home) newspaper orders fell due to the transition from the older generation to the younger, who has moved to digital media. Meie Kodu newspaper was closed on on 23/01/2019.

Meanwhile the cities newsletters – Teateleht in Melbourne and Virgats in Adelaide continued to gather and distribute local announcements on paper and by email to the members of respective societies. Both newsletters are supported by AESL until the present time.

Kristi Barrow established a digital newsletter for sharing Australia events and news, such newsletters were rare and irregular but the most important step was taken – the torch was handed over from paper media to the digital and the torch was never dropped.

In addition to printed media, AESL has supported the promotion and production of Estonian-language radio programs and their broadcast on SBS radio. In the end, AESL could not stop the termination of the radio broadcasts as Estonian radio listener was getting old, society diminished and SBS was all about new waves of migration to Australia who needed airtime more than the small Estonian community.

The following period in Estonian media is digital.

Kristi Barrow, who had been active in eesti media in Australia already at the time of Meie Kodu newspaper, started the home page eesti.org.au and published newsletter sent out from news@eesti.org.au. Both were slow to develop, because the previous correspondents for paper newspaper had “disappeared” and also the older generation was not interested in digital media. However the new arrivals from Estonia were in need of information.

AESL was located in Melbourne at that time, its chairman Lembit Marder founded a digital page aimed mainly at new Estonians – estonia.org.au.

Kristi Barrow applied for a grant from the Republic of Estonia for the further development of media platforms, the application was successful and a “media conference” was held to create a new team that would consistently deal with media, the website, and send news regularly to Estonians over Australia.

In 2024, Media Project was founded, chairman Johanna Rivers, uniting a few young Estonians who have media interest or who value the connection. The group has been successfully launched and redevelopment of eesti.org.au is in progress, e-newsletters have become regular and cover all states.

Since it is a voluntary contribution, it is to be hoped that the correspondents in the cities will continue and contribute ongoingly and regularly or find a successor in case someone else has to step in.

What else is new besides the all county-coverage with representatives / correspondents?Different is also the use of digital platforms, the programs used are mainstream and universal, meaning are not limited to one person or one group – as a cloud-based backpack is designed to be easily handed over when needed.

It can be said that AESL representative Kristi Barrow made it – the transition from paper to digital was not quick and easy, but there was never a break either – there was a person who kept it alive.

Tiiu Kroll Simmul is another big name to mention as she was the editor/ responsible editor for Meie Kodu newspaper between 1970 and 1992. Remarkable results – looking back in time at the way we got here. 2024 brought a new fresh start as a continuation of the work done before.

AESL will continue to support eesti media in Australia – may it unite us today as did in the past to future yet to come.

These days we have built a digital society that may lead to improved and expanding physical interaction all over Australia.

Join for updates on https://www.facebook.com/p/Australian-Estonian-Media-Project-61556385279654/

For newsletters register at news@eesti.org.au

Get in touch and show your interest by email – media@eesti.org.au

– by Sirje Jõgi Rivers, Vice President, AESL

Last Updated August 2024.

Estonian Archives

In 1952, when the Association of Estonian Societies of Australia was founded, the first chairman Aleksander Peel prepared the first action plan of AESL. The very first AESL action plan included the position of archivist, whose task was to establish the central archive.

A call was published in  newspaper Meie Kodu where AESL asked organizations to send a copy of each book and publication for free for archiving purposes. Archivist elect to create an archive, deal with the storage, cataloging and availability of material for the sake of preserving Estonian culture.

In 1954, at the first international conference on Exile Journalism in Brazil, a decision to collect the works published in exile made. In Sweden the archive started in 1954, in the USA in 1956, in Canada in 1961 – note that Estonians in Australia has already started in 1952.

In Sydney, the materials of the archive were gathered in the semi-basement rooms at the base of the stage at Estonian House. Once that room was full, archivist Hugo Salasoo built a shelter for the archive at his own expense in his own garage.

Estonian Archive was consecrated by Reverend Einar Kiviste on June 29, 1968. The original name – the cultural historical archive of the Association of Estonian Societies of Australia was renamed EAA – Estonia Archives in Australia.

The implementation of the archive by AESL remains one of the most important initiatives.

The early years of archive were largely on Hugo Salasoo’s shoulders.

Long-time archivist Maie Barrow managed the archive from 1994-2024.

From 2024, the archivist is Terry Kass.

Today’s archive is an exciting place.

The material in the archive is rich, unique and historic.

Appreciative visitors come from all over the world, Estonian researchers/journalists use the materials for research purposes, the archive makes thematic presentations using its various materials.

AESL has issued an invitation to younger generation to come and get familiar with the material, work at archive, come for an internship, come to a volunteer to contribute to the archive and to learn so much at the same time.

– by Sirje Jõgi Rivers, Vice President, AESL

Last Updated August 2024.

https://archives.eesti.org.au/

Estonian Children’s Summer camps

In the second week of January, 2024, the Australian / Estonian community celebrated 71 years of running Estonian children’s camps in NSW. This was the 63rd year of holding the camp at the Point Wolstoncroft Sports and Recreation Centre, the longest continuous booking in the history of NSW and also one of the world’s oldest continual Estonian culture camps.

Proudly supported by the AESL, the Sõrve summer camp is an initiative that provides members of the Estonian community with the opportunity to come together to experience, appreciate and enrich their cultural knowledge in a friendly, encouraging and safe environment, while also providing our young adults with the opportunity to develop valuable leadership and mentoring skills. Both the Australian and Estonian Governments have recognised Sõrve Summer Camp as an important annual event for the Estonian community in Australia (50 Fabulous Years of Sydney Estonian Summer Camps ed. Olev Muska 2005).

What is Sõrve camp and who is the target audience?

The first summer camp was held in Narrabeen in 1953. The idea for a summer camp came from the Estonian tradition of spending summer at the family farm, but few post-World-War II refugees had relatives in Australia, let alone relatives with a farm! The first camp at Pt Wolstoncroft was held in 1962 and obtained its current name ‘Sõrve’ due to its location, on a narrow strip of land that juts into Lake Macquarie, which resembles the Sõrve peninsula in Saaremaa.

The Sydney Estonian Society’s Supplementary School Committee (Sydney Eesti Seltsi Täienduskooli Hoolekogu; now known as the Sydney Estonian Parents’ and Friends’ Association ‘Sõrve Sõbrad’) is responsible for the camp each year while the leaders (juhid) organise the day-to-day management of the camp. Over the years, as the number of school-aged children has waxed and waned, Sõrve camp has morphed into a family camp for both young and old (under 8 to over 60 years of age).

This year witnessed a record attendance of under 8-year olds (42 babies, toddlers or infants); 54 school-aged children; 21 leaders and 77 adults (most of these being parents of the under 8-year olds). Campers came from New South Wales, Queensland, ACT, Victoria, South Australia, and from further afield such as Estonia, Finland, and USA.

What happens at Sõrve camp?

The camp offers Estonian cultural activities, including Estonian language, singing, folk dancing, craft and cooking as well as a wide range of indoor and outdoor sporting activities. The week is structured and packed with games, fancy dress nights, campfires, hikes, skits and performances where children learn teamwork, to be inclusive and to be creative. Friendships that last a lifetime are formed across the country and around the world.

This year (2024), adults had the option of participating in activities, such as singing, folk dancing, Estonian language, swimming, canoeing, painting and golf. NSW members of the Kooskõlas choir who were at camp spent time learning parts for their role as the backing choir for Rein Rannap in the concert that he gave in early February in Sydney. They also had the pleasure of performing in the cultural performance on Visitor’s Day at camp as the backing choir for Robin Kukk, who took out third place in ‘Eesti otsib superstaari’, Estonia’s version of ‘Australian Idol‘. The cultural performance was enhanced this year by the wearing of national folk costumes (rahvarõivad) borrowed from the Folk Costume Library, an initiative started by the Sydney Estonian Craft Group (Sydney Eesti Seltsi Kunsti-, Käsitöö ja Etnograafiaring) and supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Välisministeerium).

At the end of each day before bedtime, the Sõrve family holds hands, right arm over left, to form
the circle of friendship (sõprusring), where everyone sings the night-time song (unelaul) ‘Nüüd uni tule’ and reflects on the day’s activities, achievements and friendships and on the new day to come.

Looking to the future

The future with respect to attendees at Sõrve camp looks bright for the eastern seaboard states, with a new wave of babies, infants and toddlers. Members of the Melbourne Estonian community are now discussing running their own children’s summer camp. The burgeoning EstWest Association in Western Australia also has an exciting opportunity to establish an Estonian children’s summer camp on the western seaboard. These are initiatives of which AESL would be supportive. Potential knowledge transfer between east and west coasts holds great promise for the continued evolution and growth of summer camps in Australia.

A caveat going forward is that as successive generations of Australian Estonians have integrated more and more into the larger Australian society, the numbers of young fluent Estonian speakers as well as teachers of Estonian culture have fallen, as has participation in local Estonian communities. This, in turn, impacts the long-term maintenance of the Estonian culture in Australia and, thus, our ability to appreciate and impart this culture to our younger generations. An injection of cultural skills has been, and will continue to be, crucial for the Australian Estonian community to thrive. This can be, and is being, achieved in various ways: firstly, through active welcoming and community participation of adults/parents/children who have recently arrived to Australia from Estonia, including their instruction of language, song, folk dance or craft; secondly, short secondments from Australia to Estonia of people wishing to be trained as language, song, folk dance or craft teachers; and thirdly, short secondments from Estonia to Australia of people trained in various aspects of Estonian culture for the specific purpose of holding workshops and performances e.g. at camp, Estonian Festivals (Eesti Päevad), or in the lead-up to learning songs for the Song Celebration (Laulupidu) or dances for the Dance Celebration (Tantsupidu). Thus, continuation of the Estonian culture in Australia will require a sõprusring formed through national and international collaborations to provide the thread that ties camps and generations together.

– by Siiri Iismaa, AESL Independent Board Member

Last Updated: June 2024

Eesti Päevad Festival

It was over a hundred years ago that Estonians in Australia started to organise their social life. First it was just a desire for Estonians to get together (in late 1800s), then came purpose – let’s get together and sing Estonian songs (in early 1900s), dance Estonian folk dances, teach children our language – and Estonian organisations were formed in all the major cities.

A massive migration followed World War II. In 1952, cities’ organisations gathered under one umbrella, AESL, Council of Estonian Societies in Australia. Two years later, AESL decided to create a large event, where all the Estonian groups all over Australia get together, enjoy and display Estonian culture in Australia, and so the Estonian Festival was born, first held in Sydney in 1954.

A tradition was formed, 80 years ago – to hold Eesti Päevad Festivals every three years, rotating between cities. In 2024, the EP Festival will be held in Adelaide for the 29th time.

What has changed during these years?

The first EP was a massive gathering with many ethnic cultural performers and lots of sport – “after-war” Estonians were enthusiastic and youthful.

The same groups continue today, folk dancing, singing, handicraft, language, only the generations have changed. These days, Estonians in Australia are either born here or have recently arrived from Estonia. The Eesti Päevad Festival is still going strong – being held every two years these days to keep our ethnic culture groups inspired to continue, and to welcome the newly arrived. Since the World Eesti Päevad ESTO was held in Melbourne in 1988, the Eesti Päevad organisers have also included in the program performers from Estonia – theatre groups and popular musicians.

Where to next with, Eesti Päevad?

These days the “born-here” Estonians are no longer young. Are the newly arrived Estonians going to keep the ethnicity going? Are the “born-here” third (fourth) generation still strong enough Estonians to continue? AESL as an umbrella looks after the financial matters. Eesti Päevad funds are diminishing and decisions are to be made – do we organise bigger Eesti Päevads now, and take a financial loss, or do we budget to hand some over for next generations? AESL acknowledges that this is a unique situation for Estonians in Australia. The Estonian Houses acquired after the second world war are much loved but require renovations or are to be sold. The new generations may have different needs.

Eesti Päevad in Adelaide, in December 2024, will include AESL NonConference – a gathering in the bush, by tent and campfire, where we invite participants to share their thoughts about our changing society and hear thoughts from the youth. Are we going to continue by opening up more to Estonia and to world Estonians, is it going to be cultural or a more professional direction? What are the communication methods of the future? Is Eesti Päevad here to stay? Are there budding leaders among us to make the change happen?

– by Sirje Jõgi Rivers, Vice President, AESL

Last Updated June 2024.