Friday, May 1, 2026
17.7 C
Canberra
5.2 C
Tallinn

Discover volber — an Estonian tradition comes to life in Sydney

0
Washing the head of Karl Ernst von Baer's statue with champagne, volber 2017, Tartu, Estonia. By Märt Kose - Estonian Student Union, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=76186865, via Wikimedia Commons.

A little bit wild, a little bit magical — and just the right amount of “I’ll only stay for one drink” (you won’t). Sydney’s Estonian House is bringing volber (in Estonian, vappu in Finnish) to life on 1 May 2026, with live music, warm food and a party that leans delightfully into tradition.

Event information

📅 Date: Friday, 1 May 2026
🕕 Time: 6 pm – 11 pm
📍 Location: Estonian House in Sydney, 141–143 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
🎟 Tickets: $25 pre-sale | $35 at the door
🔗 Bookings: https://www.trybooking.com/DJKZL

One night, one house, questionable next-day plans

If your Friday night has been looking suspiciously calm — consider this your official upgrade. Sydney’s Estonian House will be doing what it does best: turning into a warm, joy-filled gathering where conversations stretch, music pulls you in, and Estonian food quietly steals the spotlight.

Add famously colourful decorations, a bar that understands the assignment, and a room full of people who didn’t come to leave too early… and you’ve got yourself a night.

Meet Jericho (your soundtrack for “just one more song”)

Handling the musical side of things is Jericho — a Sydney indie rock band that specialises in the kind of sound that starts as background and very quickly becomes the main event.

Their music blends guitar-driven energy with melodic hooks and just enough emotional edge to keep things interesting. It’s atmospheric without being sleepy, energetic without being overwhelming — basically, perfect for a night where people are equal parts dancing, talking, and occasionally making bold declarations about life at 9.47 pm.

They’ve been trusted with vappu/volber crowds before (a strong sign), and this time they’re arriving with extra spark — launching their third single “Juno” the very next night. In short: they know what they’re doing, and you’ll be glad they do.

Jericho band. Source: Jericho.

But wait — what is volber?

Now, here’s where things get interesting — because Sydney isn’t just hosting a party. It’s quietly carrying a tradition that hasn’t travelled nearly as far as it deserves.

Volber (volbripäev or Walpurgis Night) lands on 1 May and has, over time, evolved into one of those beautifully layered traditions that refuses to stay in a single category. It’s part folklore, past student ritual, part full-blown social event.

In modern Estonia, it’s often known as the night of witches. Not the broomstick-and-doom kind — more the playful, dress-up, slightly theatrical kind. People gather, dress in costumes ranging from whimsical to mildly unhinged, light bonfires, dance, sing, and lean into a shared understanding that tonight, reality can loosen its grip just a little. And honestly? It does.

The student version

Then come the students — and this is where volber levels up. For over a century, fraternities and sororities have turned the night into something between a ceremony and a social marathon. It often begins with a procession: colourful caps (teklid), flags, songs echoing through the streets, and a sense that something important (and slightly mischievous) is unfolding.

Statues get their heads ceremonially washed with champagne — because of course they do. Speeches are made, fires are lit, traditions are honoured… and then the doors to Estonian sororities and fraternities open — a rare, once-a-year chance for the general public to step inside.

And once those doors open, the night transforms. Houses welcome guests. Music spills into corridors. People move from one place to another, discovering spaces, customs and moments they didn’t plan for. It’s equal parts organised and completely uncontainable — and so much fun.

Student organisations walking towards Toomemägi in Tartu, volber 2017. Photo: Märt Kose, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

The version you remember later (and slightly romanticise)

But the real volber? As someone with first-hand insight into Estonian sororities and fraternities, I can tell you — it lives somewhere else entirely. It’s the night you wait for without fully admitting it. The one where you say you’ll “just pop in”… and somehow stay until the sky changes colour.

It’s stepping into places you’ve never been and instantly feeling like you’ve been invited. It’s choosing one party out of many — not logically, but because something about it calls to you. It’s dancing until your shoes become optional, then carrying them home like a quiet badge of honour. And it’s that walk back — early morning, slightly tired, entirely happy — where nothing particularly dramatic happened, and yet somehow everything did.

From witches to Sydney

Historically, volber has always been a bit of a shapeshifter. In older traditions, it was tied to beliefs about witches travelling through the night, gathering in faraway places — stories that flickered somewhere between myth and imagination. Over time, it blended with seasonal rituals, spring celebrations, community gatherings, and May Day traditions across Europe.

In Estonia today, all of those layers still exist — bonfires, costumes, student traditions, quiet catch-ups, loud parties — each group shaping the night in their own way. And now, in Sydney, it’s happening again. Not as a perfect replica of Tartu (impossible, and also unnecessary), but as something living. Adapted. Local. A little different, but still carrying that same spirit of openness, curiosity and shared experience.

So… will you go?

If you like your cultural experiences neat, predictable and over by 9pm — this may not be your night. But if you’re even slightly curious, even mildly open to something different, or simply in the mood for a Friday that turns into a story… then yes. This is your night. And if you already know volber? Then you’re probably already halfway out the door.

Sydney might be the only place in Australia celebrating volber like this — which makes it rare, a little special, and absolutely worth showing up for. Just don’t make firm plans for the next morning. Or do. And see what happens.

Poster by Taimi Maidla. Source: Estonian Society in Sydney.

Thank you

Thank you to Ave Nukki and Estonian Society in Sydney for information.

Read more

Volber in the BERTA database (in Estonian)
Jericho: single release, website and Instagram

Clock’s ticking: Global Estonian Youth Ambassadors — apply by 5 May

0
Source: Global Estonian.

Final call: applications for the Global Estonian Youth Ambassadors Summer School close 5 May 2026. If Estonia has ever felt like a question mark (or a quiet pull), this one-week experience might just turn it into a revelation.

The Global Estoniani Noorsaadikute Suvekool Eestis (noorsaadikud — “envoys” in Estonian) isn’t your average summer school. This one is a summer school with bigger questions behind it. For deep thinkers. For changemakers. For young philosophers with questions of identity on their minds. For those curious about the way a country runs, breathes and occasionally surprises you.

It’s an invitation to step closer — to understand Estonia not as something inherited at a distance, but something you actively shape, represent and carry forward.

When and where?

One week in Tallinn and Southern Estonia, 26 July to 2 August 2026.

Who is this for?

If you’re aged 18–30, have Estonian heritage, and have lived outside Estonia for at least five years — this is for you.

The program is primarily in Estonian (eesti keeles), but support in English will be available where possible (because identity journeys shouldn’t get stuck on vocabulary). 

So… what happens during this week?

Quite a lot, actually. You’ll step inside the places where Estonia happens — meeting the people shaping the country’s decisions, from foreign policy to security. You’ll get a glimpse into how Estonia is defended, how its economy evolves, and whether the famous “e-Estonia” still has a few surprises up its sleeve.

There’s also the slightly more human side of things. Universities. Career pathways. Start-ups and unicorns. The practical “what if I came here?” questions — answered by people who actually know.

Estonia beyond the brochure

And then there’s the Estonia you don’t Google. The music of Arvo Pärt. The quiet intensity of a smoke sauna. A walk through places you may have heard or dreamt of.

And, perhaps most importantly, the moments in between. The conversations by a campfire. A bog hike that turns into something unexpectedly reflective. The kind of chats where Estonia stops being an idea and becomes something personal.

Source: Global Estonian.

What’s covered?

This program is organised by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom. The program covers:

  • your accommodation (single rooms in Tallinn, shared elsewhere)
  • meals throughout the program
  • activities and transport within Estonia
  • and, if needed, return flights to Tallinn (within EU limits).

How to apply?

The application deadline is Tuesday, 5 May 2026.

This is what you need to do to apply:

(1) send your CV, (2) completed application form and (3) a one-page, free-form essay on “My Estonia” (in Estonian or English) to suvekool[at]mfa.ee

We encourage you to apply. And who knows — your version of “My Estonia” might just begin here and lead you somewhere amazing.

Thank you

Thank you to Global Estonian and Jaan Reinhold for this information.

Read more

Global Estonian | Global Estonian Youth Envoys Summer School in Estonia 2026

Read more information here and watch an Instagram reel below (in Estonian).

April 2026: Nipet-näpet Eestist (odds and sods from Estonia)

0

A monthly summary of news about Estonia that we found interesting!

Click the links to read the full articles.

April highlights 

➢ A fort with a view

Forget Airbnb — try Eesti RaC (Rent-a-Cell) (jump to 6:00 for the good bit)

➢ Powering forward — Estonia’s energy strategy

➢ A spy or two

➢ Two countries — one town

Last month

March 2026: Nipet-näpet Eestist (odds and sods from Estonia) | HEIA

A day for mum — celebrated across Australia

0
Image by Tony Möörk from Pixabay.

Mother’s Day is coming in hot (Sunday, 10 May 2026), and across Australia, Estonian communities are doing what we love — gathering, sharing food, and celebrating the women who somehow make everything work.

Mother’s Day — emadepäev — falls on the second Sunday of May and has been celebrated in Estonia since the 1920s as a day to honour mothers, grandmothers, and motherhood itself.

At its heart, it’s simple: A thank you. A phone call. A bunch of flowers (bonus points if picked, not panic-bought).

Traditionally, it’s about spending time together — sharing meals, giving mums a break from the everyday, and creating those small, warm moments that quietly turn into lifelong memories. And lucky for us — there’s no shortage of ways to do exactly that this year.


Sydney — cake, coffee and cosy vibes

Mother’s Day at Sydney Estonian House

📅 Sunday, 3 May 2026
🕛 12pm–2pm
📍 Sydney Estonian House, 141 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
🎟️ Free (members) | $5 (non-members)
🔗 Trybooking (pre-registration required)
🔗 Updates: Event Facebook page

Sydney is keeping things beautifully classic — think coffee, cake, and a cosy room filled with familiar faces. Expect performances, warm conversations, and that comforting feeling of “this is exactly where I’m meant to be.”

Source: Estonian Society in Sydney.

Melbourne — bring a plate, bring the family

Mother’s Day Afternoon Tea with Melbourne Estonian Society

📅 Sunday, 3 May 2026
🕛 From 2pm
📍 Melbourne Estonian House, 43 Melville Road, Brunswick West VIC 3055
🎟️ Free event (no registration)
🔗 Updates: Event Facebook page
🥧 Bring a plate to share (sweet or savoury — we trust you)

Melbourne is going full community mode — a relaxed afternoon tea with delicious treats, good company, and plenty to keep the little ones entertained.

Expect children’s performances, games, laughter, and that familiar hum of people catching up over second (and third) slices of cake.

Source: Estonian Society in Melbourne.

Brisbane — picnic, performances and sunshine

Mother’s Day Concert and Picnic with Brisbane Estonian Playgroup

📅 Saturday, 9 May 2026
🕑 2pm
📍 Minnippi Parkland, 139 Stanton Road, Tingalpa QLD 4173
🎟️ $25 family | $15 single
👉 Payment via bank transfer to Brisbane Estonian Playgroup: BSB 633 000, ACC 151 875 358.
📩 RSVP by 4 May (maili.andre[at]gmail.com)
🔗 Updates: Event Facebook page
🧺 Bring a plate to share

Brisbane is taking things outdoors — and honestly, we love this for them. An afternoon of music, games and celebration under the open sky, featuring:

  • Folk dance by Folkroos
  • Children’s string ensemble
  • Singing, games, and gifts for mums

Plus picnic vibes, fresh air, and morss (fruit juice drink) on hand — what more could you want?

Source: Brisbane Estonian Society.

So… what’s the plan?

Whether it’s cake in Sydney, a shared table in Melbourne, or a picnic blanket in Brisbane — the message is the same: Show up. Sit down. Celebrate mum.

Because while the flowers are lovely and the cards are sweet… it’s the time together that really counts.

Final note (with love)

Call your mum. Visit if you can. Bring cake if you’re feeling ambitious.

And if nothing else — just remind her she’s amazing. Happy Mother’s Day!

Read more

Mother’s Day in Eesti Rahvakalender (in Estonian)
Mother’s Day in the BERTA database (in Estonian)
“Ema” – the many meanings of mother in Estonian (ERR, in English)

Missing your city (or your mum’s favourite event)?

Send it our way at news[at]eesti.org.au — we’d love to include it.

Malevasse! Work, friends, Estonia — all in one summer

0
Image by kp yamu Jayanath from Pixabay.

Dreaming of a summer in Estonia? The legendary malev (youth work camp) is open for ages 13–18 — but you’ve got just one week to apply. Yes, one. Week.

There’s something special about this year — malevs in Estonia are celebrating 60 years, bringing together generations connected by the same kind of summer experience.

What is malev?

Some summers pass. Others… become stories you retell slightly louder every year. Malev sits firmly in the second category.

It’s Estonia’s iconic youth work camp — part first job, part social experiment, part “how did that become the best summer of my life?” situation. You work, you earn, you meet people, you learn how to function without your usual comforts… and somewhere in between, something shifts.

Expect:

  • your first proper job,
  • pocket money you earned yourself,
  • new friendships that don’t stay in Estonia,
  • teamwork skills (yes, even with people you just met yesterday),
  • a summer that feels full — in the best possible way.

And the magic? It’s been happening like this for generations. Same idea, new stories.

City or countryside? Choose your adventure

Here’s where things get interesting — because not all malevs are built the same.

City groups (Tallinn):
You’ll work a few hours a day, head into shared activities in the evenings, and sleep somewhere civilised (read: with relatives or family friends). It’s a nice balance — structured days, social nights, and just enough independence to feel like you’re doing life properly.

Rural groups (the full “this will change me” experience):
You live together, work together, eat together — for 2–3 weeks. It’s giving: shared rooms, simple living, big skies, and long evenings where friendships form faster than you expected. No one is doing your laundry. You’ll be fine. You might even thrive. This is usually where the best stories come from. Just saying.

Photo of malev. Source: Global Estonian.

Why this matters (especially if you live abroad)

This isn’t just a summer job, it’s fun. Plus, you get to experience Estonia in a unique way — not through textbooks or short visits, but through real life. Conversations. Work. Inside jokes. Shared meals. The kind of connection that only happens when you’re actually in it. You will:

  • use your Estonian in real situations (and get better fast),
  • experience everyday life, not just the postcard version,
  • build independence in a way that sticks,
  • meet other young Estonians from all over the world.

And in 2026, up to 20 places are supported for young people living abroad, which makes this opportunity even more special.

Important things (read this bit)

Before you start packing your imaginary suitcase, a few realities:

  • Age: 13–18 years.
  • Language: You must speak Estonian.
  • Spots: Limited — not everyone gets in.
  • Work: varies (yes, sometimes outdoors, yes, sometimes physical).
  • Pay: based on Estonia’s youth minimum wage.
  • Documents: You’ll need valid documents and health insurance.

It’s not luxury. It’s better — it’s real.

This is how to apply

Here’s how to make it happen:

  • Explore the groups on malev.ee (this is where your future begins to take shape).
  • Choose up to two groups that actually suit you.
  • Submit between 27 April – 4 May 2026 (for young people living abroad).
  • Apply here: 👉 Application form (in Estonian)

That’s it. One week. A handful of days that decide whether you’re in Estonia living it… or watching others post about it.

A small reality check (and a big opportunity)

Malev is popular — properly popular. Which means: not everyone gets a spot, and not everyone gets their first choice. But here’s the thing — even applying matters. You’re making choices, backing yourself, and stepping into something unfamiliar. That’s already a win. And if you do get in? You’ll come back with more than just photos. You’ll come back different (in the good way).

Did someone say photos? Check out the photo gallery from past events to see what it’s all about: here

Read more

What is malev really like? Liina Viies shares her story in Global Estonian
More about malevs in Estonian
Official malev.ee website

Last Hurrah, program drop: three days, one final goodbye

0
Photo of Estonian House in Melbourne. Source: Estonian Society in Melbourne.

Your final chance to experience Melbourne Estonian House in full swing. The Last Hurrah weekend brings three days of memories — and a proper send-off for a place that has held decades of community life (and our hearts).

If walls could talk, the ones at Melbourne Estonian House would probably ask you to stay a little longer, they’ve so enjoyed the stories. They’ve heard choirs warming up on cold evenings, folk dancers stamping warmth into winter floors, children running through hallways, and the low hum of conversations that stretch well past closing time.

From 22–24 May 2026, we gather for one final weekend — the Last Hurrah — to fill the house one more time with exactly that. With the house now sold, this is our moment to come together before we move on to a new home.


Friday, 22 May: the quiet beginning

🕢 10 am — Archives open, free event, no RSVP needed
🕢 4 pm–9 pm — Bar open, drinks for purchase, free event, no RSVP needed

Folk dance teacher Rein Kiviväli studying the mural by Estonian Australian artist Gunnar Neeme at the Estonian House in Melbourne, December 2024.

From Friday morning, the doors open not just to a building, but to memory. Upstairs, the archives and photographs quietly tell stories — of people, of moments, of a community growing up far from Estonia but never far from each other. Somewhere, a film flickers. Somewhere else, someone points at a photo and says, “That’s us.”

The exhibitions stay open all weekend. You may come for ten minutes. You may stay for hours — looking at photographs, handicrafts, books, paintings and film screenings running throughout the building.

By 4 pm, the bar opens. There’s no rush, no big headline act — just people arriving, greeting each other, easing into the space. Conversations start again where they left off years ago. Someone laughs. Someone lingers a little longer than planned. It’s the kind of evening where the building feels… aware.

Friday is your soft landing. The atmosphere is relaxed, and the plan is simple: arrive, reconnect and soak up the space before the big weekend energy kicks in. Just people, conversations and a few quiet moments with the past.


Saturday, 23 May: beer hall by day, party by night

🕢 10 am — Archives open, free event, no RSVP needed
🕢 12 pm–5 pm — Beer hall, food and drinks for purchase, free event, for catering purposes RSVP here
🕢 7.30–8.45 pm — NOËP takes the stage, doors open 7 pm, tickets here

The bar at the Estonian House in Melbourne. Christmas party, 12 December 2025. Photo: Kristel Alla.

Saturday morning begins gently, with the archive open from 10 am — a slower start before the day gathers momentum.

By midday, the house shifts gears. Long tables, shared plates, the hum of voices — the beer hall takes over. There’s pirukad (Estonian meat pies), sausages, sauerkraut, pretzels, something cold in hand, and the kind of atmosphere where you arrive for “just a quick visit” and suddenly it’s mid-afternoon.

And those pirukad? They carry their own story.

A week earlier, on Sunday 17 May, volunteers will gather in the Estonian House kitchen — some experienced, some learning — rolling dough, sharing tips, laughing and baking together. Some will make more at home. All of it comes together here, on Saturday. Food made by the community, for the community. Just like it always has been.

✨ Want to bake pirukad for the Last Hurrah — at home or together on 17 May?

To sign up, contact Bernadette Pilli:
📧 pilli@internode.on.net
📞 0412 472 557

P.S. Good news! Complimentary drink during the Beer Hall and Family Day for Melbourne Estonian Society and Coop members. Cheers!

Then night falls — and the mood shifts again. The sound fills the hall. The same space that has held decades of dances, meetings and celebrations becomes something else again — light, music, movement. Estonia’s electro-pop magician, NOËP takes the stage.

Born Andres Kõpper, NOËP is part musician, part producer, part filmmaker and fully committed to making you feel like you’re in a late-night indie film. (Where you are, obviously, the main character.) NOËP has built a reputation for performances that are immersive, intimate and just a little bit magical. His sound? Think catchy electronic pop with warm, expansive layers — the kind that makes you want to dance and contemplate your life choices (in a good way).

Read more about NOËP here


Sunday, 24 May: where it all comes together

🕢 10 am — Archives open, free event, no RSVP needed
🕢 12 pm — Family Day, kitchen and bar open, food for purchase, free event, for catering purposes RSVP here
🕢 2 pm — Performances and speeches, free event, RSVP to Family Day above


Baltic Festival, Estonian House in Melbourne, 19 October 2026. Photo: Kristel Alla.

Sunday begins, once more, at 10 am — the archive open, the house ready. By midday, it fills again. Families, friends, familiar faces. This is Family Day — open, welcoming, full. Food is delicious and unmistakably Estonian: potato salad, rye bread sandwiches and more, something sweet — the kind of table that feels like memory before you even take a bite.

At 2 pm, the performances begin.

The Kodu Kaja choir sings — voices echoing through a space that has heard them for years.
The Eiderattad folk dancers move — steps learned, repeated, passed on.
The children perform — the next chapter already in motion.

And then, we pause. There are speeches, stories, shared memories. A moment to acknowledge not just the building, but everything that has happened inside it.

You’ll hear from the Estonian Ambassador to Australia H.E. Jaan Reinhold, Matti Kiviväli, Vanessa Roosmets and others — voices that carry both history and gratitude.

And somewhere in there — one more Tuljak. And dances you can join us for on the dance floor (including Tuljak!).

And if you have a national costume, Sunday offers a quiet invitation to wear it. You’re warmly encouraged — no obligation, just a fitting tribute to a house that has seen generations of beautifully dressed Estonians pass through its doors.

Estonian Society in Melbourne Committee member Rano Uesson explores the history of the Estonian House with Estonian actor Margus Talbot following his performance “Mamma lood”, 27 February 2026.

More than a building

The Melbourne Estonian House has been in community hands for over 50 years — since the early 1970s.

It has been a theatre, a rehearsal space, a kitchen, a meeting place, a playgroup, an archive. It has seen generations grow — children becoming adults, newcomers finding connection, communities forming and reforming. It has held Christmas parties, rehearsals, workshops, quiet Sundays, loud Saturdays, and everything in between.

It’s not just a place — it’s a witness.

And while the community will move on to a new home, this house has carried something important for decades — a sense of belonging, of identity, of being Estonian in Australia.

So come. Walk through the rooms. Touch the walls. Stay for a conversation longer than you planned. Ask someone what they remember. You might hear a story you didn’t know you needed.

This is your last chance to experience the Estonian House like this. Come along! Looking forward to seeing you!

P.S. If you feel like a chat, you’ll most likely find me near the archives — or around the dance performances on Sunday. Come say hello. We can just talk… or, if you’d like, we can capture your story — a memory, a moment, something meaningful you’ve experienced at the Estonian House — to be shared in HEIA.

Read more

Melbourne Estonian archive opens its doors for the Last Hurrah | HEIA
Melbourne Estonian Society newsletter: Last Hurrah update (26 April 2026)
Estonian electro-pop musician NOËP rolls into Australia | HEIA
The Estonian House in Melbourne has found a buyer | HEIA

Melbourne Estonian archive opens its doors for the Last Hurrah

0
Matti Kiviväli showing a photo album from the Melbourne Estonian Archives, March 2026. Photo: Kristel Alla.

For decades, Melbourne’s Estonian community history lived in folders, boxes and personal collections. Now, as the Estonian House prepares for its final chapter, that story is stepping into the spotlight.

From scattered memories to a living archive

For almost 80 years, the Melbourne Estonian Society “KODU” was without an archive. Some items of relevance had been preserved by individuals, including meeting minutes dating back to the society’s beginnings in 1914, correspondence folders, Teatelehts from the 1950s to 1960s, and photographs.

A decision was made to preserve these materials, and in 1993 the archive formally began under the direction of Aime Metsar. She led the collection and organisation of existing materials while also gathering new contributions, assisted by Toomas Steinberg.

Estonian community members in Melbourne, 1913. Source: Melbourne Estonian Archives.

Building the collection

Over a short period of time, the archive expanded significantly. Historical copies of the Australian Estonian newspaper MEIE KODU were donated by community members including Dr Kalev Kruup, Ivy Raadik (who contributed the very first edition), Juta and Evald Mõisa, Vilma and Sven Kiviväli, Ants Ots, and many others. With these contributions, and the ongoing collection of the newspaper, the archive now holds close to a complete set.

The archive has a wide selection of photographs from past events. Photographic collections from Karl Joosep (1950s–1960s) and Viktor Luuken (1980s), along with contributions from families such as Seeger, Kroon, Tõnisson, Kiviväli, Valling and Lauk, provide a vivid visual record of community life.

Estonian folk dancers in Geelong, Victoria, 1949. Source: Melbourne Estonian Archives.

A record of community life

The materials have been carefully organised into a catalogue documenting Estonian activities in Victoria from 1914 to the current day. These are presented in folders prepared by Aime Metsar, with further contributions by Matti Kiviväli, who joined the archive group around 2018.

The archive also includes albums, booklets and recordings covering a wide range of community groups — from choirs and folk dancers to scouts and guides, theatre, sport, the Lutheran congregation, and the Täienduskool (children’s language school). Major events such as Eesti Päevad and ESTO88 are also represented.

Estonian community event in Melbourne — Perekondlik õhtu, 16 March 1957. Source: Melbourne Estonian Archives.

On display for one last look

Most of this material will be on display from 22 to 24 May 2026 at Eesti Maja in Melbourne as part of the Last Hurrah weekend. Visitors are welcome to explore the collections at their own pace, with videos playing throughout the venue. Entry is free.

Make sure you visit Eesti Maja during our Last Hurrah weekend and spend some time browsing through the material – you never know, there may be a relative amongst the pages, or even a picture or two of you. Take the opportunity to catch up with old acquaintances as well.

Photo album

A selection of photographs from the Melbourne Estonian Archives, capturing moments from decades of community life at the Estonian House.
Top row (left to right): Theatre performance “Kosilane Rakveres”, March 2004; folk dancing at Välis-Eesti päev, November 1986; Kai Mõisa, Toivo Taves and Anne Kärner from Täienduskool, September 1958.
Bottom row (left to right): Eesti Naisklubi Mustlaste Pidu, March 1981; folk dance group Eiderattad at the Christmas party, 2016.

Read more

Melbourne Estonian Society newsletter: Last Hurrah update (26 April 2026)
The Last Hurrah — a farewell weekend at Melbourne Estonian House, 22–24 May 2026 | HEIA
Melbourne Estonian Society — Facebook, Instagram and website


Lõunapoolkera Lugemisklubi meets Carolina Pihelgas

0
Poster by Andres Truus.

The Southern Hemisphere Book Club (Lõunapoolkera Lugemisklubi) invites you to a special online gathering with writer Carolina Pihelgas, who will introduce her novel “Lõikejoon” (The Cut Line).

This is a rare opportunity to hear directly from the author — to listen, reflect and ask questions about a work that moves between the deeply personal and the quietly political.

Importantly, you don’t need to have read the book beforehand. Come as you are — curious, thoughtful, or simply in the mood for a meaningful conversation.

Event information

📅 Date: Sunday, 31 May 2026
🕕 Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne: 6.00 pm
🕓 Perth: 4.00 pm
🕗 Auckland: 8.00 pm

Please note: The conversation will be held in Estonian.

📍Zoom link: here
Meeting ID: 884 7952 9749
Passcode: 702356

About the book: Lõikejoon

At the heart of “Lõikejoon” is Liine, a young woman who retreats to the countryside after leaving a long-term relationship that has become emotionally toxic. Alone in a rural farmhouse, she begins the difficult process of confronting herself — her past, her pain, and the choices that brought her there.

The emotional landscape is echoed by the physical world around her — nearby military exercises rumble in the background, threatening both the environment and a sense of safety. The result is a layered narrative where inner conflict and external tension mirror each other.

Written in poetic fragments, the novel weaves together themes of relationships and emotional boundaries, trauma and healing, solitude and self-discovery, environmental and societal unease. It is a book that doesn’t rush to resolve — instead, it sits with the complexity of being human.

About Carolina Pihelgas

Carolina Pihelgas is an Estonian writer, poet, translator and editor whose work is known for its emotional depth and poetic clarity. She first gained wide recognition as a poet, with her prose poetry collection Valgus kivi sees (The Light Within the Stone, 2019) receiving the Estonian Cultural Endowment’s annual award for best poetry book.

In 2020, she was named Tartu’s City Writer Laureate — a great recognition that reflects both her literary voice and her place within Estonia’s contemporary writing landscape.

Carolina has published seven poetry collections and moved into prose with her debut novel Vaadates ööd (Watching the Night, 2022). “Lõikejoon” (The Cut Line) is her second work of fiction — and her first work translated into English, bringing her work to a wider international readership.

Her writing often sits at the intersection of the intimate and the societal, exploring relationships, identity, and the emotional realities that shape how we move through the world. There is a quiet intensity to her work — an honesty that doesn’t try to resolve complexity too quickly, but instead allows it to be seen and felt.

Why join this conversation?

Even if you haven’t read “Lõikejoon”, this event offers something valuable:

  • a glimpse into contemporary Estonian literature,
  • insight into the creative process behind a powerful novel,
  • a chance to engage directly with the author,
  • connect with like-minded readers and be part of a literary conversation.

Or simply — an hour to pause, listen, and think.

Find the book

📖 Available in Estonian and English:
In Estonian from Rahvaraamat
In English from: Apollo, Amazon, Goodreads and Booktopia

Read more

Facebook event page
Carolina Pihelgas on the Estonian Writers’ Online Dictionary
What is it that I don’t remember? — an interview by Siim Lill
Lõunapoolkera Lugemisklubi met and loved Urmas Vadi | HEIA
Southern Hemisphere Book Club leaned closer to the screens for Lilli Luuk | HEIA

Acknowledgement

This book club event is made possible thanks to the joint contribution and support of the Estonian societies of Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and the Gold Coast.


Thought you missed it? “My Estonia” competition deadline extended

0
Image by Dorothe Wouters from Pixabay.

A small but welcome update: the “My Estonia” writing competition deadline has been extended to 17 May 2026 — which means there’s still time to write and share your story.

Estonia means different things to different people.

Maybe Estonia is the place where you were born.
Maybe it’s the place your grandparents won’t stop talking about.
Maybe it’s a country you visit occasionally and leave with a suitcase full of chocolate, black bread and complicated feelings about leaving a piece of your heart there. (That might just be me.)

Or maybe Estonia is something you are still discovering.

Wherever you fall on that spectrum, Vabamu Museum of Occupations and Freedom’s youth writing competition “My Estonia” would love to hear your story.

Source: Vabamu.

What to write about, you ask?

For young Estonians growing up outside Estonia — including here in Australia — the theme opens the door to all sorts of stories.

  • Maybe it’s about learning Estonian from grandparents who insist your pronunciation still needs work. (It’s perfect, come on!)
  • Perhaps it’s about your first visit to Estonia and realising suddenly that the place you’ve heard about all your life is actually real. (Yes, it is!)
  • Or maybe it’s about what Estonia means when you’re living 15,000 kilometres away and can’t see your lovely Estonian family quite as often as you’d like. (You’re not alone.)

All of these stories count. And yours will be uniquely yours — which is exactly why the world should hear it.

So go on. Don’t deprive us of your creative genius. You never know whose day — or whose life — your words might touch.

What are my rules to follow, you ask?

  • If you are between 15 and 25 years old, you can enter.
  • Your text can be: a short story, an essay, a poem or another short literary form. Basically — if it involves words arranged in an interesting way, you’re on the right track.
  • Entries can be written in Estonian or English, and other languages are also welcome as long as a translation into one of those languages is included.
  • The only strict limit is the length: no more than five pages. So yes, sadly this is not the moment for your 54-chapter fantasy trilogy about medieval Tallinn.

You see, the people reading your work are very much into stories.

Submissions will be reviewed by an international jury including representatives from the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Estonian Literary Museum, VEMU Estonian Museum in Canada, and other cultural organisations.

Now, before you start imagining a panel of extremely serious people sitting behind towering stacks of manuscripts — don’t worry. The jury members are some of the most thoughtful and knowledgeable people working with Estonian culture and diaspora stories today. In other words, exactly the kind of readers you would want for a piece about Estonia. They are:

  • Liina Viies – Adviser for the Diaspora, Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  • Piret Noorhani – Chief Archivist, VEMU Estonian Museum Canada
  • Marin Laak – Senior Researcher, Estonian Literary Museum
  • Iivi Zajedova – Tammepuu Club
  • Ants Veetõusme – 20 August Club
  • Maja Soomägi – Vabamu.

In other words — people who genuinely care about stories and the many ways Estonia lives in them.

Need inspiration? Writing can start in many ways — with a memory, with a question, or with a blank page that slowly begins to fill.

The competition is also inspired by Vabamu’s exhibition “Worldwide Estonia”, which explores 150 years of Estonian migration and diaspora life.

It’s true: Estonians have been travelling, settling, adapting and carrying their stories around the world for ages. Which means one important thing: Estonia doesn’t only live in one place — it lives wherever Estonians tell their stories.

And if you’re still waiting for inspiration to strike — here’s a radical suggestion: grab a pen (or turn on your computer), start writing, and see what happens. Inspiration has a funny habit of arriving halfway through the second paragraph.

And yes, there is a pretty exciting prize…drumroll please!

The winner will be announced in June 2026, with awards presented later in the year.

And here is the part that might make your keyboard (or pen) suddenly jump with joy: the winning author will have the opportunity to present their work in Estonia, with travel supported by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Yes, that’s right. One piece of writing could take you all the way to Tallinn.

Not bad for five pages. (Some of us may be slightly jealous about the age limit… but we’ll survive.)

And if you needed a sign to start (or finish) your piece — this might be it: the deadline has now been extended to 17 May 2026.

Let’s sum it up: here’s how you enter

📅 New deadline: 17 May 2026 (previously 1 May 2026)
📄 Length: up to 5 pages
🌍 Languages: Estonian or English (other languages accepted with translation)
📧 Submit to: maja.soomagi(at)vabamu.ee

If you’re a young writer sitting somewhere in Australia wondering whether your story counts — the answer is simple.

It does. Now go write it.

And who knows — the next powerful story about Estonia might come from a young writer sitting in Tassie, Perth, Sydney, Darwin, Melbourne, Brisbane… or somewhere entirely unexpected.

Perhaps your first sentence is already waiting… Good luck!

Thank you!

Thank you to Maja Soomägi from Vabamu for sharing information about this competition and for the update on the extended deadline.

Read more

Writing Competition for Youth (in English)
Kirjutamisvõistlus “Minu Eesti” (Eesti keeles)
Estonia Worldwide exhibition at Vabamu (in English)

Estonian electro-pop musician NOËP rolls into Australia

0
Source: NOËP.

Some artists release music. Others create a vibe. NOËP does both — and turns it into a cinematic experience. Good news — he’s touring Australia this May–June, hitting five states along the way.

Born Andres Kõpper, NOËP is Estonia’s electro-pop magician. He’s part musician, part producer, part filmmaker and fully committed to making you feel like you’re in a late-night indie film. (Where you are, obviously, the main character.)

His sound? Think catchy electronic pop with warm, expansive layers — the kind that makes you want to dance and contemplate your life choices (in a good way). From early tracks like Move and Rooftop to international stages from Paris to Berlin, NOËP has built a reputation for performances that are immersive, intimate and just a little bit magical.

Oh — and casually:

  • NOËP has over 18 million Spotify streams,
  • multiple Estonian Music Awards (including Male Artist and Album of the Year),
  • a near-miss at Eurovision 2026 (2nd place at Eesti Laul with Days Like This).

This is a big deal. He’s bringing all of that energy to festival grounds and Estonian Houses across Australia. Yay!


🎤 Tour dates

15 May: Adelaide, Estonian House (SA)
16 May: Gold Coast, Secret Garden Festival (QLD)
22 May: Perth, Vin & Flowers (WA)
23 May: Melbourne, Estonian House (VIC)
29 May: Sydney, Estonian House (NSW)
30 May: Gold Coast, Miami Marketta (QLD)
6 June: Sunshine Coast, Pranafest (QLD)


Adelaide, South Australia — first stop, no warm-up needed

🗓️ Friday, 15 May 2026
📍Estonian House, 200 Jeffcott Street, North Adelaide SA 5006
⏰ Doors open 7 pm | Show starts: 7.30 pm
🎟️ Tickets: TryBooking | $48

Adelaide, you’re up first — and yes, it’s his first time performing there. No pressure, but also… maximum pressure. Make it loud.


Springbrook, Queensland — part of the Secret Garden Festival

🗓️ Saturday, 16 May 2026
📍 The Secret Garden Festival, Springbrook QLD 4213
⏰ Show starts 6.30 pm
🎟️ Tickets

A little bit mysterious, a little bit magical — this one feels like a “you had to be there” kind of night. NOËP steps into festival mode here, where music meets nature, and the crowd already knows they’re part of something special.


Perth, Western Australia — in high demand

🗓️ Friday, 22 May 2026
📍 Vin & Flower, 361 Newcastle St, Northbridge WA 6003
⏰ Doors open 8 pm
🎟️ Tickets: Trybooking | $79

Perth, this is your moment. Expect an electrifying set, a dancing crowd, and at least one “why don’t we do this more often?” moment.


Melbourne, Victoria — part of the “Last Hooray” weekend

🗓️ Saturday, 23 May 2026
📍 Estonian House, 43 Melville Rd, Brunswick West VIC 3055, Australia
⏰ Doors open 7 pm | Show starts 7.30 pm
🎟️ Tickets: Humanitix | Early bird for $40 (members of Estonian Society in Melbourne) & $50 (non-members) | General admission $50/$60

Melbourne, this one comes with extra feelings. NOËP’s show is part of the three-day Last Hooray weekend — a final celebration before saying goodbye to the beloved Melbourne Estonian House.


Sydney, New South Wales — don’t overthink it, just come

🗓️ Friday, 29 May 2026
📍 Estonian House, 141 Campbell St, Surry Hills NSW
⏰ Doors open 6.30 pm | Show starts 7 pm
🎟️ Tickets: Trybooking | $69 (members of Estonian Society in Sydney) & $79 (non-members)

Come solo, come with friends, come dramatically late (but ideally not). The key message from organisers: peaasi et tuled — just make sure you come.


Gold Coast, Queensland — dinner, drinks and a whole vibe

🗓️ Saturday, 30 May 2026
📍 Miami Marketta, 23 Hillcrest Parade, Miami QLD 4220
⏰ Doors open 6 pm | Show starts 7.30 pm
🎟️ Tickets: Oztix | $79

This is not just a concert — this is a night out. Food, drinks, friends and NOËP setting the soundtrack. One stage, one night, one very good decision.


Woodfordia, Queensland — part of the Pranafest Festival

🗓️ Friday to Sunday, 5–7 June 2026
📍 Pranafest, 87 Woodrow Road, Woodford, Sunshine Coast QLD 4514
🎟️ Tickets: Humanitix

For those who like their music with a side of wellness, connection and barefoot dancing — NOËP will also appear at Pranafest. Think music, community and “I might stay another day” energy.


This is one of those tours where you’ll later say: “I should have gone.” Don’t be that person.

Read more

About NOËP: https://www.noepmusic.com
NOËP Instagram, Facebook, Spotify and Youtube

Global Streets Festival lights up Perth (and yes, Estonia’s dancing)

0
Source: Global Streets Festival.

Some people spend Saturday evenings on the couch. Others… wander into a global street party and accidentally eat their way across three continents while watching Estonian folk dancers. Perth, this is for you.

This weekend, the Global Streets Festival 2026 brings together food, music, and cultures from around the world — and right in the middle of it all, a small but mighty Estonian presence is ready to take the stage (with actual footwork, not just quiet pride).

Event information

🗓️ Saturday 18 April 2026
🕓 4.00pm – 8.00pm
📍 Hillview Intercultural Community Centre, 1-3 Hill View Place, Bentley WA 6102
🎟️ Free entry

Estonian Folk Dance — 6pm (Hillview Stage)

Representing Estonia is the EstWest Folk Dance Group — bringing traditional steps and coordinated enthusiasm to a stage shared with some of the world’s biggest and boldest cultures.

And let’s be honest — when you’re lined up alongside Brazilian samba, African drummers, Japanese taiko and lion dances, you don’t quietly blend in. You show up, you dance, and you make sure people remember where Estonia is on the map.

What to expect?

This is not a “stand politely and observe” kind of event. This is a wander, taste, watch, clap, repeat situation. Expect:

  • Food trucks from across the globe
  • Live performances across two stages
  • Cultural activities for kids and adults
  • Market stalls, crafts and hands-on experiences
  • And yes — dogs are welcome, so even your four-legged friend gets a cultural outing.

Why go?

From henna art to Indigenous weaving, giant bubbles to global beats — it’s the kind of event where you arrive for “a quick look” and leave three hours later with a full stomach and a slightly expanded worldview.

Events like this bring cultures and communities together, side by side, in a way that feels joyful and (importantly) delicious.

And for our Estonians dancers in Australia, moments like this — dancing on stage, sharing what we love — are something special. Small nation, proud presence.

Bring your people

Free entry. Great food. Live performances. A genuinely feel-good community atmosphere.

Bring your family, your friends… and yes, your dog.

And when the Estonian dancers step on stage at 6pm — maybe give them a little extra cheer. And don’t clap like a stereotypically quiet Estonian, put your heart (and muscles) into it! Have fun!

Read more

Global Streets Festival WAwww.canning.wa.gov.au/globalstreetsfestival

Thank you

Thank you to Anu Läänesaar and EstWest for information!

Arvo Pärt and Baltic voices in Perth

0
Image by Erik Lyngsøe from Pixabay

Some people hear “choral concert” and think polite clapping and straight backs. Others… accidentally discover it’s a full-body, spine-tingling experience. Perth, upgrade your evening with the Giovanni Consort’s “Baltic Sounds”, featuring Arvo Pärt.

If your last choir memory involves childhood uniforms, mild stage panic and counting down the minutes — good news: this is not that choir.

This is the Giovanni Consort — Western Australia’s premier professional chamber choir — and they don’t do “nice background music.” They do sound that stops you mid-thought and makes you feel things you didn’t schedule for the evening.

Their upcoming concert, Baltic Sounds, is a deep dive into the musical soul of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Think haunting harmonies, shimmering textures, and the kind of stillness that only happens when a room full of people forgets to breathe at the same time.

Event information

🗓️ Friday 17 April 2026, 7.30pm (Fremantle)
📍 St Patrick’s Basilica, 47 Adelaide Street, Fremantle WA 6160

🗓️ Saturday 18 April 2026, 5.30pm (Guildford)
📍 Guildford Grammar School Chapel, 5 Terrace Road, Guildford WA 6055

🎟️ Tickets: General $55 | Concession $45 | Under 30 $30
🔗 Bookings: www.giovanniconsort.com or or TicketTailor

From lullabies to seismic soundscapes

At the heart of the program is Estonian composer Arvo Pärt — a name that tends to quietly rearrange your internal world. His De Profundis sits alongside works by Baltic greats like Maija Einfelde and Vytautas Miškinis, plus the striking Missa Rigensis by Uģis Prauliņš.

And just to keep things interesting (and proudly local), Australian–Latvian composer Ella Macens brings a contemporary emotional punch with When the world closes its eyes.

In short: lullabies, sacred works, premieres — and moments that may leave you staring into the middle distance afterwards wondering who you are now.

Who is Arvo Pärt? (The composer who made silence famous)

If there were a quiet superstar of the classical world, it would be Arvo Pärt. He’s consistently ranked as the most performed living composer globally — not because he’s loud or flashy, but because his music does something rarer: it lingers.

Born in Estonia in 1935, Pärt didn’t follow a straight creative path. After early success in the avant-garde scene, he stepped away completely — entering an eight-year period of silence and searching that would eventually reshape his entire musical language (and, arguably, modern music itself).

Out of that silence came tintinnabuli — his signature style, named after the sound of bells. It’s simple, precise, and deeply meditative. No big showy gestures — just clarity, stillness, and the kind of emotional depth that tends to sneak up on you mid-performance and refuse to leave. Works like Fratres and Spiegel im Spiegel have since become iconic, quietly influencing composers and audiences around the world.

Today, Pärt’s music fills concert halls from New York’s Carnegie Hall to Europe’s grandest stages, yet it still feels intensely personal — like it’s written for a single listener, sitting very still, somewhere in the dark.

The Giovanni Consort

Under the direction of Nicholas Dinopoulos, the Giovanni Consort has been doing this for 30 years — building a reputation for performances that are both technically exquisite and emotionally disarming.

They’ve shared stages with international ensembles, released recordings, and quietly nurtured generations of singers right here in Western Australia.

Why you might love this

Even if choir isn’t “your thing”, here’s the secret: live choral music at this level isn’t about understanding every note. It’s about feeling it.

As reviews have neatly put it — the sound can be so powerful it’s hard to believe it comes from just a handful of voices.

Which is a polite way of saying: you might walk in sceptical… and walk out slightly transformed.

Last call (literally)

Two performances. Beautiful venues. A program that doesn’t come around every day. Our pride and joy, Arvo Pärt.

Read more

The Giovanni Consort
The Baltic Sounds

Thank you

Thank you to Anu Läänesaar for information!

Source: Giovanni Consort.