At Eesti Päevad Festival, 2024 Adelaide, AESL held MÕTTETALGUD – an Open Mic afternoon to gather thoughts about “Estonianism in Australia”. Organised way of being Estonian in Australia, where lays our future?
The feedback included some great ideas indeed. Let’s keep them coming! Following is AESL Vice President, Sirje Rivers’ opening of the event, thereafter some of the thoughts and suggestions that came from it.
Sirje Rivers’ opening speech
Kicking off MõTTETALGUD in the bush – hello and warm welcome to everybody to think along – Estonians in Australia, why stick together? Do YOU want to keep your heritage here? If yes then how?
My name is Sirje, have lived in Australia for 30 years. My Estonianism started naturally from month one – I like singing so I joined eesti choir in Melbourne and have continued to this day.
Started teaching eesti keel at University High School, worked at SBS radio producing programs for Estonians, joined Melbourne eesti society and the umbrella organisation – Council of Estonian Societies in Australia.
When I came to Australia, I was the first “new Estonian”. There were only the after-war Estonians here and it was a closed society as one can expect from 40 or so years exclusion from homeland.
I have seen a few changes in my time – the old generation Estonians handing over to born here Estonian generation, different waves of new Estonians arriving, and this takes us to today.
As the amount of new Estonians grows bigger and louder and shows initiative, historically speaking, we can compare this time to Estonian organisations that were in Australia since 1800s until the war refugee Estonians arrived and created their own kind of estonianism. One aim of this Mõttetalgud is, that should a transition happen again, to explore how we establish a good connection between the existing and the new, and make the change work.
To make what work? We may not look or sound different but we are, because we have walked different ways to get to this point.
I give examples how people may see things differently.
What would you do, in the following situation? New Estonians want to use the kitchen at Estonian House to practise cooking, without being able to pay the set hiring fee.
The attitude that I am suggesting is that if someone is Estonian or has Estonian background, to say YES. First say YES and then see how to make it work.
The “kitchen people” could have used the kitchen for free for a couple of months for their private practise, in return we could have asked them to cater and make an event for us.
We would have created a win-win-win situation – new Estonians get the kitchen that they needed, society get an event out of it, we would have established connection.
We would have enriched the existing society by offering variety and who knows what the future would bring.
New Estonians come with fresh initiative and have different ideas. No need to be weary of our difference. Difference is good – in the long run, for everyone to benefit and to rise together to a new vibrant level.
What about born here Estonians? I give this example, something that new Estonians are not aware of –
In Melbourne, it was Vilma’s mum whose name I do not know but she arrived after the war. Then Vilma was the folk dancing teacher all her life. Then Sven and Vilma’s son Matti, then Matti’s children Rein and Megan, and now Rein’s little children dance. This counts 5 generations of Kiviväli family. This is nothing but a miracle. This is how tightknit and established our society is. Same in every city – folkdancing and choirs have survived and flourish far away from homeland.
Of course it is complicated situation when we name certain names. The saying “no one is irreplaceable”, we do not have the luxury to use. There is no plan B or plan C. Many events are tied to one person’s initiative and massive contribution.
Maybe our next leaders will come from the new Estonians?
We have many second, third, fourth generation Estonians in Australia who are professionally doing strong and interesting things.
Maybe new generations will want something completely different? Maybe future Estonian Houses emerge as a base for business connections between the two countries? We do not know unless we give each other a go and let the new leaders evolve.
What we need is a breeding ground established where this great mix will work, learn from one another and grow. What are the ideas for creating this?
It is good not to stay the same. Difference is not to be afraid of or to shut down, this is an opportunity to learn and to enrich Estonianisn in Australia. Both sides have its differences but this is strength.
We have four speakers today. This is where my introduction ends and I hand over the mic to –
Lembit Suur – AESL history; Juho Looveer – AESL future; Kristel Alla – new experience in Australia. Let’s GO!
Community ideas
IDEAS PROVIDED FOLLOWING MÕTTETALGUD EVENT –
- AESL constitution states the AESL objective. No issues there – it is followed. Yet people ask, AESL why? (Government, why?) Consensus is needed, what actions make AESL wanted, so society respects AESL actions.
- Lembit Suur – AESL to identify a defined purpose, then plan direction for actions that society respects and needs. AESL talk of Estonians on national level not city by city. AESL talk of Estonians on international level – what is the involvement in Estonian World Organisation and with Estonia? Also AESL Board to be organised in a way that it can take political action IF ever comes the need.
- Juho Looveer – Investigate how to improve communication. Improve personal contacts. How to build up nurturing culture.
- Lembit Marder – eesti majad disappear, move towards cafeteria type venue instead (business) where people can step in at any time. Open to all, with occasional eesti events as needed and wanted.
- Richard Semenov – AESL was formed to unite eestlased in political sense, now Estonia is free, to embrace Estonian culture. Support what community likes, with aim of bringing people together. Events in nature and camp activities – camps like in NSW, Victoria and elsewhere. Bring people together and promote our culture.
- Philosophical view – Estonians have left Estonia, forced or voluntarily, and they want to keep their nationality in a different country. Why? What do they get out of it? To find out. What is relevant, what do people seek and why stay in touch as “Estonians in Australia” – then develop that direction.
- Collective resources– gatherings/events are city based, the rest should be national – no city based media but national (newsletters, info), no city based language but national (zoom, events), materials to share nationally from one space for study/teachings, zoom events filmed/fun videos for kids play in Estonian to save money doing all individually but to set up one database plus sharing ways.
- How To Belong – new people feel isolated. “Coming to Australia” notes (manual) to publish and share – how to make contact, with whom for what, where to go, how to belong.
- Harry Ling – Kids Kids Kids. AESL to encourage all children’s activity ideas. Once the connection to estonianism / language in early childhood is lost – it is lost for ever. Versus – once Estonian always Estonian. Also to promote the thought –– why bring kids to esto environment.
- For next Eesti Päevad – kids room needed. Parents want to attend events and drop kids to eesti environment for that time.
- For next Eesti Päevad – set up one financial account under AESL so this does not rotate from city to city
- Articles – more to promote and spread the idea of Estonianism. Why to folkdance? Where and how? Melbourne promotes well kids group activities on Sunday mornings. Opportunity to move up from play to deeper culture. Brisbane folk dance does fantastic promotion. More city based articles are needed – which to set up to be published in one media space for all to read.
- Sulev Kalamäe – Sõrve experience and its leadership mentoring program – identifying young leaders among eesti kids and the year after promote them to leader’s position and other leaderships will follow from leading the camp activities. Identify and nurture.
- Harry Ling – Brisbane experience, stepping aside and leaving all in the hands of the “new”, kind of sink or swim – and the “new do swim”.
- Rahvariided library – rather than keep rahvariided collecting dust at home, loan your rahvariided to the library. Owners can still get them back whenever want to, catalogue with contacts to collect, meanwhile people can borrow long term.
- Publicity – videos of events held reach more younger audience
- AESL Zoom “Conversations” sessions to rebrand, whom to invite overall, should cities be represented; whom to invite for topics, one guest speaker per event
- HOW TO? AESL to write and Media Project to create space where are published pointers – how to organise Eesti Päevad Festival? Grants info, how to apply? How to look for sponsors?
- Ambassador’s help – Grants timeframe to apply is short in Estonia – but can be prepared upfront as grants remain same each year. Should you wish for collaboration please reach out, says Mr Jaan Reinhold.
- Manuals – Guidelines how to run board; Guidelines for money ; Guidelines how to plan big events; distribute resources to share
- Media – every city continue writing their events held and upcoming, same as now. Media Project to create and set up space where each city can upload and that it gets published and spread nationally and sent out automatically.
- Awards – whom does Estonia recognise, how do they get the info? Think in one month now, Independence Day awards – to whom? Different levels? City awards for local outstanding work and contribution, AESL award to follow once action reaches national level and has been done for 10 years. Not for sitting on board but for what has been achieved and contributed. City levels recognitions are different, recognise after 2-3 years of contribution, young recognition set for encouragement, initiative award etc. Tänukiri for any special work done.
- Buddy system for new arrivals – someone to greet at door, to establish connection with one person, not to feel alone, to be welcome, to be accepted, to get introduced to city and selts, moving towards participating and belonging – a buddy to talk and show initially around
- Stories – Media Project and AESL collected and shared successfully stories of The Great Escape. Now to include the new Estonians stories as well, how have the new found their way around in their new city in Australia, work-shopping-renting.
- AESL International – audience to be informed what AESL do in UEKN and Global Estonian– regular informing articles about cooperation on world level
Closing Words
Last but not least. There is no AESL Board on salary, meaning how to attract the skills needed for considering all the above, and to implement? We know we want to! Especially big THANK YOU goes also to people who following the MÕTTETALGUD event, offered their willingness, ability and time and will join in the voluntary work!
People gave their names up to join city organisation, Media Project, AESL Board. What skills do you have, what do you want to be part of?
Want to share YOUR ideas and suggestions? Write to aesl@eesti.org.au
