For the past few years, Estonian Independence Day Picnics on Shark Island have been a great success. We’ve had around 100 participants each year, young and old, visitors from Estonia and life-long Aussies, everyone having a good time together.

This year, on Thursday, 24 February, Sydney Eesti Selts (SES) is proudly hosting the event, and it’s going to be better than ever.

We depart at 4.30 pm from Circular Quay, from the Commissioner’s Steps (on the bridge side), on a chartered Matilda Ferry. The return departure from the Island is at sunset 7.45pm, to be back at Circular Quay by 8pm. This gives us 3 hours of quality time on the island that once a year turns into an exclusive “Estonian territory”.

Muusikateater VARIUS, a popular musical theatre group from Tallinn is in Sydney on that day and they are joining us on the island. There are several well known actors and opera singers in the group. Which ones exactly, you will find out on the day.

NO NEED TO MISS WORK OR CARRY ESKIES
All you need to do is leave work early and catch the train to Circular Quay. It only takes 1 minute to walk from the train station to the Ferry (look for the big Estonian flag).

BIG NEWS… This year, there’s no need to carry your food and drinks with you, because we have our own catering team selling affordable snacks and drinks. It’s the same young people who bring us Estonian Club nights every Thursday at Eesti Maja.

But if you want to bring your own food and drinks, you are welcome to do so.

PRICING
Adult 16y and older … $28.00
SES Member … $23.00*
Child 5-15y … $15.00
Child 4y or younger … FREE

Booking required at http://haisaar-11.eventbrite.com.
Tickets available on the boat, payment in cash.

The price includes…

• private ferry transfers to and from the island
• Estonian music on the island
• National Park admission fees

Please note that Shark island has toilets and water, but no gas, electricity or BBQ. It’s a world famous national park, so please make sure to leave no rubbish on the island when you leave.

Teater Varius are in Australia to perform Helisev Viis.  Teater Varius have taken some of the most painful moments in our national consciousness and transformed them through song and dance and a dash of humour into something memorable.

Dates

Melbourne
Sun 19th Feb 2011 -3pm
Concert

Sydney
Fri 25th Feb – 7pm
Caberet

Sun 27th Feb – 3pm
Play

Thirlmere
Tue Mar 1 – 2pm
Concert

For more information, read Rex Rattur’s review below.

A Night of Magic – Teater Varius

My cousin and I were walking along Tõnismägi tänav on a cool Monday night last September, on our way to the small theatre housed in the National Library of Estonia, and as we walked, she told me about the performance we were just about to see. Teater Varius, as the group is known in Estonia, is a small theatrical company which specialises in performing plays with historically-true settings.

The theatre is located in the basement of the library and seats about 50–60 people. We walked along the corridor on the ground floor of the library and ran into a crowd of people also on their way to see the performance. The audience that night seemed to be mainly middle-aged and from all walks of life. Soon the theatre was full, the lights dimmed and the curtains parted, revealing the stage which had now been transformed into the studio of a radio station. I remembered seeing a mention that the play was set in 1944.

If you have ever seen how a magician opens his show, and how, with the wave of his wand and a sprinkle of stardust over the audience, he transforms the whole night into a totally magical experience, you will have some idea about what happened next.

The setting for the play was the studio of a radio station in Tallinn in 1944, the time when many Estonians were preparing to escape from the armies about to invade their homeland. I quickly understood, however, that it was more of a cabaret than a serious play. The fun began as the actors sang, danced and joked their way through the opening scenes. I had the thought that my parents would really have enjoyed this play, and had they seen it, they would probably have felt both happy and sad at the same time while being transported back to the time of their youth.

Then the first act was over, and I was doubtful that the magic spell that had been cast by the actors in the first half could be repeated in the second half. They had talked, joked and argued with each other in such a realistic and totally believable way, and at times had been mischievous too – a rare talent indeed! Later, when I discovered the pedigree of the performers, I understood how they had been able to do it.

So the second half began, and to my surprise, I saw even more magic – but this you would have to see for yourself to begin to understand! I have seen many plays and cabaret shows, and this one was equal to the best. A short way into the second act, the setting changed from life in Estonia to life in Sweden. And then, sitting in this little theatre in Tallinn, I then heard Arthur Caldwell’s announcements, and they were a huge surprise to me. I shook my head in wonder. I felt as if I was in the past of my parents, in their life, hearing their songs, asking their questions…. Wow!!

Then the performance ended. The audience clapped, and clapped, and clapped. The cast took many curtain calls. What more is there to say? If you look at my photo with the cast you will see the stardust on me.

Helisev Viis is the name of the play, and Teater Varius is the name of the group. In the words of an old favourite song – ‘life is a cabaret’ for them. Reviews of the performance are on the internet. I recommend the one in the Eesti Päevaleht newspaper from Sweden.

Lots of fun and laughter, song and dance, and memories from our past. Bravo to an exceptionally talented cast and thank you for a night of magic.

By Rex Urmas Rattur Memories of a wonderful night in Tallinn

Learning Estonian? Why not listen to this video to help with your pronunciation!

Elections for the Estonian Parliament will take place in Estonia on 6 March 2011.

Estonian citizens living permanently or temporarily in a foreign state may vote electronically (Internet voting), by post or in person. This includes holders of Estonian passports.

Internet voting is available on the web-page www.valimised.ee from 9:00 on 24 February 2011 until 20:00 on 2 March 2011.

Postal voting first requires an application to the Estonian representation by the 4 February 2011.

An application for a postal vote must include

1) a copy of the personal detail page of an identity document;

2) the voter’s residential address in Australia;

3) the voter’s last residential address in Estonia or if the voter has never had a residence in Estonia, the last residence of the voter’s parents or grandparents in Estonia.

Voters who apply on time will be sent a ballot paper, candidate list and 2 envelopes. You will need to fill in the ballot paper. The ballot paper must then be placed in the smaller (inner) envelope. Then put the smaller envelope into the larger (outer) envelope. On the outer envelope write your name, ID code and electoral district number. Then send the completed ballot paper by post to the Estonian representation:

Consulate of the Republic of Estonia

40 Nicholson Street

Balmain East NSW 2041

The completed ballot paper must arrive at the Estonian representation by 18 February 2011.

Voting in person. It is possible to vote in person after presenting a valid identification document at:

Sydney Estonian House, 141 Campbell Street, Surry Hills NSW, or

Perth Estonian Consulate, 11 Langsford Street, Claremont WA

20 February 2011, 10:00 – 14.00

21 February 2011, 14.00 – 19.00

Contacts:

Honorary Consul of Estonia in Sydney: (02) 8014 8999, Sydney@estonianconsul.org

Honorary Consul of Estonia in Perth: (08) 9384 2757, anuvanhattem@aol.com

Estonian National Electoral Commission: www.vvk.ee

For future elections you may apply for an electronic voting card from www.eesti.ee/est/kodanik .

Get a Leid at Esto Pub Night 15!

The place to be on Friday February the 11th at 7pm is at “Kalev on Jeffcott” at 200 Jeffcott St. North Adelaide.

After the large scale success of the Esto Pub Night during the Estonian Festival- Esto Pub Night is back again in 2011.

Come and see the award winning Ukelele Appreciation Society who will perform on the night. And don’t worry- Tom still has our imported Estonian beers and ciders available at the bar!

Unfortunately Kristina Lupp has left the country but we have a new undercover chef who will be certain to surprise you all… The team has held lengthy negotiation discussions with him, which we now can reveal are finalized. He will be introduced on the night!

Drop in for 5 minutes or stay for the evening… No formal arrangements or booking are required.

You can see more details on Facebook

The next Esto dinner will be held on the 4th of February at the Estonian house, 144 Campbell St, Surry Hills at 6.00pm.

The menu will be:

• Plate of snacks
• Garlic Bread and dip (Estonian style)
• Salty broad beans with bacon (rustic Estonian style)
• Cheese and pepperoni cube
• Pickled cucumber

The main meal will be:

• Hernesupp with rye bread and BBQ’ed sausages

For dessert there will be:

• vastlakuklid and home made cake.

Please book early as it is only 2weeks away, or contact Mick nelson on 0428 645128 or micknelson1@bigpond.com

Berliner Messe by Arvo Pärt will be performed on Sunday, January 23 at St James church in Sydney city (next to Hyde Park) as part of their Orchestral Masse series with the church choir. For more details see the St James Church Homepage. Service begins at 10am.

For those who are unable to attend classes in person, online learning via the internet or Skype might be the solution! At the moment there are 3 such possibilities available for learning Estonian:

1. Learn Estonian online using Skype

A trained and experienced Estonian-as-a-second-language teacher in Queensland, Ms. Eva Õim, who teaches students according to their individual needs on the internet via Skype.

Skype can be downloaded for FREE , click here to download now

Ms Õim’s address is ewaoim53@gmail.com, for further enquiries and discussion of suitable times and charges. There are also several courses available from Estonia by Internet.

2. Online Estonian course for beginners (Video based), University of Tartu

University of Tartu, www.tk.ut.ee during 21.02.20011 to 30.12.2011

Duration 6 EAP (156 hours),
Ccost 106,73 EUR.
Mrs Esta Pilt (esta.pilt@ut.ee) can provide more information.

The course is aimed at adult learners. Each lesson is centred on a video clip. Students will gain an introductory knowledge of Estonian and

1. will have an overview of the following topics of the Estonian Grammar – noun and verb conjugation, infinitives etc; and can use these in practical language situations;
2. will develop active skills in Estonian.

The course is 95 % web-based. There are 2 classroom meetings or conversation via Skype (one meeting in the end of each semester). At the classroom meetings the teachers will provide the learners with the feed-back on home assignments, and refine their talking-skills. On the web-page of the course there will be the links to the learning materials divided into 10 lessons.

There are listening, reading and grammar exercises on each topic. The creative writing exercises by learners will be sent to the teachers via e-mail. The teachers will provide feed-back at class-room meetings and / or via e-mail. The time schedule of presenting the course homework and making the on-line test will be sent to all the participants.

There will be an e-test in the end of the first semester. The students will get individual feed-back on the results of the tests. A compulsory prerequisite to registering for the exam is a positive test result.

3. Estonian On-line Course, University of Tallinn

There are 4 levels available : 1. Beginners 2. Lower intermediate 3. Intermediate 4. Advanced.

The text is Mall Pesti, Helve Ahi. E nagu Eesti. TEA, 1998 (+ CD) (TS: Unfortunateley, it may be out of print).
Cost: 100 euros (10-week-session).
Next course starts/ed on Jan. 5, 2011 (TS: you can ask the instructor whether she would accept you now).

The instructor Mall Pesti (pestim@yahoo.com) can provide further information.

According to her a student needs: stong motivation, good self-discipline, 3-4 hours of free time every week.

Course description:

1. Students study independently using the textbook, the CD and aditional online materials.
2. They do self-check exercises and tests online.
3. They write essays and send to the teacher.
4. There is a weekly 50 minute chat (writing) in the group of 2-3 students.
5. Once a month, there is an individual phone class.

Should you take up any of these opportunities, please let me know of your choice and later of your progress, to enable me to evaluate the course, prior to recommending it further. Let me also know if you do not wish to utilise any of these three modes, so we can look for different possibilities for you. And please fill in and forward the Needs Survey, if you already have not done so.

All the best,

Tiiu Salasoo,
Coordinator of Estonian Studies for the Council of Estonian Societies in Australia

salasoo@ihug.com.au

Adelaide, Esto Pub Night & The Ashes!

On Friday the 3rd of December it has been reported that over 37 million viewers worldwide had tuned into the events just North of Adelaide! Unfortunately many Estonians from interstate could not find accommodation. Was it because we had organized an Esto Pub Night at Kalev on Jeffcott? This would be the logical explanation but the staff at Adelaide Oval had also arranged an Ashes test for the same weekend.

Well the Australian cricket players did endure some difficult times but those who attended the Esto Pub night once again enjoyed a relaxing evening. This was undoubtedly the most well attended EPN’s in its short history. This time of the year many people have other engagements and commitments but the temptation of “Hapu Koor, Kapsas and Kristina Lupp” was certainly the stimulus for a great ticket.

Hapu Koor, as Kadri Auvaart explained during the evening, is a clever play on words. Koor in “Eesti Keel” or Estonian means both “Choir” and “Cream”. Hapu Koor referring to “Sour Cream” is a very distant truth from the skill and delight of this wonderful choir. So much so that well over 120 people flocked to see the fantastic performance. Thank you Kadri for your and the Adelaide Eesti Segakoor’s fantastic effort!

Toomas Sarapuu and his team behind the bar, have received an amazing amount of praise in the past Pub Nights for their great range of Estonian and local beverages. Well on this occasion we were fortunate enough to be allowed by the Adelaide Estonian Social committee to sample the fully imported supply of Saku Kuld! This was especially imported for the Australian Estonian Festival and was supposed to be a closely guarded surprise, so please keep it quiet.

The Esto Pub Night has evolved in it’s short history and our motto has always been to provide an interesting theme and welcome all Estonians and their friends to our hall to most importantly provide a relaxing evening and support the community. Kristina Lupp has provided an amazing personal support over the last eighteen months and on this occasion coordinated another spectacular meal. This time it was a true Estonian dish, Kalev on Jeffcott was packed 30 minutes before the official opening time and over 80 meals were sold in the first 45 minutes. Kristina, we are all looking forward to “A Taste of Estonia” during the December Festival.

Well were does the “Esto Pub Night phenomena” go from here? After lengthy discussions with the Australian Estonian Festival organizing committee, those attending the festival here in Adelaide will experience the full enthusiasm of the EPN concept! Just keep this very quiet, December the 29th at 6:30pm at Kalev on Jeffcott the small group of Estonians here in Adelaide will welcome those attending the festival the true spirit of what the Estonians are all about here in Adelaide. This will be a relaxing evening with no formalities. Remember our motto, drop in for ten minutes or stay for the evening, no booking or formal arrangements are required. You will meet friendly Estonians, enjoy a great meal, and sample fantastic wines, Estonian Vodka, Cider and Saku Kuld. Drop in after being out elsewhere or come for the evening we will have fantastic music videos. This will be the Esto Pub Night that you will really meet all of your old friends! Nobody will be turned away. More details can be seen at www.estopubnight.com or find us on Facebook.
Richard Semenov

The WA Estonian Association Christmas party will follow the performance of “Orav ja Meri”

Orav ja Meri
Saturday 18 December 2010 at 3pm
Foundation Theatre, Scotch College
Australind St Entrance, Swanbourne
Tickets $20

Afterwards join the actors at the WA Estonian Association Christmas Party at 11 Langsford Street, Claremont
For more information and tickets please contact Anu van Hattem 9384 2757 or anuvanhattem@aol.com or Triin-Liis Härma triinliis82@hotmail.com.

The Estonian Society of Sydney invites you, your family and friends to our

Traditional Christmas Lunch
at Estonian House, 141 Campbell St Surry Hills
on Saturday 11th December 2010 at 1pm

If you want Father Christmas to give your child a present, please bring one with you.

Lunch $30, members $25, children 6-12 $10, under 5 free

Bookings and payment to Tiina Alvre by 3 December
e-mail: tiina.alvre@optusnet.com.au
Tel. 9617 1986

***

Sydney Eesti Selts kutsub sind koos pere ja sõpradega
ÜHISELE JÕULULÕUNALE
Sydney Eesti Majas, 141 Campbell St Surry Hills
Laupäeval, 11. detsembril 2010
kell 13.00

Traditsiooniline jõulusöök, jõuluvana, etteasted

Soovijail võimalus tuua lastele kingitusi ja need jõuluvana kotti poetada

Lõunasöök $30, seltsi liikmetele $25,
Lastele 6 – 12 a. $10 ja alla 5 a. prii.

Osavõtust teatada ja lõuna eest tasuda hiljemalt reedel,
3. detsembril Tiina Alvrele
e-mail: tiina.alvre@optusnet.com.au
tel. 9617 1986

Ott Lepland,  Indrek Raadik,  Eda-Ines Etti

The stars have been confirmed for the Sõrve Suurpäev Concert Sunday on 9 January 2011! For more information see the Sõrve website