Kihnu
Mare

My home is the island of Kihnu, where I live year-round. As my roots are here, my sense of identity is strong. I have learned, both consciously and unconsciously, everything that is important in Kihnu culture, whether it be the language, the wearing of folk costumes, farming, handicraft skills, the preparation of traditional food, folk tales and belief systems, as well as the importance of church life. Dancing and singing at village gatherings and weddings are naturally an integral part of growing up in this environment. I know a great deal about the sea, fishing, seal hunting, and living in harmony with nature.

​

 

However, I am not only a community member with practical knowledge; I have also acquired a broad and diverse education. I have primarily established myself as a history teacher, but my training has also enabled me to contribute actively to fields such as ethnology, applied anthropology, and folkloristics. My main research interest concerns the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage under conditions of globalization and increasing urbanization. I approach the interpretation of cultural heritage through the description of my own culture. I have a particular interest in heritage inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists and in successful examples of its safeguarding.

 

 

I have generally considered my worldview to be conservative (not to be confused with populists or extremists!). I consider it important to preserve old knowledge and skills, because one never knows when they may be needed. It is good when roots are firmly in the ground and one has a home and a community that give identity and strength. I believe it is important to preserve all kinds of skills so that a person can manage independently, as much as this is still possible today. This includes, among other things, the ability to grow one’s own food or, if necessary, obtain it from nature, the skill of making clothing, or even the skill of building a house. Living in rhythm with nature, observing its signs, and celebrating holidays is also a skill. Likewise, the ability to cope in a situation where one day electricity disappears and there is no longer mobile coverage or internet connection, or when oil resources are no longer accessible, is a skill. I wish that I and my children, my community, and the entire people of Estonia would be wise enough to preserve survival skills, raise children on our own land, and not give up, so that the Estonian language, together with its beloved dialects, and culture, together with its diverse cultural regions, would endure, enriching the world through the diversity of cultures. I would like us to have the ability to enjoy the colorful beauty of our folk costumes and our beloved traditional music even during the most depressing seasons, so that it does not become merely summer entertainment. Yes, I believe that preserving all skills is critically important, including the skill of remaining true to one’s own path without unnecessarily disturbing those around you.