For those of us attending our SDE Annual Meeting 2023, and who could fit it into travel arrangements, an extra day in Estonia became an option. This was an opportunity for further immersion into the country’s culture and spirituality. Kristel, a spiritual director herself and mother of two, planned the itinerary. We said farewell to NeliJarve, (lit. the Four Lakes), and set out by cars and minibus towards Tartu, Estonia’s principal university city and spiritual capital.

On the way, we visited a museum and heritage park where the Estonian classical writer, Anton Hansen Tammsaare, was born. His novel ‘Truth and Justice’ is a classic, showing the struggles of late nineteenth century Estonian rural life. Something about this writer reminded me of our Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh. Life in early rural Estonia bears certain resemblances to subsistence farming in Ireland at that time, with similar preoccupation with farm animals, milking, churning, weaving, and the struggle to make ends meet on difficult terrain. In the woods nearby, a wooden swing, reminded us of their traditional pastimes, when harvesters and their families swung to the rhythm of their ancient runic tunes. These songs hailed the coming of summer or begged the mosquitoes not to bite! We happily took our turn on the swing while Kristel taught us one of these ancient swinging songs.

There followed, a walk through Kodru Bog, a well-known nature trail. It was an unforgettable experience. In a spirit of pilgrims, we walked the four-kilometre stretch, in single file along a carefully laid, narrow board walk, stretching out across the marshes. We stopped to examine the variety of vegetation, the plants that peeked through nitrogen-enriched mosses, an ecological paradise for all kinds of wildlife. Later in the season, these plants would be laden with cranberries and blueberries ready to be picked for the homemade jams and jellies, much prized by Estonian people. This nature trail was a gentle reminder of projects afoot at home, to restore wetlands and reinstate some of our natural Irish habitats. Estonians are steps ahead of us in this.

It was during this walk in the wholesome bog air, that we heard the unmistakeable sound of a cuckoo, calling intermittently from a nearby wood. We had arrived at last in the small village of Jarva Madise, where a nourishing homemade soup and freshly baked bread and honey awaited us. The local pastor, who lives next to St Mathew’s fourteenth century Lutheran church, opened her home to us and offered us much needed rest and refreshment. Women from the surrounding parish had helped prepare our lunch.

Soon we had boarded our minibuses and cars again and were on the road to Tartu, with plans for an evening musical event in a premises adjoining the University. Along the road we were starkly reminded of the current war in Ukraine when a processions of armoured tanks with armed soldiers on board went by. Training for war is part of everyday life now in Estonia; a wake-up call to reality.

The evening Concert of choral music arranged in our honour was balm for tired bodies. This chamber choir, Camerata Universitatis of the Estonian University of Life Sciences, has performed in concerts at home and abroad since 1990. We were given a private repertoire. Poetry and music are essential to the Estonian soul and assists in maintaining their cultural identity under the nose of Russia. This cultural independence is jealously guarded. Love of nature, the rhythm of the seasons, light and darkness, trees and flowers, the homing of bees: all featured in the songs and lyrics, in this feast of choral music.

Refreshed by song, we bade grateful farewell to Kristel who had ordered a take-away meal to eat on the long journey back to Tallinn. In our minibus, we found ourselves back in our original Irish foursome with our English friend Mary Nono for extra company. We had a two-and-a-half-hour journey to relive and savour the events of the day. Anything missed, through fatigue or inattention, we filled each other in, with photos added for good measure. Next day, we would be on a plane back to Dublin with memories to treasure and new insights to ponder. Thank you, Estonia! and thank you SDE for a memorable AGM 2023.

 

by Úna Agnew SSL