60 Conserving sacred natural sites in Ahto Kaasik

Introduction are sacred groves (hiis) covering larger areas. According to regional fieldwork In 2008, the Estonian Ministry of Culture data gathered so far, the total number approved the national conservation of SNSs is likely to be as high as 7000. plan ‘Sacred Natural Sites in Estonia: This is heritage of great significance, Study and Maintenance 2008 – 2012’. helping to maintain both biological and The conservation plan indicates that spiritual diversity in Estonia. nowhere else in Western Europe have sacred natural sites (SNSs) and the tra- ditions associated with them been pre- Sacred natural sites in Estonia served so well and vividly as in Estonia. Even though the total area of Estonia is SNSs are a distinguishing and valuable only 47 000 square kilometres, it in- part of Estonian native culture, forming cludes a number of unique native lin- a part of Estonians’ national identity. guistic and cultural regions. There are According to mainly historical data, regional differences also in the types there are approximately 2500 SNSs of SNSs. For example, stones and known in Estonia. Of these, about 500 trees that have been used for healing

< A grove-basswood, West-Viru county. When praying or thanking gods, healing or asking blessing for marriage a ribbon or yarn is given as an oblation to the sacred trees.

61 purposes are more common in western ries, such as sacred springs and trees, Estonia, and groves for communal funeral places, fireplaces, grove sau- prayers are more common in northern nas, dance places etc. and western parts of the country. The Owing to traditional customs, the eco- unique funeral tradition of cross-trees systems of sacred groves have had has only survived in southeast the possibility to develop quite freely Estonia. during centuries or even millennia. Sacred groves (hiied; hiis) are proba- Nowadays, being often situated in cul- bly the best known and popular of the tural landscapes, the groves have be- SNSs in Estonia. The users of a sacred come stores of biodiversity. grove have historically been the inhab- Sacred stones have been brought to itants of a village, sometimes of a par- Estonia during the Weichsel glaciations ish or county. There can be found by glaciers arriving from Scandinavia. many different traditions, beliefs and Currently around 500 historical sacred folklore that are connected to the sa- stones are known, which can range cred groves. Till nowadays a warm at- from ten centimetres to ten or more me- titude towards the sacred groves has tres. On rare occasions cup-marks been preserved as well as the knowl- made by humans can be found in edge that looking at a sacred grove or them. Even though around 1700 cup- praying to it gives support. marked stones are known, less than 20 of them have been considered sacred. According to historical data, about 500 sacred groves are known in Estonia. Sacred trees are most often oaks The area of a grove can reach from 1 (Quercus robur), lime trees (Tilia cor- to 100 hectares and several significant data), pines (Pinus sylvestris), birches spots can be found within its bounda- (Betula pendula) and spruces (Picea

The eye-curing spring of Üügu, Saare county, Muhu isle. Healers and other visitors have trod a path leading to the spring. This is a place of habitation for many orchid species.

62 abies), but they can also be from other the most common in Estonia, but other indigenous tree species. Choice of types are found as well. For example species shows considerable regional sacrificial sites, sliding stones to aid in variation. For example, in Põlva parish, fertility, and sometimes old trees that most of the known historical sacred grow on stone graves. trees have been junipers (Juniperus communis). Historical and religious Cross-trees are considered an excep- background tional type of historical SNS. The tradi- tion to cut a cross on a tree that grows In Estonia, unlike in many other techno- on the way to cemetery used to be logically developed countries, the tradi- widespread in Estonia as well as other tions connected to nature religion are still parts of Europe. Today, this tradition has being followed today. People leave offer- only been maintained in four counties of ings to and gather health and power of Estonia: Põlva, Võru, Tartu and Valga. mind from tens, even hundreds of sacred Even though the cross that is carved in sites. The native SNSs of Estonia enrich the tree has the shape of a Latin cross, Estonian society owing to the fact that the church does not recognise this tradi- they have not been demonised under the tion as its own. A cross-tree becomes influence of Christianity as they were in the soul-tree of the deceased one and other countries, such as Finland. also a kind of bulwark which protects Estonians’ religious beliefs that are the living from visits of the souls, except connected to valuing SNSs stand out for the specific folk calendar events in the European context. Several when spirits are welcome. proofs for it can be found from socio- Sacred waters can be marine areas, logical studies named below. lakes, rivers, creeks, yet most often According to an Eurobarometer survey they are springs. People go to the ‘Social Values, Science and Technolo- springs mainly for healing or for soul re- gy’ conducted in 2005, Estonia has the freshing purposes, but also to pledge lowest rate of people believing there is ones faithfulness, ask blessing for mar- a single God (16%) and the highest rate riage, to tell fortunes and give name to of people believing that there are differ- babies. Nearby a sacred spring, a sa- ent spiritual forces (54%) in Europe cred tree or stone is often found. Peo- (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/ ple use to take holy spring water home archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf). for drinking and healing purposes. In A public opinion poll financed and or- return for the water people throw coins dered by the Parliament of Estonia in into the spring or scratch silver dust 2002 showed that 11% of Estonian pop- from objects made of silver. ulation consider the Estonian native re- Other sacred natural sites. The ligion and Taara faith nearest to their above-mentioned types of SNSs are heart (Lepane, 2002).

63 There are more studies affirming Esto- ans consider ’maausk’ (Estonian native nians’ deep conviction for nature reli- religion) as the true religion of the Esto- gion. In 1994, the Estonian University nian people (A Conference of Sociolo- of Life Science made a sociological gy of Religion ’Elust, usust ja usuelust survey which showed that 65% of peo- 2010’, Lea Altnurme’s presentation ple living in South-Estonia believe that ’What should church know about the trees have souls (Moor, 1998). In 2002, individual religiousness of Estonians’). Tallinn University carried out an all-Es- Ensuring consistency of following the tonian study ‘Environment and us’ ac- traditions of native people and free- cording to which 82% of Estonian in- dom of religion has direct connection habitants find nature to be holy and with Estonian SNSs. The followers of animate (Raudsepp, 2005). Estonian native religion can practice Another public opinion poll ordered in certain customs only in historical sa- 2010 by the Estonian Council of cred sites where a perceptible bond Churches showed that 20% of Estoni- with ancestors exists.

The sacred hill of Kunda Hiiemägi, West-Viru county. Women are singing folksongs and cook- ing a holy porrige for the prayer held for the souls of the anchestors.

64 Sacred natural sites and customs brate folk calendar events, perform magical practices and make offerings. In Estonian native religion, nature’s Sometimes the ash of the deceased is sanctity is tied to its animism. Just like scattered there. Offerings and objects human beings, also plants, animals and used for healing give evidence that sa- landscape objects have soul or spiritual cred sites are in use. dimension. In old Estonian creation songs, man and everything else in the Not all of the practices associated with world is born from the eggs of first bird the sacred sites are easily defined as (swallow). In addition, the Earth is per- religious. These include staying in a ceived as a life-giving mother (Maaema sacred site, being connected with an- – Mother Earth) who is thus source of cestors, contemplation and gathering both biological and, through human spiritual strength. mediation, cultural diversity. Man is not A significant practice that must be em- the ruler of nature but a mere part of it. phasised when talking about spiritual Likewise, fairies and gods form part of heritage is maintaining a spiritual con- nature. Perception of the sanctity of na- nection with a SNS. As a result of urban- ture is characterised by intimacy and isation, most of Estonian native people cordiality. For instance when referring to have moved to towns. Staying spiritually the gods, diminutive form is often used connected with the SNS of one’s birth- to convey endearment (the suffix kene- place over the distance offers important being added to the name of a god: spiritual support and confidence. Maaemakene, Veeemakene, Äikene, jumalukene). During the past few decades, attempts have been made to restore the com- The traditions connected to sacred munal customs connected to SNSs. To groves (hiis) and other sites of this kind celebrate certain folk calendar events, have been quite similar over Estonia members of a community gather in from the first written records up to their sacred grove to jointly pray to modern times - one cannot break gods and ancestors, bring offerings branches, mow lawn, dig earth or herd and follow other traditional customs. cattle there and has to keep spiritual From time to time, communal prayers and physical purity. There are many are organised together with other cases known where those who have Finno-Ugrian nature worshippers. damaged SNSs get punished with a severe illness or even death. Sacred natural sites in change For historical reasons, Estonian native religion (maausk) has developed The beliefs and customs of Estonian largely into a familial, personal and se- nature religion are an inseparable part cret belief. People go to SNSs to pray, of the Estonian contemporary culture, heal, get blessing for marriage, give yet it has not significantly touched ei- name to a baby, hold meetings, cele- ther Estonian higher culture or the

65 state institutions. Till recently the val- are of important natural, cultural and ues and customs connected to SNSs social value, on the other hand they where not taught in the official educa- are very scarcely researched and un- tion system. Therefore, it is not surpris- derprotected on national level. Estonia ing that appropriate terminology is is lacking a thorough overview on the missing from legal acts. locations of most of our SNSs and their situation. Established in 1918 and suffered for 50 years under the Soviet occupation, Native local communities have been young Estonia is still recovering from weakened during the occupation times mentalities that were forcibly brought in and have not yet gathered their powers by the Christian and Communist re- enough to assemble. That is also a rea- gimes of the foreign occupants. We are son why sacred sites get damaged or relearning to recognise our SNSs and destroyed by different agricultural, tour- the rights of native people for them. Till istic and other development activities. recently the state has not seen SNSs as holy sites, but has only handled the natural or archaeological aspects of New era them. For example, in 2005 the Nation- In 1995 the followers of Estonian native al Heritage Board approved a project religion officially formed their religious to build a wind mill park to the sacred associations. A new period of legal ac- hill of Kunda Hiiemägi, which had been ceptance began for Estonian native taken under protection as cultural mon- people and SNSs. ument many years earlier. The Estonian House of Taara and Na- In Estonia, 450 SNSs have been desig- tive Religions (Taarausuliste ja Maaval- nated as cultural monuments. The ex- la koda; MK) started to bring together act number of sacred sites under na- historians, natural scientists and folk- ture protection is not known, because lorists who are interested in studying they have not been mapped. During SNSs. The aim of Maavalla koda is to the last decades, a number of smaller bring the research of SNSs to a new regional fieldwork projects have been modern level, ensure complex and in- carried out, which have shown that terdisciplinary scientific treatment of most of SNSs placed under state pro- SNSs and, through this, direct the state tection are in a poor state. At the same to recognise the importance of SNSs. time it has been proved that many pro- For the followers of maausk SNSs are tected species and other natural val- important as intact and unfragmented ues can be found at those sacred cultural and natural areas. sites, which have preserved at least in In a few years the research and man- a satisfactory state. agement situation of SNSs was Thus on one hand, the SNSs and the mapped, a research methodology was spiritual traditions preserved in Estonia compiled and several pilot projects

66 were carried out. It was concluded that consists of a historical overview of SNSs a national conservation plan was need- in Estonia, an analysis of the current situ- ed in order to organise emergency res- ation, and also presents several con- cue works as quickly as possible. crete conservation measures and in- structions on how to apply them.

National conservation plan for sacred natural sites Conservation measures

As a result of thorough explanations The conservation plan aims to retain all from the followers of maausk, the Minis- extant SNSs under national protection, try of Culture formed in 2005 an inter- as well as change the protection man- disciplinary working group with the aim agement in order to cover all the val- to prepare a national conservation plan ues of the sacred sites: intangible and for SNSs. The working group was put tangible cultural heritage, natural val- together by representatives of different ues and freedom of religion. As the sa- ministries, universities, scientific re- cred sites help to maintain the tradi- search institutions and Maavalla koda. tions of local people (and some tradi- While taking part in the preparation of tions can only be performed in the sa- the conservation plan, Maavalla koda cred sites), they are also important in was collaborating with other scientific enriching the living environment and organisations to improve the study supporting local development. methodology of sacred sites, perform field works on the pilot areas and intro- The coordinating steering committee of duce this topic in the media. A first the Conservation Plan consists of repre- comprehensive overview of the Estoni- sentatives of the Ministries of the Environ- an SNSs was published in the form of a ment, Agriculture, Internal Affairs, and compilation of articles (Kaasik, 2007). Education and Research; the National Followers of maausk also organised Heritage Board and Maavalla koda. The protection of several SNSs which re- University of Tartu is the implementing ceived quite a lot of media attention: agency. Measures of the Conservation Tammealuse grove, sacred grove hills Plan are designed to handle all aspects of Kunda Hiiemägi and Ebavere ­ of SNSs and the associated values. mägi in Lääne-Viru County, Purtse Hiie­ As SNSs are one of the most endan- mägi in Ida-Viru county, sacred grove gered features among Estonian cultural hill of Paluküla Hiiemägi in Rapla Coun- heritage, it is essential to study and ty and Panga grove in Saare County. save them. SNSs as historical objects On 1 April 2008, as a result of years of are endangered by perishing of the liv- preparation, the Estonian Ministry of Cul- ing lore, on one hand, and by lack of in- ture approved the national conservation formation on their existence, on the oth- plan ‘Sacred Natural Sites in Estonia: er. Often only a few old people remem- Study and Conservation 2008–2012’. It ber the locations or existence of sacred

67 sites. Unless researchers interview tonian legislation not only lacks direct these people in the forthcoming years, regulation of SNSs, but does not even many significant and valuable sites will mention their existence. Consideration disappear from the heritage landscape should be given to defining SNSs as a and be forever lost for society. separate category of monuments.

The Conservation Plan foresees creat- Yet, effective legal regulation and pro- ing a database which supports re- tection measures are not sufficient searching and managing SNSs. The when society in general does not value database would consist of folkloric, ar- sacred sites. The plan foresees to chaeological, natural, historical and launch media projects, disseminate in- other data on SNSs and provide infor- formation on the television and radio, mation on the exact location, condition books, exhibitions, lectures and other and form of ownership of each site. activities. It also proposes to supple- ment school curricula with relevant in- In the first phase of fieldwork, the re- formation about the SNSs. searchers will make interviews with lo- cal inhabitants to specify the locations and borders of SNSs. The second Recent advances phase would ideally take place in the landscape where SNSs are situated. It The financial help from the state has so focuses on details and the personal far been 197 000 euros, forming 11,6% bond of the interviewees with SNSs. from the general budget of the Conser- The following phases comprise taking vation Plan. With this financing the co- the GPS coordinates, first demarca- ordinators of the Conservation Plan tion, and its natural scientific, archaeo- have been hired and they have so far logical and ethnographic description. led the following works. A research methodology has been compiled and The received audio and video record- the methodology for demarcation and ings, and pictures (photos, drawings, conservation are being prepared. The schemes, maps) will be systematised, database project is ready. An expert analysed and archived. Subsequently group has been put together to raise suggestions on demarcation, protec- the necessary competence in the Na- tion and management of the SNSs tional Heritage Board. found will be made. In order to safe- guard confidential information on sa- The first fieldwork studies have been cred sites the information about en- performed so far in Muhu parish on the dangered SNSs will not be disclosed. West coast of Estonia and a partial in- ventory in Juuru and Kuusalu parishes The Conservation Plan foresees to per- of North Estonia. Altogether there are form a revision of the Estonian legal 102 parishes in Estonia. regulations and to formulate sugges- tions of amendments or prepare a new A total of 21 researchers participated in legal act about SNSs. Currently, the Es- Muhu fieldwork. The local community

68 The sacred grove (hiis) of Tammealuse, West-Viru county. A ribbon is tyed as offering in a sa- cred natural site forming a bond between generations and this way keeping spiritual consis- tency with anchestors. network helped to organise the work. share their knowledge with strangers During the research period more than whom they do not trust. Historical ex- 200 inhabitants were interviewed, 120 perience has taught local people that if hours of interviews were recorded and strangers knew about your sacred more than 3000 photos were taken. Be- place, it would be destroyed or inter- fore starting the fieldwork, according to fered. People also believe that when the collected historical and folkloristic strangers know about your sacred data the researchers were aware of 28 place, its powers weaken. SNSs in this area, and 11 of them placed under national protection. During the fieldwork, participants had collected in- Values and knowledge formation about 81 historical sacred sites and additionally about 30 potential Since 2008, Maavalla koda has organ- sacred sites. They managed to find and ised campaigns (Hiie sõber) to find perform an inventory of 67 sacred sites. people or organisations who are dedi- Most of the previously unknown sacred cated to protecting the SNSs. This also sites were healing stones and springs. serves an educational purpose: the best practices of sacred natural site The greatest surprise that came up as management and the good individual a result of the Muhu project was the examples are shown to the public. understanding that researchers are still unaware of a considerable number Annual photo contest, organised by of sacred sites. The reason for that is Maavalla koda, aims to document the that bearers of the living traditions, the current situation of Estonian SNSs and users of sacred sites, do not want to draw public attention to this topic.

69 A photo exhibition on Estonian SNSs government plans to build a recrea- has been made with explanatory texts. tional sports and tourist centre on the This has been already shown in 16 site. Despite the fact that the site is un- towns and villages. der nature protection, followers of maausk have done serious efforts dur- More than a 100 articles have been ing the past ten years to protect the published in the media and many lec- spiritual and cultural values connected tures have been delivered addressed to the sacred hill of Hiiemägi. This is to Estonian officials, school children one of the most long-lasting conflicts and other interest groups. connected with conservation of SNSs For the first time in history, the Estonian in Estonia and has gained lots of me- University of Life Sciences and Univer- dia attention. Unfortunately no satis- sity of Tartu offer elective courses on factory solution has been found so far. SNS. Sets of lectures addressed to of- ficials who are daily dealing with the questions connected to SNS manage- Natural and spiritual values ment will be delivered in the next few Hiiemägi (sacred grove hill) is located years aiming to raise their competence in Paluküla, parish, Rapla and, through this, help to ameliorate county, Estonia within a National Land- the situation of SNS conservation. scape Protection Area (IUCN category V), which protects landforms from the Case study: The sacred hill of glaciations period and wild species. Its total surface encompasses 5713 ha, of Hiiemägi in Paluküla which the sacred hill covers only 25 The case discusses a SNS in a situa- hectares. The area has been included tion of conflicting interests. The local in the Natura 2000 network, as a spe-

A signboard in front of sacred hill of Paluküla Hiiemägi, . Often natural and spiri- tual values suffer the pressures of economic interests.Ahto Kaasik cial conservation area (IUCN Category machines. That is also the reason why V), (Dudley, 2008). the frequency of visitors to the sacred hill has gone up and the biodiversity of In the area of Hiiemägi a Natura 2000 this place has significantly decreased. natural habitat type of Community in- terest has been inventoried. It is com- Moreover, next to Hiiemägi and on its posed of ‘Semi-natural dry grasslands hillside the local government plans to and scrubland facies on calcareous construct a sports and recreation cen- substrates (Festuco-Brometalia) *im- tre with stadiums, ski lifts, motels etc. portant orchid sites’. It is also regis- Hand in hand with the impoverishing tered as the location of a large popula- conditions of the environment, the pos- tion (around 50 nests) of a protected sibilities to follow spiritual traditions on ant species Formica polyctena. Hiiemägi have substantially worsened. The spiritual and cultural values of Hiie­ Followers of maausk feel that their sa- mägi form an inseparable part of its cred object has been attacked and natural environment. During its long their right of freedom of religion is history this place has developed into violated. what it is today due to having been The National Heritage and Environ- used and regarded as a sacred site. mental Boards, which are directly in Followers of maausk use Hiiemägi even charge of managing this protected today as a natural sanctuary as much area, have given permissions to the as the worsening conditions allow. recreation centre projects, refusing to Regular communal and individual discuss the questions connected to prayers and rituals are being held there spiritual aspects of Hiiemägi. and people leave offerings on the hill. Native people and followers of maausk According to the expert opinions of ac- and Maavalla koda find it essential to knowledged Estonian folklorists, the conserve the spiritual and cultural val- sacred hill of Hiiemägi in Paluküla is a ues of Hiiemägi and keep it as a natu- SNS, which must be conserved and ral sanctuary. They have cleaned gar- protected as a whole. bage from the hill, informed the public, carried out supervision and used all court and administrative means and Pressures and impacts even physical intervention to obstruct The landowner, the local government, the construction activities on the sa- sees mostly the economic potential of cred hill. The local groups have also Hiiemägi, which should be used to de- participated in the implementation of velop forest, sports and tourist busi- the development plans of the sacred nesses. Approximately one third of the hill, carried out monitoring, negotiated sacred hill of Hiiemägi has already with the landowner and developers, been turned into ski trails and grass- National Heritage and Environmental lands that are maintained with different Boards, conducted research and hired

71 researchers, organised a public col- Perspectives lection of signatures and media cam- The protectors of the Hiiemägi sacred paigns. Many folklorists, historians, hill have repeatedly suggested several conservationists and cultural celebri- compromise solutions according to ties have supported these activities. which the hill could be used both for One of the most dramatic events took recreational sports and ecotourism. place on 8 November 2004, when The protectors cannot accept the con- Maavalla koda called people to gather struction of buildings, vehicular traffic to Hiiemägi for a protest meeting with a and mass events taking place in this purpose to barricade the tractors mov- sacred site. The local government has ing up the hill. Probably it was the out- offered, from their side, to leave a come of intensive media attention that small reservation area for the followers prevented the conflict. As a result of of maausk. negotiation, both the machines and It seems so far that no satisfactory police forces left the sacred hill. compromise can be found through ne- After the incident, the protectors of the gotiation. A solution could lie in imple- grove hill filed a court suit, went menting the Conservation Plan. Ac- through all Estonian court instances cording to the Conservation Plan, the and lost in the Supreme Court. Cur- whole sacred hill of Hiiemägi should rently they are expecting an answer be placed under heritage protection to from the European Court of Human ensure constitutional freedom of reli- Rights about the case of the sacred hill gion and possibility to perform histori- of Paluküla Hiiemägi as violation of cal customs. The IUCN-UNESCO freedom of religion. Guidelines for Managing Sacred Natu- ral Sites (Wild and McLeod, 2008) will hopefully be of help as well.

Websites Estonian House of Taara and Native Religions, http://www.maavald.ee/eng/

Website of the sacred hill of Palukyla Hiiemägi, http://palukyla.maavald.ee/

Conservation plan ‘Sacred Natural Sites in Estonia: Study and Maintenance 2008 – 2012’ (English version), http://hiis.ee/sacred-sites/sns_devplan

72 Glossary Looduslik pühapaik - a SNS, a site associated with sacrifice, worship, healing, prayer or other religious or ritual activities according to folkloric, archaeological, historical, ethnological or other data which dates back before the 20th century.

Loodus – ‘nature’ in written Estonian. For the followers of maausk the word loodus has a shade of meaning referring that nature is a product or outcome, with a con- crete creator, giving the word a monotheistic connotation

Loond – a term that was used in ancient Estonian to signify ‘nature’. It harmonises better with Estonian myth of creation, according to which the world was born from bird’s eggs and is a self-creating, constantly changing living being

Hiis – sacred grove, a SNS in communal use, comprising a larger and complex area. People intervene in its natural succession as little as possible

Maausk – Estonian native religion, based on nature worship

Maarahvas – historical ethnonym for the Estonians

Taarausk – Taara religion, a monotheistic belief, created in 1930s, banned and vanished during Soviet occupation

References

Dudley, N. (editor) (2008) Guidelines for Applying Protected Area Management Categories. Gland, Switzerland, IUCN.

Kaasik, A. and Valk, H. (eds.) (2007) Looduslikud pühapaigad, väärtused ja kaitse [Sacred natural sites. Values and protection]. Commentationes Litterarum Socien- tatis Esthonicae XXXVI. Tartu: Maavalla koda, Tartu Ülikool, Õpetatud Eesti Selts, http://maavald.ee/hiis/raamat2007/hiiekogumik.pdf, English abstracts, http://hiis. ee/sacred-sites/sns2007

Lepane, L. (2002) Avaliku arvamuse uuringu tulemused [Results of a public sur- vey]. Tallinn: Riigikogu and Ariko Marketing, pp. 18, 58, 59 http://www.riigikogu.ee/doc.php?46237

Moor, A (1998) Hingepuu, vanade müütide jälgedes [Soul tree in ancient myths]. Tartu: Elmatar, p. 104.

Raudsepp, M. (2005) Eestlaste loodusesuhe keskkonnapsühholoogia vaatenur- gast [Estonians’ relationship to nature from the viewpoint of environmental psy- chology]. In Eesti Looduskultuur, ed. T. Maran and K. Tüür. Tartu: Eesti Kultuuriloo ja Folkloristika Keskus, Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum, pp. 379–420.

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