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Did You Know? Kas Teate? EANC NEWSLETTER ESTONIAN AMERICAN NATIONAL COUNCIL, INC. • EANC now has a Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/ 1420 Locust St., Suite 31N ERKÜ TEATAJA EstonianAmerican. Come “like” us! Philadelphia, PA 19102 March 2013 •Tallinn University’s Academic Library has a digital database of abroad containing brief biographical data IN THIS ISSUE summaries of noted Estonians living (or having lived) outside of . To browse the alphabetical listing, use this link: • 2012 – EANC’s Milestone Year http://isik.tlulib.ee/index.php?m=browse. Check to see if • Can You Be Estonian Without Estonian? 2012 - EANC’s Milestone Year there is an entry for yourself, your friends and relatives. Send • Did You Know? any corrections and additions to [email protected]. • Upcoming Events 2012 - ERKÜ tähisaasta UPCOMING EVENTS • TULEVASED ÜRITUSED • 2012 - ERKÜ tähisaasta • Kas saab olla eestlane eestikeeleta? he past year marked a major äinud aasta oli ERKÜ-l • Kas Teate? milestone for EANC, as we cele- märkimisväärne. Pühitsesime brated our 60th anniversary and oma 60. a. juubelit ja aktiivselt • Tulevased Üritused T L ESTO 2013 Festival / Lääneranniku Eesti Päevad: June 28 – July 1, 2013 in San Francisco actively supported Estonian-American toetasime Ameerika eestlaste sihte aims on both the political and cultural nii politiilisel kui ka kultuurilisel alal. The Estonian League of the West Coast and the Northern Californian Estonian community invite you and your fronts. Here are highlights of EANC’s Heidame pilgu mõningatele ERKÜ family to this summer’s ESTO festival in San Francisco. Tickets are on sale now at www.lep-esto2013.com. 2012 accomplishments: saavutustele: Eesti Organisatsioonide Liit Läänerannikul ja Põhja- eestlased kutsuvad Sind sel suvel koos pere ja sõpradega ESTO festivalile San Franciscos. Pileti ostmiseks külasta www.lep-esto2013.com. • Our 60th anniversary gala • ERKÜ 60. juubeli pidulik gala celebration was a great success, with Juhan Simonson accepting läks igati korda. Kohal oli üle 200 Joint Baltic American Council (JBANC) conference. over 200 guests. The president of “Outstanding Contributions to EANC külalise ja peakõnelejaks oli Eesti Friday/Saturday April 19-20, at the Crystal City Marriott (VA), in conjunction with an April 18 Advocacy Day on Estonia, , was the Award” from Marju Rink-Abel Vabariigi president Toomas Hendrik Capitol Hill. More details soon at www.jbanc.org! keynote speaker. Ilves.

• We instituted a new awards • Alustasime uut ERKÜ auhinna Milestone Year, continued from page 4 program to honor the accomplish- programmi tunnustamaks am- ments of Estonian . The five eerika eestlaste teeneid. Viis auhinna events. • Võtsime samme sidemete tugevdamiseks ameerika EANC NEWSLETTER - March 2013 eestlastega: recipients for 2012 were past EANC saajat olid endised ERKÜ esimehed •EANC took steps to strengthen our communica- presidents Juhan Simonson and Mati Juhan Simonson ja Mati Kõiva, Eesti tions with Estonian Americans. - Koostasime broshüüri ERKÜ ajaloost ja ERKÜ TEATAJA - Märts 2013 Kõiva, Estonian Archives in the U.S., Arhiiv Ühendriikides, filantroop Olga - We developed a printed brochure about the tegevusest. philanthropist Olga Ritso Kistler, and Ritso Kistler, ningSuursaadik Melissa EANC’s history and activities. Ambassador Melissa Wells. Wells. - Andsime välja uue, kvartalis ilmuva ringkirja, ERKÜ - A new quarterly bulletin, EANC Newsletter, was Teataja, ja saatsime selle üle 4400 Ameerika eest- • As part of our mission to preserve Ambassador Marina Kaljurand and • Andsime toetusi mis ületasid mailed to over 4,400 Estonian-Americans. lasele. and foster our Estonian heritage, EANC EANC President Marju Rink-Abel veerand miljonit dollarit: at the Victims of Communism gave out grants totaling over a - skautidele ja gaididele ning - We regularly provided information about our - Avaldasime informatsiooni meie tegevuse kohta Memorial in DC quarter million dollars to: Long Islandi Laste Suvekodule - activities to the Free Estonian Word . Vaba Eesti Sõnas. - Estonian American scouts, girl lisaks ERKÜ tavapärastele - Our website, www.estosite.org, was completely - Täielikult uuendasime ERKÜ kodulehekülge, guides, and the Long Island toetustele andsime osa gala sisse- revamped and is now continually updated with www.estosite.org, ja pidevalt lisame Children’s Summer Camp, who tulekust. news, articles and resources of interest to Estonian informatsiooni uudistest, artiklitest ja ressursidest, received our regular annual support Americans and others. mis pakuksid huvi Ameerika eestlastele ja teistele. plus a portion of our gala income. - ajaleht Vaba Eesti Sõna projektidele. • Lõpuks, meie tugevdasime ERKÜ EANC Gala keynote speaker H.E. • Finally, we strengthened our internal operations by - the Free Estonian Word newspaper’s sisemist tegevust, palgates tegevjuhi Toomas Henrik Ilves, President of hiring Linda Rink as Executive Director to manage our EANC Board member Ilmar Vanderer projects. - Ühendatud Baltic Ameerika fundraising, communications, and other marketing Linda Rinki, kes korraldab korjandust, EANC board members and presents checks to Leena Kangro the Republic of Estonia Komiteele (JBANC), mis esindab and administrative activities. sidet, turustamist ja administratiivset friends at Arvo Pärt Project and Tina Fischgrund for - the Joint Baltic American National täisajaliselt meie huvisid tegevust. reception, Estonian Estonian American scouts Committee (JBANC), which repre- EANC members at annual meeting, Washingtonis. House, December 2012 and girl guides. sents our interests in Washington on September 2012 Marju Rink-Abel, a full-time basis. EANC’s President Milestone Year, continued on page 4 Milestone Year, continued on page 4 5 1 120416 2/26/13 12:58 PM Page 2

According to U.S. Census data for the year 2000, “Do you need Estonian to be Estonian?” global Estonians is crucial. Beyond Language goes a long way, but it language but not bound to it. It’s up that, however, Estonian-American isn’t the only way to see into a to Estonians abroad to show both Language Fluency is Essential 25,000 Americans self-identify as of Estonian origin In other words, do you need to maintain the language What are Estonian-speaking ? society includes activities culture. Being part of a small interest on their own part and an or descent. Unfortunately, only a fraction of these to carry the culture? Or is there more to Estonian “…I think we assume that someone who identi- meaningful in their own right, not community has its own rewards, alternative view of the Estonian “…Estonia has been independent for more are active in organized Estonian life. How can we heritage than just knowing the language? Virve fies himself as 'Estonian' can also speak the lan- simply as a stand-in for an out-of- and it’s never too late to discover community, tied together through than 20 years, and the first generation of reach those who are not? What does it mean to be an Vihman, a transplanted Estonian-American now at the guage… For global Estonians,…the reach, “original” culture. My father how this might play a part in your a vital and complex set of Russian-Estonians born, raised, Estonian American? University of Tartu offers her views, buttressed by question is more complex. Fluency moved back to Estonia at the end own life. Estonians may not have connected activities, not all of and schooled in Estonia are In this issue, we pose an ongoing challenging question: commentaries from four Estonian Americans. in the language can no longer be as- of his life, only to discover that he been used to people speaking with them linguistic. graduating from school, going was no longer at home there. Only an American accent in 1996, when sumed. Nevertheless, all hyphen- I don’t know where my old to university, and entering the then did he realize that not only his my colleague confronted me with ated Estonians should be What are your thoughts on this? Send us your comments in the enclosed envelope or go to colleague is now, but I could tell him workforce. Though there are kids, but he himself had truly his questions, but people like Mark encouraged to take pride in the our website www.estosite.org. We will publish selected comments in future newsletters. that my language has improved, exceptions, most of these become Estonian-American. Kostabi, a US artist who knew of his Estonian part of their heritage and that the culture I found behind young people are able to use Estonian roots but didn’t speak a whether or not they are fluent in Can you be Estonian without Estonian? it was complex – coming to Estonia, the Estonian language, but still are not Culture exists in our minds, in our word, were making a splash. the language… In my opinion fluency in the lan- Virve Vihman I found a deeper sense of what 100% Estonian nor should anyone expect relationships, and in opposition to Toomas Hendrik Ilves was raised in guage is essential for identifying oneself as both my identities mean to me, and had been living known; about the early post-Soviet Why such vastly different what we see ourselves as not being. the USA, but has now been elected them to be. It is possible to be an Estonian participating in two cultures, I’ve 'Estonian' without the hyphenated addendum. in Tartu, Estonia, economy and its effects on people responses? When your identity feels To understand ourselves, we need Estonian president for a second language user and not be an Estonian…” I found that culture is the very fabric Our unique language is our greatest treasure. It for about a year in different walks of life; about the threatened, it takes on a heightened to understand those around us. term. He is intensely aware of the of life. is the basis of our heritage and culture.“ - Edgar Kaskla in the mid-90’s, Peace Corps volunteers who were value. Someone moving abroad Americans with Estonian “roots” will centrality of language to Estonian - Madli Puhvel teaching English in a high school, teaching English like me, but develops a much stronger sense of gain a better sense of their own identity, but also of the need to be when a colleague of mine asked why conceiving of it as a project to bring national identity and searches for place in the world if they investi- inclusive. Estonian identity may end Virve Vihman was born to an Estonian I was there, adding that he American values to emerging ways of expressing it, celebrating gate what being Estonian might up becoming stronger for this sort father and French-American mother suspected I was only there to democracies. But my personal aims Estonia and connecting with other mean to them. This could involve of attitude: not cracking under and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area Milestone Year, continued from cover page improve my language. I was immedi- were certainly also linguistic: it was Estonians. With children, the travelling to Estonia, or just pressures for globalization and in California. She completed a BA in - ESTO 2013 - ESTO 2013 läbiviimist ately on the defensive: not only for about finding a world and a role for question of language, taken for meeting other people with an immigration, but bending with the Philosophy at Wesleyan University (Con- my language! It’s more about the the private language I’d grown up granted back home, becomes a Estonian background. Choirs and winds of change. Estonian- necticut) and a PhD in Linguistics at the - school curriculum materials based on the film, The - filmi Singing Revolutioni põhjal ameerika koolidele culture, about finding my roots… with. I relished figuring out how to crucial parenting issue. Hence, it is dance groups are not for everyone, Americans might come to view University of Edinburgh. Since 1995, she Singing Revolution materjalide valmistamist “Well, what is Estonian culture then, pronounce an American brand not surprising that two-thirds of but economists, engineers, educa- themselves more like Italian- or has lived in Edinburgh (Scotland), apart from language? What kinds of (Snickers, Camel, Pantene) in an recent emigrants feel that being tors may find other ways to make Swedish-Americans, who after Tallinn and Tartu. She currently works as - the Estonian film Crosswinds (about the 1949 - Eesti filmi Risttuules (1949. a. küüditamisest) roots have you found?” he asked. Estonian store. Estonian requires speaking the connections with Estonia, to help several generations in the US are Head of International Relations at the deportations) - raamatut Estonians in Michigan language. The great gap between connected through various ties, I have to admit, at that point I was build bridges between the USA and University of Tartu and is raising two I later realized my colleague was the old and new emigrants Estonia. associated with their heritage bilingual, bicultural daughters. - the book Estonians in Michigan - Atlandi jaanipäeva Lakewoodis stumped. I groped for the things I’d illustrates how fundamentally living genuinely curious, and just as inter- - Lakewood’s Atlantic St. John’s Eve festival been brought up to connect with abroad can change a person. We solicited input from four Estonian Americans about Virve Vihman’s article; excerpts are printed below. - Eesti MuinsuskaitseSeltsi juubelialbumit my Estonian-American identity: Eesti ested in the question of what For the full comments – and to post your own -- go to www.estosite.org. • Võtsime aktiivselt osa juhatusliikmetena Päevad? Rahvatants, laulupidu? constitutes Estonian culture as he - the Estonian Heritage Society anniversary album Ülemaailmse Eesti Kesknõukogu, ÜBAKi, Balti Instituudi, None of these seemed convincing, was in my reasons for being there. Attitudes of people who left Estonia Inevitability of Language Loss • As board members, we took an active role in the ning Kesk- ja Ida-Euroopa Koalitsiooni tööst. ERKÜ or relevant to my everyday life in The Estonian sense of identity is more than a generation ago, like my strongly connected with language, father, may have changed consider- work of the Estonian World Council, the Joint Baltic esimees Marju Rink-Abel oli ÜBAK-i president aastaks Estonia as a low-paid secondary “…Despite the restoration of the Republic, the battle over the seemingly radical notion of but perhaps not as exclusively as ably. They have seen their children American National Committee (JBANC), the Baltic roteerivas korras, kuni juuli, 2012. school teacher. My colleague speaking Estonian in Estonia is very much alive. Because this aspect of Estonian identity is one might think: in a recent survey, grow up and have generally Institute, and the Central and East European Coalition laughed at me: “It’s the language, I perceived as under threat, the opinions of recent Estonian emigrants will reflect this defensive - Kesk- ja Ida-Euroopa Koalitisiooniga viidi läbi mitu nn. almost half of the participants who accepted the dominance of English (CEEC). EANC president Marju Rink-Abel was also knew it.” But why shouldn’t it be the position. So, can one be an Estonian without knowing Estonian? The answer will depend upon Advocacy Day miitingut, mille raames külastati USA live in Estonia said ‘yes’ when asked in America or other languages else- president of JBANC for a year term ending in July 2012. language? Why was I defensive? what the Estonian answering is most fearful of losing – a shared heritage or a mother tongue.“ Kongressi liikmeid ja nende staape, ning diskuteeriti whether someone who was not where. My father spent over half his Perhaps it meant admitting my - With the CEEC, we participated in several Advocacy Balti ja Ida-Euroopa valdkondi milles Kongress võiks fluent in the language could be con- life abroad. He maintained a connec- - Leif Erik Fritzell language was less than adequate. Or Days, meeting with US Congressmen and their abiks olla. maybe I didn’t want to accept the sidered to be an Estonian. The tion with Estonia, but found other staff to discuss their assistance with Baltic and results were substantially different ways to do this than reconstructing equation that Estonian culture Non-verbal Estonian Communication Eastern European issues. - JBANCi abiga on väljavaateid saada Kongressi otsust equals language, nothing more and among Estonians living abroad: a an Estonian world inside his home. Musta Lindi Päeva (Black Ribbon Day) nimetamiseks whopping 84% of the those who Many Estonians in the USA have - With JBANC’s help, there is a strong possibility of nothing less. “…Since so much communication happens nonverbally, this seems to suggest that it is ametlikuks tähtpäevaks. left Estonia in the wave of WWII-era realized that the connection with having Black Ribbon Day officially recognized by possible to communicate in (nonverbal) Estonian without a knowledge of the Estonian It was about more than the lan- emigration said yes, one can be Estonia is only part of their Estonian- Congress. - Võtsime osa kommunismi ohvrite ja küüdi- language. In this sense, it is entirely possible to be an Estonian (or Estonian-American) with- guage, though. I was learning some- Estonian without having command American identity. Considering tatute mälestuste tähistamistest ning üritustest out speaking the Estonian language. One can still behave as an Estonian, sing and dance as an thing every day: about the world of of the language, whereas among Estonia’s small size and strategic - We took part in commemorations for victims of Eesti Vabariigi Suursaatkonnas Washingtonis, eesti Estonian, and even communicate as an Estonian.” my students, who seemed to have a people who emigrated recently, only geopolitical position, a continued communism and deportations, and other related seltsides, ja mujal. - Maia Linask sense of group cohesion I’d never a third (34%) agreed. connection between domestic and Milestone Year, continued on page 5 2 3 4