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Traces of History
Estonia
Mare Heinluht
Born 1992 in Pärnu, Estonia
High-school student (Audru Secondary School)
"Slavjanotška - the keeper of the spark of integration in Sindi'' (2010)
This project is a local one revolving around the Slavic community of Sindi, a small town (4,000 people) in south-western Estonia. From its settlement in 1833 till its bankruptcy in 1993, the local textile factory provided employment for almost all the inhabitants. When the existence of the factory ceased the whole town felt devastated and in danger. That is when the choir Slavjanotška was formed by some of the Russian women living in the community in order to bring some positive experiences to all the people. The author presents this choir as a positive example of integration between Estonians, Russians and other immigrants of Slavic descent living in Estonia underlining its place in the community as a keeper of traditions and a good way of coming in contact with a different culture and knowing its values.
For her paper, Mare Heinluht received a special prize from the jury of the Estonian history competition for carrying out research on an interesting cultural subject.
Jane Kalnapenkis
Born 1992 in Võru, Estonia
High school student
Joosep Tiks
Born 1991 in Kuressaare, Estonia
High school student (“Tallinna 37. Keskkool”)
"Life in periphery and metropolis"(2010)
Together with Jane Kalnapenkis, Joosep Tiks looks into the possible pros and cons of closing down small country schools and moving their students to the bigger, but less individual city schools. The two authors experience the process themselves by swapping their study places for two weeks. Joosep arrives from Talinn to the small village of Vastseliina, while his friend Jane takes his place in Estonia’s capital. The conclusion is drawn on their very own experience and suggests overcoming prejudice and giving small schools a chance. It is there where pupils are individually tutored and the study community is very strong, while in the city emphasis is placed on learning individually, which doesn’t always suit everyone.
For their contribution to the national history competition, the two students were rewarded with a special prize.
Marju Veevo
Born 1988 in Viljandi, Estonia
High school student (High school Karksi-Nuia)
"The daily life of an Estonian family during the post-war crisis situation" (2005)
The starting point for 19-year-old Estonian student Marju Veevo's historical study was a collection of 130 letters written by one of her great-grandmothers. To gain insight into the daily life and problems of the post-war years, she chose to focus especially on 11 letters from the years 1945-1956. Veevo contrasts the picture that emerged of life during the early years of Soviet rule with the impressions and descriptions of another great-grandmother, who had immigrated to the United States. From approximately 200 letters she'd written, Veevo subjected ten of them, written between 1958 and 1966, to a closer analysis. Along with sharing insights about homeland and exile, family and politics, the student also speculates on the nature of letter writing as a 20th-century cultural form: "I think people today no longer write this kind of letter. We have gotten used to using cell phones and computers. Unfortunately, we lose so much this way. There is no longer any real exchange with our loved ones. We know very little about their lives."
Marju Veevo writes that she became part of the conversation, through her work. She experienced the exchange with grandparents and parents as especially enriching and informative: "I used to be confused when people told stories or laughed about the so-called Soviet times, because I didn't have any opinion about it."
In 2005, Marju Veevo won a third prize in the Estonian History Competition with her contribution: "The daily life of an Estonian family during the post-war crisis situation." In 2006, she again took part in the competition and won second place with her work: "My family during the time of change, 1985-1995."
