Heterotopia and Hegemony: Power and Culture in Setomaa

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (Centre of Excellence CECT) and the target-financed project ‘Landscape heritage and practice,’ No. SF0130033s07. I am very grateful to the reviewers, and to Anton Pärn, Triinu Mets and Kadri Koreinik for their comments and suggestions on various drafts of this article.

Notes

1. Ancient polyphonic throat singing, performed primarily by women repeating the sometimes improvised words of the leading singer, the iistlaulja.

2. Peipsiveere is a region near Lake Peipsi with strong fishing traditions and strong cross-border links with Russia, and some influences from the Russian Old Believers, who have lived in the region since the seventeenth century. Kihnu is an island off the south-western Estonian coast, and its cultural space and traditions were declared by UNESCO a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2003. Setos followed suit as their leelo singing tradition acquired the same status in 2009.

3. See also Sillaots 2006, 85–86.

4. Names of the individuals and villages have been changed throughout the article.

5. The Republic of Estonia was re-established restitutionally, i.e., by re-establishing de jure the pre-1940 republic instead of declaring the foundation of a new republic. The land reform carried out in post-Soviet Estonia was restitutional; the constitution accepted in 1992 was a combination of the constitutions of 1920 and 1938.

6. As Seto territory does not directly correspond to the municipal territories, the census data on Seto inhabitants is a somewhat random estimate.

7. The Union of Setomaa Municipalities

8. Although the event lasts two days, only the second day is characterized by the particular aspects reported below. The first day is specifically oriented to the school children in the area and has few participants from outside the circle of pupils, teachers, and parents.

9. A local alcoholic beverage.

10. Estonian Tourist Board website Visitestonia.com, accessed February 14, 2012

11. Estonia.eu, accessed February 14, 2012

12. Which is not necessarily “being a Seto”, as there are several Seto fans who have settled in the area without any roots and, due to their dedication to Setoness, have become “honorary Setos”.

13. See Taro (2011), Kägu (22/01/2011 20:28. SäiÖ reklaam. In Foorum. Perekoo. Accessed January 15, 2012 http://www.perekool.ee/index.php?id=36679&class=forum_schnell&action=view_post&post=7523788), where the web commentators object to the misuse of Seto clothing.