Baltic Estonia
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Estonia is one of the Baltic countries and shares a lot of similarities with Latvia and Lithuania.
Estonia and Latvia as the Baltic countries in primal sense
In the case of the term Baltic, there are two usages recognized: one is appellative and the other toponomastic.[1] The first usage conveys primarily a geographical and ethnological connotation. From a geographical perspective, all the countries facing the Baltic Sea are called Baltic; these include Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Germany and Denmark. However, it is obvious that there is no correspondence between the geographic and ethnolinguistic descriptions. In fact, people that are very different linguistically and ethnically are combined under the same label. The second usage of the term in question is toponomastic and serves to name the sea, and it is firstly recorded in encyclopedic works. [2] The term 'the Baltic' with geographical meaning came into use in imperial Russia referring to the three Baltic governorates of the empire: Estonia, Livonia and Curonia. The Baltic governorates, originally the Ostsee governorates (German: Ostseegouvernements, Russian: Остзейские губернии), were a collective name for the administrative units of the Russian Empire set up in the territories of Swedish Estonia, Swedish Livonia in 1721 and, afterwards of Duchy of Courland and Semigallia (1795). The area of contemporary Lithuania did not belong to the Baltic governorates and was not labelled as Baltic. After World War I the term "Baltic countries" was used to describe the countries on the Baltic Sea that appeared in the aftermath of First World War and Lithuania became known as one of the Baltic countries. In 1845 Georg Heinrich Ferdinand Nesselmann proposed a distinct language group of Latvian and Lithuanian languages to be called Baltic.[8] It found some credence among linguists but was not generally adopted until the creation of the Baltic states as part of the settlement of World War I in 1919. Thus Estonia and Latvia are the Baltic countries in the primal meaning.
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Origin
Although Estonian language is linguistically related to Finnish language, the languages however being not mutually intelligible, Estonians share a lot of similarities with Latvians and Lithuanians. For example, comparing the genetic data of Estonians with other European nations has revealed that Latvians and Lithuanians are genetically much more similar to Estonians than the Finns. Latvians and Lithuanians are the closest relatives of Estonians in terms of genetics.[3][4] Appearance wise and phenotype Estonians are more similar to Latvians and Lithuanians than the Finns.
History
Estonia shares a long common history with Latvia, and to a lesser extent with Lithuania.
Culture
Three Baltic countries share a lot of cultural similarities, most of them dating back to prehistorical times. However, Estonia’s affinity towards Lithuania is weaker than that with Latvia. Estonians identify themselves as Finnic, Latvians identify themselves as Balts based on linguistic affinity, but there is also a common regional identity between the countries. In the 12th and 13th centuries Germans (see Ostsiedlung) began settling in the eastern Baltics. After the Livonian Crusade they assumed control of government, politics, economics, education and culture of these lands for over 700 years. Both Estonian and Latvian cultures received a lot of influence from Baltic Germans. After the Livonian Crusade they assumed control of government, politics, economics, education and culture of Estonian and Latvian lands for over 700 years.
Folk costumes
There have existed many cultural similarities within the Baltic region in traditional clothing before the spread of urban clothing. Men and women both wore white or grey linen tunic shirts, with skirts (or sarafans) added for women and trousers added for men. Additionally, belts, aprons, jackets and oversized shawls could have been worn. In general, the traditional clothing from all three Baltic countries bears resemblances with those from countries in the immediate proximity to the Baltic Sea (Finland, Sweden, Poland, Denmark). In the 18th-19th century the Estonians and Latvians both wore also metallic brooches, while Lithuanians did not. [5]
Common cultural events
Common identity is expressed by common events, for example Baltic youth song festival "Gaudeamus" which takes place by turns in each country. [6] The Baltic song festivals which are organized in each country separately share many similarities and are included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. The tradition reached from Germany to Estonia and Latvia through Baltic German choral societies. Firstly it was held in 1869 in Estonia (Estonian Song Festival), and in 1873 in Latvia (Latvian Song and Dance Festival). However, Lithuania, being different from other Baltic countries, adopted the tradition in 1924. There are common sport events like competitions contested between the Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, for instance Baltic Cup, a common Baltic handball league, common Baltic athletics matches and others. Estonia and Latvia have a common basketball league.[7]
The Baltic unity and identity was expressed by Baltic Way.
Architecture
Estonian traditional rural architecture resembles Latvian rural architecture in many aspects and differs from traditional Finnish and Scandinavian architecture. Estonian farmhouse (above picture)
Latvian tavern from the Vecumnieki parish, Southern Latvia (below picture)
Cuisine
Estonian and Latvian cuisine typically consists of agricultural products, with meat featuring in most main meal dishes. Fish is commonly consumed due to its location on the east coast of the Baltic Sea. Common ingredients in the recipes are found locally, such as potatoes,[1] wheat, barley, onions, cabbage, eggs and pork. Food is generally quite fatty and uses few spices.
References
- ↑ Dini, Pietro (2014). Foundations of Baltic languages. Vilnius: Vilnius University. p. 35. ISBN 978-609-437-263-6. Search this book on
- ↑ Dini, Pietro (2014). Foundations of Baltic languages. Vilnius: Vilnius University. p. 36. ISBN 978-609-437-263-6. Search this book on
- ↑ http://eurogenes.blogspot.com.ee/2009/05/genetic-substructures-within.html
- ↑ http://www.eupedia.com/genetics/
- ↑ Терентьева, Л.Н. (1986). Историко-этнографический атлас Прибалтики. Одежда. Riga: Зинатне. Search this book on
- ↑ http://www.gaudeamus.ee/
- ↑ http://www.basket.ee/et/eesti-lati-uhisliiga/182/tutvustus//
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