Ingrian Finns Dance Festival Held in Estonia

The Estonian Ingrian Finns' Union celebrated its 34th Song and Dance Festival in Paide, central Estonia. The event commenced with a joint Finnish and Estonian church service, followed by a procession. Participants performed traditional Ingrian songs and dances, vital for preserving their culture and language. Herta Preema, head of the Union, emphasized the importance of county-level Ingrian Finnish associations in supporting the community. Hillar Talvik highlighted the dedication of enthusiasts who sustain these cultural groups. Preema also reflected on Estonia as a second homeland, offering refuge during wartime and enabling the community to build lives and families. The historical Ingria region is now divided between Estonia, Russia, and Finland, with the Ingrian Finn community having faced repression and deportation under the Soviet Union.

The festival highlights the efforts of the Ingrian Finn community in Estonia to preserve their unique cultural heritage and identity.