Felt and touched historical background of 105 years
Fortunately, we spent "Independence Day" on February 24 in Estonia. There’s several Estonian flags flying around town as if they are celebrating its independence. And the University of Tartu, which we could see from the window of the hotel we stayed at, seemed to be celebrating with an increasing number of flags.
On the morning of Independence day, we attended a commemoration ceremony and watched a parade of student groups in the open-air plaza on top of the hill.
Although I did not understand the language at all, it was refreshing for me to see their attitude to show the bond of Estonia and Ukraine on an important national day for Estonians. I had not missed a day of seeing or hearing about Ukraine during my stay in Estonia. In addition to the national anthem, there were several songs that many Estonians could sing along to, and some of our members said that the lovely harmonies, which sounded similar to a chant, left a lasting impression.
A moment from the ceremony in Tartu (Song: "Teretus" - Lydia Koidula)
Independence Day from a Foreigner's Perspective
After the parade, the group split up according to their interests. We will share 2 ways to spend time.
I and some friends moved to the town square, real guns and tanks were lined up in a row, and soldiers were seen interacting with children with smiles on their faces. There is no denying that the festival was a celebration of the 105th anniversary of independence and, at the same time, an awareness of the war situation between Ukraine and Russia, which had reached the one-year milestone since progression. In fact, a professor who has spent anniversaries in Estonia in the past was surprised that he had never seen such a strong military character. Although I did not realize at that time, the flag I received at the square had the Estonian flag on the front and the symbol representing the Estonian Defense League on the back.
However, despite the strong military flavor, we also caught glimpses of Estonia celebrating as usual from the musical performance by a band, Kalev’s special chocolate being handed out at a souvenir shop, and children sliding and playing on the snow.
Afterwards, everyone reassembled at the Estonian National Museum and we toured its exhibits individually. The museum restored the amount of exhibits which sometimes included topics that I was afraid to see directly. Also, I could not help feeling the complex position of Estonia between the Baltic States, the Soviet Union, and the EU countries. I was reminded of the fact that these words ''I feel Estonia is a safe country more than Japan'', which I had often uttered during my stay in Estonia, were laid by the efforts of people who had worked hard to repair the wounds of their predecessors and for the further development of Estonia.
A commemorative concert was held on one floor of the museum. The blue of the national flags of Estonia and Ukraine, which share the same meaning of sky and water, were shown as a backdrop to the concert. I did not define it but I felt that they were trying to show us that they are colleagues who stand together against the Soviet/Russian attack and hope that peace will come soon. I did not understand the language a bit, but many of our members could tell that the music had changed the atmosphere of the venue. I still vividly remember the intuitive feeling I had when I suddenly felt the need to straighten my back before the start of a song that was supposed to be a lament for the devastation of Ukraine, and the way my friends standing with me did the same. When the performance actually began, the projected photos of Ukraine people and destroyed buildings brought tears to our eyes, and I experienced how art transcends language barriers and appeals directly to the heart.
Every night, we had a reflection time in the waiting room of the hotel. And if you asked us what the most intense day was, we all would probably say "this day", as we all shared a special time with local people, and learned from various perspectives. It was a night of deepening learning from various perspectives. While there is a strong impression that Estonia has many cultural and religious similarities with Japan, there are significant differences in historical and educational backgrounds, and it is not always easy to answer the question, "What is it like in Japan? It was also interesting to note that there is not always an exact answer to the question, "What is it like in Japan?
Even as I write this report, I regret that some of the trivial memories and emotional changes that could not be captured in photographs are slowly slipping away. However, we, who share the same time and historical facts, will never forget how dark the shadow of Russia's progression through Ukraine that began on February 24, 2022 has cast over neighboring countries and how much the right to independence that Estonia won from the domination of other countries means to Estonia. We, who share the same time and historical facts, should never forget these facts and share them with those around us.
Touching on how one Estonian family spent their time.
After the ceremony, I had time to spend with my acquaintance's family and would like to share my experience there.
First, on Independence Day, I did not understand the language so I asked my acquaintance to translate for me while I attended the ceremony. My acquaintance said that “this year, due to the situation between Ukraine and Russia, there were many references in support of Ukraine.” There were also many choruses and performances at the ceremony, which showed a very strong sense of Estonian culture, which is famous for its summer song festivals. It was particularly impressive that despite the variety of songs performed in the chorus, most of the people knew and sang all the songs. The ceremony was very unifying, not only for the military personnel but also for the student groups which were divided into men and women and the town groups who gathered with their own flags. Participating in the Independence Day ceremony was an important experience for me. As it gave me an insight into aspects that are usually largely invisible such as current relations with other countries based on historical backgrounds and feelings towards independence and their own country.
The time spent with the family of my acquaintance was also a very interesting experience. My acquaintance's mother had founded a support group for the Ukraine Fund, so I attended a buffet event held there. People could come and go freely and the tables were set with various kinds of traditional Ukrainian and Estonian food. Local people seemed to be spending time with relatives, eating and enjoying conversation. Many people were spending time with their families as it was a public holiday, and I felt that this was different from the Japanese sense of family values. I later heard that it is considered a good idea to spend time with family in nature on holidays, which makes me think that this is a culture that values family even more. The event did not mention that much about the relationship or status between Ukraine and Estonia in depth, but was more of an at-home celebration of Independence Day where friends and relatives from all walks of life gathered to socialize. Afterwards, I had a meaningful time eating home-made Estonian desserts and going skating in the city. I got the impression that Independence Day is very important for Estonians and while it has a festival-like meaning of joy for independence. It is also an occasion to prove their intention to deepen relations with Ukraine as part of their future policy.
In Japan, there is almost no custom of celebrating National Day in the same way as in Estonia, and it is usually passed off as a normal holiday, so it was a very new feeling for me. And while I was a little scared that the people's thoughts had become one and manifested themselves in the form of songs and ceremonies, I also felt that it was a sign of Estonia's strength. The strength of Estonia was evident. Even if it is a simple word, I would like to say that It was a very valuable experience for me. This experience made me wonder if there are moments like this when people from other countries feel like this which I wouldn't notice because I live in Japan.
