Rahvakalendri tähtpäevade ja pühade tähistamisest Viljandi Kultuuriakadeemias

• Main Author: Ene Lukka-Jegikjan
• Format: Article
• Language: Estonian
• Published: Eesti Kirjandusmuuseum 2006-01-01
• Series: Mäetagused
• Online Access: http://www.folklore.ee/tagused/nr32/lukka.pdf

The celebration of yearly festivities and holidays has been one of the most important foci of the subject of lore culture offered to the students studying to become creativity and hobby managers and since 2002 also to students studying culture management at the Viljandi Culture Academy of the University of Tartu.The important aspects of celebrating certain holidays and festivities are being knowledgeable of the former meaning and contents as well as the ability to conceptualise these in personal and future professional life in contemporary postmodern society. The idea is based on the conviction that holiday and festive rituals help to remember the basic values of life and provide an excellent opportunity to organise ourselves.Making preparations for and carrying out a ceremony is based on rich folk calendar tradition. Choosing an appropriate event prompts a constant improvisation in tradition. For acquiring personal experience, it is important that all participants at an event are asked to join in on the activities. We have learned a great deal from participating in the celebrations of the Setu – the talsipüha or yuletide, and the women’s feast paabapraasnik in Obinitsa, St. George’s Day in Värska, etc. On these festivities and holidays, senior year students act in leading roles as farmers and their wives. In the first years, younger students take part in the events and get acquainted with the established tradition to learn the leading roles for the years to come.The list of celebrated festivities and holidays has expanded over the years. Celebrating Lady Day has the longest history, as in 2005 it will be celebrated for the 9th time; also, St. George’s Day and Martinmas is celebrated for the 5th time. In recent years the collective celebration of All Souls’ Day, St. Catherine’s Day, küünlapäev (lit. Candle Day) on February 2, and Whitsuntide have been added. Over the years, specific rituals and activities have been developed for organising a certain celebration that students of the following years have not considered necessary to change.