Head Jaanipäeva / Happy Summer Solstice!

It is a four-day weekend here in Estonia. Thursday the 23rd of June is Võidupüha, Victory Day, commemorating Estonia and Latvia’s decisive victory over the Baltische Landeswehr in 1919, who had successfully taken Riga and wished to conquer the newly independent Estonia and Latvia on behalf of the German Empire. Friday the 24th of June is Jannipäev, St John’s Day, the modern name of the traditional Midsummer holiday celebrated by Estonians for as long as anyone can remember. Lennart Meri, president of Estonia from 1992-2001, argued that the Jaanipäev traditions may be a reenactment of the meteorite that struck the island of Saaremaa four thousand years ago.

Although Jaanipäev now has a Christian name, Estonians have always remained true to their traditions. Balthasar Rüssow complained about this in the Livonian Chronicles in 1578. He wrote that Estonians placed more importance on the festival than going to church. Instead, they spent their time lighting bonfires, drinking, dancing, singing and “following pagan rituals”, although sadly, he did not elaborate on what those might be.

On the morning of Victory Day, the Estonian President lights a fire, the flame of independence, which is then carried to light bonfires all over the country. These bonfires are central to the celebrations of Midsummer’s Eve. The fire is said to frighten away spirits and bring a good harvest. Traditionally, one should jump over the bonfire for luck or at least, to burn away bad luck.I’d be more likely to burn away my leg hair but at the Tallinn celebrations, I was relieved to see that the bonfire in Shnelli Park was strategically situated to dissuade any jumpers.

Friends and family gather around bonfires for singing, dancing and grilling until dusk has fallen and the dawn begins to break.

This time of year, the night sky seems in a constant state of twilight. Technically, the sun sets just over an hour before midnight and rises again at 4:00. But the sky stays light throughout, with the sun seeming to dip behind the horizon and then begins to appear again almost right away. Tonight is the only night of the year that the two lovers, Koit and Hämarik (Dawn and Dusk), have the opportunity “to exchange the briefest of kisses”.

When independent Estonia fell to the Soviet Regime, Victory Day was banned; however, the Soviets were not foolish enough to try to stop the rituals of Jaanipäev. The two celebrations became entwined in the modern Estonian consciousness, with the pagan bonfire of Midsummer’s Eve also representing the flame of independence.

Officially, there is no night on Midsummer’s eve. The Estonian flag is raised every morning at sunrise (realistically, 7am) and lowered at sunset. However, on the 23rd, you are to raise your flag before 8am and it must remain flying until the following sunset, when it should be lowered again.

This is also the night that the sõnajalaõis blossoms, a rare fern flower that offers happiness and riches. I looked for it the first summer that I was here, until someone told me it also brought fertility to the lucky ones who found it.

There is some question as to whether the fern flower actually exists but that doesn’t stop young couples from leaving the all-night celebrations to go in search of the flower away from the crowds.

I did not look for the fern flower and although there was live music and celebrations, I did not manage to stay until the bonfire was lit. This was a shame because now I shall never know how they lit it. I’m hoping with a flaming arrow.

I did take part in the most important traditions, though: drinking beer and eating grilled sausages. And I took this photograph of the night sky at one in the morning, just before falling asleep.

Happy summer solstice. I hope you have a wonderful weekend in the long days of the Midsummer sun.