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This ethnic community in Estonia turns a village into a symbolic kingdom for a day
The annual celebration featured leelo singing, folk costumes and the election of Ingrit Kala as community representative, with organizers citing a few thousand fluent speakers.
- On Saturday, August 1, 2026, the Seto ethnic community transformed the village of Mikitamäe, Estonia, into a symbolic kingdom, complete with traditional folk costumes, a mock military parade, and made-up currency.
- Established in 1994 following the Soviet Union's collapse, the festival unites the Seto people, whose traditional homeland was divided by the Estonian-Russian border, making family visits difficult without visas.
- Folk costume maker Ingrit Kala was elected the new ülemsootska, the community representative who serves as a messenger for Peko, the Seto god of fertility, after candidates declared programs from tree stumps.
- Celebrations prominently featured leelo, a traditional singing style believed to be over 1,000 years old and recognized on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage, with mythological lyrics passed down orally.
- Folk costume activist Piret Torm-Kriis, 62, noted traditional dress communicates social status, while newly elected leader Kala aims to promote the Seto language, used in everyday life by only a few thousand people.
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Associated Press News+6 Reposted by 6 other sources
This ethnic community in Estonia turns a village into a symbolic kingdom for a day
The Seto ethnic community once a year turns a village in southeastern Estonia into a symbolic kingdom for a day — complete with entry visas instead of tickets, made-up currency and even a mock military parade.
·New York, United States
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Estonia's Seto people bolster their centuries-old culture and language with a kingdom for a day
The Seto ethnic community once a year turns a village in southeastern Estonia into a symbolic kingdom for a day — complete with entry visas instead of tickets, made-up currency and even a mock military parade
·London, United Kingdom
Read Full ArticleCoverage Details
Total News Sources10
Leaning Left7Leaning Right1Center2Last UpdatedBias Distribution70% Left
Bias Distribution
- 70% of the sources lean Left
70% Left
L 70%
C 20%
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