Letter from the Editor
In the summer of 1998 I wrote the first Editorial for the newly revived Ajakaja. With the Estonian-Canadian Centennial coming up in 1999 and the planning for the Canada wide centennial celebration in full swing, it seemed a good vehicle for keeping not only Edmonton Estonian Society members but all Alberta Estonians updated on the proposed activities.
The past eight years have brought many changes. The centennial celebrations resulted from a successful collaboration between EES members, Calgary Estonians and pioneer descendants from the Medicine River, Stettler and Barons/ Lethbridge areas. In the intervening years our membership in Edmonton has been shrinking and with the resultant decline in volunteers we have no longer been able to keep up our three annual social events. The enthusiasm generated by the successful collaboration between the descendants of the pioneer families and the first generation Estonian Canadians in the meantime continued to grow. Due to the hard work and planning of too many people to mention by name in this Editorial, The Alberta Estonian Heritage Society was founded in this, Alberta’s Centennial, year bringing all groups into one Alberta wide organization.
The work needed to make the Society official will continue over the next year. But the first event has already been planned. Linda Hall has been booked for our Jaanipaev celebration on June 25, 2005 for a family style picnic with “Kerbes” theme. An afternoon ceremony raising the Estonian flag will be followed by games that the Kerbes pioneer family was famous for as well as an evening bonfire complete with a traditional sing along. It promises to be a rousing event guaranteed to bring everyone together in the newly formed organization.
Ajakaja too will undergo some changes. This issue will debut a new logo and masthead designed by the talented Mare Maxwell who started the first Ajakaja. Despite moving back to Estonia she has kept up her connection including writing a guest Editorial some years ago. It seems fitting then that a new Editor should take over the newsletter for the new Society.
I have enjoyed participating in the production of Ajakaja and my time as Editor. It has been very satisfying to see the development of our little amateur newsletter to its present attractive format. With new creative and technological changes it can only get better!
One article in particular is of great interest to me in this issue. I was a rhythmic gymnast in Evelyn Koop’s Kalev-Estienne group in my teens and I have many fond memories of performing at various Estonian celebrations in Toronto in the 1950s as well as appearances at the Estonian Days in New York City and New Jersey. We were just a small amateur Estonian group at the time. This was before Rhythmic Gymnastics became an Olympic sport and Evelyn became the doyenne of Canadian Rhythmic gymnasts.
I would like to thank all my readers of the past issues of Ajakaja and look forward to exciting and innovative changes in the coming year.
Anne-Marie Hodes
