Estonian Aspects of the Barons Area Centennial
Celebration of Heritage and Homesteading
Helgi Leesment
The third centennial celebrating Estonian pioneers and homesteaders took place in Barons, between Claresholm and Lethbridge, in southern Alberta July 30 to August 1, 2004. The first two were the 1999 centennial in Stettler/Linda Hall and the 2001 event in Gilby. The Barons Area Centennial Celebration of Heritage and Homesteading was huge success with nearly 500 registered participants and weather cooperating most of the time. Because the demographics of Estonians is somewhat different in the Barons area than in the Eckville/Gilby and Stettler areas, this festival was organized as a general event for all descendants of area pioneers, with some emphasis on the ethnic Estonian aspect.
The initiative came from co-chair Martha Munz-Gue, descendant of Estonian settlers Jakob and Mari Erdman who settled in the Barons area in 1904. Martha was inspired by the 1999 and 2001 celebrations in Alberta, plus the 140th anniversary of Estonians in Crimea which she attended on the shores of the Black Sea in September, 2001. The other co-chair was Perry Kotkas, another descendant of the same two settlers. The Barons and District Historical Society governed the centennial organizing committee which showed ethnic diversity as well geographic diversity, with members driving from Medicine Hat, Calgary and Canmore as well as nearby places to attend meetings in Barons.
A rousing, yet moving, VIP reception on the Friday evening started the festivities on a highly positive note. An ad-hoc choir, having only a few practices, set the tone as they sang energetic praises to the prairies. The reception recognized the donors and sponsors, for without their cash, service and goods donations, the centennial would not have been self-financing. The donors and honoured guests were local businesses, service and other organizations, government officials, diplomats, private individuals, the Edmonton and Calgary Estonian Societies, the Alberta Estonian Centennial Fund and the Estonian Central Council in Canada. The latter four donated a combined total of $1000 to the Barons centennial. The diplomats were the Honorary Head Consul for Estonia, Laas Leivat from Toronto and Honorary Consul for Estonia in Vancouver, Harry Jaako. Also present was Avo Kittask, president of the Estonian Central Council in Canada. The private donors list included several Alberta Estonians. Naturally, the members of the centennial organizing committee were also recognized that evening, as was the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation.
Saturday morning breakfast on the grassy grounds of the Barons community centre saw friends and long-lost relatives meeting and greeting with lots of hugs and smiles. This included the Oks and Trummel family, three generations, who had come from Tallinn specifically for this centennial. The opening ceremony featured the awarding of provincial government plaques to five area farms that have been continuously farmed by the same family for at least 100 years.
The early afternoon Games were geared at times to children, adults and a combination of the two. There were tag games, relay games and simple races. The adults got involved with their children, nieces, nephews, grandchildren in the water-balloon toss. The inventive games leaders, including fourth generation descendants of Estonians, made the games more fun by introducing them to the participants as “ancient Estonian water rites practiced by Estonian Olympic champions” and other such banter which had everyone laughing before the actual contests began. All the children received participant ribbons and their own little soap bubble kit. Adult games were borrowed from previous Stettler Jaanipäev activities; namely the rolling pin toss (women participants only) and the nail pounding contest with its “pound off” to determine the final winner. One family provided horse-drawn hay rides and their very young children operated a lemonade stand.
Displays of arts, crafts, literature, family stories and agricultural implements were spread throughout all the venues in the small village of 200 inhabitants: the curling rink, former school gym, seniors drop-in centre, skating rink, church hall, Legion Hall and community centre. Many displays included Estonian aspects. For example, the agricultural machinery display featured a plow invented during the 1950’s by Victor Erdman, an Estonian. The plow works the dry southern Alberta soil in a special way without allowing the constant winds to blow it away. Some family stories were on coloured boards standing on tables, others were artistically arranged on huge areas of wall-space. Many of the names are recognizably Estonian. Now defunct local service club and women's organization activity books were open for perusing. Several craft items consisted of lovingly preserved crocheting, embroidery and knitting done by Estonian grandmothers long since passed away. Harry Jaako, Estonian honorary consul in Vancouver, had brought a box full of booklets and brochures about current Estonia. Most were gone by Sunday afternoon.
Because the early history of the Barons area involves a sizeable Estonian ethnic community, it was clear as of the first Barons centennial organizational committee meeting in January, 2003 that Estonian culture would be featured at some point in Centennial program. That feature consisted of a two-hour “Estonian Program” on Saturday afternoon, organized by Peter Leesment, former president of the Calgary Estonian Society. The grass and raised cement patio by the Barons Community Centre served variously as the stage.
The program began with two speakers. The first speaker dealt specifically with the pioneer and homesteading history of the Barons area with emphasis on the early Estonian families. The second speaker tied Barons and Southern Alberta historical events to developments co-current in Estonia and introduce Estonia of today. Barbara Gullickson, a descendant of Barons area Estonian pioneers Jakob and Mari Erdman, spoke first and the Estonian Honorary Consul Harry Jaako from Vancouver followed. Overheard conversations later heaped much praise on both. Barbara’s speech was printed verbatim in English in the August 27 and September 3 issues of Eesti Elu/ Estonian Life newspaper, published in Toronto.
An added element to the Estonian program was hosted by Laas Leivat, Honourary Head Consul for Estonia in Canada, and Avo Kittask, president of the Estonian Central Council in Canada; both of whom had travelled from Toronto specifically for the Barons Centennial. First, Laas Leivat read faxed centennial greetings from the Prime Minister of Estonia. Next these guests jointly awarded two Albertans with a service medal and citation for long-term volunteer work in Estonian communities: Eda McClung of Edmonton and Helgi Leesment of Calgary. The two Torontonians then gave a special flag to four people representing various Alberta Estonian-related communities, on the occasion of the 120th anniversary of the blue-black-white striped Estonian flag. The four joint recipients were: Otto Nicklom of Stettler, Bob Tipman of Calgary, Tom Pääsuke of Canmore and Dave Ain Kiil of Edmonton.
Alar Suurkask, representative of the Vancouver Estonian Society, invited all to the West Coast Estonian cultural festival next summer, July 4-8, 2005 at Harrison Hot Springs, near Vancouver.
Next, Peter’s wife Helgi directed a simple walking-type Estonian folkdance, the kind originally intended for a whole village to join in. Folkdancers from Vancouver led over 100 centennial guests around on the grass to live accordion accompaniment by Avo Kittask. During intermission, all had an opportunity to taste Estonian-style meat pockets or “pirukad”. Lillian Põhjakas of Lethbridge had generously baked 250 of these typical Estonian food items. For refreshment, there was a choice of the “fortified” or non-fortified drink called “Rolling Estonians”. It consisted of 80% cranberry juice and 20% soda water. The fortified variety replaced half of the soda water with vodka.
The musical and visual segment of the program followed. Avo Kittask, an opera soloist, sang two songs accompanying himself on the accordion. Six members of the Estonian folkdance group “Kilplased”, had driven over 1000 kilometers from Vancouver to participate in the Barons Centennial. They later commented that at Barons they learned about Estonian pioneers in Canada for the first time. They particularly enjoyed performing for the appreciative Barons audience. Performing for a new audience was a welcome change from the equally appreciative Vancouver Estonian community for whom the dancers have been performing since they were kids, a time span of about 20 years.
The three women and three men performed a series of lively and intricate Estonian folkdances, some involving only the women or only the men, a foursome, or a mixed threesome. Most numbers included all six dancing in a gentle breeze and bright sunlight on the green grass. The women danced in bare feet. Some of the dances would have been familiar to the 1904 era Barons region settlers of Estonian heritage. All the dancers wore traditional colourful folk costumes. An idyllic ending to the Estonian program!
In the evening a catered beef dinner was efficiently served in the Community Hall and tent annex, followed by a program of theatre and music. Several members of the Erdman extended family presented a short play “Twice a Pioneer” highlighting their pioneer forefathers’ trek from Estonia to Crimea in the 1860’s, and 40 years later on to South Dakota, to eventually settle in Barons, Alberta. Certificates were handed out to recognize all pioneer and homesteading families in the Barons area. An old time dance to live band accompaniment concluded the second day of the Centennial celebrations.
The third day of the Barons Centennial began at the Barons Cemetery, once the property of pioneers, Jakob and Mari Erdman, originally donated for use as an Estonian and Finnish cemetery. They and most of their nine children are buried there, as are some members of later generations. The ecumenical ceremony was lead by Rev. Don Koots, himself a descendant of Estonian pioneers from central Alberta, and the local United Church pastor Deborah Walker. The semi-circle of the gentle choir blended with the infinity of the greyish morning drizzle. The patriarchs of two of the pioneer Estonian families were present. One of them unveiled the rededication plaque commenting that six generations of his family were present; three underground and three above ground. It was a moving ceremony, worthy of all the extensive recent restoration work at the site.
The second item on Sunday’s program was the ecumenical church service. Once again, the choir, now with added members and soloists, sang soul-soothing harmonies. Children received special attention from Rev. Walker. Rev. Koots gave the congregation an excellent understanding of the souls and minds of the southern Alberta homesteaders and pioneers.
The ecumenical service brought to an end the official program of the Barons Centennial. However, several extended family gatherings took place later that day. In between, Helgi Leesment led an informal discussion on ethnic heritage. All 25 or 30 people present were asked to state how many generations they are removed from ancestors who left Estonia, and then to speak briefly as to how they regard their Estonian ethnic heritage. Most comments were highly positive, some provoked response from others. It was interesting to note that most people felt their ethnic heritage grants their lives variety and added value.
Among the highlights of the entire weekend were the meticulously researched brochures depicting the history of village and farm sites, with accompanying map. Once again, the stories involve many recognizably Estonian names. Early Barons area Estonian families include: Helmi Munz, Silberman, Silverton, Erdman, Kulpas, Pertel, Mathiesen, Hebenik, Andrekson and Kotkas. Many of these and other Barons area Estonian farms kindly took WWII refugee Estonians into their homes in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s. They gave the fresh immigrants a temporary home plus a chance to learn English, become acquainted with Canadian life and gain local labor experience. Some of the guests were related to their hosts, others were friends or even strangers referred by Estonian acquaintances. The specially produced Barons area historical brochures were intended for self-guided tours during the Centennial, and have since become valuable keepsakes in many families.
By afternoon on Sunday August 1 at the Barons Centennial, new and old acquaintances occupied everyone. People gathered and chatted in small groups anywhere out of the rain. That was what they wanted to do at this stage of the event. People connecting and reconnecting – it doesn’t get any better than that! By all measures, such a conclusion indicates the poignant success of the Barons Area 2004 Centennial Celebration of Heritage and Homesteading.
The organizing committee:
Perry Kotkas, co-chair and managing director
Martha Munz Gue, co-chair program director
Dee Ryrie, treasurer, displays
Betty Ann Turner, director - heritage and displays
Barbara Gullickson, director - marketing
Alan Fraser, director – arrangements
Deanna Fraser, director – social functions
Toomas Pääsuke, director – finance
Helgi Leesment, secretary
Mary Bishop, Barons and District Historical Society liaison
George Andrekson, director – registration
In addition, several dozen other volunteers contributed to the success of the Barons Area 2004 Centennial Celebration of Heritage and Homesteading.
