Prior to colonization, Estonia was a land of small settlements, villages, and farms. That all ended in the Thirteenth Century with the northern crusades (a topic for another day). The year my father was born, 1918, Estonia declared independence and by 1920 was the Republic of Estonia, an independent country. Read more…
Freedom is a concept bandied about in the USA as if it was the solution to all our problems. Yet, the word freedom has multiple meanings in different contexts. On an individual level, freedom can mean “not imprisoned” or “unrestrained.” Other meanings include the ability to change or a sense Read more…
In California, I live on the land of the Kuumeyaay / Iipai-Tiipai. I am aware I am living on someone else’s ancestral land, I am part of a community group that cares for the creek and salt marsh by my home, and I do my best to honor the land Read more…
Estonia is full of old wooden houses. Many of them are a few hundred years old. You’ll find them in cities like Tallinn and in the countryside as well. These old wooden houses provided shelter for both families and often times their farm animals as well. In a land where Read more…
Gathering Sounds is at once an opus on the art of field recording and a collection of philosophical musings on life. While the subject matter of the recordings focuses on sounds from rainbow gatherings, it functions as a meta-analysis on modern life with technical tips for those interested in the Read more…
In the thirteenth century, the German Livonian Brothers of the Sword entered the lands we now call Estonia as part of the medieval crusades. Lembitu was part of the Estonian resistance to the German invasion. According to some sources, he was a leader of a small area in what is Read more…
In July, I presented preliminary research on Estonian folklore and depth psychology using the work of James Hillman and Mary Watkins at the Fates and Graces Mythologium. Thanks to the wonders of modern technology you can watch the presentation. I would love feedback, comments, criticisms, etc.. Let’s start a conversation. Read more…
I will be presenting at the Fates and Graces Mythologium on Friday, July 28 at 2:00 PM. My presentation is called “The Forest as Cultural Heart of Estonians.” In Estonian folklore, the forest forms an integral cultural theme that serves as an anchor for “Estonianness,” culture creation, and nation building Read more…
The net of colonialism is wide with tiny openings from which almost no one escapes. Growing up in the USA I learned that we were the colonizers of the land upon which the nation sits. Despite the emergence of the USA out of the belly of other colonial powers, those Read more…
Gathering Sounds: Field Recording with the Rainbow Family by Tenali Hrenik This lavishly illustrated, multimedia, full-color you-are-there experience is a celebration of the annual Rainbow Gathering, a free non-commercial outdoor event held in remote locations building a loose-knit community of kindred spirits all around the world for over fifty years. Read more…