Will Estonia follow Russia’s lead on Seto people?

Estonian Seto women dress in traditional ethnic folk costumes. The Seto historical area of inhabitation is cut in two by the Russian visa regime, dividing numerous relatives. Photo by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

TALLINN — Will Estonia follow Russia’s example with recognition of the Setos?

The Seto ethnic group, consisting of an estimated 18,000 people living in Estonia and Russia, became an official group on June 25 with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin’s signature. The decision was made approximately a year after Andrey Turchak, the governor of Pskov Oblast sent an official letter to the Putin and Russia’s Minister of Regional Development Viktor Basargin on the request of Pskov’s Seto community.

The decision earned the appreciation of Setos in Estonia.

“The Russians are now paying their indebtedness to [private_supervisor]the Setos, as they along with the Vikings helped to create Russia,” Vello Lõvi, who performs the duties of Seto Congress elder told Baltic Reports.

The bulk of the Seto population lives in Estonia and only a few hundred in Russia according to the latest census figures. Yet, the Estonian Setos are not officially recognized as an ethnic minority, as the group has not applied for such status and some fear that its Finno-Ugric but Orthodox culture with its own language, Võro-Setu.

Jaak Prozes, an adviser to the Estonian cultural organization NPO Fenno-Ugria said Russia’s move will motivate Estonian Setos to become more active in promoting their indigenous culture. Prozes told Baltic Reports that it may also give them a chance to define themselves as Setos in the 2011 population census.

The nongovernmental organization Setomaa Tourism estimates there are up to 4,000 Setos living in the historical Setomaa area, with up to 13,000 in other locations in Estonia.

The Seto population is in steady decline as its historical area of inhabitation is cut in two by the Russian visa regime, dividing numerous relatives, and there are fears its language and culture could go the way of Livonian or Curonian, historic languages and cultural groups of the region that have been eliminated by assimilation.

Despite this, Prozes and Lõvi say the Setos in Estonia have not felt the need the apply for cultural autonomy. So why in Russia?

“Russia’s rhetorical goal is to show that Estonians do not recognize Setos, so they are not treated well,” said Prozes. “Their gesture creates a precondition for better support for Seto culture, but unfortunately they create it at a time when there are so little Setos left.”

The Seto historic living area is Setomaa, which means “land of war.” It is located in the southeast corner of Estonia which bordering Lake Peipsi-Pihkva, Russia, Latvia and Estonia’s Võru County. Setomaa is currently divided into three administrative areas — one situated in Võru County, the second in Põlva County and the third in the Pechory District in Russia. Russia and Estonia remain in dispute about the border demarcation. [/private_supervisor] [private_subscription 1 month]the Setos, as they along with the Vikings helped to create Russia,” Vello Lõvi, who performs the duties of Seto Congress elder told Baltic Reports.

The bulk of the Seto population lives in Estonia and only a few hundred in Russia according to the latest census figures. Yet, the Estonian Setos are not officially recognized as an ethnic minority, as the group has not applied for such status and some fear that its Finno-Ugric but Orthodox culture with its own language, Võro-Setu.

Jaak Prozes, an adviser to the Estonian cultural organization NPO Fenno-Ugria said Russia’s move will motivate Estonian Setos to become more active in promoting their indigenous culture. Prozes told Baltic Reports that it may also give them a chance to define themselves as Setos in the 2011 population census.

The nongovernmental organization Setomaa Tourism estimates there are up to 4,000 Setos living in the historical Setomaa area, with up to 13,000 in other locations in Estonia.

The Seto population is in steady decline as its historical area of inhabitation is cut in two by the Russian visa regime, dividing numerous relatives, and there are fears its language and culture could go the way of Livonian or Curonian, historic languages and cultural groups of the region that have been eliminated by assimilation.

Despite this, Prozes and Lõvi say the Setos in Estonia have not felt the need the apply for cultural autonomy. So why in Russia?

“Russia’s rhetorical goal is to show that Estonians do not recognize Setos, so they are not treated well,” said Prozes. “Their gesture creates a precondition for better support for Seto culture, but unfortunately they create it at a time when there are so little Setos left.”

The Seto historic living area is Setomaa, which means “land of war.” It is located in the southeast corner of Estonia which bordering Lake Peipsi-Pihkva, Russia, Latvia and Estonia’s Võru County. Setomaa is currently divided into three administrative areas — one situated in Võru County, the second in Põlva County and the third in the Pechory District in Russia. Russia and Estonia remain in dispute about the border demarcation. [/private_subscription 1 month] [private_subscription 4 months]the Setos, as they along with the Vikings helped to create Russia,” Vello Lõvi, who performs the duties of Seto Congress elder told Baltic Reports.

The bulk of the Seto population lives in Estonia and only a few hundred in Russia according to the latest census figures. Yet, the Estonian Setos are not officially recognized as an ethnic minority, as the group has not applied for such status and some fear that its Finno-Ugric but Orthodox culture with its own language, Võro-Setu.

Jaak Prozes, an adviser to the Estonian cultural organization NPO Fenno-Ugria said Russia’s move will motivate Estonian Setos to become more active in promoting their indigenous culture. Prozes told Baltic Reports that it may also give them a chance to define themselves as Setos in the 2011 population census.

The nongovernmental organization Setomaa Tourism estimates there are up to 4,000 Setos living in the historical Setomaa area, with up to 13,000 in other locations in Estonia.

The Seto population is in steady decline as its historical area of inhabitation is cut in two by the Russian visa regime, dividing numerous relatives, and there are fears its language and culture could go the way of Livonian or Curonian, historic languages and cultural groups of the region that have been eliminated by assimilation.

Despite this, Prozes and Lõvi say the Setos in Estonia have not felt the need the apply for cultural autonomy. So why in Russia?

“Russia’s rhetorical goal is to show that Estonians do not recognize Setos, so they are not treated well,” said Prozes. “Their gesture creates a precondition for better support for Seto culture, but unfortunately they create it at a time when there are so little Setos left.”

The Seto historic living area is Setomaa, which means “land of war.” It is located in the southeast corner of Estonia which bordering Lake Peipsi-Pihkva, Russia, Latvia and Estonia’s Võru County. Setomaa is currently divided into three administrative areas — one situated in Võru County, the second in Põlva County and the third in the Pechory District in Russia. Russia and Estonia remain in dispute about the border demarcation. [/private_subscription 4 months] [private_subscription 1 year]the Setos, as they along with the Vikings helped to create Russia,” Vello Lõvi, who performs the duties of Seto Congress elder told Baltic Reports.

The bulk of the Seto population lives in Estonia and only a few hundred in Russia according to the latest census figures. Yet, the Estonian Setos are not officially recognized as an ethnic minority, as the group has not applied for such status and some fear that its Finno-Ugric but Orthodox culture with its own language, Võro-Setu.

Jaak Prozes, an adviser to the Estonian cultural organization NPO Fenno-Ugria said Russia’s move will motivate Estonian Setos to become more active in promoting their indigenous culture. Prozes told Baltic Reports that it may also give them a chance to define themselves as Setos in the 2011 population census.

The nongovernmental organization Setomaa Tourism estimates there are up to 4,000 Setos living in the historical Setomaa area, with up to 13,000 in other locations in Estonia.

The Seto population is in steady decline as its historical area of inhabitation is cut in two by the Russian visa regime, dividing numerous relatives, and there are fears its language and culture could go the way of Livonian or Curonian, historic languages and cultural groups of the region that have been eliminated by assimilation.

Despite this, Prozes and Lõvi say the Setos in Estonia have not felt the need the apply for cultural autonomy. So why in Russia?

“Russia’s rhetorical goal is to show that Estonians do not recognize Setos, so they are not treated well,” said Prozes. “Their gesture creates a precondition for better support for Seto culture, but unfortunately they create it at a time when there are so little Setos left.”

The Seto historic living area is Setomaa, which means “land of war.” It is located in the southeast corner of Estonia which bordering Lake Peipsi-Pihkva, Russia, Latvia and Estonia’s Võru County. Setomaa is currently divided into three administrative areas — one situated in Võru County, the second in Põlva County and the third in the Pechory District in Russia. Russia and Estonia remain in dispute about the border demarcation. [/private_subscription 1 year]

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