Estonia’s Seto people revive tradition with one-day “kingdom”
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Each year, the Seto people of Estonia enact a tradition where they establish a one-day “kingdom” in a chosen village, most recently in Mikitamäe. Visitors entering the village on August 1st needed to present a visa instead of a ticket, and within the village, residents used a special currency and elected a leader.
The Seto people have lived for centuries in the border region between Estonia and Russia, but the fall of the Soviet Union created a new border that divided their lands. The first Seto Kingdom Day took place in 1994 as a way for the community to reconnect after the border changes, and this year marked the 33rd event. During the festival, Seto women traditionally wear silver coins and chains, and their clothing indicates marital status and occupation.
The central event is the election of the Ülemsootska, a community representative for the following year. This year, Ingrit Kala won the position, with a goal to preserve Seto culture and language for younger generations. Approximately 25,000 people in Estonia understand the Seto language, but only a few thousand use it regularly, and fewer than 3,000 live in Setomaa, the community’s traditional homeland.
The Seto people are working to translate books into their language, including “The Little Prince,” and maintain their cultural traditions like leelo, a thousand-year-old form of a cappella singing recognized by UNESCO. At the end of the day, the symbolic currency and visas become invalid, and Mikitamäe returns to normal life until the next Kingdom Day.
