Speaking with educator and singer-songwriter Tiiu Strutt, we find that every animal track, every song, every puppet show, and every conversation is a learning opportunity.

And moreover, an avenue to instilling a sense of wonder in learners of all ages.

In the newest episode of EstoCast, hear about:

🐾why the land is so important in her educational work

🐾striving for equality and respect in nature

🐾how she returned from a musical hiatus and discovered Estonian folk music archives and re-connected with her Estonian roots

🐾and much more!

Things mentioned in this episode include:

-Land Heart Song, Tiiu’s music and education project: https://landheartsong.com/

-outdoor educator and children’s musician Pete Moss: https://www.petemossmusic.com/

-musician and author Ginalina: https://www.ginalinamusic.com/

-Kidzac @ the TRANZAC: https://folkmusicontario.org/blogs/fmo-news-fb40f6b8-b45c-4149-a3f2-f848dc0688bb/posts/7487859/kidzac-the-tranzac

-“Lase kiike käia” (“Let the Cradle Rock”): the Estonian lullaby that Tiiu and Ginalina performed: https://www.folklore.ee/pubte/eraamat/rahvamuusika/en/029-Lase-kiik-kaia

-Remembered and Remixed by Ginalina, featuring friends from the Vancouver Chinese Music Ensemble: https://www.rememberedandremixed.com

-poet, essayist, and singer Kaja Weeks: https://lyricovertones.com/

-Lauliku lapsepõli (The Songster’s Childhood): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUOpSU7j8mg

-Mari Kalkun’s 2023 album Stories of Stonia: https://open.spotify.com/album/66OZWhSFU4XUsggIFhmT0T

-Land Heart Song’s blog post: “Race and the Environment”: https://landheartsong.com/2020/08/24/race-the-environment/

-Land Heart Song’s blog post “You Belong Here- The Making of the Song”: https://landheartsong.com/2025/08/14/you-belong-here-the-making-of-the-song/

-Child & Nature Alliance of Canada: https://childnature.ca

-Land Heart Song’s events: https://landheartsong.com/events/

-folk duo Hypnosis Negative: https://hypnosisnegative.com

-folk quartet Curly Strings: https://www.curlystrings.ee

-Tiiu’s 2023 album Songs for Tree: https://open.spotify.com/album/0Yp466ecJtu2ZJeUnsQhSh

Socials:

➡️ @estonianmusicweek
https://www.facebook.com/EstonianMusicWeek

➡️ https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

➡️ @eestielu.ca
https://www.facebook.com/eestielu.ca/events

➡️ @vemu.emc
https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

Eesti keel on eestlaste meelest teadagi kõige ilusam keel maailmas, aga seda peetakse ka üheks raskemini õpitavaks keeleks. See ei takistanud Ameerikast Minnesotast pärit tõlkijal, kirjanikul ja muusikul Adam Cullenil, kelle soontes ei voola tilkagi eesti verd, seda keelt laitmatult ära õppimast ja eesti kultuuriruumi sulandumast. Kuulake ja saate teada, millega meie maa ja keel Adami ära võlusid, kes on tema lemmikkirjanikud Eestis ja mujal, miks ta elab Haapsalus ja veel palju muud.

Tänases saates kuulete:

✍🏻 kuidas Adam sattus Eestisse, kus ta on tänaseks peaaegu 20 aasta elanud

✍🏻 mis nippe ta kasutas eesti keele selgeks õppimiseks

✍🏻 kuidas sai Adamist üks tunnustatumaid eesti kirjanduse tõlkijaid ja miks see töö talle meeldib

✍🏻 miks ta luuletab eesti keeles

✍🏻 mis muljed jäid Adamil Toronto eesti kogukonnast, mida ta tänavu septembris külastas

Saates mainiti:

- Lennart Meri “Silverwhite,” tõlkinud Adam Cullen: https://www.hurstpublishers.com/book/silverwhite/

- J.R.R. Tolkien “Sõrmuste isand”: https://rahvaraamat.ee/et/raamatud/ilukirjandus/fantaasia/sormuste-isand/1781320

- C.S. Lewis, “Narnia kroonikad”: https://rahvaraamat.ee/en/books/fiction/young-adult/narnia-kroonikad/622699

- Bill Watterson, “Calvin and Hobbes” koomiksiseeria: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/77727.Calvin_and_Hobbes

- Harper Lee, “Tappa laulurästast” tõlkinud Valda Raud: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7791783-tappa-laulur-stast

- Barry Lopez “Giving Birth to Thunder, Sleeping with His Daughter: Coyote Builds North America”: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/264402.Giving_Birth_to_Thunder_Sleeping_with_His_Daughter

- Eduard Vilde, “Mäeküla piimamees”: https://rahvaraamat.ee/et/raamatud/ilukirjandus/ajalooline-romaan/maekula-piimamees/839917

- Andrus Kivirähk, “Mees, kes teadis ussisõnu”: https://rahvaraamat.ee/et/raamatud/ilukirjandus/kaasaegne-ilukirjandus/mees-kes-teadis-ussisonu/17033

- Peeter Sauter, “Don’t Leave Me Alone” tõlkinud Adam Cullen: https://www.indigo.ca/en-ca/dont-leave-me-alone-a-love-story/9781954306035.html

- Triinu Laan, “John the Skeleton” tõlkinud Adam Cullen: https://sonderbooks.com/blog/?p=45408

- Adami raamatupood/kohvik Haapsalus “Pagu”: https://eestielu.ca/haapsallu-pakku-kulaskaik-adam-culleni-raamatupoodi-pagu-galerii/

Socials:

➡️ @estonianmusicweek
https://www.facebook.com/EstonianMusicWeek

➡️ https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

➡️ @eestielu.ca
https://www.facebook.com/eestielu.ca/events

➡️ @vemu.emc
https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

Eestlus (Estonianness) is a state of being, identity, and feeling that has a multiplicity of variations. This time on EstoCast, we’re fortunate to hear about it from an Estonian-Australian point-of-view.

Coming from Sydney, Australia, Lachlan Bell is an artist and designer, a researcher in the field of folkloristics and heritage, and a community leader. This past summer, he was in Ontario, Canada getting to know the present-day and historic activities of Estonian summer camps. And what he’s seen in Canada has instigated an insightful conversation about life in Australia, a place with uncanny similarities to Canada, as he puts it.

In this episode of EstoCast, Lachlan talks about:

☀️what he hopes to bring home from his time at three Estonian summer camp locations in Canada

⏱️the presence of Estonians in Australia going back as far as the 1920s

🌱revitalizing the Estonian niche wall section in the southern hemisphere’s largest cemetery

🇪🇪and much more!

Things mentioned in this episode:

-Lachlan Bell on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/loch.man/?hl=en

-The Folkloristics and Applied Heritage Studies program at the University of Tartu: https://ut.ee/en/curriculum/folkloristics-and-applied-heritage-studies

-Jõekääru Estonian Children's Camp: https://joekaaru.com/en/summer-camp

-Seedrioru Estonian Children's Summer Camp: https://seedrioru.com/web2/about-us/

-Kotkajärve Camp: https://globalestonian.com/en/kotkajärve-camp

-Sõrve Estonian Children's Summer Camp: http://www.sorve.org.au

-Sydney Eesti Maja: https://sydneyeestiselts.org.au

-EstWest: https://eesti.org.au/organisations/estwest/

-Estonians in Adelaide: https://adelaide.eesti.org.au

-Estonians in Brisbane: https://www.facebook.com/BrisbaneEestiSelts/

-the Estonian House in Melbourne: https://globalestonian.com/en/estonian-house-melbourne

-History of the Estonian Cultural Foundation in Australia: https://ecfa.eesti.org.au/about/history/

-about the Estonian community in Thirlmere: https://www.migrationheritage.nsw.gov.au/exhibitions/fromestonia/journeys-1st.html

-Rookwood Necropolis: https://rookwoodnecropolistrust.com.au

-Embroidery from Muhu: https://threadwritten.com/journal/2021/1/5/estonian-muhu

-Lachlan’s past exhibitions: https://lcbell.cargo.site/

Socials:

➡️ @estonianmusicweek
https://www.facebook.com/EstonianMusicWeek

➡️ https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca

➡️ @eestielu.ca
https://www.facebook.com/eestielu.ca/events

➡️ @vemu.emc
https://www.facebook.com/vemu.ca