Reminiscence Evening: ELIAS LÖNNROT Visiting Southern Estonia in 1844

The evening of reminiscence is organized by NGO Valga Museum Friends Society at Valga Museum, and the speaker is Enno Tanilas, pastor of the EELC Karula St. Mary’s Congregation. 

Elias Lönnrot (1802-1884), the famous Finnish folklorist, philologist, doctor, and botanist, was the compiler of the Finnish national epic Kalevala. In 1844, Lönnrot spent half a year in Estonia, during which he travelled on foot across our land, covering a total of about 800 kilometers. He also studied the Estonian language and was interested in the customs and way of life of our people. While in Southern Estonia, he visited Friedrich Reinhold Kreutzwald, the author of Kalevipoeg epic, in Võru and the surrounding parishes. Among other places, Lönnrot also reached Karula area. 

Enno Tanilas' overview of this historical event was very well received by the audience, which numbered over twenty-five people.