Presenting the perspectives on Estonian identity in Toronto’s diaspora community. Kristen Dobbin observes Jõekääru’s campers; Toomas Volkmann those born in Estonia between 1918 and 1923.
The photographer and curator of the first exhibit is the young Canadian-Estonian anthropologist and photographer Kristen Dobbin. In the summer of 2017, Kristen photographed the children and youth who attended the summer camp Jõekääru located in Ontario. At Jõekääru, Estonian children from Canada, the USA, and Estonia get together. This has been one of the environments for Canadian-Estonian children to learn the language and culture of Estonia for 65 years. Kristen has a personal connection to the camp: her grandmother was the camp cook for many years, but since Kristen doesn’t speak Estonian, she couldn’t attend the camp. Now, times have changed, and children with weaker Estonian or those who don’t speak Estonian at all are all welcome. The photos that capture Jõekääru’s 65th anniversary reflect the persistence of the summer camp’s traditions as well as the changes that have taken place in camp life.
The second exhibit tells the story of Toronto Estonians who are the same age as the Republic of Estonia. The photographer Toomas Volkmann captured the portraits of Toronto Estonians ages 95-100, primarily living at the retirement home Ehatare, in September 2017. The exhibit displays the photos alongside texts compiled from interviews, which summarize each person’s life experience, advice for younger generations, and wishes for Estonia’s Centennial.
Eesti Õppetöö Keskus/Väliseesti Muuseum (VEMU) asub Tartu College’is Torontos ühendades Kanada ja Eesti kogukondi ning korraldades arvukaid ja mitmekesiseid kultuuriüritusi nii eesti kui inglise keeles: loengud, seminarid, õpitoad, näitused, filmilinastused, teatrietendused, kontserdid jm. EÕK/VEMU on Toronto südalinna kultuuriasutusi koondava Bloor St. Culture Corridori liige. VEMUs säilitatakse suurimaid väljaspool Eestit asuvaid väliseesti arhiivikogusid ja mahukat raamatukogu. /// The Estonian Studies Centre/Museum of Estonians Abroad (VEMU), located at Tartu College, Toronto, connects Canadian and Estonian communities through various diverse cultural programming in English and Estonian. Events include ectures, seminars, workshops, exhibitions, film screenings, theatre, concerts, and more. ESC/VEMU is a member of the Bloor St. Culture Corridor, which unites cultural institutions in the heart of Toronto. VEMU houses the largest collection of archives and libraries of Estonians abroad located outside of Estonia.