Expatriate Estonians in Australia, Film No. 3. Part 2 (1995-1996)

Inno Salasoo, activist of social projects among expatriate Estonians in Australia and founder of Forest University in Australia, gives an interiew in his home in Sydney. He recalls organizing the summer camps of Estonian Refresher School in Sydney since 1962. Edgar Aavik was the manager of the first camp, Salasoo was the assistant manager. When first the camps were held only in Estonian then later also English language was used. In order to educate the younger generation in the field of Estonian nation and culture as well as cultivate conversations in Estonian language, Inno Salasoo founded the Forest University in Australia in 1972, to follow the example by expatriate Estonians in Canada. He has been the manager for 24 years. Among the guests there have been numerous acknowledged intellectuals: Lennart Meri, Mart Laar, Mikk Mikiver, Lepo Sumera, Kalevi and Tiiu Kull and others. Unfortunately, there are less and less young participants. Juta Haller recalls her work in Melbourne Language School where learners could start learn Estonian language in 1981. Their group was the smallest of the whole school. The Estonian language group was closed in 1994 since there were too few learners. Tiiu-Ann Salasoo, educational scientist and linguist, talks about teaching Estonian language in Australia. She has been the coordinator and promoter of Estonian studies of the Association of Estonian Societies as well as the organizer of Estonian language courses for teachers. Since all further education institutions in Australia were closed at some point then in 1989 Tiiu-Ann Salasoo decided to save the situation in some way. She wanted to make a children's film in Estonian together with Mati Hint and Leelo Tungal, with the main purpose that the film would include contemporary, correct Estonian language. Salasoo recalls the compilation process of study books accompanying the film and the filmmaking process. Video fairy tale "Princess Mari and Konrad the Frog" came out in 1993 together with a book of dialogues and book "Linguistic Explanations for Teaching Estonian Language".