Expatriate Estonians in Australia, Film No. 8 (1995-1996)

The rich greenery of the surroundings of Adelaide. A paddle boat that was used in early 20th century is standing at the port of a small town Goolwa. This part of local history is preserved for the future generations. The ferry rides across the Murray River and docks at the shore. Views of Goolwa. The first train carriage that rode between Goolwa-Port Elliot in 1854 is exhibited. Ocean shore and the train station in Port Elliot. Indra Reinpuu's home, his wife Karin Foxwell practises massage and aromatherapy. Indra Reinpuu plays one of the national instruments of native Australians - a didgeridoo - and explains the importance of breathing: the act of breathing out must be continous. The instruments are made from the trees growing in Northern Australia. He talks how native Australians make didgeridoos and play them. Aaron Tamme talks about Valdek Kangur's book "Estonian Folk Dance in Adelaide". Dancing began in 1948. Aaron Tamme himself started folk dance practice at the age of 7 under the guidance of Elfriede Buck. He has been dancing for 27 years. The folk dance group in Adelaide is still actively practising, besides Estonians there are also Australian and British members. The tutors are Heather Tiivas and Sue Härm who teach both Estonian old folk dances and contemporary dances. Tamme also dances in an Ukrainian dance group. Couples are practising in the hall.
Aaron Tamm has a serious hobby that started from a French wheel fiddle seen at a folk party. Since the instrument is expensive and hard to purchase, Aaron has decided to make one himself. He spent seven years for preparation works, and now he is constructing already the second instrument. He has also made bagpipes, Swedish zither, concertinas, and medieval viola da gamba. When he visited Estonia, he studied and measured old bagpipes in a museum and bought one old concertina. His interest has grown throughout the years. Tamme shows the process of making instruments - he dismantles a bagpipe and explains every detail.
He also shows the details of a wheel fiddle: strings, the keyboard, the wheel on strings for playing, the crank arm. As he also works as a shipbuilder, then there is not much free time for practising his hobby. Tamme plays a few pieces on the Estonian bagpipe and the French wheel fiddle. A microcircuit is being repaired with a soldering iron in Sony service centre. Head of the centre Toomas Kasemets talks about his business that has been successful for the last 18 years. Toomas Kasemets works with the community radio programme every week and makes a special show for expatriate Estonians for the last four years. Valdek Kangur, head of culture department at the Association of Australian Estonians Society at the radio station's recording studio. The programmes in Estonian languge are recorded here and these can be listened in every city in Australia. This radio station transmits programmes in 45 languages. Valdek Kangur recalls of the government's policy – during the first 15-20 years, the purpose was the fast assimilation of various nations, after which the approach changed towards integration policy and if this also did not justify itself then in 1970s there were the times of multicultural immigration policy. Bigger national groups had schools where the children were taught in native language, also radio stations with native language programmes were founded. The Estonian station founded in Adelaide in 1981 is still functioning. Live programme goes in air, Lembit Blauhut is the guest at the recording studio and Valdek Kangur is interviewing him on the subject of a film in progress "Estonians in Australia". The film director was first inspired in 1980 when he made a film about sculptor Jaan Koort who visited Australia. Now that the borders are open, Blauhut wants to film expatriate Estonians in Australia who have contributed a lot for the process of Estonia regaining its independence. Valdek Kangur introduces dancer-choreographer Anni Luur Fox who resides in Hahndorf, the oldest German colony, and has fought for preserving the historical appearance of the city. While making art, Anni believes that one should not only borrow things from other nations but also find it as a source of inspiration to create something new. Dance performance in the evening, inspired by the culture of national Australians, accompanied by didgeridoos and drums. Indigenous Australian art and everyday items in Elise Lindsaar's home. Ceramic sculptures made by Elise since she has studied ceramics in Tartu Women's Society in parallel with her studies at Tartu Pallas Art School. When arriving at Australia, she built herself a kiln and made ceramics at ultra-high temperature. She talks about the simple jobs she had to perform when first arriving at Australia. Then she got employed as a teacher in Adelaide and practised a little applied art. Now that she is retired, she knits jumpers for babies and sends these to Tartu Women's Clinic.