Who’s the hottie in the bellbottoms? Well, he could very well be a student at Tartu University today, wandering about Toomemägi hill with a canvas bookbag slung over one shoulder. His long hair and sideburns probably mark him as an artsy, romantic favourite of the girls in his philosophy class and although his traditional Estonian black woollen coat would be considered a cool statement today, it actually cost him many friends, since Estonians were believed to be and to remain in peasant status when he walked the streets of Tartu and attended its university around 1820.

Kristjan Jaak Peterson, the son of a church sexton from Viljandimaa was born in Riga, Latvia on March 14, 1801 and died there at the young age of 21. But the reason he stands on Toome to this day, in the company of famous 19th century biologist Karl Ernst von Baer (whose sullen face can be seen on the 2 kroon note), is because he is one of the first known Estonians to show an active faith in the future of his native language.

It was an interesting time, since the political interests of the Imperial Russian central government and the educational interests of the Baltic-German elite met – in Tartu! The university (founded in 1632 by King Gustav II Adolf of Sweden) was now re-opened as a provincial Baltic university dependant on the local knighthoods.

The language of study was German, yet Kristjan Jaak much preferred to write poetry in maakeel, extolling the virtues of the rural language or “language of the land”. He spoke many languages and also translated and wrote articles on language issues. His birthday has been officially celebrated in Estonia for the past six years as EMAKEELEPÄEV – mother tongue day.

Estonians are not particularly big on monuments, severe busts and memorials. Most War of Independence monuments destroyed by Soviet forces in smaller cities have been rebuilt, but Tallinn is still grappling with what to do with its Vabaduse väljak (Freedom Square), void of a true monument to freedom and those who lost their lives defending it. And so it is quite refreshing that a monument exists to remember a bright Estonian lad and his peaceful defiance. (Erected in 1983, in the then SSR no less!) It is a fitting symbol for Tartu, Estonia’s youthful centre of bright ideas and academic ambition.

The poems, ballads and notes Kristjan Jaak wrote during his short lifetime weren’t published until 1922. In 2001 his 200th birthday was celebrated in Riga and Estonia, where a commemorative stamp was issued. Emakeele day is a new flag day on the Estonian calendar; if not yet known to all, then at least to children, who observe the day at school and those fortunate writers who receive literary awards on March 14. Free cultural events and family concerts are also held throughout the country.

This year another interesting issue was raised, namely that Estonian is not the only mother tongue worthy of celebration and preservation in Estonia. A plural emaKEELTEpäev conference was held at Tartu University where in addition to keynote speakers, members of Estonia’s local Latvian, Lithuanian, Ingrian, Mari, Mordovian and other minority-language associations spoke of their challenges.

And the idea keeps growing: UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) began celebrating International Mother Tongue Day on February 21, 2000. On that day in 2002 the second, more detailed edition of the “Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger of Disappearing” was presented. (Stephen A. Wurm, UNESCO Publishing; 1996, 2001.) The day is meant to celebrate linguistic pluralism and “protect the intangible heritage of humanity, including languages, in the same way natural and cultural treasures of tangible heritage are protected.” It is feared close to half of the 6,000 languages spoken in the world are doomed or likely to disappear in the foreseeable future and many believe that without language, identity is lost. As one wise African man has said: “Language is the honey of a nation’s soul”.

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