Our half-Estonian Simon Wookey appears to be taking a pragmatic approach to his political campaign by dealing head-on with the Portuguese question by learning to speak the language. Good for him.

I wonder if Wookey cares enough about his Estonian background to have put some effort into learning Estonian? If not, perhaps it would be more accurate to identify him as a person with some Estonian ancestors. (That's not a bad thing, nor is it enough to make you an Estonian.)

How they can be so different in this writer' s eyes? Both Wookey and Sillaots exemplify what seems to be an Estonian trait -- with painter, writer, restauranteur, musician Viido Polikarpus as the supreme example -- and that would be: they are both MULTI-TALENTED, ECLECTIC, EXTREMELY VERSATILE AND VERY BUSY Mare.

To the first commentator: His Estonian parent is not an ancestor. Half EStonian is fairly significant if you are raised with an Estonian conciousness, along with the consciousness of your other parent's race. That would imply a rather broad awareness. Language is not the only thing required to have a consciousness of a race. Genes have some bearing as do various cultural traits. Although, yes, we estonians are quite a mixed race as far as recent ancestors go, and language is quite significant.

" .... Language is not the only thing required to have a consciousness of a race ..... and language is quite significant."

Language isn't the only determinant of ethnic identity but, certainly, it's the most important and, probably, the only one that's essential.

All this talk about "race" and "consciousness" has a nice ring to it but it doesn't add up to much upon closer inspection.