During the 30th annual, SEB
pank sponsored
mai/jooks (May Run) on 20. mai at the Tallinna laulu/väljak (Song Festival grounds), there was a designated
meeste/hoid, as there has been for many years now during the event, which is a
naiste/jooks (women's run). Usually those that are
hoitud (held or "sat") are children –
lapse/hoidja is a babysitter,
laste/hoid is child care,
riiete/hoid is a coat check,
paki/hoid is a luggage room and
meeste/hoid (
naljaga pooleks – tongue in cheek), is an area of supervision and activity for men as they wait for their wives, partners, girlfriends, daughters, etc to finish running, walking or nordic walking the 7 km race. The latter is
kepi/kõnd, with walking poles.
Activities with which
meeste/rahvad could pass the time included disc golf, a
ronimis/sein (climbing wall), and the opportunity to have a
massaž or get a haircut. But the main thing was for the
mehed to cheer the
naised (women) on and this was done with the help of 2
päeva/juhid (MCs). Upon closing, one of the
meestehoiu hosts reiterated: "
Mehed, hoidke oma naisi. Ja vastupidi." "Men, take care of your wives / the women in your lives. And vice versa."
Hoidma is to hold, hold dear, take care of, cherish, keep, store, sustain, nurture. (
Hoidised are preserves.)
There is a popular children's choir song by Kadri Hunt entitled "
Üks/teist peab hoidma", ("We Must Hold One Another Dear"), which was sung at the 10th Youth Song Celebration in 2007, (this summer's is the XII
noorte laulu/pidu), and has grown to become a kind of anthem to caring and love. Its
refrään: "Üksteist peab hoidma / tuulte ja külma käes. / Armastus annab sooja / südamel, mis on jääs." "We must hold one another dear / in the winds and cold. / Love provides warmth / for a heart that is frozen." Look for it on YouTube.
*
hani = a goose
Photo and text: Riina Kindlam, Tallinn
Enter here to pick up your man.
