Sharing Estonian heritage along the way, participants were quick to share their own stories, with lots of laughter in the room, to create a tight-knit group! More importantly, participants were able to either discover this unique culture for the first time or dive deeper into their own Esto roots. One crafter mentioned that they were attending to reconnect with their own Estonian roots, after their grandparents had passed. Unfortunately, she had not had the time to learn knitting from them; but, was excited to have the opportunity during the workshop.
In addition to the workshop, the one-day Estonian art pop-up exhibit was open to all visitors to the museum. The exhibit displayed a variety of Estonian visual art, featuring Abel Lee and Endel Ruberg among many others, and various handicrafts including jewellery, leatherwork, fibrework, and leathercrafts. VEMU: Estonian Museum Canada contributed over 30 pairs of Estonian mittens for display, emphasizing the variety of patterns across different counties in Estonia.
The King Heritage & Cultural Centre thanks its volunteers, partnered organizations, and all attendees. It was a great success to showcase the rich cultural heritage in the Toronto Estonian community; and, to celebrate Eesti Vabariigi Aastapäev in King.
