As the artist behind Land Heart Song, I create songs that are focused on nurturing our love for nature. Throughout my life, nature has given me a quiet, reliable sense of belonging and wonder that has been foundational in my mental and spiritual health. I feel called to use my gift of song to share that with others, so they may also benefit from a loving relationship with the land.
My love of nature has also called me towards thinking about how to take better care of the Earth. Over the years, I have found myself learning more about the history of this land where I live and gaining a deep appreciation for the teachings and knowledge of the Indigenous Peoples who have lived here since time immemorial. It has led me to seek out opportunities to listen to and learn from them, so I may learn to take better care of this part of the world where I live.
In 2018, I started attending events hosted by the York Region Nature Collaborative at Kortright Centre for Conservation. I was often invited to take part by singing songs for participants as they wandered the woods. At one of these events, there was a teaching circle offered, led by Indigenous Elder Jacque/line Lavallée. She shared some impactful words that led me in a new direction with my curiosity towards learning to take better care of the Earth.
Jacque/line shared that the teachings she had to share with us were the teachings for her people and that each of us in attendance has ancestors who had their own deep connection with the land that was shared through songs and stories. She offered guidance that it was our work to find those songs and stories and learn from them.
When I realized that I did not know the songs and stories of my ancestors, I was quite sad. I didn’t know their teachings of how to live in a good way with the Earth. At this time, my only remaining grandparent, my dad’s mother Aino, was in her later years and suffering dementia. The time of connecting with the people in my life who might hold a link to the songs and the stories of the past seemed to be gone.
The sadness transformed into spark, and I started looking for a way to connect with those who have come before me. It seemed to me that the best way to start to look for this connection was to seek out songs sung and stories told to Estonian children. I scoured the internet and sent emails to anyone I thought might be able to support me on this journey.
To give some context: I am part-Estonian on my father’s side; my mother’s family is from Britain. Having carried the name “Tiiu” around my whole life, my journey to connect with the songs of my ancestors has thus far been focused on my Estonian ancestry.
When I shared with Sebastian [Buccioni] my desire to connect with Estonian songs for children, he immediately connected me with others, particularly Piret Noorhani, who then connected me with Estonians Taive Särg, Janika Oras, and American-Estonian artist Kaja Weeks. These connections helped me learn about the Estonian Folklore Archives, which is an online database of Estonian songs and stories.
In 2023, a turning point came when I met Sebastian Buccioni at a music conference I was attending in London, Ontario. Sebastian was there representing Estonian Music Week, an organization that is focused on building relationships between Estonia and Canada through music. When I shared with Sebastian my desire to connect with Estonian songs for children, he immediately connected me with others, particularly Piret Noorhani, who then connected me with Estonians Taive Särg, Janika Oras, and American-Estonian artist Kaja Weeks. These connections helped me learn about the Estonian Folklore Archives, which is an online database of Estonian songs and stories. Kaja led me to “The Songster's Childhood,” and suggested I might connect with that tune. Kaja also encouraged me to feel welcome to connect with this song and find my own expression of it.
I started looking through the archives, listening to the songs. I tended to connect with ones with simple language and repetition, as they were easiest for me to learn. I started to listen to the songs endlessly on repeat, playing them over and over again until I could sing them exactly the way the singer on the recording was doing it. I felt growing gratitude to my new teachers, those who had taken the time to record these songs and stories so many years ago. They were helping me learn the songs and the stories.
I started sharing these songs with my Grandma Aino. I would go and visit her with my guitar and play. I was looking for some sort of connection; I was so hopeful that she would look at me and say “oh, we used to sing that when I was a little girl,” but that moment never came. She did however say “oh, I know that language” and she would close her eyes, and sway or bounce to the tune. We had moments of peace through those songs. What a gift.
It’s also worth noting that I play the accordion in my recording of “The Songster’s Childhood.” I have been starting to learn the instrument, inspired by my Estonian Grandfather Jake who used to play. It felt right to include the instrument in the arrangement of the song.
I hope you enjoy the tune! More to come soon!
Supporters of my page on Patreon are able to listen to the song right now. The song will be available for download on Bandcamp on September 11th and streaming on Spotify on September 18th.
