We created a game for the March deportation memorial day to experiment with a different format for sharing memories
Posted on 25.03.2026
For this game, inspired by Alias, we selected words that could be associated with childhood experiences in Siberia for those who had been deported. Players had to describe, through their own stories, which word, phenomenon, or emotion was being referred to.
Guessing the words generated a lot of excitement! Both we and the deportees themselves discovered new and fascinating details during the game, even though they have known each other for 77 years.
Guessing the words generated a lot of excitement! Both we and the deportees themselves discovered new and fascinating details during the game, even though they have known each other for 77 years.
Remembering as Activism and Resistance. Exhibition ‘Anchoring Memories – Everyday Treasures from Ingria’. Article in the Fenno-Ugria yearbook ‘Finno-Ugric Nodes 2024’
Posted on 25.06.2025
|
For us, this exhibition was inspiring because it was curated by historically dispersed Ingrian-Finnish communities who live in Estonia, Finland and Sweden. It featured exceptionally interesting object stories, and we were particularly interested in how the exhibition format conveys research-based, detailed material. The exhibition presented (photo)stories that revealed the role of objects as bearers of memory and (intergenerational) identity in situations where one’s homeland has been lost, where people are forced to leave their homes, and where they live in a constant state of relocation. |
For the 83rd Anniversary of the June Deportations, we marked 15 Siberian Cherry trees across Estonia with information plaques
Posted on 12.06.2024
We planted these trees in 2019 near railway stations from which the March deportation trains departed, but we dedicate the Siberian cherries to all repressed people. We invite everyone, on this day of mourning, to visit the trees, share your stories with them, stroke their leaves, hug them, and water them!
Our memorial tree project, “Blossoming Monument,” works in symbiosis with memorial stones dedicated to deportees. A stone is eternal, symbolizing grief, and to ensure we do not forget those who suffered or died due to repression, the resilient vitality of a tree that adapts to its surroundings offers emotional support in grief. The trees also draw attention to the fact that remembering and commemorating is a living process, encompassing both engagement with the past and active reflection on its consequences.
Why the Novosibirsk cherry bird tree? Cherry bird trees grow both in Estonia and in Siberia. Here we admire their floral fragrance, while in Siberia their berries are made into flour and jam. The Novosibirsk cherry bird tree is hardy and tolerates competition from the roots of large trees. Depending on its growing conditions, it may take the shape of a small shrub or grow into a 6-meter-tall tree. Its foliage constantly changes color — in spring the leaves are green and purplish-red, in summer they turn purplish-green, and in autumn they blaze bright red. This cherry bird tree species was discovered in 1993 by the well-known Latvian dendrologist Raimonds Cinovskis in the Novosibirsk taiga, from which it also took its name.
The locations of the cherry trees can be found here: https://www.sled.ee/toomingad.html
We thank Peep Varju and the Estonian Fund for Assisting Repressed Persons for supporting our work. A huge thank-you to Maire Kama from Juhani puukool (tree nursery), who in early spring 2019 found 16 Novosibirsk bird cherry tree seedlings for us.
Our memorial tree project, “Blossoming Monument,” works in symbiosis with memorial stones dedicated to deportees. A stone is eternal, symbolizing grief, and to ensure we do not forget those who suffered or died due to repression, the resilient vitality of a tree that adapts to its surroundings offers emotional support in grief. The trees also draw attention to the fact that remembering and commemorating is a living process, encompassing both engagement with the past and active reflection on its consequences.
Why the Novosibirsk cherry bird tree? Cherry bird trees grow both in Estonia and in Siberia. Here we admire their floral fragrance, while in Siberia their berries are made into flour and jam. The Novosibirsk cherry bird tree is hardy and tolerates competition from the roots of large trees. Depending on its growing conditions, it may take the shape of a small shrub or grow into a 6-meter-tall tree. Its foliage constantly changes color — in spring the leaves are green and purplish-red, in summer they turn purplish-green, and in autumn they blaze bright red. This cherry bird tree species was discovered in 1993 by the well-known Latvian dendrologist Raimonds Cinovskis in the Novosibirsk taiga, from which it also took its name.
The locations of the cherry trees can be found here: https://www.sled.ee/toomingad.html
We thank Peep Varju and the Estonian Fund for Assisting Repressed Persons for supporting our work. A huge thank-you to Maire Kama from Juhani puukool (tree nursery), who in early spring 2019 found 16 Novosibirsk bird cherry tree seedlings for us.
Dear Loved Ones (“Kallid kodused”) – a discussion circle on the psychological impact of deportation at Kehra Museum, 25 March 2024
Posted 26 March 2024
Kersti Samm’s book Dear Loved Ones (“Kallid kodused”, 2020)
From left: Marika Alver and Katarina Meister, the SLED artist duo, gave a speech at Kehra’s memorial stone for the deportation victims.
|
We wanted, on that day, to remember together and reflect on the impact of the March deportations in a somewhat different way than we have been used to so far. Therefore, we organized a memorial event at the Kehra Museum in the format of a book club discussion, inviting participants to reflect on the psychological effects of the deportations on people 75 years ago in the light of contemporary knowledge. For the event, we read Kersti Samm’s book “Kallid kodused” (Dear Loved Ones, 2020) and discussed, together with invited experts, the impact of the deportations on mental health. The book’s title refers to the letters Salme (Kersti’s mother) sent to Estonia and emphasizes how important it was, both for those deported to Siberia and for their relatives in Estonia, to maintain connections through letters and parcels. Kersti, who was deported to Siberia at the age of five, has retyped her mother’s letters in the book and supplemented them with her childhood memories. Excerpts from our speech: It seems to us that commemorations at the memorial stone usually focus primarily on the events of March 25, but the deportation was not a one-day event. For example, we have noticed that in many deportees’ stories, March 5, 1953—the day of Stalin’s death—is a highly significant date. It is remembered in great detail, because it gave deportees a justified hope that exile in Siberia would not be eternal and that they might soon return to their homeland. Thus, the trauma of deportation also includes the coping mechanisms developed in Siberia and the shock of returning to Estonia. Deportees were officially rehabilitated only in 1989, which meant that they effectively bore a double burden: after returning, it was very difficult for them to find both housing and employment in Estonia. In 2019, we planted Novosibirsk bird cherry trees next to the stones and named them “Blossoming Monuments.” We felt that these trees complement the memorial stones by symbolizing adaptation and the struggle for survival. As a lasting, living, and changing form, a tree is also conceptually strongly connected to memory and to the processual nature of keeping memories alive, as well as their transformation over time. At the core of deportees’ memories of Siberia are often survival and adaptation. In 1949, mainly women, children, and the elderly were deported, and survival in Siberia often rested on the shoulders of women, who, as providers and caregivers, had to bear multiple responsibilities. For this reason, we found that living trees are a fitting way to mark the experiences of deportees, as they carry within them the spirit of healing and growth. Paul Laasik who was born in Siberia by the Blossoming Monument. This is a decorative bird cherry from Novosibirsk; its green leaves turn red in summer and its blossoms are pink. |
After the official commemoration of the March deportations in front of the museum, we offered thematic homemade snacks inside the museum, which we had prepared based on deportees’ personal stories.
Birthday Cake for Rain
Air of anticipation in the sponge cake
collapsed by pounding on the door
A bite cannot find
A familiar mouth
Whipped-cream dreams,
A Siberian cherry on the top of the cake
(verses by Katarina Meister)
This cake was dedicated to Tiiu Trisberg and her late brother Rain. We met Tiiu in Kehra on the Remembrance Day of the March Deportations in 2018. Tiiu has been very actively engaged in interpreting the history of the March deportations and the stories of deportees. In the summer of 2018, we traveled together with Tiiu to the village of Kinsel in the Idrinsky District of Krasnoyarsk Krai. Tiiu wrote very movingly about her family’s deportation story in the local newspaper Sõnumitooja. She has often treated us to delicious delicacies she has prepared herself. Now we wanted, in turn, to offer something to Tiiu.
Tiiu was six years old at the time of the deportation and remembers that on the morning of March 25 she was very excited about the day ahead, because it was her little brother’s birthday. Rain turned four years old. All the children were eagerly waiting for that day, as Aunt Klaara was supposed to bring the birthday cakes. Tiiu still remembers the feeling when it became clear that there would be no cake after all. Aunt Klaara later wrote to them in Siberia, expressing how sorry she was that Rain, who had been waiting for his birthday cake, never received it.
Tiiu was six years old at the time of the deportation and remembers that on the morning of March 25 she was very excited about the day ahead, because it was her little brother’s birthday. Rain turned four years old. All the children were eagerly waiting for that day, as Aunt Klaara was supposed to bring the birthday cakes. Tiiu still remembers the feeling when it became clear that there would be no cake after all. Aunt Klaara later wrote to them in Siberia, expressing how sorry she was that Rain, who had been waiting for his birthday cake, never received it.
Fireweed Tea for Asta
The inspiration for the fireweed tea came from the story of Asta Tikerpäe, whose family was put on a train in Kehra and sent to the Balahta grain sovkhoz (present-day village of Tšistoje Pole) in the Balahta District of Krasnoyarsk Krai. Asta was four years old at the time of the deportation and later became a preserver and keeper of the memories of her Estonian Siberian community.
Five years ago, Asta tasted fireweed tea at one of our exhibitions. She froze for a moment and almost spat it out, as it brought back a familiar unpleasant sour taste and an extremely disagreeable smell from Siberia. Other participants at the event did not find anything unusual about the tea.
Since the tea had been prepared some time earlier and left standing in a thermos, it had developed a different flavor. This more sour-than-usual taste reminded Asta of how Estonians had been treated to tea upon their arrival in Siberia. To young Asta, it had seemed that they were given spoiled black tea. And only now, 70 years later, did she suddenly realize that the locals had in fact been showing kindness toward the deported Estonians, by already preparing the tea.
Five years ago, Asta tasted fireweed tea at one of our exhibitions. She froze for a moment and almost spat it out, as it brought back a familiar unpleasant sour taste and an extremely disagreeable smell from Siberia. Other participants at the event did not find anything unusual about the tea.
Since the tea had been prepared some time earlier and left standing in a thermos, it had developed a different flavor. This more sour-than-usual taste reminded Asta of how Estonians had been treated to tea upon their arrival in Siberia. To young Asta, it had seemed that they were given spoiled black tea. And only now, 70 years later, did she suddenly realize that the locals had in fact been showing kindness toward the deported Estonians, by already preparing the tea.
Cheese Sandwiches for Kersti
Kersti’s clever maths of two slices of bread and limited toppings:
Butter on one and cheese on the other?
If there’s one with butter then the other has cheese
…but leave one plain and get to enjoy another
with both combined
(verses by Katarina Meister)
The cheese sandwiches were dedicated to Kersti Samm, who was also present at the event. Kersti has recalled that when relatives in Estonia sent them a wheel of cheese to Siberia, it created the rare opportunity to eat a cheese sandwich. There were two options: either spread butter on the bread or eat bread with cheese—having both at the same time was not allowed, as it was considered too much of a good thing at once. But resourceful six-year-old Kersti soon discovered a third option: first eat one slice of plain bread, and then put both butter and cheese on the second slice.
Kersti always began eating her sandwich from the edges, pushing the butter toward the center with her teeth so that a thin layer gathered into a thick, rich portion in the middle—perfect to combine with the cheese for a satisfying bite. When we visited Siberia with Kersti and made sandwiches together, we noticed that she still eats sandwiches in this distinctive way—although it must be said that she no longer holds back on the butter!
We did our best to create cheese sandwich fillings that would suit Kersti’s tastes. It was touching that one man in the audience immediately tried eating a sandwich the Kersti way.
Butter on one and cheese on the other?
If there’s one with butter then the other has cheese
…but leave one plain and get to enjoy another
with both combined
(verses by Katarina Meister)
The cheese sandwiches were dedicated to Kersti Samm, who was also present at the event. Kersti has recalled that when relatives in Estonia sent them a wheel of cheese to Siberia, it created the rare opportunity to eat a cheese sandwich. There were two options: either spread butter on the bread or eat bread with cheese—having both at the same time was not allowed, as it was considered too much of a good thing at once. But resourceful six-year-old Kersti soon discovered a third option: first eat one slice of plain bread, and then put both butter and cheese on the second slice.
Kersti always began eating her sandwich from the edges, pushing the butter toward the center with her teeth so that a thin layer gathered into a thick, rich portion in the middle—perfect to combine with the cheese for a satisfying bite. When we visited Siberia with Kersti and made sandwiches together, we noticed that she still eats sandwiches in this distinctive way—although it must be said that she no longer holds back on the butter!
We did our best to create cheese sandwich fillings that would suit Kersti’s tastes. It was touching that one man in the audience immediately tried eating a sandwich the Kersti way.
Potato Chips for Eha
The potato chips were inspired by the story of Eha Linnas. When 12-year-old Eha Linnas and her family arrived at the village of Lugavskaja in the Idrinsky District of Krasnoyarsk Krai, the locals, expecting feared fascists and criminals, were surprised to see that women with children had been sent instead. They welcomed them with warm boiled potatoes and sour milk. After a long and exhausting journey, it was a nourishing bite. Later, Eha’s family received potatoes in exchange for her mother’s handicrafts. But potatoes were scarce, so they were sliced thinly and shared among everyone.
On a trip years later, Eha’s grandchild offered her potato chips in the car: “Here, Grandma, take some—good for passing the time on the ride!” Eha’s initial suspicion quickly turned into a mild addiction after the first few bites. Now, at 87, Eha always keeps a few packs at home, snacking on them between meals and sometimes after meals. Her favourites are Lay's potato chips with sour cream and green onion.
On a trip years later, Eha’s grandchild offered her potato chips in the car: “Here, Grandma, take some—good for passing the time on the ride!” Eha’s initial suspicion quickly turned into a mild addiction after the first few bites. Now, at 87, Eha always keeps a few packs at home, snacking on them between meals and sometimes after meals. Her favourites are Lay's potato chips with sour cream and green onion.
Discussion Circle – Book Club Dear Loved Ones
Discussion and the book club event “Dear Loved Ones” at Kehra Museum
Discussion circle panel, from left: Marika Alver (behind her stands Henn Pärn), Kaili Särg, Terje Anepaio, and Katarina Meister.
We invited ethnologist Terje Anepaio and pastoral care specialist Kaili Särg to the discussion circle.Terje Anepaio has studied the memory of Stalinist repressions on both autobiographical and collective levels. She has worked with survivors, documented their memory work, and contributed these materials—memories, audiovisual interviews, objects, and photographs—to the collections of the Estonian National Museum (ERM). Together with cinematographer Maido Selgmäe, she created the documentary film “We Remember! We Commemorate!” (ERM, 2012) based on this memory work. Anepaio has worked at the Estonian National Museum for over 20 years as both a researcher and curator, and since 2015 has focused on community relations at ERM.
Kaili Särg has been working as a pastoral care specialist for the past four years, beginning as a counselor on the Hingehoiutelefon (Pastoral Care Hotline) launched during the Covid-19 crisis. She currently provides private counseling at the Hingehoiukeskus (Pastoral Care Center) in Tartu, is completing her master’s studies in the field, and trains adults in psychological first aid and trauma. Her passion for learning has led her to numerous international trauma courses and to pursue a master’s degree in semiotics at the University of Tartu.
The event was supported by the Estonian Fund for Assisting Repressed Persons.
We invited ethnologist Terje Anepaio and pastoral care specialist Kaili Särg to the discussion circle.Terje Anepaio has studied the memory of Stalinist repressions on both autobiographical and collective levels. She has worked with survivors, documented their memory work, and contributed these materials—memories, audiovisual interviews, objects, and photographs—to the collections of the Estonian National Museum (ERM). Together with cinematographer Maido Selgmäe, she created the documentary film “We Remember! We Commemorate!” (ERM, 2012) based on this memory work. Anepaio has worked at the Estonian National Museum for over 20 years as both a researcher and curator, and since 2015 has focused on community relations at ERM.
Kaili Särg has been working as a pastoral care specialist for the past four years, beginning as a counselor on the Hingehoiutelefon (Pastoral Care Hotline) launched during the Covid-19 crisis. She currently provides private counseling at the Hingehoiukeskus (Pastoral Care Center) in Tartu, is completing her master’s studies in the field, and trains adults in psychological first aid and trauma. Her passion for learning has led her to numerous international trauma courses and to pursue a master’s degree in semiotics at the University of Tartu.
The event was supported by the Estonian Fund for Assisting Repressed Persons.