Uma Pido

What is “Uma Pido”?

Uma Pido is a song and folk festival held in Võro language. It has taken place
six times so far: first in 2008 in the city of Võru at the Kubija Song Festival
Grounds, again there in 2013 and 2018; and in 2010, 2016, and 2024 in Põlva
at the Intsikurmu Song Festival Grounds. Uma Pido can also be described as
a global reunion of Võro people. The festival strengthens the regional identity
and the sense of belonging within the Võro cultural and linguistic area,
enlivens cultural life, brings visitors to the region, and encourages Võro
people who have moved elsewhere for work or life to return home.

Where did the idea for the festival come from?

The idea for the festival originated at the annual summer gathering of Võro
people, the Kaika Summer University, held in Valgjärve in 2006. There, the
governors of Põlva and Võru counties discussed cultural cooperation within
the Võro culture area. It was decided to organize a song and folk festival
called Uma Pido that would emphasize local heritage and language and unite
the Võro cultural region.

The Võro cultural area refers to historical Võrumaa, with its eight parishes:
Karula, Hargla, Kanepi, Urvaste, Vastseliina, Rõuge, Põlva, and Räpina.
Today, this area includes Põlva and Võru counties, as well as smaller parts of
Tartu and Valga counties.

Apart from the national anthem of the Republic of Estonia, which is
performed in Estonian, all songs and performances – including the daytime
programme and the evening’s main concert – are held in the Võro language.
All Uma Pido concerts are available for replay on the Uma Pido YouTube
channel at the following link.

A wide range of adult and children’s choirs participate, with community
and school groups enthusiastically learning the repertoire for each festival.
Singers and musicians range in age from preschool children to great-grandmothers
and great–grandfathers. The organizers have witnessed tremendous growth
in both participation and popularity, with the number of participants and audience
members increasing to 8,200.

What is the Võro language?

The Võro language, like Estonian, Hungarian, and Finnish, belongs to the
Finno-Ugric language family. Võro is a descendant of the old South Estonian
tribal language and is the least influenced by North Estonian. In addition to
Võro, other contemporary South Estonian languages include Mulgi, Tartu,
and Seto.

The earliest written evidence of South Estonian is a translation of the New
Testament published in 1688. Although the status of South Estonian began to
decline after the 1880s, the language experienced a revival in the late 1980s.
Today, South Estonian is used in the works of some of Estonia’s best-known
playwrights, poets, and authors.

There are approximately 86,000 active and passive users of the Võro language
around the world. Most Võro speakers, however, live in historical
Võromaa (Võro Shire), referring to the territory defined by the same county
borders from 1783 to 1920. The Võro language was once also spoken further
south and east of historical Võromaa, in areas that are now part of Latvia and
Russia. Today, many Võro speakers can also be found in Tallinn, Tartu and
elsewhere in Estonia.

See more about Võro language: http://wi.ee/

Where is Võromaa?