Shrove Tuesday
(Vastlapäev)
What is Shrove Tuesday?
Shrove Tuesday is a moving holiday, in Estonian
traditional calendar it’s the day preceding Ash
Wednesday, the first day of the Lent.
As during Lent amusements, meat and other “rich”
food was forbidden, people used Shrove Tuesday
as their last chance to have a proper feast.
The History of Shrove Tuestay

As in older days, people today still compete for the
longest slide. In the 19th and 20th century it was
supposed to give you great linen. Growing flax was one
of the main sources of living in the 19th century Estonia.
Nowadays it is just an expression.
The History

To keep out bad spirits people used to wear
masks and move from house to house.
Also people...
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went around the village to trim others sheep to
ruin the flock or to have some luck in the court.
took different objects of iron and put them under
the doorstep of the barn to bring good luck for
the live stock.
cut their hair to have it long and strong
Food!

Pea soup

Vastlakuklid – a bun
with whipped cream
Making the spinner

A hole is made in the
middle of pork`s
shinbone and a string
is put through it. By
pulling and loosening
the string the bone
starts to spin.
Nowadays bone is
sometimes replaced
with a large button.
Shrove Tuesday bans

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Women’s chores – such as spinning and curling
yarn – were forbidden because it was supposed
to bring bad luck to sheep.
Lighting a fire was supposed to harm horses
and other farm animals.
Telling the future

After eating meat each bone was given a name
after the unmarried boys and girls. Then the dog
was brought in to pick a bone. The boy or girl
whose name was on the bone was supposed to
be the next to get married.
Kada ajamine

Kada ajamine means
taking a jackstraw from
house to house. A figure
of a man which was
usually stuffed with
straws was secretly
taken to the neighbour`s
doorstep in order to
eliminate bad spirits. This
custom is considered to
be a legacy of pagan
culture.
Sacking the Shrove-tide
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The Sacking game is playing with the unknown
The children are trying to catch a misterous
creature (vastel, luutsi) into the sack. It is
usually played in the attic or loft where the
searching and chasing is imitated. Finally they
shout: “Vastel on käes” which means that the
creature is in the sack. After that the child
holding the sack is poured over with a bucket
full of cold water.
Shrove Tuesday Poetry
Sajab valget pehmet lund,
karu magab talveund.
Säramas on jõulupuu,
praegu - seajalakuul.
Rahvas kokku tulnud siia,
et lõbus tuju kaasa viia.
Teed saab juua, kuklit süüa,
hõõgvein aitab tuju luua.
Kostab mõnus muusika,
põleb kuusejuurikas.
Ei täna vorsti grilli keegi,
vastlakukkel - asi seegi!
Shrove Tuesday Poetry
Hobune on saani ees,
kes see istub saanis sees?
See vist meie punapalgne
hobu kappab, kergejalgne.
Tahab saada hernesuppi,
aga regi läinud uppi.
Tuleb minna keetma suppi,
et võiks leida jõudu appi,
selleks vaja palju pappi.
Liug sai lastud,
supp sai söödud,
selleks korraks vastlad möödund.
Conclusion
We hope you have a lovely Shrove Tuesday!
Titles
Edited by Jaanus Kallaste, 9th grade,
Kalmetu Basic School
Few Shrove Tuesday songs from Estonia:
http://muusika24.ee/Eesti/item/20710
http://muusika24.ee/Eesti/item/15662
http://www.prestoclassical.co.uk/w/134391
http://www.folklore.ee/Berta/muusika/M2-0089-g.mp3