The Bosporus Star

June 23 is Võidupüha, or Victory Day, which celebrates Battle of Võnnu where the Estonians triumphed over the Germans in 1919. It has come to represent the country’s long struggle for independence over foreign hegemony. That evening also begins the twin holidays of Jaaniõhtu (St. John’s Eve) and Jaanipäev (St. John’s Day, on the 24th), a twinned holiday second only to Christmas in significance. On the brief night of Jaaniõhtu, a few days after the summer solstice, young couples in Estonia and Latvia roam the woods in search of the fern flower, which is said to bloom one night a year and to have magical powers of fertility as evidenced by the young girls who emerge from the forest in a state of expectation. On Jaanipäev, Estonians gather with family and friends, usually outside the cities, where they drink beer and make (or buy) shashlik (a kebab) or sausages, and sing and dance around great bonfires. Jumping over the fire is said to bring luck.