Estonians in Australia

Council

Council of Estonian Societies in Australia

The Council is elected by the annual Assembly of representatives of Estonian Organisations in Australia (held in late December or early January), and meets monthly. The Council resides in turn in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide

The aims of the Council are:

• to coordinate activities of the Estonian community organisations in Australia in their pursuit of the preservation and advancement of Estonian culture and heritage,

• to supply humanitarian aid to Estonia,

• to act as a centre for distribution of information and aid to the community organisations.

Back row, left to right: Pia Maganov, Raivo Rähni, Ebe Kartus, Arvi Vainomäe

Front row: Imbi Knappstein, Milvi Vaikma, Merike Redenbach

Absent: Sirje Jõgi

The committee members

ARVI VAINOMÄE, Chairman

Arvi arrived in Australia in 1949. Education- B.E. University of NSW, B.A. University of Sydney. Worked with Shell Australia 1955 to 1986. Over the years Arvi has been involved with Estonian St.Pauls congregation in Melbourne and with Council of Estonian Societies in Australia. His interests include history and Estonia having visited Estonia frequent over many years.

RAIVO RÄHNI, Vice Chairman

Born in Tartu and coming to Australia in 1950, Raivo was an architect and is a retired academic. Activities include: Member of Council of Estonian St Paul’s congregation since 1973, trustee 1973-1995, member of Executive and Vice-Chairman 1993-96. Former member of AABS-Australia Executive. Chair of ESTO’88 Conferences. Sang in MESM. Correspondent of “Meie Kodu”. Member of Council of AESL 1991-93. Chair of Committee for Estonian language in Victoria 1994-2001. Chairman of Korp! Ugala in Australia since 1984 and of worldwide Executive 1987-1993. Recipient of Order of White Star V Class 2006.

EBE KARTUS, Vice Chairman

Ebe has been imbued with Estonian culture from a young age by speaking Estonian at home and attending the Estonian Festivals with her parents. When she moved to Melbourne in the late 1980s she became active in the community. She has been on the organising committee for the Estonian Festival in Melbourne in 1995, 2001 and 2007. Ebe was Chair of the Council from 2000-2002. She is interested in Estonian history during the period of cultural awakening and in translating plays from Estonian into English to make them more accessible.

SIRJE JÕGI, Secretary

Born in Estonia, Sirje arrived in Australia in 1989 and has been involved in the Estonian community ever since. She started as an Estonian language teacher and singing in ladies choir. Since then, her roles include: secretary of Melbourne Estonian Society committee from 1994, becoming vice president in 2010; since 1996 – official interpreter for the Estonian language in Victoria state (Linguistica, On Call Interpreters); Newspaper correspondent and starting in 2011, SBS Estonian radio broadcaster; AESL committee member in 1999 – 2002 as the cultural representative and currently as secretary; Estonian Festival Committee in 1995,2001,2007. She organises performers from Estonia to tour many Australian Estonian centres.

MILVI VAIKMA, Treasurer

Milvi has been treasurer for Estonian Society in Melbourne since 1994 and treasurer for the Estonian Societies in Australia twice. She was also treasurer for the Estonian Festivals held in Melbourne in 1995 and 2007. Milvi takes an active part in the Melbourne Estonian Ladies Choir, Folk dancing “Sügislilled”, Estonian ethnographical handcraft and is a member of our ensemble “Kirjud Vestid” . She was honoured by the Estonian Society in Melbourne at the 90th M.E.Ü. “KODU” anniversary jubilee on the 5th Dec. 2004.

MERIKE REDENBACH, Cultural Coordinator

Merike Redenbach is a member of the Melbourne Estonian Society. Inspired by her Estonian heritage and her university research on Estonian culture, she joined the choir in 1987, studied Estonian language and organised the Trikolor art exhibition in 2007. Merike has had 34 years of professional experience in education, and is now a practising visual artist.

IMBI KNAPPSTEIN, Assistant Secretary

Encouraged from childhood to embrace her heritage, Imbi’s interest was cemented in 1995 after travelling to Estonia with her vanaema and ema. Visiting Tartu to connect with generations past and meet her vanaema’s school friends was a lasting highlight. Imbi has been an active member of the Melbourne Estonian community for the past eight years, both as a folk dancer and as a committee member of Melbourne’s Eesti Ühing “Kodu” (2006-2008).

PIA MAGANOV, Website Coordinator

Pia has been involved in Estonian activities for many years. She has been a member of the folk dancing group since she was a teenager and sung in the choir at various Eesti Päevad. She coordinated võinlamine events in the 1980’s. More recently she organised the children’s events in Melbourne, writing and directing the plays the children performed for Mother’s Day and Christmas for five years. She currently prepares the newsletter for the Estonian St. Pauls congregation.