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What does it mean to belong to a land? For Estonians, that question found new life in Siiri Sisask’s haunting composition “Mis Maa See On.” Emerging from its humble theatrical origins in the late 1990s, the song unexpectedly bloomed into a collective hymn when performed by tens of thousands of young voices at the 2011 Song Festival. It was a moment when music transcended melody to become memory, binding a people together in song.
Background of Siiri Sisask and Her Song
Siiri Sisask (born 1968 in Rapla, Estonia) is a renowned Estonian singer, composer, and actress – even a former member of parliament (Riigikogu) from 2003 to 2007. Known for her soulful voice and artistic range, Sisask has been involved in rock bands (like serving as a touring vocalist for Ruja in the 1980s) and theater productions. One song in particular elevated her to a special place in Estonian culture: “Mis Maa See On” (translated “What Land Is This?”). Sisask composed the music for this song, with lyrics penned by Estonian poet and musician Peeter Volkonski.
The piece has an interesting origin – it was originally written in 1997–98 for an open-air theatrical performance about the Mahtra War (an 1858 Estonian peasant uprising). Volkonski’s lyrics were created for that stage drama, and Sisask recorded the song in collaboration with the rock band Ultima Thule in 1998. For over a decade after its release, “Mis Maa See On” remained relatively under the radar – a beautiful song cherished by some, but not yet a nationwide phenomenon. Sisask herself noted that the song “lived a quiet life for a good dozen years” before finding a wider audience.
All of that changed in 2011, when “Mis Maa See On” was introduced to the grand tradition of Estonia’s Laulupidu, the Song Festival. Laulupidu is a massive choral festival held every five years, famous as a cornerstone of Estonian identity and unity. Since 1869, these festivals have brought tens of thousands of people together to sing in unison, sustaining the national spirit through good times and bad. (Notably, the Song Festival played a key role in the late-1980s “Singing Revolution,” when Estonians gathered by the hundreds of thousands to peacefully demand independence from the Soviet Union.) In this revered setting, a contemporary song like “Mis Maa See On” had the potential to become more than just a pop tune – it could become a voice of the nation.
A Song Festival Sensation: Uniting Estonians in One Night
In July 2011, the XI Youth Song and Dance Celebration, titled “Maa ja Ilm” (“Land and World”), took place in Tallinn. This festival — an offshoot of the main Song Festival, featuring school and youth choirs — would be the stage where Sisask’s song captured the heart of the nation. “Mis Maa See On” was selected as a centerpiece of the program, effectively framing the entire event. The combined children’s and youth choir (ühendkoor) – numbering in the tens of thousands – opened the festival by posing the song’s central question, “Mis maa see on?”, to the gathered crowd.
Sisask herself stood as the solist alongside conductor Raul Talmar and an arrangement by Tõnu Kõrvits, leading a sea of young voices. The effect was immediate and profound: imagine over 30,000 youths singing in harmony about their homeland, joined by an audience of thousands more. One account notes that Sisask performed her signature song with 40,000 choir singers, and that “the performance moved both the audience and the performers.” Many in attendance felt chills and tears as the melody swept over the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds.
Throughout the day, the festival program interwove choral performances with folk dance presentations. But it was “Mis Maa See On” that everyone was waiting for and remembering. The song was so impactful that it was sung again as an encore near the festival’s end, this time with full-throated audience participation. The reprise, with Sisask as soloist, was described as “especially emotional” – a truly cathartic moment when the spectators on the grassy slope and the thousands of choir singers on the stage became one massive choir together. As one report put it, the sight and sound of tens of thousands singing “Mis maa see on” in unison, accompanied by choreographed folk dancers even weaving through the audience, was “stunningly beautiful and moving.” It felt as if, for that night, all of Estonia breathed and sang with one voice. Many observers called it the most touching highlight of the 2011 song celebration.
That night, “Mis Maa See On” “grew and began to live its own life,” as Sisask later said. A song that had started as a regional theater piece in the 90s had, in 2011, transformed into something of a national anthem of the heart. It joined the ranks of cherished patriotic songs that unite Estonians – comparable to classics like “Mu isamaa on minu arm” which are traditionally sung at every Song Festival. The difference was that “Mis Maa See On” gave a modern voice to contemporary emotions, blending sorrow, pride, and hope in a way that spoke powerfully to both young and old.
Lyrics and Their Cultural Meaning
What makes “Mis Maa See On” so resonant? Much of the answer lies in its poetic, soul-searching lyrics. Peeter Volkonski’s words confront the listener with a series of poignant questions and observations about Estonia – its nature, its history, and its people’s spirit. Below is an English translation of some key lines from the song:
“What kind of land is that? There are no mountains here; only forests, endless, and bog-pool swamps. But people here are full of magical might, and their song-stories are peculiar.
What kind of land is that? Sometimes night eats the day. Sometimes day is so long that it swallows the night. Both pass here in the same manner. When a stranger rests, then a local works.
What kind of land is this? Is it true that to be a slave is the only fitting fate here for a human being? And who would eventually gather up this pain? So that there would be love and suffering would end?
What kind of land is where mercy is endangered? What kind of land is where freedom is buried in the ground? Where is justice here!? Where is the court of justice? Where should the afflicted ones look for justice? What kind of land is that?
Compassion is rusty here. Shame is rusty, chests without hearts. I could flee from here, even running, but something still holds me back.
What kind of land is that which can hold on to me? And I don’t know by what means she does that. She doesn’t cover me and doesn’t feed me. But still, with herself she drags me.
What kind of land is this? Can I ever understand her? Can I do without her anymore? What kind of land is that? How could she ever deprive all her children of their mother?
…There are no mountains here. Only forests, endless, and bog-pool swamps. But people here are full of magical might, and their song-stories are strange.”
These lyrics (originally in Estonian) are rich in symbolism that any Estonian would recognize. The song begins by noting the country’s modest geography – no towering mountains, just vast forests and bogs – yet immediately pivots to praising the “magical might” of the people and the peculiarity of their songs. This is a nod to the deep heritage of folk song and mythology in Estonian culture; despite the land’s flatness and small size, its people possess a spiritual strength and a unique musical tradition.
The verses go on to describe the extremes of the northern light and darkness (the long winter nights and endless summer days), which is both a literal aspect of Estonia’s nature and a metaphor for the cycles of despair and hope in the nation’s history. The song pointedly asks whether being a slave is the only destiny for people here, and who will collect all the accumulated pain so that love can prevail and suffering would end. These lines clearly echo Estonia’s historical experiences of oppression – centuries of serfdom under foreign empires, and later the loss of freedom under Soviet rule. The question “Where is justice? Where is the court of justice?” speaks to the longing for fairness and redress in a land that has seen its share of injustice.
In one of the most heart-rending passages, the song laments that compassion and shame have grown “rusty”, and that people’s chests are without hearts. It’s a critique of a society where empathy has faded – this could be interpreted as commentary on modern social ills or the residue of moral damage from oppressive regimes. The narrator admits feeling the urge to “flee from here, even running,” yet confesses that “something still holds me back.” This captures the conflicted love for one’s homeland: the frustration with its flaws, paired with an inexplicable attachment. Indeed, the final lines ask, “What kind of land is it that can hold onto me… She doesn’t shelter or feed me, yet still drags me along with her. Can I ever understand her, or live without her?” This is a powerful description of patriotism tinged with pain – the idea that even when your country disappoints you or life there is hard, it’s still your land and you cannot cut ties with it. The reference to the land depriving “all her children of a mother” suggests the tragedy of exile or emigration – so many Estonians have left their homeland (whether escaping war, Soviet deportations, or seeking better opportunities), effectively losing their “motherland,” yet the song implies a magnetic pull that land still has on them.
In the cultural context, every line of “Mis Maa See On” carries layers of meaning for Estonians. The song’s tone is often described as haunting, melancholic yet loving. As one commentary observed, “There is a primitive sublimity to this song; it is neither triumphant nor defiant. This is an unapologetic love song that is both fatalistic and prideful.” It acknowledges the “treacherous past” and suffering of Estonian people, but refuses to let that define them entirely. Instead, it embraces a duality: deep sorrow on one hand, and an abiding pride and love for the land on the other. This balance of fatalism and hope is something many Estonians relate to – a national psyche shaped by hardship, yet resilient and forward-looking.
Even though the lyrics arose from a 19th-century scenario (the Mahtra peasant rebellion), their relevance in the 21st century was not lost on listeners. In an interview, Siiri Sisask reflected on why the song struck a nerve in modern times: the very fact that “the song has started to live and touch people [today] is a sign that in our society not everything is as people would want”, she said. Estonia in the 2010s, despite its independence and progress, still faced social issues – whether it’s the integration of the Russian-speaking minority, economic inequality, or rural depopulation. “Mis Maa See On” gave voice to a diffuse sense of dissatisfaction or concern. However, Sisask emphasized that “the song is above all a call to turn toward ourselves – to ask what each of us could do better in this country, in this home.” In other words, it’s not just a lament; it’s a challenge to the listeners to take responsibility for improving their land. This optimistic undercurrent – urging unity, compassion, and individual contribution – is what elevates the song from despair to empowerment. It aligns perfectly with the ethos of the Song Festival, which has always been about collective hope and renewal.
Public Reaction and Lasting Legacy
The impact of “Mis Maa See On” at the 2011 Song Festival was immediate and enduring. Virtually overnight, the song became known throughout the country. Whereas before it was a niche art song, now children and grandparents alike could hum its melody. The media dubbed it “the song that won the people’s heart”. Estonia’s leading newspapers and portals described how the festival crowd was visibly moved – many had moist eyes – and how the song’s encore united everyone in a goosebumps-inducing singalong. The Estonian World Review reported the finale, noting that the audience was treated to “heart-warming songs ‘Mis maa see on…?’ and ‘Põhjamaa’…with dance interludes – it was breathtakingly beautiful and emotional.” On social media, clips of the performance went viral in Estonia. A Reddit thread from that time called it “the most moving piece of the 2011 youth song festival” with users sharing how proud and emotional it made them feel.
For Siiri Sisask, the experience was somewhat transformative. She was no stranger to fame, but now she was forever linked with a modern patriotic anthem. In interviews shortly after, she expressed humble amazement at how “Mis Maa See On” had grown beyond her. “It keeps growing. It lives its own life now,” she told one newspaper, acknowledging that the song was being sung by countless others, in schools and choirs, without her involvement. Indeed, the song took on a life of its own: choral arrangements of it spread, and it started featuring in various patriotic events. Later in 2011, for example, a young singer (Liis Lemsalu, the winner of Eesti Otsib Superstaari – Estonia’s Idol show) performed it on national TV, bringing it to pop culture as well.
Many Estonians began to regard “Mis Maa See On” as a new-generation folk song or an unofficial national hymn. While the country’s official anthem and the old Song Festival classics remained important, this song voiced contemporary feelings in a way nothing else did. A Finnish magazine even described it in 2016 as having become “a national hymn in the hearts of Estonians.” It is often mentioned in the same breath as “Koit” (Tõnis Mägi’s famous dawn song from the Singing Revolution era) and “Palve” (Mägi’s prayer song), or “Mu isamaa on minu arm” (the cherished Lydia Koidula/Gustav Ernesaks song from the Soviet era) – all songs that carry enormous emotional weight. The difference is that “Mis Maa See On” belongs to the post-independence generation, proving that the tradition of powerful patriotic music is alive and well in modern Estonia.
The legacy of that 2011 night is still felt. When asked years later about the song’s meaning, Sisask pointed out that its continued resonance indicates that Estonians are still soul-searching about the kind of country they live in. In 2014 and 2019, when the next Song Festivals took place, “Mis Maa See On” was frequently brought up in media retrospectives, and sometimes choirs would perform it at side events or concerts around the main festival, underscoring its lasting popularity. Even in 2023, during the XIII Youth Song Festival (the theme of which tellingly was “Püha on maa” – “Sacred is the Land”), commentators drew parallels to Sisask’s song, noting how contemporary pieces continue to ask the fundamental questions about homeland and identity that “Mis Maa See On” so poignantly did in 2011.
In sum, “Mis Maa See On” is more than just a song – it became a moment of unity etched in Estonia’s collective memory. For one night, under the arch of the Tallinn Song Festival Grounds, tens of thousands of Estonians sang about their land – its endless forests and bogs, its trials and its magic – and in doing so, they forged a singular shared experience. The song pulled everyone together, reminding them of who they were and what they had overcome, and stirring hope for what their small but resilient country could be. It stands as a beautiful example of how music and culture can bind a people together. As a blogger who fell in love with the song put it, Laulupidu is “a nation of shared memory, with one foot in the past and the other in the future,” and “Mis Maa See On” encapsulates that perfectly. Whenever this song is performed now – be it by a lone singer or a massed choir – Estonians cannot help but feel that old communal spark, remembering the night they all sang as one and asked themselves, “What kind of land is this?”, only to realize the answer lies in their togetherness.
