Pauline Vapper (Kõue Liina)

Pauline Vapper. Photo by O. Kiis 1975. ERA, Foto 11167.

We managed to collect the richest songs’ harvest in Suuremõisa village. From there came three male singers: Bärni Tuulik, Villem Saarik and August Vokk. We recorded and filmed game songs with the women of the same village, with Pauline Vapper as directing singer. (On collection circumstances and purposes, Rüütel 2016: 19)

The second big challenge that required two days of preparation, was the filming of game songs. /---/ Pauline Vapper a.k.a. Kõue Liina, who was recorded by Estonian Radio on multiple occasions, also joined us. /---/ It was clear, she was to become our movie star, but somebody had to stand in the circle around her. /---/ Other women arrived, some on time, some a little late, some had to be invited extra. All women were dressed in folk costumes that represented the variety of Muhu costumes during the last century. Kõue Liina shone among others in dark orange skirt and bonnet with geometric ornament. They previously belonged to her grandmother. She also knew about even older clothing styles that she had not witnessed herself, but about which the older people told about. Really, a great attention to detail and good memory. In came out during the games, that some women did not know much and Kõue Liina had to show them everything herself, wondering: “Now I really don’t understand, how could you forget everything? Don’t you remember, as we… played outside?” It was noticeable that took some liquid courage, the participation in the filming must have been a real event for her. /---/ (On collection circumstances and purposes, Rüütel 2016: 23–25)

The opinion on the obscenities in the songs was not unified among the women. For example, Nuka Kati (Jekaterina Lahke) and Kõue Liina (Pauline Vapper) did not retract them during singing, taking it as a part of life, but Mõisa Villem’s wife tried to held her husband back… (On collection circumstances and purposes, Rüütel 2016: 19)

On Pauline Vapper see also from “Anthology of Estonian Traditional Music”.

Videos:

• I. Song games in Suuremõisa village 1975
• II. Songs and song games of the Muhu islanders 1984

Pauline Vapper, 1904–2004, Suuremõisa I village. Recorded by I. Rüütel, E. Tampere, V. Ojanurme, O. Kiis in 1975; I. Rüütel, M. Soosaar, H. Eller, H. Aasaru in 1984.