Recordings from the Estonian Folklore Archives 3

Marie Helimets

Marie Helimets in 1961. Photo by O. Kõiva. ERA, Foto 5879.

The last carriers of the regilaul singing traditions in the once very rich region of Mulgimaa were the singers of Karksi Parish recorded in the 1960’s. At the time these recordings were made in 1960 and 1971 Marie Helimets (1891–1975) lived in the village of Mäeküla in Karksi Parish. Marie was originally from Tarvastu Parish. She studied in the town of Viljandi and had worked in various places in Estonia before her marriage. After becoming acquainted with the work of folklore collectors, Marie became a correspondent of the archives. Rhymed folk songs, which she herself loved to sing, were in the first place in the materials she sent to the archives. Marie also knew a number of regilaul she had heard from her mother and grandmother. These had melodies that were not typical of Karksi and they presumably reflected the traditions of Tarvastu Parish.