Hilana Taarka (real name Darja Matrejeva, also Darja Pisumaa and Vasila Taarka; 22 March 1856 – 27 December 1933) was an Estonian ( Seto) folk singer. She is known as "Seto Lauluimä" (). Hilana Taarka was born in the small village of Hilande in

Setomaa Setomaa (; russian: Сетумаа, seto, Setomaa) is a region south of Lake Peipus and inhabited by the Seto people. The Seto dialect is a variety of South Estonian. The historic range of Setomaa is located in the territories of present-day ...

, from which she later took her name. Almost all her life was spent in poverty. Her most notable achievement was to sing at the Helsinki Song Festival in 1921.

Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg Kaarlo Juho Ståhlberg (, ; 28 January 1865 – 22 September 1952) was a Finnish jurist and academic, which was one of the most important pioneers of republicanism in the country. He was the first president of Finland (1919–1925) and a libera ...

, the first president of Finland was also present at the festival. Hilana Taarka died in

Võmmorski Võmmorski is a village in Setomaa Parish, Võru County, in southeastern Estonia, on the border with Russia. (retrieved 27 July 2021) The Piusa River borders the village in the north, Russian border in the east. As of 2000, Võmmorski had a popu ...

in 1933, aged 77. She is buried at Obinitsa graveyard. In 2008, a biographical feature film, ''Taarka'', was released by Exitfilm. The film was based on a play by the same name by

Kauksi Ülle Kauksi Ülle (born Ülle Kahusk 23 September 1962) is an Estonian writer. Life and work Kauksi Ülle sees herself as a South Estonian writer who is closely connected to the customs and history of South Estonia. Therefore, according to the tradi ...

and was directed by

Ain Mäeots Ain Mäeots (born 25 December 1971) is an Estonian stage, film, and television actor and stage, film, and television director and producer. Early life and education Ain Mäeots was born in Võru, Võru County, in 1971. He has one brother. He is ...

. Actresses

Inga Salurand Inga Salurand (born 1 August 1983) is an Estonian stage, film, and television actress whose career began in the mid-2000s. Early life and education Inga Salurand was born and raised in Tartu, where she attended primary and secondary schools. In ...

, Siiri Sisask and Marje Metsur portrayed Taarka at various stages in her life. ''Taarka'' has the distinction of being the first feature-length film in the Seto dialect. In 2019, actress Merle Jääger appeared as Hilana Taarka in the

Hardi Volmer Hardi Volmer (born 8 November 1957 in Pärnu) is an Estonian film director, puppet theatre set decorator and musician. Volmer is the singer in the Estonian punk rock band Singer Vinger. Animated cartoons *"Imeline nääriöö" (Wonderful Ne ...

-directed historical comedy film ''Johannes Pääsukese tõeline elu''.Kopli Kinokompanii
''Johannes Pääsukese tõeline elu'' 2019. Retrieved 3 February 2019. Hilana Taarka grave Obinitsa Estonia

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Taarka, Hilana 1856 births 1933 deaths Folk singers Women singers from the Russian Empire 19th-century Estonian women singers 20th-century Estonian women singers Seto people People from Setomaa Parish