Othala - Suitsusaun

👉 The tradition of the Vana-Võrumaa (or Old Võrumaa) smoke sauna is listed as UNESCO cultural heritage and brings generations together once again. The smoke sauna has accompanied peasants from birth to death for hundreds of years and was considered a sacred place. Today, it once again unites generations. The spiritual heritage of ancestors attracts more and more people who seek their roots in today’s globalizing world. How can one find the path to the essence of their nation’s shard and eternal values, passed down orally for centuries? According to various estimates, up to 3000 smoke saunas, both old and newly built, are used in southern Estonia. The more experienced elders of the community instruct the younger ones, teaching them how to build, heat, and use the smoke sauna. Our ancestors considered this sauna a sacred place, as it accompanied a person throughout their life – from conception and birth to the most significant events and departure from this world