Paper short abstract:

My paper will look at the dynamics of national and religious solidarities during the post-Soviet transition in Estonian Tatar community, focusing on the different fractions in the community and the growing role of Estonian Muslim Congregation.

Paper long abstract:

In my paper, I will look at the recent history of Estonian Tatar community as an example of different basis for solidarity during the post-soviet transition period. Tatars have been a small, but recognizable minority at the Estonian territory since the 19th century. Many new Tatars came to Estonia during the Soviet period. There are some discrepancies between the "old Estonian Tatars" and "Soviet Tatars". The first group has by now integrated with Estonians and differentiate themselves from "Soviet Tatars" mainly on the basis of their origin, dialect and customs (the "old Estonian Tatars" mostly came from one specific region). In the end of 1980s and in 1990s the Tatar society was re-established and contacts with Tatars in Finland as well as Russia flourished. What kinds of solidarities and sensibilities have motivated the people, who actively organize and participate in the life of the local Tatar community? Recently, it seems that the Tatar society and public celebrations of Tatar festivals have remained important only for a small group of mainly elderly Tatars. However, Muslim festivals are celebrated by the Estonian Islamic congregation, which is a larger and more open community that unites Tatars and other traditionally Muslim minorities in Estonia as well as new converts. Thus, it can be suspected that the solidarity based on Tatar nationalist sensibilities has lost some importance, as religious Muslim identity is becoming a more important basis for solidarity.