This year, the most detailed study yet of Seto language and culture was published: "Setomaa 3: Language and Modern Culture." Karl Pajusalu, an academic and University of Tartu professor of history and dialects of the Estonian language, helped compile the language section.

He describes Seto as "remarkably authentic and creative," though among young people it sometimes survives only as a kind of secret code.

Alongside its rich traditional heritage, a vibrant contemporary Seto culture has emerged, blending centuries-old customs with more modern ones.

Pajusalu explains that modern everyday speech in Southern Estonia, often heard in the media, blends historical Southern Estonian with today's standard Estonian.

"That historical Southern Estonian language, from which the modern Seto, Võro, Tartu and Mulgi dialects grew, was the first to branch off from the broader Baltic-Finnic language family," he said. "That makes it uniquely valuable, and it needs careful preservation and support to thrive."

For centuries, the Seto community lived largely isolated from the rest of Estonia, helping preserve linguistic features lost elsewhere. Pajusalu notes that studying Seto is also key to understanding the history of Baltic-Finnic languages more broadly. He also says the community's contemporary culture is worth studying, as it continues older Seto customs and practices in modern form.

"Setomaa 3" explores both language and culture in depth. Earlier volumes in the series focused on the region's nature and history. Pajusalu says the new volume aims to document contemporary Seto culture before even it fades in time. "It's already hard to find photos from the 1990s," he notes.

A living, creative language

The book offers the first systematic overview of Seto. Pajusalu notes it describes the phonology in detail, showing which sounds exist in the Seto language and how they combine into words.

Seto vocabulary is exceptionally rich, with tens of thousands of words, and speakers can create new words thanks to a still-living system of word formation once common in Finno-Ugric languages.

Suffixes in Seto add precise meaning to word stems, allowing dozens of nuanced words from a single root.

"We need to keep Seto alive and thriving so its unique linguistic creativity carries on into younger generations," the professor says.

Estonia's 2021 census counted just over 20,000 Seto speakers. Pajusalu estimates that only roughly a thousand people are actively involved in Seto cultural life and speak the language freely, with far fewer than that fully fluent. He warns that younger generations are increasingly shifting to standard Estonian.

"There are still middle-aged speakers who are quite fluent in Seto," he notes. "The situation is more concerning among the youngest, where the shift to standard Estonian is accelerating."

While prestigious among Setos and Estonia's cultural elite, the language still faces mixed perceptions nationwide. Pajusalu notes that old dismissive attitudes toward Setos persist, though growing international recognition of Seto folk culture now draws attention and even some envy.

"Seto musicians are respected performers worldwide, from Japan to the U.S.," he says, adding that Seto-themed cultural events have been held in several countries.

Contemporary culture vibrant and unique

The book's second half looks at modern Seto culture — starting in the 1990s — including its use in the media, from movies to the radio. Weekly radio programs exist, but are limited, Pajusalu says.

He recalls that a couple of decades ago, Seto culture actually had greater visibility in Estonian media, such as when Silvia Karro's TV show "Veere pääl" was still on the air.

Pajusalu emphasizes that contemporary Seto culture is alive and evolving. In recent years, Seto-language plays and literature have emerged, art camps have sprung up, and professional artists from Setomaa — both young and middle-aged — are making a name for themselves well beyond the historical Setomaa region.

By featuring artists and composers connected to Setomaa and Seto music, the book spans a century of cultural history.

"Seto is almost the only indigenous Estonian language that requires translation for a standard Estonian to understand," Pajusalu says.

Productions like this summer's smash hit Seto-language rock musical "Seto Odüsseia" have won widespread praise, but some audience members — even from Southern Estonia — called for more translation to follow along.

Setomaa's historical isolation from the rest of Estonia helped preserve the Setos' distinct identity. The region was part of the Russian Empire's Pskov Governorate for centuries, encouraging self-contained development.

Pajusalu compares the language's evolution to Latvia's Livonian, noting Seto has borrowed from neighbors but retained unique features, including some that have disappeared from other related languages.

Meanwhile, Nordic influences, like the idea of Seto Kingdom Days — adapted from Forest Finn tradition — have also been incorporated alongside older Slavic traces.

A handbook for generations

The "Setomaa" series targets multiple audiences. Pajusalu says its scientific accuracy gives it scholarly value, while Seto readers and community members can take pride in seeing their culture documented. The book includes extensive photos and illustrations, capturing community life at events like Seto Kingdom Days.

The project took roughly a decade and involved local contributors, those with Seto roots, language and cultural scholars, and the Seto Institute. International interest has been strong, with Finnish, Hungarian and Japanese researchers studying Seto and the Seto people.

Pajusalu calls the Seto language and culture "like precious gems appreciated around the world."

He encourages readers to explore the book gradually: browse photos, take in captivating names, faces and words, then read articles over time. He notes this isn't a book to be devoured in one sitting.

"To truly understand it all, it'd be best to keep this book at hand for at least a couple of years," he says. The work, he adds, will remain a valuable reference for anyone interested in Seto language and culture, providing context for even recent Seto-related news.

The volume was led by Seto Institute director Ahto Raudoja and managing editor Helen Alumäe, with support from Estonia's Ministry of Education and Research, the Estonian Research Council (ETAG), the Cultural Endowment of Estonia, the University of Tartu and local Setomaa institutions and residents.

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