The history of Estonia's Coastal Swedes dates back at least 1,000 years. Today, there are fewer than 1,000 Coastal Swedes left in this region. One, Jana Stahl, has spent years doing everything she can to preserve the unique culture and heritage of her ancestors and introduce it to others.

Stahl explained that the Coastal Swedish cultural region includes places that were inhabited by Swedes before World War II: Ruhnu, Vormsi, part of Hiiumaa, Noarootsi, Nõva, Vihterpalu, Osmussaar, the Pakri Islands and Naissaar.

Last year saw the publication of a book on Old Swedish folk costumes, an exhibition on Coastal Swedes at the Estonian National Museum (ERM), and an autumn fair introducing coastal Swedish culture.

"Coastal Swedish culture is currently undergoing a renaissance. This is the result of a new strategy that we began implementing about five years ago. The impact has been such that while previously, Vormsi did not even mention that it is a coastal Swedish island, today it proudly proclaims that fact," said Stahl.

According to Stahl, Coastal Swedish identity has strengthened significantly over the last five years. 

"It is important to point out that since most of our population settled in Sweden, subsequent generations have become 'Swedishized,' and so for them, this may be a world that is slowly disappearing," Stahl explained.

"It's great that the culture is coming back to Estonia, because this is where the story began. This is where all the stories, the landscape and the environment are. Maybe there aren't that many of us, but the most important thing is that the story continues, and we talk about it in such a way that we ourselves are at the center of that story."

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