Notes from Kihnu

The women of Kihnu do everything from building houses, farming and repairing to governing and manning (or “womanning”) the island’s iconic lighthouse

The Kihnu Virve is a rather unusual ferry boat for two reasons. For one, its gleaming, white hull is adorned with vivid blue tribal symbols that belong to the tiny community of 700 or so indigenous Kihnu people. They’re the original inhabitants of the eponymous Kihnu island, located off the west coast of Estonia. A place where the waters of the Baltic Sea are surprisingly calm and shallow. But most importantly, the ferry is named in honour of one of Estonia’s living legends — Virve Koster, a 93-year-old folk singer who also happens to be one of the Kihnu people. This community is so distinct that UNESCO recognised its culture as part of the ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’ in 2008, and it’s widely believed to be Europe’s last matriarchy — of which Koster is the uncrowned queen!