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Marfeldt Photography

Famous life · 1920

The 'jumpers' of Piila

Piila „hüppajad“

Early in 1920 a correspondent wrote from Piila in Saaremaa that the so-called 'jumpers' had begun holding their meetings there. The jumpers and 'shakers' were revival groups whose worship ran to ecstatic leaping and trembling, a movement that had swept the western islands since the nineteenth century. What scandalised the writer was that the preachers were lads of 17 or 18 who, he said, could not put a sentence together. He called the worshippers nervously ill and suggested they be taken to a doctor before the 'illness' spread further. Piila is a small village north of Kuressaare.

Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today

Eesti keeles

1920. aasta alguses kirjutati Saaremaalt Piilast, et seal on oma koosolekuid hakanud pidama niinimetatud „hüppajad“. Hüppajad ja „värisejad“ olid ärkamisliikumise rühmad, kelle jumalateenistusse kuulusid vaimustuses hüppamine ja värisemine; liikumine oli lääne saari haaranud juba 19. sajandist. Kirjutajat pahandas eriti see, et ettelugejad olid 17–18-aastased poisikesed, kes tema sõnul ei osanud ühtki lauset õieti välja öelda. Ta pidas osalisi närvihaigeteks ja soovitas nad arsti juurde viia, enne kui „haigus“ edasi levib. Piila on väike küla Kuressaarest põhjas.

Map of the area around The 'jumpers' of Piila
58.42150° N, 22.55860° E · Map: Maa- ja Ruumiamet

Source: Tallinna Teataja, 11 February 1920, p. 6 (DIGAR) ↗

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