Trunk of a dried up and broken sacred grove tree (diameter ca 1,5 m, height 8 m) is lying on the ground, surrounded by young trees, on a grassland.
Narrative
The Võlla sacred grove oak is the last tree in an old grove. Conquerors centuries ago were said to have hanged resisters from this tree. Estonia’s sacred groves Sacred groves (hiied) are the oldest nature reserves in Estonia, preserved from development out of respect for the forces of nature and ancestors and used as a wellspring of vitality. Estonia has close to 600 known sacred groves or grove-like sites. The area of a sacred grove can span 100 ha and often it can encompass sacred springs, stones, and festive and funeral sites. The sacred grove was used for prayer, offerings, councils, healing, celebration of days on the folk calendar by people in at least one village. The principle of non-violence to people, animals and plants is paramount in the sacred grove. People visit the sacred grove in a clean and sober state and domesticated animals and pets are kept away. Over the centuries, foreign overlords have attempted to destroy and occupy the indigenous sanctuaries to break the people’s spirit of resistance and sense of self-worth. In spite of this, many shrines survived.
