TERVES KEHAS – EESTI VAIM
mens sana – in corpore sano
First presented to Seedrioru in 1960 and inspired by the regimental banners of the Estonian Defence Forces, the Seedrioru Cross Flag has long stood as a symbol of community, heritage, and Estonian spirit in Canada.
Today, the Seedrioru flag represents more than history — it represents belonging. It flies where generations gather, volunteer, celebrate, and keep Estonian culture alive.
Seedrioru Cross Flag — $70.00 each (e-transfer: $70, online via Square: $72.50)
Orders due by May 31, 2026 for Suvihari pick-up in the main hall.
(If you already submitted an order through Uno Tiisler – you do not need to reorder, but follow up with him at lease@seedrioru.com regarding your preference between grommets or a pole pocket)
Order is complete ONLY once full payment has been made via e-transfer to treasurer@seedrioru.com or online via Square account.
Flag Details:
- 152 cm x 91 cm (approx. 5′ x 3′)
- Options: Grommets or Pole Pocket (8 cm wide / approx 3″ wide) (pole not included)
- Tricot Fabric – fade resistant, made for outdoor use
Questions: please email info@seedrioru.com
NOTE: We will not carry any stock of this item. Only available through pre-orders.
AJALUGU / HISTORY
Seedrioru lipu kohta Seedrioru 1955-1980 ajaloo raamatust / Seedrioru flag history from the book Seedrioru 1955–1980
SINI-MUST-VALGE SEEDRIORUL
Aastast 1972 peale on Seedriorul nähtud sini-must-valget lehvimas teistsugusel kujul – mustade äärtega valget risti sinisel põhjal. Vähestel on teada, et samakujuline lipp on lehvinud esmakordselt 23-dal aprillil 1922, seega selle vanus praegu 58 aastat.
Eesti rahvus- ja riigilipu saamise lugu on põhjalikult käsitanud Dr.jur. Artur Taska (Eesti Üliõpilaste Seltsi Vanematekogu Kirjastus, Toronto, 1971). Sellest nähtub, et kõikidest esitatud lipukavanditest ristikujuline sini-must-valge riigilipu kavand oli lõpuks leidnud aprillis 1921 ministeeriumide vahelisel nõupidamisel poolehoidu, kuid sinna ta seisma jäi. Riigikogu kinnitas riigilipuks traditsioonilise sini-must-valge värvikolmiku 27. juunil 1922.
Kuid 1920/21 aastail oli ajakirjanduses ja rahva hulgas väga elav poleemika lipukavandite kohta, eriti aga noorte hulgas. Noorus oli traditsioonidevaba ja mõjustatud uutest vooludest. Oldi anglofiilid, skandofiilid või siis fenno-ugrilased, pilgud olid suunatud läände, trikoloorikujulised lipud aga meenutasid slaaviat või germaaniat, milledest äsja oli vabanetud ja mida taheti unustada.
Jüripäeval 1922 oli Tartus skautide maleva paraad. Sel korral demonstreeriti sini-must-valget ristikujulist lippu. Olid kolm lippu skaudikeppide küljes. Kes seda korraldas või miks, ei ole läinud korda kindlaks teha. Võib ainult oletada, et oli tahe seda lippu propageerida.
Nii siis on Seedriorul see lipp uuesti elustatud.
Sihtasutusel oli vaja organisatsiooni lippu, miks siis mitte elustada seda mis juba kord olnud ja heakskiitu leidnud. 2. juulil 1960 annetati Seedriorule tema 5-dal aastapäeval Sihtasutuse lipp. Lipu tegijad on püüdnud kujundamisel matkida Eesti Vabariigi Kaitseväe rügemendilippe. Nii on ühel küljel sini-must-valge ristikujulisena, teine külg aga valge, Seedrioru embleemiga (Heino Jõe looming) ja lipukiri TERVES KEHAS – EESTI VAIM, mis on muidugi plagieeritud ladinakeelsest ,,mens sana – in corpore sano”.
1972. aastal telliti tööstuslikult valmistatud mastilipud, mis sellest ajast kasu- tusel. Eesti sini-must-valge värvikolmik on nüüd ainsana ja võõrastest lippudest segamata, aukohal mälestussamba väljakul liputornis, mis oligi kõrvalsihiks ristlipu elustajatel.
Kas ja kus on maailmas kohti, kuut vakamaad oma maad, kus EESTI LIPP võib ainuõiguslikuna lehvida?!
BLUE-BLACK-WHITE AT SEEDRIORU
Since 1972, a blue-black-white flag has been seen flying at Seedrioru in a different form — a white cross with black borders on a blue background. Few people know that a flag of this same design was first flown on April 23, 1922, making it 58 years old at the time.
The history of how Estonia’s national and state flag came to be has been thoroughly covered by Dr. jur. Artur Taska (published by the Council of Elders of the Estonian Students’ Society, Toronto, 1971). It appears from this work that among all submitted flag designs, a cross-shaped blue-black-white state flag ultimately gained support at an inter-ministerial meeting in April 1921, but the idea did not progress further. On June 27, 1922, the Riigikogu officially confirmed the traditional blue-black-white tricolor as the national flag.
However, in 1920–21 there was lively public debate in the press and among the people regarding flag designs, especially among the youth. Young people were free from tradition and influenced by new movements. Some were Anglophiles, others Scandinavophiles or Finno-Ugric-minded; their gaze was directed westward. Tricolor flags, on the other hand, reminded them of Slavic or Germanic influences, from which they had only recently broken free and wished to forget.
On St. George’s Day (April 23) in 1922, a Scout troop parade took place in Tartu. On that occasion, the blue-black-white cross flag was displayed. There were three such flags mounted on scout staffs. It has not been possible to determine who organized this or why, but it may be assumed that there was a desire to promote this version of the flag.
Thus, this flag has been revived at Seedrioru.
The Foundation required an organizational flag, so why not revive one that had already existed and once gained approval? On July 2, 1960, on the occasion of its 5th anniversary, Seedrioru was presented with its Foundation flag. The designers sought to model it after the regimental flags of the Estonian Defence Forces. One side features the blue-black-white in a cross design, while the other side is white, bearing the Seedrioru emblem (a creation by Heino Jõe) and the motto: “TERVES KEHAS – EESTI VAIM “ “A sound mind in a healthy body” (“Mens sana in corpore sano”).
In 1972, industrially manufactured mast flags were commissioned and have been in use since then. The Estonian blue-black-white tricolor now stands alone, without the presence of foreign flags, in a place of honor at the memorial square’s flag tower — which was, in fact, one of the secondary aims of those who revived the cross flag.
Are there many places in the world — even a small patch of land — where the Estonian flag may fly exclusively and with full right?