Village swing

Village swing (Estonian: külakiik, Finnish: kyläkeinu, Võro: külähäll) is a large swing designed for multiple adults,^[1]: 14 traditionally built on village communal land,^[2] in Estonia and Finland.^[3][4] In Estonia this communal land is called külaplats (village square, conceptually the same as village green) or kiigeplats (swing square).

Jaanipäev (midsummer) celebrations are often held in communal areas with a village swing.

History

Village swing in Sadramõtsa, Võru County, Estonia in 1910

The practice of swinging has been with Estonian culture for a long time, its origin is not known.^[1]: 12 The prevalence of village swings was noted by Estophile August Wilhelm Hupel in 1781, stating "swings can be seen near almost every tavern and small village, often individual farms".^[3]: 1

In recent times, authorities have begun considering village swings to be a safety hazard.^[1]: 61 In 2013 the town government of Saue decided not to repair their swing because no companies were willing to accept liability in the event of damage.^[5]

Kiiking

Main article: Kiiking

The sport kiiking was invented in Estonia in 1993, where people compete for performing a full 360 rotation with a swing. The construction of kiiking swings is radically different from village swings, but shares the cultural underpinnings.^[4]