Estonian amateur photographer Epp Libe was awarded the €1300 Grand Prize of the ninth International Sacred Groves Photography Contest for her photo of a sacred spring on Vormsi Island. The winning photograph is an enchanting capture of the algae-covered spring, a place for healing and making offerings, a picture which invites us to dive into the secrets of ancient sacred sites.

The €300 prize for Ural Peoples was awarded to “Sacred grove of Keremet vös”, a photo by Udmurt sacred sites researcher Vladimir Kapitonov. The winning picture depicts an ancient pine grove to which locals still come to pray.

The €200 Youth Prize went to Eeva Helga Kupits, 14, whose photo depicts a grove site on Estonia’s Saaremaa island.

A total of 20 prizes are awarded to participants, including special awards for global view, islands, nature and heritage protection, as well as various other categories. The awards include cash prizes as well as a horse-back riding trip, a smoke sauna session, tickets to concerts and workshops, books, etc.

All winning photographs are available at: http://www.maavald.ee/en/news/5093-hiite-kuvavoistluse-voitjad

A total of 170 photographers submitted more than 700 photos to the competition. The youngest participant was 4 and the oldest 82 years old, with skill levels ranging from beginner to world-class. The photos show sacred sites from 31 countries in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the Americas.

The jury consisted of nature photographer Arne Ader, reporter Helen Arusoo, artist Elo Liiv and anthropologist Svetlana Karm from the Estonian National Museum. Patron of the Sacred Groves Photography Contest is Tõnis Lukas, Director General of the Estonian National Museum.

The aim of the Sacred Groves Photography Contest is to appreciate and record historical natural sacred sites and the natural and cultural heritage surrounding them, and to encourage the public to visit the sites. The competition is organised by the Tartu University Centre for Natural Sacred Sites, Hiite Maja Foundation and Maavalla Koda. The next Sacred Groves Photography Contest will be held in 2017.

Winners will be awarded in the new Estonian National Museum Building in Tartu on 3 December 2016 at 13.00.

Our supporters are: Wiedemanni Translation Bureau, the Kindred Peoples Programme, Eesti Kultuurkapital, Kehrwieder, the Estonian Folklore Archives of the Estonian Literature Museum, the Estonian National Museum, Võro Instituut, Mulgi Kultuuri Instituut, the Võrtsjärve Foundation, Uma Leht, Tihuse Riding-Farm, the Estonian Folklore Council, the Heritage Protection Board, the Environmental Board, Jõgeva County Government, the Estonian Traditional Music Centre, the Krautman Health and Massage Academy, Harmoonikum, Viru Folk, Roheliste Rattaretk, Nature Photo of the Year, Pegasus Press, the School of Traditional Knowledge and Folk Medicine, Mooska Farm, Tagavälja Farm, the Kalevipoja Koda Foundation, the Estonian Printing Museum, Siniallika Inn, Pühaste Brewery, the Hea Lugu publishing house, Farmi Dairy Industries and the LÜÜ-TÜRR Men’s Folkloric Song Ensemble.

Sacred Groves Photography Contest 2016 all photos:
http://www.maavald.ee/en/image-contests/2016