Arbujad was the collective name for a loose group of eight Estonian

Estonians

Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...

  poets

Poetry

Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...

, which represented a new direction in Estonian poetry before the outbreak of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

.

Members

The literary group included the young Estonian poets Betti Alver

Betti Alver

Betti Alver was the pseudonym of Elisabet Lepik-Talvik, one of Estonia's most notable poets. She was among the first generation to be educated in schools of an independent Estonia. She went to grammar school in Tartu.- Writing :She began as a prose writer...

, Bernard Kangro

Bernard Kangro

Bernard Kangro was an Estonian writer and poet.-Education:...

, Uku Masing

Uku Masing

Uku Masing was an Estonian philosopher, translator, theologist and folklorist. He developed Estonian analytical philosophy. Masing also wrote poetry, mostly on religious issues...

, Kersti Merilaas

Kersti Merilaas

Kersti Merilaas was an Estonian poet and translator. In addition, she wrote poems and prose for children and plays.-Life and work:...

, Mart Raud

Mart Raud

Mart Raud was an Estonian poet, playwright and writer.-History:Mart Raud attended the village school in Heimtali and the parish schools in Paistu and Viljandi. Later he attended the University of Tartu studying literature. In the 1920s, Raud joined the literary movement Arbujad...

, August Sang

August Sang

August Sang was an Estonian poet and literary translator.- Life and work :August Sang graduated from high school in Pärnu in 1932. After his military service he studied from 1934 to 1942 at the Philosophical Faculty of the University of Tartu...

, Heiti Talvik

Heiti Talvik

Heiti Talvik was an Estonian poet.- Life and literary career :...

 and Paul Viiding

Paul Viiding

Paul Viiding was an Estonian poet, author and literary critic.Born in Valga, Estonia, he graduated with a degree in mathematics in Tartu before pursuing a career as an author and poet. He was a member of the influential group of Estonian poets brought together in 1938 by literary scholar Ants Oras...

, all born between 1904 to 1914. Most of them came from the student association Veljesto, which was active at the University of Tartu

University of Tartu

The University of Tartu is a classical university in the city of Tartu, Estonia. University of Tartu is the national university of Estonia; it is the biggest and highest-ranked university in Estonia...

.

Program

The name Arbujad comes from the title of an anthology of poems published by Ants Oras

Ants Oras

Ants Oras was an Estonian translator and writer.Oras studied at Tartu University, graduating with a Master of Philosophy degree in 1923. He also obtained a Bachelor of Literature degree from Oxford University.From 1928 through 1934, he was a lecturer at both Tartu and Helsinki University...

 in 1938 titled "Arbujad. Valimik uusimat eesti lüürikat" ("Shamen. A selection of the latest Estonian Poetry"). While group's poetic works tended to be eclectic, there was a common desire among members to reach a deeper intellectual and emotional plane. The poets were for the freedom and independence of the people while being against ideological coercion and totalitarian concepts.

Significance

The Soviet occupation of Estonia two years after the publication of Oras' anthology abruptly ended this period of Estonian poetry. The Arbujad however had great influence upon a new generation of Estonian poets.