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The singers of MeNaiset got acquainted with the Seto singing tradition thanks to the Estonian Anneli Kont-Rahtola, who taught the Seto singing for the folk music students at Sibelius Academy in the beginning of the 1990´s. The Seto country, situated in South-East Estonia (and partly on the Russian side of the border, too), is well-known for its unique, polyphonic singing tradition. Culturally the Seto country and the Setos were for long cut out from the rest of Estonia, as their Orthodox religion was looked down upon by the Lutheran majority. The Seto dialect differs greatly from standard Estonian. The Seto poetry is close to Kalevala meter, and the best Seto singers are able to improvise runes. The songs are performed in alteration between a foresinger and a choir. In addition to Seto tradition the MeNaiset ensemble has arrangements of other Estonian folk song in their repertoire.
Closer relationship with the Seto people, including almost mouth-to-mouth learning of Seto songs, the MeNaiset members have encountered in Värska, where the feast of Saint George, for whom the local church is dedicated, is celebrated in the beginning of May. The tradition includes not only visiting the church and participating the mass, but also remembering the dead on the graves as well as a feast called Kirmas, which is celebrated on a grass field in the middle of the village. There the MeNaiset singers have been able to infiltrate into the Seto choirs and thus, singing side by side, have learned a great deal of their singing style - including use of voice, the timbre, pronunciation and variation, as well as the local foresinger and choir singing tradition. In addition, the MeNaiset members have heard traditional song improvisation, something which they intend to study more in the future. The old Seto ladies have adopted the younger MeNaiset singers and accepted them, and fully express their support in carrying on Seto songs and singing tradition.
MeNaiset have performed in different parts of Estonia and sung together with such Seto choirs as Leiko and Leelonaase´. With Leelonaase´, MeNaiset has given a joint concert in Kohtaaminen (Meeting) concert at the Voices! happening in Helsinki (2000) as well as in Tartu, Estonia (2001). Leelonaase´ and MeNaiset have also co-operated with the Estonian rock band Ummamuudu (http://web.ibs.ee/ummamuudu/folk) by giving concerts both in Viljandi, Estonia (1997) and in Helsinki (1998).
