The Votians live in the North-West of Russia, where the River Luga flows into the Gulf of Finland. Fishing has always been the main source of income for the Votians, smoked fish is their favorite national dish. Their language, Votic or Votian, closely related to Estonian, is spoken only in Krakolye and Luzhitsy, two villages in the Kingisepp district, and there are only 62 speakers left. Every summer, the Votians celebrate the Luzhitsy bounty, the festival of the Votian people. The girls go into the woods with beautiful pine baskets to collect medicinal leaves for tea while the children make a Votian goblin out of straw for the festival.

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