by Midsummer 2014
Husband, youngest daughter and I enjoyed a wonderful Midsummer Fest at the Scandinavian Center today. This time we caught the raising of the Midsummer Pole, a delightful Swedish tradition.
Beautiful Swedish women in their ethnic dresses march around the field to music, carrying the long rope of birch leaves and large rings decorated with birch leaves and flowers.
Hearty strong Swedish men carry forth the birch-twined long and very heavy pole.
This man is preparing the hole for setting the pole. Gorgeous Swedish outfit! Meanwhile the women are placing the decorations on the top of the pole.
Up, up, up it goes!
Of course we enjoyed the many displays by each Nordic country. The highlight is always the extremely well-organized Viking Village that is built and inhabited by Reik Félag, a Norse Culture Recreation Society. (Here are some photos of it taken in a visit in 2009.)
It is interesting to read how differently countries around the world celebrate the solstice.
Happy Summer Solstice, Midsummer and Hauskaa Juhannusta!
June 21, 2014 in Culture, Current Events by Marja-Leena
It is indeed interesting, and thank you for the pictures. The odd thing is that, somewhat out of the blue, we invited two close friends to share an “Indian” with us on Midsummer’s, without at the time of inviting being aware of the chosen date. Something about the time just felt right.
Tom, by “Indian” you must mean the food for I know you are a good cook! The longer days are worth celebrating. I get woken very early, too early, by the light!
Marja-Leena: in Finnish Juhannussalko. I believe that the pole is raised also here somewhere in the Swedish-speaking Bothnian archipelago. And sure in Åland.
But in Finnish-speaking area that part of Midsummer is unknown. We have Midsummer fires, as well as we have Easter Saturday fires in inner Ostro-Bothnia, the province in the most narrow area of Gulf of Bothnia with city of Vaasa in Finnish side and city of Umeå in Swedish side.
Hauskaa Juhannusta! Midsummer-day was yesterday, but traditionally it should be 25th of June.
Kiitos for the Finnish name for the midsummer pole as I did not know it. This is the first time I’ve seen the raising.
Yes, Finland has both Swedish and Finnish areas and their slightly different traditions. The date for celebrating Juhannus seems rather flexible, usually attached to a weekend. This we discovered in 1983 when we travelled from Denmark to Sweden to Finland, experiencing local midsummer celebrations each night (described here, with a Danish bonfire photo here).
The bonfire celebration at the Scandinavian Centre was held last night though we did not attend. I remember a few rare times in Winnipeg where the small Finnish community got together for bonfires at a beach but my favourites have been those very few times in Finland, with family.
I just read that Finland had an unusually cold Juhannus this year.
That looks fun! It must be very special in Scandinavia at this time of year. We’ve had proper midsummer weather for once here too, June often seems to be chilly and disappointing.
We were lucky to have a glorious sunny day yesterday and today looks great too. It has been a mixed weather month, with early hot weather then changeable cool and rainy.
Oh, that does look like fun, indeed. Lovely day with leaves and strapping blond fellows and girls with fresh air bathing their heads–what could be better?
Marly, all the blondes and all the colourful national costumes really made it feel like I was in Scandinavia. Lots of happy children too.
I’m always equally happy to hear that immigrants have managed to keep their own traditions going on. So there was juhannuskokko in Friday night there? Fires are old, pagan anyway, I don’t know how old are the Swedish Midsummer pole-traditions.
I understand that they really differ from place to place. I assume that lots of books have been written on the subject, because it’s seasonal feast. Feast of light and fertility, all happening at the same time and grain harvest already growing: promises for next winter. It has been hard to survive.
Well still is, but maybe not so difficult.
I too am pleased to see the immigrant traditions continuing. Vancouver has many many ethnic groups and varied events, not just at midsummer. For example recently the Greek Days were held on a street temporarily closed to cars.
I thought the bonfire was last night (Saturday) according to our tickets yet the website implies Friday night because of the bands and dancing running ’til after midnight. Not our thing so I didn’t pay such close attention to it. It is indeed a pagan harvest and light festival. I used to fancy going to Stonehenge for it (but the crowds would drive me nuts).
How did you celebrate it this year?
It’s wonderful to see your photos of the people in their beautiful costumes and parts of the ceremony itself. Nurturing traditions, and making new ones too, is a good thing.
I agree with you that a visit to Stonehenge at Midsummer nowadays would probably be a little too crazy. Then again, if I had the opportunity I might just go.
Susan, I remember you had a dear Swedish friend. I wonder if she celebrated Midsummer in a similar fashion when living in North America. It’s not always easy if there are not many fellow immigrants from the home country. The Finnish group is not very large but since the Nordic countires joined together to form the Scandinavian Centre, there are more opportunities for these kind of traditional events. Beats going to Stonehenge!