Viking Magazine - Jul/Aug 2023 - 21

speAking norn
Viking culture led to many changes in Orkney. For example, the Indigenous
language and original placenames were eventually replaced with Old Norse.
The result? A new dialect called Norn, spoken only in Orkney. While the
dialect was widely used during that time, it's all but extinct now with very few
written examples remaining.
A copy of " The Lord's Prayer " , recorded by James Wallace in his book " An
Account of the Islands of Orkney " around the 1690s, is some of the only
known text in Orkney Norn:
Favor i ir i chimrie,
He� eur ir i nam thite,
gi� a cosdum thite cumma,
veya thine mota vara gort
o yurn sinna gort i chimrie,
ga vus da on da dalight brow vora
Firgive vus sinna vora
sin vee Firgive sindara mutha vus,
yv vus ye i tumtation,l
min delivera vus fro olt ilt, Amen.
or On sa meteth vera.
Our father in heaven,
ha� owed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your wi� be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil. Amen.
or And so may it be.
he answered at an early age (or so
the story's told). After joining the
trading vessel known as " The Caroline, "
he traveled the seas and
embraced a sailor's life... that is until
the crew mutinied. The ship was
renamed " The Revenge, " and Gow
was elected captain, thus beginning
his pirate career. Following years
of skullduggery, he eventually met
his end on the Orkney gallows after
being found guilty of piracy. Recently,
the highest honor a pirate can receive
was given to Gow-a local brand of
rum was named after him. J. Gow
Rum is produced in Scotland on
Lam Holm, an island connected to
Mainland by a causeway.
Other famous faces of Orkney are
known for much more admirable
feats. Florene Marian McNeill was
a folklorist, author, suffragist and
political activist born in Holm, Orkney.
She's known for " The Silver Bough, "
@sonsofnorway
a four-volume collection of studies
on Scottish folklore. Her political
prowess led to a position as an organizer
for the Scottish Federation of
Women's Suffrage and as one of four
founding members of the Scottish
National Party.
Along with Vikings, pirates, activists
 e EArl's pAlAce
and authors, Orkney was also home
to a saint. St. Magnus Erlendsson
started out as the joint earl of Orkney
with his cousin Håkon before King
Magnus Barelegs of Norway took over.
At one point, King Magnus had Håkon
and Magnus join him on a Viking raid
to Anglesey in Wales. Magnus's pious
nature led to him refusing to fi ght, and
he was labeled a coward. Magnus fl ed
to Scotland before eventually returning
to Orkney around 1105 and being
reinstated as joint Earl with Håkon.
Unfortunately, it wasn't long before a
civil war between his and Håkon's followers
led to Magnus's death. Around
the 12th century, Bishop William of
Orkney canonized Magnus (this was
before Pope Alexander III had created
canonical procedures), deeming him
St. Magnus, also known as Magnus
the Martyr. St. Magnus Church was
erected in his honor in 1137 and is
located in Kirkwall on Mainland.
The rolling green hillsides and
ancient architecture make Orkney
one of the prime jewels in Norway's
crown of history. These storied
islands allow us to peer into the past
and learn about the lives of Norwegian
ancestors.
Jul/Aug 2023
21
Viking Magazine - Jul/Aug 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - Jul/Aug 2023
