Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 13
Scandinavia
celebrates the
summer solstice
with all-night
parties filled with
family, friends,
fter a long winter, the arrival of summer
in Scandinavia is marked with great joy
and tradition-especially when the sun
reaches its peak in June and stays out for
nearly 24 hours. Midsummer, also known as St.
Hans Day, Sankthans or Jonsok, is a day filled with
romance and magic.
The celebration of the summer solstice is an
food and music.
BY ELIZABETH SCHANCHE LINGJÆRDE
ancient practice, dating back to pre-Christian times.
The name St. Hans derives from Danish, and is a
tribute to John the Baptist, the night before his
supposed birthday. Midsummer's Eve, June 23, is
both a Christian holiday and a pagan feast to mark
the turning of the sun with customs and rituals
associated with nature and the hope for a good
harvest in the fall.
The pagan feast can be traced back to the
Norse era, and lasted for 28 days. It involved a
lot of dancing, eating and drinking. During the
reformation in the 14th century, the church disliked
the celebrations, which they considered immoral.
The tradition weakened, except in the countries
of Sweden, Finland, Estonia and Latvia, which still
have a stronger midsummer night feast culture
than Norway.
But Norwegians never pass up a chance to
celebrate-especially when it comes to the
combination of sun, summer and sea. Some people
flock to the coasts and gather with friends and
family around huge bonfires. In certain towns, the
bonfires are organized as a public event, and may
include traditional music and fun for the kids.
Big Bonfires
In ancient times, bonfires were lit to protect against
evil spirits. The fire would prevent the witches from
making a stopover on their way to Bloksberg, the
mythical place where witches from all over gather a
few times a year. The larger the fire, the more fields
will be blessed with its good spirits. And nowadays,
those large bonfires are setting records.
Ålesund is not only famous for its jugendstilstyle
architecture, but also for its 30-meter bonfire
at the Slinning peninsula. In 2010, the town's
bonfire, made from wooden pallets and crates,
reached more than 40 meters high and set a
world record. In Laksevåg, Bergen, one of the
most famous bonfires was made with barrels and
prepared up to a year in advance.
sonsofnorway.com VIKING JUNE 2015 13
PHOTO BY JOHAN BERGE / VISITNORWAY.COM
http://www.VISITNORWAY.COM
http://www.sonsofnorway.com
Viking Magazine - June 2015
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Viking Magazine - June 2015
Contents
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - Cover1
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - Cover2
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - Contents
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 4
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 5
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 6
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 7
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 8
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 9
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 10
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 11
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 12
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 13
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 14
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 15
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 16
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 17
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 18
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 19
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 20
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 21
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 22
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 23
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 24
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 25
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 26
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 27
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 28
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 29
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 30
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 31
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 32
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 33
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 34
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 35
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 36
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 37
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 38
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 39
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 40
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 41
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 42
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 43
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 44
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 45
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - 46
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - Cover3
Viking Magazine - June 2015 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-jul-aug-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/may-jun-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-mar-apr-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-jan-feb-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-nov-dec-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-sep-oct-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-jul-aug-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-may-jun-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-mar-apr-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-november-2011
https://www.nxtbook.com/greenspringmedia/viking/viking-magazine-jan-feb-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202212
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202211
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202210
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202209
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202208
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202207
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202206
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202205
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202204
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202203
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202202
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202201
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202112
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202111
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202110
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202109
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202108
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202107
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202106
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202105
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202104
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202103
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202102
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202101
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202012
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202011
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202010
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202009
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202008
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202007
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202006
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202005
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202004
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202003
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202002
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/202001
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201912
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201911
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201910
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201909
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201908
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201907
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201906
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201905
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201904
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201903
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201902
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201901
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201812
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201811
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201810
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201809
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201808
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201807
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201806
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201805
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201804
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201803
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201802
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201801
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201712
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201711
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201710
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201709
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201708
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201707
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201706
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201705
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201704
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201703
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201702
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201701
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201612
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201611
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201610
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201609
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201608
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201607
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201606
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201605
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201604
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201603
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201602
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201601
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201512
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201511
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201510
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201509
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201508
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201507
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201506
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201505
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201504
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201503
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201502
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201501
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201412
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201411
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201410
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201409
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201408
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201407
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/201001
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/200912
https://www.nxtbook.com/mspc/viking/200911
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com