Up Helly Aa

The festival Up Helly Aa is next to the Shetland Folk Festival, the annual culmination of traditional customs in the Shetland Islands. Always on the last Tuesday in January, a whole day is long dressing up, fire spectacle, drink and party - similar to the Rhenish Carnival Monday - dedicated.

Sequence of events

On the morning of the 24th day after Christmas, the adventurous clad men of the Jarl - retinue appear in the city center, visiting hospitals and schools. This is finally the secret is out, what heroic figure of the Nordic legends has chosen to embody, this year's Jarl actor.

Basic social

The Up Helly Aa has grown over the years to the largest festival in the Shetland Islands. Many thousands of locals and tourists come here especially for the celebrations at this regional festival the Scandinavian heritage.

The 39 -year-old Island Ferry employees Peter Fraser, who held the honorary office on 25 January 2005, was the way chosen in 1991 for the role of Guizer Jarl. After 14 years of hands- resistant employees he could now take the leading role that will secure him on the islands lifelong notoriety.

History

Ethnographic comparisons

For European Ethnology, also called folklore, it is one of the best known seasonal folk customs that the " winter spirits " must be expelled. Even in rural Central Europe, the young men of the village are often the most active. In some places in the village, there are conservative Germany to the present day are so-called fraternities, groups of male offspring who organize such traditions while having fun by the prank.

A community experience to group around bonfires, which is also well known from the custom of the Easter fire and from Midsummer, the celebration of the summer solstice.

A social regional major incident such as Up Helly Aa has the analogy to what we usually do Europeans to New Year's Eve, the most resemblance to the Rhenish Carnival Monday in Cologne or Dusseldorf. Here, as there is a long preparatory organization which, organized a big procession at the peak and then partied until dawn.

That such a traditional festival can also be used to scolding authority to the local mayors and " top dogs ", both from rural contexts familiar to and from the Alemannic carnival. In the Shetland Islands currently find these developments in remote small towns rather than increased.