Syttende Mai i Norge!

 Syttende Mai i Norge! (17th May in Norway)

Where better to be on 17th of May 2013 than in Norway celebrating their national day! What an experience! Ever since I arrived in Norway I have been hearing all about this special day, but nothing could have prepared me for this traditional and interesting phenomenon .

The morning of 17th May I wake up to a "Gratulerer med dagen" from my host family and immediately the exciting feeling of anticipation and new impressions rushed through the atmosphere! The dinning room table is set and decorated with a vase holding a blend of twigs with spurts of new green spring leaves, flowers including a beautiful red tulip and two Norwegian flags to top it off. We have a good breakfast with smiles all

around the table as we look forward to the busy day ahead. After breakfast Klara and Peter show me how to raise the huge Norwegian flag, something already done by all our proud neighbors. Next its time for the clothes! I put on the best clothes I can find and rush downstairs to see my family dressed in their traditional Norwegian clothing -Bunads- which date back many hundreds of years. Districts, provinces and even villages have their own design and style of the traditional Bunads which made it even more exciting to think of how many different ones I would be able to see even in this small town.

Once we were all ready to go we hit the road for a  day of interesting new things and lots and lots of people, actually the most I have seen in the same area at the same time since being in Norway! First we headed out to the closest town, Tvedestrand, where Emma and Klara participated in the main parade. Emma keeping the steady beat of the drums going in the brass band and Klara joining her school in the march. The parade was, as is tradition, centered around the children of the town. I watched as two men led the parade followed by 6 children holding huge Norwegian flags in two neat lines, I'm still wondering now how they managed to hold those flags up the whole parade, they looked so heavy! Next came the first of the many primary and kindergarten schools marching proudly with smaller- much more manageable - Norwegian flags waving wildly when they saw someone in the crowd they knew, which in this small place meant that the flags were waving constantly!
Each school had a few teachers that were scattered between the loud joyful children who were chanting various things about their school being the best and "HOORAY" for Norway! That was something I constantly heard during the day, "Hooray, Hooray!" Throughout the parade and the spectators lining the old stone streets, it was great seeing the many different Bunads, each one unique and special and I was amazed to hear Ellen pointing out where people came from, or at least their families came from, based solely on where the Bunads originated.

After the parade we headed to a little refreshment stand which was placed where the speeches for the national day were being held. The crowd was loud and upbeat, everyone on a high for the special day, the atmosphere was so enjoyable with the filled picnic tables on the green grass. I even felt the urge to stay and listen to the usually boring, long speeches which seemed somehow more interesting with the busy crowd. However, it wasn't long before we
had bought ice-creams from the little stand and were in the car and on our way back home to grab a quick lunch in between the celebrations. For lunch we had "pølse" - basically hotdogs- something that comes to mind when I think of typical Norwegian food as we had them many times during the cold winter. It was nice to sit and rest with the family but only lasted a short while before, once again, we were back in the

car, this time on the way to church for "Gudstjeneste" / God's service directly translated. At the old Norwegian church there I felt a different kind of atmosphere with many people for a change but now instead of loud joyfulness like earlier in the day, it was silent with only the priest chatting away. There was a choir of children - including Klara- who performed a few songs, Emma read the Bible verses of the day and the service was rapped up outside in the graveyard with a memorial speech for the soldiers who fought in World War 2.

At this point we were all tired of running around but the day was not over! We drove back to our home, Gjeving, and joined in a parade where everyone was involved not only children this time. We marched along the streets many with little Norwegian flags in hand, me being one of them. Of course noticing the Norwegian flag waving automatically in my hand gave me a kick as I realise this is not the usual SA or NZ flag I am used to! I am in Norway! Whoo hoo! With the enthusiasm from the chanting Risøy folkehøgskole students we marched all the way up to the bridge at the end of Gjeving and then up to the primary school grounds where more speeches were held and singing from the Risøy school after which we had headed to the hall where many different cakes, brownies and other sweet stuff were available. I don't think I have ever had so much sweet stuff in one day without it being a Birthday or Easter! 

There is a superb community feel to this gathering as neighbors sit together chatting and laughing away still saying "Gratulerer med dagen". Outside Games were held where you could win small prizes, Klara, Simon and I tried the typical try and knock down tins to win a chocolate,- I got it on my third and final try, another was walking on stilts, the others managed well, me not so much. We also tried a new game for me which is apparently a traditional game in Norway, throwing horse shoes to see how close you could get to a wooden stick in the ground. So a fun country feel was added to the little gathering.

Last, but definitely not least we went back home and joined our neighbors for some more cake, ice-cream and coffee. It was nice, almost as if going to Grandma and Grandpa at the end of a long and busy day. Once again the table showed that it was still 17th of May with the flagged table cloth and candles waxed in Norwegian colours, red, white and blue.

By the end of the long and impressive day, I was ready for a good nights sleep, and surprisingly I looked forward to having savory food the next day!