Winter, July 2004

 

A peerie wird fae da editor

 

Up-Helly-Aa is a distinctive Shetland festival which celebrates the community's Viking links and has developed into a cultural icon. It is a festival by the community for the community. Although fame of Lerwick's festival has spread and some folk outside Shetland visit especially to enjoy the spectacle, it remains primarily a festivity for locals.

 

Aspects of Up-Helly-Aa have, at times, featured in our Society's activities. As early as 1928 UpHelly-Aa was celebrated in style with a galley, Viking squad and Guizer Jad. The event was repeated for several years. 1972 saw a resurgence of Norse celebrations with the completion of a galley the Bregdi and the formation of a Viking squad. The galley and squad visited various shopping malls as a fundraising activity for charities. A Viking festival was held and the Viking Ball introduced. For our 75th celebration a galley was ceremonially burnt on the lagoon at Frank Kitts Park by a Viking squad which had paraded with flaming torches. They were accompanied by squads made up of other ethnic groups with whom the society had close links.

 

Other societies have also celebrated Up-HellyAa. The Shetland Society of Canterbury built a galley and held an Up-Helly-Aa celebration, a few years ago, with the galley being put to the torch on Sumner Beach. The Auckland Shetland Society has developed its own antipodean version which has become part of the society's activities.

 

These festivities are a tangible way to celebrate our distinctive Shetland identity. But no matter how much effort and enthusiasm goes into such activities they can never match the real event.

Up -Helly-Aa

The Up Helly Aa fire festivals of Shetland are indeed something special, with the Lerwick parade being the largest and most spectacular. With more than 900 torch-bearers, dragging a Viking galley through the streets to the site where it is ceremoniously burnt, followed by all night dancing and entertainment, being part of Up Helly Aa is an unforgettable experience. Although one internet site acclaims, "they are now famous world-wide" it is still unlikely that you will have heard about them unless you have a connection with Shetland.

History      

The origins of Up Helly Aa are unclear. The present festival grew from a tradition of dragging flaming tar barrels through the streets of Lerwick until it was outlawed in 1874. It's possible that the tar barrelling grew from even older yuletide celebrations. Old Yule, observed on the 5th of January, was the start of the celebrations, and the 24th day following was the final day. Known as Antonsmas or Up Helly Aa, it was a day of fire, feasting and merrymaking not too dissimilar to the present day festivities!

What is known is that in 1881 the first torchlight procession took place in Lerwick at Up Helly Aa. In 1882 a "Worthy Chief Guizer" was appointed and by 1886 he and his committee were responsible for the arrangements for the procession. In 1889 the first longship appeared and elements from Shetland's Norse heritage started to appear, including the concept of skilled workmanship and an elaborate form of disguise, known as "guizing". In 1908 the last Tuesday in January became recognised as Up Helly Aa day, and the day after became a public holiday in Lerwick - a tradition which (thankfully) still exists today.

By 1911 the Worthy Chief Guizer had became the Guizer Jarl, and one of the squads, dressed in Viking costumes looked so impressive that they were asked to lead the procession, the fore-runner of yet another part of today's Up Helly Aa tradition.

By then too, the Subscription Sheet, the Bill, and the Up Helly Aa songs were all part of the celebrations, as were the procession of squads led by the Guizer Jarl, and the galley burning. After the galley was burnt the squads of guizers would visit the "open" houses and halls. They were already well known for their stunts and turns, the beginnings of the way today's squads choose a theme, which often pokes fun at officialdom.

Up Helly Aa has never been cancelled because of the weather, which is quite remarkable given that it is held in the middle of winter when the weather can be notoriously unpleasant. But it has been cancelled, first on the occasion of Queen Victoria's death in 1901, and later through both the 1st and 2nd World Wars. Causing considerable controversy, it was also postponed for a week on the occasion of the death of Winston Churchill in 1965.

In 1921 the Jarl's squad was in Viking costume for the first time. and thereafter this became the recognised custom. And by 1923 there was concern that the festival was fast becoming too big as the number of guizers that year exceeded 300!

With the outbreak of the 2 nod World War there was a ten year lapse before Up Helly Aa was resumed again to brighten up the streets of Lerwick. Despite the break, the enthusiasm was enormous, with the 1949 parade featuring 49 squads and over 600 guizers! However in 1973, with the increase in population as the development of the oil industry took effect, there was a real concern that the numbers were becoming excessive, threatening to swamp the festival making it unworkable. A ruling was put into place, requiring a minimum of five years residency in Shetland before being eligible to participate as a guizer. This also had the effect of quietening the fears of many that Up Helly Aa was in danger of being lost to "incomers", and could escalate into becoming nothing more than a spectacle for tourists.

It is then followed by Up Helly Aa celebrations including Lerwick, Cullivoe, Nesting' and Girlsta, Northmavine, Bressay and finally Brae. Brae Up Helly Aa is traditionally the final one for the year.

Today's Festivals

 The first of the fire festivals held is the Scalloway Fire Festival (and it is the only festival known as a fire festival, rather than Up Helly Aa), usually in the second week in January.

By far and away the biggest of the festivals, the preparations for the Lerwick Up Helly Aa continue virtually year round. The planning and preparations are meticulous, with the three months leading up to the celebrations being extraordinarily busy and well organised. The galley is beautifully and lovingly crafted, the Subscription Sheet and the Bill prepared by hand, torches made, and costumes of increasing complexity and individuality designed and made.

For the Jarl’s squad, the last Tuesday in January is a long, long day. In the early hours of the morning the Bill is erected at the Market Cross. then the Galley is taken from the Galley Shed to the British Legion where the Jarl’s squad is already assembled.

Accompanied by the Lerwick Brass Band, the Jarl and his squad lead the Galley past cheering crowds towards the Alexandra Wharf where it will remain on show throughout the day. As the Galley is positioned at the wharf, the Guizer Jarl leads his squad along Commercial Street to the Market Cross, and then along the waterfront to the wharf. The squad position themselves in front of the Galley, and many photos later, they are led by the Lerwick Pipe Band to the Town Hall. At a reception hosted by the Convenor of the Shetland Island's Council the Jarl is traditionally given the freedom of the town of Lerwick. Following the reception the Jarl’s squad visits schools, hospitals and homes for, the elderly. And the day has -only just begun!

The celebrations also include the Junior festival - now coming up to it's 50" year of participation - when at 11 am the Junior Jarl leads his squad with their galley along the streets of Lerwick to Sound Primary School. The Junior Squad are the first to light up. Assembling at 5.15pm, they light up at 5.30pm and lead their galley through to the King George V Park where it is ceremoniously burnt.

At 6.50pm the squads of guizers muster,

After a six year break for the 1st World War, had Up Helly Aa not been so well established it may have well died along with so many of its young participants. But revive it did, and in  and shortly before 7.30pm the lights go out including all street and public lighting in the vicinity. On a given signal, red flares start the light up and within seconds the Hillhead is lit by a long line of torches. Led by the Jarl’s squad, the dramatic procession gets underway. Lines of guizers follow the galley, torches blazing and singing the Up Helly Aa song as they march through the streets to the park where the galley comes to rest. The guizers now circle the galley, and a stirring rendition of the Up Helly Aa songs follows. Then three cheers for Up Helly Aa and the torches are flung into the galley, which soon lights up the darkened sky as the flames shoot upwards. The precision and organisation of the whole parade is superb as it has to be with so many taking part.

From there, the guizers now prepare themselves for the round of visits to the halls in Lerwick. Already prepared by their hosts and hostesses, the halls are ready as groups of squads perform their acts. The squads usually arrive in groups of three, and following the acts there is a dance, a chance to chat and then they are on their way to the next hall.

There is always a specially enthusiastic welcome for the Jarl’s squad, who will continue the rounds of the halls along with the other squads. This continues all night until the final group depart (usually about breakfast time) and the weary revellers wend their way home for some sleep.

But it's not all over for the Jarl’s squad, as traditionally they continue their visits on Wednesday, ending the evening doing a round of visits to all the clubs in Lerwick. In the days to come, there will continue to be other engagements when the squad will assemble, and in the past these have included invitations to take part in celebrations in other parts of Scotland and Europe as well as Shetland.

Like any enduring festival or event, Up Helly Aa has developed and changed over the years. It is now the largest festival of its kind in Britain, but it remains very much a festival for Shetlanders by Shetlanders. The growth and strength of these celebrations all over Shetland means that the tradition of Up Helly Aa is close to the hearts of all Shetlanders, and remains with them forever.