30th April, ‘Valborgsmässoafton’ or simply 'Valborg' in Swedish (=Walpurgis Night in English), is traditionally celebrated with welcoming of Spring rituals here; followed by 1st May, which is Labour Day and a national holiday (bank holiday).
'Valborg' celebrations often involve gatherings around bonfires in the evening, with choirs singing traditional spring songs (a cappella), and some local celebrity giving a speech.
In towns/cities that offer a technology program at colleges or upper secondary schools, it is also common for those students to arrange a parade (called cortège) through town, displaying more or less "crazy" home-made vehicles and costumes and posters etc; often referring to (and mocking) recent events - whether local, national or world wide. The most famous cortège is held by Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg; but here in Borås, our upper secondary school technology students also have their own, which I understand also goes back quite a long way.
If this sounds vaguely familiar to you, I also blogged about it last year, in a similar post to this one. But this year we again had lovely spring weather for Valborg, so I decided to go and have a look when they started out from the school (which is only some 15 minutes walk from where I live).
Spectators were already lining the pedestrian/cycle path where the cortège would be passing. Some of us (me included) preferred to keep our distance and just watch from up on the cemetery hill across the street, though.
I made no attempt this year either to follow the cortége into the city centre. For my own part I was quite content to just turn around and go for a quiet walk back home, across two peaceful old cemeteries.
Looks like they are all having fun. I enlarged to get a better look. And your nature shots are so lovely. The tulips on either side of the little walkway at the tombstone are so lovely, I have not seen a grave like this. this person must have been really beloved.
ReplyDeleteGinny, that cemetery goes back to the early 1800s and has a lot of big monuments. Some of the graves may still be "inherited" and cared for within the same family, while others have been reused. The name on that headstone (with the addition "family grave") is a very common one and really gives no clue.
DeleteValborg in Borås sounds delightful, with beautiful spring weather setting the perfect scene for bonfires, traditional songs, and the spirited student cortège that brings the community together in celebration.
ReplyDeleteRo, as with so many traditions, there are things we just "do" because it's been done that way for generations... :)
DeleteI hope you didn't step on any of the "sleeping" people when you walked home through the two cemeteries.
ReplyDeleteYP, at least no one rose to complain - neither that day, nor any of all the other times I've been walking there...
DeleteLovely photos. Looks like a wonderful time.
ReplyDeleteThanks Linda - and thanks for visiting and commenting. (I'm not sure if our paths have crossed before?)
DeleteWhat a good celebration.
ReplyDeleteTerra, not really in touch with the school world myself nowadays I usually don't get one iota of the various "displays" in the cortège... But it's tradition... ;-)
DeleteIt was a lovely day for a celebration. So much work goes into the preparations.
ReplyDeleteJanice, yes, no doubt the "kids" put a lot of creative effort into it :)
DeleteThey had perfect weather for their parade, as did everyone who celebrated outdoors.
ReplyDeleteHere at the village, some people with large allotments have a bonfire on Walpurgisnacht, and friends and family attend, bringing their own food and drink. It can get a bit rowdy when there are many young people and a lot of alcohol involved, but it is far enough from the village not to bother us.
Meike, it's the same here with young people and alcohol on these occasions. So no doubt a busy evening/night for the police. But no "major" incidents this year, I think (as in causing big headlines).
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