Valborg
INTRO
Valborgsmässoafton, most often called Valborg from the shortened form of the longer word, is known in English as Walpurgis Night, and is an important Swedish tradition marking the beginning of spring. Valborg is celebrated on the 30th of April. "The first of May is a great popular festival in the more midland and southern parts of Sweden. On the eve of the festival, huge bonfires, which should be lighted by striking two flints together, blaze on all the hills and knolls."
Valborgsmässoafton might be translated as “St. Walburga’s Mass eve”. The name “Walpurgis” derives from Saint Walburga or Walpurga, an 8th-century Dumnonian Christian missionary. Dumnonia was a Brythonic (a language group of Celtic derived tongues) kingdom existent in post-Roman Britain in the late 4th and late 8th centuries AD in the more westerly parts of present-day England. The history is that she was an English princess (or an abbess) and was called to Germany to convert the Germans. In the year 870 she was made a saint and during medieval times a cult developed around her. This cult believed that in order to protect themselves from witches and witchcraft people needed to light bonfires. In Sweden, people believed the night between April 30th and May 1st was magical and witches and other malignant beings appeared to meet the Devil. Thus, they lit bonfires (majbrasor or “May fires”) and made noises to try and scare the evil beings away. Nowadays, in a less suspicious time, Swedes celebrate Valborg as a way to welcome spring. The day also happens to fall on the same day as King Carl XVI Gustaf’s birthday, which is a celebration in itself. Some places have fireworks (fyrverkerier). Once the bonfire is lit, it is traditional for a men’s choir (manskör) to sing traditional songs about the spring and for someone to give a speech.
Since the Middle Ages, together with Midsommar, Valborgsmässoafton has been celebrated in Sweden. It is one of two Swedish holidays which still resemble their pre-Christian origins. Walpurga’s saint’s day is May 1st when a mass would be said to commemorate the saint and ask her intercession and therefore the “eve” would be the evening before (ref. iii). During the Middle Ages, the administrative year ended April 30th. This was a day of festivity among the merchants of the town. In addition, Valborg marks the arrival of spring. The forms of celebration vary in the different parts of the country. In Southern Sweden, an older tradition was for young people to collect greenery and twigs from the woods at dusk. These would adorn the houses of the village and they would be rewarded for this task to be paid in eggs
The celebrations of Valborgsmässoafton are public events not family occasions. Many municipalities organize the construction of bonfires. These can be enormous with large crowds and a carnival-like atmosphere. There can be long speeches by local dignitaries. More congenial are the bonfires next to the water in small villages and hamlets where there could be an almost spiritual feel to the gathering. At local events a gubbe (an elderly Swedish man) will move the crowd into singing with some Swedish folksongs. The Swedes, perhaps nursing a Valborg beer (an actual brand name) enjoy singing along as they dream of springtime’s arrival. Celebrating Valborg might be considered as having two variants of the tradition, one by the students and one by the townspeople.
Students
At universities like Uppsala and Lund, students, graduates, and alums gather on April 30th, or siste april ("The Last Day of April") in Lund. They call it sista april in Uppsala. These celebrations last most of the day from morning to late at night. (Ref. ii) Walpurgis Eve means freedom for the students. The exams are over. Only a few lectures remain. On April 30th the students ceremonially don their white caps (Sw. studentmössa), which stems from the era when students wore their caps daily and switched from a black winter cap to a white summer one.). They sing songs to welcome spring, to the budding greenery and to a brighter future. They also drink lots of booze. In the 1800s heavy drinking became part of the norm, especially amongst workers.
This holiday has become an important part of university party life, especially in Uppsala. There they like to party hardy. But remember it may be - and most likely will be - cold, rainy and pretty wild. More modern Valborg celebrations, particularly among Uppsala students, often consist of enjoying a champagne breakfast and strawberries. People gather in parks, imbibe considerable amounts of alcoholic beverages, fire-up the barbecue and generally enjoy the weather, particularly if it is favorable.
Several nations (the term Swedes use for “student unions”, sort of like a fraternity but without living as a group together) also hold "Champagne Races" (Swedish: Champagnegalopp). Here students spray champagne (that which has not already been consumed) on one another. As a precaution, the walls and floors of the old nation buildings are covered in plastic because the champagne is squirted around with abandon. This is, however, a fairly recent addition to the Champagne Races. The name arises from the scholars running down the hill from the Carolina Rediviva (the main library building in Uppsala) to the Student Union building to drink champagne.
There is an old tradition in Umeå of having local bonfires. In more recent years, however, there has also been a tradition of celebrating at the Umeå University campus. Student choir singing is organized by the university as well as other types of entertainment and a speech by the president of the university.
Bonfires and Koslapp
The tradition of bonfires on Walpurgis eve are part of a Swedish folkloric practice which dates back to the early 18th century. The bonfires are lit at dusk once the speeches are over. Often there is a firework display. Most of the trees haven’t leafed out yet so the fireworks appear especially impressive as seen through the twilight silhouette of the trees. Among farmers and peasants, Valborg was an important day in the calendar as the annual village meeting was held when a new alderman was chosen and eggs and schnapps were served as refreshments. Around the time of Valborg farm animals are let out of the barns to graze. The fires were lit the night before to scare away predators, ward off evil spirits whilst also cleansing the land of the dried leaves and detritus of winter. This release of the cows back into the fields is called Kosläpp (cow release). Recently, this tradition has been increasing in popularity as people come out from the cities to see the cows frolicking with their new freedom. There is a Swedish idiom 'glad/yster som en kalv på grönbete' (happy/frisky as a cow on pasture) that sums up the cows' reaction.
Food
The nights can be cold so you might be offered a bowl of nettle soup (nässelsoppa). This will warm you up, along with the schnapps. Once the fire fades most Swedes wander off to parties or pubs with the knowledge that the next day is a day off from work, a röddag (red day/bank holiday). There is no particular food associated with Valborgsmässoafton or with först maj, but if the weather is good Swedes may have a barbecue or, if not, perhaps a nice sill (herring) lunch.
Singing
Choral singing is a popular pastime in Sweden. On Walpurgis Eve most choirs within the country are engaged in singing traditional songs of spring. These songs are mostly from the 19th century. At one time the youngsters would go ‘round singing May songs in return for gifts of food on Walpurgis Eve. People who gave them nothing received a ‘nasty’ little jingle. The most traditional song is “Vintern rasat”. It’s correctly called “Längtan till landet” but is widely known by its first two words: Vintern rasat. This translates as “Winter Has Fallen”. Lyrics by Herman Sätherberg (1812-1897) and music was written by Otto Lindblad (1809-1864).
Swedish and English lyrics (translation from semiswede).
Vintern rasat ut bland våra fjällar,
Winter stormed out among our mountains,
drivans blommor smälta ned och dö.
snow drifts melt down and die.
Himlen ler i vårens ljusa kvällar,
The sky smiles in spring’s bright evenings
solen kysser liv i skog och sjö.
The sun kisses life into the forest and lake.
Snart är sommarn här i purpurvågor,
Soon summer is here in purple waves,
guldbelagda, azurskiftande
gold-coated, azure-shifting
ligga ängarne i dagens lågor,
lie meadows in daylit flames (strong sunlight on a spring day),
och i lunden dansa källorne.
and in the grove dance källorne (the light streams and dances).
Ja, jag kommer! Hälsen, glada vindar,
Yes, I’m coming! Greetings, cheerful winds,
ut till landet, ut till fåglarne,
out to the country, out to the birds,
att jag älskar dem, till björk och lindar,
that I love, to birch and linden trees,
sjö och berg, jag vill dem återse,
lake and mountain, I want them see again,
se dem än som i min barndoms stunder
see them like in my childhood memories
följa bäckens dans till klarnad sjö,
follow the dancing creek to the clear lake,
trastens sång i furuskogens lunder,
the thrush’s song in the pine forest groves,