The Solstice Spirit

Category: Artic Living | Posted: Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:07 pm

,,,,,,,is something i think that grows on a person with age. Why do I say this. Well when I was younger I knew what it was, the solstice, but I really didn't pay any attention to it. So why do I wonder about it now. Maturity, maybe, where I live, maybe, who I have grown into, possiably. All I do know there is more to the solstices than I had once thought. I have learned that the summer solstice is a time of joy. A time of getting ready. A time that has been honored in many different ways. Here in Norway, I have noticed my spiritual growth has taken a huge leap forward, at least in my eyes its forward an not backwards. I have learned about time honored traditions that goes back thousands of years. These traditions shouldn't be scoffed at, but should be preserved in humanity, an the societies from where they come from. They should be shared with others to extend the joy an beliefs of the peoples who celebrate them. I can tell you at the summer solstice this year, one of the rituals that I experienced was the bonfire. Not just an ordinary bonfire, but a friendly spirited bonfire made that way by the people. I participated in preparing for the fire, by helping pile up the logs an wood, an just about anything an everything that a norwegian family wants to get rid of. But what I noticed is this, before the fire is started by the man of the house, each memeber of the house an also visiter attending each gave a toast to the logs, an sprinkled some beer to the site. Each gave a little prayer of thanks for the summer warmth, an gave thanks in advance for the crops they know would come soon. Then the fire was lit.

This is my husbands uncle who is 89 yrs old, an has attended a St. Hans, Midsummers Eve, Summer Solstice every yr of his life. He says summer is just another summer unless you prepare an start it off with a bang. Summer should be celebrated, an celebrated it is up here in the Artic. The time is so short, just 3 months of warm weather, then its all gone. So the community celebrates with a flourish. Neighbors walk to others bonfires an chat,eat,sing an tell stories of summers past. Sausages,, there has to be sausages at every fire. Those sausages just aren't grilled an eaten, the first one goes to the fire an offering of being givin the chance to get ready for the up comming winter. A thank you for what was already givin, an what will be givin in the future. But those sausages are eaten with lomper, a flat potato based "tortilla" also known called lefse. Once the sausages are eatin, the fun begins, the stories get told or sung along with a violin or guitar. Some are ballads of times past, some are about women who they will never forget or are trying to forget. Others sing the songs of the sea all who have been taken by her. Then more stories, as the beer an drinks are passed around an the tales get wilder an wilder, along with the animation of having to act out all the scenes of the songs. Then as the night comes to a close, everyone gets back in their boats an travel to the place they call home, or they walk an visit with the other people who have walked to other bonfires an greet each other on the roads. The summer solstice, the longest day of the year, an the people of the artic make use of every minute of it. They don't waste it ever, even when relaxing, or having cake an coffee, its never a waste is it. Your still doing something, an its under that glorious sun that is here for only a short time in the north.

This photo is me looking out at the midnight sun, an falling in love with each day that i look at it, knowing that thru the hard, cold and darktime ahead, i know that the sun will always shine for me when it comes back.

Summer solstice with its lush green vegetation, mountains streaming with spring fresh water, an wildflowers dotted thru out the artic realms, it is a time of magic an with age I have come to recognise this an accept it as truth. My fairytale farm is just that a magical story come true.

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toni wrote on Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:36 pm:

Lovely description Biita, I felt like I was part of the celebration.
You are so right, old traditions and celebrations should not be forgotten or dismissed as a thing of the past. The Solstices are a great time for celebrating. We can't have bonfires here but I do try to have our favorite foods for dinner and we have Cherry Soup for desert.

I am really looking forward to hearing about how you celebrate the Winter Solstice.

Droopy wrote on Sat Nov 10, 2007 3:53 pm:

Wonderful description, and I recognize a lot of it. Our celebration is not as lovely as Biita's. We have big bonfires, games, songs and food. The northern culture is richer in many ways.

eileen wrote on Sat Nov 10, 2007 11:05 pm:

How I wish a lot of our traditional ways of life were still celebrated here in Scotland.

I love reading both yours and Droopy's blog entries all about Norway. I knew very little about your country before I 'met' you two and I'm so glad that your are both members of GardenStew as you make the lifestyle and history of you country come alive for me.

SongofJoy57 wrote on Sun Nov 11, 2007 1:03 pm:

My Fiance' and I enjoyed this blog with our coffee this morning. It sounds like such a fun celebration. (He loves beer, and our mouths watered as you described the offering of the sausages & lefse, etc!) It was so wonderful to learn about your celebration . . . and your pictures were absolutely beautiful. Keep them coming!

Biita wrote on Sun Nov 11, 2007 3:06 pm:

Well droopy was the reason i joined here, i read one of her blogs, an thought, dang she got it goin on an was so right about how it is here.

I am so glad that all of you enjoy what i write, it took me a while because i have never been much of a writer,, an geez now i'm hooked...lol.

Cherry soup,,mmm mm,,now that i would love to try, an as far as not having a bonfire why not set out a grill an cook sausages that way,, you don't have to have lefse, but please keep the cherry soup,,lol,, that sounds so good.