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Shetland has a few Up Helly Aa’s, but the one in Lerwick is the biggest of them all. Lots of the isles have their own celebrations: Unst has 2, Yell has 1 as have Brae, Nesting & Northmavine. Scalloway has its own fire festival as well. For those of you reading this who don’t know what I’m on about I’ll try and explain.

Up Helly Aa’ is supposed to be derived from the funeral rites of the Vikings. Each Jarl, when they died, would be placed in their galley with all their armour and most important possessions to journey to Valhalla. The galley was then set on fire at sea, taking the Jarl on his last journey. In Lerwick the galley is set on fire in the park, whilst tradition varies around the isles. In Unst the galleys are burnt on the beach for instance.

Each year a Guizer Jarl is appointed from the committee and he becomes the leader (or Jarl) of all the festivities. The Jarl usually knows many years in advance when it is their turn and spends at least a full year preparing their costumes, choosing their squad and building the galley. This year’s Jarl was Roy Leask.

Each year’s squad has a different costume from previously. Only the Jarl’s shield remains the same each year.

All the guizers and the Jarl Squad mass on the Hillhead on the last Tuesday of January after 7pm, before processing with their torches to the burning site. Only the Jarl Squad are dressed as Vikings with helmets, swords, shields and axes. All the other squads are dressed in costumes appropriate for their act. That’s why you often see people dressed as Egyptians, chickens, cowboys, builders and monks. There are also beautifully made up women or old Shetland wives who look a bit masculine. This is because, unlike the isles events, the squads in Lerwick are a male only zone.

After the burning of the galley, the action moves to the halls in the toon, where the squads come round and do their acts or sketches. These can be topical, related to the Jarl, a dance routine or something completely different. This year there was over 40 squads and the festivities continued until the next morning.

Your intrepid North Isles reporter went to bed at 4am, whilst things were still going on. But I did see the next morning, which is probably than most folk did. The day after Up Helly Aa’ is a public holiday in the town for a reason.

Hope that is a bit clearer.

I know I won't get to blog about one of our local Up Helly Aa's till Monday. So here's a reminder of Uyeasound 2007. Friday 8th February is the date for this year's one.



I know I won't get to blog about one of our local Up Helly Aa's till Monday. So here's a reminder of Uyeasound 2007. Friday 8th February is the date for this year's one.

There's more on the Fetlar School website at: www.fetlar.shetland.sch.uk/news/UyeasoundJarlSquad2007.shtml




it burns, burns, burns, ..... the ring of fire, the ring of fire.......

Shetland has many local Up Helly Aa’s. In fact Unst, which is the island to the north of us, has 2. One of these is at Uyeasound and dates back many years, whilst the other is Britain’s most northerly festival and has been held every year since 1985. For those of you reading this who don’t know what on earth Up Helly Aa’ is about, please see my recent Swords of A Thousand Men blog which attempts to explain.



The festival begins at the start of the day with the Jarl squad assembling at the Galley Shed before visiting various places in Unst. During the day the two schools are visited (Baltasound JHS & Uyeasound Primary) as well as the care centre and various other locations that I can’t remember.


Visitors have been known to come from many places.


By nightfall all the squads are in frantic preparation for the torchlit procession which starts from the galley shed and wends its way through Uyeasound, past the primary school, and down along the road next to the sea.



The squads are usually in a strange variety of costumes: this year saw Scotsmen in kilts, Frogs, The Spice Girls and Santas to name a few. The Jarl Squad, like their Lerwick counterparts, lead the procession and are dressed in chain mail carrying axes. Each squad has a different costume from previously.



The procession turns round at the hall before massing around the galley. The traditional Up Helly Aa’ song is sung and then the galley is set alight.



Unlike Lerwick the actual galley isn’t burnt, instead a replica is ‘fired’ next to the sea. It gets really hot!!!




After the burning of the galley the action moves to the hall, where the squads follow each other on stage to do their acts or sketches. These are usually topical, related to the Jarl, a dance routine with an Unst theme or a sketch, which is about something completely different.



Amazingly, unlike the ‘toon’ event, the squads in Unst also include females. This year there was a total of 12 squads and the festivities continued until early morning, before recommencing the following night at the dance or ‘hop’ as it is known.



That’s a brief account of one of the Unst Up Helly Aa’s. It’s good fun to watch.

Its Norwick (Or Norik) Up Helly Aa' this Saturday in Unst & I'm supposed to be going. Unfortunately a Force 9 gale is also supposed to be coming and, as Fetlar doesn't have a breakwater, I am either unlikely to get oot or get oot and not be able to get back! Hmmn, so there may or may not be a blog about the restrained events at a northerly beach in Unst this weekend. I'm sure Ruthodanort will supply an account of the 2008 event.

But if not here's something from the blogging archives:




Lots of thanks to PuffinBillyUnst for the photos. See the original blog at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/islandblogging/blogs/005169/0000006157.shtml

Start a campaign to reactivate Puffin Billy's Blog before it falls off its perch.

Those were the days my friend, we'd thought they'd never end. We'd sing and dance forever and a day............

Ruthodanort has complained that Island Blogging seems slow at the moment. I agree my blog - posted last Friday around 3pm still has to appear. Is this censorship? It's says it is live but it ain't there. It also says its still processing.
There are blogs posted after mine that have appeared now.

What have I done wrong?

Yeah, I've been waiting, for a blog like you to come into my life
I've been waiting for a blog like you, will it ever survive?
I've been waiting for a blog that's new to make me feel alive
Yeah, waiting for a blog like you to finally become live

Well, its February 29th 2008. I'll not be able to blog on this day for another 1450 days so I'd better write something. I'm a bit reluctant to write something worthwhile as my post may never appear due to over active tins of spam in blog hq.

Its raining.
Its supposed to be a gale.
The forecast is foul.
Its exactly 2 years since the last decent fall of snow. Is this global warming?




PS No Leap Day proposal either (sigh!)

The weather outside is frightful; But the fire is so delightful; And since we've no place to go; Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!