Norik Up Helly Aa (Unsts second UHA)
Posted: Monday, 05 March 2007 |
On Saturday night the weather cleared beautifully to provide perfect galley burning conditions.
This year I took my 4 bairns with me to UHA, which they all enjoyed immensely. We joined the rest of the spectators at Norik beach in time to watch the procession of squads come doon the Floggie, torches in hand, singing out the Up Helly Aa song, and it was a fine sight to see the galley going up in flames when all the torches had been thrown in.
Everyone then gathered at the Haroldswick Hall for an evening of excellent entertainment, where the squads performed their acts, and later we danced to Da Fustra, one of Shetlands best dance bands. (Of which there are many!)
I took some pics of the procession, but sorry, was too busy enjoying myself to get the camera oot for the acts!
This year I took my 4 bairns with me to UHA, which they all enjoyed immensely. We joined the rest of the spectators at Norik beach in time to watch the procession of squads come doon the Floggie, torches in hand, singing out the Up Helly Aa song, and it was a fine sight to see the galley going up in flames when all the torches had been thrown in.
Everyone then gathered at the Haroldswick Hall for an evening of excellent entertainment, where the squads performed their acts, and later we danced to Da Fustra, one of Shetlands best dance bands. (Of which there are many!)
I took some pics of the procession, but sorry, was too busy enjoying myself to get the camera oot for the acts!
Comments
I notice that you never jumped on that bandwagon R. Ok so technically speaking it's not a bandwagon, but neither is a cat.....
Tws from Couldbeinhidingsoon
Thanks very much for showing us these, it's great to see them! Looks like it was good fun too!
Anne from IBHQ
good pics, what do they have this festival twice in unst?
carol from france
Came up to the UHA last year and got some good pictures and well fed by your fiddle man Spencie. Could not stay long as we had to get the last ferry back to the mainland so missed out on the acts and dancing.
Lerwick Trevor from Lerwick
Tws - when I mentioned the jumping on the bandwagon, I didn't mean it was to be a permanent journey, I was just onboard till the next stop.
Ruthodanort from Unst
thanks for great photos makes Ness seem very tame
island threads from lewis
Last picture - is that potash for the school then?
Muness from Fetlar
Carol - dont really know any reason for it other than its been that way for a long time. I believe tho that the Uyeasound UHA is the second oldest in Shetland, with only the Lerwick one being older. Norik has been going for many years, and Baltasound even had an UHA of its own for a short while. There is a fair bit of friendly rivalry about which is best. I think they are both great in their own way.
Ruthodanort from sitting on a fence in Unst
Here's some background information taken from a 2006 blog from the unique PuffinBillyUnst: Up Helly Aa is a great Shetland tradition which helps pass the time in those long winter nights. It started as a tar-barrel-dragging contest on the 24th day of Yule, but when tar barrels were banned in Lerwick in the 1870s the locals devised other ways of entertainment, eventually deciding upon a squad of Vikings processing with torches and setting a Viking boat alight. The tradition spread to Unst in 1911, the Uyeasound Up Helly Aa being the second oldest in the world, while Norwick on Unst has held an Up Helly Aa since 1985.
Herman from In patient at The Hermitage
Blogs fae a thirty-something mum of 4 born in Fife, brought up in Orkney, and living in Unst.
RSS Feed