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Up Helly Aa

lindaglamour
Jan 31, 2019
6 min read

A golden glow lit Lerwick early in the morning as I leaned out the window to take a look at the snow. I had awoken early, very early, and there was not even one footstep in the snow that spread throughout central Lerwick. It was the last Tuesday in January, Uphellyaa day, and the street lights were still on and that, I realised, gave the warm glow to the streets. As I went to pull myself back in from the open window and cold, I suddenly heard the sound of music and from down the far end of Commercial Street, I could see movement and lights.

The first activity of Uphellyaa is the posting of The Bill at Market Cross. As the music and lights came towards me I realised I was lucky enough to be the only person to see the small team carrying The Bill board into the town centre. The 2019 Uphellyaa board is a work of both art and literature. It is hand painted and this year's Guizer Jarl gestures grandly in the picture and the detailed statement below the image claims the Guizer Jarl's control of Lerwick for the day. It is full of 'in-house' jokes and reflections upon the character and suitability of the man named Jarl for the year. For Uphellyaa 2019 the day dawned cold and clear, thick snow adding to the drama of the coming day. I do believe I posted the very first Instagram pictures of Uphellyaa for the year!

There was cake for breakfast. Pumpkin and cinnamon cake, handmade and purchased at yesterday's Shetland Food Festival held at the Mareel but it had been left on the kitchen bench overnight. Some days it just seems right to eat cake for breakfast. In addition it was AW's birthday. This is in fact the reason we were at Uphellyaa for AW to celebrate in style with a fire festival! So why not cake for breakfast? We had studied the day's program of events and decided that we would join in the late morning's celebrations with the parade into town by the Guizer Jarl squad.

Standing outside of our apartment we were in perfect position to see the parade! The morning's snow had been salted away and we stood in the slush and cold but we were thrilled to see the Jarl and his squad march past us. This year the squad were resplendent in Norse costumes of green and brown with creamy white animal skins thrown over their shoulders for warmth. The Guizer Jarl for this year comes from a family who have been honoured with holding this position on four separate occasions. The 2019 Uphellyaa emblem is a silver dragon, it coils around each helmet, every scale intricately worked and a luminous green stone embedded as the eye. For the Jarl, the helmet was set off by a spray of black feathers forming wings to each side of his head. Brandishing intricately decorated hand held axes, each Viking noisily walked down the streets of Lerwick.

Around the Market Cross, the squad then paraded down to the harbour and there, painted green and white, is the galley. The squad spends the entire year preparing for this one day. They craft each Viking costume and build the replica Viking longship, known as the galley. It is based upon the traditional design of a Viking ship but unlike the originals that sailed the seas, this boat is destined to be burnt to a cinder! It is at Lerwick harbour that the squad gather and pose for the official photos. There are so many people! Many have arrived early and are in prime position for taking photos. AW and I were happy to stand back and watch. We were most amused by the small children dressed in knitted Viking -nspired beanies resplendent with horns. Even I thought they were darn cute! But crowds are crowds and we decided to head away and look for a spot for brunch. Crepes of caramelised onions, cheese and chilli jam were washed down with hot coffee. Delicious.

I walk on towards the Lodberries area and away from the crowds now surging through the streets of Lerwick. Here it was quiet. Here I could stand and take in the beauty of the view - the sky was clear and bright blue and the white fluffy clouds were in parallel to the clean snow lying around the harbour. Everywhere I gazed looked crystal clear, blue and white. While snow covered the small skips pulled up from the water, it only reinforced to me how wonderful this place must be in the warmer months, busy with pleasure craft out on the water. After an hour or so the crowds cleared away from the galley and I could take pictures. The Bressay ferry came in and it seemed such a contrast - the Viking boat and the modern ferry, yet each designed to transport people hoping for new experiences, new activities, perhaps even a new life.

Uphellyaa doesn't really start till after dark. AW and I walked from Commercial St to King Harald St and then along St Olaf st to find a great spot both to stand and watch the torch parade as well as the burning of the galley and we did! We also were fortunate to be standing amidst locals who were so happy to chat and explain what was going to happen and when, and even more thoughtfully, move aside so we had the better view. We stood along the King George V Playing Field and waited.

It was bitterly cold. Our friendly locals told us that last year it had been pouring rain so this was much better! Uphellyaa is never postponed due to the weather, nor any circumstance I would imagine. Around 7.15pm we could see a pink glow coming from near the Town Hall building and this glow quickly intensified. This was the lighting of the torches for the parade. The strong smell of paraffin was already in the air as the torches are soaked for at least 24 hours prior so that they last the distance. From across the Playing Field we could see the movement of the flames as the march began. The Guizer Jarl squad leads the parade in their full Viking gear, however the other squads are not so similarly attired. This year there are 47 squads which approximates 800-1000 men in the march. All are in costume those this included a squad dressed as The Spice Girls, another Dad's Army, others in animal print suits and some I'm not sure what they were LOL.

The march of the Uphellyaa squads are incredibly well organised and controlled. There is a specific route and as they complete their march down the streets carrying their torches, it becomes almost a ballet as the squads form intricate patterns weaving their way into the playing field towards the galley. The lights of the torches highlight the swirls of movement as the men gather around the boat. When all are ready a signal is given and the squad members begin in a very organised fashion, to throw their torches into the galley. The night sky is illuminated with sparks and flames shooting up high and the sound of the men singing The Galley Song as it begins to burn. As the galley mast starts to topple, the sky fills with a short but stunning display of fireworks.

The night is breathtaking. The heat of the torches as the squads march past, the smell of paraffin, the freezing cold and crisp air, the friendliness of locals: all this combines and contributes to what is such a unique event.

We were often asked if we had tickets to one of the community hall parties which are held after the march and burning. Yes we could answer. Tickets to the party at the British Legion Club had been sourced and we thought ourselves most fortunate. They are foremost community events and we quickly realised as we sat and watched the locals settle in for the evening that for us, we wouldn't be partying till 8am in the morning (which is the usual at these events!) but we would have a quiet, early night. Each of the 47 squads visits the 11 hall parties and perform a 'skit' to entertain the crowds. After round 3 we had had enough and walked back home through the quiet streets of Lerwick. It had been an excellent evening but time for us to leave the rest of the celebrations to the locals.

Back at the Airbnb I sent my daughter a text, "I survived the rampaging Vikings!"

I brushed out the Viking shield-maiden braid out of my hair. For Uphellyaa I too had embraced my inner-Viking.