the 17th of May has a dramatic history and the first years after 1814 were anything but a party. On May 17th, 1814 a completely newly convened National Assembly adopted a Norwegian constitution and elected its own king. But Sweden (which believed it was entitled to Norway as a spoil of war from Denmark) went to war, ending with a ''union'' between Sweden and Norway and a revised constitution. It wasn't until 1905 that Norway declared itself fully independent with its own king and the original constitution reinstated. Similarly, the Norwegian flag wasn't used as it is today until 1905.
For almost a century the 17th of May was a day used to debate Norway's lack of independence and over the years symbols of a free Norway emerged. From 1864 Bjørnstjere Bjørnsons ''Ja, vi elsker dette landet'' was used as the national song. Six years later he also pushed for an important ritual: a children's parade - the country's future waving the Norwegian flag.
As the political and protest aspects began to be left behind in favor of peaceful celebration, the interest for the bunad developed. Wearing a bunad was originally part of a big radical project, which dealt with Norway's independence. Folk costumes signalize a belonging to a community - from the individual or family history of an inherited bunad, to the more collective identity connected to region, all the way to the national level.
This spring holiday is full of symbols of community. There are wreath layings, speeches, the singing of the national song together, children's parades, and the wearing of bunads. Families gather for celebratory parties. That the 17th of May is considered a day for children is displayed best in the tradition of serving hotdogs, soda, and ice cream.
*Loosely translated from 'Årets Ritualer' av Helene K. Næss
Twenty One Pilots dropped a new album out of nowhere, but the cover looked like the cover of Midnights by Taylor Swift except with Tyler Joseph’s face.
This bunad is from Hardanger and belonged to Queen Maud, the first queen of independent Norway. She was inaugurated in 1906, 92 years after Norway created it's own constitution, which is what we celebrate on the 17th of May! The bunad was made by Anne Jerdal with silver jewelry created by Marius Hammer.