Imagine a procession of torch-baring Vikings, 1000 strong, in the night. Armor glints. They waft silently through the streets, dragging behind them a magnificent galley, a rearing dragon’s head at the prow. And behind the dragon is the Jarl, a king in full Asgard splendor. In a flurry of light, the Jarl descends to his fellows and the torches are thrown into the galley, which roars up in a conflagration. The haunting notes of “The Norseman’s Home” lift up into the flame and the dark.
And that, my readers, is not a flashback to some ancient ritual. It is called Up Helly Aa (“up helee uh”), and it is what will happen on January 27 in Lerwick, capital of the Shetland Islands off northeastern Scotland.
In experiencing Up Helly Aa, you may think you warped out of the modern-day UK and into the Viking Age. Celebrants dress up in their Nordic finest, complete with winged helms, shields, axes, and scale-mail. While the Shetlands are firmly a part of Great Britain now, in the past it was Norway that called the shots. They were in control long enough for the islands to take on a very Scandinavian character that lives on to this day. This includes mid-winter fire festivals that, traditionally, marked the end of the Yule season.
But if you think this is solemn, think again. Up Helly Aa events actually keep Lerwick buzzing for a week; Stand Up Helly Aa is one of the most popular comedy fests in Scotland. The burning of the galley sets off a full 24 hours of partying and serious drinking — so much so the day after is a public holiday so Lerwick can sleep off the collective hangover. Whole communities get in on Up Helly Aa, and never has fun been taken so seriously: the Jarl prepares for his role a full 12 YEARS before he gets his chance to shine, and his torchmen, called guizers, spend months getting the costumes just right. The guizers form up to 40 squads, which perform skits (bawdy ones) all over town.
Up Helly Aa is actually performed all over the Shetlands, and even on the Scottish mainland. Pride of place belongs to Lerwick, but the nearby Shetland town of Bressay throws its own version lively enough to get its fair amount of press. More, Up Helly Aa goes for three months on the Shetlands, depending on the town. If you miss one, don’t worry, another one is coming up.
For more information, go to uphellyaa.org and visit.shetland.org.