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Swedish Press N Y A
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Gotland – Island of Hidden Treasures
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April 2020 Vol 91:03 $5.95
03 2020
Medeltidsveckan Gotland History Interview with Håkan Loob Almedalen
Gotland Goes
edieval
By Marcus Andersson very year, a quiet island town off the coast of Sweden teleports back in time, rewinding from the present to the 1300s. Medieval tents are pitched over grassy expanses, and everyday people dress in the fashion of their ancestors. This summer, 40,000 guests will gather to experience what life was like when Sweden became a nation, spending an entire week in an escapist world outside of modern life. Medeltidsveckan (Medieval Week) is the largest medieval event in Scandinavia, and the most attended event on Gotland. It happens on the same week every year, and keeps drawing new visitors to its unique milieu. The festival takes place in the ancient town of Visby, whose settlement dates back to the 900s. During my interview with event spokesperson Susanne de Paulis, she provided a brief overview of the history of the site, discussing some of the pivotal moments that changed the course of its development. In 1288, de Paulis explains, “there was a civic war between the city merchants and the historically very rich and powerful Gotlandic people.” The inhabitants of Visby won the war due to their membership of the Hanseatic League, an alliance of mercantile towns spanning from central to northwestern Europe. Later, in 1361, she continues, “the
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Danish king Valdemar Atterdag conquered Gotland, killing more than half the male population on the island, but sparing Visby and thereby cementing the differences between the City and the Countryside. When Valdemar won the Battle of Visby, this marked the downfall of Gotland, from which it did not really recover until the late 18th century.” Despite the wars, Visby’s town wall still stands tall, and several church ruins can be found in the city. Visby is such an exceptional example of medieval architecture that, in 1995, the town was added to the UNESCO World Heritage site list. Surrounded daily by the echoes of the past, Gotlandic history enthusiasts wanted to create an event to educate other inhabitants about the time that came before them. So, in 1984, a group of like-minded leaders created the first Medieval Week in an inspirationally DIY fashion. They sought resources like textiles for costumes from local shops and second-hand stores, encouraging as many as possible to dress in period attire. The spirit of re-enactment and immersion that started over thirty years ago grew into a marketing tool for the festival in years to come. “A decade later, the subculture of role players, ‘larpers’ (live action role playing) and re-enactors had established themselves as an important target group. Serendipity, as it turns out, because this group of enthusiasts is now one of our main destinations for tourists and families with children,” explains de Paulis. What started as an event for locals quickly expanded to attract a much wider and diverse audience. On the festival website, the organization includes a demographic breakdown, showing that 79 percent of visitors are returning customers, and 53 percent are women. Although the
majority of attendees are in their 30s, all age groups are welcome, from toddlers to people well above 80. Most participants enjoy the week in groups of 3 – 4, which suggests a family-centered or friend-group-based crowd. While most Medeltidsveckan fans are Swedish, as of 2014 five percent of visitors (2000 guests) travel from abroad, mostly from Germany and the Nordic countries. And people have started traveling from further reaches of the world. “We have up to 20 nationalities in our group of around 70 volunteers, and we know that we have visitors from all corners of the world: Australia, Japan, USA, Russia, and so forth,” says de Paulis. Furthermore, a newly constructed cruise line port in Visby is expected to draw in even more foreign guests in years to come. Clearly, the organization is doing something right, as 8 out of 10 visitors return annually. The program includes a variety of activities for a complete medieval experience. Guests can attend theatrical performances, live music, and fire shows, all offered free of charge. In total, there are 500 events available to festival-goers during their stay in Visby. One of the most popular attractions is the jousting event, in which actors clad in knight’s armor spar on horseback. Another major event is the marketplace, which sells replicas of medieval merchandise. And, finally, The Battle of Wisby Project aims to recreate the battles of Mästerby and Visby, giving voice across the centuries to those who fell in battle. In the words of de Paulis, “At the same time, we wish to highlight the historical trauma that these events became for the locals.” Medieval Week began as a DIY project and has continued in that spirit, relying on its own revenue instead of
depending on outside investors. A very minimal percentage of its budget is a contribution from the Municipality of Gotland, which provides 8 percent of the festival income. Though the organization has been involved in a variety of projects funded by EU and SIDA, it does not receive any cultural funding from the government. Each year, visitors spend 206 million kronor during the week, making it a significant asset for the Gotlandic economy. This summer, Medieval Week will open its gates again, sending people from 2020 back nearly a thousand years. The festival has high hopes for the future, constantly seeking new ways to improve and become more environmentally friendly. De Paulis takes this commitment seriously: “We are changing and adapting every year, trying to make our environmental footprint smaller and smaller, as well as making the festival more secure, more equal and more attractive. It is already regarded as very secure with less than 1 reported offence to the police per year. This at a festival with 40,000 persons over 8 days with a lot of parties going on!” The festival also wants to attract new customers, like “festival visitors” – a category which was recently added to the organization’s target groups – by offering festival camping and an emphasis on interesting musical acts. 2023 will mark the 40th anniversary, which is a massive accomplishment for an independently funded and run festival. Medieval Week in Visby is a fascinating example of local initiative and passion for history evolving into an enterprise that benefits Sweden’s economy and culture. www.medeltidsveckan.se/en/ All photos: Medeltidsveckan på Gotland AB
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[Lifestyle]
Top Sju
1 April 1 marks April Fool’s Day – a day to watch out for hoaxes, fake news and practical jokes. The Swedish custom of “Narra April” dates back to the mid-1600s. During the 1900s, however, the media started making fun of themselves, politicians and new technology. A classic April fool’s joke Swedes might remember was on April 1, 1962 when SVT’s technical expert Kjell Stensson advised people to cut a nylon stocking and place it in front of their television screens to experience modern color TV. At the time, television broadcasts were in black and white, and it would take another seven years before color television became available in Sweden.
15 Celebrate Easter at Stockholm’s open-air museum Skansen on April 4 – 13! Children and adults alike are invited to take part in fun filled activities, such as making Easter decorations, pony riding and hotdog barbeque. Visitors may also visit the outdoor museum’s many houses and farms to see what Easter traditions
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Parry and Gustav Holst, as well as German composer Felix Mendelssohn. Guests include both former conductors and singers.
Tre påskkärringar på Skansen. Marie Andersson/Skansen
looked like back in the old days, listen to stories, or talk about hens, chickens and eggs. On Maundy Thursday youths (up to 15 years old) dressed as Easter witches (påskkärringar) or Easter geezers (påskgubbar) enjoy free admission to the museum. For more information see www skansen.se.
55 Adolf Fredriks Gosskör (Adolf Fredrik’s Boys Choir), founded in 1965 by Swedish composer, pianist, conductor and music educator Åke Hillerud, turns 55 this year. A celebratory concert in honor of the choir’s anniversary is scheduled in Adolf Fredriks Kyrka on April 24. During the 90-minute performance, Adolf Fredriks Gosskör will perform favorites from their rich repertoire throughout the decades, featuring music by English composers Sir Charles Hubert Hastings
350,000 Swedish furniture company IKEA is investing SEK 1.7 billion ($175m) in four new mini-department stores in the Stockholm area. The new department stores, planned to open in approximately five years, will be smaller than the classic IKEA superstores. The exact location of the new stores is still unclear, but the goal is to make IKEA accessible to an additional 350,000 Stockholm residents. IKEA plans to hire 500 new employees for their new stores. (Source: IKEA)
1022 According to a recent survey by Sifo (Swedish Institute for Opinion Surveys) on behalf of Viktväktarna (Weight Watchers), where 1022 people aged 16-79 were interviewed, more than three in four Swedes worry about their health. When asked what they believed to be most important for improving one’s own health, most –
both men and women – responded that it is to exercise more.
2 Enjoy your popcorn – guilt-free! Not only does popcorn taste good, but it is also considered healthy. According to Hjärt-Lungfonden (Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation), popcorn contains whole grains, lots of fiber and healthy vitamins. Whole grains can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and also help maintain body weight.
44 Swedish hiking event Linnémarschen takes place on the weekend of April 25 – 26 in Borås. During the 44th edition of Linnémarschen, participants are invited to hike in the beautiful nature reserve Rya Åsar, which was visited by Carl von Linné in 1746. Inexperienced and experienced hikers alike are encouraged to sign up for the classic event which offers courses for everyone, including an accessibility route of 3 km and a 2-day hike of 57 km. For more information, see www.linnemarschen.se.
[Lifestyle] Music Swedish Church Brass Band Takes the World By Storm
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inköping Brass Band – or “Brasset” for short – is affiliated with the Ryttargårdskyrkan in Linköping, Sweden. The Ryttargårdskyrkan belongs to the Swedish Evangelical Freechurch, InterAct. The band has about 30 – 35 members aged between 13 and 73. The band maintains a very high musical standard, and many people think it is one of the better church bands in Sweden. The music they play is inspired by Salvation Army marches, old Swedish folk songs and musicals. The band also includes a male choir under the leadership of music director Sten Bäckman. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, the band undertook a tour of the USA at Eastertime in 1990. The band performed in New York, Chicago,
Linköping Brass Band. Photos: Carolina Byrmo
Waukegan, Rockford, Minneapolis, Duluth, Cambridge, St. Paul, Washington DC and Toronto, Canada. In addition to concerts in different churches they also played at the UN in New York. In Washington DC the band performed on the east step outside The Capitol. In Canada they participated in a television program from coast to coast together with Dr. Paul Smith and his People’s Church in Toronto. In 1996 the band did another big tour, this time to Asia. The band first visited Hong Kong and then Japan – Nishinomiya, Kobe, Sakai, Nagaya
and Tokyo. The band also gave a concert at the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo and at various universities. Moreover, the band has done some shorter concert trips to France, Germany, Estonia and Norway. Fast forward to 2005 when the band did the next big tour to Australia and New Zealand. The band first performed in Sydney, followed by Canberra, Melbourne, Auckland (New Zealand), then back to Brisbane, Gladstone and Cairns. Around Easter in 2020 the band intended to celebrate its 60th anniversary with an extensive trip to the USA and Canada. The band’s plan was to start in Seattle and later go on to Vancouver, San Francisco and Palo Alto, Unfortunately, because of the coronavirus and the attendant US travel ban on European nationals, the concert tour has had to be postponed until this fall or next spring. That said, do keep your eyes and mind open for schedule updates!
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