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December 2018/January 2019 Vol 89:10 $5.95
God Jul & Gott Nytt ร r
10 2018
Jultomte The World of Jenny Nystrรถm Kronaby Watch Liv Ullmann
The Genealogy of the Swedish Tomte
By Lara Andersson
I
f you have ever visited a Swede’s house in December, it’s very likely you’ve come across a stuffed, gnome-like figure with a wooly beard and a conical cap cheerfully perched upon the fireplace or on the dining-room table. These little men, alongside Sweden’s quintessential straw goats, or julbockar, are integral to Scandinavian folklore and tradition. While many know and recognize these classic decorations, not all appreciate the far-reaching history of the Tomte. Tomte, derived from the Swedish word “tomt,” or plot of land, literally means “homestead man.” If you’ve ever heard the beloved character referred to as a “nisse” it is likely in reference to a Norwegian variant of the mythological figure, as Nisse is a Norwegian nickname for the name
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Nils. Typically depicted as small and elderly, the Tomte is roughly half the size of a man, with rags for clothes and a heavy white beard. This miniature sprite has long been a symbol for the winter solstice and the celebration of yuletide, though his connotations have evolved over the years.
Originally, the “homestead man” was believed to be the ancestral spirit of the first farmer to have worked a
given plot of land. Dwelling around the farm but careful to always remain out of sight, the Tomte is known to be a dutiful, hard worker. He cares for the animals, children and property at the homestead, asking very little in return but respect and the occasional bowl of porridge. At the inkling of disrespect – which can come in the form of foul language or a sudden change in an age-old tradition – he will not hesitate to stir up trouble. Tomtes are known to be mischievous and fiery-tempered, acting out through something as benign as mixing up the animals in the barn to much more extreme shows of chaos and violence. One classic example of his fickle character is the story of Tomte and his Christmas porridge. For his loyal work throughout the year, a Tomte
is said to require a bowl of porridge with a generous dollop of butter on top when the holidays come around. Legend has it that one year a servant girl jokingly hid the butter at the bottom of the bowl, and the Tomte was so infuriated by the slight that he slaughtered the family’s best cow. Upon finishing his meal and realizing that there was butter at the bottom of the bowl the Tomte felt guilty – so guilty that he stole a neighbor’s cow as a replacement to atone for his mistake. While many viewed the prospect of having a Tomte as a blessing of good fortune, earlier believers associated the character with false gods and Devil worship. The Tomte was considered heathen; to keep one indicated not only laziness but also posed a potential threat to neighboring farmers, as the sprite was known to steal. In a 14th century decree the famous Saint Birgitta of Vadstena warned against “tompta gudhi” or “Tomte gods,” perpetuating the idea that these creatures put one’s soul at risk. Today, however, the Tomte is aligned more closely with the jolly Saint Nicholas than with his pagan roots. Aside from their shared name and a few costume similarities, it is very clear that the homestead Tomte and the American Santa Claus with his jolly belly and hearty laugh don’t have much in common. How, then, did these two become interlinked? Tommy Kuusela, from the Swedish Institute for Language and Folklore, argues that it was through artists and authors that Tomte’s name and image shifted over time.
One significant factor in the evolution of Tomte comes from artist Jenny Nyström’s interpretation of Viktor Rydberg’s poem “Tomten.” First published in the New Illustrated Magazine in 1881, Rydberg paints a picture of the Tomte’s solitary life: Midwinter’s nightly frost is hard — Brightly the stars are beaming; Fast asleep is the lonely yard, All, at midnight, are dreaming. Clear is the moon, and the snow-drifts shine, Glistening white, on fir and pine, Covers on rooflets making. None but the Tomte is waking. Nyström’s accompanying illustration offers a new kind of tomte, a mix between Tomte, Santa Claus and the yule goat, who traditionally delivered presents to children in Swedish folklore. The result was a shift in Tomte’s persona. He became an adult-sized man, friendly, carrying a bag of gifts on his back, often with his yule goat in tow. While the original Tomte has not died out, he is much less frequently referred to than this newer model. Kuusela points out that this is a reaction not only to the international Tomte’s commercial appeal, but also
the transformation of Sweden from a nation filled with country dwellers to city dwellers. “With citizens in the city’s electric lights and dense and bustling environment, Tomte wasn’t fulfilling his traditional role. Instead he became a symbol that could be used for different ends, from advertisements to entertainment.” This Tomte no longer does the hard work behind the scenes but plays the role of a benevolent celebrity, the focal point of Christmas celebrations. This is precisely why a place like Tomteland, or “Santaworld,” located in a northern Swedish town called Mora, has become such a hit. On their grounds the organizers cater to fantasy lovers, offering visitations to fairies, trolls, witches and – most importantly – Tomte. The park, which opened in 1984, welcomes visitors all year round, but in the winter months they create a holiday paradise. Here you can encounter living Swedish tradition and meet Tomte up close. You can even have a glimpse into his workshop and see his sled. While the park delivers a rather Americanized Santa Claus, they offer a place called “nissebyn,” or “Tomte town.” Here, the small sprites have been given the task of preparing Santa’s gifts, fulfilling their worker roles with glee. “Forest Tomtes aren’t any taller than three apples high,” they write on their website, “and they live in small houses under rocks and treestumps.” Here the mythologies blend and live on.
All illustrations by Jenny Nyström
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[Lifestyle]
Top Sju
6
2019
Sweden’s men’s national handball team (Svenska Handbollslandslaget) is gearing up for the 2019 World Men’s Handball Championship in Denmark and Germany January 10 to 27. The championship will be played in six different arenas: two in Denmark (Copenhagen and Herning) and four in Germany (Berlin, Cologne, Munich and Hamburg). Sweden is part of group D and will face Hungary, Qatar, Argentina, Egypt, and Angola in what is sure to be exciting games. The final takes place at the indoor arena “Jyske Bank Boxen” in Herning, Denmark.
The Schönbrunn Slottsfilharmoniker from Vienna is returning to Sweden, starting in Kalmar on January 5 with their spectacular New Year’s Concert. The orchestra annually tours Japan, Australia, America and Europe with music inspired by the worldrenowned TV show broadcast on New Year’s Day. Audience members are encouraged to participate under the conductor’s lead during the famous Radetzkymarsh towards the end of the concert. For more information, see www.nyarskonserten.se
Nobel Prize Award Ceremony. Photo © Nobel Media AB/A. Mahmoud
10 “Nobeldagen” – the day on which the Nobel Prize is awarded in Sweden and Norway in recognition of academic, scientific and cultural accomplishments – falls on December 10. The prizes, established through the testament of Alfred Nobel in 1895, has been awarded since 1901 and are considered the most prestigious. All prizes (except for the Nobel Peace Prize) are handed out in a ceremony in the Stockholm Concert Hall followed by a banquet in “The Blue Hall” at Stockholm City Hall. People who have received Nobel prizes include Mother Teresa, The Dalai Lama, Nelson Mandela, Marie Curie and Bob Dylan.
50 Café “Konditori Ritorno” on Odengatan in Vasastan, central Stockholm has been chosen as one of “The 50 greatest cafés on Earth” by British daily newspaper The Telegraph. “Skip the hipster espresso bars and enjoy the retro charm of this 1959 institution,” said the review. Konditori Ritorno’s retro atmosphere, free coffee refills and tasty cinnamon buns were well-liked by the British judges. The café was the only one in the Nordic countries that made the list.
24 Countdown to Christmas Eve on December 24 with Swedish Television’s 2018 Christmas calendar! Storm på Lugna gatan has been described as an exciting and
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fun family comedy featuring plenty of Christmas spirit, Santa Clauses, snow and gingerbread cookies. It tells the story of the Storm family who move into a new town and decide to participate in the town’s annual Christmas contest. Actors include Johan Rheborg, Lena Philipsson, Cecilia Forss, Henrik Johansson and Shima Niavarani. Storm på Lugna gatan premiers on Swedish Television SVT on December 1.
19552 Ikea, Google and Volvo Cars were amongst the most appreciated employers in Sweden according to a survey called “Karriärbarometern” by Swedish consulting firm Universum Globals. The consulting firm spoke to 19,552 young employees to find out what qualities they look for in an employer. The survey showed that employees are less willing to challenge themselves and more eager to find a safe and secure place of employment.
10 000 If you love the taste of fresh out of the oven saffron buns, you are bound to appreciate Brekeriet’s (a brewery in Skåne in Southern Sweden) saffron beer “Lusse Lelle.” Released for the second consecutive year, the tart (syrlig) wheat beer has been flavored with saffron, citrus and almond. “Lusse Lelle” will be available at Systembolaget on December 7. Last year the beer quickly sold out, so make sure to get in line for one of the 10,000 bottles being released this year.
[Lifestyle] Film Liv Ullmann’s Most Profound Experience with Ingmar Bergman By Alice Shih
“W
ould you like to be in one of my movies?” said Ingmar Bergman to Liv Ullmann when he ran into the young Norwegian actress on a street in Stockholm. She was visiting her best friend Bibi Andersson. The rest is history. Liv Ullmann was on stage speaking to her fans at TIFF Bell Lightbox, one of the highlight events celebrating the Bergman Centenary. She told the audience that Bergman knew of her works with Andersson before they were introduced. He offered the two actors his next movie, but the shoot got cancelled as he fell ill. The ladies decided to travel and when they reached Czechoslovakia, the embassy tracked them down and told them Bergman was well and ready for his next film. “While he was in the hospital, he looked at pictures of Bibi and me and was struck by the likeness of us, and
he said he was inspired to make Persona, which means a ‘Mask’,” said Ullmann. “I only had one word in the movie, which was ‘Nothing’; but it was something about him that I thought I understood. I had the feeling that I was doing him. Refusing to talk, refusing to be part of life, just watching and wondering, and feeling really on the outside – that was Ingmar. Although we never discussed it, my theory is that I was some kind of speaker for Ingmar in many of his movies. “He had a difficult childhood. He loved his mother but they really did not have much contact with each other. He said that his father, who was a priest, was very cold. In the movie Private Confessions, he portrayed a priest’s wife who was having a lover. After Ingmar’s mother died, they found her diary. Nobody knew that she had a lover until then. He wrote in his own diary about the mother that he loved, ‘You are an actress, you fooled all of us’. From that diary, we found out that his father wrote beautifully to her, they never divorced. The mother said at the end of the movie, ‘My husband loved me more than I ever knew
how to love back.’ So what he made in the movie is more like a memory, and it didn’t reflect the truth that he’d known. “I’m truthful, and he liked that. We understood each other. While doing Persona, I kind of fell in love; he of course, shouldn’t know that! I thought he fell in love with me too. We never talked about it until one of the last days. We were all walking on the beach. Ingmar and I were sitting on a stone looking at the water, and then he said, ‘I had a dream last night that you and I are painfully connected.’ That was so beautiful! That was how we knew, after the movie was over, that we probably would continue to be together as a couple. Yes, we lived together for three movies. It was fantastic and artistic, being together artistically, being together as friends, being together as parents. It is wonderful when you find someone you can work with until one of you dies.” When asked about her most profound experience in her relationship with Bergman, Liv thought for a moment and replied, “I have to say, my daughter.”
Photos © AB Svensk Filmindustri
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