May 17, 2004

Norway celebrated its first 17tn of May day of independence in 1814 when Norway separated from Denmark and produced its own Constitution. This moment of political independence was celebrated all over Norway today in an explosion of flags, childrens parades, high school seniors dressed in their signature russe garments, and folks of all ages in traditional Norwegian costumes known as bunad. The 17^th of May is a day to spend with your friends and family on the streets watching and joining in on parades and eating ice cream and hot dogs to your hearts content. Nowhere in the world have I seen so many people eating such large ice cream cones with such glee.

I started off my 17^th of May celebrations with the Bråtane family in a small town near Risør called Søndelen, where Bernt went to elementary school and where his family is buried. Bernt dressed in his familys traditional bunad from the southern part of Norway: white puffy cotton shirt and silver clasps, black vest embroidered with colorful wildflowers, black and white Nordic patterned wool socks, calf-length black wool trousers with colorful suspenders and a very sharp traditional knife attached with its leather case, black wool buttoned coat, felt fedora hat with a flowered band, and a shiny pair of silver buckled black patent leather shoes. His mother Marianne wore a traditional womens bunad: white smocked shirt with silver clasps, heavily embroidered bodice laced up in the front with a silver chain, large black wool skirt, white flowered apron, and black buckled shoes. These traditional costumes cost well over $4000 US and can only be purchased from a tailor who is certified in making them. Our Independence Day in the US shares the festivities and family oriented fun, but certainly not the traditional costumes worn with pride. At first it seems a bit silly, and definitely provincial to wear these hot, heavy, costly costumes on a beautiful sunny May day. However, to see entire communities proudly displaying their heritage is really quite something. The emphasis here really is on tradition and family.

Today also happens to be the last day that the high school seniors run around and cause chaos in town. This time of year is called russetid because the russe are the secondary student just about to graduate from school and either start working or enter university. For the past few weeks they have been running around in red or blue carpenter overalls covered with iron on logos and driving around in old wrecks of cars painted in red and decorated with slogans. On the 17^th of May is the russefrokost, their breakfast party which ends in a grand parade of their crazy vehicles and lots of water fights.