Up Helly Aa is an annual fire festival celebrated here in Shetland, marking the end of the Yule season and the return of the light after the long, dark winter. The main festival is held in Lerwick, the island’s capital, on the last Tuesday of January every year, but there are smaller Up Helly Aa celebrations held throughout the islands. Each celebration is led by a Jarl Squad, dressed in full Viking splendour, who spend the day marching and visiting before leading a torch lit procession through the streets. A replica galley is part of this procession and the march ends with the burning of the galley.
One of the smaller, junior, Up Helly Aa celebrations is held in Walls (pronounced Waas), a village on the west side of Shetland, but this Up Helly Aa is a Shetland fire festival with a difference. You won’t find burly bearded men leading this celebration, as each year the squads alternate between the local Scouts and Girl Guides with no member older than 14 years old. This year it was the girls’ turn to shine, and oh my they certainly did!
Donning wooden spears and painted shields the Guizer Jarl, Marissa Henry (age 8), led her squad of Burland Bruizers through the festivities of the evening, singing and dancing and entertaining the packed venues at the village hall and kirk. Other squads put on shows too, in true Up Helly Aa fashion, with visiting acts from other local Scouts and Guides chapters. We were treated to a song by the Northmavine Jarl Squad and there was plenty of dancing through the night to live music.
Unfortunately the burning of the galley was postponed due to inclement weather. Sleety hail showers coupled with high winds made for a very painful sky, so I will update this post with photos once the burning itself has occurred. In the meantime, you can view a taster of the hall events in the video below!
The Jamieson’s wool mill in Sandness, on the west side of Shetland, grade, scour and dye their fleece before colour blending, carding, spinning, twisting and balling to produce their 100% pure Shetland yarn. This is then woven on their premises into an extensive range of genuine Shetland Tweeds and blankets. Their high quality product is in demand, worldwide, so imagine my delight when I was told I could do whatever I wanted with the leftover scraps from making the cloaks!As a parent of one of the junior Jarl Squad members with a sewing machine I was asked if I could make the Viking cloaks. I happily agreed; I’m all for a challenge, me! 9.5 metres of the finest Jamieson’s 100% Shetland wool fabric was delivered to my house and I set to work: one cloak in red Shetland wool for the 8 year old Guizer Jarl herself and nineteen blue cloaks for her Burland Bruizer squad members, all fastened with a vintage pewter effect clasp.
With the scraps I made a small pillow as a memento for the Guizer Jarl herself (pictured in the bottom centre, below), a solid red Shetland wool pillow for raffling in the hall during the Up Helly Aa celebrations, two blue pillows with red heart appliqué motifs and two sets of bunting, one to be raffled and the other…. to be won, along with the two large blue Shetland wool pillows by one of my lucky readers!
How to Enter
For your chance to win the two large handmade blue heart motif pillows (pictured left and right above) and one set of handmade ten flag bunting enter using the Rafflecopter below. Come back and tweet about the Giveaway every day for more chances to win!
Cat allergy sufferers: Please note that these items were made in a cat loving environment, and although every care was taken to keep Izzy off the ironing board while I was sewing I cannot guarantee she didn’t have a little nosy while I wasn’t looking.
Terms & Conditions
This giveaway is open to worldwide entries. Entrants must be age 18 or over. Winners will need to respond with their choice of prize within 72 hours of being contacted. Failure to do this may result in another winner being selected.
The prize is offered and provided by Elizabeth’s Kitchen Diary. The prize is the two 100% Shetland wool pillows with heart appliqués, pictured above, and one set of bunting. There is no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable.
If you need some help using Rafflecopter, here’s a quick clip to show you how. Rafflecopter will pick the winner at random from the entries received. I will be verifying entries and any automated entries will be disqualified.
Closing date is midnight on Sunday 13 April 2014 and the winner will be announced that day.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
As our shy daughter was such a star as one of the Burland Bruizers participating with great cheer in her first ever Up Helly Aa I am linking up with Ethan’s Escapades and her Small Steps Amazing Achievements linky, the Magic Moments linky over at Oliver’s Madhouse and the BritMums My Best Post of the Week.
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That looks and sounds brilliant – I want to come.
So jealous that you get to attend this. Up Helly Aa and Fairisle are still on my shetland to do list – I will get there one day!
I still haven’t made it over to Fair Isle, one of these days! It’s on my bucket list 🙂 You’ll have to come back and finish your Shetland tour!
I’ve never been, looks like a great get together
I’ve never been but it looks great fun. Looks like it would be fun to attend one day
lovely prize – thank you
I would love to go!
I’ve never heard of Helly – this has been a very interesting post
I’ve never been but I’ve seen the celebrations on TV and would love to visit!
Sounds like fun!!
Never been but I wish I could it looking amazing, bet the atmosphere is fantastic.
The celebrations look good! I havnt been but i would love too!
trevor linvell
No, I don’t know cause I live in a different country. But this is so interesting!
I’d never heard of Helly aa before reading this but it looks like great fun
Would love to go, looks amazing x
It would be a long trip but definately looks worthwhile – this was something that I had not heard of before.
Ive never heard of it, looks amazing fun !
never been but it sounds awesome!
looks fab! ive never been but its certainly something i would consider x
never been but would love to go
kinseyemma@yahoo.com
It does sound like fun – I love these local traditions.
I’ve never been in those celebrations but it sounds like fun !!
Looks like you all had a brilliant time, I’d love to go!
seems like fun
Looks ace!
I have never been before but it looks and sounds very interesting.
I haven’t been before, it looks interesting & something the whole amity can enjoy
Kel Ellen Hirst
I have never been but looks like an amazing event, I’d love to go x x
Wow – very fun!
I have never been – but it looks brilliant
Never been, but it looks like a lot of fun!
Sounds amazing, ive never been but would love to go! 🙂
never been but it sounds like a great way to celebrate
I would really love to see the festivities! It sounds like so much fun! 🙂
I have never been. I’ve never been to the Shetlands but would to go. In fact, I probably wouldn’t want to leave. Its my idea of heaven.
I have never been but it looks wonderful and I would love to go and to join in the fun!
Looks great never been but would like to
sounds good,although have never been
Look amazing,I haven’t been to one x
Sounds really exciting – a great experience. Hope I can go one day.
I have never been 🙁 But I would love to go and experience it 🙂
Looks brilliant would love to attend as I never have
Maura
Never been, sounds like a great experience 🙂
This is on my ‘to do’ list
Nopey.. never! but it does sound great.. would love to if i ever get a chance!
No,never been but it looks great,
It looks amazing and I will definitely be suggesting to my other half that a wee trip is needed next year
I’ve never been but would to go! 🙂
I would love to go! Looks brilliant. I’m originally from Inverness, now in Glasgow and shamefully never made it any further north than my home town 🙁 Shetland (and Orkney!) are both on my wishlist though!
I’ve never been, but it looks like so much fun!
We keep Shetland sheep, so perhaps next year we should throw them a party 🙂
I ve never been in these celebratios!
Even if i d love to!
Thank yo for this great giveaway!
sounds fun! 🙂
fingers crossed!
cogitoergosum8587@yahoo.it
I’ve not heard of this before. I would love to take my daughter to experience it. I also love a Scottish accent!
Have’nt been but it look’s fab 🙂
Sounds intriguing…Scotland is on my list of places to visit : )
I’ve never been but would love to go
I had never even heard about this celebration. It looks wonderful. I would love to go someday.
I’ve never been but sounds fun!
Never been but always up for some craic so I’d love to go!
I’ve never been but reading your review I’d definitely consider it 🙂
I have never been to these celebrations, but it looks good.
never been but they look fab
I have never been up that far but a friend of mine is now working up there and says its wonderful
I have never been either, – probably would like to though.
I’ve never been, but I’d love to! I bet the atmosphere is lovely…
sounds great
What do you think of our Up Helly Aa celebrations? Have you ever been? Would you like to?
Looks like a great time was had by all, never been but would love the opportunity
What a fantastic event. I loved the video, I will have to show Ethan the minions. The girls really did put on a great show.
Thanks for linking up with Small Steps Amazing Achievements :0)
x
Not been but it looks great.
Looks fantastic, though no, I have never been x
Tracy Sinclair
Twitter @tjsi1963
No I’ve not been, but would love to as it looks like good fun.
I have never been but it looks amazing. I would love to go. (I would love to be as talented as you with needlework)
what an utterly fantastic celebration! i am also jealous at how clever you are with making cloaks!!
thanks for linking up with #MagicMoments x
Sounds great,I have never been but I would like to.
It sounds amazing – I have never been but would love to! rachelhonour@hotmail.co.uk
All looks very exciting and well done to your little star #MagicMoments
I’ve never heard of this before
Have never been. Would like to. Looks like a great Celebration.
Rachel Craig
I’ve never been bu would love to go ♥
The celebrations sound really good, looking forward to hearing about it.
The Up Helly Aa celebrations sound amazing … would love to go along one day 🙂
I have never been, but it looks really good 🙂
great way to celebrate!
Looks awesome!
I can’t enter your giveaway as I’m very allergic to cats but I just wanted to say I’m very very impressed with the cushions, they look beautiful, well done you for your mammoth sewing task, it looks like everyone had a great time 🙂
Aw that’s a shame. I’m pretty sure the cat was no where near it, but you never know… I put up the disclaimer just in case! Everyone did have a fab time – I’m so proud of them all!
ive never been but would love to go x
I visited Shetland last September and fell in love with it! I would love to go to Up Helly Aa on my next visit. Great giveaway!
Its top of my must do list
What a wonderful celebration. I’ve never been but I’d love to see it.
Hazel Rea – @beachrambler
i havent been but would love to x maria blythin
I’ve never been, but it sounds great!
i would like to see it sounds great
sounds fun
never been but looks fandabidozy
Never been, but looks good.
it sounds like great fun
It looks such fun, I have to admit I hadn’t heard of Helly aa before but it looks like an experience I would like to have 🙂 x
It sounds fantastic and I would love to experience it myself. I have only been to Scotland once in my life and it would be fab to go back someday.
The event looks amazing; I haven’t yet ventured that far North, but we have plans to visit when we get our camper van up and running 🙂 Beautiful pillows, by the way. xx
I would love to visit the celebration sounds fun
I’d never heard of Helly aa before, but it looks like a lot of fun 🙂
Well done on the mammoth sewing project, great to see the young girls taking part in traditional activities too. You’ve made a beautiful job of the cushions.
Thank you Janice – they really did enjoy themselves and it was nice to be able to help out. 🙂
Haven’t been but it looks good.
Sounds interesting, I would like to see it.
The celebrations look fab, I’ve never been as we live in Wales and rarely go that far North, but maybe one year 🙂
No I haven’t joined it but it look great fun! We have never been that far up North either. We have a holiday home over on the Isle of Arran and must go over there at least 8 times a year! They have local celebrations over there too but nothing like Up Helly Aa!
I’ve never been (nor ventured that far north!), but it makes it sound like an exciting event to see and your review of it has made me want to find out more
I have always wanted to see the celebrations! Looks like everyone had a fab time ♥