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Constitution Day | |
---|---|
Official name | Constitution Day of Norway |
Also called | Seventeenth of May (17th May) |
Observed by | Norwegians |
Significance | Celebrating the signing of the Norwegian Constitution in Eidsvoll, 17 May 1814. |
Celebrations | Parades, flying flags, speeches, memorialisation |
Date | 17 May |
Next time | 17 May 2025 |
Frequency | Annual |
Related to | Constitution of Norway Norwegian Constituent Assembly Union Dissolution Day (7 June) |
Constitution Day is the national day of Norway and is an official public holiday observed on 17 May each year. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to as Syttende mai ("Seventeenth of May"), Nasjonaldagen ("National Day"), or Grunnlovsdagen ("Constitution Day"), although the latter is less frequent.
The Norwegians will often celebrate with big parades with everyone dressed up in their special outfit (bunad). People eat hot dogs, waffles and ice cream and the children play playground games. [1]
The Constitution of Norway was signed at Eidsvoll on 17 May 1814. It is the second oldest written constitution still in use. [2] The constitution declared Norway to be an independent kingdom in an attempt to avoid being ceded to Sweden after Denmark–Norway's devastating defeat in the Napoleonic Wars. This established a Union between Sweden and Norway.
The celebration of this day began spontaneously among students and others from early on. However, Norway was at that time in a personal union with Sweden (following the Convention of Moss in August 1814, by which they shared a monarch as separate nations) and for some years the King of Sweden and Norway was reluctant to allow the celebrations. For a few years during the 1820s, King Charles XIV John actually banned it, believing that celebrations like this were, in fact, a kind of protest and disregard, even revolt, against the union. [3] The king's attitude changed after the Battle of the Square in 1829, an incident which resulted in such a commotion that the king had to allow commemorations on the day.
It was, however, not until 1833 that public addresses were held, and official celebration was initiated near the monument of former government minister Christian Krohg, who had spent much of his political life curbing the personal power of the monarch. The address was held by Henrik Wergeland, thoroughly witnessed and accounted for by an informant dispatched by the king himself.
After 1864 the day became more established when the first children's parade was launched in Christiania, at first consisting only of boys. This initiative was taken by Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson, although Wergeland made the first known children's parade at Eidsvoll around 1820. It was only in 1899 that girls were allowed to join in the parade for the first time. In 1905, the union with Sweden was dissolved and Prince Carl of Denmark was chosen to be King of an independent Norway, under the name Haakon VII. Obviously, this ended any Swedish concern for the activities of the National Day.
During World War II when Norway was under occupation by the Nazis, it was strictly forbidden for Norwegians to celebrate 17 May, participate in any procession, or to use the colors of the Norwegian flag on clothes. At the liberation on 8 May 1945, the Norwegian flag therefore became a strong symbol of Norway's freedom.
By historical coincidence, World War II ended in Norway nine days before Constitution Day on 8 May 1945, when the occupying German forces surrendered. Even if Liberation Day is an official flag day in Norway, the day is not an official holiday and not widely celebrated. Instead, a new and broader meaning has been added to the celebration of Norwegian Constitution Day on 17 May to reflect the victory over Nazi oppression. [4]
A noteworthy aspect of the Norwegian Constitution Day is its very non-military nature. All over Norway, children's parades with an abundance of flags form the central elements of the celebration. Each elementary school district arranges its own parade [5] with marching bands between schools. The parade takes the children through the community, often making stops at homes of senior citizens, war memorials, etc. The longest parade is in Oslo, where some 100,000 people travel to the city centre to participate in the main festivities. This is broadcast on TV every year, with comments on costumes, banners, etc., together with local reports from celebrations around the country. The massive Oslo parade includes some 100 schools, marching bands, and passes the royal palace where the royal family greet the people from the main balcony. [6]
Typically, a school's children parade will consist of some senior school children carrying the school's official banner, followed by a handful of other older children carrying full-size Norwegian flags, and the school's marching band. After the band, the rest of the school children follow with hand-held flags, often with the junior forms first, and often behind self-made banners for each form or even individual class. Nearby kindergartens may also have been invited to join in. As the parade passes, bystanders often join in behind the official parade and follow the parade back to the school.
Depending on the community, the parade may make stops at particular sites along the route, such as a nursing home or war memorial. In Oslo, the parade stops at the Royal Palace while Skaugum, the home of the crown prince, has been a traditional waypoint for parades in Asker.
During the parade, a marching band will play and the children will sing lyrics about the celebration of the National Day. The parade concludes with the stationary singing of the national anthem "Ja, vi elsker dette landet" (typically verses 1, 7 and 8), and the royal anthem "Kongesangen".
In addition to flags, people typically wear red, white and blue ribbons. Although a long-standing tradition, it has lately become more popular for men, women and children to wear traditional outfits, called bunad . The children shout "Hurra!", sing, blow whistles and shake rattles.
All over Norway, memorials to the fallen at wars and to other notable national people are honoured with speeches and wreaths early in the morning. In many places (like in Oslo) at noon, a salute is fired.
In addition to children's parades, there are parades for the public (borgertog), where every citizen is welcome to join in. These are led by marching bands and often local boy scouts and girl guides, local choirs, NGOs etc. This takes place in the early morning or in the afternoon, before or after the school's parade.
All parades begin or end with speeches. Both grown-ups and older children are invited to speak. After the parades, there are games for the children, and often much ice cream, pop, sweets and hot-dogs are consumed. [7]
The graduating class from videregående (upper secondary school, sixth form) the Norwegian equivalent of high school, known as russ, has its own celebration on 17 May, staying up all night and making the rounds through the community. The russ also have their own parades later in the day, usually around 4 or 5 pm. In this parade, russ will parade through the street carrying signs and pickets. They may parody various local and political aspects, although recently this has become less frequent. Russ parades have lately become smaller and smaller due to diligent police discouragement. [7]
The Constitution Day is celebrated in most small settlements and larger towns across Norway, with many variations.
In addition to the children's parades the streets across the country are filled with young and old, turning out in festive attire, and vendors selling ice cream, hot dogs, and more recently, kebabs.
In many neighbourhoods, small towns and villages, it is common for them to have their own events with relaxed open dining and fun, unpretentious competitions for children.
Although 17 May is the National Day, foreigners are very welcome to join in with all activities. [7]
Syttende Mai is also celebrated in many Norwegian migrant communities throughout the world, with traditional foods, sometimes including lutefisk. In the United States and Canada, the local lodges of the Sons of Norway often play a central part in organizing the festivities.
The Bay Ridge neighborhood in Brooklyn, New York City has had an annual 17 May Parade and celebration since 1952. It is well-attended and celebrated by Norwegian-Americans who immigrated to Brooklyn in the early 20th century. [9]
One major celebration occurs in Petersburg, Alaska, also known as "Little Norway". The town is a Norwegian settlement and strongly retains its roots. The festival occurs the weekend closest to 17 May and includes a parade, Leikarring dancers, herring toss, Norwegian pastries such as lefse and even a pack of Vikings and Valkyries. [10]
Another major Syttende Mai celebration occurs in Stoughton, Wisconsin, which, along with Seattle, Washington, [11] claims to be the 2nd largest in the world, and the largest in the US. Festivities include canoe racing, two parades, an art fair, a 20-mile run around the Stoughton community, [12] and a great deal of bratwurst consumption. The festival features the Stoughton High School Norwegian Dancers, a group that tours the country showcasing traditional ethnic dances of Scandinavia. [13]
Smaller Syttende Mai celebrations are held in Norwegian-heritage communities throughout western Wisconsin, Minnesota, and elsewhere in the Midwestern United States. [14] Members of Norway's Parliament Storting travel to Chicago to attend a three-day celebration consisting of a concert, banquet and parade hosted by the Norwegian National League. [15] Spring Grove, Minnesota, also hosts a 3-day festival on the weekend nearest to Syttende Mai, while nearby Decorah, Iowa, the home of Nordic Fest and the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum, also hosts a parade. Syttende Mai is also celebrated in Oswego, New York. Since 1969, the city of Westby, Wisconsin, has celebrated a four-day festival featuring authentic Norwegian foods, crafts, a "frokost" and Norwegian church service.
Other large celebrations are held in the Ballard, Seattle, which also claims to be the largest Syttende Mai parade outside of Oslo, [11] Poulsbo, Washington, [16] and Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Epcot's Norwegian Pavilion in Florida, celebrates Constitution Day with numerous flags around the pavilion, as well as parades around the World Showcase Lagoon. Salt Lake City, Utah, holds its annual celebration at the International Peace Gardens. [17] 400-700 people attend each year.[ citation needed ]
In the United Kingdom, the Norwegian community in London holds a 17 May celebration each year in Southwark Park. The celebration is attended by a large number of Norwegians resident in London and includes a parade, a traditional service in a local church, and the selling of traditional Norwegian foods such as Solo and makrell i tomat, and many Norwegian flags for Norwegians who have left theirs at home.
The Norwegian church in Cardiff celebrates Syttende Mai with a parade and a speech about the history of Syttende Mai and then a meal of tasty waffles. [7]
In Orkney, Scotland, 17 May is celebrated by the Orkney Norway Friendship Association in recognition of the islands' strong historic links with Norway, [18] with similar celebrations taking place in neighbouring Shetland.
In Glasgow, Scotland, 17 May is celebrated at Murano Street Student Village where Norwegian students and their friends congregate to enjoy the traditional festivities of the day. This includes the wearing of Norwegian traditional colours as well as the consumption of spectacularly copious amounts of alcoholic beverages.
Stockholm, Sweden, has a big celebration with a parade starting at Engelbrektsplan and ending at Skansen, in which more than 10,000 participate every year. The event includes Stockholm's only dedicated 17 May marching band, Det Norske Korps. [19]
It is also common for Norwegians living abroad to gather and celebrate. In some countries, typically where the population of Norwegian expatriates is small, the Norwegian embassy is the focus of celebrations, or sometimes the diplomats' spouses arrange an event.
In New Zealand, the 17th of May is celebrated in Fiordland, a small piece of Norway in the fjords and mountains of southwest New Zealand. All Fjordland buildings are made of eucalyptus and are inspired by Norwegian architecture. They have an exposition of photos and facts about Norway, typical food, and a presentation with six Fjord Horses making a choreography with Norwegian music Vi på Langedrag by Sigmund Groven.
Norsewood in New Zealand also Celebrates Norway Day with a church service, folk dancing displays by school children and Norwegian songs performed by the village choir.
The poet Henrik Wergeland is credited with making Søttende/Syttende mai a celebratory day for the children rather than a day of patriotic pride. Actually, the day demonstrates that the children, i.e. the country's future, are the patriotic pride, if we follow Wergeland's thought. Flags and music dominate the day, and there are few military parades. To commemorate his contribution, the russ in Oslo place an oversized hat on his statue near the Storting (Parliament); the Jewish community place a wreath on his grave in the morning as a tribute to his efforts on their behalf.
The day is celebrated as a people's day, with limited military participation.
The Royal Guard performs on the main street of the capital city, Oslo. During the parade, the Guard display their drill and musical skills. The marching band of the Royal Guard also attend the children's parade in central Oslo together with the schools' own marching bands, their black uniforms and impeccable drill being a very popular part of the Oslo parade. [7]
Forsvarets Musikkorps Vestlandet (Norwegian Armed Forces' Music Corps Western Norway), followed by parts of the military defence is participating in the parade of Bergen.
The former Norwegian president of parliament Jo Benkow noted that the day has increasingly become a celebration of Norway's growing ethnic diversity.
Several factors have probably contributed to the inclusive nature of the celebration:
One can add that the day should be regarded as an expression of thankfulness, on behalf of the old values freedom, equality and brotherhood, the ideological basis for the constitution, and also on behalf of the circumstances that led up to the constitution. The aspect of "thanksgiving" in the national celebrations of Norway is easily forgotten in the long span of years from 1814.
There has been dispute over whether foreign flags should be allowed in the parade. In 2008, the 17 May committee of Oslo banned the use of foreign flags, but was overturned by the mayor of Oslo, Fabian Stang. [21] Similar discussions have taken place in other cities. [22] In 2013, the 17 May committee of Ålesund turned down a request from a local school to use handmade paper flags that also included foreign flags. [23] The decision was later overturned. [24]
Canada Day, formerly known as Dominion Day, is the national day of Canada. A federal statutory holiday, it celebrates the anniversary of Canadian Confederation which occurred on July 1, 1867, with the passing of the British North America Act, 1867, when the three separate colonies of the United Canadas, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick were united into a single dominion within the British Empire called Canada.
Labour Day is an annual day of celebration of the achievements of workers. It has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.
The Constitution of Norway was adopted on 16 May and signed on 17 May 1814 by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll. The latter date is the National Day of Norway; it marks the establishment of the constitution.
Stoughton is a city in Dane County, Wisconsin, United States. It straddles the Yahara River about 20 miles southeast of the state capital, Madison. Stoughton is part of the Madison Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 13,173.
Westby is a city in Vernon County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,332 as of the 2020 census. The name "Westby" is a Norwegian name and literally translates to "Western city".
Saint Patrick's Day, or the Feast of Saint Patrick, is a religious and cultural holiday held on 17 March, the traditional death date of Saint Patrick, the foremost patron saint of Ireland.
Victory in Europe Day is the day celebrating the formal acceptance by the Allies of World War II of Germany's unconditional surrender of its armed forces on Tuesday, 8 May 1945; it marked the official end of World War II in Europe in the Eastern Front, with the last known shots fired on 11 May.
The National Day of Sweden is the national day of Sweden, observed annually as a public holiday on 6 June. Prior to 1983, the day was celebrated as the Swedish Flag Day. At that time, the day was named the Swedish National Day by the parliament of Sweden. The day is celebrated in honor of the election of Gustav Vasa as King of Sweden in 1523 and of the adoption of the constitutions of 1809 and 1974.
Henrik Arnold Thaulow Wergeland was a Norwegian writer, most celebrated for his poetry but also a prolific playwright, polemicist, historian, and linguist. He is often described as a leading pioneer in the development of a distinctly Norwegian literary heritage and of modern Norwegian culture.
The King's Official Birthday is the selected day in most Commonwealth realms on which the birthday of the monarch is officially celebrated in those countries. It does not necessarily correspond to the date of the monarch's actual birth.
Bunad is a Norwegian umbrella term. In a broader sense, the term encompasses household, householding equipment, and livestock as well as both traditional rural clothes and modern 20th-century folk costumes. In its narrowest sense, the word bunad refers only to clothes designed in the early 20th century that are loosely based on traditional costumes.
The culture of Norway is closely linked to the country's history and geography. The unique Norwegian farm culture, sustained to this day, has resulted not only from scarce resources and a harsh climate but also from ancient property laws. In the 19th century, it brought about a strong romantic nationalistic movement, which is still visible in the Norwegian language and media. In the 19th century, Norwegian culture blossomed as efforts continued to achieve an independent identity in the areas of literature, art and music. This continues today in the performing arts and as a result of government support for exhibitions, cultural projects and artwork.
Christian Krohg was a Norwegian lawyer and politician. He is mostly remembered for his activity in the years following the passing of the constitution of Norway in 1814. Krohg was the head of the recently-established parliament's constitutional committee in 1824 when it rebuked attempts by the king of Sweden-Norway to expand the king's constitutional powers, for which he was widely celebrated among the public. After his death, a memorial to Christian Krohg was inaugurated in Oslo on the 17th of May, 1833 with an accompanying speech by Henrik Wergeland. The Krohg memorial would remain a focal point of Constitution Day celebrations until the 1860s. He was the grandfather of Christian Krohg, the painter.
The Battle of the Square was a skirmish between Norwegian demonstrators and military forces of the United Kingdoms of Sweden and Norway that took place in Oslo, Norway, on the evening of 17 May 1829.
Nordic Fest is a weekend festival held annually in Decorah, Iowa, to commemorate the traditional customs and culture of Scandinavian countries, especially Norway. The event always occurs over the last weekend in July and often draws estimated crowds of 50,000 to 75,000.
The United States and Norway have a very long tradition of positive relations.
Events in the year 1814 in Norway.
The russefeiring is a traditional celebration for Norwegian high school students in their final spring semester. Students that take part in the celebrations are known as russ. Students in high school normally prepare for this celebration from the start of the year. Russ celebrations normally happen before the final term exam for the high school students before they are off to university or college. Russ have different ways of celebrating; some purchase large buses and drive around partying all night, while others may simply buy a van or a car. The russefeiring traditionally starts around 20 April and ends on 17 May, the Norwegian Constitution day. Participants wear coloured overalls. Some form groups that name a bus, car or van. Some celebrate almost continually during this period. Drunkenness and public disturbances are regularly linked to the celebration.
Johan Koren Christie was a Norwegian writer. He was a notable nationalist writer in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Ludvig Kristensen Daa was a Norwegian historian, ethnologist, auditor, editor of magazines and newspapers, educator and politician.