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Lerwick Up Helly Aa


peeriebryan
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Female squad members in Lerwick Up Helly Aa (2022 poll)  

26 members have voted

  1. 1. In principle, should women be allowed to participate in Lerwick Up Helly-Aa as squad members?

    • Yes
      11
    • No
      15
  2. 2. Is logistics (already high numbers of guizers, waiting lists for squads etc) a valid reason not to allow women to participate in Lerwick Up Helly-Aa as squad members?

    • Yes
      15
    • No
      11
  3. 3. The current ‘male only’ squad member demographic of Lerwick Up Helly-Aa is….

    • Sexist
      8
    • Traditional
      18


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I don't think today is much of a day for watching the procession today because I think it was meant to be sleety in the morning but gradually warms up into the evening (hence the torches).

 

At least having shelter at Sound School and the smell of fresh soup and homebakes will lure guizers into the hall.

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But then came word to the crowd that waves were breaking on the galley, and barely 10 minutes after being set down at the wharf it was moved to Lower Hillhead.

 

http://www.shetlandtimes.co.uk/2014/01/28/weather-forces-galley-move/

 

There's irony in there somewhere.

 

Oh, well, its just a spree. To those its important to, hopefully you'll no hae ta wring oot da erses o' your drawers ower aften afore breakfast time da morn.

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Tremendous!!

 

A Very Well Done and Thank You to everyone involved in broadcasting the Procession live last night!

 

A friend watched for his nephew in the Junior Procession, then 3 of us watched the Main Procession here and enjoyed it very much.

Thank You!

 

 

{One question though... the faces on the Toon Hall clock - do they usually turn red for UHA?

Or am I just not very observant...

Whatever- that really added to it!}

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  • 4 months later...

Is it not inappropriate for us to be celebrating the Vikings given that our Scandanavian ancestors may well have committed a genocide here in Shetland?

 

Imagine an island inhabited by German descendents 1000 or so years from now holding a fire festival celebrating the Nazis with a guy dressed as Hitler leading the procession. That would be hugely offensive to anyone who suffered during the Holocaust. I wonder if the original Pictish inhabitants of our isles would be as offended by Up Helly Aa?
 

I know a lot of decent people pass off the festival off as just an excuse for a pi$$ up but surely we can come up with something more positive to celebrate, like the fact we have some of the longest nights on earth here in summer, perfect in fact for an almighty booze up. :razz:  

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Is it not inappropriate for us to be celebrating the Vikings given that our Scandanavian ancestors may well have committed a genocide here in Shetland?

 

 No.

 

 

Imagine an island inhabited by German descendents 1000 or so years from now holding a fire festival celebrating the Nazis with a guy dressed as Hitler leading the procession. That would be hugely offensive to anyone who suffered during the Holocaust. I wonder if the original Pictish inhabitants of our isles would be as offended by Up Helly Aa?

 

Or perhaps imagine a country, inhabited by a significant number of Protestants, celebrating their ancestors' torture and grisly execution of the perpetrators of a foiled Catholic putsch.  An event at one time formally endorsed by the state, which still involves the burning of effigies of the Papists. Seems to me that Guy Fawkes Night should perhaps be somewhat higher up your reformist priority list. After all, there are more Catholics around today than embittered Picts.

 

As we keep saying, UHA is not particularly about real Vikings, it is about UHA Vikings. Quite a different animal, and far more fun.

 

 

 

...but surely we can come up with something more positive to celebrate,...

 

There's nothing stopping you.  Have a go, and if its as entertaining as UHA, hip ho, even more fun. It is not a zero sum game.

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  • 5 weeks later...

Just noticed an upcoming episode of Halt and Catch Fire (a new AMC series about the birth of an American PC company in the 80s) titled "Up Helly Aa". TheTVdb has the info here: http://thetvdb.com/?tab=episode&seriesid=271910&seasonid=529315&id=4853856. Given the disconnect between the series and UHA, I'm curious about how it got the title... I guess/hope all will become clear on the 27th!

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  • admin changed the title to Lerwick Up Helly Aa

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