Lerwick Up Helly Aa

[Styles]

I thought the jarl squad suite was really good. But really much as I like Up Helly Aa, some folk take it far to seriouse, its only a good excuse for a sanctioned piss up in my mind.

[trout]

I thought the jarl squad suite was really good.

 

Cool. You mean to say they set fire to couches and a coffee table instead of a galley this year?

[Styles]

No, I ment it was really comfy and matched the wall paper.

[Ally]

No Up Helly Aa tails of debauchery then anyone? I need some distraction on my 30mins lunch break, before heading back to tutor several hundred nursing students in the ways of righteousness ( and show them how to check their emails).

 

Better head over to the Drunk Zone and see if anyone's slavered over the keyboard during the night, then....

[tarotangel]

I'm waiting for my brother to wake up to get some tales.

[mullaman]

My wife went to the Gibertson Park and was told NO STILLETOES!!

She had to go back to her friends house to try and find some shoes but to no avail.

She then spent the night in her bare feet at the hall.

 

Funnily enough the floor was covered with plywood and a protective covering anyway!!

 

When she left in the early hours she collected her shoes from the cloackroom and left.

 

She was met by a drunk hostess at the door who gave her a tirade of abuse about wearing stilletoes in the hall!!

Her language and demeanor were appalling and it ruined my wifes night there.

 

The hostess would not believe her or her friends that they of course had abbided by the rules.

 

neddless to say she or her friends will not be returning to the Gilbertson park to get that kind of abuse again!!

[BigMouth]

Every year I say I will go and every year I don't.

 

Next year I will make the effort

[MuckleJoannie]

BBC film of the procession fae tonight's news

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_6310000/newsid_6318000/6318003.stm?bw=bb&mp=rm

[trout]

(** MOD EDIT ** Taken from another duplicating thread)

 

Hello there I just wanted to ask the following questions on the festival to stir up a bit of debate and gauage folks opinions.

 

1) Should women be allowed in squads in Lerwick like they are in the rest of Shetland?

 

2) Is there any sense or point in celebrating the so called viking culture and heritage when all the vikings did for us was to steal, pilage, rape and terrorise the good folk of Shetland all those centuries ago?

 

3) Who has been your favourite Guizer Jarl and his Squad over the years?

[Ghostrider]

 

1) Should women be allowed in squads in Lerwick like they are in the rest of Shetland?

 

2) Is there any sense or point in celebrating the so called viking culture and heritage when all the vikings did for us was to steal, pilage, rape and terrorise the good folk of Shetland all those centuries ago?

 

3) Who has been your favourite Guizer Jarl and his Squad over the years?

 

1) I think that's something the existing participants and wannabe participants should fight out amongst themselves.

 

2) Not a lot! Viking heritage and particularly culture is a very minority part of 21st century Shetland, and I can't be the only one who sees a great irony in Lerwick, which probably has the least Viking heritage and culture of anywhere or anyone in Shetland, being the biggest exponents of it's celebration.

 

3) None. My total disinterest has been equal in them all.

[Heimdal]

Hello there I just wanted to ask the following questions on the festival to stir up a bit of debate and gauage folks opinions.

 

1) Should women be allowed in squads in Lerwick like they are in the rest of Shetland?

 

2) Is there any sense or point in celebrating the so called viking culture and heritage when all the vikings did for us was to steal, pilage, rape and terrorise the good folk of Shetland all those centuries ago?

 

3) Who has been your favourite Guizer Jarl and his Squad over the years?

 

1) I don't see why not, there are some 'hard case women' too

 

2) You are being misled her by the propaganda circulated by the monks of Lindisfarne, they were robbed, and possibly raped, but the Vikings who came to Shetland settled here and brought their families with them.

 

3) Favourite ? Most memorable, Willie Peterson, such a character and maybe because he had the finest weather of any UHA, a flat calm after a week's gale. Johnnie Johnston and Peter Leask were good too.

[BigMouth]

Hello there I just wanted to ask the following questions on the festival to stir up a bit of debate and gauage folks opinions.

 

1) Should women be allowed in squads in Lerwick like they are in the rest of Shetland?

 

2) Is there any sense or point in celebrating the so called viking culture and heritage when all the vikings did for us was to steal, pilage, rape and terrorise the good folk of Shetland all those centuries ago?

 

3) Who has been your favourite Guizer Jarl and his Squad over the years?

 

1. Yes. I am into inclusion whether it be women or outsiders.

 

2. I don't think that it matters what they celebrate. Over the winter months people need something to do. This is better than sitting in the pub.

 

3. I couldn't point one out if you sat me in a room full of them! Having said that I have only been here for 3 years, but have missed all 3. It has always felt like the "local shop for local people" syndrome to me.

[Wheesht]

1) If a few wanted then yes.

 

2) I don't really think it is a big part of UHA. Yes the Jarl's squad are the main thing throught the day but the procession and the eving are more about having fun, meeting people etc. It's like a huge new year in my book.

 

3) Of recent years, I would say Mark Manson. He restored dignity to the post after some before him had damaged the festival.

[markj]

1) Women should be allowed, so should four or five guests in each squad, how come just the Jarl squad can invite guests?

 

2) Not much substance to support vikings terrorising the isles, from what I gather the ones that came were farmer types.

 

3) Would have to be Jim Coutts 1996, brilliant Jarl with a full white beard, fantastic authentic suits and an excellent night for the procession.

 

Why is there no official up helly aa website, surely the 'best fire festival in the world' should come up to date with modern technology?

[Hazey Jane]

I wish people would stop debating Up Helly Aa and just enjoy it for what it is! If you don't agree with it or don't like it - don't go!! But, if, like me you've grown up with it or you've come up from South especially to see it, then its something to look forward to every year. I think that many people take the whole thing too seriously and usually the people bad mouthing it are the ones that don't go out and really know nothing about it. The bairns love it and its certainly one of the highlights of the year for many people.