Up Helly Aa 2017

Up Helly Aa procession 2017

[@vidaett]

We should do this in Norway too!

[@asbjrnpoulsen9205]

we do it in faroe islands to

[@dutchomatic]

Watched it live today. Ace. Skál to Shetland!

[@CrimsonsDeath12]

Skål broder! Jeg misunner deres fantastiske Skotske tradisjon! Vi Nordmenn erkjenner og setter en stor verdi på deres tradisjoner og hvis bare Norge og Shetland kunne gjennforenes enda en gang!

[@rosering02]

This hasn't got anything to do with racisim or sexism, it's about celebrating and being proud of our Nordic past. This is an ancient viking ritual in Shetland, to signal the end of Winter and welcoming Spring. When a viking died, he would be placed in the longboat along with his possessions, food and anything else he had in life. It was then placed out to sea and burnt as the warrior was taken by the Valkyries (shield maidens) to Valhalla. And btw, viking women had a lot more freedom than their medieval counterparts. They could fight as warriors in battle, marry whoever they wanted and divorce for any reason as well as many other things. If you actually picked up a history book, went to a viking museum or educated yourself on the history of the Vikings in the Orkney and Shetland Isles, rather than stupidity opening your mouth and letting your stomach rumble, you would see this as an important part of Shetland's history.

[@cageordie]

You did leave a lot of genes in Britain, look up Factor V Leiden which I share with a Swedish friend, among many others. Vikings stuck around to give us half our village names too, an indication that it wasn't all rape and theft. Much of the Viking invasion was trading and settling. But you did sack the abbeys, and monasteries, including Lindisfarne. As a member of the barbaric British nation I think it's important to own your history. We gave the world electric light, turbo alternators, and so much else. We also used our warlike heritage to conquer much of the world. Back in Nelson's time when the government tried to assess the Royal Navy the report said they were a bunch of ignorant northerners. Like me. Laying waste to every navy they came against. We wouldn't be what we are without all the invaders who eventually ran out of west in Britain. I have no animosity of any sort for the Nordic people, except that they speak better English than me sometimes. I hope you take this in the way it's meant. I want to visit Norway, especially Lofoten, before too long and I'd hate to have the Vikings running me off.

[@rosering02]

Daeron You're welcome and thank you too. I consider this an important part of my county's history. And btw, thank you for your blessing from Freyja.

[@rosering02]

@@CrimsonsDeath12 Thank you, it really gets my goat when you see people having misinformation about ancient history without properly researching it first, or using it for their own vicious properganda. It's very easy to slap on a label and take it as face value, rather than taking the time to learn what actually went on. The viking world was actually way more multicultural than we realised. The vikings were more than warriors, they were farmers, craftspeople, explorers, traders and to some extent bodyguards and royalty. Personally, I think Up Helly Aa brings the people of Shetland together and honours and respects our ancestors who have gone before us.

[@Heretican]

Culture :)

[@herzwatithink9289]

Best thing I've seen since the post-Euro 2016 "Viking war chant" in Iceland!

[@benjaminmorles716]

y nuestra celebraciones donde están

[@DemianX6x6x6X]

Ancient ritual, with brass instruments.....yeah so legit :p

[@asbjrnpoulsen9205]

We do it in faroe islands

[@TomCourtney]

LOL, who brought the Australians to Shetland’s Vikings Festival

[@VchaosTheoryV]

Living in America, i would love to experience culture such as this. Too bad everyone here is too disconnected from their roots.

[@karlwgod910]

MUH VIKING ROOTS

[@katten838]

MUH WHITE GUILT

[@CrimsonsDeath12]

Be proud brother, be it from Scotland or my homeland Norway. We share the same stock