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| Freja | Thursday 23rd of June 2005 03:00:04 PM |
| Sankt Hans - Since Denmark is a protestant Christian country some may wonder why people would honour the predominantly catholic custom of celebrating the day of an individual saint.
Actually, this tradition has its roots in ancient, pre-Christian time, but it was adopted and quietly transformed by the church, when Christianity became the official state religion in 965. After the reformation of 1536, when Denmark adopted the protestant faith, the desire among ordinary people to celebrate Sankt Hans was still so strong that an act outlawing the tradition in 1743 went by unobserved and was quickly withdrawn. The cause for celebration of midsummer arose from a pagan belief that in the period around summer solstice, nature would have reached a peak in the sense that humans, plants, soil, trees and even springs were filled with energy coming from the sun and that from this point on nature's energy stores would deteriorate as the hours of daylight and sunshine gradually decreased. For pagan mystics the days around summer solstice were the best time to go out in the countryside and cut herbs and plants for use in their concoctions. After Christianity had made its entry in Denmark, such activities were generally frowned upon, and people believed that gathering together and lighting huge bonfires would be a good way to ward off evil spirits and witches, who might otherwise bestow evil curses upon their land, family and animals. At the same time many people believed that this night proved a particular good time to visit one of the many holy springs of the countryside, as the water was supposed to be charged with very special healing qualities on this night. Several other rituals including dressing up the livestock with special decorations made out of leaves and twigs were carried out by superstitious farmers in order to protect their cattle from incursions of evil spirits. Over time, the tradition of lighting bonfires became the dominant and other rituals gradually withered away as people preferred the cosiness of gathering around a warm fire. Songs and music had always been a part of this tradition, but during the 19th century the traditional folk songs were replaced by patriotic songs. The most well-known of these is [i]Vi elsker vort land (We love our country)[/i] also known as the [i]Midsommervise (Midsummer song)[/i]. It is sung at every Sankt Hans-celebration across the country and is very important to know of. Usually you only sing the first three verses. It was written in 1885 by the Danish poet Holger Drachmann, and the original version had music by P. E. Lange-Müller. In 1979 the Danish band "Shu-bi-dua" composed a new melody for the song, and since then either version has been in use at Sankt Hans-celebrations all across the country. I usually sing the song twice, I like both versions ;) In the beginning of the 20th century, it became common to affix a figure resembling a witch on top of the bonfire. This tradition came from Germany, and some Danes regard this particular part of the tradition with mixed emotions as it evokes memories of the horrible persecutions and "witch"-burnings carried out in Denmark in the 17th century. However, this custom is only a little part of the overall tradition, and it is easy to forget about the negative associations once you immerse yourself in the general atmosphere of cosiness surrounding the celebrations. [b]Vi elsker vort land[/b] [i]Vi elsker vort land, når den signede jul, tænder stjernen i træet med glans i hvert øje Når om våren hver fugl over mark, under strand lader stemmen til hilsende triller sig bøje: Vi synger din lov over vej, over gade, vi kranser dit navn, når vor høst er i lade, men den skønneste krans bli'r dog din, sankte Hans, Den er bunden af sommerens hjerter så varme, så glade - men den skønneste krans bli'r dog din, sankte Hans Den er bunden af sommerens hjerter så varme, så glade Vi elsker vort land, men ved midsommer mest, når hver sky over marken velsignelsen sender Når af blomster er flest, og når kvæget i spand giver rigeligst gave til flittige hænder; når ikke vi pløjer og harver og tromler, når koen sin middag i kløveren gumler: Da går ungdom til dans på dit bud sankte Hans! Ret som føllet og lammet, der frit over engen sig tumler, - da går ungdom til dans på dit bud sankte Hans! Ret som føllet og lammet, der frit over engen sig tumler Vi elsker vort land, og med sværdet i hånd skal hver udenvælts fjende beredte os kende Men mod ufredens ånd over mark, under strand vil vi bålet på fædrenes gravhøje tænde: Hver by har sin heks, og hvert sogn sine trolde, dem vil vi fra livet med glædesblus holde Vi vil fred her til lands, sankte Hans, sankte Hans! Den kan vindes, hvor hjerterne aldrig bli'r tvivlende kolde, - Vi vil fred her til lands, sankte Hans, sankte Hans! Den kan vindes, hvor hjerterne aldrig bli'r tvivlende kolde Vi elsker vort land, og vi hilser den drot, som har prøvet og valgt sig den rette fyrstinde: På hans eventyr-slot kan hver kvinde, hver mand et eksempel for livet i kærlighed finde! Lad tiderne ældes, lad farverne blegne, et minde vi vil dog i hjertet os tegne: Fra sagnrige Nord går en glans over jord - Det er genskær af vidunderlandets fortryllende enge, - Fra sagnrige Nord går en glans over jord - Det er genskær af vidunderlandets fortryllende enge![/i] | |
