Nomad in Sweden: Latvian midsummer adventure in Sweden. 2013.
Midsummer at Karlbergs Gård, Sweden.
Now looking back on my diary notes, I have not written much as it was so many new impressions that sitting down by computer either did not seem a priority I was too exhausted. But few sentences from back then:
23/06/2013
Midsummer in Sweden. While in Sweden, I am wrapped up and hiding in a blanket, editing photos, drinking coffee, enjoying Sunday the 23rd, meanwhile in Latvia it is Midsummer day and everyone is enjoying and partying today while in Sweden we just cleaned up the last midsummer mess. I had the best midsummer in my life so far, no, maybe 1996 midsummer was the best, I was 7 and we had a lot of guests and it was fun all night! But... WOW, experiencing Midsummer in Sweden was an interesting new experience of observation and learning about this country's roots. A lot was new to me, as in Latvia we celebrate or what I know is different. The same meaning, traditions but expressed and done in a different way.
It started with little stress - responsibilities, taking care, helping out, etc, but finished it with a falling asleep in the sunshine on the field. Today I feel in my feet that I have danced and enjoyed the night very well, I'm exhausted (Ricardo said he has never seen me THIS tired)… and I'm just.. just full of peace. I don't know how to say thank you to everyone who made this beautiful event and everybody who was here to make it even happen so great! This was amazing!
One interesting observation... Nights are indeed really short in Sweden comparing to Latvia. It was dark only 5 minutes when suddenly it was light again... We danced all morning until sunrise which we went into the meadow to sit down and welcome...
Jag älskar Sverige:))))
I must be the most boring traveller to Sweden as many cultural quirks are the same as in Latvia. I am often not surprised or impressed... Sorry Swedish! In Latvia Midsummer is a special event as well, a very national event! So it wasn't anything new and surprising to me, except traditions, are presented differently, but with the same meaning... In modern traditions Swedish women dress all in white, Latvian women wear skirts. I am very glad that I have seen my first Swedish midsummer exactly in Karlbergsgård!!!! All of them made this party not just a party, but more - a magical gathering all together sharing the happiness, spreading smiles, and when the “night” came, it felt like the party will be over soon, as "hey, darkness, and we will feel tired", but NO - as in my notes I wrote, the darkness was so short... The sun came so fast that energy did not run out, we continued with the new energy to enjoy this beautiful celebration we Nordics do.
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| Outdoor bath... |
Reading my notes, I read that on Wednesday we already met the first visitors who are in the crew to set up, organize and manage. I and one of the students from the Permaculture design workshop, Eveline, were swimming all day and cycling, and in the evening we warmed up the outdoor bath. The Swedish countryside romance, ay! Haha. But this kind of treatment, spa or countryside style spa for a hardworking lifestyle on the farm are needed now and then. It was a nice buzz everywhere. Full on energy and I constantly kept smiling how... positive energy and vibes were in the air!
Then a day before the midsummer party, on Thursday. A lot more people arrived - more the managers and creators of the party and also volunteers. Very late at night, they held a midsummer energy ritual in a circle. A totally new and never experienced experience to me. I did not know what to do or if I do things right, I tried to see what people do before me, but I think I more likely failed to be a ritual person than understood what am I doing. I thought it's amazing they have a different way of greeting midsummer.
Party itself was amazing, I was busy as I was neither a festival visitor or a volunteer, but a bit of "slave" as a woofer I didn't really get a time to rest and was asked to do many things to help out. So, I get to dance only early in the morning when did not need any more immediate help or nothing to photograph. I still managed to enjoy the party, only I did not sit down to talk to anyone but was on a move a lot, maybe can see from some of the photos that I managed to be everywhere and get to know/meet new friends and people.
BUT WHAT WE DO FIRST IN MIDSUMMER?
We collect wildflowers for decorations and crowns. I have not read about meaning to Swedish traditions on collected midsummer flowers, but in my homeland, Latvia, we have many rituals and folk songs about wild forest meadow flowers. It is important that the girl does it in silence collecting a certain amount of different meadow flowers which she makes into her crown. And many, many more. Also, birch branches are everywhere and "Acorus calamus", and Rowan for protection... This topic could be a loooong story. Maybe another time when I write about midsummer in Latvia.
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| Flower station |
When the preparations and all that stuff was done, festival people were arriving and were queuing to get in. Yes, it was like a proper festival with tickets and sold ready meals, different kind - normal homemade food or sweet pancakes and such. You could choose. Or you had your own picnic food with you. It was open to anything as long as you feel comfortable and happy! The party started with the pole tradition - singing and walking around with a pole stick - men only, to find the flower crown made by women, when both "met" they were singing together and played like a catch me if you can game. I did not understand Swedish then, now I don't know what they sang, but definitely a folk song about midsummer and fertility, I guess. After the Midsummer pole was up in the sky - the festival began! Music and dancing, food and drinks, games and chats. One tradition Swedish do in midsummer is the frog dance(this video in the link is another tradition Swedish do, but not what happened here in my Swedish midsummer). Can't escape from it, you will definitely see it in any Swedish midsummer!
...And then the midsummer morning arrived. After dancing in the barn, the music stopped and we walked out to the meadow to greet the sun. I noticed the darkness was short like 5 minutes and daylight came back..., in Latvia, you don't see that. My feet were in pain, 72h running around doing chores and enjoying festival, and dancing... But the energy was still high. Laughing and dancing continued even when taking down festival decorations. ❤ .
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| SPA treatment to my feet in the countryside style. |
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| Finally, exhaustion caught up with me too... |
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| After the festival, we ate and ate and ate... |
Last day at Karlbergsgård. And the most difficult part is saying goodbye and give hug to little Peanut who runs towards me screaming ELINA ELINA I MISS YOU! But I'm here! But I miss you, you cannot go! Awwwwww, my hardcore cold heart melts! A month in Karlbergsgård………… This chapter is closed, now let's begin the new chapter! ‘Swedish syndrome’ experience continues.
24/6/2013
I won't go all cheesy and full of love about these people I lived with, they already know how thankful and happy I am that I was here with them this time together, documenting every single move what they do around the farm! I wish I have taken chicken portraits because after this month I have noticed these different characters, I could start doing farm animal portraiture :))
TACK SÅ MYCKET KARLBERG SGÅRD CREW. Stor kram&kärlek (24 June 2013)
After saying goodbyes and many times checking if I have everything with me in my backpack after being for a month in one place, and cleaning up after myself where I had stayed... I finally around midnight was on my way with the last crew of midsummer people to STOCKHOLM. The moon was beautiful, the ride was fun.
And again - it was all about the people. All of us together created this atmosphere... I don't know if anyone saw it differently and I had very rose-tinted glasses on, but I hope many felt the same way.
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