Valborgsmässoafton

This Monday was probably my favourite day of the year. Valborgsmässoafton. An impressive sounding name for, what is on the surface, not a particularly impressive day. While it misses the official seasonal calendar, Valborgsmässoafton celebrates the end of winter, and the coming of spring. As spring shows itself a little later up north, the timing is pretty much spot on here. Also handy that it's a public holiday the following day, so we get to slope off home early. In our little town (pop 30+k), the event follows the following pattern. At around 8pm the local high school brass band kicks off, marching from the town centre down to the lakeside. A distance of about 800m. People come out to see the band and then join the march behind. A bit of a Pied Piper theme. When we've all arrived at the lake, there's a bit of a short concert by the band. They move off the stage and are replaced by the local amateur town choir, who belt out a series of favourite and seasonally topically songs. Once done with their song selection, the choir moves off and a local dignitary (they change every year) comes up and gives a bit of a chat about the past, the future, and why we've all turned up. The overall theme of the evening is the casting off of the winter baggage, and the embracing of the new spring. These speakers can sometimes lose their way a little, but the lady this year was pretty good I thought. A particularly significant event in an area where winter can be a bit of work at times. With the official part taken care off, we all wander across to the other side of the lake where a large bonfire has been prepared. There are also a number of small fire pits already lit. People gather around the pits to warm their hands and to cook a few sausages. Once the fire brigade have everything sorted, they chuck some petrol onto the bonfire and it's off. Once those tyres hidden in the middle take hold, it's all on. Finally, some time after 9pm, there's a fireworks display. By that stage everyone is all partied out and heads on home. Truth be known, we actually headed home a little earlier and watched the fireworks from the comfort of our lounge room windows.

So what makes this a bit more meaningful for me ? Well, first, there's the tradition side of things. They've been celebrating the end of winter in some form here for centuries. That's all very new for me. Growing up in a country which is only seriously been populated for a couple of hundred years, there's a real absence of genuine tradtions and heritage. We did things because that's what they did in England. And later on, we picked up some good American commercial events. But because we never invented them ourselves, they lack any depth of emotion. Here, the coming out of the darkness of winter into the light of spring, it really means something to these people. And you can feel that.

The big Wow factor for me, and why I just love taking part in this evening every year is the real sense of community spirit that exists around the event. People turn up because it's fun and enjoyable, and they want to share it with other people. For no physical or financial gain. Just to feel good and to be around other people feeling good. There's not a beer tent, a hot dog seller, or a "chuck the ball into the clown's mouth" stall in sight. No a single krona changes hand. How rare is that anywhere these days ? Several thousand people turning up and not one vulture there trying to make a profit out of it.

This last point on it's own, once a year, reminds me that I made the right choice to move to Sweden. When I was young, there were events like this. I remember going to shows and displays with my parents, where there were no venders or T shirt selling stalls. It's probably my best memories in what was a not very memorable childhood. Without the distraction of greed, people can just be people. Then one day, someone decided to introduce words like Free Market, and Market Forces, into Australasia. And that's when the region turned to shit. Almost overnight, really great countries turned into nations full of selfishness and greed. It became all about what you could get for yourself, right now, and to Hell with anyone else. If you are one of those people lucky enough to stay afloat at the top, then it's brilliant. While it lasts. But if you are not, then you quickly become part of the forgotten masses. When we first discussed moving from New Zealand, we looked at our neighbouring country. I have all my immediate family connections there today. For me it was a no-brainer. Moving  3 hours would have just been moving to a larger version of the side of humanity which I didn't particularly care for. Sure, the practicalities would have been easier, but the cost for giving up the things I believed in was too high for me. As has been said before: "Great place to visit but I wouldn't want to live there". I guess that people have different values at different stages in their lives. And good luck to them. Today I'm looking for a bit more depth in my community than beach shorts, beer coolers, and barbeques. I've kind of outgrown that. So as long as I can continue to march behind the band with the local kids, parents, pensioners, fellow immigrants, every Valborgsmässoafton, I'll never need to stop and question why I am where I am.