Tomorrow it's Norway constitution day and it will be celebrated in our particular way. Our constitution was made 17th of May 1814, yet it took 91 more years before Norway went out of the union with Sweden and became an independent country for the first time in centuries. We were under Denmark and Sweden all dependent of who wun the wars between them, after centuries the Norwegian people still had their integrety and a strong wish to again be an independent nation. In 1905 we finally got our independence at last and our very own king. The Danish Prince Carl came to Norway in November 1905 along with his wife Maud who was born a British princess and their little son Alexander. Carl took the name Haakon VII and little Alexander changed name to Olav, later Olav V. Both of them was king for a long time and was very much loved by the Norwegian people. Olavs son Harald V is our king today and recently turned 80, also he a very loved king and a very liberate man. Here you can read more about our Norwegian royalties if you want.
So how do we celebrate this big day? First of all we dress in our finest clothes, and if we own a Bunad (follow the link and you can find a lot of different bunads form all over our country) or some other national costume we wear it, that is if it still suits us. I had a bunad for years that was to small so last year I decided to pass it over to my beautiful daughter in law Donnalyn. I bought myself this outfit instead, which is not a traditional bunad but a more recent national costume. Photo from 17th of May last year.
Isn't she pretty in her bunad? This one is from Nordhordland, there are lot of different bunads, every region and place have their own. This year she can't wear it because she's pregnant and will give birth to a little girl in August.
Unlike a lot of other countries we don't show our army off in a parade. In our parades we show our future and our most precious belongings, namely our children. Every schoolchild in every city, small town and every community around the country can if they want to join the parade along with their classmates and the school band. In Oslo they have the tradition to walk past the Royal castle and wave to the royal family who are on the balcony and waves back at all the children. And no matter if the child is 100% Norwegian with Norwegian ancisters for centuries or if the child only came to Norway "yesterday" from Syria or somewhere else they all enjoy this day. After the parade they eat sausages and lots of icecream even if it's snowing. And yes it has happened it snows at the 17th of May. It can also be like 25 degrees Celsius( 80 F) and we sweat in our bunads. Now we do hope it will at least not rain tomorrow, today has been awful weather here in Bergen, but weather forecast says tomorrow will be better. Cross our fingers.
So tomorrow if the weather is not to bad I'll dress up in this costume and celebrate our constitution. If weather is all bad we just stay at home. We can choose as we have no schoolchildren who wants to attend in the parade.
If you want to learn more about 17 th of May, you can check this link.
In my town Bergen we also have another parade in addition to the children's parade. We have boys and girls brigades " 'Buekorps" which we are really proud of.
I hope you enjoyed this post about how we celebrate our independence.
And to all Norwegians
Gratulerer med dagen i morgen.
Until next time
Kari
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