17th May is also celebrated in many Norwegian communities throughout the world. Several Norwegian seamen's churches, embassies, student associations and other Norwegian institutions organize processions similar to those held in Norway.
Norwegians in Athens dressed in Bunads, the national costume. Photo: Audny Hegstad Diamantis
Focus on Children and Youth
The National Day celebrations vary from place to place, but it usually follows a traditional pattern. A must in the celebrations is the children's parades, made up of school classes marching with the school band through the local community. Most of the children carry small Norwegian flags and the route is lined with an enthusiastic audience. With the exception of the King’s guards participation the celebration is of non-militaristic nature.
Yiannis Tosunoglu has moved from Greece to Norway. From a Greek point of view he finds the Norwegian National Day, with the absence of the military participation, being a great celebration.
– The focus on children and youth is positive. The 17th of May parade is not strictly organized, it is also fun, and people seem to be proud of their flag. The last decade there has been some resistance to using other countries' flags but when my children were small, they were allowed to participate in the parade dressed in the Greek national costume, he says.
A multicultural day
– The key to a successful 17th May arrangement is to create a celebration that everyone can identify themselves with, regardless of their background, says Khamshajiny Gunaratnam.
The 22 year old politician from the Norwegian Labour Party has both a Norwegian and Tamilian background. This year she is in the organising committee for the National Day in Oslo. She has no problems having multiple cultural bonds on such a day.
– 17th of May is that one day of the year we all have in common. It is the country's National Day and it is not for some exclusive groups, but for everyone who lives here. The country we celebrate is a multicultural country with people from all over the world, an inclusive society and a society for everyone. I believe that most children attending the parade at the main street in Oslo feel like belonging to the major Norwegian multicultural community, rather than belonging to this or that group.
Historical Context
In 1814, the Napoleonic Wars was going towards an end. Denmark, who fought alongside Napoleon, signed a peace treaty with Sweden, but in order to reach an agreement Denmark hands Norway to Sweden. Norway and Sweden formed a union with a Swedish king and government. In this union Norway got their own constitution which was ratified 17th of May, the day Norwegian’s today celebrate as their National Day.
Bunad – The National Costume
Many traditions are related to 17th May. One of the most distinctive is the national costume. The bunad is the traditional Norwegian folk costume, and it is the result both of cultural evolution and organized efforts to discover and modernize older designs. There are bunads both for men and women, although women's bunads are more diverse and popular. The people that don’t wear a bunad on the national day usually wear a suit or a summer dress. It is common to have a Norwegian flag or 17th of May-ribbon pinned to the lapel.
A Kransekake should be decorated with Norwegian flags.
Food Traditions
May is the month when spring blooms in Norway, and this influences the menu chosen for the day. The children’s favorite is hot dogs and ice cream. For many this is the one day of the year where the supply of ice cream and hot dogs is endless.
The grownups often stick to cured meats, sausages, traditional sour cream porridge and many throw barbeques. Desserts and cakes are a must. Maybe the most typical cake is the kransekake. It has the form of a cone and is made of a series of concentric rings of cake, layered on top of each other. It is also a tradition to organize breakfast parties before the parade starts.
The graduates from high school dress up in red overalles during their final weeks.
The "russ" celebration- ending 13 years of school
After graduating from Norwegian high school the pupils become russ. It is a twenty day celebration that ends on 17th of May. The russ are easily recognized by their distinctive overalls, usually in red. Tradition dictates that they wear the overall and the cap from the 1st to the 17th of May without interruption, without washing any of them.