Culture Clues March & April 2016
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK OF NORWAY Oslo Chamber of Commerce CULTURE CLUES MARCH & APRIL 2016 It is easy to know when spring is coming: The days get a little warmer and lighter day-by-day. Flowers appear, the trees bud and birds start to build their nests. In early spring the coastal areas of Western Norway usually has the highest mean temperatures. Just as spring arrives later in Northern Norway than the rest of the country, it gets to the coast and lowlands long before it crawls up the mountains. As you travel up or down the mountains, you can follow the changing seasons from winter to spring or from spring to winter, all in just a few hours. Weather and temperatures can change quickly, especially in the mountains, so bring good footwear and warm clothes no matter what it is like when you set out. Spring weather can be very unpredictable, so make sure you dress in layers and are prepared for both sun and rain. If you are out in a city or urban area, an umbrella is a good idea. Out in the wilderness, however, take a raincoat or windbreaker instead. Sunglasses are also a good idea, and remember to use sunscreen if you are enjoying the sun in the mountains where there is snow on the ground. The white snow reflects the sun, so there is a greater chance of getting surburn. Spring is the time for lamb dishes, usually enjoyed around Easter, as well as the years first potatoes, asparagus and wild garlic. The same is true for fresh fish of all sorts, including herring and cod from the Lofoten area, called “Skrei” and considered a local delicacy. Enjoy this beautiful time of year in Norway! Photo: commons.wikimedia.org NORWAY IN MARCH & APRIL RASFARE When walking around in the streets be careful and keep an eye on what is happening on the rooftops of Oslo. If you want to prevent injury, you had better learn quickly the meaning of signs “se opp for takras” or ” fare for takras” - beware of snow falling from the roof! Be especially careful when the snow and ice have started melting, but do not let this be an excuse for not going out! Photo: commons.wikimedia.org DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME An easy rule to help remember which way to turn the clock when it is time to adjust for summer or wintertime is “spring forward, fall back”. After all, spring lies ahead and it is really something to look forward to. As a rule, the industrialised countries in the northern hemisphere have summertime from March/April until October/November, whilst many countries in the southern hemisphere have summertime from September/ October until February/April. Countries around the Equator do not usually use summertime, as daylight times do not vary much. Norway started using daylight saving time first in 1916, but it was not used at all between 1946-1958 and 1966-1979. The last time Norway had “normal time” all year round was in 1979. From now on days become lighter, giving us daylight both when we get up in the morning and when we leave work in the evening - and that is really something to rejoice about! This being said, do not forget to turn the clock forward on the night of March 27th between 02.00 to 03.00. Photo: flickr.com EASTER IN NORWAY Easter is one of the biggest holidays in Norway and it is usually synonymous with a vacation. The official Easter period in 2016 starts on March 24 and stretches to March 28. However, the school holiday starts on March 21. For most Norwegians, Easter is a long and welcome break and of longer duration in Norway than in most European countries. It lasts from the Wednesday afternoon, before Maundy Thursday, until the Tuesday following Easter Monday. The Norwegian name påske is closely related to the French pâques, the Greek and Latin pascha, and the Hebrew pesach (pesah). The English word Easter comes from the heathen springtime celebration that was eventually replaced with the Christian feast. The religious relevance of Easter seems less important to many Norwegians today than the holiday vacation itself. Norwegians indulge in cross-country skiing, eating lamb, oranges, chocolates and marzipan eggs. Since daffodils bloom during the spring season around Easter, the flower known as “Påskeliljer ” is a main symbol for Easter in Norway. Photo: pixabay.com THE EASTER EGG AND BUNNY The simple egg is perhaps the oldest and most universal symbol of rebirth and new life. The custom of offering Easter eggs, either chocolate, hard-boiled or coloured, dates back well beyond the early years of Christianity to the most ancient pagan traditions. In Christian tradition, the egg symbolises new life and Christ bursting forth from the tomb. In Norway, as in many other countries, Easter traditions date back hundreds of years. Germany claims the first documented use of the bunny as a symbol for Easter back in the 1500’s, although a holiday celebrating the hare was probably a much earlier folk tradition. Not surprisingly, Germany made the first edible Easter Bunnies in the 1800’s. Easter in Norway is all about symbols such as Easter chickens, Easter eggs in all colours and, occasionally, Easter bunnies. Easter is steeped in the bright hues of yellow: painted or drawn chickens, plastic chickens, cotton chickens - all of them in yellow - can be seen in homes, shop windows, newspapers and magazines, plastic bags and on television. PÅSKEMARSIPAN Norwegians love Easter marzipan. According to Nidar, one of the main Norwegian manufacturers, over 25 million marzipan figures are sold every year. For those interested in counting the calories as they disappear down the gullet with ease, about four million of the tiny figures are golden hens! Using the same secret recipe since 1915, Nidar makes six types of marzipan in total. This includes almost 850 kilometres of marzipan sausages (marsipanpølser) and bars (marsipanstenger)! Photo: nidar.no Norwegians eagerly munch marzipan at Easter: two-thirds of the population eats it annually, and over 40% say they cannot imagine an Easter without it. Each Norwegian eats an average of 4.5 marzipan figures at this time of year. There is no need to feel guilty, though; the heavier you are, the faster you go downhill on skis! Source: The Foreigner Photo: wikipedia.org THE MOUNTAIN FEVER As well as being a religious celebration, Easter is a popular five-day holiday in Norway. Towns and cities are often deserted as the more adventurous and nature seeking people head for their cabins in the mountains for the last skiing of the year. Getting away from the city, enjoying the last snow, the nice weather, and not to mention getting a tan to show off when back at work, are popular things to do during Easter holiday. The sun is extremely strong at this time of the year and sunscreen is necessary. Norwegians love visiting the mountains during Easter and you may notice that grocery stores are suddenly empty for many commodities that enthusiastic mountain lovers will be taking with them to their cabins. Those staying at home might begin spring-cleaning, outdoor renovation, or preparing their boats for a return to the water. THE EASTER THRILLER (PÅSKEKRIMMEN) Reading crime stories and detective novels during Easter is a particular and perhaps peculiar national trait in Norway. In order to cash in on this national pastime, publishers churn out series of books known as Påskekrimmen (Easter crime novels). Jo Nesbø, Gunnar Staalesen, Unni Lindell and Karim Fossum are well-known Norwegian authors of crime fiction. (Some of their titles are also published in English.) TV stations, radio and newspapers also jump on the bandwagon by running detective series based on the works of famous crime novelists such as Agatha Christie, P.D. James, Simenon and Ruth Rendell during the holiday. Photo: www.ark.no SAMI EASTER FESTIVAL The Sami are an indigenous people resident in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Estimates show that there are about 50-100,000 Sami living in these countries, and that slightly more than half of them are resident in Norway. They have lived in Norwegian Lapland since the time before Christ. Karasjok is home to the Sami parliament, elected by the people, and working to represent the Sami population, to strengthen their political standing and promote Sami interests in Norway. The Sami culture is flourishing, with a renewed interest in the Sami language, knitwear, music and handicrafts (duodji). They organise several festivals in Norwegian Lapland, particularly during Easter, the most important time of the year for the Sami. It is very popular to arrange weddings and christenings at Easter, and these are huge celebrations. It is not uncommon to have over 1000 guests at a wedding, and they all take part in the ceremony and enjoy the traditional meal of bidos, made from reindeer meat and vegetables! The Easter festivals are a great opportunity to experience Sami culture, with the World Championships in reindeer racing and the Sami Grand Prix. The Sami Easter Festival in 2016 is from March 23 - 26. The Sami people have one flag, no matter where they live. The flag is red, blue, yellow and green and has a circle symbolizing the sun (red) and the moon (blue). THE TAX RETURN The purpose of the tax return is to provide the tax authorities with complete information about your income, wealth and deductions, so that the correct amount of tax can be calculated for the previous year. Remember that it is your responsibility to ensure that the information you submit to the tax authorities is correct.