Monday, 31 December 2012
New Year 2013
I want to wish you all a wonderful new year 2013!
That 2013 can bring you all Good Health, Happiness, Success and Joy.
Sunday, 23 December 2012
Christmas Carols III
”It is Christmas Eve – ring, bell, ring, Bing, bang, bing – bing, bang,
bing. Soon the tree is lightened, make a ring, Dance and hum and sing!” There
is hardly any Faroese who does not immediately recognize the cheerful chorus of
the song "Hví man tað vera so hugnaligt í kvøld?" (Why is everything
so cozy tonight?). For five decades we have heard the two siblings Kári and
Elin Mouritsen sing the merry song, accompanied by guitar and banjo, from a
Christmas broadcast on Faroese radio in 1957. The two young singers have long
since grown up, like the rest of us, but the song about yearning for sun and
light in the midst of winter, still creates associations to the mythical
Christmas universe. The song was written by Christian Holm Isaksen (1877-1935),
commonly known as Kristin í Geil. Only 23 years old, he became editor of the
newly started national-oriented newspaper Tingakrossur. He stayed in this
position, with a few years interruption, until the early thirties, where he had
to stop because of illness. Kristin í Geil was known for his strong opinions,
and deviated from the usual national-romantic track in favor of the
naturalistic. He was a socialist and fought as a journalist for both national
autonomy as well as for worker rights and poor people’s conditions. As a
cultural figure, Kristin Geil also spread wide. He was one of the pioneers in
Faroese painting and there are still many paintings made by him, among other
places in the church of Sandavágur. Kristin was also an active amateur actor
and translated and wrote plays for the theater scene in Torshavn. He also
translated and wrote songs, and it might give you a glimpse of Kristin í Geil’s
composite personality to name the three best known - the Danish socialist
anthem, "Bratt lýsir í eystri" - "Kom og dansa" one of the
most romantic Faroese songs based on the waltz from The Merry Widow - and then
our own little Christmas song "Hví man tað vera ..?" On the front
page of Føringatíðindi's December edition in 1891 is a little poem entitled
Jola-Sálmur (Christmas Carol), signed FP. A rather anonymous presentation of
the song which more any other has become synonymous with Christmas - not just
in the Faroe Islands, but throughout the entire Christian World. The song,
whose original title is "Stille Nacht", was presented for the first
time on December 24th 1818 in Nikolaus-Kirche in Oberndorf, Austria. It was
written two years earlier by the priest Joseph Mohr - and for the service in
1818, he had asked the head master and composer Franz Xaver Gruber to compose a
melody for the poem. Gruber made an arrangement for guitar (unconfirmed stories
claiming that it was because the organ in the church did not work), and the
original arrangement was a bit merrier than we know it today, almost a dance
tune in 6/8 time. It did not take long before the song began to conquer the
World. In 1850 B.S. Ingemann translated it into Danish and in 1859 the American
Bishop John Freeman Young translated the song into English under the title
Silent Night - which today is the most familiar version. Exactly how many
versions of Stille Nacht exist today is not known with certainty, but we
believe that the figure is higher than 150. The initials FP stood for Fríðrikur
Petersen 1853 - 1917, who at that time was vicar in Suðuroy. Fríðrikur Petersen
became Bachelor of Divinity in Copenhagen 1880. After graduation he became
vicar on the island Sandoy. From 1885 he served in Suðuroy, and from 1900 until
his death in 1917 he was dean, based in Eysturoy. Fríðrikur Petersen was also a
politician and a member of the Faroese Parliament from 1890 and from 1900 with
a fixed seat in his capacity as dean. He was also a member of the Danish
Landsting in two periods, from 1894 - 1901 and again from 1906 until his death.
As a politician, Fríðrikur Petersen was conservative. In the great political
division in 1906, which marked the beginning of the first political parties, he
was one of the founders of “Sambandsflokkurin” (The Unionist Party) and was its
president until he died. From his early youth, Fríðrikur Petersen was
fascinated by the Faroese language. He was known as an eloquent speaker and
competent preacher, and wrote some of the most beautiful songs and hymns of the
national-romantic era. Among others the patriotic song "Eg oyggjar
veit", which for a while was the unofficial national anthem. He translated
the Lord's Prayer and the Articles of Faith into Faroese, but in the conflict
that arose regarding the church language and whether the Bible should be
translated into Faroese, he came to appear as an opponent to the Faroese
language in the church. The question is whether he had any choice. As a church
official, he had to keep to the standard requirement of an authorized
translation from the original languages – a task that there was no capacity to
perform in those days. Kristin í Geil and Fríðrikur Petersen - two very
different men - and two very different songs on the same topic. But at least
they had one thing in common - they both enriched Faroese culture and language
with their talent.
Technical Details
Issue Date: 24.09.2012
Designer: Anker Eli Petersen
Printer: LM Group, Canada
Process: Offset
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 270 x 40,00 mm
Values: 6.50Kr, 12.50Kr
Saturday, 22 December 2012
Franking Labels 2012
”Margarinfabrikkin” – Tórshavn Youth Centre was commissioned to design
postage stamps for 2012 with the theme “Street Art”. The result was these four
drawings by the two young girls, Saga Kapna and Laura Edit Tórhalsdóttir, who
together call themselves “Nadedita”. The humorous drawings depict four
different personality types, which they interpret and illustrate as animals:
the Atlantic Puffin, the Oystercatcher, the ram and the pilot whale. The
Atlantic Puffin – Media Whore Dressed in its Paris Hilton designer sunglasses,
the Atlantic Puffin stands on the fell in Mykines and feels very important. It
is photographed by anyone and everyone who passes by and it always poses with a
proud countenance, as if it were a famous international supermodel (which, of
course, it is). It knows that it is the most attractive and smartest bird –
maybe not a symbol of the Faroe Islands in history, but essentially, the
Atlantic Puffin is the most important bird. The Oystercatcher – Hipster The
Oystercatcher knows that it is better than the Atlantic Puffin. The
Oystercatcher is the national bird of the Faroe Islands. The original and true
symbol of the Faroe Islands – the true nature of the Faroe Islands. Nobody
notices the Oystercatcher; the Atlantic Puffin steals most of the attention.
But that doesn’t matter, because as long as the Oystercatcher isn’t mainstream,
it can get into Sirkus (a bar in Tórshavn) and enjoy a cup of tea and listen to
indie-rock without feeling persecuted. And, of course, it listens to the music
that nobody else has heard of. The Oystercatcher loves travelling to exotic
countries in the winter and it loves to encounter foreign cultures. This gives
the Oystercatcher a higher social status than the other animals in the Faroe
Islands, and that is something the Oystercatcher likes – feeling superior. But,
for God’s sake, it mustn’t look at though it is actually trying. The Ram –
Biker The ram is the hard-boiled type, who knows exactly what it wants and its
place in society – right in the middle of the road. It doesn’t move when you
approach it in your car, no matter how much patience you show. The ram is very
popular among the ewes. In fact, it is so popular that there are twice as many
sheep in the Faroe Islands as there are people. The Pilot Whale – Emo-martyr
“Why are the others always picking on me? Don’t they know what a hard time I am
having?” The pilot whale is the sad being who is either attacked by the Faroese
or by the even more diligent environmentalists. The pilot whale is completely
black and its eyes are deep-set. Nobody understands it and it swims around with
the other pilot whales, all of whom look like each other in their black suits
and deeply unhappy souls. The only thing that makes it happy is to swim around
in a sea of sorrow.
Technical Details
Issue Date: 24.09.2012
Designer: Saga Kapna og Laura Edit Tórhalsdóttir
Colours: 4 Colours
Values: 6.50
Friday, 21 December 2012
Regin the Blacksmith
Grani brought gold from the moor Sigurd hews his sword in anger. Sigurd
slayed the serpent Grani brought gold from the moor. All cultures contain echoes
of mythical cultural events - some kind of archetypal reflection of our
ancestors' imagination - their culture, ideals, beliefs and attempts to explain
the coherence of the Universe, both the spiritual and the tangible level. One
of these recurring cultural events in European culture is the vision of the
mythical dragon slayer. He appears in many shapes and under different names,
but the essence of the stories is the cultural hero who, despite poor odds,
kills the great dragon or serpent in the mythical landscape. In Faroese
culture, we find the dragon slayer in the large and ancient ballad known as the
"Sjúrðarkvæði". The strain in the song actually consists of three
poems, called "tættir": the first and oldest is "Regin Smiður"
(Regin the Blacksmith), the next is called "Brynhildar táttur"
(Brynhild's ballad), which was issued on four stamps some years ago - and third
is "Høgna táttur" (Høgni's ballad). The plot of Regin Smiður is,
briefly told: Sigmund Vølsungson sets out with others to war against "Hunding's
sons" (the Huns). In a major battle on the shores of an unknown lake,
Sigmund and his companions are beaten and none of them comes back alive.
Hjørdis, Sigmund's young wife, is surprised that he does not return and goes
out to look for him. She finds him on the battlefield, deadly wounded, but
before he dies, he tells Hjørdis that she carries a boy-child under her belt,
who shall avenge his death. He gives Hjørdis his broken sword and tells her
about Regin the Smith, who can repair it, and about the great serpent Frænir,
who resides out on Glitra-heath. When Sigmund is dead and buried, Hjørdis
marries King Hjalprek - and nine months later she gives birth to a healthy boy
whom she calls Sjúrður (Sigurd). Sigurd grows up in Hjálprek’s realm and becomes
a strong and healthy young man, but has troubles controlling his immense
strength and anger. One day when he accidently injures and kills some of his
mates at weapons training, the warriors blame him for his violence and say that
he should rather avenge his father than harming them. Sigurd goes to his mother
and asks her who killed his father. She gives him Sigmund's broken sword and
tells him about Hunding's sons - about Regin the Blacksmith and Frænir the
serpent. On his mother's advice Sigurd goes to a river where horses graze along
the bank. He throws a stone into the water to scare them, and then chooses the
horse that doesn't run. This was Grani (the grey one), a great and powerful
horse, who becomes Sigurd's riding horse. An early morning Sigurd rides out to
find Regin at the river bank. He brings the broken sword and asks the smith to
forge the blade again. Regin puts the blade in the fire for ten nights and
forges it again. But when Sigurd tests its strength by striking it into the
anvil, it breaks into pieces again. Sigurd becomes furious and threatens to
beat Regin to death if the sword is not forged so well that it goes through
steel and stone. But Regin makes the condition that he shall have the heart of
the serpent when Sigurd has killed it. Then Regin puts the blade into the fire
for 30 days, and when Sigurd then tests it again, it goes through both anvil
and foundation without any problems. Then Sigurd is satisfied and calls the
sword Gram. Sigurd then rides out to avenge his father's death. He kills all
Hunding's sons and then prepares to ride out on the Glitra-heath and fight the
great serpent. On the way out on the heath, Sigurd and Regin meet an old
one-eyed man, Odin, who warns Sigurd against Regin's intentions. Regin will
betray Sigurd, he says, but Sigurd is not inclined to listen. Out on the
Glitra-heath the serpent is leaving its golden lair. It is enormous, but that
does not deter young Sigurd. He sits on Grani’s back and charges Frænir - and
in a violent blow with Gram, he cuts the serpent in two pieces. Before Frænir
dies he tells Sigurd that Regin is his brother and that he will betray him at
the first opportunity. When the serpent is dead, Sigurd places its heart on a
stake and starts to cook it for Regin. When it has cooked for some time, he
pokes it to feel if it is tender enough. But he burns the fingers, and when he
sticks them in his mouth to cool them off, he accidently swallows some of the
juice from the roast. Then he suddenly becomes alwise, and understands the
language of birds and other animals. The birds repeat the warning against Regin
and say that Sigurd should kill him and eat the roast himself. Then Sigurd
realizes the truth - that the real treasure is the serpent’s blood and heart.
He goes to Regin, who is on his knees licking the serpent’s blood, and beheads
the deceitful blacksmith. Then he loads the serpent’s gold Grani’s back, and
together they ride home to King Hjálprek’s realm.
Technical Details
Issue Date: 24.09.2012
Designer: Anker Eli Petersen
Printer: Beijing Stamp Printing House, China
Process: Offset
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 102 x 106 mm
Values: 6 x 11.00 DKK
Thursday, 20 December 2012
The Old Pharmacy In Klaksvík
Although there are remains of settlements dating back to the Viking Age,
the town Klaksvík as we know it today, is a relatively new phenomenon. Around
the large cove there were originally four large farms, which gradually
developed into separate neighbourhoods: Gerðar, Myrkjanoyri, Vágur and
Uppsalir. The population was scarce, in 1802 the census showed that 88 people
lived in the four districts. At that time the Faroe Islands were subject to a
royal trade monopoly by the Danish throne. It goes without saying that this was
not very conducive to the islands' development - and with the political and
social changes, which took place in Denmark and other Nordic countries in the
first half of the 19th century, the requirement grew for free trade in the
Faroe Islands. Branches In the 1830s it was decided to strengthen the Trade
Monopoly, and prepare the population in the Faroe Islands for a future free
trade. As part of these initiatives branches were set up outside Tórshavn. The
first branch opened in 1836 in Tvøroyri Suðuroy, two years later the branch in
Klaksvík opened to cover the Northern Islands - and finally, in 1839 a branch
opened in Vestmanna to service the Western Isles. Establishment Klaksvík As
mentioned before, the Northern branch of the Trade Monopoly opened in 1838. It
was built just north of the settlement Vágur, and was referred to as
"Establishment Klaksvík," as it was situated by a bay at the foot of
the mountain "Klakkur". This location was later the reason that the
village Vágur was renamed Klaksvík - a name which eventually came to include
all the settlements around the bay. The original trading house is the northernmost
of the adjoining buildings we know today, and is normally referred to as
"Gamla pakkhús" (The Old Warehouse). Besides this, there was also
built a dwelling house, various outbuildings and a jetty on the beach. From
1839 the manager of the branch was the renowned Johan Mortensen, who, after the
introduction of free trade, established the powerful Mortensen's trade company
in Tvøroyri, Suðuroy. Nýggja pakkhús
Eventually the company grew and in 1847 a two-storied building was built south
of the original warehouse. This is the house that today is called "Nýggja
pakkhús" - The New Warehouse. So originally there were two freestanding
buildings, and it is only later, around 1896, that the houses were built
together. Inside the new building you can still see the Royal Trade Monopoly
logo, a winged Hermes helmet, cut into one of the door frames. This logo is
only preserved in the Faroes. Hermes was the merchants' god in Greek mythology.
The abolition of the Trade Monopoly By an Act of March 21st 1855, the Danish
authorities decided to liquidate the Faroese Trade Monopoly. The liquidation
should take place by January 1856, but there would be some time before anything
happened. But on May 15th 1856 an auction was held of the properties of the
Trade Monopoly in Klaksvík. In tough competition with other stakeholders, a
representative of the Danish merchant and tobacco manufacturer Jørgen Bech
bought the entire property for 6,210 rix-dollars. A new era The Trade Monopoly
was now a thing of the past on the Faroe Islands, and this was the beginning of
a rapid economic and social development. Several new trading companies were
established and began their development of the Faroese trade and shipping
business as well as the growing fishing industry. E. E. Meijer, who on behalf
of Jørgen Bech & Son, had bought the Monopoly’s properties in Klaksvík,
continued for the next four years as its representative in the Faroes. The old
manager, Johan Mortensen continued for a year and a half after the acquisition,
until he moved to Tvøroyri, bought trading rights and established Mortensen's
trade, which for long was the leading trade and shipping company on the Faroes.
In 1858 J.C. Djurhuus took over as manager of Jørgen Bech & Son in
Klaksvík, and ran the business for the next 50 years. During this period the
company grew rapidly and established branches in many parts of the country.
Jørgen Bech died in 1870 and his son Peter Bech took over the Danish company.
At the same time the Danish businessman and politician J. Gustav Hansen bought
a part of the company, and by 1907 he owned the entire company. Free trade was
of great importance for the development of Klaksvík. Already in 1865, Jørgen
Bech & Son owned several fishing vessels and this had an impact on the
population, which in 1907 passed 700 people. Although the development was not
as explosive as in Tvøroyri, Klaksvík started its transformation from the old
agricultural society into a modern fishing society. With support from the
visionary Peter Bech Hansen and J. G. Hansen, schools were built and the first
doctor came to town – and at the turn of the century there were four shops in
the small village. In 1910 a small motor boat yard was built by the old trade
houses, and the foundation was established for a future development of what
later became the largest fishing port on the Faroe Islands. In 1915 the
enterprising businessman JF Kjølbro started a trade company in Klaksvík and
this was the beginning of a rapid development. Within a few years Kjølbro
expanded into the country's largest fishing company with a large fleet of
fishing-sloops, later motorized vessels of various types, a fish plant and a
shipyard. During the 1920s and 30s people moved from the Northern Isles to
Klaksvík to live and work - and only about a century after the Trade Monopoly
had opened its branch at the rather deserted cove up in the Northern Isles,
Klaksvík had evolved into the second largest city on the Faroes - and the
islands' largest fishing port. The old trade
company But back to the old trade buildings. In 1883 the shop moved from the
old building into the new. On the ground floor there was a shop, while the
first floor, which then was a large room, among other things was used as a wine
and spirits store. This until 1908, when direct sale of liquor was prohibited
by law, and government controlled rationing introduced. The Draper’s Room The
shop of Jørgen Bech & Son was a business with mixed assortment. Among other
things, they also sold clothes - and gradually the need for a regular draper’s shop
emerged. It was therefore decided to build a draper’s room and offices on the
first floor. The work on the first floor began in 1918 and craftsmen from
Tórshavn were hired to do the job. One of these was the renowned carpenter
Magnus Jacobsen (Magnus á Kamarinum) who decorated the cross beams and windows
with its beautiful carvings, made desks and carved the shelves. The paintings
Besides the beautiful wood-carvings, the draper’s room was decorated with 17
small paintings, painted directly on the drag bars in the room's sides. These
paintings are motifs of landscapes around the Faroe Islands and sceneries from
Klaksvík and surroundings - fisheries, vessels at anchor and the commercial
buildings. Eleven of these paintings were painted by local artist Eliesar Joensen,
four by Jens Christian Guttesen, a painter from Torshavn, while the rest are
unsigned. Inside the draper’s room is a counter shaped like a horseshoe, so
that customers could enter a room without being on the wrong side of the
counter. Furthermore, there is a large table in the middle of the room where
the shop assistants could drop the clothes off for trimming, etc. This table is
also equipped with drawers all the way around, for storing small things. Also
the counter is internally equipped with shelves and cabinet doors for storage.
Drugstore In 1931 the company behind the shop went bankrupt and the
municipality bought the buildings. At this time a need for a drugstore had
arisen, and the pharmacy monopoly Tjaldurs Apotek, otherwise only found in Tórshavn,
rented the former draper’s room where they opened a branch for Klaksvík and
surroundings in 1932. The room that time forgot In 1961 the building of a brand
new pharmacy was completed, and the old drugstore was abandoned. The offices on
the first floor were used for other purposes, but the draper’s room stood
untouched until Norðoya Fornminnisavn (The Northern Museum) took over the
buildings in 1975. In the premises was the complete drugstore, fully equipped
with original pharmacy bottles, jars and tools for manufacturing of drugs and
pills. In 1983 Norðoya Fornminnissavn opened the drugstore as an exhibition.
This, together with the pharmacy in The Old Town in Aarhus, is the only
completely authentic old pharmacy in the Danish kingdom. The room that time
forgot is now one of the jewels of the Faroese museum world. The old storage
room which became a draper’s room in an era with great emphasis on decoration
and craft - which unchanged became the town's pharmacy and then just stood
there, authentic, untouched - ended up as a cultural historical time warp. Just
the feeling of standing in a room that has not changed, while the entire city
outside grew up, is staggering. If one day you get the opportunity to visit
Klaksvík, do not miss the experience to visit this strange place and feel its
atmosphere.
Technical Details
Issue Date: 24.09.2012
Designer: Anker Eli Petersen
Printer: LM Group, Canada
Process: Offset
Colours: 4 Colours
Size: 64,0 x 23,00 mm
Values: 8.50 kr
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