May 17th in Oslo - Celebrating May 17th in Oslo

Haven't figured out what to do yet? Apparently the weather will be bad, but the day will still be memorable!

5 free places to be on May 17

• Folk dancing 0915 - 1000 am from Egertorget towards the palace (see program)
• In front of the Royal palace, looking up at the Royal family
• At Aker brygge to get some air
• Singing students at Universitetet, 2 pm (see program)
• Live music and anti-racism party at Kuba:

* 3.00 – 3.30 pm Alexander Rishaug
* 3.50 – 4.20 pm Kohinoor
* 4.40 – 5.10 pm Katzenjammer
* 5.45 – 6.15 pm La Descarga
* 6.35 – 7.05 pm Lukas Kasha
* 7.30 – 8.15 pm Gatas Parlament (plus guests)

5 places you pay to visit on May 17

• Grønland market (actually it's free, but you might end up buying something ...)
• Have a glass of champagne (or Cava) at Champagneria
• Enjoy a beer and the view from the 11th floor at Stratos
• Blå (DJ - disco & house) - cover 100 NOK after 11 pm
• Herr Nilsen (jazz) - cover 100 NOK

5 places for kids

• Øvrevoll horse track at 1600 (horseback riding etc. for kids) - T-bane Linje 2 til Eiksmarka
• Carousels at Aker brygge
• Ice cream at Spikersuppa
• Folk museum
• Graduate parade (Russetoget), starts at Oslo Handelsgymnasium (see program)

This is my bunad, it is called Nordlandsbunad and comes from the north of Norway (Nordland and Troms). It was approved as a national costume for this part of the country as early as 1928. I got it for my confirmation when I was 15, which is quite common in Norway. The bunad exists in two different colours - blue and green - and according to tradition blue means you're from the coast, and green means you're from the mainland.

I am very fond of my bunad and proud to wear it because it says something about my heritage. I wear it on May 17th, at christenings and at weddings, and sometimes at work on Hurtigruta. The tourists love it!

Having a national costume is very practical - you can always wear it. It is classified as a formal dress, and many people wear it at big occasions. It never goes out of style. I think it's beautiful. The disadvantage is that it's made of quite heavy material and can get very warm in summer. And if it rains it gets even heavier!

The program for May 17th 2008 in Oslo is here! Here are the highlights (complete May 17th program in Norwegian)

• 0800 am - wreathlaying at Henrik Wergeland's grave
• 0815 am - wreathlaying at Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson's grave
• 0830 am - wreathlaying at Henrik Ibsen's grave
• 0845 am - wreathlaying at Viggo Hansteen's and Rolf Wickstrøms WW2 memorial
• 0830 am - wreathlaying by the statue of King Haakon VII at 7. juni-plassen
• 0830 am - wreathlaying by war memorial at Akershus fortress
• 0900 am - wreathlaying by the statue of Otto Ruge, Akershus fortress
• 0900 am - service in Akershus chapel
• 0915 - 1000 am folk dancing from Egertorget towards the palace
• 1000 - 1300 am - CHILDREN's PARADE up to the Palace, where the Royal family is standing on the balcony waving
• 1200 am - guns at Akershus fortress firing
• 1400 am - the Norwegian student choral society sings at Aulatrappen in front of the old University
• 1500 am - graduate parade (Russetoget), starts at Oslo Handelsgymnasium
• 1600 am - concert in Oslo Concert hall (you have to buy tickets for this)
• 1814 am - folk dance prom outside the old University - folk dancing for everyone, this is great fun!

Now if you don't want to get up too early to listen to speeches in Norwegian at the wreathlayings, there are 5 things you simply cannot miss:

1. Royal family and the children's parade
2. The graduates' parade
3. Eat a hotdog and an ice cream
4. Look at the National costumes
5. Listen to the National anthem

Most important: Have fun, look after your belongings and take loads of photos! It's a memorable day that most Norwegians love. Have a sneak preview on YouTube, for instance this one with English commentary, this one from the graduate parade (russetoget), one with the royal family, this one with bands playing, the Royal Guard (watch the whole thing!!) or this one from London.

The Norwegian flag has a long history and is another very important symbol of the independent Norwegian nation and of May 17th. Unlike many other European countries, the Norwegian flag is used a lot - many have a flag pole in their garden at home or at the cabin, on the balcony or on the boat. Forbidden during the second world war, it became a symbol of unity among Norwegians fighting the Nazi regime and was naturally brought out even more when the war was over. To some the custom of waving the flag too often may seem a little nationalistic, but it has simply become tradition.

Due to the increasing share of Norwegians with a minority background, there is talk about which flags should be used every year. This year it began when the Norwegian Immigrant's Forum said we should allow minorities to use their own nations' flags in the children's parade on May 17th (more than 35% of the pupils in Oslo schools have a minority background), because the Sami people have the opportunity to use their own flag. This was, however, turned down quickly by the leader of the Oslo May 17th committee, who would only allow Norwegian, Sami and UN flags (strangely enough named leader has, along with half of the committee, a minority background). Not surprisingly, conservative politicians spoke against the proposal as well with various reasons. Protest sites on Facebook and Internet popped up, and it was all over the news. A poll conducted for the newspaper VG showed only 29% of the participants supported the immigrant's forum proposal.

Then another member of the Oslo May 17th committee (who happens to be the chairman of the Oslo county council and son of one of Norway's most beloved film and theatre actresses) totally overruns the committee leader's response to this and says all flags will be accepted. The committee leader does not agree and speaks against the chairman and then decides to leave the committee, as he means there is no point in having one if the chairman just overrides their decisions anyway.

You have to agree a little with both sides. It is the Norwegian national day, celebrating the making of our constitution and start of the journey towards an independent nation, but still, a growing part of the population has a minority background and might not feel comfortable waving the Norwegian flag around. We'll see what happens, but I suspect it will be mostly Norwegian flags.