In Focus: Up Helly Aa

In Lerwick, the capital of Scotland’s Shetland Islands, a fire festival named Up Helly Aa is held every January to mark the end of the yule season. Local participants called guizers celebrate their Norse heritage, dressing in Viking gear and marching through town with battle axes and torches as they drag a ceremonial Viking longboat. At the end of the procession, the guizers hurl their torches onto the longboat and set it ablaze. After the flames die down, guizers sing the traditional song “The Norseman’s Home” before a night of partying.

See more. [Reuters, AP, Getty]

1. aninterlocutor reblogged this from theatlantic
2. sunoxy reblogged this from theatlantic
3. tealsunglasses likes this
4. blackspaceandstars likes this
5. captainskinnylove likes this
6. disarrayofhappenstance reblogged this from adamthenorman
7. heartcork likes this
8. neimadxt reblogged this from theatlantic
9. theillestcat reblogged this from theatlantic
10. zeroeightfour reblogged this from theatlantic
11. polymathlete reblogged this from theatlantic
12. giacomogigli reblogged this from theatlantic and added:

    awesome !

13. giacomogigli likes this
14. ifelldownthatruddyrabbithole likes this
15. givememywings likes this
16. kekodee reblogged this from inquisitive2816
17. lyre-hc likes this
18. chimeri likes this
19. pizi likes this
20. jugoriginal likes this
21. theskaldspeaks likes this
22. shutupandduelme reblogged this from theatlantic
23. sankeiphoto likes this
24. gnostix1 likes this
25. jesebrooks reblogged this from theatlantic
26. brannu likes this
27. whywanderlost reblogged this from theatlantic and added:

    Uhhh…awesome much?

28. stellys reblogged this from kysse-hengivenhet-floyel
29. inquisitive2816 reblogged this from theatlantic
30. inquisitive2816 likes this
31. awildbeast likes this
32. downtheyears reblogged this from theatlantic
33. bricoleuselit reblogged this from theatlantic and added:

    I think that this would be the perfect end to Ascension. Some alumna should definitely suggest this.

34. celtic-a likes this
35. pellixkappa likes this
36. pellixkappa reblogged this from theatlantic
37. thirtyeightlife reblogged this from theatlantic
38. seashellsandshamrocks reblogged this from adamthenorman
39. olloollo reblogged this from theatlantic and added:

    Welcome to scenic Lerwick.

40. oboewithashotgun reblogged this from theatlantic
41. oboewithashotgun likes this
42. chiligili likes this
43. ifiwereabear reblogged this from theatlantic
44. walkincold likes this
45. bepisparty reblogged this from styro
46. dancingonmygrave reblogged this from theatlantic
47. brightandsteadfast likes this
48. nslayton said: Someone needs to photoshop Tom Hiddleston and Chris Hemsworth into these photos. Please. In the name of all things geeky and awesome, please.
49. crocodileblackpelvis likes this
50. mimesandpunishment likes this
51. Show more notesLoading...