Amazing Culture of Norway By Srimal Fernando

Amazing Culture of Norway

Monday, 22 November 2010 00:00
By Srimal Fernando

Norway literally known as the Land of the Midnight Sun boasts a varied landscape ranging from flat rolling farmland to dramatic towering mountains. The country reflects the flavour of the region. It is one of the most vibrant and dynamic countries in the whole of the ‘Nordic Region’. This vibrant country offers the explorer, a myriad of opportunities in cultures, festivals and in foods. The country is a place where the people not only love food and shopping but are also lovers of music and dance. Indeed, the songs and dances are woven into the very fabric of everyday life. This overwhelming diversity makes the cultural scene of the country very fascinating.  Norwegians have retained much of their ancient culture. Today cultural life in the country finds expression in a variety of different fields such as the theatre, films, music, painting, arts and crafts, folk dancing and literature.  For many Norwegian people, dance is one of the crucial threads that bind past, present and future. The music and dance of the country are extremely colourful and are a source of entertainment and enjoyment for the people of the country. The folk music and dances of Norway represent the ethos, aesthetic values and melody of the region.

Out of all the Nordic countries, Norway   has perhaps one of the most diverse collections of popular music forms.There is pure, unbridled joy to watch the native Norwegian join in signing and dancing in their own distinctive ways as the music builds up .Attending a national folk music festival in the country is a real treat for anyone interested in folk music. Interest in folk music is growing, and there are a number of promising young performers. Folk music is also closely associated with particular instruments. Norwegian folk music, both vocal and instrumental, is usually performed by soloists.  Epic folk songs are the most important form of vocal folk music in Norway. Although there are many types of epic folk songs, the most intriguing are the medieval ballads .A number of the ballads describe historical events, and they are often dramatic and tragic. The lyrics of epic Norwegian folk music are a blend of musical elements from a number of cultures, such as German, English and Scottish. Traditional songs, passed down over the generations, are still sung. Folk music is a very popular form of music in Norway. North Germanic and Sami are the two main categories of Norwegian folk music used by the ethnic populations.

The Sami referred to as Lapps, are the indigenous people of the northern Scandinavian regions. These indigenous people come from northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia’s Kola Peninsula. Famous for their bright red traditional costumes, the Sami are traditionally hunter-gatherers. Sami which has many dialects is a mix of Finnish, Hungarian and Estonian languages. Today the Sami stand stronger than most other aboriginal people in the world.  The Sami people have their own vocal folk music, the joik, which is a monotonous chant. The only instrument they knew was the magic drum (runebomme) or the shaman’s drum. The joik is an archaic vocal form which is closely related to those used by other arctic people. Its sound is comparable to traditional chanting of some American Indian cultures. In Norway this music has been regarded as national music that is distinctively Norwegian, and has therefore been the focus of a great deal of interest.

To be contd.  next week

Traditional North Germanic Norwegian vocal music includes kvad, ballads and short, Improvised songs known as Stev are among the most common types of traditional music. Contemporary music in Norway is a field with a wide international reputation. Norway also has vibrant electronic music, ‘noise’ and improvised music scenes, all of which form a part of the contemporary music sector.A rich tradition of folk melodies used in Protestant hymns developed before the advent of the church organ. These melodies are very beautiful, and a great many of them have been incorporated into modern hymn books.

The traditional Norwegian dance serves different purposes. Each purpose demands a different dance style. The people of the country have enjoyed their own forms of song and dance for centuries. Dance melodies may be broken down into two types. Two-beat and three-beat dances. The former are called halling, gangar or rull, whereas the latter are springar or springleik. Norwegian folk dances are social dances. They are usually performed by couples, although there are a number of solo dances as well, such as the halling. Norway has very little of the ceremonial dance characteristic of other cultures. Traditional dances are normally referred to as bygdedans  known as village dance and include halling, pols , springleik , rull, gangar and springar .These dances, sometimes called “courting dances” were often connected to the important events of rural farming life such as weddings, funerals and cyclical feasts like Christmas. Traditional dances from the present century, such as waltz, tango, etc., played on the accordion are not generally regarded as folk music, even though this music is extremely popular .There is a delightful Norwegian folk dance called the halling springar. In this dance, a couple promenades in a circle. Each time the circle is completed, the dancers attempt a more difficult dance step. In a test of masculine showmanship, the male jumps, kicks, performs Russian Cossack-style deep squats, push ups, and flips .The male dancer even attempts to kick the ceiling rafters. Each of these feats is performed while constantly spinning his female partner across the dance floor. The range of instruments played for dancing and music include flat fiddles, accordion, Norwegian concertina, recorder, Norwegian zither, hardanger fiddle, mouth harp, guitar, piano, various horns and flutes. The most important folk music instrument in the country is the Hardanger fiddle.

Norway has a number of theatres alongside music venues, art galleries, and a range of other places where the arts can be appreciated. The Førde Folk Music Festival, which is held every summer in western Norway, is more internationally oriented. The traditional culture and customs, combined with the friendly welcoming nature of the  Norwegian people has a great deal to offer. The country is worth a visit for visitors with an interest in art and culture.

Source : http://print.dailymirror.lk/life/132-life/27791.html