Up Helly Aa Facts for Kids

Guizers at an Up Helly Aa celebration in Uyeasound, Shetland Islands, February 2010

Up Helly Aa is a special fire festival held every year in the Shetland Islands, Scotland. It takes place between January and March. This festival marks the end of the winter holiday season, called Yule.

During Up Helly Aa, groups of people dress up in costumes. They are called guizers. They carry torches in a big parade. The parade ends with them burning a copy of a Viking ship, called a galley.

The biggest festival is in Lerwick, the capital of Shetland. Up to a thousand guizers march through the streets there. This happens on the last Tuesday in January. Smaller festivals happen in other towns. These are called 'country' Up Helly Aas.

What is Up Helly Aa?
- How Did Up Helly Aa Start?
- The Jarl and the Squads
Up Helly Aa Today
- Changes in the Festival
What Does the Name Mean?
Lerwick Up Helly Aa Gallery
See also

What is Up Helly Aa?

Up Helly Aa is a celebration of Shetland's Viking history. It is a time for the community to come together. People enjoy parades, music, and dancing. The burning of the galley is a very exciting part. It shows the end of the old year and the start of new things.

How Did Up Helly Aa Start?

The Lerwick festival grew from older winter traditions. These traditions involved young men pulling barrels of burning tar. They would cause some mischief during Christmas and New Year.

After the Napoleonic Wars, young men returned home. They were looking for exciting things to do. People also worried about public safety. There were concerns about too much drinking during the old celebrations. So, changes were made.

The festival started to focus on Shetland's Viking past. The tar barrel tradition stopped around 1874-1880. Torch parades were then allowed. The first torch parade happened in 1876. The first torch parade on Up Helly Aa Day was in 1881.

In 1889, the first Viking ship (galley) was built and burned. A Shetland writer named Haldane Burgess helped shape the Viking theme. He wrote a book called The Viking Path. He also wrote the Up Helly Aa Song. This song is sung when the replica longship is burned.

The Jarl and the Squads

In the early 1900s, the special role of the 'Jarl' was added. The Jarl is the main guizer. They are like the leader of the festival. To become a Jarl, a person must be on a special committee for 15 years. Only one person joins this committee each year.

The Jarl leads a group called the Jarl Squad. Many other groups of guizers also take part. Each group chooses a theme for their costumes. They might dress as historical figures or funny characters.

Up Helly Aa Today

The festival is celebrated in eleven places across Shetland. These include Scalloway, Lerwick, and Bressay. After the parade, the guizer squads visit local halls. These can be schools, sports centers, or hotels.

At each hall, the squads perform an act. This might be a funny skit about local events. They might also sing or dance. It is a night of fun and entertainment for everyone.

Changes in the Festival

Over time, some parts of the festival have changed. For example, since 2020, painting faces black has been banned. This makes the festival more welcoming for everyone.

Traditionally, only men were guizers in the main Lerwick festival. However, some smaller festivals now include women. In 2015, a woman became the Jarl at the South Mainland Up Helly Aa festival. Since 2023, women can also join squads in Lerwick.

What Does the Name Mean?

The name "Up Helly Aa" has an interesting meaning. The word up means something is at an end. It comes from an old Norse word, uppi. This word is still used in languages like Faroese and Icelandic.

The word helly means a holy day or festival. It comes from the Old Norse word helgr. The aa part might mean "all." So, "Up Helly Aa" means something like "Up Holy Day All," marking the end of the holiday season.

Lerwick Up Helly Aa Gallery

1 – The Guizer Jarl. The Guizer Jarl is the main leader of Up Helly Aa. This festival happens on the last Tuesday in January. Each Guizer Jarl chooses a name from old Norse stories.
2 – The Jarl Squad. The Jarl's Squad is made up of the Guizer Jarl's supporters. It is the most important of many groups. The people in these groups are called guizers.
3 – The Galley. Every year, a copy of a Viking longship is built for Up Helly Aa.
4 – The Procession. After it gets dark, the longship is pulled through the town streets. This is done in a parade with torches. All the guizer squads carry torches. The Jarl's Squad leads them. Each squad picks a theme and dresses up. The themes can be historical, funny, or about current events.
5 – The Circle Round the Galley. When all the torchbearers reach the longship's final spot, they stand in a circle around it. They sing the traditional Up Helly Aa song.
6 – Setting Fire to the Galley. After singing the Up Helly Aa song, the guizers throw their torches into the longship.
7 – The Burning Galley. Once the longship has burned down, the guizers sing "The Norseman's Home." Then, they go to parties all night. Any large room becomes a hall. A hostess invites guests. Every guizer squad visits every hall. They dance and drink with the guests. This takes most of the night. The next day is "Hop Night," with more dances and celebrations.