May 17 1814, a bunch of guys declared Norway a sovereign state at a place called Eidsvold by signing a piece of paper with a set of rules that they had agreed upon among themselves. This day has been celebrated ever since as Norway's constitution day. The idea is that we are free because those guys were so brave as to make this declaration.
Even as a kid I had trouble understanding how exactly I was any freer under this constitution than I would have been under a Danish or Swedish constitution, and how is it that people in parliament are providing freedom for me? Another thing I disliked with the whole thing was that this holiday was not a holiday at all. Kids had to show up at school and take part in a parade to show everyone how happy we are to be free. But if I was free, why wasn't I free to skip school on this supposed holiday? It made no sense to me. Even back then, I was an anarchist at heart.
May 17 still gives me the shivers. Nationalists come out in force on that day. Their enthusiasm for Norway and every thing Norwegian borders on the manic, and God help you if you do anything to disturb the sanctity of that day. Whatever you do, don't cut in front of the children's parade. Cheer them on with "hip hip hurrah", and "long live the king". Only later are we having some fun, but no sour jokes about Norway, please. "Remember, Norway is the best country on the planet. The UN has declared it so on multiple occasions, so it must be true."
The fun and games after the children's parade were always entertaining, so I'm not against May 17 as such. But I very much dislike how it is, and always has been, hijacked by the most militant of nationalist enthusiasts. Why not tone the whole thing down, have some fun, and relax? That's how freedom should be celebrated, especially for people like me who aren't too fond of the state, and even less fond of state loving busy bodies.
My next Facebook post will for this reason be on May 17. I plan to post a picture of my son on our balcony, surrounded by flowers and dressed in a casual summer outfit. I may also post a picture from the lunch gathering I'm having with fellow expats here in Porto. We celebrate very much in the relaxed toned down way I prefer. Sunny and warm, as it usually is here in Porto in mid May, is again a reminder that Norway may be a nice place to live, but if you want to grow flowers on your balcony, or relax in the sun with friends, there are other places with better climate than Norway.
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| Oslo May 17 2010 |
By evelinagustafsson@live.se - Own work, Public Domain, Link
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