Fires were lit to scare off wild animals and witches

Göran Sjögård, archivist at the Ethnological Archives in Lund, tells us that there is no clear reason why we celebrate Valborg.

– The Catholic church introduced saints’ days as holy days. Many high days and holidays as we know them today actually originate from this background, he says.

– The Catholic church was diplomatic, it Christianised heathen holidays. If it had said, ”You must give up your holidays”, it wouldn’t have had a chance. That’s how we can explain Christmas, midsummer and other holidays.

In the Middle Ages various guilds (tradesmen’s associations) held meetings in the towns.

They met to discuss matters of common interest. Outside the towns, as in Skåne for example, the guild members met to enjoy a drink and have a good time.

There were plenty of eggs all spring – this leads our thoughts to Easter.

When spring came, perhaps at Valborg or 1st May, the villagers had to prepare the meadows for their animals. Everybody lent a hand.

Lighting bonfires was common on special occasions, at Valborg in the south of Sweden and at Easter in the west of the country. The coming of spring was celebrated in the German-speaking parts of Europe, and that is most probably the origin of our custom.

– At the Valborg bonfires they used gunpowder and fired different kinds of weapons. They greeted spring with lots of food, dancing and games.

The fires were intended to scare off wild animals from the fields where the domestic animals grazed. Easter bonfires were to scare off witches and other frightening spirits in order to enjoy the peace and quiet.

In the south of Sweden it was the young people who welcomed May with singing.

– We sing nowadays as well. It used to be groups of young people who went round the farms and sang, and were paid in food, so that they could organise their own party. A lot of old customs have lived on.