Valborgsmässoafton – Walpurgis Night

By Anna Riby, March 2010

Valborgsmässoafton, or Walpurgis Night, is one of the traditional celebrations in Sweden. Here’s how it started and what’s it all about:

Not many people may know that Walpurgis Night is named after St Walburga, a nun who became a saint in the 700’s. But the tradition has older roots than that, dating back maybe even a thousand years. People used to light huge bonfires at the end of winter/beginning or spring. The reason was maybe just to scare off predators like wolves before the cattle was released after the winter. But it was also believed that witches, spirits and other supernatural creatures were out at this time of year, and the bonfires could also have been a could have been a way to scare them off – a little like a spring halloween. With time, the pagan festival and the Christian celebration, being held on the same day, were then mixed up.

Over the years more rituals have been added to the bonfire. Nowadays, beside the bonfire, the most important ingredient for Valborg is the singing of traditional songs of Spring. At every bonfire there is a choir “singing the spring in”, with songs about the last day of winter, the spring and summer that are coming and welcoming the beautiful month of May. In order to quite get it, you might need to have experienced a Swedish winter, with it’s long dark months. When the light and long days come back, there’s a general feeling of exhilaration. The songs were mostly spread by student’s Spring celebrations some hundred years ago. The strongest and most traditional Spring festivities are also found in the old university cities, where both undergraduates, graduates and alumni gather at events that last most of the day from early morning to late night on April 30.

So do come to the Swedish School on April 30 to celebrate Valborg, to see the bonfire, listen (or participate in!) the choir and have some Swedish food!

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Malawi - a very good vacation

Malawi, by Bodil Sörensen, March 2010

A small country but with a lot to offer. Zambia’s eastern neighbour. One of the poorest countries in the world. Only half the size of Sweden but with 13 million inhabitants. A big variety in nature and landscape. One of our best vacations.

In March 2009 we flew with Kenya Airways into Lilongwe. It is just one hour very comfortable flight from Lusaka or some two days bumpy drive! From Lilongwe we had arranged with a rental car and soon we went through the hilly, green landscape towards Cape McClear at the southern part of the lake. We arrived to Danforth Yachting three hours later. Greeted by the two big dogs barking but turned out to be the most mellow kind of dogs. The nice couple, Howard and Michelle Massey-Hicks, who bought this place some ten years ago showed us to our room.

The first thing we did was to go down to the one gazebo where you have your breakfast, lunch, dinner and afternoon coffee. We turned two chairs around so that they faced the beach and the lake, had some coffee and watch our kids play in the sand. This is how it continued. Such a relaxed atmosphere.

Danforth Yachting is not only about relaxation, good food and drinks. They can also offer you all kinds of water sports such as scuba diving, snorkelling, hobie cat sailing, kayaking, waterskiing etc. You can also spend some days or weeks cruising the lake on board ‘Mufasa’, their big catamaran.

After breakfast one day we went out on the lake to do some snorkelling. We spent a day in a nice and sheltered lagoon on one of the islands visible from the mainland. We were provided with all snorkelling gear and we brought some left over bread to feed the huge amount of different species of fish found in the lake. Not only the kids were fascinated! In between all snorkelling we had a nice lunch which the chef prepared for us on board the boat. On our way back to shore we had a good view watching the eagles from on top of the roof of the boat.

Four days at Danforth was not enough but we had to move on. We went straight south from the lake to Zomba. We stayed at Ku Chawe Inn, placed literally on the rim of the Zomba Plateau. The air was cooler at this level, the vegetation was more lush and green but still you could see a lot of baboons climbing the pine trees. From the hotel you had a great view overlooking the mountainous landscape. You could even see as far south as to Mount Mulanje, said to be the second highest mountain in Africa.

After a nice dinner we went back to our room where the hotel staff had already lit the fire in the stove. We put more logs on and soon fell asleep thinking of Malawi how diversified as a country. The next morning we took of hiking the mountain. With kids we actually drove our car on the mountain and made a few stops hiking the sorrounding areas. The mountain is full of waterfalls, lakes, hilly climbs, nice forests and always breathtaking views.

The last part of our vacation we stayed in Blantyre. We spent one day going even more south down to Mount Mulanje. The mountain arose impressively in the distance and this day with clouds flowing down the sides. As far as you could see in the surrounding rolling landscape beneath, there were huge plantations of tea and coffee and sometimes tobacco hung out to dry. We parked our car and went for a walk to one of the many waterfalls. If you have more time you can hike the mountain for a few days and walk from cabin to cabin.

The day after we left Blantyre to catch the flight back to Lusaka from Lilongwe. On our way we stopped for lunch in Dedza at Dedza Pottery. They make some nice pottery from white clay but with a variety of nice glazing.

We spent some ten days in Malawi but could easily have spent a lot more. Malawi is definitely on the list of our top three vacations.

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The movie "Shuga" with work shop on HIV/AIDS

Finally it was March 18 and an opportunity for our staff to watch the movie "Shuga" and take part in the work shop lead by Mrs Caroline Simumba from the HIV/AIDS team at the Swedish Embassy.

More than 20 people, aged from 10 and upwards, attended the theme night. After the film and during the work shop some snacks and juice was provided, and even though the rain was pouring down, people tended to appreciate the event.

"Very good initiative", said one of the attending nannies afterwards.

"I missed the movie when it was shown at Arcades in December. Perfect to get a second chance, for free!", said a son to one of the gardeners.

Since this was a very appreciated event taking place at the Swedish School, and still a lot of people thought it was a little bit short notice, we will arrange with a new opportunity to see the movie "Shuga". Look out for more information in the monthly newsletter or on this blog.

Thanks a lot to all of you who prepared for this event, staff taking your time and of course mrs Caroline Simumba who gave it all some extra value.

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Theme Night with Movie and Workshop (for members' staff with families)

The movie ”Shuga” followed by a work shop on HIV/AIDS

On Thursday March 18 the Swedish School is having a theme night for house hold staff. The event starts with a movie at 15.30 hrs and will be followed with a work shop / discussion lead by Mrs Caroline Simumba from the HIV/AIDS-team at the Swedish Embassy. Please send your staff (maids, nannies, gardeners, cooks, etc) and their kids (at least 10 years old) to this afternoon event.

More information on the movie

”Shuga” is about the lives and loves of a group of cool young students whose bright lives and fabulous futures are balanced on a knife-edge due to their love of risk and danger. It is a story of love, sex, Friday nights and the indelible marks we leave on one another.

The movie gives a raw view of the lives of sexually active young Kenyans, illuminating the risks of unprotected sex and the party hard lifestyle of urban Kenyan youth. All the main acts at one point or another have to face the reality of HIV/AIDS – either they have been put at risk or have put themselves at risk. It is first about Ayira, who is an ambitious student who will do anything to get what she wants including engaging in risky sexual behaviour. Then it is about Skola, a spoilt, rich, fun young man, who hosts the campus radio show. He has gotten away with reckless behaviour all his life. The third part focuses on Virginia. She is gorgeous, very much in love with Kenneth. All the boys think she is a virgin and want to sleep with her. Virginia hides a dark secret.

The theme focuses on the importance of knowing one’s HIV status. It discusses how HIV is spread, the incubation period and where to get tested. “If you love yourself, get tested,” Shuga actor Anthony Mwangi advises.

”Shuga” is part of the MTV Staying Alive global HIV and Aids education and prevention campaign, GPANGE and UNICEF.

Movie Title: Shuga

Script Writer: Amanda Lane

Producer: Desiree Markgraaff

Director: Tebeho Mahlats

Casting Director: Lenny Juma

Duration: 66 Minutes

More information to be found at the following links:

http://www.engagemedia.org/Members/MTVLudo/videos/MTV_PROMO_KENYA_MIX_SQUARE.mov/view

http://www.capitalfm.co.ke/lifestyle/entertainment_news/local_e-news/4430-mtv_series_shuga_starts_screening_on_local_tv.html


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Wine tasting, or testing?

A couple of weeks ago the Swedish School was proudly visited by Mr Henrik Riby, who lead some 20 people through a night of wine tasting. Or was it testing?


Most of the attending Swedes had never done wine tasting more than once or twice before, so this event turned out to be a very appreciated one. There were four white wines to be tasted and everybody was involved in putting good words on the different tastes.

The wines tested were of four grapes, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Semillion and of course Chardonnay. The wines Mr Riby had chosen for the event were all South African; La Motte (Sauvignon Blanc, 2006), Ken Forrester (Chenin Blanc, 2008), Fairview Dom Page (Semillion, 2007), and finally Diemersdal Reserve (Chardonnay, 2007).

For more information please check out www.chris-wine.se and do not forget to google the Aroma Circle and for a proper testing form.

Mr Riby made a promise to come back in May for a new wine tasting night with focus on red wines. Look out for dates and details at this blog our in coming news letters from the Swedish School.

And finally, we just want to thank everybody who attended this event and made a joyful evening, and of course, but not least, Mr Riby, for guiding us through this deep knowledge of yours. Thanks a lot!

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The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency - Alexander McCall Smith

Book review by Marika Tornberg, May 2010

”The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency” is a series of eleven novels by British author Alexander McCall Smith. The agency is located in Gaborone, capital of Botswana. Its founder is a Motswana woman, Mma Precious Ramotswe, who features as the stories' protagonist and main detective. The episodic novels are as much about the adventures and foibles of different characters as they are about solving mysteries. Each book in the series follows on from the previous book.

Themes and topics of the stories are women in traditional vs. nontraditional occupations, rural way of life in Southern Africa, social relations in traditional African society, Christianity and traditional belief systems in contemporary Africa.

The bibliography consists of the following books

1. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency (1998)
2. Tears Of The Giraffe (2000)
3. Morality for Beautiful Girls (2001)
4. The Kalahari Typing School for Men (2002)
5. The Full Cupboard of Life (2004)
6. In The Company of Cheerful Ladies (2004)
7. Blue Shoes and Happiness (2006)
8. The Good Husband of Zebra Drive (2007)
9. The Miracle at Speedy Motors (2008)
10. Tea Time for the Traditionally Built (2009)
11. The Double Comfort Safari Club (2010)

For more information, visit http://www.randomhouse.com/features/mccallsmith/no1/

Wine tasting, or testing?

Commented by Theodor Sverkén Sjögren, March 2010

A couple of weeks ago the Swedish School was proudly visited by Mr Henrik Riby, who lead some 20 people through a night of wine tasting. Or was it testing?


Most of the attending Swedes had never done wine tasting more than once or twice before, so this event turned out to be a very appreciated one. There were four white wines to be tasted and everybody was involved in putting good words on the different tastes.

The wines tested were of four grapes, namely Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Semillion and of course Chardonnay. The wines Mr Riby had chosen for the event were all South African; La Motte (Sauvignon Blanc, 2006), Ken Forrester (Chenin Blanc, 2008), Fairview Dom Page (Semillion, 2007), and finally Diemersdal Reserve (Chardonnay, 2007).

For more information please check out www.chris-wine.se and do not forget to google the Aroma Circle and for a proper testing form.

Mr Riby made a promise to come back in May for a new wine tasting night with focus on red wines. Look out for dates and details at this blog our in coming news letters from the Swedish School.

And finally, we just want to thank everybody who attended this event and made a joyful evening, and of course, but not least, Mr Riby, for guiding us through this deep knowledge of yours. Thanks a lot!