Walpurgis Night

Walpurgis Night

Valborg is a traditional spring festival on 30 April every year. In Sweden, Walpurgis Night (Swedish: Valborgsmässoafton or simply Valborg) has more or less become a de facto half holiday.

Rooted in the Pagan beliefs that the spring fires ward off evil, chaotic spirits as well as protect livestock from predators, the pagan traditions were "Christianized" at some time in the past to commemorate the death of Saint Walpurg. Today, there is little religious significance associated with Sista April.

The forms of celebration in Sweden vary in different parts of the country and between different cities. One of the main traditions is to light large bonfires. Singing traditional songs of spring is widespread throughout the country and many bonfires are accompanied with student choirs, orchestras and speeches. Source: http://www.examiner.com/sweden-travel-in-national/valborg-a-swedish-celebration-like-no-other
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walpurgis_Night
http://blogs.sweden.se/photo/2011/05/02/valborg-welcoming-spring-with-a-bonfire-at-skansen/

Floorball (innebandy) - try it today!

If you and/or your child is keen to try out Floorball (innebandy) please vist the ASB Sports Centre Open Day - on Today! A great opportunity to try out the sport, very popular in Sweden, fast growing in New Zealand.

The ASB Sports Centre is at 72 Kemp Street, Kilbirnie

Floorball, a type of floor hockey, is an indoor team sport which was developed in the 1970s in Sweden.

See you there!

AGM 2012 - This comming Monday the 23 April

The Sweden-New Zealand Association AGM 2012

The current Committee welcomes all its members and interested to join us for our 47th Annual General Meeting. Please note the change of venue compared to previous years below.

Please do come along and hear what we have been up to during the year. This is your chance to meet the committee and bring any ideas you may have forward.
After the meeting we will treat you to some Smörgåstårta

Smörgåstårta (in Swedish) ("sandwich cake") is a Scandinavian cuisine dish that is popular in Sweden. The smörgåstårta is normally made up of several layers of white or light rye bread with creamy fillings in between.

Please see agenda in our latest newsletter (click here to read our latest newsletter). If you have any other queries, please contact Tinni on 04 499 9895 or email tinni@sweden.org.nz

For catering purpose please RSVP to tinni@sweden.org.nz to let help us gauge number for the Smörgåstårta.

When: Monday 23 April 2012
Time: 6.30pm
Where: Harbour City Travel Shop
Address: Corner of Featherston & Brandon Street, Wellington

See you all there!

Waffle Day - today 25 March

Our family and friends in Sweden will all enjoy their waffles today, and so should you - as today, the 25 March, is the National Waffle Day in Sweden. Invite you friends so a yummy treat!

For a "healthy" egg waffle recipe please check our Food blog (http://senzfood.blogspot.co.nz/2011/03/swedish-egg-waffles.html)

Waffle Day is a tradition that is celebrated in Sweden, and to a lesser extent elsewhere, on March 25. Waffles are typically eaten on this day. The name comes from Vårfrudagen ("Our Lady's Day"), which in vernacular Swedish sounds almost like Våffeldagen (waffle day). Our Lady's Day is celebrated on March 25 (nine months before Christmas), the Christian holiday of Annunciation, and the Waffle Day is hence celebrated on the same day although it has no religious connections to Our Lady's Day. (source Wikipedia)

Book Release: The Prince of Soul and The Lighthouse by Fredrik Brounéus

Fredrik Brounéus is a Swedish writer living in Dunedin. In March 2012 his first English novel, The Prince of Soul and The Lighthouse, will be published by Steam Press, released today 14 March.

The Prince of Soul and The Lighthouse by Fredrik Brounéus is a comic sci-fi novel set in Otago and Southland, and it will be launched in Wellington on 14 March. For more information see: http://www.steampress.co.nz/lighthouse.html

Fredrik has university degrees in pharmacy and journalism and has previously published one children’s novel (The Hunt for the Energy Gizmo, 2006), one young adult novel (Yoga for Rockstars, 2008) and one non-fiction children’s book (Drugs and Bugs, 2008), all in Swedish.