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Viking festival in Gudahagen

Reporter Mikael Rasmussen alias Artist Razz visited the Viking Market at Gudahagen sacred site in Näsum, Skåne, which celebrated its 15th anniversary last weekend. In true Viking spirit, the market offered quality handicrafts, food, culture and, of course, the occasional Viking roar.

Published 5 October 2024
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During the weekend of September 14th and 15th, the Viking Days became more of a Viking festival with jesters, musicians, merchants, lecturers and ordinary people, a crowd-pleasing, family-friendly market offering quality crafts, food and culture.

Here you could find honey, herbal ointments, pungent spices, and solid wood and blacksmithing crafts. The range of handmade clothing, leather bags and headdresses added to the atmosphere. All the senses were stimulated by the occasional clash of swords, the beautiful sounds of instruments such as drums, fiddles, cranks, and strong, clear male and female voices.

In an enclosure, the audience could participate in Strong Man and Strong Woman. For example, it was a show of strength to lift a cannonball, place it on a meter-high standing log, and immediately drop it back to the ground. The competition was to see how many times they could lift the ball. Another element was to lift a heavy log, hold it with outstretched arms, wait for a signal from the judge, and then repeat the lift with the addition of taking one step backward.

In another enclosure, the audience could see and hear Vikings fighting energetically, wielding swords with fervor and charming presence in period armor. The Viking warriors offered Viking roars, mighty blows and fragrant energy, so that it felt as if we were back in the hard, cruel and final 1000s of the Viking Age.

Other elements offered during these days were lectures on the chosen theme: funerals and the funeral procession. How did it happen? Was it like in the Hollywood movies? What does a Viking grave look like? Yes, there were many questions, but the answers were also explained by archaeologist and lecturer Andreas Forsgren, who vividly described the various scenarios that it is unlikely that the body was placed on something like a ship, then set on fire and finally sent out to sea. No, I don’t think any of the neighbors wanted to see burnt bones floating to a neighboring beach.

Instead, the Viking bodies were buried in the ground and then they made some kind of stone structure. In modern times, we can see this in certain places, like this sacred site, where the Viking festival took place, the archaeologist said.

After the lecture, more powerful experiences were offered, such as beautiful, majestic horses like the Shire horse. This allowed Viking visitors to meet the largest horse breed in the world, weighing around 900 kilograms. They demonstrated incredible riding and carriage pulling skills.

The carefully chosen location for this Viking market was the setting for respect, friendliness and the thinking process. The stalls were also uniformly presented and the next act on the program was a juggler juggling knives, axes and apples.

The show continued and the performance ended with a fire show where the juggler extinguished the torches in his pants. The torches are extinguished and the juggler bows to an enthusiastic audience.

As the day progresses, it’s time for some good food. Visitors can choose from modern grilled and boiled sausages, kebabs, game and even chili con carne, which is also available in vegetarian versions.

Yes, the day contains many stimulating delights. Handicrafts include fine drinking glasses, beautiful glass jewelry, woodwork, fine lambskins, and in total there were about 120 vendors with high quality cultural handicrafts. There was also plenty of music, with many strong voices in solo singing, choirs, and choral singing with Viking harmonies by, among others, a Viking and medieval interpreter with the artist name Medvind. With a slight headwind, the audience was treated to good theatrical and dramatic performances, with the band members dressed in historical costumes, mastering the medieval instruments, the voices complementing each other, and surprised with dramatic acting that really transported the audience from the present to the Viking Age.

What makes it even more interesting to really listen and watch Medvind is that they write most of the lyrics and music that they perform. They touch on many topics that the Vikings of the Viking Age and the Middle Ages were concerned with, such as beer, brandy, the church, gods, warriors, millers and bakers. The really beautiful compositions, both delicate and beautiful in their melody, are Bittra Droppar and Vädjan. The repertoire also includes Brandagall, Pastor Rynkles Skål, Beer and Drinkjom. The music is poetic, entertaining and authentic.

The day draws to a close and the Viking celebrants, dressed in medieval costumes, have given their grateful visitors and audience an unforgettable, powerful experience. The jesters, musicians and craftsmen of the night will probably want to move on to their own more private Viking celebrations in the evening, with mead, Amanita muscaria and all sorts of erotic experiences, which the rest of us will then hear about in the songs that will be performed, and perhaps tempt us to become Viking celebrants ourselves.

See you next year in Gudahagen and thank you for a well organized Viking Festival 2024!

 

Mikael Rasmussen alias Artist Razz

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Swedish study: “Climate smart” school lunch may cause iron deficiency

Published today 8:17
– By Editorial Staff

When schools implement “climate-smart” school lunches, by replacing meat with plant-based food, the amount of iron absorbed by the body decreases. Teenage girls are particularly affected, according to a thesis from the University of Gothenburg.

The thesis collected data through a survey sent to the municipalities’ food services, where 167 of Sweden’s 290 municipalities responded. Furthermore, 76 school menus were analyzed over a four-week period.

The results show that none of the analyzed menus provided enough absorbable iron for girls who have a higher need. Often, beef is replaced with plant-based protein sources such as soy to make them more so-called climate-friendly, but even though soy is high in iron, the body cannot absorb it all.

– Soy-based dishes are high in iron, but the body can only absorb around 3% of it. For girls, who have high iron requirements, this is particularly problematic, says Mari Wollmar, author of the thesis, in a press release.

In comparison, the body was able to absorb about 14% of the iron from beef-based dishes, which are thought to have the highest climate impact.

Furthermore, the research shows that it is often women who eat less meat, and more food that is said to have less climate impact. This makes them more vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies.

Wollmar has developed a “hybrid recipe” that combines plant-based ingredients with a small amount of meat and vitamin C-rich foods that increase iron absorption.

– These recipes reduced the climate impact by 38%, while the nutritional content was sufficient and the taste was appreciated by a test panel, says Wollmar.

A recently published study from Lund University shows that more than one in three Swedish female high school students is iron deficient. The risk was particularly high among vegans and vegetarians.

Trump wants 100% tariff on foreign films

Donald Trump's USA

Published today 7:02
– By Editorial Staff

Donald Trump has announced that he has initiated a process to impose a 100% tariff on all films produced outside the US that are then imported into the country. Critics warn of the consequences and argue that tariffs will worsen the situation for the American film industry.

The decision, which was announced on May 4, is intended, according to Trump, to protect the American film industry, which he believes is on the verge of “a very fast death”, reports industry publication Variety.

– This is a concerted effort by other nations and, therefore, a national security threat. It is, in addition to everything else, messaging and propaganda, Trump wrote on his platform Truth Social.

Trump said he has instructed the Department of Commerce and the US Trade Representative to quickly begin the process of imposing the tariffs.

Exact details on how the tariffs will be implemented, such as whether they will also cover streaming services or how the size of the tariffs will be calculated, have not yet been announced.

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has confirmed that the authorities are working on the issue.

“Incredibly stupid”

Many American productions are currently filmed in several countries that offer financial incentives for film production, including Canada, the UK, and Australia, and industry representatives are now concerned about how the tariffs would affect ongoing projects and collaborations.

The chair of the Swedish Film and TV Producers Association, Eva Hamilton, called the proposal “incredibly stupid” and warned that it could isolate the US culturally and economically.

It just sounds incredibly stupid, and I find it hard to see how it could be implemented. He’s right that Hollywood hasn’t kept up, but stopping all foreign expertise sounds like shooting yourself in the foot, Eva Hamilton said in an interview with Schibsted owned TV4.

Trump has previously singled out Hollywood as a “very problematic place” and, in early 2025, appointed actors Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone as ambassadors to promote American film production.

The American film industry has already been affected by Trump’s trade war, and China, among others, has reduced its quota for American films allowed to be shown in response to the new American tariffs on the country.

Viking-era cultural heritage site in Sweden looted in overnight raid

Published yesterday 12:10
– By Editorial Staff
Anundshög is usually described as one of Sweden's most important ancient monument areas.

This week, the important ancient site Anundshög was subjected to extensive looting – apparently with the help of a metal detector.

First you get angry, and then you just feel empty. It’s actually hard to find the words, says the disheartened archaeologist Sara Wisén Saveca.

Someone, or several people, under the cover of darkness, dug over 50 holes of varying sizes in the ground at the Viking-era heritage site outside Västerås.

The incident has caused dismay among both experts and the public. Although archaeologists believe that historical objects once buried there are now gone, it remains unclear what treasures the looters actually made off with.

Some likely used a metal detector and dug into the ground where they got a signal. They have removed things that we would want to excavate archaeologically in order to gain knowledge about the Viking Age, says Nina Eklöf, director of Västerås Museums.

“Been here for thousands of years”

She’s keeping her fingers crossed that the thieves were unlucky and only found modern, lost objects, such as iron nails and horseshoes – but points out that they could just as easily be artifacts from the Bronze Age or other historical eras now lost to science.

Since this place is still one of the sites in Sweden that holds a wealth of knowledge, they may also have taken important information with them that could help us understand this Viking-era site.

– It’s impossible to explain the feeling of how something can so quickly destroy something that has been here for thousands of years, she continues.

“Vandalism against our shared cultural heritage”

A report has been filed with the police, who say they have visited nearby residents in the hope that someone may have observed the thieves.

Minister of Culture Parisa Liljestrand (M) is one of many who have drawn attention to the crime and says that the incident makes her “furious“.

“This is not just theft – this is a purely indecent act of vandalism against our shared cultural heritage”, she noted on social media.

A historically important site

Anundshög is Sweden's largest burial mound and is located in Badelunda, about five kilometers east of Västerås in Västmanland. The burial mound measures about nine meters in height and has a diameter of 64 to 68 meters. It was built during the Late Iron Age, sometime between 500 and 1050 AD, and is believed to have been a central place for the exercise of power and events during this period. During the Middle Ages, the area was also used as a courthouse.

The area around Anundshög is rich in archaeological remains, including several shipwrecks, smaller burial mounds, stone circles, a labyrinth and a remarkable rune stone – Vs 13 – which is over three meters high. The rune inscription reads: ”Folkvid erected all these stones after his son Heden, Anund's brother. Vred cut the runes.

According to tradition, the medieval Eriksgatan, the historical route that newly elected kings traveled along to be recognized by the provinces, passed Anundshög, as marked by erected stones along the way. Today, Anundshög is a well-visited cultural heritage site with guided tours, information signs and regular events such as Archaeology Day.

Cleared in Swedish court – Sami hunter may still lose firearm license

Published yesterday 10:12
– By Editorial Staff
Since the man is acquitted - but the Court of Appeal considers that a (prescribed) hunting offense still took place, Larsson still risks losing his firearms license.

Peter Larsson, from the Maskaure Sami village, acquitted of serious hunting crime charges. Despite this, he may still lose his firearms license.

I feel incredibly disappointed, he says.

The Court of Appeal for Upper Norrland states in the ruling that Peter Larsson did not use a snowmobile in an unlawful manner during a protective hunt, and that the two bears were also not subjected to unnecessary suffering. Thus, he is fully acquitted of the serious hunting crime he was previously charged with, reports Jakt & Jägare.

At the same time, the court notes deficiencies in communication with the County Administrative Board, as well as the fact that Larsson provided incorrect coordinates for the location where the bear was shot. This is considered a standard-degree hunting offense – but since it is statute-barred, he cannot be convicted for it.

Nevertheless, the consequences could be significant. Since the statute of limitations rules differ for legal entities, the Maskaure Sami village is ordered to pay a corporate fine of SEK 30,000 (€2,700).

– The corporate fine feels so wrong, but at the same time it’s a relief that the legal process is over, comments Larsson.

– It is terrible to be an honest person and be accused of a crime.

The firearms issue may be revisited

The question now is how the Police Authority views Larsson’s firearm ownership, given that the Court of Appeal, despite the acquittal, states that a (statute-barred) hunting offense did occur.

It’s definitely not to the person’s advantage. If I were the decision-maker, I would take a closer look at this case, says Nils-Olov Gärdin, head of one of the police firearms units.

However, he emphasizes that more circumstances must be considered – including how much time has passed, which could work in Larsson’s favor.

After the district court’s acquittal in December 2023, Peter Larsson requested the return of his confiscated hunting weapons. The police initially said no, citing the prosecutor’s appeal. However, the Court of Administrative Appeals sided with Larsson, and the weapons were returned.

Criticizes the Court of Appeal’s assessment

Attorney Sven Severin, who represented Peter Larsson throughout the legal process, is also critical of the Court of Appeal’s reasoning:

The court has not taken into account the reality of conducting protective hunts in roadless areas, he says.

He argues that the shortcomings pointed out by the court – such as the incorrect specification of the shooting location – should be considered trivial.

Severin is particularly critical of the fact that the court asserts a crime was committed, without this being stated in the verdict. This makes it impossible to appeal the wording.

It’s reminiscent of the da Costa case, where two doctors were acquitted of murder but the court still concluded they had dismembered the body – a crime that was statute-barred at the time.

Sven Severin believes that the legal process, which has lasted six years, should now come to an end – including the issue of firearms.

That the police would act again after all these years, I find inconceivable.

The Maskaure case in brief

In May 2019, Maskaure Sami village was granted a protective hunt for bears in Arjeplog. Two bears were killed during the hunt, but shortly afterwards a criminal investigation was launched into a serious hunting offense, which led to the hunters' weapons being confiscated. Two years later, in May 2021, four members of the Sami village were charged. According to the prosecutor, the hunt had been carried out in violation of the guidelines set by the County Administrative Board.

However, when the trial began in October 2022, it was interrupted early after lawyers raised objections and Luleå District Court ruled that there were obstacles to the trial. It was not until November 2023 that a new trial could be held.

A month later, in December 2023, all four people were acquitted by the district court. Despite this, the prosecutor chose to appeal the verdict against the chairman of the Sami village, Peter Larsson, while the other three were given their weapons back.

November 2024 also saw the return of the weapons.

In November 2024, Larsson also got his weapons back. In April 2025, the Court of Appeal delivered its judgment, acquitting Larsson. However, the Sami village was ordered to pay a corporate fine of SEK 30,000 (€2,700).

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