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Culture
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… that the
people in the Faroes have a distinct culture of their own and a unique life
style – modern like in the other Scandinavian countries, but at the same time very much rooted in old customs of which
some go back to Viking and even Celtic times. The Faroese still sing medieval
ballads and dance medieval dances at private parties and local holidays, for
instance. |
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… that the language spoken on the islands is Faroese.
Descended from the Old Norse, the Faroese language incorporates a smattering of
Irish/Celtic. Second language is Danish, and most people also speak English. |
Flag -
Did You Know…
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… that the Faroe Islands have their own flag – a
blue-bordered red cross on a white background. It was designed by Jens Oliver
Lisberg from the village of Fámjin in the island of Suðuroy in
1919 but was no recognised before World War II. Following the
occupation of Denmark by Germany, Faroese vessels were no longer
permitted by the British Army (which occupied the islands during
the war) to fly the Danish flag. This was of considerable
significance given the importance of the fishing fleet to the
Faroese economy. Following some intensive discussions between
the British occupation authorities, the Faroese authorities and
the Danish Prefect, as well as discussions between the UK
Foreign Office and the Danish Embassy in London, on 25 April
1940 the British authorities recognised the Faroese flag — the
Merkið — as the civil ensign of the Faroe Islands. |
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… that the currency in the Faroes is the Danish Krone,
locally called Króna. The islands have their own printed bills, different from
the Danish bills, while the coins are the same as in Denmark. |
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... that Faroese religion is part of the Lutheran evangelical
movement. The second largest Protestant movement is the Open (or the Plymouth)
Brethren community. The third largest religious group is the charismatic
movement. The Catholic Church is a very small minority. There are also small
groups of Seventh-day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses and Bahá'ís in the
country. |
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… that St. Olafs Church, in the little village of Kirkjubøur
near Tórshavn, the capital, was built in the 12th century and is thus
the oldest church in the Faroes. The little white church made of stone lies
right beside the ruins of the St. Magnus Cathedral, which was built one century
later. It was presumed for a long time that the construction of the cathedral
was never finished, but later research indicates that the construction might
have been finished and that the roof could have been destroyed later by an avalanche, which is not an uncommon phenomenon in
certain places in the Faroes, including Kirkjubøur – an event which left the
cathedral as a ruin. We know for sure that, on 7 February 1772, an avalanche
severely damaged the church, destroying the western wall and the stairway to the
bell tower. |
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... that the national holiday Ólavsøka,
(in English: St. Olav's Wake) is held 29 July, commemorating the death of St. Olaf (Olaf Haraldsson, Old Norse
Óláfr Haraldsson, 995 – July 29, 1030, king of Norway from 1015–1028). The
celebrations are held in Tórshavn. They really commence on the 28th, and carry
on until the 31 July. The official part of the celebration starts on the 29th,
with the opening of the Faroese Parliament, a custom which dates back some 900
years. This begins with a service held in Tórshavn Cathedral, all members of
parliament as well as civil and church officials walk to the cathedral in a
procession. After the service, the procession returns to the parliament for the
opening ceremony. The celebrations have many facets, of which only a few are
mentioned here. Some are marked by different kind of sports competitions (the
rowing competition in Tórshavn Harbour being the most popular), art exhibitions,
pop concerts, and the famous Faroese chain dance. Many people also mark the occasion
by wearing the national Faroese dress. Get an impression of the National
Holidays in
this video. |
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