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A NORWEGIAN WEDDING.

Visitors to Norway in the summer months may not-im, rob.aldy haw an opportunity of SO' ing a country w.aiding, with its interesting display of quaint costumes. Such was my good for tune when T stayed for a few days at Odde, at tho head of tho Hardanger fiord. Tho liardanger distiict is noted for the bright costume of the women. Their everyday dress is striking, but at weddings they excel themselves. On ordinary occasions they wear a d irk blue skirt made of cloth woven in the cottages, a white smock or shirt with full sleeves, and finished witli a little mat of embroidery or crochet, work, and a fitting bodice of scarlet cloth, cut open to the waist, in front, the opening filled in with a piece of beaded embroidery. A beaded belt is worn round the waist, and a silver brooch at the throat, the whole forming a singularly bright and pretty costume. Unmarried women wear their hair in two plaits down the back, but married women wear a huge cap made to stand out with pasteboard, These caps are wonderful structures, almost i-noossible to describe. Thcv are starched and stiffened in somo way in washing, aud are then pressed over layers of thin twigs in such a maimer that the twigs act as an Italian iron, and ' rib ' the surface of the caps till it has somewhat the appearance of corduroy. The cap stands out several inches on either side of the head, and tapers gradually to a point about halfway down the back. The whole costume is especially becoming to the fine matronly faces and figures that abound in this part of the country. Norwegian women seem to improve as they grow older, and the faces of the middle-aged women are fall of kindness and dignity. On the day on which my visit to Odde came I had a glimpse, if not of a wedding itself, at least of the bridal party. Along the fiord came a large boat, pulled by six stout oaivmen, and making its way through the water in a very different style fro'n the crawling pace customary to Norwegian boats on ordinary occasions. \s it drew nearer we could see that, besides tho plainly clad men and the white - capped women. there were two brides on board. Th" whole village, needless to say, turned out to fee the sight, and a pretty scene was formed by the groups of women and girl<, their white cap* and scarlet, bodices shining in the sun. As I stood among the crowd and noticed the details of their dress, I w.s .-truck with the neatness and finish or it all, and the care which is evidently bestowed on small details. One old dame wore the usual dark blue gown, but tho sleovcs were relieved with the neatest pea green enfls, sewn to the dress with indescribable care and finish. The close black cap she wore was edged with a piping of yellow, and beneath was a shrewd, kindly face. The green dye, which reappears on various articles of clothing, but which, alas ! is said to ho going out. of fashion, is made from a kin 1 of 'st.ag-diorn ' inos', which grows freely on the hill -ide<.

In all these things Norway is as England was a centiirv or more ago. Wool i*spun. woven, dyed, and Kririe into . lothes in the cot.;.i ires. The spinningwheel, whi'-h we a-s'ieiate moie with f iiry tides or with pun'omitti" reuresentati ins of th;- Sl""pio-' Remty. is a i-.oh'tuki hoiiM'lwi I iiislwution in N'onviv. The briuht-f ic.;d ilrtii.'hter of mil- lmdlordat OMe 'ooU in ■ inn div. at mv reque-t, to aor Ms."* to s. j e -pinui.! / and weavin;.'. A stout, fli ■-haired eil was at the wheel, mi I (j-i i«-U ly - ['nil -i n < >i" i thread as I stood by. Then the girl'. ins .-ted that th* Kn .li-h 11< 1 v sh oild try, and arc ir lin jlv, amil th ir lin-iiirr brighter, I produced a horrible tingle, wliioh I would £ .in hive dignified by the name of thread.

lint to return to the bridal party, whose boat is now touching the Imd. The two brides and their lady friends are handed out by the boa'men, and then, with some show of fuss and importance, there, are lifted out of the boat sundry odd-looking boxes, whose purpose and contents I was at a loss to divine. Then the whole pirty stand still solemnly, each bridegroom having his bride on his arm, atul the fiddler faces them anil strikes lip a time. He bcits his frjoi on the ground and scrapes away at his curioas instrument, a kind known as the 1 Hardauger violin,' and reels out lively Norwegian tunes. They were strange airs to me, but I imagine they were ' bailings 'or perhaps marches. Ido not know why this pause was made ; perhaps to give time to the clergyman, who was expected every moment by the steamer, the steamer which unfortunately was to carry me and my friends away. However, the pause gave me an opportunity of noticing the brides and their dresses. They b >th wore the huge ungainly crown, which is to the Norwegian bride what the wrea'h of orange blossoms is to her English sister. The dark blue skirt was fur this occasion replaned by one of bright scarlet, embroidered with a bold pattern in wool near the hem. The full white shirt remained as usual, but the bodice was a miss of beadwork, w. ile the belt was made of missive links of silver. Large silver ornaments dangled from the side of the crown, but whether affixed to the crown or to the ear I could not tell; a large silver brooch was worn at the throat., and each bride had a fine muslin apron with a pretty piece of needlework let in, after the Norwegian fashion, near the hem. The patterns of this work, which is generally crochet, are remarkably good, and the crochet washes admirably. The brides wore their hair hanging down their back, and one officious bridesmaid I noticed taking great pains to prevent the brides' locks from being blown about by the wind. I looked at their faces, but in this instance, there was little to admire. One was young, but the other was fairly advanced in life, and neither could be called pretty. I imagine that marriages in Norway have often to be postponed for along time until a vacant farm or homestead falls to the turn of the young con pie. Of the bridegrooms there is little to be said. They were plain, honest'looking fellows, dressed almost exactly like English sailors, except for a broad soft wideawake hat. The kneebreeches fastened with silver buttons, formerly worn in the country, are fust disappearing from the peasants' costume, and plain bluo coat, jacket, and trousers are now generally worn. The men look exactly like Englishmen of the northern counties with their fair and, as we should say, English cast of features. But now the procession begins to move. The fiddler leads th? way, still playing, and the bridal party sets out on its way to the church. And at the same time the whistle of the steamer is heard, and tho vessel steams up the short quay, which is all that is needed on the steep shores of the fiord. The clergyman, a tall, fine-looking man, steps off the boat, and we must perforce step on, and so we see no more of tho wedding ceremony, They will dance the ' hailing ' merrily to-night we are told. Formerly they kept the revels up for three nights, but now these festivities are cut short, and one night is considered enough.—' Q.ueen.'

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WT18881013.2.30.18

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Waikato Times, Volume 2537, Issue XXXI, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

Word count
Tapeke kupu
1,294

A NORWEGIAN WEDDING. Waikato Times, Volume 2537, Issue XXXI, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

A NORWEGIAN WEDDING. Waikato Times, Volume 2537, Issue XXXI, 13 October 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

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