We celebrate Midsummer Eve in our summer cottage in the Finnish archipelago. The vegetable garden has been sown for the summer’s harvest with potato, salad, beans, onions, peas, chives and last but not least, the dill for our ‘gravlax’ the marinated salmon Scandinavian style. Geraniums in their boxes are bright red against the sheer greenery of birches and scrubs. Lilies of the valley and lilac branches decorate the tables of our cabin.
The sky is clear blue and the temperature about 20 degrees. What a blessing after weeks of cold and rainy weather! Yesterday, when I was out rowing in our small bay, I noticed that the swan couple from last year had returned, now proudly presenting their offspring; four small grey fluffy feather balls. I hope they can protect them against foxes, wild mink, gulls and other birds of prey. We have been gathering wood for a huge Midsummer bonfire. The material has not been difficult to find; after the terrible winter storm we had in February this year, with fallen trees and branches all over the place.
Tonight we shall have a sauna and a dip in the sea – a quick one because the temperature of the water is 15 degrees. Then we will light the bonfire and have a picnic on the cliffs overlooking the Bay of Finland. From there we can wave to the passengers on the ships heading for Sweden or Estonia. A toast will be raised to celebrate this pagan feast, which is also the name day of St.John the Baptist. In olden days, after the spring sowing, the ancient Finns celebrated the feast of Ukko, the pagan Finnish god of weather, fertility and growth. Midsummer was celebrated as a feast of fertility until the Christian era, when the 24th of June was fixed to commemorate the birth of John the Baptist. The modern Finnish Midsummer celebration is a mixture of pagan and Christian traditions. It is celebrated on the Saturday falling between June 20th and 26th.
In Sweden, and in some Swedish-speaking regions of Finland, including the islands of Aland, tall Midsummer poles are erected on Midsummer Eve, similar to the maypoles erected in continental Europe and Britain. The poles are decorated with green leaves, garlands, wreaths and flowers.
Midsummer in the Northern hemisphere is also the time of summer solstice, the culmination of summer, when it seems that the sun never sets. During the period called polar days, the nights are short and light, but in regions north of the Arctic Circle the sun does not set below the horizon at all for several weeks. In Nuorgam near the northernmost point of Finland, the sun never sets between mid May and the end of July. Visiting tourists are fascinated, but after a couple of days they start complaining about sleepless nights, and their hosts have to find ways of shutting out the stubborn light from their bedrooms.
Many magical and supernatural aspects have traditionally been linked to midsummer night. By performing magical rites, people believed they could ensure a good fortune for the household, an abundant crop and protect the livestock from illnesses. Still in our days it is customary that girls pick seven or nine species of wild flowers and place them under their pillow for the night. While sleeping, the face or name of her future husband will be revealed for her in a dream.