Delting Up Helly Aa 2010
The 2010 Delting Up Helly Aa took place on Friday 19th March with Guizer Jarl Lawrence Johnson portraying Torf Einar (Einar Rögnvaldsson).
The day started at 8.00am with the Jarl's Squad mustering at the Northern Lights Function Room at the Brae Hotel to toast the new Jarl. The Bill was also at display at the Galley Shed beside Brae Community Hall at 8.00am. At 9.00am, the Jarl and his Squad marched to the Galley Shed, where the years Galley named "ELKA" was on display, and the Delting Up Helly-Aa Flag was raised above the Community Hall. The Flag depicts "Sleipner", Odin's eight legged flying horse. Due to bad weather conditions, the evening procession through Brae was cancelled, but the burning of the Galley took place at the Delting Marina at Busta Voe when 100 Guizers threw torches onto the Galley.
About the Jarl's Guizer name
Torf Einar or Einar Rögnvaldsson, (early 890s-920s) was a Norse Jarl. His rise to power is related in sagas which draw on verses of Einar's own composition for as well as many other talents he was a keen musician and was said to be proficient on a lute like instrument. After battling for control of the Northern Isles, Einar founded a Jarldom which retained control of the islands for centuries after his death.
Einar was the youngest son of Rögnvald Eysteinsson of the district of M0re in Norway, by a concubine. Rögnvald's family conquered Orkney and Shetland in the late ninth century, and Rögnvald's brother, Sigurd Eysteinsson, was made Ear] of Orkney. After his death, Sigurd was succeeded by his son, Guthorm, who died shortly afterward. Rögnvald sent another of his sons, Hallad, to govern the islands but although he strove to see the region "come ahead", Hallad was unable to maintain control, resigned his earldom and returned to Norway as an Udlar. This left Orkney in the clutches of Danish warlords, Thorir Treebeard and Kalf Scurvy, who were described as "probably" the fiercest Vikings in the World.
According to the Norse Heimskringia and Orkneyinga sagas Rögnvald had little regard for his youngest son Einar because Einar's mother was a slave. The sagas record that Rögnvald agreed to provide Einar with a ship and crew in the hope that he would sail away and never return, this was a great underestimation of Einar's prowess and Rögnvald's predictions were soon proven quite wrong.
Einar made his way from his home in Røbekk to Shetland, firstly making merry on Salmiakkikossu in the North of the Island and recruiting the likes of Hakki Haroldson, brothers Baldr and Tutøy Byglan and their cohorts before heading South. In Orkney with the aid of his Hjaltland Berserkers he made quick work of defeating the troublesome Danes and rebel Orcadians in battle. Einar "laid the lands under him, and made himself the greatest chief."
Torf's first actions as larl was to encourage the ferrying of personnel and goods by longship and he is said to have engineered the plying of larger and larger Baltic longships from Danzig to the Northern Isles the likes of which the Sounds and Voes of Shetland had never seen before.
In what was seen at the time as pioneering alternative energy and influenced by tales from Suomi, Torf Einar urged the Orcadians to cease their coppicing ways and instead encouraged the casting of peats. He and his men were said to have the finest tushkers in all of Caithness, Orkney and Shetland and indeed Amevald the bold was said to have the largest tushker in all Scandinavia.
Through his actions Torf Einar had proven to his father that he was a worthy Jarl. Later when King Harald Finehair's unruly sons, Halvdan Halegg and Gudr0d Ljome, murdered Rognvald, Einar avenged him by capturing Halvdan when he attempted to sieze Orkney and sacrificed him to Odin as a blood Eagle. King Harald, apparently appalled by his sons' actions, then threw Gudrød off Rognvald's lands in M0re and restored them to his son, Einar's brother, Thorir Rognvaldarson.
The remainder of Einar's long reign was apparently unchallenged, and he died peacefully in his bed, leaving three sons, Amkel, Eriend and Thorfinn. The sagas describe Einar as tall, ugly, blind in one eye, but sharp-sighted nonetheless. Despite these apparent disabilities, Einar established a dynasty which ruled Orkney and Shetland until 1469.
The Jarl's Squad Members were :
Matthew Einarson, Ellie Einarsdottir, Robert Johnson, Jimmy Davidson, Gordon Sutherland, Liam Sutherland, Kirsty Sutherland, Eric Barron, Peter Quin, Alex Quin, Barry Anderson, Ewen Balfour, Helen Balfour, Freya Balfour, Stuart Balfour, Neil Campbell, Nigel Clark, Gary Davidson, Gerry Firmin, Stuart Henry, Darren Hitchin, Ian Irving, Alan Jamieson, Stuart Jamieson, David Johnson, Magnus Johnson, Scott Johnson, Sam Johnston, Mark Kearney, Arnold Leask, Walter Leask, Addie Manson, Stanley Manson, Brydon Mowat, Stephen Murchison, Christopher Nicolson, David Nicolson, Kenny NicolsonGibby Odie, Michael Pearson, Bert Ratter, David Robinson, Duncan Stove, John Tait, Joe Tait, Vaila Tait, and Kevin Tait. The Squad Musicians were: Kevin Brown, Alex Couper, Ryan Couper, Peter Johnson, and Adam Johnson.
The 2010 Squads were: 1. Jarl’s Squad, 2. Randy Jackson’s All American Delting Dance Spree, 3. Reasonably Priced Star, 4. Shetland’s Got Talent, 5. Mirrie Dancers, 6. Dancing (with) Mouat, 7. Crazy Crazy Knights, 8. Lowrie Lowrie!, 9. SIC Kingpin, 10. Swingers, 11. Evolution of Dance, 12. Carry on Couper, 13. Pheonix from the Fire has Risen, 14. The Hoppingwealth Games, 15. SIC Prize Fighter, 16. Boogie through the decades, 17. Ivan’s Northern Exposure 2011, 18. Paolo’s Dynamic and Spirited Performers, 19. Wii (Wir) Fit, 20. Thankyou for the music, 21. Running Bear, 22. Tally Ho, 23. Slantigirt Flabley, 24. Daft Jarls, 25. Brolly Good, 26. Shetland Show Jumping, 27. A Peerie Scar o Talent, 28. Ice Road Truckers, 29. Bad Moon Rising.
During the Day
The Jarl and his Squad had a full day progam on Up Helly-Aa Day. After they had been at the Galley Shed, they visited Lunnasting Primary School, Olnafirth Primary School, Brae Primary School, and Mossbank Primary School. This was followed by lunch at Mossbank Hall. After lunch they visited the "Ports and Harbours" at Sella Ness, the Brae Police Station, and the "Northaven Care Centre". At 5.00pm they had tea at the Brae Community Hall. In the evening, they first visited the Vidlin Public Hall, then the Voe Hall, the Mossbank Hall, Delting Boating Club, Northern Lights Function Room, ending the night at the Brae Community Hall.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 7iCvh9N0_eY}} | KAev5gs7NFc}} |
Jarl's Squad at Lunnasting Primary School and Mossbank Primary School.
The Galley
This years Galley was named "ELKA". The galley design is similar to the Norwegian Oseberg Ship. The Galley Shields were designed and painted by primary school bairns from Brae, Mossbank, Voe, and Vidlin.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Galley Shields - Starboard side, from stern towards bow (as they appeared on galley):
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Galley Shields - Port side, from bow to stern (as they appeared on galley):
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
