Lerwick Junior Up Helly Aa 1994
Luke Hunter was the 1994 Lerwick Junior Guizer Jarl, representing Sverre - King of Norway 1182-1202. This was the 39th Lerwick Junior Up Helly Aa Festival.
About the Jarl's Guizer name
Luke chose to portray one of the most romantic figures in Norse history, who according to the historian Boyesen was in point of genius the greatest king who has ever ruled over Norway. The son of a Norwegian king by a domestic servant he was brought up in Faroe where, at Kirkjuboe, a mountain cave in which he was first hidden is familiar to visitors.
Sverre set out single-handed to wrest the Crown from the Norwegian family who held it. Aided by the Birkebeiner (Birch legs), a band of poor outlaws from a civil conflict, he for years performed great feats of military skill and endurance. He made himself sole master after numerous rebellions from fresh pretenders to the throne and other enemies. One of these rebellions by a brother-in-law of Harald the Jarl (Earl) of Orkney, and carried out by Orcadians and Shetlanders, nicknamed Eyskeggjar (island beardies) was defeated by Sverre at the Battle of Floruvaag, near Bergen in 1194.
To punish Jarl Harald for allowing the uprising to take place, Sverre took from the Orkney earldom the lordship of Shetland which was governed from Norway along with Faroe.
Sverre, the Faroe-reared reformer, was the most learned monarch in Europe, an enlightened democratic ruler and a military genius.
King Sverre holds a special place in Shetland history, but his closest personal association is with Faroe where the people regard him with pride to this day.
This years galley was named Asgard - the home of all the Norse gods. The image of a Norse mythological beast is a theme that runs through the junior Jarl squad's presentation.
The Muster
Guizers mustered on the Lower Hillhead at 5.15pm and the light-up signalled by a MAROON, was at 5.30pm precisely. The route was along the Lower Hillhead, down King Erik Street, around the South Playing Field and into the North Playing Field. After the guizers circled the inside of the north field the last rites took place in the centre of the park. 'The Feast, the Dance, the Song" for the Junior guizers and their friends was in the Anderson High School on Monday 31st January, where they were visited by the Senior Jarl and some of his men.
The Galley was on view at the Anderson High School car park from 9.30am to 11.00am before the Junior Jad and his Squad, along with the galley and the Lerwick Pipe Band, marched north along Commercial Street to the foot of Harbour Street starting from the Post Office at approximately 11.15am, then proceeded to Sound Primary School. The galley was on view at Islesburgh Community Centre until about 3.00pm.
Names of School Squads
1. Jarl's Squad (13)
2. Can-Can (5)
3. Walt-Disney (5)
4. The Big Break (4)
5. The Punks (5)
6. Wha Ya Goona Call (6)
7. Nelly The Elephant (6)
8. Henry's Cat (7)
9. Pin Ups (6)
10. D.L.O. (6)
11. All Sorts Football Team (7)
12. Pirates (5)
13. The Beatles (6)
14. Cleaners (5)
Total number of guizers = 86.
See also
