The community spirit underpinning Shetland's Up Helly Aa fire festivals

It’s a Friday in early January and despite the wind and rain, the village of Scalloway is teeming with people.

Teenagers perch on high walls, bobble-hatted children sit on their parents’ shoulders and old folk smile from the windows of the local care home. It’s the first fire festival of the season and everyone is waiting to see the Jarl's Squad.

But before the fiery fun, there is a busy day of community visits for the Jarl's Squad taking in schools, supported living centres and care homes. This is an important aspect of all Shetland's fire festivals, giving young and old the opportunity to enjoy the Up Helly Aa experience.

When darkness falls there will be a torchlit procession and the galley – a replica Viking longboat - will be wheeled to its fiery finale. When the torches are lit and the galley starts its journey through the streets, the atmosphere is euphoric.

After the flaming galley has been set out to sea, locals prepare for a night of revelry. Scalloway Fire Festival is the first of a series of 12 taking place around Shetland from January until the end of March – each one the result of community spirit and hours of enjoyable hard graft.

In small rural communities, residents are encouraged to get involved in their local festival in some way – whether that be joining a squad, serving teas and sandwiches at the local hall, or simply turning up to cheer everyone on when the big night comes around.

On the island of Bressay, most of the residents are somehow involved in preparing for the annual fire festival.

Kath Duffus, a retired nurse, has been involved with Bressay Up Helly Aa since ‘about 1976’ although she remembers attending before that. Kath was 11 when she joined a squad, and has fond memories of her first act, "The Bressay Boppers", which she describes as ‘a group of us with tinsel down the sides of our breeks doing a dance!’.

She says: "I've been in the squad most years since then. Although the actual night is good, for me the best part is the squad meetings. They are always a great laugh".

Kath has also been involved in writing the Bill (a satirical proclamation in which local public figures are made fun of). She says: "This was hilarious but we had to tread a fine line sometimes with what we could and couldn't include!"

Ian Harkness was the Guizer Jarl at the Bressay Up Helly Aa in 2023, and the event, when it finally came around, was extra special to him as it had been postponed for two years due to Covid. He says: "The last few weeks building up to the festival were pretty stressful but once the weekend eventually came it was all forgotten and I just had the best time."

He adds: "What makes it [the Bressay Up Helly Aa] special, is that it brings the whole community together…when the weekend comes around there’s just a massive buzz about the isle."

According to Ian, it’s ‘a lot easier as you’d think’ for newcomers to get involved in Bressay Up Helly Aa. He says: ‘We’re always looking for new members! We would get anyone showing an interest up to the galley shed for torch making and get them to do some stewarding duties on UHA weekend and if they’re still keen on joining we would usually just elect them on at the next AGM.’

Ian’s mother Robyn was 'a very proud Mam’ on her son’s big day last year. And although last year’s Up Helly Aa saw her play a slightly different role as mother of the jarl ("there was a lot of ‘Mam hold this’," she recalls) she has been involved in many Up Helly Aas over the 40 years she has lived on the island of Bressay.

She says: "Up Helly Aa brings family and friends that no longer live in Bressay back to the isle for the day or weekend. It was great to see such a big crowd in the hall for Up Helly Aa morning, ranging from babies to some of the more elderly residents in Bressay. It felt as though the whole community came out to enjoy the day."

The South Mainland Up Helly Aa (SMUHA) is Shetland’s youngest fire festival, formed in 2009. As its name suggests, it covers the whole South Mainland area of Shetland from Gulberwick to the Ness, and the burning sites change every year to reflect this.

Committee member and future jarl Theresa Goodlad has been involved with the festival since its inception and plays a number of roles within it. She says: "I am the link with the halls that are open on the night, I help with beach and procession set up and help the jarl to organise their day. I am also the secretary from last year."

For Theresa, SMUHA is "like a family". She says: "I have made some lovely friends through being involved. Everyone comes together to make it the great festival it has become."

As SMUHA’s 2024 Jarl, this year will be extra special for Leigh Smith. Not only are his whole family (and many friends) in his squad, but the procession and burning will be at the beach just below where he grew up. "I spent a lot of time on the beach as a bairn and it will be amazing to burn a galley for the very first time at the Scousburgh Sands," he explains.

Leigh feels that SMUHA brings all the communities of the South Mainland together. He says: ‘[It’s not] just all the groups of volunteers, squads, galley builders, torch makers who meet weekly to make it all happen, but the schools, the care home and the general public.

"It really brings together all the age groups in the community and the excitement and atmosphere across the board on the day really is palpable."

Asked how easy it is to get involved in the festival Leigh says: "It is completely open. Anyone can come along and join in with the torch making or galley building, and the squads are often looking for new members.

"It’s just a case of coming along and getting involved, it’s a very welcoming festival."