The purpose of Dálvvie

It was  -7,6 F  (-22° C) here at the end of the road this morning. Then the sun came up coloring the white and frosty winter landscape making tall blue shadows. It’s out if this world beautiful. The light is like Midsummers’, but the other way around. In the summer, there are tall golden shadows making a late night experience. In the winter, a blue midday one.

I am thinking about this weekend, a year from now. What will they think of this? How will they feel? Everyone who has come to this latitude from all over to attend the opening of The European Capital of Culture 2014? Because that’s how we are perceiving it: a big celebration with thousands of people from near and far finally gathering for this thing that’s been on our lips and in our minds for so long. This event we have been preparing for for years now. Sometimes I feel like there won’t be a 2015. It’s a number and a year that kind of doesn’t exist. It might be that 2014 will be the end of the world as we know it. Because I haven’t heard anyone talking about anything beyond that.

The European Year of Culture will be divided into eight seasons, according to the seasons of the Sami calendar. The first one is Dálvvie, Winter, the season for caring and nurturing. I like thinking that that’s what this demanding time of year is about. There, in under the heavy white comforter everything going to be awake in May is now peacefully at rest, waiting for it’s resurrection. Taking care of itself. Nurturing. There won’t be a spring without the winter. And our job is to appreciate that.

This is the fourth winter in a row that’s really cold, providing feet of dry whipped cream, making the Umeå region look like the perfect post card. Let’s hope for a fifth. Because, even if everything else fails, the opening of The European Capital of Culture 2014 will be set in scenery that looks like this is what we have been working on all these years.

And for Dálvvie 2013 I will try to remember my purpose. Being patient with the season. Caring for it and nurturing its’ promise for tall golden shadows.