Across the Isles, lambs frolic in emerald fields and the first brave celandines paint the verges yellow. There’s a sense of awakening, a stirring in the ancient bones of the land itself. Spring’s arrival is a reminder of Orkney’s Viking heart, beating in time with the turning seasons. For our Norse ancestors, spring wasn’t just a welcome change in weather. It was a rebirth after relentless winter storms and the long embrace of darkness.
In Nordic mythology, Austri, which refers to the East, or the shining of the dawn, is one of the four dwarves that hold up the sky in each cardinal direction. It is from this same root word that the Germanic goddess of spring, Ēostre comes, and gives us the modern “Easter”.
At this time of year, our ancestors built crackling bonfires to blaze against the twilight sky and faced the east to greet the rising of the strengthening sun. Their tables were laden with the bounty of the land and sea, celebrating the promise of plenty after scarcity. They offered eggs and other goodies to the gods and goddesses, particularly Iðunn, the goddess of spring and rejuvenation, to ensure a bountiful harvest and fertility for livestock.
Norse mystics practiced “oomancy”- using eggs to divine the future- by puncturing an egg and expelling its white into water. This mixture then sat for a day, allowing the diviner to use the resulting patterns to foresee the success of crops, the health of livestock or the outcome of important events. And, just like today, eggs were part of springtime feasts and celebrations, but for our ancestors, eating them was a symbolic act of absorbing the life force and potential they represent, promoting fertility and good fortune.
These ancient customs, so deeply entwined with the rhythms of nature, haven't vanished entirely. Though the language and rituals have shifted over centuries, seamlessly woven with the threads of Christian tradition, the essence remains. The Easter egg hunts that delight children across Orkney today are a direct descendant of those ancient celebrations, a playful echo of the Viking reverence for new beginnings. The communal feasts, the gatherings of loved ones – these evoke ancient communal rites, a shared joy in the world’s renewal.
This Easter weekend, as we gather for church services, family dinners, egg hunts and community celebrations amidst Orkney's breathtaking spring landscapes, we’ll take a moment to look beyond the chocolate and the bunnies. We recognise that the renewal we celebrate goes back to the deep-seated human connection to the earth’s rhythms. It's a tradition that stretches back centuries, linking us to those who stood before us on these very shores, welcoming the light and embracing the enduring, hopeful promise of spring. From our family to yours, we wish you all the happiness and blessings of the Easter season!