Community / Most northerly Up Helly Aa underway in Unst
“IT’S something I’ve always wanted to do since I was little boy,” this year’s Norik Up Helly Aa guizer jarl Michael Thomson says – and today (Saturday) is the big day.
The 30-year-old’s connection to Shetland’s most northerly fire festival is pretty notable, having first been in a jarl squad aged just five.
Since then he has racked up 14 appearances in the squad, while he saw his dad take on the guizer jarl role in 2001.
His father will be among Michael’s squad of 27 as the group of Vikings put on a show and visit the north Unst community.
The salmon worker was due to take the reins in 2021, but as with most other Up Helly Aa jarls this year, he has had to bide his time until Covid restrictions loosened their grip.
He is representing Thorfinn Skullsplitter, a tenth century Earl of Orkney.
“The reason I went for that was because when my dad was jarl in 2001, that was the father of Thorfinn Skullsplitter,” Michael explains.
The day itself will be a family affair for the jarl; as well as his dad, his squad also features his two sons, a brother, uncle and nephews.
The galley name Saito is also inspired by Unst, the island where Michael was born and bred.
“There’s not actually much meaning behind that one,” he said.
“It’s a place in Unst, and I just think it’s a bonny name – that’s really why I picked it.”
The suits feature blue tunics and chainmail, while Michael and his boys will wear white sheepskins and boots. The rest of the squad will don black sheepskins and boots.
The shields are also black, with a design added in, whilst Michael will carry the original jarl’s shield that has been on the go since 1985, which is when the fire festival began.
The squad began the day with breakfast in the Haroldswick Hall before getting photos done and heading off for some visits in the community.
Their usual stop at the local care home has been changed slightly as part of a Shetland-wide Covid precaution, with a sing-song planned in a porch area instead of heading inside.
Everybody is also welcome to mingle with the squad at the show shed in Haroldswick at 11am, while visits are also planned to the local shop and pub.
Light up for the procession is at 7.30pm, with the Haroldswick Hall then set to welcome 13 squads and 121 guizers through the evening.
In his chat with Shetland News Michael’s final word was to give thanks to everyone has helped this year’s Norik Up Helly Aa, which is one of two Unst fire festivals.
“Everybody’s involved here,” he says. “We couldn’t do it without all of them.”
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