Community / Cullivoe Up Helly Aa’s first female jarl leads festivities in Yell
HISTORY is being made in Yell today (Thursday) as Alice Jamieson becomes Cullivoe Up Helly Aa’s first female guizer jarl.
Jamieson is leading her squad of 22 across Yell today on the first day of the fire festival – with the main event taking place tomorrow before hop festivities on Saturday.
The 35-year-old is also set to shave off her hair post-Up Helly Aa as part of a fundraising drive for causes close to her heart.
In another break from tradition Jamieson’s squad features more women than men.
There are ten women and seven men, with three boys and two lasses.
Two of the members, in fact, are pregnant too – and it is said to be the first time a couple has taken part in a Cullivoe jarl squad.
It is also something of a family affair for Jamieson, whose dad – a former Cullivoe jarl in 1981 – son, two brothers, nephews, niece and soon-to-be sister in law are all in the squad.
Speaking to Shetland News in advance of the festivities kicking off, Jamieson – a health visitor and former Royal Navy nurse – said her fundamental hope was for a female jarl to feel normal.
“I want to celebrate that I’m the first wife [for Cullivoe], but I just want to make it normal – that there will be women after me,” she said.
“It’s just going to be a normal thing, and it’s no about the fact that you’re a wife – it’s about the fact that you love the festival and you’re willing to put your time and effort into it.”
Set to inspire future generations, Jamieson added: “Now the peerie lasses in the school aren’t speaking about ‘if I was jarl’, it was ‘when I am jarl’ – and I love that.”
It is a rare moment in the wider Shetland Up Helly Aa scene too, with jarls traditionally men.
Tradition was broken in the Up Helly Aa scene in Shetland in 2015 with Lesley Simpson became jarl in the South Mainland, but Jamieson is the first female jarl since then.
Jameson is portraying the mythological Scandinavian queen Aslaug Kráka, the daughter of a legendary ‘Valkyrie’ shield maiden who ascended to become royalty in the 9th century and raise formidable and famous Viking sons such as Sigurd Snake Eye and Ivar the Boneless.
Her galley name Silvra takes inspiration from her favourite place in Cullivoe, while the squad’s suits nod to the northern lights with a green colour.
The squad has a busy few days ahead, with plenty of visits including to schools and cares home planned for today and tomorrow (Friday).
The main event is tomorrow, where the torch-light procession will kick off from the Cullivoe Hall at 7.30pm before a night of revelry in the community.
Cullivoe Up Helly Aa can trace its origins back to 1957, and the involvement of the local primary school in the festival is also unique amongst Shetland’s various fiery celebrations.
Since 1970, Cullivoe Primary School pupils have performed their own act to the jarl squad.
Many Cullivoe guizer jarls – including Jamieson – have had their first experience of Up Helly Aa as part of this long running school squad.
Meanwhile Jamieson and her squad are set to brave the shave after the festivities are concluded to raise money for Meningitis Research Foundation and the MS Society.
Her brother was diagnosed with MS a few years ago, and his soon to be wife overcame meningitis as a young child.
Jamieson said a head shave is “what every jarl has done before me, so I’ll do it too” – with a couple of other lasses set to follow suit.
Those in the jarl squad choosing against an entire head shave will have some hair cut off which will be donated to the Little Princess Trust.
To raise more money some of the jarl squad will also take part in the Edinburgh half marathon, while some are doing the full run but as a relay.
Jamieson said she was “absolutely delighted” that well over £2,000 has been raised so far.
People can donate to the fundraiser here.
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