This year we made a traditional Juhannus (summer solstice) cabin trip and burned a big bonfire to celebrate the longest day of the year.

Juhannus: Celebration of Summer

Close to midnight, the darkest hour of the night, which in most places is
not dark at all, the kokko is ceremoniously set on fire. The
spectators express their admiration as the flames roar up to the sky,
ferociously licking the dry wood of the boats while black smoke towers up
from the tar and oil used to render the boats waterproof in their earlier
role. But this role is the most glorious one: assuredly not fireproof,
the burning vessels brighten up the already light midnight sky to the
endless delight of the observers who linger far into the early morning
hours, enjoying the warmth and magic that burning fire somehow conjures up.
Another summer solstice is over, but in Finland it only wakes up the
sleeping winter-worn spirits, and summer comes to life in the land of the
midnight sun.

Another Juhannus tradition is to build a decorated pole not unlike the Christmas tree. We saw these in abundance on our bike trip to Ahvenanmaa last year.

Posted by api in Outdoor pursuits

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