When I received word that I would be teaching in Norway for ten months, I immediately informed my sister and asked her to visit for Norway’s Constitution Day, Syttende Mai, on May 17. She initially, half-heartedly agreed to visit, but then became more and more excited for the event, buying new shoes for her bunad and even sewing a new purse. My sister, Jenny, got married in the United States 32 years ago and wore a Norwegian, Ringerike bunad for the ceremony. Our ancestors emigrated from Norway in the late 1800’s and my sister connected with distant family members when she studied in Oslo in 1992. The ‘new’ family helped her find her bunad kit and get started with the extensive embroidery work for her wedding dress. Little did she know that she would wear the dress again for Syttende Mai in Norway.

Bunader and bunadsko are ready for the big day! Jenny’s bunad is on the left side.

I did not get married in a bunad nor did I arrive in Norway with one, and did I want to pay for a new bunad or even purchase a used bunad. My sister, with increasing excitement for the National Day celebration, graciously offered to stitch the embroidery work for my Ringerike bunad if I purchased the kit. I did buy the bunad kit, but the dress will not be ready until 2027, so I also bought an inexpensive festdrakt, or party dress, and new silver pieces that could be worn both this year and in the future.

The day before Syttende Mai, we went out for coffee with a friend, and she talked about some of the traditions for Syttende Mai. They included a champagne breakfast with family or close friends, the children’s parade in front of the Royal Palace in Olso, and the consumption of numerous hot dogs and a lot of ice cream. Children often return to school for games and activities in the afternoon while adults without kids often continue celebrations with friends and family in restaurants or homes.

When we returned to my apartment after the coffee chat, my neighbor knocked on the door and invited my sister and me to their champagne breakfast in the morning, with their 25 closest friends. How exciting! I darted to the store to pick up flowers (a traditional hostess gift) and ingredients to make scones for the breakfast. Meanwhile, my sister ironed the bunads and shirts and polished the silver.

We woke up early to get dressed and ready for the day. Hair done, dresses and jewelry on, and new bunadsko (bunad shoes) ready for walking. We were warmly welcomed by my neighbors, who announced our arrival to their many guests and noted that we were Americans celebrating Syttende Mai with them.

The tables were beautifully decorated with Norwegian flags, and each place setting had a sprig of baby’s breath and a Norwegian ribbon. We enjoyed juice (others had champagne), fresh rolls, fruit, and more while we chatted with the other guests. There were no two bunads the same, so that was a helpful conversation starter. My sister especially enjoyed the opportunity to practice Norwegian. People were surprised that my sister had a ‘real’ bunad and none were familiar with the Ringerike bunad as it is from a small community in Norway.

Beautifully decorated tables at breakfast on Syttende Mai.

At one point in the breakfast, everyone stopped to listen to a speech composed by one of the guests. In the address, she emphasized the importance of learning new things and keeping one’s mind fresh. All guests then joined in chorus to sing the Norwegian national anthem.

At 10:00, we departed the breakfast celebration and headed toward the Royal Palace. My neighbor had secured tickets for us to sit on benches in front of the Palace, so we followed the party group on the T-bane (subway) where the trains were packed with folks wearing bunads from all over Norway. The National Theater T-bane stop was extremely congested, and people were slowly moving toward the exit to get outside and navigate towards the Royal Palace.

Trying to exit the T-bane (subway) station.

Jenny and I would never have been able to find the entrance to the seating area, so we were so grateful to be included in this breakfast club. I had never seen the streets so packed with people, but it was so incredible; people wearing bunads and waving flags, others wearing suits and dresses, ALL were smiling and joyful. Everyone was united in the national day of celebration.

People gathered in the green spaces next to the Royal Palace.

At the Palace, we found a bench that was directly in front of the balcony where the Royal Family waved to the children as they marched by. The King, Queen, Crown Prince and Princess, and Prince were all there. Even though the group members attend this celebration annually, they took lots of photos as if it were their first Syttende Mai. Of course, everyone was asking us, “Er dette din første Syttende Mai?” (Is this your first Syttende Mai?). People were so excited for us as we celebrated the National Day in Oslo.

Our seats in front of the Royal Palace. The Royal Family can be seen waving from the balcony.

The Norwegian National Day places children at the center of their celebration. The children’s parade past the palace was comprised of students from 117 Oslo area schools. Not every Oslo school was included as schools take turns marching in the parade. My friend’s son was proud to be carrying the flag for his school, a special tradition for year 7 students in their last year of barneskole or primary school.

Our party left to continue with other celebrations, but Jenny and I stayed a bit longer to watch more of the school groups and hear the marching band performances. We were told that there was only one exit, so when we decided to depart the palace parade, it was a bit shocking to navigate the congested streets and sidewalks of Oslo. At one point, we just needed to walk one block to reach a ‘break’ in the traffic. However, people were not moving at all. While it was unnerving, no one was pushing or complaining. When a line started shuffling forward, a man next to me gently grabbed my wrist and pulled me ahead. My sister, on the other hand, was positioned behind an elderly gentlemen, so it took a longer time for her to proceed forward.

Crazy, congested streets of Oslo on Syttende Mai.

On a positive note, the slow-moving pedestrian traffic allowed more time to admire the many different bunads. My sister actually found a family of four wearing the same Ringerike bunad that she was wearing.

Bunad styles and embroidery patterns must be approved by the community or region; they even have specific jewelry styles. However, it is becoming popular to personalize bunads to include elements from people’s home countries, if they immigrated to Norway. In preparation for the day, my sister and I visited a bunad store and purchased a few new silver items. There, the salesclerk located the Ringerike bunad in a large catalog and helped us find the proper pieces. One of the standout features of the Ringerike bunad is the embroidered insects on the skirt.

The catalog pages featuring the Reinerike jewelry.

Walking back to my apartment, Jenny found six other women wearing a Ringerike bunad and my Fulbright colleague found me in the sea of bunads. We marveled at the incredible day filled with national pride, regional pride (bunads), and the overall sense of happiness and joy. I am so grateful to my neighbors for including us in their special celebration and I look forwarding to celebrating again in 2027 with my sister, wearing my Ringerike bunad.

Syttende Mai (Constitution Day, May 17th)

Uteservering (Outdoor seating)