Written by Izabella Wodzka (PhD Student, SELCS-CMII)

During the academic year 2020-21, a year full of unprecedented events, difficult situations, and dramatic turns, Scandinavian Studies staff and students did not give up on social activities. We were forced to move to various online platforms as many of us were, and some still are, away from London and the UK. That did not stop us from meeting every Monday (later Friday) to have a cup of good old fika together and chat about everything and anything Nordic.

Tjørnuvík in Faroe Islands, photo credit: Izabella Wódzka

We discussed and zoomed in on topics that varied in their geographical, cultural, and temporal scope, from knitting and wool production in the Nordic countries to migration and belonging. We ventured into the Arctic guided by one of our own, Dr Anne Grydehøj, who kindly shared her images and experiences from the island of Svalbard. We looked at pictures from as far away as Greenland and the Faroe Island, courtesy of our staff and students, and we marvelled at the famous aurora borealis (though our amateur photography did not do it justice). Certainly, one of the most hotly debated topics was the one about knitwear and knitting. This popular pastime is more of a necessity in the Nordic areas, and has a rich history with almost every country and region in the North claiming their own distinctive patterns. We had a look at one such jumpers from the Faroes, and we wondered about similarities and the incredible multitude of motives that go into the intricate details on various knitwear items. (more…)