The Christmas Meeting of 1888
[Benati, Chiara. 2009. Faroese: A National Language under Siege? In: Susanna Pertot et al. (eds.), ''Rights, Promotion and Integration Issues for Minority Languages in Europe'', pp. 189–196. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, p. 191.] (Faroese: ''Jólafundurin 1888'') is considered to be the official start of the
Faroese National Movement.
On
December 22
Events Pre-1600
*AD 69 – Vespasian is proclaimed Emperor of Rome; his predecessor, Vitellius, attempts to abdicate but is captured and killed at the Gemonian stairs.
* 401 – Pope Innocent I is elected, the only pope to succeed h ...
, 1888 the only newspaper at that time in the
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...
, ''
Dimmalætting'', carried the following notice:
are invited to gather in the
house of Parliament on the second day of
Christmas at 3 o’clock in the afternoon where we will discuss
how to defend the
Faroese language and Faroese traditions.
The invitation, signed by nine prominent Faroemen, marked the inception of a new era in
Faroese history - the rise of the National Movement.
In spite of a raging storm and slushy roads, a large crowd of people gathered in the house of the Løgting that afternoon. Speeches were made and patriotic songs were sung. The highlight of the meeting came when the poet
Rasmus Effersøe
Rasmus Christoffer Effersøe (May 30, 1857 – March 23, 1916) was a Faroese agronomist, poet, and politician.
Effersøe was born in Trongisvágur.Rossel, Sven Hakon. 1992. ''A History of Danish Literature''. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Pre ...
recited a battle hymn written for the occasion by young
Jóannes Patursson. The message of the lengthy poem was evident in the first stanza:
:''Now the hour has come,''
:''when we must join hands''
:''and rally around''
:''our native tongue.''
Resolution
The meeting ended with the acceptance of a six-point resolution:
# As soon as there were enough Faroese schoolbooks available, Faroese should be used as an educational language in schools.
# In history, the emphasis must be on Faroese national history.
# In religion, all Danish rote learning should be abolished and the subject matter rendered in Faroese.
# Priests must be free to use Faroese in and outside the Church.
# Faroese should be used for all official ends and purposes.
# Finally, the resolution stressed the necessity of establishing a Faroese Folk High School.
Stamps
Bárður Jákupsson made the stamps above right which show the nine people who sent out the invitation to the Christmas Meeting in 1888.
* 3.00 kr stamp – Notice in Dimmalætting December 22 1888, which is mentioned in the text.
* 3.20 kr stamp – Drawing of meeting in Reynsmúlalág in 1908 by
William Heinesen.
* 12.00 kr stamp – First verse of poem by
Jóannes Patursson.
References
External links
Nú er tann stundin komin til handa{{Authority control
History of the Faroe Islands
Faroese nationalism
1888 in Denmark
1888 conferences
December 1888 events