2.2.1 Culture
Description
This article is from the Nordic countries FAQ, by Antti Lahelma and Johan Olofsson, with numerous contributions by others.
2.2.1 Culture
Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Iceland shared a more or less homogenous
"Viking" culture in the Viking Age (800 - ~1050 CE), and Finland,
while not strictly speaking a "Viking" country, did have a "Viking
age" and a culture very close to its western neighbours, and at the
close of Viking age was united into the Swedish kingdom. Scandinavian
culture today could be described as a potpourri of this "original"
culture, medieval German influence, French influence in the centuries
that followed, and several other smaller sources, not forgetting local
development and national romantic inventiveness, of course.
A significant factor is also the fact that the Nordic countries never
had an era of feudalism to speak of; personal freedom is highly valued
here. One of the expressions of this freedom is the Allemansret /
Allemansrätt ("Everyman's right") in Norway, Sweden and Finland,
giving all residents free access to the forests, seas and uncultivated
land.
The Nordics are rather heavy drinkers, the "vodkabelt" goes right
through Finland, Sweden and Norway; the Danes are more of a
beer-drinking nation, but don't say no to a glass of akvavit either.
Smörgåsbord with pickled herrings and open-faced sandwiches is no rare
sight. Women are emancipated. Towns are clean and well-functioning
enough to make a Swiss clocksmith feel at home. And so forth; myths
and stereotypes about Scandinavia are many. Some of them are, of
course, less true than others, but their very existence illustrates
the fact that we do have quite a lot in common.
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