Sunbring

Sunbring is festival to bring back the sun, and the other half to the Sunyield celebration in the summer. Together the festivals celebrate the two points of sun's movement that are held especially important to the Uskevig people. Sunbring is is filled with joy, much noise, and vibrant color. People are cheerful, laughing, dancing, feasting. It almost feels like the festival itself chases away the cold of the winter, the darkness of the night. It's a time when people are truly alive, celebrating and enjoying themselves.

History of Sunbring

Sunbring is an old traditional festival in Uskevig. It's so old, that no one truly remembers when or how the tradition was first started. It has always been held on the day when night is longest, and the sun is late to rise and soon to set, in the middle of the winter. While Sunbring is a festival that has spread to all corners of Uskevig, most scholars agree that it started first in the most northern regions of Uskevig, as they, in the dead of winter, were the most desperate to end the winter.

Sun worship

Many of the scholars suggest that the tradition of Sunbring was started in the Usvik province, though no one can be truly certain. Though, to the knowledge of the scholars, the Usvidurna people had held the largest and most traditional of Sunbring festivals which makes sense, as the Usvidurna were devout worshippers of the sun. The Sunbring festival, as the name tells, is a festival devoted to sun. The Usvidurna worshiped sun as a spirit that was connected to many aspects, warmth, spring, summer, fire, and life. In contrast, they considered winter the antihesis to sun, as an aspect of death, hibernation, and cold.

Ancient Sunbring festivals

The old legend tells that it is the Sunbring festival that wakes the sun from its slumber. As the sun fell asleep in autumn, tired of all the work it has done in the summer, winter had taken advantage of the sleeping sun, and brought the freezing cold and snow in the sun's absence. When the Sunbring festival is held, it wakes up the sun, and the sun will chase the winter frost away, bringing spring and warmth back to the lands. People would gather together, and in order to wake the sun, they would hold musical performances, hoping that the sounds would carry wherever the sun was sleeping, and wake it up. The festival would begin in the wolf hour, the darkest time during the night, and it would last until sun had risen to the horizon.
As the festival continued from night until morning, the people of course needed nourishment to be able stay awake for the whole night, so many delicious delicacies were prepared. It was customary, for guests to bring a dish with them, as a thank you for the preparation of the party. So a great deal of many dishes were being offered at the celebration to feast upon. The most notable dishes were prepared from a calf, that was slaughtered for the Sunbring. It was customary for the calf to be either completely white or black in color, to embody the winter they were trying to kill for the season.

Current Sunbring festivals

The exact date of Sunbring varies each year, and it is the oldest and wisest of the scholars who calculates and chooses the date it will be held. In many areas, a scholar is then chosen to make the arrangements and manage the festival. Even now, when the old beliefs have faded into superstitions, the festival is still a honored tradition, and it brings joy to the people in the darkness of winter. People still come together, feast, play music, sing and dance, and just like in the past. The festival still starts at night and lasts till the morning, until the sun starts to rise.
People are still expected to bring something to eat with them, but nowadays most of the food comes from the people arranging the festival. Food that are eaten on the feast are mostly the same foods, but some newer additions have been added to the feast table, influenced by popular dishes.

Notable Sunbring festivals

Year 11

The first annual festival celebrated in all the provinces of Uskevig was held by the grace of the first king, Uske I. Officially king Uske I held the festival in celebration of the original meaning of the festival, but there were rumours that he did it as a favor to the woman who would become his queen, a Jusvidurna lady who loved the festival. The rumours stated that the lady, Inja, had not warmed up to king Uske I when the two had met during the fighting before king Uske I became the king. Thus, he set the nationwide celebration to endear himself to lady Inja. As king Uske I did eventually marry lady Inja, perhaps there are some truths to the rumor.

Year 255

Queen Lakona II decided to be crowned on the Sunbring day, just before the festival. She proclaimed that ascending to the crown on such an important date would bring prosperity to her reign. She became known to the common folk as the Sundance Queen, as every year after she became the queen, on Sunbring day she would dance the most intricate dance, and it was said that her dance alone could bring the sun to the sky.

Performances

During Sunbring, many performances were held. Drums and flutes were a popular choice of instrument, as the drums were to wake the sun, and the flutes were to entice the sun to return. As the musicians played, songs were sung, mostly of summer and sunlight, to entice the sun to come back. Those who were talented in dancing, danced, as entertainment. Many competitions were held, in playing music, dancing, as well as singing. The most talented would astonish people with their skills, hoping for recognition and fame.

Customs

Sunbring festival was traditionally decorated with yellow color, and sun motifs. Sunbring didn’t have many restrictions, but one that Sunbring did have was the clothing that was deemed appropriate for the occasion. People were to avoid wearing white or black color, as they were reminders of the winter, and they were to wear some shade of yellow. Sun motifs were often embroidered on clothing, for good luck. Even nowadays, yellow is the preferred color and black and white are avoided. Even the decorations still follow similar patterns as in the past, and sun motifs are popular choice in both clothing and decorations.

Related Ethnicities

• Jusvidurna
• Ushvadurna