High mountain woodoo on Førdefestivalen !

Culture and nature in beautiful harmony, what could be better?

Quarterly add Førdefestivalen The list is high for the audience at one of the concerts: Only those who make it to the top of Hafstadfjellet will experience it. Last year, the mountain troupes heard Mongolian throat singing and polyphonic tenors from the mountains of Sardinia. This year they offer voodoo music and similar dance from the mountainous country of Haiti, when Chouk Bwa Libète makes it to 706 meters above sea level. Their music is called mizik rasin, and has the characteristics of different styles. The lyrics are about challenges in everyday life, and often have a political sting.

Text and photo: Marianne Lystrup

The trip to the top starts by bus from Langebrutorget, a one-mile journey along the E39 in the direction of Bergen, up Halbrendslia to Langeland. There the apostles take their horses over and give themselves over to nature. There is no sneeze in terms of weather. Last year the sun shone as it dropped, and many had a fabulous experience in the mountains.

I walked high up on the path and clung to tour guide Kjell Kleiven and his daughter, Julie, 12. Behind us on the forest road trotted a group of Frenchmen, a sinewy Swede, some families with children and others who seemed to have very different requirements for thriving in the steep terrain. But everyone kept going, and Kleiven occasionally granted us short breaks. At Hundsrasta, where there are excellent facilities for nightlife, and where children and adults barbecue, swim and enjoy themselves in the summer, some of us dipped our hot heads in the river before we continued on our way. A monstrous logging operation had left deep wounds in the road, but in return we were able to breathe in the smell of freshly felled timber as we walked and gasped for breath. Well, not everyone was gasping for breath then! Some are in better shape than others. And especially the children who were with us, ran on light feet in zigzags in front of us.

Julie said that she had been on the trip several times before, and it was probably mostly out of consideration for me that she sighed a little and said she was a little tired when we arrived. At least, there was nothing to say about the height of her joy.

– Julie is a fit girl, you see, says Kjell Kleiven, who has been a tour guide for Førdefestivalen 's concert tour for four years. He is a professional driver by day, so he thinks it's good to get out and get some exercise.

– She has also been on other, longer mountain hikes ever since she was a little girl. For the past five years, she has been hiking five-day hikes from cabin to cabin in Jotunheimen and Rondane. When she was 11, she completed her first “Sju-Fjellstur”, which goes up into the mountains around Førde every year and is about four miles long, 3,000 meters up and 3,300 meters down. It is a hike that takes 13-14 hours, says her father.

– What does being a tour guide for the festival tour give you?

– On these trips I meet people from several nations, often people who are not used to walking so much in such nature. It can of course also be a challenge for a tour guide. Otherwise, it is nice to show off the beautiful nature that we are so lucky to live in the middle of, as well as seeing how they enjoy themselves when they have reached the top and are enjoying the fantastic concert and atmosphere, says Kjell Kleiven.

“ Under Førdefestivalen "There are others who sing for the song, so you can just sit back and enjoy. And you'll be hard-pressed to find a more beautiful scene, where you sit under the huge radio and TV transmitter and let your eyes rest on Førdesnipa, Blånipa in Naustdal or glide all the way to Gjegnalundsbreen and Gjegnen behind the artists. If you turn your head a little, you can see Viefjellet and inland in Angedalen over towards Jølster and the mountains there. "

The wonderful feeling of finally arriving after the hike, I happily sign on. And it is no less when you are greeted by friendly representatives from Indre Sunnfjord Turlag, who serve you pre-cut fruit. It tastes like water in the desert. This hiking group is the largest of the hiking groups in Sogn og Fjordane, both in terms of activity and with its 1,500 members, says Kleiven. Every year they end the year with a trip to Hafstadfjellet on New Year's Eve itself, where they light a bonfire and sing together.

Under Førdefestivalen is someone else singing for the song, so you can just sit back and enjoy. And you'll have to search for a more beautiful scene, where you sit under the huge radio and TV transmitter and let your eyes rest on Førdesnipa, Blånipa in Naustdal or glide all the way to Gjegnalundsbreen and Gjegnen behind the artists. If you turn your head a little, you can see Viefjellet and inland in Angedalen over towards Jølster and the mountains there. Or on the other side, towards Halbrendsnipa and Fureviknipa and further out into Førdefjorden where it winds majestically towards the sea .

And down again – all mountain hikes go both up and down – you can choose whether you want to take the road down to Bruland, and be transported further by tour bus, or whether you want to take the path that goes most directly down to Førde The city center. It's steep enough to hold, there are not a few kilos of people in it. Førde have gotten rid of along this one.

But this year, maybe we can try a little woodoo instead...

HERE you can read about the people who will be playing at Hafstadfjellet this year!