Syttende mai is a time when Norwegians express their national pride most enthusiastically, and the bunad is the most visual aspect of this, other than perhaps the Norwegian flag itself.

The widespread and popular use of bunads in Norway is unique in the European context. While in other countries national costumes are worn primarily in connection with folk dancing, in Norway the bunad is a festive garment that is worn by most people, young and old.*

Bunad is a Norwegian name for a folk costume. Folk costumes are the distinctive dress worn in pre-industrial society, distinctive to each local community. In Norway, with its long fjords, isolated islands, deep valleys and many difficult to reach areas, there were many different styles of folk costumes. By the end of the 19th century the wearing of folk costumes had greatly dwindled as the modern world and new styles became more and more common. However, as early as the 1840s Norwegian nationalism blossomed and people started to find a new appreciation for the type of peasant life that was quickly disappearing and that was symbolized by these costumes. The wearing of these types of clothes became popular again and became a symbol of pride of both ones local community and country. 

According to the Norsk Institutt for Bunad og Folkedrakt, in the early 1900s the Norwegian Nationalist Movement (Norskdomsrørsla), which sought to promote Norwegian culture and which opposed the union with Sweden, wanted to revive the old peasant culture, but they wanted to bring an improved version of folk culture back to the rural communities. Hulda Garborg was at the forefront of this effort. Born in 1862 she was a Norwegian writer, novelist, playwright, poet, folk dancer, and theatre instructor, but she is today perhaps best known for kindling interest in the bunad tradition. Old folk costumes were revived and new ones created that featured only some elements from the old costumes. It was around this time that folk costumes became ‘bunads’; festive and formal costumes which, to a greater or lesser extent, were a continuation of local folk costume traditions. Up until World War I, recently discarded garments were often adopted as bunads or served as the basis on which new ones were made. This situation would soon change, however, when the concept of the bunad began being used to refer mostly to what was made. It is this situation that has since become a contentious issue in the history of the bunad; that is, whether bunads should first and foremost continue folk costume traditions or whether a freely designed costume is just as good. 

After studying and establishing a common style for each community, eventually around 450 different bunads were established. Today, bunads are worn as festive and formal garments for many different occasions, including weddings, baptisms, and confirmations, but perhaps most importantly, Syttende mai. They are a visual representation of the national pride Norwegians hold for their country. Hipp hipp hurra!

Sources: *Norsk Institutt for Bunad og Folkedrakt, Wikipedia
Photos: Top: Bridal Bunads from Hardanger; Right: Hulda Garborg; Left: Bunads from Telemark