VAPPU@242日目

今日はVappu（バップ）．別の言葉で言えばメーデーのこと．日本だとメーデーは労働者の日だが，こちらでは学生と労働者の日ということになる．

こちらの人によると，この日は「かなりのどんちゃん騒ぎになる」と聞いた．バップ自体は明日の土曜日かららしいのだが，今日はそのイブということで「ハビス・アマンダ像を洗って帽子を被せる」らしい．

全くなんのことかわからなかったが，会場に行ってみると納得した．

ハビス・アマンダ（Havis Amanda)とは港近くにある乙女の像のこと．どういう理由かはわからないけれど，バップの前夜祭としてこの像を洗い，続いてこの像に帽子を被せるとのこと．

帽子というのは白い帽子で，こちらでは高校卒業時に送られるものらしく，大学の入試を受ける資格を持っているという事を表すらしい．

昔はよじ登っていたそうだが，近年はクレーン車を使って上から帽子を被せるようになったらしい．

会場につくと音楽隊は居るわ，観光客は居るわ，地元の人は居るわで，もう既に大混乱．誰かがホースに悪戯をして思いっきり水をかけられたり，係員の静止を無視して噴水に飛び込む輩も出る始末で，本当にカオスな状態だった．

最初にスノーマン達が像を洗い，ガウンを着せた．続いて学生達がクレーンからぶら下がってハビスアマンダに帽子を被せると，周りに居た人たちが一斉に帽子を被り歓声を上げた．

その瞬間は非常に素晴らしいもので，一瞬にしてみんなが一つになったような気がした．

ただ，その瞬間は長く続かず，大勢の学生が噴水に飛び込むわ，瓶が割れる音がするわ，ワインをラッパ飲みするわで，もうカオスな状態となった．

その後のことも色々とあったが，また後日書くとしよう．

<English>

Today was the day before “Vappu”. In Finalnd “Vappu” means “May Day”. I remembered May Day as the day for workers, but in Finland, it was the day for students (and workers).

I heard Vappu festival was quite boisterous. I could not imagine that Finnish people “celebrate” it because I though they were very modest.

My colleagues told me that we would have a Vappu-eve Festival in evening. I heard many people would get together statue of Havis Amanda, which was located near Market Place (Kauppatori), and washed(?) the statue and put a cap(?) on it.

I could not imagine what they would do actually. Thus I looked website.

Web site said the caps were gave when they graduated high schools, and the cap meant “I have qualification to have a entrance examination for University”.

Anyway we went to Havis Amanda.

When we arrived there, there were a lot of people already. We could see musical band and many people with a cap in their hands. And I found 2 crane-cars. Why crane-car??

Around 5:30 PM, some students who put snow mans costumes rode a basket at the end of crane, they started to wash her (a statue).

After washing her, many students who were suspended by crane put a big cap on her head.

At the moment, a lot of people put their cap on head and gave a great cry!! In a blink of my eye, every people melted together!! The moment was so great that I was out of myself.

Unfortunately, the moment did not last long time. Some students dived into fountain over the opposition of security guards. And I heard the sound of crashing wine bottles or something. It was really chaos….

But without doubt, this experience was my first and last “Vappu” in Finland. I could have really good time there. I will remember today forever.