Ålänningens sång

"{{#invoke:Lang|lang}}" (Template:Literally) is the official regional anthem of Åland, an autonomous Swedish-speaking province of Finland. Adopted in 1922, the anthem's lyrics were written by John Grandell, and the music was composed by Johan Fridolf Hagfors. The song was first performed during the song festival in Mariehamn 1922. In Åland, the song is mostly sung on Midsummer's Eve and on Åland's Autonomy Day on 9 June.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

The composer of the anthem, Johan Fridolf Hagfors, sometime in the early 20th century.

History

"Ålänningens sång" was first written by John Grandell in 1922 when he was visiting Skansen in Stockholm, Sweden.<ref name=a>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> It was shortly after Åland had been granted self-government under Finnish authority but with their Swedish culture respected.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Grandell was asked by Johannnes Eriksson to write a song for Ålanders to rally around as a distinct symbol. It was first performed at a national song festival in Mariehamn. Grandell was inspired to write it due to his mother being from Åland and he wanted to pay tribute to her and her homeland through "Ålänningens sång".<ref name=a />

The song originally had four verses, but the third verse had been omitted for a long time when the song is sung and often when it appears in print.<Ref name=a /> The reason for the omittance of the fourth was given by Grandell as for timing so the song was not too long.<Ref name=a /> However, it has been argued by critics that the reason was it was because it was too political in terms of the verse being a lament to the Swedish language.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In tribute to the composition of the music, the Hagfort Medal is awarded yearly by Friends of Swedish Schools.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Lyrics

citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	IPA transcriptionTemplate:Efn
lang}}</poem>	main}}</poem>
Finnish translationTemplate:Cn	English translation
lang}}</poem>	<poem>Land of thousand islands and skerries Born from deep beneath the waves, Åland, our Åland, our home it is Thee we long to meet. Ancient graves beneath the birches Tell of our thousand-year history, Our forebears' land we shall never forget Template:Music repeat Lovely is our Åland when straits and bays Become blue in the bright spring days, 'Tis delightful to wander in forest and grove In flowered fields of our shores and cove. Midsummer pole to evening red sky By willing hands raised high, In skerry village far and about Template:Music repeat Lovely is our Åland when froths of waves Whirl 'gainst mighty precipice blades, When the church folks steer beneath the stars Over the icy depths of waters. Even when storms in cottages' peace roar The airs of spinning wheels soar, In memory of loving childhood Template:Music repeat Never have Ålandic women and men Let down the worth of their nation, Warfare threatened us, yet gloriously Freedom's heritage we carry. Let our Swedish language be ablare Spoken with voice urging and yare, Like a buoy of flames may our path prolong Template:Music repeat</poem>

See also

• "Maamme"
• "Du gamla, Du fria"

External links

• Ålänningens sång MP3