Frisian Holidays

When the Franks tried to convert Frisians to Christianity they now follow the Dutch legal holidays as well as the holidays on the Christian calendar. Easter is on holiday that is considered to be one of the most imporant because it is expressed with a special dinner and Easter egg hunt similar to America's. During the Queens birthday which is also an important day all the girls wear an orange ribbons in there hair that symbolizes the royal family and the House of Orange. Though we don't celebrate the Queen's birthday here are some of the holidays we do follow. 

New Year's Day (January 1)

Queen's Birthday (April 30)

Memorial Day (May 4)

National Liberation Day (May 5)

Christmas (December 25-26)

Good Friday

Easter Monday

and more!

World of the Frisians

A good way to understand the Frisians is to know the way they make a living. The Frisians economy is primarily based on agriculture. There are many Frisians that work on small family farms that are located inland, they raise crops or dairy cattle. The Frisians love to enjoy there free time outdoors. They love to go camping, hiking, but there is one unique past time activity that they do love to do and that is called "wadlopen" which is mud walking throughout the salt flats, as this event sounds fun its often done in an organized group outing. Believe it or not as there is time for fun there is also time for education. In Frisia children age six to sixteen go to school either public or private. By the age of 12 the students take an exam that qualifies them for general, pre-university, or vocational school. There is no university but they do offer higher education. 

Reference

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friesland#History

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisians#History

http://www.ussgp.com/uss_gp/who_was_greate_pier.htm

http://tberkeley.blogspot.com/

http://basquecountry2014.blogspot.com/

http://books.google.com/books?id=d2WcCIm6WaQC&pg=PA612&lpg=PA612&dq=Frisian+homeland&source=bl&ots=gW-uFcb_oh&sig=NfXMatuhb0uNt6YDEENtB_pc8IM&hl=en&sa=X&ei=lFpjU62VC4LhsASS0ILoCw&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Frisian%20homeland&f=false

http://www.holland.com/us/tourism/article/the-frisian-landscape.htm

http://www.whatstheweatherlike.org/netherlands/frisia.htm

http://www.coven-of-cythrawl.com/frisians.htm

http://www.everyculture.com/Europe/Frisians-Religion-and-Expressive-Culture.html

http://books.google.com/books?id=aj1LkG001QwC&pg=PA270&lpg=PA270&dq=Friesland+superstitions&source=bl&ots=fFcDgU5_6J&sig=AIvsymII9g5AFCXSpCiDFvU0-UY&hl=en&sa=X&ei=ykVlU-eKEa2ysATHjYHIDg&ved=0CD4Q6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=Friesland%20superstitions&f=false

http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/checklist.jsp?region=NLfr&list=howardmoore

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/locality/palearctic/germany/lower-saxony/east-frisian-islands#species

http://www.dedutchman.ca/friesland/

http://www.everyculture.com/wc/Mauritania-to-Nigeria/Frisians.html

Frisian's Migration

During 350 - 550 A.D. after the Roman Empire collapsed the Germanic tribes migrated to Western Europe, which formed some new tribes. The Frisians began to establish their Frisian Empire around 400 A.D. the Frisian Empire contained the coastal areas beginning from North Belgium to southern Denmark, the Frisians controlled the North Sea trade routes from Friesland to England, France, Scandinavia, and northwest Russia. The Frisian territory expanded westward to the North Sea coast and southward down to Dorestad by the late 6th and early 7th century.

The Frisian Neighbors and Diaspora

In the Netherlands the Frisians weren't the only people to live there, in the central Netherlands the Batavians were the southern neighbors of the Frisians. In the west of the Netherlands the tribe Canninifats became allies with the Frisians as well as the Batavians. The Frisians also had neighboring tribe in the north called Chaukians and they also formed an alliance. The Frisians and the Chaukians formed a new tribal alliance called the Franks, this tribe moved south and formed the Frankish Empire which is currently known as France. All of the Frisians neighbors were in alliance against the Roman Empire but sadly the uprising failed. The smaller groups of the west formed larger tribal groups in 300 A.D and assimilated in the Frisian and Saxon tribe.

Reference: http://www.dedutchman.ca/friesland/

Birds of the Frisians

There are 254 species identified in Friesland and 58 familes spotted. There are about 10 to 12 million birds that migrate and stop at one of the islands in Friesland to replenish there fat. In the West Friesland Islands there can be up to 6.1 million birds that can be found because of the Wadden Sea area. Some birds that are identified in Friesland are:

Snow Goose

Mute Swan

Egyptian Goose
Northern Shoveler
Blue-winged Teal

Red-crested Ponchard
Common Quail
Sooty Shearwater
White Stork

Rough-legged Hawk

Green Sandpiper
Red Knot
Curlew Sandpiper

Cosmos of the Frisians

Religous Beliefs: In the early 8th century and late 9th century Christianity came to Friesland as the Frisians were dominated by the Franks. Most Frisians are still Protestant and some are Christians. Some Frisian beliefs were modified into Christianity, new Christian belief consists of folktales and superstitions consisting of supernatural beings like ghosts, spooks, and the devil. Here's a list of some superstitions.

The bellowing of a cow at any hour was considered as an announcement of death

• as well as the howling of a dog

The milky way to be the path by which departed souls enter heaven

Before death giving a cow to the poor the soul of the dead would be aided by a cow across the fearful Gjallar bridge

All human beings have there own star after death where they could become a god oneself

Homeland of the Frisians

Geography: The Frisian homeland consists of flat plains and "polders," which are low lying land reclaimed from the sea or river and is now protected by dikes. West Friesland includes a strip of offshore islands along the northern coast. The East Frisian islands are separated from Dutch Friesland by the Dollart. North Friesland includes the North Frisian Islands, which lies on the western part of the Jutland Peninsula, on both sides of the Danish-German border. The Frisian capitol is Leeuward, Ljouwert which is a major city. In West Frisian Islands there is diverse landscape which include wide beaches, vast dunes, tidal marshes, pasturelands, and as well as deciduous forests.

Climate: Friesland has an oceanic climate, which consists of warm summers and cool winters. Frisia kind of lacks a dry season because precipitation is spread evenly throughout the year. The weather doesn't get to hot nor does it get to cold. 

History of the Frisians

In the Roman account of Drusus' the ancient Frisia era recorded in history was around 12 BC. Frisians occasionally appeared in the accounts of Roman wars against the Germanic tribes of the region. During the Roman Empire the Frisians were deported into Roman territories, they were granted land but the condition was to provide recruits for the Roman military.

 During the 3rd century until the 5th century Frisia suffered a marine transgression, which made most of the land uninhabitable. The population that the Romans allowed to stay decreased significantly and the coastal lands remained unpopulated for two more centuries. When land conditions got better new settlers moved in, most of the settlers were Angles and Saxons, later on they were called Frisians.

In the early 8th century Frisians and the Frankish Empire were in a series of wars which later the Frisians were overtaken in 734, the war was a great way for Anglo-Irish missionaries to force Frisians to join Christianity, which they succeeded. Saint Boniface was a Christian who was escorted by 52 fellow missionaries and a possibly a large number of guards, he tried three times to convert the Frisians to Christianity but the Frisians killed them all.

Language: The Frisian language is relatively close to Old English and the dialects of modern Frisia is related to contemporary English. The language was divided into three languages that can't be understood. Frisians of the West spoke in Dutch province of Friesland. East of Frisia the Saterland Frisians spoke in German municipality. The Frisians in the North spoke in German region. Out of the three languages Saterland and North Frisian language is endangered were as West Frisian language is not. There are 365,000 natives that speak the language. 

Intro/Index

During the course of this semester, I will be exploring and learning about the Frisian culture. As they are living within the Netherlands. The Frisians are a unique group of people, and this blog will contain everything that I have been able to learn about them from their history, culture, language and more.

• History of the Frisians:
• Homeland of the Frisians:
• Cosmos of the Frisians:
• Birds of the Frisians:
• The Frisians Neighbors:
• Frisians Migrations and Disporia:
• World of the Frisians
• References: