The Vicarage as an Arena for Peace and Cooperation

If a war arrow was placed in your fence post during the Viking Age, it was a message to show up with weapons to resolve a conflict. When Tore Hund received the spear that killed Asbjørn Selsbane a thousand years ago, it also came with a message—a message to avenge his nephew. For the National Jubilee Norway in 1000 Years, the war arrow is an invitation to take part in the public debate using today’s means of struggle: discussion and democratic methods.

As part of the commemorative year 2023, the Youth’s War Arrow came to Harstad, Tore Hund’s realm. Eight young people accepted the arrow and the task of taking part in the public debate through an artistic project. Music is important in Harstad, with the Norwegian Army Band, a major music festival, and Harstad is also a City of Refuge for persecuted musicians. Harstad’s war arrow will therefore become a song.

OVF facilitates the gatherings by making a suitable vicarage available for the Youth’s War Arrow gatherings. In this way, the vicarages once again contribute as central meeting places for important community building.

In October, young people from Heggen Upper Secondary School participated in a songwriting workshop with musicians Lisa Skoglund and Stine Maren Steien at the Vicarage Stiftsgården in Harstad. Over two school days, the students learned several songwriting techniques and developed lyrics and melodies for their own songs. The goal is to express their own thoughts and perspectives through music. That takes courage.

In addition to Lisa and Stine Maren, musician Hamid Sakhizada also took part in the workshop. He talked about how he worked with music in his home country of Afghanistan until he had to flee in 2016. Hamid was persecuted in his homeland because of his music and what he expressed through it. He came to Harstad through the City of Refuge programme and now works as a teacher at Harstad School of Culture, where he teaches the traditional instrument dambora.