2015
Searching for Meaning and Security
Date Of Issue 28.09.2015
Date Of Issue 28.09.2015
Searching for Meaning and Security
The Magi - three wise men - are looking for Messiah, the King of Peace. Mary and Joseph are fleeing Herod, the Warlord. The images are powerful, symbolic depictions of people looking for meaning and security while at the same time making their escape from evil and conflict.
The first stamp shows the three wise men on their long desert journey from the East to the small town of Bethlehem. They are tired, come to a halt, descend from the camels and take a rest. They observe the star - the wisdom on High guiding their way. They are wise men which is why they travel on camels. Camels were essential for transport. They provide milk, wool for spinning, meat for consumption, hides for shoes and wineskins, clothes, free transport over long distances and power to pull the plow. They provide shade from the sun and protection in war. Camels can carry their own weight of 600 kg. If necessary, camels drink brine and can manage without water for 40 days. They can also drink 130 liters of water in 15 minutes. The Magi also possessed spiritual wisdom, therefore they ask, " Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
The image gives us double empathy – a persistent quest into the future and a deep concentration in the present. The Magi are like you and I - journeying towards the goal. Life is not going around in circles. Some say that the ultimate goal is irrelevant, it's the journey itself that counts. Not so with the Magi. The journey is exciting precisely because it has a purpose. It is not an absurd journey without any goal. No, the goal provides the Magi with strength and inspiration for other travels.
At this juncture in time, humanity was waiting for a King of peace, a Messiah who could lift the people out of despair and suffering. The evangelist Matthew emphasizes that the Magi were not Jews, but came from a foreign country; they were searching for a King of peace who would not limit Himself to serving a small local Jewish minority. The Magi represent humanity, their significance is universal.
The fact that they saw the star in the East indicates that they were sincere, inquiring star researchers, looking for the truth. They came either from Persia or Southern Arabia. Scientists have determined that the astronomical phenomenon witnessed by the Magi happened at the time when Jesus was born. The Magi came first to Jerusalem and met King Herod the Great (37-4 BC). The Roman Senate had installed him as king of Judea. Herod is representative of political violence. He killed his wife, his three sons, his mother-in-law, uncle and many others. He also killed all the boys in Bethlehem. At the same time, he was a great builder. He built theaters, amphitheaters and large castles, among them Massada and the Temple in Jerusalem. Herod and all Jerusalem were struck with fear when they heard about Messiah, the King of Peace. History shows that in the message of Christ there is a genuine alternative to any other might and power. The alternative is Christ's power of peace and love. This power and this kingdom commands the hearts of men. Therefore, Jesus said: "The kingdom of God is within you." A kingdom that no political power can bring to naught. This was the kingdom that the Magi were looking for.
Herod’s deceitful words reveal how egoisical and selfish politics can be. He pretends to support the Magi. To see the star in the East is not enough. Herod calls together the high priests and the scribes to investigate the matter. They confirm that according to the words of prophets a King of Peace is born in Bethlehem. The Magi listen to this guidance, travel immediately to Bethlehem and suddenly they see the star again. Then a miracle happens on life’s journey for all people to experience – they rejoice, wonder, worship and sacrifice. We read: "When they saw the star, they rejoiced. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew emphasizes that life’s purpose does not only consist in solving scientific questions, but also learning to live by faith in the King of Peace, respecting the small and weak.
The Magi are courageous enough not to obey the orders of the dictator Herod and they choose a different route home. Therefore, they are our role models.
The image of Mary and Joseph and the Baby depicts man in his essential innate condition. We are fascinated by the unity and security of the Holy Family, even when fleeing from evil. All three hold together, Mary with the Baby in her arms, Joseph leaning on his cane, leading the donkey. Fear of death does not cause them to betray each other. They are also guided by a higher wisdom. They flee to Egypt. The challenge was being obedient, industrious and brave as a family with the aim of establishing a new home in Nazareth. Jesus’s flight as a small child symbolizes Israel's exile as a young nation in Egypt and at the same time it signifies all the refugees in the world today. This is why the flight has such immense symbolic value - the King of Peace makes Himself one with refugees.
Together the images clearly elucidate fundamental elements in existence: the search for purpose, meaning and love, along with unity and faithfulness. Existence is not without meaning and hope because with faith in God, the Creator, and Messiah, the King of Peace, life always retains its value and purpose. Therefore, in spite of evil and suffering, we can join the Magi and Mary and Joseph in rejoicing, wondering, sacrificing ourselves for others, helping, giving and living in humility, faithfulness and love.
Róland í Skorini
The Magi - three wise men - are looking for Messiah, the King of Peace. Mary and Joseph are fleeing Herod, the Warlord. The images are powerful, symbolic depictions of people looking for meaning and security while at the same time making their escape from evil and conflict.
The first stamp shows the three wise men on their long desert journey from the East to the small town of Bethlehem. They are tired, come to a halt, descend from the camels and take a rest. They observe the star - the wisdom on High guiding their way. They are wise men which is why they travel on camels. Camels were essential for transport. They provide milk, wool for spinning, meat for consumption, hides for shoes and wineskins, clothes, free transport over long distances and power to pull the plow. They provide shade from the sun and protection in war. Camels can carry their own weight of 600 kg. If necessary, camels drink brine and can manage without water for 40 days. They can also drink 130 liters of water in 15 minutes. The Magi also possessed spiritual wisdom, therefore they ask, " Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him."
The image gives us double empathy – a persistent quest into the future and a deep concentration in the present. The Magi are like you and I - journeying towards the goal. Life is not going around in circles. Some say that the ultimate goal is irrelevant, it's the journey itself that counts. Not so with the Magi. The journey is exciting precisely because it has a purpose. It is not an absurd journey without any goal. No, the goal provides the Magi with strength and inspiration for other travels.
At this juncture in time, humanity was waiting for a King of peace, a Messiah who could lift the people out of despair and suffering. The evangelist Matthew emphasizes that the Magi were not Jews, but came from a foreign country; they were searching for a King of peace who would not limit Himself to serving a small local Jewish minority. The Magi represent humanity, their significance is universal.
The fact that they saw the star in the East indicates that they were sincere, inquiring star researchers, looking for the truth. They came either from Persia or Southern Arabia. Scientists have determined that the astronomical phenomenon witnessed by the Magi happened at the time when Jesus was born. The Magi came first to Jerusalem and met King Herod the Great (37-4 BC). The Roman Senate had installed him as king of Judea. Herod is representative of political violence. He killed his wife, his three sons, his mother-in-law, uncle and many others. He also killed all the boys in Bethlehem. At the same time, he was a great builder. He built theaters, amphitheaters and large castles, among them Massada and the Temple in Jerusalem. Herod and all Jerusalem were struck with fear when they heard about Messiah, the King of Peace. History shows that in the message of Christ there is a genuine alternative to any other might and power. The alternative is Christ's power of peace and love. This power and this kingdom commands the hearts of men. Therefore, Jesus said: "The kingdom of God is within you." A kingdom that no political power can bring to naught. This was the kingdom that the Magi were looking for.
Herod’s deceitful words reveal how egoisical and selfish politics can be. He pretends to support the Magi. To see the star in the East is not enough. Herod calls together the high priests and the scribes to investigate the matter. They confirm that according to the words of prophets a King of Peace is born in Bethlehem. The Magi listen to this guidance, travel immediately to Bethlehem and suddenly they see the star again. Then a miracle happens on life’s journey for all people to experience – they rejoice, wonder, worship and sacrifice. We read: "When they saw the star, they rejoiced. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh.” Matthew emphasizes that life’s purpose does not only consist in solving scientific questions, but also learning to live by faith in the King of Peace, respecting the small and weak.
The Magi are courageous enough not to obey the orders of the dictator Herod and they choose a different route home. Therefore, they are our role models.
The image of Mary and Joseph and the Baby depicts man in his essential innate condition. We are fascinated by the unity and security of the Holy Family, even when fleeing from evil. All three hold together, Mary with the Baby in her arms, Joseph leaning on his cane, leading the donkey. Fear of death does not cause them to betray each other. They are also guided by a higher wisdom. They flee to Egypt. The challenge was being obedient, industrious and brave as a family with the aim of establishing a new home in Nazareth. Jesus’s flight as a small child symbolizes Israel's exile as a young nation in Egypt and at the same time it signifies all the refugees in the world today. This is why the flight has such immense symbolic value - the King of Peace makes Himself one with refugees.
Together the images clearly elucidate fundamental elements in existence: the search for purpose, meaning and love, along with unity and faithfulness. Existence is not without meaning and hope because with faith in God, the Creator, and Messiah, the King of Peace, life always retains its value and purpose. Therefore, in spite of evil and suffering, we can join the Magi and Mary and Joseph in rejoicing, wondering, sacrificing ourselves for others, helping, giving and living in humility, faithfulness and love.
Róland í Skorini
Old Children’s Toys
Date Of Issue 24.04.2015
Date Of Issue 24.04.2015
Old Children’s Toys
The theme of the 2015 EUROPA stamp issue is Old Toys. Edward Fuglø has designed the stamps which feature a rag doll and a horn-hoop, both of which served as children’s toys in the olden days. In order to describe toys that children used to play with we are excerpting a few paragraphs from the book “Faroese Children’s Toys” by Marius Johannesen, published in 1979.
Old Faroese Children’s Toys
“Those of us born around the turn of the 20th century, or a little later, often marvel when the talk turns to youth and children.
The public sector is required to make arrangements for children because they need a place to stay. At the same time the public sector keeps busy providing youth with places where, as the saying goes, they can kill time.
We find this surprising because when we look back at our own youth, wanting to write a few words about the toys we had, we realize that there were virtually no limits to the toys and playgrounds at our disposal. However, no one arranged these playgrounds for us except the good Lord himself. We found them in between the houses, in fields and rivers, at the seashore, everywhere the feet of small children were allowed to roam.
The Rag Doll
In her book “Gamlar gøtur II” (Old Paths) 1967 Maria Skylv writes the following about the rag doll:
“More than eighty years ago little girls playing with dolls were a rare sight. This was not because only few of them owned dolls which their fathers or brothers had brought from other countries.
However, a fancy doll like that was not meant for a little girl to play with, oh no! The lid was taken off the cardboard box containing the doll and if there was a shelf in the living room the box was placed there or carefully kept in the family chest. There it could stay for years and only occasionally when the mother had to get something from the chest the little girl was allowed to look at the doll – and even hold her for a while.
Still, it was not necessary to travel abroad to get things to play with because every mother was able to make rag dolls from scratch for her children. Today, few people are able to imagine what the rag doll meant both for the children and their mother. Nowadays stores have an abundance of things bringing joy to the eyes and minds of children - and what mother would not have wanted to make her little ones happy? The problem is that the impeccable toys children get nowadays go a long way to stifle their imagination.
Both boys and girls (as long as they wore gowns and were too small to frolic like boys) played with the rag doll. The body was made of an old woollen garment which was wrapped together. After the doll’s head had been formed the neck was firmly tightened. The piece of garment used for arms was rolled up, placed in the arm pit and tied around the waist.
A white cloth covered the head before the neck was tightened, and sometimes the eyebrows and eyes were painted with a sooty spindle pin. Red chicory paper came in handy for cheeks and lips. The gown was made from an old apron and then the doll was finished, for rag dolls had no legs.”
Horn-hoops
Changing the subject to horns it was common to play with so-called horn-hoops which were circular hoops made of rams' horns. The bone core was removed from the horn and a few horns were put together to make hoops of four, five, six or even more horns. We then went to the hillside to roll horn-hoops. There was no competition - the important thing was to be the possessor of the horn-hoop that could roll as far and as straight as possible before it fell sideways on the ground.
Sometimes we marked man-to-man along the course of the fast-rolling horn-hoop with sticks in our hands trying to strike it down with heavy blows. But when a big horn-hoop came rolling at great speed down a steep hillside you had to be careful not to get in its way because you might get hurt. This was also a more popular game for big boys - the smaller ones kept away from the dangerous horn-hoops and rolled their own ram horn instead. If it was a coiled well-formed horn it could roll as far as any horn-hoop before falling sidelong."
(Marius Johannesen: “Føroysk barnaspøl”, Bókaforlagið Grønalíð, 1979)
The theme of the 2015 EUROPA stamp issue is Old Toys. Edward Fuglø has designed the stamps which feature a rag doll and a horn-hoop, both of which served as children’s toys in the olden days. In order to describe toys that children used to play with we are excerpting a few paragraphs from the book “Faroese Children’s Toys” by Marius Johannesen, published in 1979.
Old Faroese Children’s Toys
“Those of us born around the turn of the 20th century, or a little later, often marvel when the talk turns to youth and children.
The public sector is required to make arrangements for children because they need a place to stay. At the same time the public sector keeps busy providing youth with places where, as the saying goes, they can kill time.
We find this surprising because when we look back at our own youth, wanting to write a few words about the toys we had, we realize that there were virtually no limits to the toys and playgrounds at our disposal. However, no one arranged these playgrounds for us except the good Lord himself. We found them in between the houses, in fields and rivers, at the seashore, everywhere the feet of small children were allowed to roam.
The Rag Doll
In her book “Gamlar gøtur II” (Old Paths) 1967 Maria Skylv writes the following about the rag doll:
“More than eighty years ago little girls playing with dolls were a rare sight. This was not because only few of them owned dolls which their fathers or brothers had brought from other countries.
However, a fancy doll like that was not meant for a little girl to play with, oh no! The lid was taken off the cardboard box containing the doll and if there was a shelf in the living room the box was placed there or carefully kept in the family chest. There it could stay for years and only occasionally when the mother had to get something from the chest the little girl was allowed to look at the doll – and even hold her for a while.
Still, it was not necessary to travel abroad to get things to play with because every mother was able to make rag dolls from scratch for her children. Today, few people are able to imagine what the rag doll meant both for the children and their mother. Nowadays stores have an abundance of things bringing joy to the eyes and minds of children - and what mother would not have wanted to make her little ones happy? The problem is that the impeccable toys children get nowadays go a long way to stifle their imagination.
Both boys and girls (as long as they wore gowns and were too small to frolic like boys) played with the rag doll. The body was made of an old woollen garment which was wrapped together. After the doll’s head had been formed the neck was firmly tightened. The piece of garment used for arms was rolled up, placed in the arm pit and tied around the waist.
A white cloth covered the head before the neck was tightened, and sometimes the eyebrows and eyes were painted with a sooty spindle pin. Red chicory paper came in handy for cheeks and lips. The gown was made from an old apron and then the doll was finished, for rag dolls had no legs.”
Horn-hoops
Changing the subject to horns it was common to play with so-called horn-hoops which were circular hoops made of rams' horns. The bone core was removed from the horn and a few horns were put together to make hoops of four, five, six or even more horns. We then went to the hillside to roll horn-hoops. There was no competition - the important thing was to be the possessor of the horn-hoop that could roll as far and as straight as possible before it fell sideways on the ground.
Sometimes we marked man-to-man along the course of the fast-rolling horn-hoop with sticks in our hands trying to strike it down with heavy blows. But when a big horn-hoop came rolling at great speed down a steep hillside you had to be careful not to get in its way because you might get hurt. This was also a more popular game for big boys - the smaller ones kept away from the dangerous horn-hoops and rolled their own ram horn instead. If it was a coiled well-formed horn it could roll as far as any horn-hoop before falling sidelong."
(Marius Johannesen: “Føroysk barnaspøl”, Bókaforlagið Grønalíð, 1979)
100 years of women’s suffrage
Date Of Issue 23.02.2015
Date Of Issue 23.02.2015
100 years of women’s suffrage
In 1915, Faroese women gained the right to vote for both houses of the Danish Parliament, the Folketing and Landsting. On 5 June 1915, as part of an amendment of the Danish Constitution, women were granted the right to vote. The next year, the Faroese Parliament, known as the Lagting, adopted amendments to the parliament law that granted women the right to vote for the Lagting.
The first time Faroese women voted in a political election was the 1918 Lagting election. However, they had previously voted in a 1907 referendum on the liquor law, The Faroese Act on Trade in and Service of Intoxicating Beverages, which was a ban on serving alcohol in public venues. And women also had the option of voting in the 1909 municipal elections.
The roots of the women’s movement trace back to the United States in the mid-1800s. Women’s suffrage was a key demand from the very beginning. The ideas of this movement reached the Nordic region around the turn of the twentieth century and the Nordic countries were at the forefront of the fight for women’s suffrage.
The fight for women’s suffrage varied from country to country. In the United States, it was not a militant conflict as in England, where it was compared with a slave rebellion. The road to women’s rights and suffrage in each country depended how hard the men in power made the fight. In the Faroe Islands, there was no dispute about women’s rights and the battle for suffrage was first and foremost won in Denmark.
Despite receiving the right to vote, not many women were visible in the political arena for many years to come. Women’s conditions in society, particularly the labour market, underwent major changes in the 1960s, as women entered the job force in large numbers and became visible in political life.
In the rebellious 60s and 70s, the women’s movement fought to change the traditional view that naturally assigned men more rights and privileges in society, to foster solidarity between women and to reduce inequality between the sexes.
The foundation for women’s participation in political life was established in the 1970s. With female members of the Lagting, equality between men and women became a topic on the political agenda.
The first female MPs formed a group to help Faroese women become accustomed to female politicians. But the group was not permitted to hold meetings in the parliament building, on the grounds that the building was exclusively for “serious political tasks” and not for “fun and games”, as one MP put it.
The women’s group held meetings in other locations in Tórshavn from 1979 to 1983, with various themes and discussions. This grassroots work did not continue, however. Despite the women’s group not achieving its original goal of influencing the political parties’ work in the parliament, many of the group’s members became politically active and later ran for office in parliamentary and municipal elections.
The first female representative in the parliament was Malla Samuelsen for the Home Rule Party, in 1964. However, she was elected as an alternate and only served in office for a short time.
In 1978, the first women elected to the parliament were Jona Henriksen for the Social Democrats (she was also an alternate from 1975 to 1978) and Karin Kjølbro for the Republicans.
The first female minister was Jóngerð Purkhus, who became Minister of Finance and the Environment in 1985.
In 1993, the Faroese elected their first and only female prime minister, Marita Petersen of the Social Democrats, who held this office from January 1993 to September 1994. Later, Marita Petersen became the first woman elected president of the parliament. The first woman elected to represent the Faroe Islands in the Danish Parliament was Lisbet L. Petersen of the Unity Party, in 2001.
Ideas regarding political work have undergone major changes through these 100 years. The political tone was sometimes harsh and derogatory when talk turned to women’s suffrage and political participation 100 years ago.
But today, all of the political parties have a declared aim to ensure that women gain greater political representation. The non-partisan organisation Demokratia works to politically empower women. The Equality Act was the first pet project of Faroese female MPs and was passed in 1994, 15 years after the first women in the Lagting proposed the Equality Commission Act.
Women now have a natural place in political life. In 1978, two women were elected and in 1998 four women were elected. In 2012, nine MPs, or 27.3% of the Lagting, were women. On the other hand, only one of seven ministers is a woman.
Some political parties have committed themselves to gender equality in candidate nominations and there appears to be broad consensus on equality. But the step seems to be higher for women, while female MPs agree that it is necessary to continue efforts to increase women’s participation in politics.
Óluva Klettskarð
In 1915, Faroese women gained the right to vote for both houses of the Danish Parliament, the Folketing and Landsting. On 5 June 1915, as part of an amendment of the Danish Constitution, women were granted the right to vote. The next year, the Faroese Parliament, known as the Lagting, adopted amendments to the parliament law that granted women the right to vote for the Lagting.
The first time Faroese women voted in a political election was the 1918 Lagting election. However, they had previously voted in a 1907 referendum on the liquor law, The Faroese Act on Trade in and Service of Intoxicating Beverages, which was a ban on serving alcohol in public venues. And women also had the option of voting in the 1909 municipal elections.
The roots of the women’s movement trace back to the United States in the mid-1800s. Women’s suffrage was a key demand from the very beginning. The ideas of this movement reached the Nordic region around the turn of the twentieth century and the Nordic countries were at the forefront of the fight for women’s suffrage.
The fight for women’s suffrage varied from country to country. In the United States, it was not a militant conflict as in England, where it was compared with a slave rebellion. The road to women’s rights and suffrage in each country depended how hard the men in power made the fight. In the Faroe Islands, there was no dispute about women’s rights and the battle for suffrage was first and foremost won in Denmark.
Despite receiving the right to vote, not many women were visible in the political arena for many years to come. Women’s conditions in society, particularly the labour market, underwent major changes in the 1960s, as women entered the job force in large numbers and became visible in political life.
In the rebellious 60s and 70s, the women’s movement fought to change the traditional view that naturally assigned men more rights and privileges in society, to foster solidarity between women and to reduce inequality between the sexes.
The foundation for women’s participation in political life was established in the 1970s. With female members of the Lagting, equality between men and women became a topic on the political agenda.
The first female MPs formed a group to help Faroese women become accustomed to female politicians. But the group was not permitted to hold meetings in the parliament building, on the grounds that the building was exclusively for “serious political tasks” and not for “fun and games”, as one MP put it.
The women’s group held meetings in other locations in Tórshavn from 1979 to 1983, with various themes and discussions. This grassroots work did not continue, however. Despite the women’s group not achieving its original goal of influencing the political parties’ work in the parliament, many of the group’s members became politically active and later ran for office in parliamentary and municipal elections.
The first female representative in the parliament was Malla Samuelsen for the Home Rule Party, in 1964. However, she was elected as an alternate and only served in office for a short time.
In 1978, the first women elected to the parliament were Jona Henriksen for the Social Democrats (she was also an alternate from 1975 to 1978) and Karin Kjølbro for the Republicans.
The first female minister was Jóngerð Purkhus, who became Minister of Finance and the Environment in 1985.
In 1993, the Faroese elected their first and only female prime minister, Marita Petersen of the Social Democrats, who held this office from January 1993 to September 1994. Later, Marita Petersen became the first woman elected president of the parliament. The first woman elected to represent the Faroe Islands in the Danish Parliament was Lisbet L. Petersen of the Unity Party, in 2001.
Ideas regarding political work have undergone major changes through these 100 years. The political tone was sometimes harsh and derogatory when talk turned to women’s suffrage and political participation 100 years ago.
But today, all of the political parties have a declared aim to ensure that women gain greater political representation. The non-partisan organisation Demokratia works to politically empower women. The Equality Act was the first pet project of Faroese female MPs and was passed in 1994, 15 years after the first women in the Lagting proposed the Equality Commission Act.
Women now have a natural place in political life. In 1978, two women were elected and in 1998 four women were elected. In 2012, nine MPs, or 27.3% of the Lagting, were women. On the other hand, only one of seven ministers is a woman.
Some political parties have committed themselves to gender equality in candidate nominations and there appears to be broad consensus on equality. But the step seems to be higher for women, while female MPs agree that it is necessary to continue efforts to increase women’s participation in politics.
Óluva Klettskarð
The Christmas Seal 2015
Date Of Issue 09.11.2015
Date Of Issue 09.11.2015
30 Christmas Candles
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