Making a primstav of today - part II
This spring we ran the primstav exercise again, this time with a local 7th grade school class we have collaborated with and followed for one school year
Main content
Spanning three different visits at the school in the spring semester of 2021, we first introduced and explored the traditional primstav together with the school class. The children discussed among themselves which days to mark on their own modern primstav for their class and how to symbolize these, reaching agreement through negotiation and voting.
The class was divided in two groups, one for the winter side and one for the summer side. The children drew the different days and phenomena they agreed on including and the drawings were then digitalized. Finally, we all went on a field trip to Aldea, the workshop where the primstavs were produced, and got a tour of the workshop and process from plank to CNC machine to sandpaper and polish, and finally they all received one copy of their school class primstav each.
The children wanted to include the Muslim celebration Eid al- Fitr. This celebration moves from year to year on the Gregorian calendar, and so they decided that the primstav they made was for 2021
Summer side 2021
A tree with leaves for Spring, a table with food for Eid al-Fitr, a flag for 17th of May (National day), a rainbow for Pride, sea and ice cream for Summer, a rose for 22 July, an upset emoji for the start of the school year, and rainy clouds and leaves for Autumn.
Winter side 2021
A pumpkin for Halloween, a snow crystal for colder weather, a tree and present for Christmas, fireworks for New Years, small plastic tray used for sledding, a heart for Valentine’s Day, a woman (this design was inspired by the traditional primstav) for International Women’s Day, Easter egg for Easter.
The primstav workshop was developed and carried out in collaboration with a local artists Magnhild Øen Nordahl and Cameron MacLeod, and Aldea - Center for Contemporary Art, Design and Technology
References:
Alver, Brynjulf (1981). Dag og merke – Folkeleg tidrekning og merkedagstradisjon, Universitetsforlaget, Bergen.
Kimsul, Hrald (1979). Primstaven. Bergen Faktorforening
