Årets Näck Explained
Årets Näck (The Year's Nix) is an annual competition to select the year's incarnation of Näcken, a male fairy creature in Sweden. The competition takes place at the Tannery Holmen located in Billstaån, Hackås, Bergs kommun, in southern Jämtland. The contest is part of "Hackås Days" (Hackåsdagarna) festival organized by the Hackås District Foundation.[1]
The contestants for the Årets Näck title compete by sitting or standing in the river while virtually nude and playing an instrument (typically the violin) in order to portray the Nix. Participants have also competed a cappella, on drum, or on accordion.[2]
In 2009, the competition was atypically won by a saxophone player, Martin Norberg.[3]
Rules of the competition
- The competition is open only to male musicians.
- The contestant may only cover himself with things that he can find in nature.
- A musical work will be played by each participant, either a traditional piece or newly composed. It should be performed on a "magically" tuned violin.
- The order of competitors will be decided by a random drawing at the music cafe at Strömbacka Mill prior to the contest.
- A three-man jury of two people skilled in folk music and a non-folk-musician female judge score the contestants according to the following criteria: musical performance, charisma and convincingness. After deliberation the jury announces the results, which can not be appealed.
- The winner receives a priceless handwritten certificate and SEK 2,000 (increased from 2004).
- The winner of each of the three selection criteria receives SEK 500 in premiums (in 1998).
- Since 2004, there has also been a crowd's prize awarded of SEK 500.
Source: [1]
Past winners
| Year | Winner | Number of competitors |
|---|
| 1995 | Werner Gladh | 4 |
| 1996 | Werner Gladh | 5 |
| 1997 | Peter Roos | 7 |
| 1998 | Peter Roos | 6 |
| 1999 | Pelle Bolander | 9 |
| 2000 | Anders Hall | 8 |
| 2001 | Werner Gladh | 5 |
| 2002 | Joel Berglund | 3 |
| 2003 | Daniel Wikslund | 5 |
| 2004 | Joel Berglund | 7 |
| 2005 | Joel Berglund | 5 |
| 2006 | Joel Berglund | not recorded |
| 2007 | Sten Andersson | 5 |
| 2008 | Ross Campbell (Ahmadabad - U.S.) | 6 |
| 2009 | Martin Norberg | 4 |
| 2010 | Olle af Klintberg[4] | 6 |
| 2011 | Samuel Lundström[5] | 5 |
| 2012 | Samuel Lundström[6] | unknown |
| 2013 | Tomas Flossman[7] | unknown | |
Related
On April 23, 2010, Olle af Klintberg appeared on TV4's Talang, Sweden's "Got Talent" show. In that episode, when the curtains opened, Olle was portraying the Näcken by sitting on a rock with blue cloth on the floor to represent water, and water lilies placed around the stone and in his hair. He played the violin and sang a verse from Näcken, a poem by Erik Johan Stagnelius. Judges Bert Karlsson and Charlotte Perrelli voted against Olle, while Johan Pråmell voted for him.[8]
Notes and References
- Web site: Hernmarck . Calle . Årets Näck (official contest site) . Stiftelsen Hackåsbygden . Jun 29, 2011.
- Web site: Lindbäck . Lina . Fem modiga män deltog i Årets näck . ÖP.se . Jul 14, 2009 . Jun 15, 2011.
- Web site: Landes . David . Naked horn player named Sweden's Water Fairy of the Year . The Local . Jul 21, 2009 . Jun 29, 2011.
- Web site: Berglund . Marcus . Olle af Klintberg blev årets Näck . . Jul 15, 2010 . Jun 29, 2011.
- Web site: Lindbäck . Lina . Fem modiga män deltog i Årets näck . . Jul 14, 2011 . Jul 15, 2011.
- Web site: Hansson . Daniel . Han blev Årets näck . ltz.se . July 13, 2012 . June 5, 2017.
- Web site: Nyman . Johanna . Näcken återuppstod i ny skepnad . ltz.se . July 12, 2013 . June 5, 2017.
- Talang: Näcken. Talang 2010#Episode 4 (Oscarsteatern, Stockholm). Talang. Talang (TV series). TV4-Gruppen. TV4. Stockholm. Apr 23, 2010. 2010.
