Fanø tradition nominated for UNESCO cultural heritage list

Fanø’s distinctive traditions of dance, music and dress have been selected as Denmark’s nomination for UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage, DR reports. The culture minister has chosen Fanø culture and the folk high schools as Denmark’s nominees for 2027 and 2029.

“I am so happy. We are all happy. It means something for our identity on Fanø,” said Susanne Winsløv, chair of the Fanø UNESCO Group.

The tradition has been included since 2018 in the Royal Danish Library’s overview of living culture in Denmark. The Gamle Sønderho Foundation submitted a detailed application describing the tradition.

The dress

The Fanø dress is a distinctive costume worn during Fanikkerdagene and Sønderhodag, as well as for major occasions such as baptisms, weddings and confirmations.

It developed from the Vesterbo dress worn by women along the west coast and in the Wadden Sea region during the 17th century. Sailors brought silk fabrics home from their voyages to the East, and the dress gradually evolved into the Fanø dress.

Women on the island wore the dress every day for many years. The last woman to wear it daily on Fanø died in 1976.

The music

Fanø’s musical tradition consists of fiddler and folk music. It cannot be learned from written notes because its distinctive rhythm and violin technique are passed on through an apprenticeship tradition.

The music is believed to have been influenced by music sailors brought home from their voyages, including music from the Netherlands, the British Isles and Scandinavia.

Peter Uhrbrand, who lives in Sønderho on Fanø, is one of the musicians who knows the distinctive violin technique and passes it on to younger generations.

The dances

The traditional dances are called Sønderhoningen and Fanniken. They consist of only three steps, but locals say they can take a long time to learn because the men’s and women’s steps are offset from each other.

The music is played in two-four time while the dancers perform a three-step dance.

“It does not sound as if it should work when you hear about it. But 300 years of practice have shown that it can be done,” Uhrbrand said.

Many young people on Fanø are interested in the dances. Dance lessons are offered before Sønderhodag and Fanikkerdagene, where the dances are performed.