Flóta means "to float". . . or "to flow". The subtle ambiguity of this single word perfectly captures so much of Faroe. Often, when browsing through the glossary of Lockwood's Modern Faroese, I get caught up in all these words, thinking what wonderful stories they inspire, and how they perfectly describe the Faroese landscape and the mood of the weather and sea.
Take vesturroði for example, which means "red in the west", referring to the red sky during sunset. The noun is reminiscent of the weather lore "red sky at night, sailor's delight", suggesting calm, cloudless skies are beyond the horizon, and prevailing winds from the west will push fair weather towards us. Eysturroði boðar morgunin, a line from "Bert ein stutt, litil stund, og eg fari" (Only a short little while, and I go), means "red in the east brings morning". The mood of the sky and sea would darken, bringing storms with heavy winds and heaving waves.
The Faroes were dependent on their fishing, and many tales and stories of men lost from stormy seas abound. The most striking story comes from the village of Skarð on Kunoy, a mountainous island in Norðoyggjar. On Christmas Eve, the men of the tiny village were lost at sea when sailing home with the Christmas Day's catch. The children, the elderly and the woman - all those dependent on the livelihoods of the seafaring husbands and sons - were left behind. The village never recovered and has since been abandoned. Gunnar Hoydal, a prominant Faroese playwright, author and poet, in collaboration with Nordic directors, choreographers, and composers, are trying to bring the story back, both to remind us of, and honour, those lost at sea and the loved ones who lost them. Check out Við Triðja Smeiti (The Third Blow - The Play) and consider making a donation. It's uncertain whether the play will get off the ground; unfortunately, there have been no updates since September of 2013, the centenary of the tragedy.
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