Oslo (AFP)

Fanfares without audience, the traditional parades of children canceled for the first time since the war, the hymn sung from the balconies: the Norwegian national holiday, usually a great moment of popular jubilation, turned Sunday, pandemic obliges, in a multitude of intimate and digital celebrations.

Long dominated by its Danish and Swedish neighbors, Norway celebrated itself on May 17, the anniversary of its Constitution written in 1814, several decades before the country became independent in 1905.

On the menu normally of this great moment of national communion, countless parades of schoolchildren, ice creams and hot dogs galore and, as a highlight, a big parade in "bunad", thick traditional costume, in a good-natured atmosphere in front of the Royal Palace in Oslo.

Nothing like this this year. King Harald, in top hat, and his family greeted their subjects via television channels. And Karl Johans gate, the main artery normally black with people, remained almost deserted.

Due to the epidemic of new coronaviruses, parades were prohibited and gatherings were limited to 50 people.

In Baerum, in the residential suburb of Oslo, the little musicians of the Evje school brass band performed for the local hospital and retirement homes in front of a meager audience. And by respecting strict sanitary regulations.

"It was special but fun," says Kaja Wang Andreassen, who is ten years old making his flute debut.

Thanks to an ingenious dad, the families of the young musicians were able to follow the fanfare from home by watching the images filmed with a camera fixed to the flagpole of the head flag.

"A lot of people saw us even if we didn't see a lot of people," laughs Kaja.

- So far, so close -

Unchanging tradition since the novelist Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson established it in the kingdom in 1870, it is the first time in peacetime that the parade of children is canceled. In 150 years, only the Second World War had put it on hold.

In several coastal towns, the parades have given way to gatherings of hundreds of boats.

"Today will be remembered as a very special day," wrote Christine Rønnefeldt in a press column. "We will remember it as the day when we stayed so far from each other and yet closer than ever," said the 19-year-old girl.

At 1:00 pm sharp (11:00 GMT), the Norwegians were invited to sing the national anthem "Ja, vi elsker" ("Yes, we like") from their window, their balcony or their garden.

"So loud that you can hear it on the Palace esplanade - without going there," said Health Minister Bent Høie.

- Schwarzenegger as reinforcement -

To maintain the morale of her fellow citizens, Prime Minister Erna Solberg has summoned ... Arnold Schwarzenegger.

On the manager's Facebook page, "Terminator" declined her famous "I'll be back" ("I will come back") to send a message of hope in a mixture of Norwegian, English and ... Spanish.

"The children's parades will return, the sack races will return, the May 17 festivities will return, but be sure to wash your hands constantly and respect physical distances," he said. Before concluding with a very Hollywood "hasta la vista".

In the days before, Mrs. Solberg had lent herself to another funny video by dancing with all the members of her government to music celebrating May 17. Distance of a meter and flag in hand, the ministers had engaged in a choreography more or less well controlled.

"We laugh a little," admitted Ms. Solberg to the NRK channel. "Like that, people can laugh at us, and that's fine."

Norway has every reason to celebrate since the epidemic has been under control there for several weeks. In the country of 5.4 million inhabitants, nearly 8,200 cases of coronavirus have been officially recorded, including 232 fatal.

© 2020 AFP