Gods, Myths and Heroes - Part 10

Näcken

In Scandinavian folklore, Näcken are male water sprites who play enchanted songs on the violin, luring women and children to drown in lakes or streams.  However, they're not always malevolent.  They are traditionally naked (näck means naked in Swedish).

Each year in July, a Näcken competition called Årets Näck is held in Billstaån, Hackås in central Sweden, a region of many lakes and streams.  Competitors play music in a stream for spectators and a panel of three judges.  Above is Anders Hall, the winner in 2000.

Above is Daniel Wikslund, the winner in 2003.  The rules were changed in 2013, but the original rules specified:

1. The competition was only open to male musicians (because Näcken are male).

2. The contestant had to be naked, though he was allowed to adorn himself with things found in nature, such as leaves and flowers.

3. Each contestant was judged for music, charisma, and credibility.  I'm guessing credibility meant how well he conveyed the illusion that he was a Näcken.

A rear view of Daniel Wikslund.  As you can see, there is quite an audience for these performances.

Here's Daniel Wikslund in another year's competition.  He had adorned himself with a crown of leaves, and in a nice touch, he adorned his pubic hair with daisies.

Ross Campbell, an American, won in 2008.  Judging from his tan, I think he was used to going without clothes.

Contestants are not required to play the violin, though most do, because it's the traditional Näcken instrument.  This guy is playing the saxophone.  He didn't win, but another saxophone player won in 2009.

In April, 2010, Olle af Klintberg appeared stark naked on TV as a Näcken on the Swedish version of America's Got Talent (above).  He didn't win, but the audience loved him.  The show is in Swedish, but you can pretty much tell what's going on.

Later, in July of that year, he entered the Årets Näck competition and played naked in the stream.  He won.

Here's a competitor in 2012.

In 2013 the rules were changed to allow women competitors, to not require competitors to be naked, and to not require them to play an instrument, which seems to me to defeat the whole purpose of the event, which was to recreate the naked, male, violin-playing Näcken of folklore.

Luckily, some competitors are still naked male violinists.  In 2014 Enno Leggedör from Germany was the winner.

We end with some excerpts from a German show about the 2014 competition.  I focused on the German winner Enno, as did the show, but you'll see glimpses of two other competitors at the end, a guitarist and another violinist sitting in the stream.  The show is in German, but you don't need to know German to appreciate these guys.