The Fishermen’s Luck: The Maritime Clavie & its Variants

Date 15 December 2026 19:00 - 20:30

Location Online talk

Speaker Fiona-Jane Brown

The annual 'Burning of the Clavie' New Year fire ceremony takes place in the fishing town of Burghead in North-East Scotland. It is a well-established calendar custom, with reputed roots dating back to the times of the Picts...

In my talk, I will introduce the calendar custom itself, then make comparisons with other ‘crisis rituals’ used by fishermen elsewhere in the north of Scotland (including the Outer Hebrides and the Shetlands) and their version of the Clavie-burning. For example, the name Clavie is not used in Shetland, rather the term is ‘Burning the Witch’ which echoes the perceived ritual function of the calendar custom, to protect the community and/or fishing fleet from witchcraft and demonic forces.

Through my research, including interviews with present day fishermen, I will argue that the Clavie is both calendar custom and crisis ritual, wherein fisherfolk recognise the ritual power of fire as a cleansing force against bad luck and the believed evil forces behind it.

Dr Fiona-Jane Brown is an independent doctoral graduate based in Aberdeen, NE Scotland. She gained both an MLitt and PhD in Ethnology and Folklore at the University of Aberdeen’s Elphinstone Institute. Since 2011 she has been a tour guide and continues to research local history for historic walks around the Granite City.

Tickets £6.00 (£4.00 for Folklore Society members with the Promo Code: just log in to the Members Only area to get the Promo Code) from https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-fishermens-luck-the-maritime-clavie-its-variants-tickets-2002622043441?3