This is the story of the land reclaimed from the former Middelzee — a shallow inland sea that once split the present-day province of Friesland in two, separating the ancient pagus Westrachia (modern district Westergo) from pagus Austrachia (modern district Oostergo). The name Middelzee literally means ‘middle sea.’ Closing this watery rift took centuries. ThroughContinue reading “Bil: A Wasteland of Non-Integrated Migrants?”
Category Archives: language
There Is No Dealing With the Wheels of Fortune — a Celtic-Frisian Heritage
In August 2016, on the Dutch late-night talk show Pauw, former game show host Hans van der Togt — best known for presenting Rad van Fortuin (Wheel of Fortune) — spoke candidly about his harsh and miserable life in the province of Friesland. In this blog post, we will explain, in plain and simple terms,Continue reading “There Is No Dealing With the Wheels of Fortune — a Celtic-Frisian Heritage”
Leeuwarden, European Capital of Exiled Governments
In both Germany and the Netherlands, many Frisians have watched with unease as waves of referenda and separatist movements have swept across Europe and beyond in recent years — Quebec, Scotland, Kurdistan, Catalonia, Padania, and Ambazonia, to name only a few. At the same time, entire peoples such as the Yazidis and the Rohingya haveContinue reading “Leeuwarden, European Capital of Exiled Governments”
What’s Hip and Happening on the Grasslands?
How do Frisians spend their time off? Frisians in the Netherlands must have plenty of it, as job prospects are among the lowest in the country. In addition, those who do have a job do not lose precious hours to traffic jams every day, unlike people in the cities further south. Inhabitants of the provinceContinue reading “What’s Hip and Happening on the Grasslands?”
How to Recognize the Frisians by Name?
This is one of the simplest things there is, once you’ve got the hang of it. ‘A child can do the laundry,’ they literally say in the Dutch language. This has nothing to do with a history of child labour, by the way. Understanding the logic of Frisian personal names is essential if you wantContinue reading “How to Recognize the Frisians by Name?”
Frisia Coast Trail 