When the ship was ready to leave with all the equipment and the supplies on board, the feast called Foyehuys was held, one of the oldest Iceland fishing traditions. At the beginning the ship-owner invited the crew to his home but later the sailors and their families celebrated the departure in cafés, at the expense of the ship-owner. Maybe this tradition is at the origin of our carnival and of the ‘vischerbende’ as sailors went from one café to another accompanied by their relatives and friends.
This feast was very important for the fishermen and their families because the departure meant a six-month absence and some would never return.
Carnival scene.
Postcard, 19th century. Port Museum Collection.