The Faroe Islands Podcast

This week, we talk to Siri Rannvá Hjelm Jacobsen about her novel set in the Faroe Islands. Much of the book is drawn from her own experience of growing up in Denmark but being half-Faroese. Then we'll check out the newest traffic light in the Faroes and contemplate a day when you won't be able to count all the traffic lights in the Faroes on a single hand.

This special live edition of the podcast includes a retelling of the origin story of the show with Matthew Workman, Elin Brimheim Heinesen, and Tollak Hansen. Also, a special musical performance by  Guðrið Hansdóttir.

We're busy in the Faroe Islands recording more material and putting together the 300th Podcast event. While you're waiting for that, please enjoy this interview Matthew Workman did on FM 1 yesterday.

This week, Heri Simonsen speaks with three people behind the film "Whale Like Me." The film explores people's relationship with whales in the countries where they are eaten. Then we travel to what is probably the most photographed spot in the Faroe Islands. As a reminder, we still need your support to create our next season of podcasts. If you haven't already, please head on over to our gofundme p...

This week, we talk to Maurice Ross. He a Scottish football (soccer) manager who moved to the Faroes to helm Suduroy's united club before being hired away by Vikingur. But just halfway into the season, Ross has been dismissed by the club. Ras 2's Trondur Arge talks to Ross about what happened and what's next. Then we'll go to a gas station and get a good meal. Really. As a reminder, we're still in...

Faroese metal band TYR is touring North America, and we catch up with bandleader Heri Joensen during their stop in Portland Oregon. We talk about touring the world, protests on this tour and, of course, theology. As a reminder, we're still raising funds for our next series of podcasts. If you are so inclined, please head on over to our gofundme page and toss a few bucks into the tip jar. And big t...

This week, we visit a memorial to the only Faroese person to win a Nobel Prize: Niels Finsen. We also announce our plans for our 300th episode in July. We'll be having a special live event in Torshavn on Julyu 9th and you're invited. To learn more and RSVP, check out our event page on Facebook .  Also, we're raising funds for the next season of the podcast. To donate head on over to our gofundme p...

This week, we talk to Joel Cole. He's an American artist and woodworker who lives in the Faroe Islands. He also runs a woodworking shop at the jail in the Faroes. Why would a person bring a wood lathe into a prison? Is it safe to let inmates handle sharp tools? These are the sorts of questions a stupid American would ask. So naturally, we ask them.

This week, we talk to Scottish footballer Maurice Ross. When we last spoke in 2017, Ross was manager of the new Suduroy United team on the south island. Now he's got a new job as Vikingur's manager. Ross talks to Ras 2's Trondur Arge about the move to managing in Gota and why he moved to the Faroe Islands in the first place. This is an edited version of the original Ras 2 interview. You can hear t...

This week, we visit the grand opening of Mikkeller in Torshavn. The Danish brewery operates just a handful of bars, mostly in large cities like Tokyo and San Francisco. But now there's one on Torshavn. We'll talk about how the Faroe Islands ended up with such an attraction, and talk about the massive changes the Faroese capitol has seen over the past few years. If you want to see some photos of th...

This week, we talk to Heimir Guðjónsson about moving from Iceland and taking over the reigns of HB Torshavn, perhaps the most storied football (soccer) club in the Faroe Islands. After that, we'll hang out where teenagers do (but not while the teenagers are there).

This week, we talk to two of the best footballers in the Faroe Islands*. Heidi Sevdal and Adeshina Lawal won lots of trophies at the most recent Faroese Footballer of the Year ceremony. We'll talk to them about playing the game in the Faroes and the joys and struggles that come with it.     *Note to Americans: we're talking about soccer.

On this episode, we return to the HOYMA festival and talk to Benjamin about his music and forming Son of Fortune. We also hear music from TOS, Elinborg and, of course Son of Fortune. Then we dance late into the night. If you want to see a great gallery of images taken during the festival, you can find that right here .

This week, we go to the HOYMA festival in Gota. We'll hear music and conversation with Lyon, and also from Flemming Peterson, and Martin Joensen.  This show was recorded to be the last show of 2017, but ended up being the first show of 2018. These things happen. As a reminder, if you want to travel with us to the Faroe Islands this July, head on over to the Nordic Obsession page and put down your...

Christmas is here, and as a gift to our listeners, we're sharing a song from Elinborg. She's recorded a version of "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" that will melt even the coldest heart. We'll talk to Elinborg about Christmas in the Faroes and what it's like to have a famous Faroese song (written by her sister) that mentions Elinborg by name. Also, the Nordic Obsession Tour is returning fo...

On this week's podcast, we talk to Jórun Mørkøre about being the only female bodybuilder in the Faroe Islands, and her upcoming competition at the world championships in Boston. Then we'll stand at the marina in Torshavn and reflect on this year's visit to the Faroes. Update: Jórun made the top 5 in Boston. While the bad news is that she didn't finish on top, the good news is that this means she'l...

This week, we celebrate Halloween in the Faroe Islands. We'll go back and listen to the famous spooky screams in the tunnels north of Klaksvik, then go to a Halloween party and get an education on what is truly frightening in 2017. And, of course, there will be singing. To listen to the entire, unedited audio recorded in the tunnel, you can get that here . Also, the tunnel sounds first appeared on...

On this short podcast, we update everyone on our fundraising goals, plans for the Nordic Obsession Tour in 2018, and our record-breaking year for downloads. Then we listen to some Faroese poetry and magically find ourselves in an airport parking lot trying to defog a car's windshield. If you want to sign up for the Nordic Obsession mailing list, you can do that here. If you want to donate to our g...

This week, we talk to Scott Harrington, the outgoing coach for the Faroese Women's National Handball Team. He'll talk about his time in the Faroes and what's next for him. We also play with the awesome new tool, Translate Faroe Islands . The tool allows you to enter a sentence into the site, then it sends you back a video of a real, live Faroese person saying that sentence in Faroese. It's super c...

This week, we're raising money to fund another season of the podcast. We'll talk about our fundraising goals, what we plan on doing during this year's reporting trip to the Faroes,and how you can help out.  It's really easy, you can just donate here . Also, because it's not really a show without some sound from the Faroes, we stand on an industrial estate and look at... well... industrial things. 

This week, we speak with Mikael Blak, probably the most sought-after bass player in the Faroe Islands. He plays with so many bands he actually has trouble listing them all. We talk about his music, growing up in a house with one of the most important figures in Faroese music (his dad) and how playing punk influences how he plays jazz. Then we'll dry off in a library.

This week, we talk to Faroese people in the USA for the Great American Eclipse including Elin Brimheim Heinesen. We'll also talk to a couple who met at the Faroese eclipse in 2015, and then traveled to the US for this one. We'll also hear some audio from the eclipse. 

On day 2 of Olavsoka, we hear some poems, get lost, sing, dance, and eat some Spanish ham. Lots and lots of Spanish ham. Have we mentioned the ham? It was really good.

It's Olavsoka time again. The two day celebration kicks off on July 28th, and in honor of that, we're listening to recordings we made on Olavsoka a couple of years ago but have never shared until now. On day one of Olavsoka, we watch some football, hear some music, and observe a lot of horse poop.

When we last checked in with the 12 Olsen siblings in 2012, they were celebrating their combined 1,000th birthday. You may have thought, "Is that a world record?" Turns out, it is.  On this week's podcast, we hear the story of how the siblings came to be recognized as the oldest (in combined years) by the Guinness Book of World Records.