The Scandinavian Series #4 - Bergen's Buekorps

Buekorps is a Bergen tradition, although historically not unique for Bergen, it is only here that the tradition has survived. If you are visiting Bergen during the march - april period you might come across one, if you visit Bergen during 17th of may you will surely come across them all.

A Buekorps is a group of children (mainly boys) who practice marching, drumming and different formations in the streets of Bergen. Buekorps is a rare and very stange tradition orginating from the old ”police force” or brigades of citizens. Children had their fathers in these brigades and thought it looked cool, so they started playing with doing the same stuff their fathers were doing. The first buekorps Dræggens Buekorps dates all the way back to 1856, some also think that Skutevikens Bataljon is older, but that can’t be confirmed. 
Buekorpsene isn’t involved in politics, religion or anything of the like and according to the Buekorps web site, "Everyone can join a buekorps. There is one restriction though, only 3 buekorps accept girls, and only one of those Løvstakkens Jægerkorps accept both sexes."  
I'd say "everyone" is a pretty big word in this case...

Strictly speaking, it is not a beret that the Buekorps use, with the pompom on top, but it's close enough for The Beret Project.