The Witch of Skúvoy

“In the Faroe Islands, on the island of Skúvoy, there lived a woman named Sára Malena Guttormsdóttir. She is said to have been the last witch in the Faroe Islands…”

Sára Malena of Heimaragarður in Skúvoy was born in 1832 and died in 1903. She was an only child. From an early age, she had a poor reputation. The other children did not want her in their games, the adults disapproved of her habit of begging, and her parents would perhaps have preferred to be rid of her. Yet she was intelligent, learned to read long before starting school, and was hardworking both indoors and out.

Later, stories began to circulate that she possessed magical powers and could cast curses on others. It was said that she was responsible for several misfortunes and that, on more than one occasion, she took revenge for humiliation and bullying.

“Stories about the witch from Skúvoy were told with wonder throughout the country,” writes folklorist Eyðun Andreassen in his article about Sára Malena in the journal Brá (1984).

Welcome to our interpretation of the story of Sára Malena.

Concept and Idea: Gunnvá Zachariasen

Director: Ria Tórgarð

Duration: Approximately 60 minutes, without an intermission.

Age recommendation: 15+

Production: TVAZZ in collaboration with Teatur Grugg

Supported by: The Faroese Ministry of Culture, Tórshavn Municipality, the Faroese Cultural Foundation, and Listaflog 2024.

Photos: gauihpic.

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