Stånga is a locality on the Swedish island of Gotland, with 491 inhabitants in 2014.[2]
Stånga is also the name of the larger populated area, socken (not to be confused with parish).[3] It comprises the same area as the administrative Stånga District, established on 1January 2016.[4]
Stånga is most noted for hosting the annual Stånga Games (Swedish: Stångaspelen).
Geography
Stånga is the name of the locality surrounding the medievalStånga Church,[5] sometimes referred to as Stånga kyrkby. It is also the name of the socken as well as the district. Stånga is located in the southeast part of Gotland.[6]
The Stånga Games (Stångaspelen), also referred to as the "Gotland Olympic Games", is an annual sports competition in Stånga. The first games were concluded on 27 July 1924. The games are held during five days around the second weekend in July and gathers about 2000 participants. Competitions are held in various Gutnish disciplines, some dating back to the Viking Age.[10] The sports include Varpa, Pärk, Caber toss, Gutnish pentathlon, Pillow fight on a pole (Herre på stång), Leg hook (Rövkrok), Hobble kick (Sparka Bleistre), Tug of war, eight-man teams (Dragkamp), Two-men tug of war, facing (Att dra hank), Two-men tug of war, back to back (Att täme stäut) etc.
^The exact extent of the socken, now district, can be obtained by clicking on Kartinställningar and check the Socken box in the menu of this map from the Swedish National Heritage Board database.
^Molin, Maria (12 June 2015). "Stångaspelen för den oinvigde" [Stånga Games for the uninitiated]. www.gotland.net. Gotlands Media AB. Retrieved 24 June 2016.