Yesterday afternoon I went to Lomma Harbour together with my friend the conductor Kristofer Wåhlander and his parents to visit another friend of ours, Thomas Håkansson who now has a small place where he is selling herring. Lomma is a place a few kilometres north of Malmoe and a place nowadays where mostly people who are well-off live. Thomas Håkansson lives in Kävlinge, a municipality north-west of Lund, but here in Lomma on the Scanian south-west coast north of Malmoe he now runs his small business. For many years Thomas was a carpenter and a wrestler. He lived then in a renovated 17th-century house in central Kävlinge and had his carpentry on a hill on the opposite side of the Kävlinge River. I met Thomas and Kristofer back then when we all participated in the Viking Stage Plays. It was great and good plays. Thomas still is involved in the theatre business. Sometimes as an amateur actor, and partly as a stage- and set-builder. He’s been involved both in ordinary plays and operas. Thomas Håkansson some years ago sold his carpentry and started working extra in the health-care system, married and got children. He’s an active man and a down-to-earth Scanian. When he saw me yesterday he exclaimed: “Anders Moberg. Men halleåu” with broad Scanian diphtongs and a smile.
When Thomas came to Lomma about a year ago he joined a man who had this place before him. This little store was then called “Sillapågen”/”The Herring lad”, and they sold herring to those who passed by. After a while Thomas discovered that the owner then was a scoundrel and a trixter, despite his 75 years of age. So noticed the others in Lomma Harbour, so a couple of months ago that man was kicked out, reported to the police and lost his business. Then Thomas saw his chance and bought the place. He has now run it for five weeks. The new name of the place is “Sillakungen”/”The Herring King”.
There is a portrait of Thomas as a king on the cabin wall, but the new logo will be the sea-god Neptune in a crown, and his trident in hand, as well as a barrel of herring. That logo was just finished yesterday, but Thomas hasn’t had time to use it yet. He has his new business seven days a week, and open from 10 am to five pm . Thomas is selling slices of bread with herring on it, plates with herring, mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, and also salmon. Thomas is helped by a young woman in the store who also serves the customers.
Thomas has his devout customers, and also random ones who pass by and get some genuine Scanian sea food. From the early High Middle Ages until the mid- or late 1600’s Öresund was teaming with herring. It was the fishing of and mercantile business with herring that once made this region flourish. There were fairs and market places along the south and west coast of Scania which grew in importance. Falsterbo and Skanör on the Falsterbo Peninsula in the south-west corner was one very important place for several hundred years, and the city of Malmoe also was founded in the 12th century and grew in importance until the 16th and early 17th century thanks to the herring trade.
Thomas Håkansson doesn’t have any web site or e-mail adress, but he can be reached on his phone +46 (0)70-111 25 62 or +46 (0)393 96 04. The big store Konsum in Furulund has contacted Thomas and wants to buy herring from him not only in the summer time, since the store here in the harbour won’t have many guests in late autumn, during winter and spring. Thomas is buying his fish fresh and is then preparing it. Thomas intends also to make deals with Konsum in Kävlinge and then he’s satisfied. He prefers to run a small business. The food was good and Thomas and his aid knows their business. I can recommend anyone to go and visit Thomas, The Herring King, and eat some ordinary, but very good fish. It’s worth it. Kristofer Wåhlander also put up posters on the wall about an opera concert on Borgeby and Torup castles respectively in August and September. That too will be enjoyable no doubt.
Lomma Harbour is beautiful, especially on a day like the one yesterday. The houses are neat and modern, the water gleaming in the sun and along the bridges various forms of motor boats and sailing vessels are seen. If you want to sail this is a good site to go from, or if you just want to take a stroll in the harbour that is also worthwile. Take a trip to Lomma and enjoy!
Anders Moberg, July 18th 2013
swedish heart and soul 