Kubb, the lawn-game popularized in modern Sweden in the 1990s, has made it to the US.
In the early days, Kubb games spattered the grassy parks around Stockholm and urban areas throughout Sweden. It was new to Swedes then, too. The marketing of the game linked it to ancient Gotland, and when you say “ancient” in Sweden, it is an easy leap to Vikings. Outside of Sweden, that means…Vikingmania. And it is way more colorful to tie it to Vikings. (factual note: the game as such is not older than 20th century.)
An article from the Twincities.com website (including a video spot) from Minnesota shows how its explosive popularity has surpassed that of Swedes of Sweden with determined Kubb players taking to the frozen lakes to play kubb. I can’t say I have ever seen a kubb game anywhere in Sweden on snow let alone ice.
Yo modern Vikings…your cousins in the US midwest are beating you in outdoor determination. Why skate, ski or ice fish when you can swill chilled beers and play kubb!
