the Inside this issue: Norwegian Need some hygge? This cookbook can help american story on pages 12-13 Volume 127, #34 • December 30, 2016 Est. May 17, 1889 • Formerly Norwegian American Weekly, Western Viking & Nordisk Tidende $3 USD Close encounters of the whale kind in Tromsø’s fjords
What’s inside? « Måtte alle dine problemer Nyheter / News 2-3 Meet Norway’s orcas and humpbacks aboard a vare like lenge som dine Business 4-5 nyttårsforsetter. » Opinion 6-7 whale safari in the waters of northern Norway – Joey Adams Sports 8-9 Research & Science 10 Vanessa Brune Arts & Entertainment 11 Tromsø, Norway Taste of Norway 12-13 It’s 8:30 a.m. on a Saturday morning at the harbor Aurora Explorer Norway near you 14-15 of Tromsø in northern Norway. The local fishermen So we board the Aurora Explorer, a boat with two Travel 16-17 have tied up their boats and gone to sleep after a night decks that cruises the Barents Sea around Svalbard in at sea. We, however, are up at the crack of dawn, which summer and brings tourists to see the whales in Trom- Norwegian Heritage 18-19 in November in the Arctic is somewhere between 9:00 sø in winter. Inside we hear excited chatter in Swedish, Norsk Språk 20-21 and 11:00 a.m. French, Italian, English, and German. Everyone is ex- Barneblad 22 The town is still asleep and there’s no one around cited but also a little tired. Puzzles 23 except for a few tourists on a boat named Aurora We slowly make our way out of Tromsø’s harbor Explorer capturing Tromstalstind, Tromsø’s highest and roam the deck to take pictures of the sunrise. The mountain, at sunrise. It is a gorgeous sight indeed—a wind soon becomes icy, so everyone gathers inside $1 = NOK 8.709 snow-capped mountain illuminated by pink sunrays— again to learn more about the creatures we hope to see updated 12/22/2016 but it’s not what we’re here for. that day. In comparison We board the boat with one goal in mind: to see 11/22/2016 8.5321 the whales out at sea! See > whales page 17 06/22/2016 8.2954 12/22/2015 8.7000 Whale watching near Tromsø. Photo: Asgeir Helgestad / Artic Light AS / Visitnorway.com 2 • December 30, 2016 Nyheter fra Norge theNorwegianamerican Nyheter Kystgeiter fra Selje urbaniseres Et av Norges eldste tidsvitner er død Et av Norges siste tidsvitner, Alf Mon- Noen av Norges kyst- rad Knudsen fra Son i Akershus, døde geiter forlater hjemmet 17. desember, 93 år gammel. Han over- levde opphold i fem konsentrasjonsleirer sitt og flytter til Oslo for under 2. verdenskrig og har fått Kon- et helt spesielt oppdrag gens fortjenstmedalje for sin innsats som tidsvitne, skriver Moss Avis. I 1942, da Matunda Bigirimana Knudsen var 19 år gammel, ble han tatt av NRK tyske soldater på svenskegrensen. Han ble sendt til Auschwitz, og senere til Sachsen En ettermiddag i desember lastes 23 hausen, Birkenau, Buchenwald og Maj kystgeiter ombord for en 60 mil lang kjøre- danek. Han fortrengte opplevelsene fra tur over fjellet. tiden i konsentrasjonsleirene i mange år — I Oslo har vi et problem med at kul- etter krigen, men brøt tausheten i 1995. turlandskapet gror igjen, og vi har for lite Da ble han med som tidsvitne cirka fire beitedyr. Mye busker og kratt gjør at vi mis- ganger i året på Stiftelsen Hvite Bussers ter mye av utsikten, og dermed mister vi også turer til de tidligere konsentrasjonsleirene opplevelsen av landskapet, sier formidler på i Polen og Tyskland. Da han fylte 90 år, Bogstad besøksgård, Jonas Løvaas Gjerstad slakket han litt ned på farten men fortsatte i Bymiljøetaten. Foto: Matunda Bigirimana / NRK som tidsvitne nesten helt til det siste. 17. Geitene fra Selje er derfor nå nye kom- Etter en lang reise over fjellet, har 23 kystgeiter nå fått et nytt hjem på Bogstad gård. mai i år ble Alf Monrad Knudsen også munalt ansatte i Oslo kommune, og skal hedret med Regjeringens minnemedalje. beite på disse områdene, slik at man kan få (VG) utsikten tilbake. som drev med dette ble sett på som noen tte, sier Jonas Løvaas Gjerstad. — I tillegg til å ta vare på en ekstremt originaler, men i ettertid har interessen for Oslo kommune og landbruksdirektora- To av tre er mot DAB-tvang utrydningstruet geiterase, vil denne flyttin- kystgeitene begynt å øke, sier bonde Helge tet har delfinansiert prosjektet for å kunne Til neste år skal rikskanalene på radio gen bidra til bedre landskap i Oslo. På sikt Borgund fra Selje. flytte kystgeitene til Oslo. gradvis flyttes fra FM til DAB. Den 11. kan vi også få et næringslivsopplegg, der det Han er en av de seks bøndene i Sogn og — Det er viktig å ta vare på det bio januar er Nordland første fylke ut i den kan produseres kjøtt av dyr som har gått på Fjordane som har gitt fra seg noen av sine logiske artsmangfoldet i Norge. Da er vi vel- store radioomleggingen, som har vært beite i Oslo, sier han. kystgeiter til Oslo kommune. dig glad for å kunne få noen av kystgeitene varslet i flere år og diskutert i mange om- I flere år har kystgeiten tilhørt en hånd- Mattilsynet har gitt tillatelse for at over til Oslo. Det er viktig å kunne spre de ganger. Men motstanden er altså fortsatt full bønder i Sogn og Fjordane. I dag håper disse dyrene skal kunne fraktes over fylke utover landet, sier byråd for miljø og sam- stor, kort tid før omleggingen til DAB de at denne flyttingen vil være med på å spre grensene. ferdsel, Lan Marie Nguyen Berg. er et faktum. I en undersøkelse Ipsos har arten, og styrke den. — Det er ganske unikt at vi har fått lov gjort for Dagbladet, svarer 66 prosent at — Da landbruket ble spesialisert på av mattilsynet til å flytte disse geitene. Disse English Synopsis: In order to improve the landscap- de er imot FM-slukkingen. 17 prosent er 60-tallet, og geitene skulle vekk, var det noen har vært en del av et prosjekt der de har blitt ing and protect the species, 23 coast goats have been moved from their home in Selje to graze in Oslo. for, mens like mange sier de ikke har noen få som ikke ville gi seg med kystgeitene. De testet. De er friske og dermed trygge til å fly- mening. Styreleder Svein Larsen i Norsk lokalradioforbund merker seg motstanden mot det han selv mener er unødvendig. — Motstanden er ikke vanskelig å forstå. Det er åpenbart at det er vanskelig å argu- Tre nye Håper på Kina-vekst mentere for at det er nødvendig å slokke FM-nettet og erstatte det med DAB. Når Sjømat Norge øyner man tenker på NRKs intensive kampan- statsråder håp for at norsk laks jer om DAB, er det forbausende lavt, sier Larsen om at bare 17 prosent er for sluk- Solberg presenterte og sjømat endelig skal kingen. — Men Norge har jo tatt beslut- ningen. Av praktiske og økonomiske Frank Bakke-Jensen (H), få normal tilgang til det årsaker er det for sent å snu nå. kinesiske markedet (Aftenposten) Terje Søviknes (Frp) og Per-Willy Amundsen Andreas Budalen Grønt lys for små bilskilt NRK Samferdselsminister Ketil Solvik-Olsen (Frp) 20. desember (Frp) kommer med en liten julegave til — Vi setter stor pris på nyheten om nor- norske bilentusiaster, særlig de som kjør- Karen Tjernshaugen, Solveig Ruud & malisering. Dette er en sak som norske myn- er eldre, amerikanske biler. Det norske Tarjei Kramviken digheter, enkeltselskaper i næringen og Sjø- regelverket for bilskilt har lenge skapt Aftenposten mat Norge har jobbet for i lang tid. Det kan hodebry for eiere av spesielt amerikanske ha stor betydning for utvikling i handel med veteranbiler. Den norske standarden for — Jeg ser frem til å samarbeide med Kina i de kommende årene, sier assisterende bilskilt krever større plass til skiltet enn disse tre, sa statsminister Erna Solberg da direktør Trond Davidsen i Sjømat Norge til Foto: Petter Strøm / NRK det enkelte biler har. Fra nyttår forsvin- hun kom ut på Slottsplassen med sine nye NRK. Norges forhold til Kina siden 2010 har rammet ner problemet. — Det er i dag gjort en statsråder 20. desember ettermiddag. Forholdet mellom Kina og Norge norsk fiskerieksport. regelverksendring slik at vi nå gjør det Det er også gjort en rekke endringer i skal normaliseres, og landene gjenopptar litt enklere for de mange som er opptatt sammensetningen av statssekretærer og poli- forhandlingene om frihandelsavtale. Sjømat- av bilkultur og flotte kjøretøy, sier sam- tiske rådgivere. næringen håper at Norge igjen kan konkur- etterspørselen vil øke dersom verdens største ferdselsministeren. Enkelte biler, særlig Etter seansen på Slottsplassen holdt rere på lik linje i det kinesiske markedet. marked nå åpner opp for mer import. Det vil amerikanske, har skiltplass som er for statsminister Erna Solberg og de nye Norsk laks og sjømat opplevde store trolig slå ut som ytterligere økning av lakse- liten for standard norsk skiltstørrelse. Det statsrådene pressekonferanse i statsminister- utfordringer i det kinesiske markedet etter prisen og økt produksjonspress. ser ikke pent ut, og det kan hindre både boligen. fredspristildelingen i 2010. — Vi har i flere år hatt en ubalanse mel- normal drivstoffylling og kjøling av mo- Solberg opplyste at to av statsrådene — Spesielle veterinære kontroller lom det som tilbys til verdensmarkedet og toren, samt gjøre det vanskelig å åpne som takkes av—Anders Anundsen og Tord gjorde at produktene brukte så lang tid at de det som etterspørres av laks og ørret. Det bagasjeluken. — Små kjennemerker kan Lien—selv har bedt om å få fratre. Den tred- har vært vanskelig å selge til Kina. Vi har har vært noe avhjulpet med at man har hatt nå brukes der bilens design tilsier det er je, EØS- og EU-minister Elisabeth Aspaker, fortsatt hatt en betydelig eksport til Kina, visse utfordringer med Kina og at Russland eneste praktiske løsning, sier Solvik-Ol- har ikke bedt om å få gå av. Hun blir skiftet men vi har ikke fått tatt del i veksten i det har vært helt stengt, men det er åpenbart at sen. Det er imidlertid ikke helt fritt fram, kinesiske markedet, sier Davidsen. dersom disse landene kommer tilbake til visse vilkår må oppfylles før små skilt kan Se > statsråder, side 21 Norges forhold til Kina har vært svært markedet, så vil den ubalansen forsterke seg kjølig siden 2010, da Nobels fredspris ble til- ytterligere, sier Davidsen. brukes og biler som er designet for vanlig English Synopsis: Prime Minister Erna Solberg pre- europeisk skiltstørrelse skal uansett bruke sented three new ministers on Dec. 20: Frank Bakke- delt den kinesiske demokrati- og menneske vanlige skilt. Jensen (H) as Minister of EEA and EU Affairs, Terje rettighetsforkjemperen Liu Xiaobo i 2010. English Synopsis: Norway’s seafood industry hopes (VG) Søviknes (Frp) as Minister of Petroleum and Energy, Norsk laks og ørret er allerede sterkt that the normalization of ties between China and Nor- and Per-Willy Amundsen (Frp) as Minister of Justice. etterspurt globalt, og Sjømat Norge tror at way will enable normal access to the Chinese market. theNorwegianamerican News December 30, 2016 • 3 Norway teen literacy Relations This week in brief Norway’s workers among the happiest with China Norway is home to the second happiest Boys are catching workers in the world, an international sur- up to girls in English vey from the branding research firm Uni- to normalize versum claims. The firm’s “Global Work- proficiency, but not force Happiness Index” concluded that Norway and China Norway trails only neighboring Denmark. yet in Norwegian Following Denmark and Norway in patch up their six- the study were Costa Rica, Sweden, and Austria. The United States ranks 36, well M. Michael Brady year quarrel over Liu behind 13th-place Mexico and right be- Asker, Norway Xiaobo’s Nobel Prize tween South Africa and Kazakhstan. The survey asked over 200,000 young Reading and writing are the first two of professionals in 57 markets to rank their Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Staff the three Rs, the basic skills of literacy on satisfaction level, willingness to recom- which all education builds. Yet around the mend their current employer to others, and During a visit to Beijing on Dec. 19, world, reading and writing skills are declin- likelihood to switch jobs in the near future. Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Børge ing. That trend has caused alarm at the inter- Universum’s research manager Dan- Brende released a joint declaration regarding national level and now is much studied, as iel Eckert said that countries that score the relationship between China and Norway. in the OECD’s Program for the International the highest on employee satisfaction are “I am pleased that we can announce the Assessment of Adult Competences. the most likely to have an overall thriving full normalization of our political and diplo- In multicultural Europe, declining lit- Photo: allison.johnston / Flickr economy. “Employee happiness is crucial Norwegian boys are exposed to English through matic relations with China here in Beijing to- eracy is an acute challenge, as it weakens for retaining good talent as well as having video games. day. This joint statement opens up many op- second-language skills now essential in edu- a motivated workforce that delivers great portunities for cooperation. We have already cation and work. In Norway, for instance, results and continuously innovates,” he agreed to immediately resume negotiations admission to higher education now requires said in a press release. reading on paper to reading on screen is one on a free trade agreement.” proficiency in Norwegian and English. A The report said that work-life balance cause. The European Union accordingly initi- Norway has not had political contact college or university student is expected to is “a top-driver” in employee happiness. ated Europe-wide research on the impact of with China since 2010, when Beijing froze function in at least two languages. Similar (The Local) requirements apply in some professions, like digitization on reading, called E-READ, a ties with Oslo over the awarding of the No- healthcare and the oil and gas sector. four-year international program from 2015 to bel Peace Prize to Chinese dissident and hu- The protection needs of minorities from Speculation is rife on the underlying 2018, involving universities in 26 countries, man rights activist Liu Xiaobo. Liu has been Syria and Iraq causes of the decline in reading skills, though evidence suggests that the ongoing shift from See > reading, page 6 See > china, page 19 It it not often that the Norwegian Diplo- matic Mission in Geneva calls for a press conference in the United Nations to pres- ent a report, but it happened this Decem- ber. The subject was the protection needs Norway’s turn at the Oscars? of minorities from Syria and Iraq. It’s a well-known fact that the whole population of Syria and Iraq is feeling the The King’s Choice toll of the armed conflict in their coun- / Kongens nei is tries. The report presented in Geneva to journalists and the diplomatic community shortlisted for the best complements the existing information base by improving understanding of the foreign-language film protection needs of religious and ethnic minorities, including those remaining in Syria and Iraq and those who have fled to The Local neighboring countries. The report is geared toward humanitar- The Norwegian film The King’s Choice ian actors providing lifesaving assistance / Kongens nei is one of nine movies to make the short list for the best foreign-language film at next year’s Academy Awards, Variety See > minorities, page 10 reported. SAS considers establishing bases Director Erik Poppe’s film about King Haakon VII’s resistance to the Nazi invasion outside of Scandinavia of Norway made the cut from the original list SAS announced on Dec. 13 that it made of 85 submissions. 1.431 billion Swedish kronor in profits in It will compete with fellow Scandi- 2015/16 but is nonetheless considering navian films Land of Mine / Under Sandet Photo: NFI.no establishing bases outside of Scandinavia (Denmark) and A Man Called Ove / En man Kongens nei has a shot at an Oscar this year but faces stiff competition from Danish, Swedish, and in an effort to further cut costs. som heter Ove (Sweden) as well as feature German films in the Best Foreign Language Film category. SAS competitor Norwegian has es- films from Australia, Canada, Germany, tablished operations outside of Scandina- Iran, Russia, and Switzerland. via via its Irish subsidiary, a move critics Only five of the nine will be presented Veiviseren in 1987, The Other Side of Sunday of a group of German POWs who are made say was designed to circumvent strict la- as official nominees on January 24. The Os- / Søndagsengler in 1996, Elling in 2001, and to clear Danish beaches of Nazi mines fol- bor laws in Norway. cars will then be handed out on February 6 in Kon-Tiki in 2012. None of those managed to lowing the war. SAS CEO Rickard Gustafson Los Angeles. take home the Oscar, so Kongens nei has a The German entry Toni Erdmann is also stressed that the establishment of bases Kongens nei will vie to be the sixth Nor- chance to make Norwegian film history. a clear favorite, with the comedy winning abroad would not necessarily mean the wegian nominee for the Best Foreign Lan- However, it will face stiff competition best film, director, actress, actor, and screen- closure of its current bases in Scandina- guage Film. The previous nominees were from the Danish entry Under Sandet, which writer at the European Film Awards earlier via. “We will still fly from Scandinavia. Nine Lives / Ni liv in 1957, Pathfinder / is tipped as an early favorite. It tells the story this month. We need to do that in order to offer cus- tomers an effective flight plan,” he said, according to Danish news agency Ritzau. This week’s news from Norway is brought to you through partnerships with: SAS announced in October that it was adding 15 new routes from Copenhagen, Stockholm, and Oslo in summer 2017. SAS is 50 percent owned by the Dan- ish, Norwegian, and Swedish states. The airline celebrated 70 years in 2016. www.thelocal.no & theforeigner.no (The Local) 4 • December 30, 2016 Business theNorwegianamerican Business News & Notes Statoil wins offshore wind lease in NY tions,” says Rummelhoff. Innovation history: Statoil has been declared the provisional The State of New York projects that off- winner of the U.S. government’s wind lease shore wind will be a significant part of the renewable energy generation needed to meet Norway’s arms magnate sale of 79,350 acres offshore New York. Statoil will now have the opportunity to its Clean Energy Standard in 2030. explore the potential development of an off- (Statoil) Nils Waltersen Aasen is remembered for shore wind farm to provide New York City inventing the hand grenade and land mine and Long Island with a significant, long- Key policy rate unchanged at 0.50 term source of renewable electricity. percent Statoil submitted a winning bid of Norges Bank’s Executive Board has decid- $42,469,725 during the online offshore wind ed to leave the key policy rate unchanged auction concluded Dec. 16 by the U.S. De- at 0.50 percent. partment of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Expected policy rates for Norway’s Energy Management (BOEM). trading partners have increased since Sep- “We are excited to have submitted the tember. Oil prices have risen and are now most competitive bid in a highly attractive somewhat higher than expected, while the project, Statoil’s first offshore wind lease in krone has appreciated more than anticipat- the United States. We now look forward to ed. There are prospects that inflation will working with New York’s state agencies and be lower than projected and that activity in contributing to New York meeting its future the Norwegian economy is picking up at energy needs by applying our offshore ex- a somewhat slower pace than projected in perience and engineering expertise,” says September. Irene Rummelhoff, Statoil’s executive vice Changes in the outlook for inflation president for New Energy Solutions. and capacity utilization imply, in isolation, The lease comprises an area that could a somewhat lower key policy rate in the potentially accommodate more than 1 GW coming years. On the other hand, the rapid of offshore wind, with a phased develop- rise in house prices and household debt has ment expected to start with 400-600 MW. increased the risk of a sharp fall in demand The New York Wind Energy Area is located further out. A lower key policy rate increas- Photo: Public domain 14-30 miles offshore, spans 79,350 acres, es the risk of a further acceleration in house Diagram of a Russian Aasen mortar of World War I. and covers water depths between 65 and price inflation and debt accumulation. The 131 feet. risk of a build-up of financial imbalances Statoil will next conduct studies to bet- and the uncertainty surrounding the effects Rasmus Falck ter understand the seabed conditions, the of a lower key policy rate now suggest a Oslo, Norway grid connection options, and the wind re- cautious approach to interest rate setting. sources involved in the lease site. “Our current assessment of the outlook One day in November 1911, during the investors and founded the Aasenske Granat- “We will work closely with the New suggests that the key policy rate will most Italian-Ottoman War 1911-12, some Italian kompani. The timing just before the out- York State Energy Research and Develop- likely remain at today’s level in the period pilots in thin planes flew over Ottoman mili- break of WWI was perfect. From Russia he ment Authority (NYSERDA) on these stud- ahead,” says Governor Øystein Olsen. tary units in the desert just outside Tripoli, received an order of one million hand gre- ies and throughout the permitting process (Norges Bank) in what is today Libya. They threw some nades. The Pope also bought 2,000 grenades. and in connection with power offtake op- hand grenades at the enemy, the first bombs Testing weapons was risky. Out of the dropped from the air. The surprised Turks 155 members in the French commission Exchange Rates Oslo Børs: Week at a Glance probably did not know that the grenades (where he was a member) that checked all were actually manufactured by a Norwegian. new weapon inventions, 80 were killed in (Dec. 22, 2016) Winners Losers That Norwegian was Nils Waltersen three months. He witnessed many of the ac- Norsk Kr. 8.4268 Name NOK Change Name NOK Change Aasen (1875-1925), credited with having cidents himself, and later in life he counted Dansk Kr. 7.1178 Panoro Energy 5.50 28.21% Hiddn Solutions 6.25 -17.11% created the modern hand grenade and land 37 scars from fragments and bullets. Archer 11.00 19.83% Photocure 43.70 -8.96% mine just prior to WWI. He was born in Ris- WWI made him wealthy. At the most Svensk Kr. 9.1961 InterOil 2.95 13.46% SeaBird Exploration 11.80 -8.53% sa, Norway, and went on to graduate from he had 13,000 employees in 14 factories in Islandsk Kr. 113.47 Sevan Drilling 2.98 7.19% Techstep 5.51 -8.01% Odfjell Drilling 16.60 7.10% Petrolia 3.75 -6.25% Fortress-Artillery School for Non-Commis- France. He lived in a castle in Avenue des Canadian $ 1.3491 sioned Officers in 1903. Bois in Paris and had a summer place in Nice For detailed information about the Oslo Børs, visit www.dn.no. Euro 0.9397 He started his experiments developing a by the Riviera. He received a number of hon- hand grenade while serving as a sergeant at orary degrees and awards for his inventions Oscarsborg Fortress. He was encouraged in and was made an honorary colonel in the his work by the commander at the fortress, French army and a Chevalier in the order of former defense minister Hans Georg Stang, the Legion d’honneur in 1915. who was a strong supporter in the reinforce- He was more a philanthropist and inven- ment and modernization of the military, es- tor than a financier, however, so his fortune pecially with the threat of a possible conflict was greatly reduced. The last one and a half with Sweden. years of his life, he lived in Stoughton, Wis., IT’S YOUR FUTURE When he wanted to sell his patent for where he established his new company, the 80,000 kroner to the Norwegian Ministry of Aasen Corporation. At the age of 48, he died PLAN FOR IT Defense, the answer was no. He reduced the from tuberculosis. Your hopes and dreams are too important to leave to chance. price to 2,000 kroner, but the answer was still We’ll help you follow a financial path that leads to your goals. no. His hand grenade was armed by a long cord that burned through as it was thrown While we’re at it, we’ll help make sure you’re prepared Rasmus Falck is a strong for the unexpected, because your family— or dropped. The grenade could not explode innovation and entrepre- and your future—are counting on you. prematurely during the first 10 meters of its neurship advocate. The au- Call your local Thrivent Financial flight, for the safety pin was only withdrawn thor of “What do the best representative or visit after the burning of a strip of wool 10 meters do better” and “The board Thrivent.com/planforit today. long, with which it was secured. Aasen also of directors as a resource created inventions for civil use. in SME,” he received his The inventor visited country after coun- masters degree from the try. Luckily for him, most other countries University of Wisconsin-Madison. He currently were interested. In Copenhagen he found lives in Oslo, Norway.
This is a solicitation for insurance. A Thrivent Financial representative may contact you. Insurance products LEWIS O. TITLAND Quality Accounting & Tax Services for: issued or offered by Thrivent Financial, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, Appleton, WI. Not all products are available in all states. Thrivent Financial representatives are licensed insurance Certified Public Accountant Small businesses agents/producers of Thrivent. For additional important information, visit Thrivent.com/disclosures. (206)789-5433 Individuals Appleton, Wisconsin • Minneapolis, Minnesota • Thrivent.com • 800-847-4836 • 221 1st Ave. W. Ste. 400 Specialized Assistance 29282J N10-16 Seattle, WA 98119 theNorwegianamerican Business December 30, 2016 • 5 Technology for refugees: Norwegians help the Techfugees initiative reassurance. It was an artificial intelligent (AI) approach to solve the problem of mak- ing more personalized information available John Sperryn at the right time, versus having to scan whole Nordic Startup Bits websites often in the local language. The final (and winning) team was It was perhaps significant that the Oslo KomInn, which is an online platform fo- Innovation Week (OIW) five-day series of cused on learning language. After the simple events in October was preceded by a 48-hour sign-up registration, individuals and families Techfugees hackathon, where more than one can get together for dinners to socialize and hundred data scientists, engineers, user ex- learn the language in a relaxed atmosphere. perience designers, and entrepreneurs united More detailed information about the in teams to build prototypes alongside refu- event and the finalists can be found at techfu- gees and find solutions to enable better inte- gees.com/events/techfugees-oslo-hackathon. gration into Norwegian society. Energy and drive in innovation Techfugees hackathon Complacency is a risk for such a wealthy Techfugees is a social enterprise and and advanced economy as Norway, but lead- has been a fast-growing global community Photo courtesy of Techfugees ers are taking the current and future chal- since its inception one year ago. Currently The organizers of the Techfugees Hackathon. lenges seriously. With so much global eco- there is a network of more than 15,000 in- nomic instability, uncertainty, and political novators and engineers building technology and social unrest, Norway has taken a posi- to meet the needs of refugees. In this short dedicated programs for infrastructure, edu- Learning from different cultures tive approach to welcoming refugees and im- space of time, more than 27 global chapters cation, identity, health, and inclusion. Oct. 17 was the final chance for three fi- migrants. It is these new arrivals who often and hundreds of ongoing projects have been Strategic partners, such as Schibsted Me- nalist teams to impress the judges with their have the greater need and desire to achieve developed. dia Group, and the generosity of local event solutions. in their new surroundings. They bring with The community, led by Mike Butcher of partners Finn.no, Katapult Norway, and UT: First to go was SkiwoGo (skiwo.com), them passion and new skills and they have Techcrunch fame, explained before the final Studentbyrå in the case of Oslo are critical en- “real interpreters on demand, any time” with the opportunity to revolutionize innovation, pitching that the non-profit organization is ablers for the growth of the movement. the solution to connect volunteer interpret- perhaps by bringing a more frugal mindset to focused on providing technology and expert From the 12 teams that pitched that ers in real time via a video call to help over- solutions, based on their previous experienc- help for refugees. Techfugee’s volunteers night with their solutions ranging from on- come the initial language barriers faced by es in making solutions with fewer resources. work with non-governmental organizations line platforms for matching skilled refugees refugees. (NGOs) and are supported by donations and to jobs to chatbots designed to help refugees Heart-to-Heart was the second team to This article was originally published key partnerships. The focus is on “hacking” find information about social activities and pitch. They created an app for pregnant wom- on Nordic Startup Bits. View the com- towards simple design, agile development, local services, the final three teams were se- en, a kind of personal assistant that they can plete article at www.nordicstartupbits. and creative solutions. Techfugee’s T5 pro- lected to pitch the following morning, short- chat with and that can help schedule nursing com/2016/11/01/61934. gram highlights five main focus areas with ly before the official opening of OIW. appointments and give extra information and
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< reading From page 3 led by the University of Stavanger. Two more recent Norwegian research programs have probed causes of literacy de- clines, focusing on English as the most preva- lent second language. First, researchers at the University of Oslo assessed the first-vs. New Year’s Greetings from Ambassador Kåre R. Aas second-language reading skills of 10,000 pu- to readers of The Norwegian American pils in upper secondary schools (equivalent to U.S. high schools). Their principal finding, published in English this past October, was Dear Readers, the game, with his successful defense of that the gender difference in skill is chang- Sometimes it feels like just yester- his World Chess Championship against ing. Girls have long been more proficient than day that I began my term as Norway’s Sergey Karjakin one short month ago. I boys in reading first-language Norwegian and Ambassador to the United States, but had the great pleasure of hosting Mag- second-language English. But now boys have the calendar tells me that somehow it nus at my residence in D.C. earlier this caught up and are almost as proficient as girls has already been three years. It’s amaz- year, with the chance to take him on in a in reading English, though not in reading Nor- ing how quickly the time can pass, isn’t game of chess. Sadly, I didn’t win—but wegian. The cause identified was that boys are it? That’s why I find that it’s a good idea I’m proud to mention that I hung in there more absorbed than girls in computer games, to take time at the end of the year to look for 15 moves. in which English is the default language. back at the 12 months that have passed, As I alluded to earlier, I’ve done a Second, researchers at the Norwegian as a reminder of how far we’ve come. lot of traveling this year, to many parts Social Research institute looked at the ef- In the past year, as in all years, of the United States, which has given me fects of two extracurricular activities, sports we’ve celebrated the Norwegian–Amer- the chance to meet so many wonderful, and computer gaming, on performance in ican relationship. The bilateral relation- fascinating people. As much as I enjoy three school subjects: mathematics, Norwe- ship between Norway and America has, Washington, it’s always nice to get out gian, and English. Overall, they found that in my opinion, never been stronger. and meet people from other parts of the girls outperform boys. For all pupils, partici- As I’m fond of pointing out, the country, to see how they work and live, pation in sports was found to have a positive U.S. Census shows that there are more and to learn what they’ve got on their effect on performance in school subjects, people who identify as Norwegian Photo: Courtesy Royal Norwegian Embassy minds. In 2016 alone, I visited Iowa, while computer gaming was found to have a American than there are people living Ambassador Kåre Aas wishes you a happy 2017. Wisconsin, Michigan, South Carolina, negative effect on mathematics and Norwe- in Norway! I find that fascinating. What Texas, New York, Illinois, Washington gian and a lesser negative effect on English. better way to illustrate how thoroughly State, Alaska, Minnesota, Ohio, Florida, interconnected our two nations truly invited by President Obama. This was a nice and California. I look forward to further Further reading: are? Our countries have extremely close acknowledgment that the Nordic countries travels in the year to come and hope to • Program for the International Assess- ties, shared values, and intertwined his- have certain ways of doing things—econom- have the chance to meet many of you ment of Adult Competences (PIAAC), a cy- tories. ically, politically, and socially—that might readers. clical, large-scale study under the Organiza- For proof of how important Norway be of interest to other nations. We’re now wrapping up the Embas- tion for Economic Cooperation and Devel- considers its ties to America, look no Those who are interested in learn- sy’s 20th annual Norwegian Christmas opment (OECD). further than the official visits of mem- ing more about those ways might consider in Washington, D.C., where we have an • “E-reading probed: is it effective? Inter- bers of our government. In 2016, our picking up a copy of Nordic Ways, a book enormous, beautiful Christmas tree on national research in e-reading led by Univer- Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and of short, insightful essays written by distin- display right in the middle of the city’s sity of Stavanger,” Norwegian American, Feb. Minister of Defense were among many guished authors from all five countries rep- Union Station. We had a beautiful cere- 11, 2015, link: www.norwegianamerican. notable members of the Norwegian gov- resenting a broad spectrum of Nordic life. mony at the end of November where we com/news/e-reading-probed-is-it-effective. ernment who paid official visits to the Published earlier this year, it’s an engaging, gave the tree to the citizens of America, • “The complexity of second language United States. informative read, featuring essays by more as we do every year, as thanks for their reading: Investigating the L1 (first language)- Foreign Minister Børge Brende and than 50 experts from all walks of life. assistance during World War II and for L2 (second language) relationship” by Lisbeth Defense Minister Ine Marie Eriksen In 2016 we’ve also seen steadily in- their friendship ever since. The tree and M. Brevik, Rolf Vegar Olsen & Glenn Ole Søreide visited America many creasing seafood exports from Norway to the the ceremony are excellent symbols of Hellekjær, Reading in a Foreign Language, times, most recently in December, and United States. This is very good news! Nor- the close relationship between our coun- Vol. 28, No. 2, Oct. 2016, link: nflrc.hawaii. will return in the New Year to meet with wegian salmon, cod, and halibut make ex- tries and epitomize what the term “Nor- edu/rfl/October2016/articles/brevik.pdf. the incoming administration. Norway cellent additions to any dinner. Rest assured, wegian American” is all about. • Idrett, dataspilling og skole—konkur- considers America our closest and stron- however, that this is not a one-way trading Thanks for a wonderful 2016. rende eller “på lag” (Sports, computer games, gest ally, and the ministers’ frequent vis- relationship: I try to do more than my share Here’s wishing you and yours a happy, and school—competitors or “on the same its are proof of the importance of the of sampling the local cuisine in every part of healthy, safe, and prosperous 2017! team”) by Mira Aaboen Sletten, Åse Strandbu relationship. America I have the good fortune to visit as & Øystein Gilje, Norsk Pedagogisk Tidsskrift Prime Minister Erna Solberg was part of my official duties. Sincerely, (Norwegian Journal of Pedagogy), No. 5, invited to the White House in May for Another Norwegian export of which I’m 2015, link: www.idunn.no/npt/2015/05/ the U.S.–Nordic Leaders’ Summit, an particularly proud: chess. The young prodigy Kåre R. Aas idrett_dataspilling_og_skole_-_konkurrer- unprecedented meeting of the minds, Magnus Carlsen continues his dominance of Ambassador of Norway to the U.S. ende_eller_paa_la (in Norwegian).
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Letters to the Editor theNorwegianamerican Published since May 17, 1889 Do you have something to say? 17713 15th Ave NE, #205, Shoreline, WA 98155 Tel: (206) 784-4617 • Email: [email protected] Write to us at The Norwegian American, Letter to the Editor, 17713 15th Ave NE, #205, Shoreline, WA 98155, or email us at [email protected], subject line Publisher Ragnar Meyer-Knutsen Letter to the Editor. Letters may be edited for style, clarity, or length. Editor-in-chief Emily C. Skaftun [email protected] Assistant Editor / Nyheter, Business, Presidents and prayer Sports, Travel Molly Jones [email protected] Dear Editor, Opinion Editor The book review of All that I hold Dear Linn Chloe Hagstrøm [email protected] triggered a memory that I would like to share Taste of Norway Editor with your readers. My mother had a cousin Daytona Strong [email protected] 10 or 15 years her senior who would occa- Advertising sionally visit us in Bay Ridge. Her name was Ryan Pearson [email protected] Sevrine Rasmussen. When she first arrived, Subscriptions she found employment as a maid in NYC. [email protected] Her employers were the Roosevelts. One personal comment was that every night at Contributors bedtime, FDR went on his knees and prayed Larrie Wanberg Grand Forks, N.D. with the children. In these quite different Julia Andersen New York, N,Y. Tove Andersson Oslo, Norway times, to share this little insight to our great Patricia Barry Hopewell Junction, N.Y. president, Roosevelt, and his willingness to Melinda Bargreen Everett, Wash. instill reverence to the Almighty in his chil- Terje Birkedal Anchorage, Alaska M. Michael Brady Asker, Norway dren, should not be overlooked or forgotten. in the current discussion rarely (if ever) men- Name that mountain! David Burke Skoppum, Norway Sincerely yours, tioned is majority rule. Neither major party Carla Danziger McLean, Va. / Albany, Calif. Claire Kristensen candidate received a majority this year (as On December 2 we ran the above photo Daughters of Norway Members Various Gary G. Erickson Sunburg, Minn. Staten Island, N.Y. has frequently happened historically). To asking for identification of the peak in the Rasmus Falck Oslo, Norway have a truly democratic election, therefore, center. Here is our first answer. Anyone else Christy Olsen Field Seattle, Wash. wouldn’t we have to have a run-off election want to chime in? Is Per right? Sunny Gandara Beacon, N.Y. The Electoral College Heidi Håvan Grosch Sparbu, Norway the first Tuesday after the first Monday in Rosalie Grangaard Grosch Arden Hills, Minn. December? Could the American public tol- Dear Editor, Kari Heistad Edina, Minn. Dear Editor, erate another month of campaigning, much Can’t say for sure, but it sure looks like Victoria Hofmo Brooklyn, N.Y. Leslee Lane Hoyum Rockford, Minn. Perhaps like many other readers, I was less the focus and cost of a second election? a peak I have climbed a few times called Roy Jorgensen Hopewell Junction, N.Y a bit taken aback by the anguished Statue of Perhaps the Electoral College is more Skottinden located on Vestvågøy, in the Lo- Ilan Kelman Agder, Norway Liberty with a none too subtle message re- than a tradition. It may well be an accurate foten Islands, next to a small town called Michael Kleiner Philadelphia, Penn. Scott Larsen New Westminster, B.C. lating to the current political environment. (I reflection of the federal system the USA re- Ballstad. My mom grew up there so I have Thor A. Larsen Fishkill, N.Y. have no idea of its application in 1944.) ally is. seen it many times, but I don’t recognize the Lexi Seattle, Wash. One of the fundamentals of democracy Sincerely, location the picture is taken from. Solveig M. Lee Seattle, Wash. Richard Londgren Thousand Oaks, Calif. Dennis Sorheim Sincerely, Cathrine Løvaas Bergen, Norway Waterville, Minn. Per Landsem Donald V. Mehus New York, N.Y. Christine Foster Meloni Washington, D.C. David Moe Sun City, Calif. Maria Stordahl Nelson Seattle, Wash. 3. januar 8. januar David Nikel Trondheim, Norway Bernhard Bjornsen Plentywood MT Sidney Christenson LaPuente CA Ken Nordan Batavia, Ill. Marilyn S. Henriksen Åsta Aarnes Dordal Barbara K. Rostad Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho Seattle WA Riverside CA John Erik Stacy Seattle, Wash. Paul Loken Benbrook TX Dorothy Johnsen Hardee Issaquah WA Rolf Kristian Stang New York, N.Y. Jan Mark Lucas St. Paul MN Karen Lee Kleimspehn Minneapolis MN Judith Gabriel Vinje Los Angeles, Calif. Alfred (Fred) Mathisen Wilmington NC Levern Larson Kasson MN Dianna Walla Tromsø, Norway Dorothy Thompson Corning CA Linda Warren Washington, D.C. 9. januar Jo Christian Weldingh Oslo, Norway 4. januar Lowell Gregerson Columbus MN The Norwegian American strives to make 30. desember Aase Brynestad Oak Ridge TN Olaf Rodegaard Nesbyen Norway its news report fair and accurate. If you have a question or comment about news coverage call A. J. Alberg Patterson CA Anne Eliassen Ft Pierce FL Karen Ann Rende Redwood City CA (206) 784-4617. • The Norwegian American re- Annie Grethe Houser Phoenix AZ Aaron Jarnagin Sequim WA serves the right to edit any and all submissions for Tina Lapham Edmonds WA Don Johnson Morra MN 10. januar style, grammar, accuracy, and/or space, and the Jenny Pettersen Mountain Home AR Carl Lien Tacoma WA Carl J. 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Want to see your birthday in The Norwegian American? Email [email protected] or call (206) 784-4617. Must be submitted one month in advance. NB: Has someone on our birthday list passed away? Please notify us! 8 • December 30, 2016 Sports theNorwegianamerican Seventh European Women’s Handball Champs After a 15-15 tie score at half time, Norway manages to defeat the Netherlands 30-29
Jo Christian Weldingh Oslo, Norway
Norway won a thrilling final game against the Netherlands in Gothenburg on Dec. 18 to secure Norway’s seventh Euro- pean Women’s Handball Championship title. Nora Mørk, who has been brilliant throughout the championship, was named the best player in the final after 12 goals and nine assists. “It’s crazy and fantastic, and it feels amazing right now!” the right back said after the game. Mørk and left wing Camilla Herrem were awarded a place on the tournament’s all-star team along with Sadra Toft from Denmark, Christina Neagu from Romania, Carmen Martin from Spain, and two Dutch players, Nycke Groot and Yvette Broch. Coach Thorir Hergeirsson was also satisfied. “The Netherlands played a good game. They are a very good team. I’m happy that we won, although my tactical disposi- tions weren’t that good towards the end. I am very happy, and they are a fantastic bunch of Norway eventually prevailed over the Netherlands in a very close final game. Photo: Bjørn S. Delebekk / VG players!” It was a fun, fast-paced game, in which both teams played entertaining offensive utes by the Dutch team, Norway was even at a five-goal gap, a gap that the Netherlands effectively. “We made some stupid mistakes, handball. The Norwegians were struggling 14-14. At halftime, the score was 15-15. were never able to fill. but we were able to adjust, and our keeper with the Netherland’s counter attacks, while The teams followed each other closely In the last five minutes, in a desperate made some great saves towards the end.” the Dutch were having big problems in fig- throughout the first part of the second half, attempt to catch up, the Dutch pulled their This European championship is seen by uring out how to stop Nora Mørk. Norway but when Norwegian keeper Kari Ålvik keeper and put in an extra attacker every members of the press as a brilliant comeback didn’t play up to its full potential defensively Grimsø made several impossible saves in the time they were in offense. This tactic worked by the Norwegian team after their premature in the first part of the game and trailed 9-13 last 10 minutes and the Norwegian offense pretty well and with five seconds to go, just semi-final exit in the Olympics earlier this after 20 minutes, but after seven weak min- improved greatly, Norway was able to create enough time for one final shot, the Dutch year. The press praised Coach Hergeirsson were only trailing by one goal. Dutch star on how he has turned the team around in player Danick Snelder wasted what would only a few short months. have been a golden opportunity to even the The Norwegian handball team now has Kom inn for en omvisning og lunsj score by accidentally throwing the ball into seven European Championships on 12 at- one of her teammate’s legs, which in hand- tempts. In total, they have 12 championship ball means they lose possession of the ball. wins: two Olympic gold medals, three World Norway had won the game to be European Championships, and seven European Cham- champions once again. pionships. Both the Norwegian players and the Norwegian press praised the Dutch team af- Jo Christian Weldingh grew up in Lilleham- ter the game. “They came well prepared. We mer, Norway, but is currently living in Oslo. thought we did, too,” Camilla Herrem said to He has a BA in Archaeology from The Univer- the press, talking about how they never real- sity of Oslo and a BA in Business Administra- ly figured out how to stop the Dutch offense tion from BI Norwegian Business School.
SCANDINAVIAN CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL Juletrefest Sunday, January 8, 2017, at 6:00 p.m. PHILADELPHIA CHURCH 7704 24th Ave. NW, Seattle, WA 98117 Guest Speaker • Special Music • Scandinavian String Band Refreshments and singing around the Christmas tree For more information: (206) 782-0588 Bevertning • Gang rundt Juletreet www.pcseattle.org ALLE HJERTELIG VELKOMMEN! .. et flott sted å bo! June 24 - August 4, 2017 Photo: UiO, Mantas Grigaliunas Áegis of Shoreline 14900 1st Avenue NE Shoreline, WA 98152 206-367-6700 AegisofShoreline.com
uio.no/summerschool ∙ [email protected] ∙ (800) 639-0058 theNorwegianamerican Sports December 30, 2016 • 9 Duel in Davos: Sports News & Notes
Speed Skating: Championship title to now the Norwegian Basketball Association Østberg takes longest Pedersen plans to establish a national team again, Sverre Lunde Pedersen won both distances they recently reported in a press release. on Dec. 18 and took the all-around gold in The goal is to have both women’s and the National Championships ahead of sil- men’s national teams in Universiade 2017. distance World Cup win (NRK) ver medalist Sindre Henriksen. Fredrik van der Horst took the bronze. Pedersen won the 1500m with a time of 1:53.98 and the Football: Norway in 83rd place 10,000m in 14:20.78. At the end of the year, Norway’s national (NRK) men’s football team is number 83 in the FIFA rankings. Norway started the year as Speed Skating: Gold for Haugen number 54 and then dropped 29 spots in Speed skater Sofie Karoline Haugen took 2016. The top remains unchanged: Argen- gold in the all-around National Champion- tina ends the year on top, ahead of Brazil, ships in Trondheim on Dec. 18. It was an Germany, Chile, and Belgium. (NRK) exciting match against Camilla Lund, who after winning the 1500m surprisingly need- ed only 5.5 seconds to catch up to Haugen Football: 38-year-old Kippe continues in the 5000m. But Haugen managed to pick with Lillestrøm up her pace and skated the best race of the The super veteran Frode Kippe has signed weekend, allowing her to keep her lead and a new one-year contract with Lillestrøm, take the all-around gold. reports Romerikes Blad. The 38-year-old (NRK) signed with LSK for the first time in 1997 and has had almost 400 appearances for the Biathlon: Olsbu best Norwegian in gold-clad team. fifth place (NRK) Marte Olsbu was the best Norwegian in the Golf: 16-year-old Stavnar writes mass start in Nove Mesto on Dec. 18 with Norwegian golf history her fifth-place finish. Tiril Eckhoff finished After an impressive performance in the La- Photo courtesy of Faster Skier in 11th place. For Fanny Horn Birkeland, dies European Tour Q-School in Morocco, Ingvild Flugstad Østberg took the first 15 k win of her career on Dec. 10, besting Norwegian teammate nothing went right. With ten misses, in nor- 16-year-old Madelene Stavnar qualified for Heidi Weng and Finland’s Krista Parmakoski in the women’s 15 k freestyle individual start at the World mal shooting conditions, she ended in last Cup in Davos, Switzerland. the European Tour after finishing in eighth place out of the 29 competitors. (NRK) place in the tournament. She therefore be- comes the youngest Norwegian player to ever compete in the European Tour. By com- Chelsea Little Basketball: Bringing back Norwegian parison, Suzann Pettersen was 19 years old Faster Skier national teams when she debuted in the same tournament. Norway has not had a national basketball (NRK) Ingvild Flugstad Østberg didn’t plan to suffering. team for women or men in recent years, but start the 15 k skate World Cup on Decem- “For sure you have to pace yourself re- ber 10 like a bat out of hell. But by 2.2 ki- ally good here,” Østberg said. “Otherwise it lometers into the course, she already had a will be not a good feeling if you start too fast.” 7.9-second lead over Heidi Weng, her Nor- At some points on the course, Østberg’s wegian teammate and the overall leader of split was only one or two seconds faster than the World Cup. the time Weng had just laid down; Krista That gap widened and closed and wid- Parmakoski of Finland was also within 10 to ened and closed, and at the finish Østberg 20 seconds. But Østberg kept pushing, de- had just that: a 7.9-second win over Weng, spite her accidentally fast start. Sealift Inc. and her first World Cup victory ever in a dis- “I heard that I had some seconds on Hei- tance longer than ten kilometers. di and Krista, but I know that both of them Østberg has an Olympic silver medal ski really fast at the end,” Østberg said. “So I • Ship Owners • in the sprint and a gold medal in the team tried to keep up the speed, because I knew I sprint, but last season she emerged as a real couldn’t slow down.” overall threat on the World Cup, winning 5 In the end she was able to open it up, • Ship & Cargo Brokers • and 10 k races and ranking in the top three in earning the second Davos win of her career. the Tour de Ski, Ski Tour Canada, and over- “I had my first sprint World Cup win all World Cup standings. Yet the win in a 15 here, and this is my first win in 15 k, so may- • Steamship Agents • k still represented another step in her evolu- be Davos is a nice place for me,” she said. tion as a complete skier. Parmakoski also held her pace, moving “For sure it feels really good,” Østberg from fourth on the first lap up to third by the said in a post-race press conference. “It’s a halfway point. When all was settled, her fin- long time since I won a sprint now. So may- ishing time was 16.7 seconds off the mark be I have to focus more on sprints! It has set by Østberg. been a lot of training for several years, and While the Norwegians went one-two now my first win in a distance over 10 k. So and put four athletes in the top 12 (Ragnhild I’m surprised and very happy.” Haga seventh and Kari Øyre Slind 11th), the Weng, who started two bibs ahead of Finns also had a good day, with Riitta-Liisa Østberg, found the race challenging. It is the Roponen eighth, Kerttu Niskanen 12th, and first time the World Cup has been to altitude Laura Mononen 14th. this season; Davos, Switzerland, sits at over Rising to take fourth place was the U.S. 5,000 feet above sea level. Despite the pain Ski Team’s Jessie Diggins, who hovered in and fatigue, Weng tried to maintain her pace sixth place at the halfway point but skied and technique. aggressively over the last five kilometers “I thought it was very hard from the be- to decisively seal a top finish; she was 54.3 ginning,” she said in the press conference. “I seconds behind Østberg’s time, and 6.2 sec- opened slowly. I thought that I can go bet- onds ahead of fifth-place Yulia Tchekaleva ter, and that everyone would be tired on this of Russia. track.” 68 West Main Street, Oyster Bay, New York 11771 It was true: with the altitude and the This article was originally published on Phone: (516) 922-1000 Fax: (516) 922-6526 long flat and climb—there’s virtually no rest Faster Skier at fasterskier.com/fsarticle/ on the course for the first three kilometers of ostberg-tops-weng-davos-duel-cementing- www.sealiftinc.com E-mail: [email protected] the five kilometer lap—lots of women were around-threat. 10 • December 30, 2016 Research & Science theNorwegianamerican Profiles of Norwegian science: Norway’s health and climate change role in climate politics might have initially been mainly a political ploy. Today, the contrast Ilan Kelman between Norway’s deep environmental con- Agder, Norway sciousness and its seemingly insatiable thirst for oil continues as a debate in the streets, in In May 2009, a scientific commission parliament, and in academia. declared that climate change is “the biggest These five project groups are -devel global health threat of the 21st century.” In oping the indicators over the next several June 2015, a second scientific commission months. Most project partners are currently concluded that “tackling climate change based in the UK. In addition to some others could be the greatest global health opportu- scattered around the world, the United Na- nity of the 21st century.” tions and Ministries of Health are involved. Both commissions were organized from One Scandinavian partner currently works London, by University College London and on The Lancet Countdown, Umeå University one of the top medical journals, The Lancet. in Sweden. This work now continues through a new col- Now is the time for new partners to join, laboration launched in November to develop so opportunities exist for Norwegian insti- indicators for health and climate change and tutes to volunteer their expertise. Norwegian then to track them until 2030: The Lancet scientists can step up to put Norwegian sci- Countdown: Tracking Progress on Health ence on the international stage of health and and Climate Change. climate change research. Norway, as one of the healthiest coun- tries in the world with a long-standing inter- Sources: est in climate change, could have a strong • The Lancet Countdown: Tracking role in global health and climate change Photo: Ilan Kelman Progress on Health and Climate Change: research. Yet the topic remains a gap to be Christiana Figueres, previously the head of the UN climate change agency, launching the climate lancetcountdown.org filled. change and health indicators project in London in November. • UN Health Index: hdr.undp.org/en/ The Lancet Countdown project com- content/health-index prises five groups, the first of which is the • Norwegian Forum for Global Health health impacts of climate change. These separates climate change out from these top- economy, air pollution, and financial benefits Research: www.globalhealth.no impacts are frequently physical, such as ics, rather than joining forces and integrating of positive health impacts from improved air • “Environmental Determinants of outdoor workers exposed to increased heat. them. quality. Human Health,” Eds. Jozef M. Pacyna & They can also be psychological, such as Arc- In fact, Norway has never had a strong Financial and economic dimensions Elisabeth G. Pacyna: link.springer.com/ tic indigenous peoples experiencing mental researcher cohort working on climate change of health and climate change make up the book/10.1007/978-3-319-43142-0 health difficulties when they are unable to adaptation or resilient livelihoods. By being fourth group of The Lancet Countdown. In- • “Economic savings linked to future hunt in the winter as warmer temperatures involved in The Lancet Countdown, Norway dicators include direct and indirect subsidies Arctic shipping trade are at odds with cli- make their ice roads increasingly dangerous. would gain plenty from international exper- for all forms of energy, along with the eco- mate change mitigation,” Haakon Lindstad, Norway maintains strong global health tise on climate change resilience and adapta- nomic costs and benefits of climate change Ryan M. Bright, & Anders H. Strømman: science, epitomized through the Norwegian tion. impacting health systems. www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ Forum for Global Health Research. So far, Group three covers the health benefits A trio of Trondheim-based research- S0967070X15300470 only a few projects have linked or applied of preventing climate change by reduc- ers examined economic and environmental • “A pioneer country? A history of Nor- to climate change. Significant scope remains ing greenhouse gas emissions and increas- consequences of increased Arctic shipping wegian climate politics,” Peder Anker: link. for global health and climate change re- ing greenhouse gas uptake. Reducing fossil under climate change. They found shorter springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-016- searchers in Norway to collaborate more. fuel use is a major component of decreasing shipping routes and cleaner fuels would be 1653-x The second group, health resilience and emissions, such as by driving private vehi- offset by the emissions from increased Arctic adaptation, refers to addressing the health cles less often. shipping, yielding no net environmental ben- Ilan Kelman (www.ilankel- challenges brought by climate change. Ex- With fewer vehicles on the road, air qual- efit. Human health consequences need to be man.org and Twitter @Ilan- amples are ensuring that floods do not cause ity tends to improve, leading to fewer asthma further explored. Kelman) is a Reader in casualties and having the hospital capacity to cases. Meanwhile, cycling and walking more Finally, the fifth group is about politi- Risk, Resilience, and Glob- deal with people affected by excessive heat helps to tackle cardiovascular disease. cal and broader engagement for health and al Health at University Col- and cold. Norway has plenty of topical research climate change. Examples are academic and lege London, England, and These approaches are the same as deal- to offer. Two researchers at the Norwegian non-academic publications along with ap- a fellow at the University of ing with disasters more widely, while build- Institute for Air Research (NILU) have just pearances of this subject in social media and Agder, Norway. His overall ing livelihoods that can readily adjust to all finished editing a volume on “Environmental government policies. research interest is linking disasters and health, forms of change, including environmental Determinants of Human Health.” The com- Norway represents a fascinating illus- including the integration of climate change into trends. Yet Norway’s science traditionally pilation includes chapters on a low-carbon tration. The country’s historical leadership disaster research and health research.
Funeral Home and Crematory < minorities SOlie From page 3 Honoring • Caring • Serving and working toward long-term solutions. fore stressed in the presentation that even the 3301 Colby Ave. Everett, WA 98201 (425) 252-5159 The analysis and findings stem from a defeat of ISIS will not ensure that minorities review of primary and secondary sources, as return to their home of origin. well as two research studies commissioned The Christian population in Iraq has suf- to gather the views of 4,000 displaced people fered the most. They used to number close to and refugees from Iraq and Syria. Norwegian 700,000, but today only 200,000 remain. Fa- Church Aid carried out the project, in part- ther Emanuel, who came from Iraq to be part 2709 SAN PABLO AVE — BERKELEY, CA 94702 nership with the World Council of Churches of the presentation, gave a gloomy picture of Phone: (800) 854-6435 — Email: [email protected] and with funding from the Norwegian Min- the situation for Iraqi Christians. They need istry of Foreign Affairs. not only material assistance but also political Featuring great Nordic products While many issues discussed in the re- support. The presence of Christians in this port are common to minorities in both coun- part of the world goes back to the early days Books • Candy and Chocolates • Canned goods • Condiments tries, there are some differences. In Iraq of Christianity. The solution is not found in Cooking wares • Dry Goods • Gift items • Specialty meats sectarian feelings have become deeply in- exile, according to Father Emanuel. The best and more! grained. Even before the Islamic State (ISIS) would be to encourage the government to in- took control over territories in Iraq, there had clude them in policy making and the rebuild- Visit us online: www.nordichouse.com been significant migration of minorities from ing of their country. Iraq because of marginalization. It was there- (Marit Fosse / Geneva, Switzerland) theNorwegianamerican Arts & Entertainment December 30, 2016 • 11 Subtitling Skam Book review: The Norwegian TV show has evolved into In Open Grave, who a global hit, inspiring many subtitled versions will fill it is a mystery
Christine Foster Meloni Washington, D.C.
It should be stated immediately that author Kjell Eriksson is Swedish, not Norwegian. He does, however, share sev- eral characteristics with currently popular Norwegian crime novelists, in particular, his careful character development of per- petrators and victims alike. The novel opens with the very ex- citing news that Professor Bertram von Ohler has just been awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine. As is frequently the Photo: NRK case when the Nobel Prize winners are The relationship between Isak (Tarjei Sandvik Moe) and Even (Henrik Holm) is the central storyline announced, some people are pleased and of season three of Skam. others are not. The worthiness of the win- ners becomes a hot topic of debate. In the case of Professor von Ohler, Molly Jones however, the reaction seems extreme. The Norwegian American No one seems pleased. His colleagues in Sweden and especially those in Germany Seemingly overnight, the teenagers of adults to truly capture the psyche of today’s do not believe he deserves this high honor. The reader is kept in suspense until near the world share a new group of friends: the teenagers in a believable way. In fact, they begin immediately to do what the end. A murder finally takes place, but characters of the Norwegian hit show Skam To tackle that challenge, writer and di- they can to convince the members of the who the victim is and whether the perpetra- (Shame). And in order to keep up with the rector Julie Andem spent six months inter- Nobel Committee to reverse their deci- tor is identified and brought to justice I will lives of Eva, Noora, Isak, and their friends viewing high-school students around Nor- sion and award it to someone else. They leave for you to discover. This novel is well at Oslo’s Hartvig Nissen School, fans are way to learn about their daily lives and the are angry! written and keeps the reader’s attention until scrambling to translate the episodes from struggles they face, enabling her to create The reader then begins to wait for the surprising conclusion. Be sure to read the the original Norwegian to their own native characters that accurately reflect average the murder of von Ohler. After all, it is a final paragraph with great care! If you don’t, languages—whether that’s English, Spanish, Norwegian teenagers. crime novel and someone will surely be you may think the novel has ended without a Russian, or Chinese. In the first episode ofSkam , aired in Sep- murdered. And the professor obviously solution and be quite disappointed. Surely most countries have their own tember 2015, we are introduced to Eva, who has his enemies. After setting the stage teen dramas though, so what is it about Skam has recently fallen out with her friends and with von Ohler as the protagonist, the Open Grave by Kjell Eriksson (translated by that is attracting high schoolers from every spends most of her time with her boyfriend, author introduces two subplots. The first Paul Norlen). New York: Minotaur Books. corner of the globe? Jonas. The season follows her life as tension involves a series of live-in housekeepers Paperback July 2016. It’s genuine and honest. It’s not afraid to builds between her and Jonas, leading to jeal- in the von Ohler household, three sisters confront the difficult issues that real teenag- ousy and dishonesty. She manages to make from a rural area in Sweden. The current Christine Foster Meloni is ers face every day. And it engages fans in a new friends who, in spite of their differences, one, Agnes, has worked for the family for professor emerita at The way that’s never been done before. prove they can come together to help each over 50 years. Her sister Anna preceded George Washington Uni- When NRK first set out to create the se- other in a number of trying situations. her and left suddenly under mysterious versity. She has degrees ries, the Norwegian broadcaster was deter- Season two features Noora, who, despite circumstances. The other subplot involves in Italian literature, lin- mined to develop a show that would actually her independent personality and strong femi- a gardener hired by von Ohler’s neighbor guistics, and international attract the country’s 16-year-olds—some- nist views, finds herself unable to resist the who seems to have his eye on the profes- education. She was born in thing that would make TV cool again, in pursuits of William, a manipulative bad-boy sor and may be plotting against him. He Minneapolis and currently other words. But in a world where teens are character. But when Noora wakes up in the has thrown a rock at his house and does lives in Washington, D.C. She values her Nor- more interested in social media and YouTube bed of his brother, Nikolai, fearing that she admit hating him. wegian heritage. than primetime TV, they knew they needed a was drugged and raped, she becomes with- new format. drawn and depressed, isolating herself from As a result, Skam is not a traditional TV William and her friends. Eventually, with the of Scandinavia, and the number of interna- in the spring—although it is not yet known show but an innovative web series. Short support of her friends, Noora is able to get tional viewers skyrocketed. With fan bases which character will take the main role. clips—just a few minutes long each—are re- the help she needs and stand up to Nikolai. in places like Argentina, Poland, and China, It was also announced recently that Si- leased throughout the week in real time. So While both of these seasons were over- it was only natural that NRK was bombarded mon Fuller, the creator of the Idol franchise, if the scene is set at school, the video will be whelmingly popular in Norway, the show with requests for subtitles. In November, has purchased the rights to create an Ameri- shown on a weekday afternoon, for example. didn’t really began to gain international at- the hashtag #WeNeedEnglishSubsforSkam can version of the show in 2017, and it’s safe Only at the end of the week are the clips put tention until the third season, which follows started trending, and one fan even created a to say that this announcement was met with together and aired as an episode on TV. This Isak as he falls for Even, an older boy at his petition to get NRK to add English subtitles, much less enthusiasm among the Skam com- format not only adds a sort of suspense to the school. It’s a difficult time in his life as he which got over 2,500 signatures. munity; many argue that it can’t be recreated viewing process as fans anxiously await the learns to accept his sexuality, comes out to NRK denied the subtitle requests, how- in the U.S. without becoming overdramatic next scene, not knowing when it will come, his girl-obsessed best friends, and deals with ever, stating that the music rights had been and inauthentic. but also makes the characters seem more family issues. And everything becomes even negotiated for a Norwegian-speaking audi- Whether or not the American Skam will real. To add to that effect, screenshots of more complicated when he learns that Even ence only. The fans weren’t satisfied with prove to be a success is yet to be known, but messages between the characters are shared has bipolar disorder and Isak has to figure that response and instead took it upon them- there is no doubt that Julie Andem and NRK throughout the week, and the characters even out how he can best support him. selves to share their own subtitled episodes surpassed their goal of engaging Norway’s have social media accounts that fans can in- It was this relationship—what some online, on sites such as Tumblr, Google 16-year-olds; instead, they managed to bring teract with. consider to be the first honest and relatable Drive, and YouTube. Norwegian TV to viewers of all ages all Of course, the characters must also be depiction of a gay relationship featured in a At this point, more than one million view- around the world. relatable and the storylines relevant for view- teen drama—that garnered praise from the ers are tuning in to follow Skam each week. ers to want to keep up with their daily lives. international LGBTQ community. It’s no surprise they were thrilled to learn that You can view Skam at skam.p3.no or tv.nrk. And it’s no secret that it can be difficult for Soon Skam was known to those outside NRK has confirmed a fourth season coming no/serie/skam. thank you for reading our paper! tusen takk 12 • December 30, 2016 Taste of Norway theNorwegianamerican Redefining comfort food, celebrating hygge New book by Scandinavian food writer Trine Hahnemann illustrates modern way of eating
Daytona Strong Taste of Norway Editor
This time of the year I crave coziness. I want to sit by the fireplace, a cup of something warm to drink nearby, and read a captivat- ing novel or perhaps a cookbook filled with mouthwatering images, until the night has settled deeply in and I will my body to bed. In the months so characterized by their darkness and their chill, the Scandinavian idea of hygge is particularly appealing. Danish food writer Trine Hahnemann has recently published a cookbook that’s as much a guide to this style of coziness as it is a book of recipes. Scandinavian Comfort Food: Embracing the Art of Hygge (Quadrille Publishing, Octo- ber 2016) is a beauty of a book, a hardcover packed with elegantly styled photographs of the food Hahnemann likes to eat. In writing this book, she hoped to redefine “comfort food,” a term that often brings to mind heavy dishes and rich sauces that land in the stom- ach like a rock and make you want to sleep. “For me, comfort food is a lot of things that sustains you and makes you feel good in a different way,” Hahnemann told me during the Seattle leg of her book tour this month. “I also try to make comfort food soup and salad, so also trying to broaden it out a little, what is this thing. I’m not sure I agree totally that it always has to be this heavy, heavy meal.” Hahnemann’s approach to eating, which is focused on delicious food that makes you feel good, pairs well with the idea of hygge, which can be translated very roughly to cozi- ness but has much more to do with an overall sense of wellbeing and often—though not always—community. “I think hygge’s all about slowing down. Photo courtesy of Quadrille Publishing Hygge is about the little breaks and moments This creamy barley dish with mushrooms and courgette, or zucchini, showcases the healthy where you kind of, you know, breath out. It’s nature of today’s Nordic cooking. all the little pauses during the day where you just sit down and feel yourself.” Hahnemann begins the book by sharing recipes for what she eats during the day, such Creamy Barley with Courgette as rye and lemon porridge and a pork sand- wich with red cabbage and horseradish. She and Mushroom soon moves onto her family’s meals, a chap- Photo: Columbus Leth ter that includes roast pork with potatoes and Trine Hahnemann. All recipes on these two pages are Grains cooked this way are often compared to a risotto, but there is a difference apple relish, yellow pea stew with salted pork her work, reprinted with permission from Quadrille in how much starch rice releases compared to barley, and so the finished texture is belly and pickled beetroot, and pan-fried her- Publishing. not the same. rings with new potatoes and parsley sauce. In Scandinavia, this creamy dish is a lot like the different porridges we eat. Por- Hahnemann—who calls this a personal ridge has been everyday food for centuries, and when I was growing up we had it for book—has written an entire chapter called studded crispbread, rice pudding, and an almond dinner once a week; often Monday would be porridge day in many households. It has “My Love of Vegetables.” A root vegetable fruit cake with candied lemon and orange peel. become fashionable again, and in Copenhagen we even have a porridge restaurant stew packed with beet, celeriac, and carrots Interspersed throughout the recipes are called GR.D where they serve a lot of savory dishes for dinner. gets an unexpected dash of curry powder snippets that illustrate the way hygge plays out and lime. Vibrant beetroot patties are gor- throughout the year, from Easter hygge (lamb, po- 1 courgette (zucchini) 700ml (scant 3 cups) water geous with a garnish of horseradish cream. tato salad, and lemon mousse, anyone?) to a brief 2 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil 50g (3 1/2 tbsps.) butter Cabbage—that staple of Scandinavian kitch- chapter on long summer nights and a scattering of 200g (7 oz) brown mushrooms 50g (1 3/4 oz) Parmesan, grated, ens—is featured in multiple recipes. A warm Christmas recipes both traditional and new. 1 shallot, finely chopped plus extra to serve butternut squash with almonds and a scatter- With Americans catching onto the Scandi- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped sea salt & freshly ground black ing of fresh herbs is almost stunning enough navian idea of hygge lately, Hahnemann’s book 1 tbsp. thyme leaves, chopped pepper to eat off the page. comes at a good time. After all, she says that noth- 250g (1 1/3 cups) barley chopped curly parsley, to serve While there’s a mix of old and new in ing is more hyggelig than sharing a meal. these pages, the food in this book might not Cut the courgette (zucchini) into 5-mm (¼-in.) dice. Heat the oil in a large, deep- look entirely like the Scandinavian cooking sided frying pan, add the courgette dice, and sauté until starting to brown. Clean Daytona Strong is The Norwegian that many from immigrant families in the American’s Taste of Norway edi- the mushrooms and cut them into quarters. Add the mushrooms, shallot, garlic, and U.S. think of. Rather, Hahnemann says her tor. She writes about her family’s thyme and sauté for 5 minutes, then add the barley and stir well. Let it cook for a few book reflects the way people in the Nordic Norwegian heritage through the minutes, then add the water with salt and pepper to taste. Let it simmer, covered, for countries eat today. The chapter on salads lens of food at her Scandinavian 20–25 minutes over a low heat, stirring and checking now and then that the water has is one of the most striking, with a rainbow food blog, www.outside-oslo.com. not all evaporated, adding a little more if necessary. of vegetables, grains, and herbs showing off Find her on Facebook (www.face- When the barley is cooked, add the butter and Parmesan, check the season- their colorful and textural splendor. book.com/OutsideOslo), Twitter ing, and stir well. Serve right away, topped with extra grated Parmesan and some Of course, there are also sweets and (@daytonastrong), Pinterest (@daytonastrong), and chopped parsley, with a salad on the side. breads, with recipes for rye bread, caraway- Instagram (@daytonastrong). Serves 4. theNorwegianamerican Taste of Norway December 30, 2016 • 13 Meatloaf with Lingon Sylt and Small Baked Potatoes
Traditionally, meat loaf or meatballs were inexpensive food in Scandinavia. In old cook- books there are recommendations for going to the butcher and asking for well-aged meat and then mincing it by hand, which indicates to me that those meatballs were way more fancy than we think of them today. Meat was not for everyday consumption, so in many ways this is proper old-school cooking; meat should be treasured and not taken for granted, not even minced meat. Lingon sylt is a Scandinavian tradition that we eat with both meat and fish. In Sweden people eat lingon sylt as often as other nations eat ketchup. As an alternative, you can eat red currant jam, but it’s not quite the same!
for the meatloaf: for the potatoes: 200g (7 oz) brown mushrooms 800g (1 lb 14 oz) small potatoes 500g (1 lb 2 oz) minced (ground) beef 1 lemon 2 eggs 3 tbsps. extra virgin olive oil 1 onion, chopped 2 rosemary sprigs 2 tbsps. thyme leaves, chopped 2 garlic cloves, halved 150 ml (1/2 cup) whole milk sea salt and freshly ground black 50g (1 cup) breadcrumbs pepper 2 tsps. coarse sea salt 100g (3 1/2 oz) sliced bacon Lingon Sylt (see Scandinavian freshly ground black pepper Comfort Food page 187), to serve
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350ºF / gas mark 4). Rinse the potatoes and keep the skin on. Place them in an ovenproof dish. Slice the lemon and add to the dish with the oil, rosemary sprigs, garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Chop the mushrooms and mix with the minced (ground) beef, eggs, onion, thyme, and milk. Now mix in the breadcrumbs, salt, and some pepper. Line a roasting tin with baking parchment and form the mixture into 2 loaves. Place them about 5cm (2 in.) apart on the tin, cover with slices of bacon, sprinkle with pepper, and bake in the oven for 30–35 minutes. Serve the meatloaf in slices, with the pota- toes and some lingon sylt. I recommend serving this with the Danish Raw Salad (Råkost) on page 160. Serves 4-6.
Photo courtesy of Quadrille Publishing Incorporating perhaps the most iconic trio of Nordic ingredients, this meatloaf with lingonberries and baked potatoes is sure to please.
Hot Chocolate and Sweet Buns
This is the quintessential hygge moment. Go for a long brisk walk in the woods in the autumn, with the wind in the trees and in your face, then return home to a warm house and enjoy home-baked buns and hot chocolate.
for the buns: 100g (3 1/2 oz) dried cranberries 50g (1 3/4 oz) fresh yeast 100g (3 1/2 oz) hazelnuts, medium 400 ml (1 1/2 cups plus 2 tbsps.) chopped lukewarm whole milk 100g (7 tbsps.) soft butter for the hot chocolate: 1 egg, lightly beaten, plus an extra 350g (3/4 lb.) good-quality dark beaten egg for brushing chocolate (at least 60% cocoa solids), 600g (4 1/2 cups) strong white bread broken into pieces flour, plus extra for dusting 2 liters (8 1/2) cups) whole milk 1 tbsp. caster (granulated) sugar 1–2 tbsps. caster (granulated) sugar, 10g (1/3 oz) sea salt to taste 2 tsps. ground cardamom 200 ml (3/4 cup) double (heavy) 100g (3 1/2 oz) raisins cream, whipped, to serve
Crumble the yeast into the milk in a large mixing bowl, stir to dissolve, then mix in the butter and egg. Mix the flour, sugar, salt, cardamom, dried fruits, and nuts together, add to the milk mixture and give it a good stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Knead the dough lightly on a floured surface, then replace in the bowl, cover with cling film and leave to rise for 2 hours. Knead the dough gently again on a floured surface and form it into 20 buns, then place the buns on baking sheets lined with baking parchment. Cover with tea towels and leave to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F / gas mark 6). Brush the risen buns with beaten egg and bake in the oven for 20–25 minutes, then leave to cool on a wire rack. Makes 20 buns. For the hot chocolate, put the chocolate into a heavy-based saucepan and gently melt, stirring all the time, then add a quarter of the milk and stir it into the chocolate, followed by the remaining milk, mixing it well. Now stir in the sugar to taste, then bring the mixture to just under boiling point, stirring constantly so that it doesn’t scorch. Take off the heat and pour into mugs. Add spoonfuls of cold whipped cream to the tops and serve with the freshly baked buns and some butter.
Photo courtesy of Quadrille Publishing It doesn’t get much more cozy than cocoa and buns on a cold winter day. 14 • December 30, 2016 Norway near you theNorwegianamerican What’s going on in your neighborhood? Calendar of Events california Maryland note names of attendees, choice of 3:00 or 6:00 Virginia Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner Pink a Cherry Blossom Fantasy Exhibition p.m., and a phone number. At the Boulder City Love, Loss, and the Cycle of Life Jan. 21, 4:00 p.m. now—Jan. 15 Elks Lodge. For info, call (702) 869-5775. now—Feb. 20 Santa Rosa, Calif. Rockville, Md. Richmond, Va. The traditional Norwegian menu will include In the darkest season of the year, Norwegian art- new york At a crossroads in the middle of his career, lutefisk, meatballs, lefse, almond cake, and ist Liliane Blom transforms the Kaplan Gallery into The Princess & The Duck and Stallo the Giant preeminent American artist Jasper Johns coffee. Cost is $26 for members, $32 for non an immersive dreamscape of floating cherry blos- Jan. 14, 11:00 a.m. found his way forward in part by looking to members, and $10 for children 6 to 14. Tick- soms, sound, video, and digital paintings with her New York, N.Y. the work of Norwegian Expressionist painter ets available at www.brownpapertickets.com/ large solo show Pink a Cherry Blossom Fantasy. Laura Simms from the Hans Christian Andersen Edvard Munch. This exhihibit assembles more event/2656997 or by calling 1 (800) 838-3006. Tickets are $10 at the door. Storytelling Center kicks off the New Year with than 120 paintings, drawings, and prints in At Norway Hall. fun folktales from Norway and Lapland. At Scan- once-in-a-lifetime combinations to trace the Massachusetts dinavia House. Free. Ages 5 and up. route Johns traveled in relation to Munch’s colorado Opera is Cool: Famous Scandinavian Singers work. At Altria Group Gallery, NewMarket Storfjell Meeting & Pancake Lunch Jan. 14, 12:00—2:00 p.m. oregon Gallery. Jan. 14, 1:00—3:30 p.m. West Newton, Mass. The Troll with No Heart Fraser, Colo. Enjoy an audiovisual potpourri of great singers of now—Jan. 17 Washington Storfjell Lodge will feature make-your-own the past and present at the Scandinavian Cultural Portland, Ore. The Photography of Anders Beer Wilse pancakes from a variety of traditional Nor- Center. Cost is $15 or $7 for SCC members. Pur- Explore the mythology of trolls at Nordia House now—Feb. 28 dic recipes. Everyone is welcome to join in chase tickets at scandicenter.org/event/opera-is- at The Troll With No Heart: Woodcuts By Betsy Seattle, Wash. the fun. Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, fruit, and cool-famous-scandinavian-singers/. Bowen and Stories by Lise Lunge Larsen. Beautiful Norwegian engineer and self-taught photog- more included. There will also be a silent auc- woodcuts are paired with tales of trolls from up rapher Anders Beer Wilse lived in Seattle from tion to help members volunteering as guides minnesota and down Norway. Free and open to the public. 1892-1900 and left a legacy of early photo- for Ski for Light. At Fraser Valley Library. Nordic Holidays: Celebrations of Light graphs documenting this period of unprecen- now—Jan. 8 Maps, Metafors & Manifestations tend growth and change in the city’s history. District of Columbia Minneapolis, Minn. Jan. 6, 7:30 p.m. This exhibition includes Wilse’s photographic Someone is Going to Come Nordic Holidays: Celebrations of Light at the Portland, Ore. images taken both in Washington State and Jan. 3—Feb. 5 American Swedish Institute showcases Nordic Professor Susan Carter will explore Sámi rock art, the greater Pacific Northwest region, as well Washington, D.C. and other holiday traditions through the decorat- poetry, and joiks at this lecture at Portland State as from select regions in Norway after 1900. See Jon Fosse’s Someone is Going to Come, ed rooms in the historic Turnblad Mansion. The University. Specific examples of ancient rock art, At the Nordic Heritage Museum. an acclaimed, poetic play about paranoia rooms are designed by groups from Scandinavia contemporary Sámi poetry, and the practice of a and jealousy. A couple moves into a remote, to reflect their own distinctive customs. This year, traditional form of Sámi singing offer interesting Nordic Lights Film Festival run-down house to be alone, yet they grow the ASI has partnered with the Jewish Commu- types of maps, metaphors, and manifestations Jan. 12—16 increasingly anxious that a visitor may come. nity Relations Council of Minnesota and the Da- that demonstrate cultural continuity and further Seattle, Wash. At Scena Theatre; directed by Robert McNa- kotas to honor Hanukkah as well. understanding of the reindeer/human bond in The Nordic Heritage Museum is thrilled to mara. Tickets at atlasarts.secure.force.com/ Sámi culture. At Cramer Hall, Room 171. Free and present its eighth Nordic Lights Film Festival, ticket/#details_a0Si000000Hi3gyEAB. Gingerbread Wonderland open to the public. hosted at SIFF Film Center on the Seattle Cen- now—Jan. 9 ter campus. The focus is on contemporary, Florida Minneapolis, Minn. Cook and Eat: Pea Soup award-winning films from Denmark, Finland, Norwegian Church Service Enjoy holiday treats and surround yourself in all Jan. 10, 6:30—8:30 p.m. Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the Faroe Is- Feb. 5, 4:00 p.m. things gingerbread. Free for members, children Portland, Ore. lands. Single tickets, opening night reception Naples, Fla. 12 and under, and contributors; $5 for all others. Learn to make a hearty pea soup with the Cook tickets, and festival passes available at SIFF. The Norwegian Seamen’s Church is sending In the Galleri at Norway House. and Eat Committee, plus special guest Andrew Check nordicmuseum.org/nlff for schedule, pastors to conduct services in Norwegian or Nordby! Snuggle up with this recipe in the heart ticket prices, and more info. Swedish at Christus Victor Lutheran Church. Icelandic Saga Book Group of the Oregon winter and stave off the winter the Jan. 14, 1:00—2:00 p.m. Nordic way. Cost is $20 for NNW members and Poulsbo Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner iowa Minneapolis, Minn. $25 for non-members. Buy tickets at www.scan- Jan. 28, 12:00—5:00 p.m. heritage.org/cook-eat. Fifty Years of Folk Art Discuss “The Saga of Hrafnkel Frey’s Godi” (trans. Poulsbo, Wash. now—April 23 Terry Gunnell), a short saga in the Penguin an- Lutefisk and meatballs will be served with The Sagas of the Icelanders Sonja Lodge Annual Lutefisk & Meatball Dinner Decorah, Iowa thology, . For useful boiled potatoes, carrots, coleslaw, lefse, and Jan. 28—29 Learn about the history of Norwegian folk arts, background information, consult the intro to the krumkake. At Grieg Hall, Poulsbo Lodge. For Viking Eugene, Ore. explore how Vesterheim has helped preserve anthology and sections of Jesse Byock’s more info call the office at (360) 779-5209. Age Iceland Menu includes lutefisk, meatballs, potatoes, and promote them, and imagine what the fu- . At Walker Library, Calhoun Room. white sauce, lefse, prune pudding, krumkake, ro- ture holds for Norwegian-American folk arts. Crab Feed & Auction settes, beverages, and more. There will be three Visit the exhibition to discover more about this Traditional Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner Jan. 28, 6:00 p.m. reserved seatings on Saturday and six on Sunday. unique community and how it has supported Jan. 21 Seattle, Wash. Price is $22 for adults and $10 for children. Call creativity, cultural exchange, and growth for so Columbia Heights, Minn. Leif Erikson Lodge Educational Foundation the lodge at (541) 344-1064 and leave a message many people over the last 50 years! First Lutheran’s Annual Scandinavian Lutefisk and presents its annual fundraising event, serv- Meatball dinner will have seatings at 12:00, 2:00, to reserve your tickets. Handicapped access park- ing Dungeness crab, stuffed chicken breast, or ing available. “World on the Wall” 4:00, and 6:00 p.m. Dinner will include lutefisk, Cornish game hen with sides. Bring your own now—Oct. 29 meatballs, potatoes, lefse, julekake, rice pudding, picks and pliers. There will also be a silent auc- Laura Loge in Concert Decorah, Iowa and more! Tickets are $18 or 50 cents per year for tion, dessert auction, music and dancing, and Feb. 4, 7:30 p.m. “World on the Wall: Globetrotting through children up to 10. Call (651) 633-0679 for tickets. a no-host bar. Price is $45 per adult, $20 per Portland, Ore. Vesterheim’s Fine Art Collection” features Visit www.flcch.org for more info. student or child 13 and under, and $320 for a Soprano Laura Loge and pianist Sandra Mo- works that reveal the world through artists’ table of eight; prices increase $5 per person gensen, who specialize in Scandinavian songs eyes. See over 35 rare and rarely displayed oils, Barneløpet after Jan. 24. A portion of the dinner ticket and piano works, will perform the music of Grieg watercolors, prints, and drawings by artists like Jan. 22, 1:00 p.m. is tax deductible. At Leif Erikson Hall. Tickets at Nordia House. Cost is $17 for NNW members Jonas Lie, Christian Abrahamsen, Anna Hong, St. Cloud, Minn. can be purchased at www.brownpapertickets. and $20 for non-members. Buy tickets at www. Sigmund Årseth, and Herbjørn Gausta. Participants ages 3 to 13 are encouraged to come com/event/2721764 or through a check made any time after 11:00 a.m. to use free skis (limited scanheritage.org/upcoming-events. payable to the LEL Educational Foundation Barneløpet amounts available) and practice. Events are - or and sent to the lodge. Feb. 4, 10:00 a.m. ganized based on age and ability levels. Cookies, texas Decorah, Iowa sandwiches, and hot chocolate will be served, Snorre Chapter New Year’s Party Wisconsin Enjoy the winter at this non-competitive ski or along with demonstrations and sampling of Nor- Jan. 14, 6:30 p.m. Norwegian Hardanger Fiddle: Construction, walk event for children ages 3 to 13. The event wegian treats. At Riverside Park. Houston, Texas. Sound, and the Folk Music Tradition is free and held at the Decorah Community The Norwegian Society of Texas Snorre Chapter Jan. 28, 1:00—2:00 p.m. Prairie, with registration from 9:40 to 10:00 nevada cordially invites old and new members to a New Stoughton, Wis. a.m. It is open to children of all skill levels and Vegas Viking Lodge Lutefisk Dinner Year’s party at Chef Søren Pedersen’s place. The Join Karen Rebholz to learn about the Norwe- is a great event for the entire family. Each reg- Jan. 28, 3:00 & 6:00 p.m. price is $50 for members or $75 for new members, gian Hardanger Fiddle. Rebholz is a Hardan- istered participant will receive a printed bib for Boulder City, Nev. which includes 2017 Snorre membership; includ- ger fiddle maker and player using instruments the event and a medal. Participants must pro- Vegas Viking Lodge is serving lutefisk, roasted ed in the price is a traditional Norwegian dinner, that she has designed and constructed. She vide their own skis; there are a limited number pork, boiled potatoes, peas and carrots, lefse, dessert, and beverages. Festive attire; complimen- also creates custom Hardanger fiddle parts of children’s skis for rent at Decorah Bicycles. coffee and iced tea, aquavit, and cookies. The tary valet parking. Pay registration fees and find and is able to repair fiddles and provide ap- After completing the course, participants are cost is $20 for adults and $5 for children 10 and address at www.norwegiansocietyoftexas.org/ praisal services, instruction, and perfor- welcomed to hot chocolate and cookies. In the under. Tickets must be purchased by Jan. 20 by events/snorre-2017-new-years-party/. mance. At Livsreise. absence of snow, children will walk the course. sending a check, made out to the Sons of Nor- For more info contact dfossum-martin@vester- way, to Gwen Knighton, 2156 Marstons Mills Ct., Send your event to [email protected] or call (206) 784-4617 Henderson, NV 89044. Please include a SASE and heim.org or (563) 382-9681, ext. 215. to be added to The Norwegian American! Check www.norwegianamerican.com/events for complete listings Event listings are free, but space is limited. Please contact us at least one month prior to event. theNorwegianamerican Norway near you December 30, 2016 • 15 Nordic Heritage Museum presents the eighth annual Nordic Lights Film Festival at SIFF
Special Release Nordic Heritage Museum
Nordic Heritage Museum will open the eighth annual Nordic Lights Film Festival (NLFF) on January 12, 2017, at the Seattle In- ternational Film Festival’s (SIFF) Film Center in downtown Seattle. NLFF features contem- porary, award-winning films from the - Nor dic countries—Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. For the first time, the festival will also feature a special viewing of several short films from the Faroe Islands. Opening night will include the U.S. premiere of Icelandic film Reverse / Bakk. This film tells the story about two childhood friends who decide to drive around Iceland in reverse. Soon after their trip starts, they find Photo courtesy of NFI.no out that this was perhaps not the best idea in Norwegian feature films to be shown at the festival include Dam / Demning, a poetic tale of two young men who, after a one-night stand, set out on a trip the world. Director, writer, and actor Gunnar together outside Bergen; Returning Home / Å vende tilbake (shown), the story of two boys searching for their Afghanistan veteran father; and Here is Harold Hansson will attend the screening and the re- / Her er Harold, a comedy about a bankrupt furniture seller’s scheme to kidnap the founder of IKEA. ception to follow. For the first time, NLFF will feature a special Faroese component to the film line- Skuld by Heiðrik á Heygum. Both filmmak- The complete festival line-up includes War / Krigen was nominated for an Oscar for up. We will show a selection of shorts made ers are expected to attend the festival. critically acclaimed feature-length comedies Best Foreign Film in 2016. Several films will by young, up-and-coming filmmakers from The closing day is dedicated to Finn- and dramas, as well as shorts and documenta- have their U.S. premieres at NLFF. this region. Wintermorning / Vetrarmorgun ish films in honor of Finland’s Centennial in ries. The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki and Summernight / Summarnátt by Sakaris 2017 and will include a closing night recep- / Hymyilevä Mies is Finland’s official Oscar A full schedule is available at nordicmuse- Stórá will be shown, in addition to Guilt / tion with special guests. entry and has already won several awards. A um.org and tickets are available at SIFF.net. The recipe for a jul party, embassy style Conversation, food, and especially drink mix well at Ambassador Aas’s holiday event
cal weak beers I recently drank in Oslo and Kongsberg,” he said. “I would definitely or- Christine Foster Meloni der this in a restaurant.” Washington, D.C. Other beers available included Julequad (a new Christmas beer), Special Holiday Ale, The Ambassador’s annual Christmas par- Winter Ale, Imperial Stout, and even two va- ty at the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Wash- rieties of sake, Sparkling Sake and Junmai. ington, D.C., is always a very special occa- Soon the buffet was set up with a wide sion, and this year was certainly no exception. variety of delicious foods including various Storm Horncastle, the Embassy’s Public kinds of meat and fish (salmon, of course), Relations Officer, greeted the guests warmly pickled beets, pureed rutabagas, potato sal- as we arrived at the Embassy. She immedi- ad, and two kinds of Norwegian cheeses, ately directed us to a table where we were Jarlsberg and geitost. served a warm cup of gløgg, the traditional After the main course was finished, a Norwegian Christmas drink made of mulled scrumptious array of desserts appeared— wine, cloves, cinnamon, almonds, and rai- creamed rice with strawberry sauce, cloud- sins. It was very much appreciated on a cold berry crème, krumkaker, and ginger cook- evening in the nation’s capital. ies. The kransekaker were broken into small We were then invited to ascend the stair- pieces and served. case to the Ambassador’s residence, where Guests seemed reluctant to leave but the mood was joyful. Ambassador Kåre Aas Photo: Christine Foster Meloni they found a thoughtful surprise as they left. was, as always, a most gracious host, min- Christmas kransekaker topped with nisser made a festive centerpiece. Each person received a Norwegian heart gling with his guests and greeting everyone basket ornament with a small bar of Freia with warmth and enthusiasm. He has a spe- chocolate tucked inside and a heartfelt thank cial knack for making guests feel at home. some new drinks. refreshing with a strong lingering taste of you for coming. The holiday decorations throughout Horncastle introduced a special pink hops. “It was very much better than the lo- It was an evening to remember! the residence created a very festive air. The cocktail called “Sparkling Norwegian Christ- Christmas tree was beautiful with its colored mas Gløgg” that she had created. It aroused spheres and heart basket ornaments. (For considerable interest and was declared deli- Sparkling Norwegian Christmas Gløgg instructions on how to make the traditional cious. Guest Virginia Lezhnev warned, how- Norwegian heart basket ornaments, go to ever, that you should drink it at home or only Created by Storm Horncastle (pictured) mylittlenorway.com/2011/12/norwegian- if you are not the designed driver for the night. christmas-heart-baskets.) It will definitely put a kick into your holiday! The major focus was the magnificent Everyone seemed to refer to it as the 1 oz. aquavit smørgåsbord in the dining room. The cen- Lingonberry Cocktail because lingonberry 1/2 oz. gløgg mix (no wine added) terpiece was splendid with two kransekaker. was one of the primary ingredients. The rec- 3 tsps. simple syrup Each cake looked like a small Christmas ipe is found to the right. 1 tsp. lingonberry purée tree, decorated with miniature Norwegian In a corner of the library, Tore G. Nybø, Prosecco flags, poinsettia flowers, and candy canes the general manager of Nøgne Ø, was offer- and topped with a little elf dressed in red. ing samples of the brewery’s new beers. This Shake aquavit, gløgg mix, simple syrup, and ling- As we waited for the buffet to be set up, brewery, located in Grimstad, is Norway’s onberry purée over ice. guests were busy socializing and listening to leading and largest supplier of craft beer. Strain into glass and top off with Prosecco. jazz music played by the Tedd Baker Quar- Guest Bill Greer sampled the Citra Pale Skål! Photo: Maxwell C. Schroder tet. We also had the opportunity to sample Ale and remarked that he found it to be very 16 • December 30, 2016 Travel theNorwegianamerican Diary of a Guidebook Writer: Editing and strolling through Trondheim
David Nikel Trondheim, Norway
As I submitted my draft manuscript for the Moon Norway guidebook, a huge weight lifted off my shoulders. I’d done it! Except, I hadn’t. I’ve quickly realized that the editing process is almost as much work as the writing itself. For the last few weeks, I’ve been receiving notes from the project editor on a chapter-by-chapter ba- sis, mainly taking the form of questions and requests for clarification or more detail. It’s the equivalent of a structural edit for a fiction novel, before the copyeditor gets their hands on it to turn all my Britishisms into Ameri- can English. As frustrating a time as this is, I’ve quickly realized how vital this phase is to a quality final product. By having someone go through every chapter and write down ques- tions, I am making sure the most obvious questions my readers will have are already answered. For example: How long does this journey take? Is it easy to walk this distance? What century is this building from? Should I visit neighborhood X or Y? Even though the draft manuscript hit 150,000 words, I Photo: David Nikel still missed a lot of detail in the rush to get Above: Closed to traffic, the Old Town Bridge it finished. links Bakklandet with downtown Trondheim and Another benefit of this questioning is a popular spot for photos. phase has been the opportunity to fact-check. Right: The imposing western front of Nidaros Ca- This isn’t to fix mistakes, rather to check that thedral. things like opening hours and prices haven’t changed. In the most extreme example, the editor asked about a cover charge for a night- club in Bergen. When I gave the nightclub a islands, and how long do you need to fully ap- buzz on Facebook, I was told the club had preciate these dramatic islands? This sort of just this week closed for good. Thanks to this information is more timeless than a restaurant questioning phase, Moon Norway will be the or hotel listing and exactly the sort of thing I only guidebook on the market with the cor- am trying to prioritize. rect information! The last time I went on a proper vaca- tion, I noticed a lot of my fellow airplane The role of the guidebook passengers browsing guidebooks. I walked This brings me to an important question the length of the cabin for some exercise, and I’ve been asked several times on my travels: on my stroll I counted 17 people studying a Why write a guidebook when everyone just guidebook, so there’s plenty of life left in the uses the internet? format! hometown. It’s time to fix that! across the city, and its imposing carved west- My focus for the guidebook is to provide I’m fond of Trondheim because of the ern front—reminiscent of those at Salisbury travel-planning advice on a national level as A walk around Trondheim mix of old and new, by which I mean it’s a and Wells in England—delights curious visi- well as within specific regions and cities. For Throughout this intensive editing pro- historic city filled with forward-looking peo- tors from around the world. example, should you base yourself in Bergen, cess, I’ve spent much more time here in ple. As the home of Norway’s primary tech- Because intense reconstruction has Ålesund, or Stavanger to see the fjords? What Trondheim. On my breaks, I take a walk nology and engineering university (NTNU) taken place on the entire structure over the sort of person would enjoy a trip to Trond- around the city, and it’s dawned on me that and the SINTEF research institute, many years, it isn’t known exactly how many heim? What is the best way to get to Lofoten I haven’t shared much from my adopted people in Trondheim are here to research the sculptures there were on the original design solutions to the world’s biggest problems. of the western front, but today over 50 sculp- All this exceptional work takes place tured figures line three rows around the re- Community Connections in a delightful historic setting. The compact stored rose window. downtown area, almost entirely encircled by Immediately adjacent to the cathedral, the river, is easy to explore on foot. The wide the Archbishop’s Palace has changed a lot Happy birthday, boulevards of the main streets are a more re- over the centuries. A museum built over the cent addition, but pockets of narrow cobbled ruins of the original buildings reveals its engagement, birth, streets and timber houses still dot the neigh- complex history, while you can get up close borhood, whispering their secrets to you as and personal with the Crown Regalia, includ- family reunion, etc! you meander past. ing the actual crown of the King of Norway. Within one hour you can take in the ca- Trondheim doesn’t feature on as many sual atmosphere of the riverside Bakklandet bucket lists as Bergen or the fjords do, but Your name and district, once a trading hub and now home the city offers a lot for the curious visitor. to cafés, restaurants, and boutiques. Cross message here! the famous Old Town Bridge for some great photo opportunities of the colorful ware- David Nikel is a freelance houses, the Nidelva river, and the bridge it- writer based in Norway. For more information, call self. You’ll then be in the shadow of Nidaros He runs the popular www. us at (206) 784-4617 or email Cathedral, the highlight of the trip for many. lifeinnorway.net blog and [email protected]. is the author of the upcom- ing MOON Norway guide- The historic Nidaros Cathedral book. The cathedral tower can be seen from theNorwegianamerican Travel December 30, 2016 • 17 Encounters at sea in Tromsø’s fjords
Photos: Vanessa Brune Above left: A humpback whale begins its descent. < whales Above: A pod of orcas. From page 1 Left: Tromsø’s harbor, with Mt. Tromsdalstind looming whitely in the background. Whale lessons We learn that orca males have a straight fin, while the females have a slightly curved one; humpbacks can be recognized by their huge size in comparison with the orcas and their relatively small fins. We also learn that orcas got the nick- name “killer whales” not because they’re Vanessa Brune is a Ger- stronger or more dangerous than sharks, man expat living in Tromsø for example, but because they’re actually where she works with digi- far more intelligent. They have developed tal marketing and runs the hunting techniques that don’t require much blog www.snowinTromsø. strength or sharp teeth but instead teamwork com. and endurance. In Norway, orcas mainly feed on her- ring, and they have developed a special technique to hunt these as well. Together in and it remained incredibly silent on board utes before we headed back to Tromsø, the More information a group, they keep the herring at the surface the entire time. It was almost as if no one whales decided to come to our boat. It was Whale safaris in Tromsø run daily from of the ocean by circling around them so that really believed that this was happening and definitely worth the wait, but I wouldn’t have late October to early February, which makes the herring school can’t dive down. The her- therefore chose to be silent and enjoy it while minded if they had chosen to keep a distance it the perfect activity if you’re visiting during ring are stuck and can’t escape, and so the it lasted. either. After standing outside in the wind and the polar night to hunt the Northern Lights! orcas can eat them one by one. Even though I had seen a humpback be- cold for more than an hour, I was really glad Nobody knows how long the whales will Luckily for the humpback whales that fore, it was fascinating to see the orcas work for the possibility to go inside, drink a cup of hang around Tromsø, however, as they are spend the winter in Norway, the orcas here on keeping the herring school in place and tea, and eat a waffle. just following the herring schools. One thing won’t do them any harm and instead facilitate the humpback just opening its mouth and is for certain—seeing whales in the ocean is the hunt for them. While orcas have to keep eating as much as he could. The interaction a once-in-a-lifetime experience! moving to keep the herring in place and can between the humpback and orcas is some- eat them only one by one, humpback whales thing that was just incredibly interesting to can use the carousel to their advantage by watch. And at one point they were even ac- simply swimming through it and eating as companied by a sea eagle! many herring as they can. Cheeky, right? Where in Norway? Our guide promised us we’d see orcas Whale safaris How well do you know Norway? Match this photo to its on the trip but said that it’s kind of tricky The whales have only been coming to with humpbacks. They are around in Trom- Tromsø for the past five years, as that’s how location and email your answer to [email protected]. sø, but they disappear to deeper ground if long the herring have been here in the fjords. Correct answers will be entered to win one free month! they’re fed and don’t show themselves for Whale safaris are therefore the newest tour- quite some time. ist attraction in the area, and there are lots of Who knew that in less than half an hour, people trying to make money from it with- we would see both orcas and a humpback in out having any prior knowledge about the the fjords? whales. Our guide told us beforehand that we’re Bucket list item not allowed to go closer than 50 meters to the We got to a spot in a fjord between the whales; it’s fine if the whales come to us, but islands Kvaløya and Ringvassøya, where at we weren’t going to disturb them by driving one point 20 boats in total were stopping to towards them. watch the whales. It was certainly a busy day I had heard stories of boats driving to- at sea, but there was a magical silence as no ward whales in full speed before, and there one dared speaking above a whisper. The only was a huge discussion in Tromsø about whale things you could hear were the clicking of safaris recently, resulting in Visit Tromsø cameras and the louder-than-expected “pffff” and the university working on guidelines to sound of the whales coming up for air. ensure pleasant experiences for both tourists Photo: John Barry / submitted by Patricia Barry We stayed outside to watch these gor- and whales. Have a photo for “Where in Norway?” Submit it to [email protected]! geous creatures for about an hour and a half, We kept our distance, and about 15 min- 18 • December 30, 2016 Norwegian Heritage theNorwegianamerican Across the sea The evil north: An interview with champion rower Frank Vardø’s witch trials Samuelsen’s great-niece, Sonja Nerjes
Victoria Hofmo Brooklyn, N.Y.
In 1896, Norwegian-American rowers she was worried about them. George Harbo and Gabriel “Frank” Samu- What got me interested again was my elsen ventured across the Atlantic in a row- daughter’s husband, who lived in Middle- boat, ending their voyage in the Isles of town, New Jersey. He had a boat tied up in a Scilly, off of western Britain. Their amazing yacht club that is right near the boat builder journey was recently reimagined by Stein of The Fox. There was a replica built of The Hoff, who had a horrendous time in the At- Fox that was in the 17th of May Parade. lantic and almost lost his life. (An interview They found the plans in this boat yard, Long with him will be forthcoming.) With all the Branch Ice Boat and Yacht Club. They tried renewed interest in the almost-forgotten to row the replica of the boat on the centen- Samuelsen and Harbo at the time of their nial, 1996, of their voyage. After exhausting Photo: Guri Dahl / Flickr arduous trip, I thought it would be nice to 10 rowing teams and fighting poor weather Steilneset, opened in 2011, is a stunning tribute to the people killed in Finnmark’s witch trials. hear from his great-niece, Sonja Nerjes, who and the foal tide they had to turn back at the resides in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Veraazano Bridge. [This attempt is covered, She was asked to speak about Samu- along with Harbo and Samuelsen’s voyage, Jill Beatty elsen for a group of Norwegian women who in the book Daring the Sea, by David Shaw.] Daughters of Norway were touring Brooklyn in November. From her talk we learned that “in VH: How did the replica boat wind up in the In medieval literature prior to Christian- home, they told of the torment of the North. 1867 Harbo and Frank Samuelsen came to parade? ity, supernatural powers were an accepted Word spread that Norway had the most America and worked as fishermen and clam- SN: Because Spencer Samuelsen, my cousin, fact. The practice of magic, changing shapes, notorious witches. There were stories that mers. My grandmother was here also. They was there. He is a grandson to Frank Samu- flying, and spells to control the elements and the mountain Domen between the village of thought they would row across the ocean in elsen and was interviewed in David Shaw’s conjure up the dead were used. Eventually Vardø and Kiberg was the place that massive a rowboat in 1896. A newspaper sponsored book. Spencer was in Norway as a young the church rejected these powers, and forbid witch Sabbaths were held. This was also the them. They had their boat built in New Jer- boy. He knew his grandfather. any belief in and use of “witchcraft.” entrance to hell. Several of the women who sey, by special order. However, the belief and accusations are were accused told of a long black valley and “My grandmother, Carolina, was there So Harbo and Samuelsen’s record re- part of history, as we are familiar with the a dark lake at the bottom of the valley. The at the time [of the launch] at the Battery mains. Skipping generations, their tale is 17th- and 18th-century witch trials in Europe. water boiled here when Satan spewed fire out [in New York]. She cried. She thought she inspiring people today: writers, composers, Witches were found in northern Norway—in of an iron pipe. Men and women floated in would never see them back again. They family members, countrymen, adventurers, the remote region of Finnmark, there is a vil- the water and screeched like cats. Devils and had oilskin suits. They had no communica- and cheerleaders. lage along the coast named Vardø, known as demons were known to spread out across the tion. They went through a terrible storm and They are getting their due, some 100 the “Witch Capital of Norway.” Between 1593 world from this cave and work great harm all turned over. years later. First there is the monument dedi- and 1692 there were more than 140 witch tri- over Europe, causing harmful, brutal winds “Eventually, they reached Le Havre, cated to them in Farsund, Norway. There is a als in this small village. Ninety-one people and illnesses. France, and went on to the Scilly Islands, as movement to have a replica of the monument were found guilty of sorcery and burned at the The Vardø witch trial (heksejakten i planned. They thought they would be given placed along New York’s harbor, where they stake or tortured to death. This is a very large Vardø) took place in Finnmark, Northern recognition and money. Nansen’s trip [the left for their voyage. number of people for such a sparsely popu- Norway, in 1621. It was the first witch trial Fram expedition, which happened almost Second, there is the recent expedition lated area. The trials were recorded, giving of northern Norway and one of the biggest in simultaneously] took away from theirs. by Stein Hoff to replicate their trip, follow- modern historians great insight into the witch Scandinavia. Frank went back to Norway. Harbo stayed in ing their same course, but solo. It’s inter- hunt accusations and the trials. Three years prior, on December 24, Brooklyn and is buried in Greenwood Cem- esting how through the generations people But why was this remote area so target- 1617, northern Norway suffered from a sud- etery. About 10 years ago, I visited Farsund, have changed their outlook on their endavor. ed for witch hunts? den violent storm. A great majority of the Norway, and they showed me the house he While Nerjes’s grandmother was angry about During the 1600s, local authorities had males were out to sea at the time and were had lived in. the trip, today it is very different. a great deal of power. Often men of Scot- surprised by the storm. It sank ten boats and “We had in our house several pictures of When Stein Hoff did not finish, he felt land, Denmark, and Germany set out to hunt drowned 40 men. It was believed that witch- their rowboat. My grandmother never spoke he had failed to achieve his goal. But others witches. There was a theory that prevailed es caused the storm. about it. She was disappointed that they had were excited and told him that they had been from Europe that “evilness could be found Two women, Mari Jøgensdatter and done this terrible, harrowing trip.” following his journey online. Their response in the North,” a belief that the people of this Kirsti Sørensdatter were interrogated un- I spoke to Nerjes to get a richer picture changed his view. area were more inclined to be evil than in der torture, and they were the center of the of Frank Samuelsen and to see how she feels The fact that Hoff didn’t make it, nor other parts of the world. Finnmark was on trial. Mari confessed that the witches were about the renewed interest in his daring feat. any other duo in more than 100 years, just the outskirts of Christianity, and Satan was responsible for the great storm of 1617. She reinforces how remarkable Harbo and Samu- believed to live in these northern areas. said they had tied a fishing rope three times, Victoria Hofmo: What did you hear about elsen were. It is just a shame that they did not The “evilness” was conveyed through spat at it, and untied it, after which “the sea Samuelsen growing up? live to see how their heroic deed has been the bitterly cold North winds. Many of us looked like ashes and people were killed.” Sonja Nerjes: I only know that my grand- reclaimed and celebrated, sparking men and have experienced the relentless and chilling Another woman, Else, was arrested after mother thought it was crazy for those two women to dream. sounds of a snowstorm and how the winds she was seen in the company of black cats young men to go off in a rowboat. Of course, howl with a terrible dread. and dogs and was exposed to the ordeal of The Dutch would sail between Vardøshus the water: if you floated when thrown out and Russia to trade and warned their country- into the water, you were considered a witch. men of the dangers of Satan. The haunts of Anne Larsdatter claimed in confession demons and devils flew through the wicked that the Devil tied the tongues of the witches winds. Witches could conjure up mighty so they could not cry or confess until they whirlwinds, poor weather, fog, thunder, and were exposed to the ordeal of the water. She lightning along the coast. It was a special nau- too had flown to a witches’ Sabbath outside tical sorcery of Norwegian witches. of Vardø, where she saw 40 others. She had Norwegian women were home while the partied so much she barely had time to get men were out fishing for extended periods of home to her bed before it was time to get up time. During this time they were suspected for Christmas morning. of committing adultery with demons. Mari and many others were convicted And then there were the Sámi, who were and burned at the stake in January 1621. also feared by those who thought they had a When Kirsti arrived home months later, special connection with the Devil. she too was questioned. Anne, like many of Photo: Public Domain Many Europeans who traded and tried to the women who were interrogated, fingered Drawing of Frank Samuelsen and George Harbo’s rowboat The Fox. They used this boat in the first find a Northeastern sea route experienced bad recorded rowboat crossing of the Atlantic Ocean. weather and ice packs; when they returned Continued on the next page > theNorwegianamerican Norwegian Heritage December 30, 2016 • 19
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Kirsti for their leader. Under torture Kristi On a windswept promontory, its jagged confessed that she learned sorcery from an shoreline splintered by the crashing waves, In Loving Memory old woman. She was burned alive at the over a picket fence of the local cemetery, stake on April 28, 1621, a couple months you see Zumthor’s creation in two distinct after 10 other women had been burned for buildings. Memory Hall is a white textile sorcery. She was the last victim of the great cocoon suspended in a simple long cross- Lilly Marie Tonnessen witch trial of 1621. hatched structure made of untreated pine. March 24, 1924 – December 18, 2016 About 150 people were executed for Hand-sewn sailcloth is pulled taut by steel sorcery between 1621 and 1663. Of these all cables, inspired by the drying fish racks used Lilly Marie Tonnessen, age and husband Peter McHugh of the men were Sámi and most of the women in the area. 92, of Bohemia, Penn., and Bay Breezypoint, N.Y., and Elsie were Norwegian. The corridor is filled with 91 lamps. Ridge, Brooklyn, N.Y., died Carol and husband Roy Abra- On June 23, 2011, Norway’s Queen Each one illuminates a window and a plaque Sunday, December 18, 2016, hamson of Yulan, N.Y.; five Sonja unveiled the Steilneset memorial to with testimony from the trials telling the sto- at Ellen Memorial Health Care grandchildren: Kelly, Erin, the victims of the witch trials in Vardø. The ry of the person killed. Center in Honesdale, Penn. Brian, Kurt, and Derek; three monument was made by the Swiss architect When you enter on a wooden gangplank, Mrs. Tonnessen was born great grandchildren: Jaxin, Peter Zumthor and the French-American art- through a steel door into blackness, it is like March 24, 1924, in Vanse, Nor- Zephyr, and Kiera; one sister: ist Louise Bourgeois. The memorial was de- going into a dark tunnel. The walls move in way, and was the daughter of the Gladys Hoveland of Norway; signed to draw visitors to an economically the wind, shuddering with heavy gusts. late Johan and Dina Hoveland. one brother: Edwin Hoveland depressed yet exceptionally beautiful area Next to this is a black spiral box built She was predeceased by her hus- of Norway; and several nieces of Norway. The memorial is also a part of to house a chair with a burning flame in the band, Olav, in 1991. and nephews in Norway and the modern trend to apologize and atone for middle. Above it are three mirrors that re- She was a homemaker and her niece, Gerd Bolstad, with injustices of past and to grant the victims of- flect the flames, representing the Damned, a member of the Bernt Balchen Lodge, Sons whom she was especially close. ficial recognition. The memorial is on the the Possessed, and the Beloved. The mirrors of Norway. same site thought to be the execution site of distort the flames and make you feel like you She is survived by three daughters: Mary Memorials may be made to Bethel Lutheran the 91 so-called witches. are in the fire. Ann Ryan of Beach Lake, Penn., Jean Doris Church, Church Road, Rowland, PA 18454.
< china close cooperation in a broad range of areas ports to China and cooperation on a whole Minister Erna Solberg told reporters in Oslo. From page 3 over the past 50 years. range of issues, including climate change “China is an indispensable partner when “Our joint statement with China today and the Arctic,” Brende commented. seeking common solutions to international imprisoned since 2008 and was convicted in clearly confirms that we are fully normaliz- Human rights issues were not men- challenges such as climate change and the 2009 of “inciting subversion of state power.” ing our relations and that we have agreed on tioned in the two-page joint statement, and elimination of poverty,” said Brende. “The situation since 2010 has been chal- important steps forward in our bilateral rela- Norway has not offered an apology for the The government is planning additional lenging. This normalization of relations is the tions,” Foreign Minister Brende said. Nobel Prize. Norway did, however, reiterate political visits to China in spring 2017. A di- result of long-term, painstaking diplomatic “In my conversations in Beijing today, I its commitment to the one-China policy. verse group of representatives from the busi- efforts on many levels to restore confidence raised the need for resuming negotiations on “We haven’t made any concessions but ness sector will accompany the Norwegian between our two countries,” Brende said. a free trade agreement, as well as the need we have engaged in confidence-building delegations. Norway and China have developed for a full normalization of Norwegian ex- work over a long period of time,” Prime
Anders Beer Wilse Photography: Life of a Young Norwegian Pioneer En Emigrants Ungdomserindringer Volume 1 Written and photographed by Anders Beer Wilse Bilingual English Norwegian, translated into English by Odd-Steinar Dybvad Raneng. Edited by Deb Nelson Gourley and Christian Wilse. Copyright © 2015 Anders Beer Wilse Family
Anders Beer Wilse, 1865-1949, is one of Norway’s most famous photographers. He worked in the USA from 1884-1900 before returning to Norway, and docu- mented all his adventures—and his homeland—in photography and writing. Wilse wrote En Emigrants Ungdomserin- dringer (1936) and Norsk Landskap og Norske Menn (1943). The first of these is serialized here. That time when slips were along the whole coast. — Dengang det stod beddinger langs hele kysten.
But it was not just the hunt that occupied me; I was also very fond of taking Men det var ikke bare jakten som optok mig; jeg var også svært glad i å care of animals. And when I now see small birds fluttering about in the wheat stelle med dyr. Og når jeg nu ser småfuglene flagre i kornneget utenfor huset, field outside the house, my thoughts go back to all the animals I took care of, as går tankene tilbake til alle de dyrene jeg fikk stelle med så meget jeg lystet i min much as I wanted, during my childhood. Doves and rabbits I had from when I barndom. Duer og kaniner hadde jeg fra jeg var en neve stor, når det sted vi was knee-high to a grasshopper, when the place we lived in allowed such things. bodde tillot den slags. Duehusene og kaningårdene snekret jeg selv, for far var Dove houses and rabbit hutches I made myself, as father was interested in that I interessert i at jeg skulde lære praktisk arbeide og skaffet mig tidlig verktøi. should learn practical work and early on gave me tools. Når det led utover høsten, blev soveværelset mitt gjerne nærmest et menas- As autumn wore on, my bedroom became almost like a menagerie. I had jeri. Jeg hadde ekorn, lemen og dompapper i hvert sitt bur. Ekornene fanget jeg squirrels, lemmings and bullfinches each in their own cage. The squirrels I på den måten at jeg ladde mitt munnladningsgevær med gule erter og skjøt dem caught in such a way that I inserted into my muzzle-loading gun a projectile så de falt ned i svime. Så var det å løpe til å ta dem ved halen og legge luen over consisting of a single yellow pea and shot them so they fell down in an oblivious hodet på dem for at de ikke skulde bite mig. På den måten bar jeg dem hjem. state. Then it was to run and grab them by the tail and put my cap over their Men det var en lang og vanskelig affære. Av og til kunde jeg være så uheldig å head so they could not bite me. In this manner I carried them home. But it was snuble, og — vips! vekk var det; eller det kunde hende at halen jeg holdt i røk a long and difficult affair. Now and then I could be so unlucky as to stumble, av og jeg blev stående igjen bare med en hårdott i hånden. — Rett som det var and—zip—they were gone! Or it could happen that the tail I was holding tore off måtte jeg også skaffe mig et nytt ekorn fordi jeg selv eller piken ved uforsiktighet and I was left standing with just some hair in my hand. Occasionally I had to find hadde sloppet det jeg hadde ut av buret. a new squirrel as either I or the servant girl through carelessness had let the one I had out of its cage. Get the book! • Wilse Vol 1 • $11.95 + $4.95 shipping • www.astrimyastri.com 20 • December 30, 2016 Norsk Språk theNorwegianamerican Norwegian Language Corner Wonderful language Unique words let one experience a culture
Text and illustrations by Anders Kvåle Rue. Simplification of text by Kari Grønningsæter. Translated by Jim Skurdall. Copyright © Deb Nelson Gourley, Astri My Astri Publishing. Sigurd II Mouth – Sigurd II Munn Born 1133, died 1155 Son of King Harald IV Gilchrist and Tora Guttormsdatter Ruled 1137 – 1155
Sigurd was three years old when he, together with his brother, Photo: Sandra Walser / courtesy of Hurtigruten became king of Norway. They kept together as children and shared A Polar Circle baptism on a Hurtigruten Antarctic voyage. the same bodyguards. Wise men helped them rule. When Sig- urd grew older, he became wild and undisciplined, and very fond of girls. He and Inge, his brother, began to quarrel, Victoria Hofmo and soon open warfare broke out between the brothers. Brooklyn, N.Y. Once, when Sigurd was traveling with his men, they came to a farm. There he heard a wom- How wonderful language is! It so en- culture, and nature? I was inspired by an an singing so beautifully. Sigurd went in and riches our knowledge of a culture, serving as email notice I recently received about a we- found a servant girl. He slept with her im- a barometer of its nuances. binar to be broadcast by Hurtigruten Voy- mediately, then continued on his way. The I have favorite words in a variety of lan- ages, entitled “The Power of Nature: Arctic girl conceived and bore Sigurd a son. The guages. In Spanish pimiento (pepper) and Fjords and the Culture of Norway.” Dr. Terje boy became known as Haakon the Broad- shouldered. in Greek spanakopita (spinach pie). These I. Leiren, Professor of Scandinavian History Sigurd had in all seven children, were chosen not for their meaning but for and Culture at the University of Washington, each with a different woman. He never their melodic sounds and tripping rhythms. explained: “We will discover the extraor- married. He was big and strong and a skillful And in Norwegian I love the expression dinary Arctic fjords of Iceland, Greenland, speaker, but because he had a foul mouth, he koselig for its sweet tones, but even more for and Norway and connect with the history was called Sigurd Mouth. its wonderfully loaded meaning—to be cozy and natural wonders that have shaped and when sharing the warmth of friends or even strengthened Norway’s distinctive culture of when solo enjoying soft candles and warm fortitude, exploration, and friluftsliv over the Bare 3 år gammel ble Sigurd konge i en kvinne som sang så vakkert. Sigurd gikk fires. It is a feeling, a mood, an intangible, centuries.” Norge sammen med broren sin. De holdt inn og traff ei tjenestejente. Han lå straks which makes this word all the more potent. Of course this was a marketing device, sammen som barn og hadde felles livvakter. med henne, og dro deretter videre. Jenta And I do not think there is any other word albeit a very sophisticated one, reminiscent Kloke menn hjalp dem å styre. Da Sigurd ble var blitt gravid og fødte Sigurd en sønn. in the entire Norwegian language that serves of the tack Viking Cruise Lines has taken as eldre, ble han en villstyring og svært glad Gutten fikk navnet Håkon Herdebrei. as a higher form of praise to a host. It means they focus on experiencing authentic culture i jenter. Han og broren Inge begynte etter- Sigurd fikk i alt sju barn, alle med for- you’re the cat’s meow in that circumstance. and cultural learning on their trips. And of hvert å krangle og snart brøt det ut åpen skjellige kvinner, men han giftet seg aldri. It is always wonderful to learn a new course we should not be too serious, so there strid mellom brødrene. Han var stor og sterk, og flink til å tale, men expression in a foreign language, especially has to be a little kitsch as well, such as the En gang Sigurd var på reise med men- fordi han hadde en stygg munn, fikk han nene sine kom de til en gård. Der hørte han kallenavnet Sigurd Munn. when there is no equivalent in your own lan- Arctic Baptism where King Neptune pours guage. For instance, I recently came across ice water from a ladle over your head on the the Norwegian word friluftsliv. I have to ad- deck. No worries, the shot of aquavit that fol- mit, it is a word I had never heard before. lows will transform the bracing freeze into According to a Vimeo documentary on liquid warmth. the word and subject, it is defined as “an an- I thought the Wwebinar was terrific, cient Nordic philosophy of outdoor life. It is but mostly because it illustrated something I an ingrained philosophy in Norway and Swe- knew instinctively, even though I have grown den but relatively unknown to the rest of the up on the asphalt streets of Brooklyn—that world. This philosophy embodies the idea Norwegians and nature are intimately con- that returning to nature is returning home.” nected. Hurtigruten Voyages has taken it a Just to clarify, this concept is not limited step further as they are trying to brand the to Scandinavia. The folks from Hurtigruten concept of friluftsliv with their product—na- Voyages explain that there are similar ideas ture and cultural travel. In fact, it is a way to found in other cultures. “Japan has the con- let others not only confront and embrace the cept of Shinrin-yoku, translated as ‘forest Norwegian culture, but to truly be one with bathing’ ... [and in] Hawaiian culture, the its people. By osmosis the traveler experi- locals are called maka’ainana, or ‘people of ences something so integral to the psyche the land.’” of the Norse people that they can become a Why all this verbiage about language, Norwegian. Alas it is only so temporarily. Subscribe today!
Call (206) 784-4617 or email [email protected] theNorwegianamerican Norsk Språk December 30, 2016 • 21
« May all your troubles last as long < statsråder as your New Year’s resolutions. » Fra side 2 – Joey Adams ut fordi hun skal inn i jobben som fylkes- mann i Troms etter valget. Pondus by Frode Øverli Solberg oppfordret pressen til å la den gamle sexskandalen fra 2001 knyttet til daværende Frp-nestleder Terje Søviknes ligge. — Saken med Søviknes resulterte i at politiet henla saken. Det er en klar og tydelig frikjenning. Da må vi spørre oss selv hvor lang tid det skal gå etter en sak, før folk kan bidra fullt ut, sa hun. Den påtroppende statsråden trakk seg fra alle rikspolitiske verv i 2001 etter at det ble kjent at han hadde hatt seksuell omgang med en 16-årig jente etter et landsmøte i Fremskrittspartiets Ungdom. Søviknes kom selv inn på saken da han i en seremoni overtok nøkkelen til Olje- og Are you Politely but firmly! energidepartementet fra Tord Lien. In fact so happy that you play air A new study shows that leading guitar in pubs, rant unimaginably — Det som skjedde i 2000/2001 skulle beer can make you happy! him out? Ah lurve ya! foolish things into people’s ears aldri skjedd. Jeg har angret hver dag siden. and, after a certain intake, dance Statsministeren forsvarte også den om- around half naked until you are led out, politely but firmly. stridte utnevnelsen av Per-Willy Amundsen som ny justisminister og forsikret at end ringene i Regjeringen ikke innebærer noe Lunch by Børge Lund politisk kursskifte. — Det er mange som har uttalt seg om A rat. politiske saker på grunnlag av valgprogram som ikke er fellesprogram for regjeringen. With the Slik var det også med Sp og SV før de gikk i greatest honor! regjering, sier hun til Aftenposten. Sentrumspartiene er svært kritiske til uttalelser Amundsens tidligere har kommet med om innvandring og klima. — Jeg skal være en justis- og bered skapsminister for alle og hele Norge, sier han til NTB. Han erkjenner at han er kontroversi- ell allerede før han har startet i jobben. — Jeg har vært opposisjonspolitiker i mange år og hatt mange skarpe uttalelser. Can you come to Det vet alle som har fulgt meg. Mange har the management skarpe meninger om meg, og det aksepterer meeting, guys? jeg. Nå håper jeg at folk vil dømme meg for hva jeg gjør som statsråd, ikke for hva jeg har uttalt for flere år siden, sier han. Hjalmar by Nils Axle Kanten
Check, please!
It’s so nice that we can finally go out and be romantic after all the sleepless nights.
Han Ola og Han Per by Peter J. Rosendahl, with new translations by John Erik Stacy
Where are you going, Lars? Where did Lars go?
I got an order from the Canadian He’s gone to Canada. government to come give a lecture about birth control. 22 • December 30, 2016 theNorwegianamerican A monthly feature to share Brought to you by with kids and grandkids BarnebladBarneblad Heidi Håvan Grosch
Happy New Year (godt nytt år) 2017!
I like January 1st because it gives a new start to a new year. Some people make New Year’s resolutions (nyttårsforsetter). They promise themselves to do this, or that, or not to do this or that. Other people like to give the new year a name. I have had the year of light, the year of clearing the clutter, and the year of peace. A friend of mine once had the year of shoes! Naming the year gives you something to think about. What do you do for the start of a new year?
Make your own 2017 calendar Maybe you would like to make your own calendar for 2017? You can find many blank forms for calendars online that you can download and print. Photo: The Amur Tiger Programme Calendars with images made by kids. You can make your calendar anyway you like! Draw a picture or use one of your family or something special to you for each month. (kalender), If you are making a Norwegian-style calendar remember that It is also nice to put holidays or red days (røddager) on your calendar. the weeks start on Monday (and not on Sunday as they do in the USA). Nor- In the United States, many holidays have to do with presidents or politi- (uker), wegians also number the weeks so January 2, 2017, starts week 1 cal things that happened. In Norway, even though most people don’t go to (January 9 starts week 2, etc…). church, red days are mostly religious celebration days or holy days (hellig If you are making a Norwegian calendar, you also need to know the Nor- dager), although not all of them. wegian words for the days and the months of the year. Here is a cheat sheet Notice that in Norwegian, we put a period after the number in a date, to get you started. the date goes before the month, and we don’t capitalize the name of the month. It is also strange when writing just numbers. If you want to write Day Dag Month Måned January 3, for example, in the USA you write 1/3 and in Norway you write Monday mandag January januar 3.1. The period is the “st” or “nd” or “rd” or “th” as in the 1st (1.), the 2nd Tuesday tirsdag February februar (2.), the 3rd (3.) or the 4th (4.). That can be confusing! Wednesday onsdag March mars Thursday torsdag April april Holiday/Red day (date): Helligdager/Røddager (dato) Friday fredag May mai New Year’s Day (January 1st) nyttårsdag (1. januar) Saturday lørdag June juni Palm Sunday (April 9th) palmesøndag (9. april) Sunday søndag July juli Maundy Thursday (April 13th) skjærtorsdag (13. april) August august Good Friday (April 14th) langfredag (14. april) September september Easter Sunday (April 16th) 1. påskedag (16. april) October oktober Easter Monday (April 17th) 2. påskedag (17. april) November november Labor Day (May 1st) arbeidernes dag (1. mai) December desember (International Worker’s Day) Constitution Day grunnlovsdag (17. mai) (everyone just calls it the 17th of May) Ascension day (May 25th) kristi himmelfartsdag (25. mai) Pentecost pinsedag (1st day of Pentecost, June 4th) (1. pinsedag 4. juni) (2nd day of Pentecost, June 5th) (2. pinsedag 5. juni) Christmas Eve (December 24th) julaften (24. desember) Christmas Day (December 25th) 1. juledag (25. desember) Boxing Day (December 26th) 2. juledag (26. desember)
Some other holidays aren’t red days (so if they are during the week, you still have to go to school…).
Midsummer’s Eve (June 24th) sakthansaften (24. juni) Photo: Wolday, Mekonnen / Holmestrand Aluminium museum / Wikimedia Commons In olden times, Norwegians used calendars that looked like this, called primstav. The pictures repre- Halloween (October 31st) allehelgensaften (31. oktober) sented the special days. You might consider drawing pictures on your special days too. (most Norwegians call it Halloween and call trick-or-treating “å gå Hal- loween”) Have fun making your very own calendar, First Sunday in Advent (December 3rd) Første søndag i advent (3. desember) Saint Lucia Day (December 13th) luciadag (13. desember) and have a fantastic 2017! Your birthday din bursdag theNorwegianamerican Puzzles December 30, 2016 • 23
Norwenglish Crossword by Andrew R. Thurson Puzzles by Sölvi Dolland
Directions: Translate English words to Norwegian, or vice versa, before posting in the puzzle. #18 / 92 Magnus Carlsen
Across/ 50. Shift Vannrett 51. Wet nurse 1. Natron 52. Fødselsnavn 5. Barrier 53. Arch- 8. Loffe 12. Dikt 13 Æresfrykt Down/ 14. Bad Loddrett 15. Interrogator 1. Myk 17. Soft 2. Lukt 18. Three 3. You 19. Praise 4. Asketre 20. Snakke dumt 5. Baron 21. Pretty 6. Skylder 22. Ert 7. More 23. Springtime 8. Biblietekar 26. Patruljer 9. The wool 30. Unik 10. Floated 31. Shark 11. Gjøre stas på 32. Jern 16. Ears 33. Visits 20. Kjæledyr 35. Manage 21. Nearest of kin 36. Intoxication 22. Pie 37. Ti 23. Urkjede 38. Pillows 24. En 41. Good 25. Sak, ting (jur.) 34. Cure 41. Blotte 42. Forge 26. Pari 35. Måltid 42. Butter 45. Without 27. Effort 37. Banal 43. Merke 46. Kausjonist 28. Skjebne 38. Puma 44. Inn 48. Murder 29. Snow 39. Out past 46. Forby 49. Kunst 31. Hoarse 40. Termin 47. Step- Photo: Mads Nyborg Støstad / NRK Norsk-Engelsk Kryssord by Ed Egerdahl of the Scandinavian Language Institute Ed Egerdahl wrote these puzzles for Scandinavian Language Institute’s classes at Seattle’s Nordic Heritage Museum. It’s possible a few of the clues will make more en livlig Ballard-norsk samtale (2 ord) sense if you remember that—there may be some Seattle-centric answers. There’s 3. partner til #42 vann. definitely some wacky humor, and if you find yourself uncertain about a two-letter 4. adjektiv for noe som går på strøm answer, try “Ed.” 5. kryssord mester som liker å leke (N) = skriv på norsk. Otherwise, the answers are in English. med ord—både muntlig og skriftlig! 6. (n) overarbeidet, underbetalt familie ingeniør VANNRETT 41. Masons “linje” partner i USA 7. skyld- eller gjeldsbrev (bokstaver) 1. kroppsdel som er rundt hjørnet fra 42. partner til #3 lodd. 8. turer / faller over noe (uffda) halsen over skuldrene 43. komme med hjelp 9. har står som symbolsk sjef ovenfor 5. slippe ut gass (for eks.) 44. (n) holde sammen et norsk språk imperium 9. (n) elektroniske brev 45. piker fra Mexico 10. kom så høyt som det kunne 14. president kontor form 46. (n) du gjør det tre ganger med din 11. fra noen år før 15. veien inn og ut båt “over Kattegatt” 12. noe himmelsk / noen berømt 16. gresk bokstav / elvemunning 47. de skal være fra planeten Mars 13. luer for skotter 17. (n) en som bruker en stor, høy 48. det rareste (#31 lodd. for eks.) 18. hard tresaft (spesielt fra furutre) stemme 50. sanger Ronstadt 20. rydde på rommet for eks. 19. resten av en gammel bygning 52. sitteplass 23. trist, sørgelig 21. første mann som spiste et eple 53. forkortet konvolutt tittel for 25. entusiastisk som en deltager 22. “O, du som metter liten fugl” og “I kvinner 28. feste om igjen med nål Jesu navn går vi til bords” for eks. 55. Lavransdatter og andre med 30. betalt 24. folk som snakker / stereo utstyr samme navn 31. (?) hårfrisyre for en som spiller 26. lærerens navn som staves ( . - . . ) 58. krig plaget landsområde saksofon (beklager, men jeg trenger i morsetegn (nå har du lært noe!) 60. hankjønns dyr / slår imot noe disse fem bokstavene) dobbel-uffda! 27. gammel, kongelig russisk leder 61. sover kort og søtt 33. Harry Potter skuespiller Watson 29. noe som redder livet / en som 63. kunnskap, ferdighet 34. “dag” i “god dag” for dem i #45 bruker en bank 65. brukbart, praktisk vann. 30. er stolt over / løvegrupper 66. sent / død 35. brenne med sterk varme 32. (n) det går noen gang fort og noen 68. europeisk vulkansk fjell 36. en gruppe på tre gang langsomt men det går 69. målte ut, tildelte 38. kvinnelige studenter i gamle dager mot narkotika misbruk (bokstaver) 57. “fikse” et kjæledyr 33. han har vært norsk lærer så lange 70. så på noe med interesse 39. kan ikke 50. grense for byen eller farten 59. bruke tennene på at… 71. behov / mangel 41. barnemiddag i barnespråk 51. det Ed foretrekker ovenfor “en 62. Michelle vingård “fornavn” 35. flekk på klær / farge på huset 42. tok feil vin” (to ord) (mmm) 65. trollmannen som synes det er 37. gikk nervøst fram og tilbake LODDRETT 44. ikke rent 53. Ole Brumm forfatter ekstremt hyggelig å være i norsk 39. ni hundre og én i gamle Roma 1. (n) landet som strekker seg fra 45. kommer nær 54. middag tilbehør eller forrett klasse! 40. Norge har Sankt Olav. Sverige har Lindesnes til Nordkapp 47. noe som er kastet eller skjøt 55. (n) spesiell norsk kake begynnelse 67. han får det siste ordet her og Sankt _____? (Sven er faktisk dansk!) 2. (?) det er vanskelig å få inn dette i 49. U.S. departement som arbeider 56. hvor fort / hvor fint / hvor mye ordet er: “FERDIG!” Gratulerer!
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