Norwegian Scandinavian Aquavits Return to Shelves Near You! American Story on Page 13 Volume 127, #19 • June 3, 2016 Est

the Inside this issue: Norwegian Scandinavian aquavits return to shelves near you! american story on page 13 Volume 127, #19 • June 3, 2016 Est. May 17, 1889 • Formerly Norwegian American Weekly, Western Viking & Nordisk Tidende $3 USD

New looks at Edvard Munch

What’s inside? « All kunst, litteratur og Nyheter / News 2-3 musikk blir produsert med ens Sports 4-5 hjerteblod. Kunst er hjerteblodet Opinion 6-7 av et menneske. » Norsk Språk 8-9 – Edvard Munch Business 10 Research & Science 11 Taste of Norway 12-13 Norway near you 14-15 Travel 16-17 Norwegian Heritage 18-19 Arts & Entertainment 20-21 Roots & Connections 22 Barneblad 23 Bulletin Board 24 $1 = NOK 8.353 updated 05/30/2016 In comparison 04/30/2016 8.0519 11/30/2015 8.6850 05/30/2015 7.7716 Munch: Art Masters Series by Steffen Kverneland © SelfMadeHero, 2016 2 • June 3, 2016 Nyheter fra Norge theNorwegianamerican Nyheter Opprør mot flypassasjeravgiften Viste rumpa til bjørnen Ifølge samisk eventyr skal man vise rum- To Frp-veteraner er i pa hvis man møter en bjørn, og det prøvde harnisk over at deres Yle Sápmis reporter, når hun møtte seks bjørn i Finland. Vanligvis synes de fleste eget parti i regjering inn at bjørnen både er skummel og farlig, fører flypassasjeravgift men i Kuusamo i Finland er det en mann som liker sånt. Han tar også godt vare på bjørnene sine med godt humør. Re- Stella Bugge & Frank Ertesvåg porter i saken, Kaisa Aikio, skulle finne ut VG hvordan der er når en bjørn slikker deg i hånden og om bjørnen forstår samisk. Og De to Frp-veteranene Carl I. Hagen (72) hun prøvde å skremme bjørnen, ved å vise og Øystein Hedstrøm (69) er i harnisk over rumpa til den. at deres eget parti i regjering innfører flypas- (NRK) sasjeravgift. Eks Frp-formann Hagen sparer ikke på Det blir under 400 kommuner, spår kruttet når han forteller hva han mener om forsker avgiften som er planlagt innført om fem dager. Professor Reidar Almås ved Norsk senter — Den er helt håpløs og skulle aldri for bygdeforskning synes regjeringen bør vært innført. Det er bare å fjerne denne. være godt fornøyd om resultatet av den Så får man saldere budsjettet som vanlig storstilte kommunereformsatsingen ender Foto: Frode Hansen & Krister Sørbø / VG i november, det er alltid masse endringer i med at vi får under 400 kommuner i landet. Øystein Hedstrøm (69), tidligere stortingsrepresentant for Frp, går knallhardt ut mot flypassasjerav- budsjettet på slutten av året. Jeg synes det giften. Her var han på hytta ved Vansjø i Østfold. Også Carl I. Hagen (72) mener avgiften må vekk. I 2014 anbefalte regjeringens ekspertut- er merkverdig at Frps stortingsgruppe ikke valg å redusere dagens 428 kommuner til fremmer forslag om fjerne flypassasjerav- 100. Almås tror derimot vi ender på rundt giften nå, sier Hagen til VG. tidlig på kvelden bekreftet stortingsgruppen inn i forløperen til Frp, Anders Langes parti. 400 kommuner når reformen er gjennom- Hva stortingsgruppen egentlig har ment likevel at de stod bak avgiften. Hagen var i Rygge 25. mai hvor han ført–bare 30 færre enn i dag, skriver Dag- har det hersket noe forvirring rundt de siste Det er ikke musikk i Carl I. Hagens talte på Eldrerådets møte. bladet. — Erna Solberg har sagt at man to dagene. 25. mai ble det først varslet om- ører. Han viser til at FrP var med på å fjerne — Jeg sa at jeg ikke forstår statsminis- måtte være glad om en kom under 400 kamp, men senere på kvelden sendte parla- den forrige flyseteavgiften. I 1986 sørget ter Solberg som sier hun ikke vil bøye av for kommuner. Det synes jeg de skal være når mentarisk leder Harald Tom Nesvik ut en forøvrig daværende Frp-formann for å felle en ser hvordan dette barker i vei. Realis- pressemelding hvor han forsøkte å dempe Kåre Willochs regjering fordi den foreslo å Se > opprør, side 9 men er at man har spurt folk og fått svar. ned uenigheten mellom Frp i Stortinget og øke bensinavgiften. Så er da også Frp tuftet Jeg tror det blir under 400, men ikke mye Frp i regjering. på «Anders Langes Parti til sterk nedsettelse English Synopsis: Two Progress Party veterans are under, sier han til Dagbladet. Bare en tre- 26. mai ble budsjettforhandlingene en av skatter, avgifter og offentlige inngrep.» dismayed by the fact that their own party in govern- del av de 105 kommunene som til nå har stund stanset som følge av forvirringen, men Både Hagen og Hedstrøm meldte seg ment is introducing air passenger tax. avholdt valg, har endt opp med ja. Siden en frivillig sammenslåing krever ja fra minst to parter, betyr ikke et ja nødven- digvis en sammenslåing. — Resultatet så langt viser at det er stor skepsis til refor- Vinmonopolet’s sjef død Ny ordning men, men noen unntak. Den er elitedrevet ovenfra. Jeg tror frykten for sentralisering Vinmonopolets administrende direktør Kai er det som ligger under. — Regjeringen for lønn kunne i teorien ha tvunget dette igjennom, G. Henriksen døde natt til 27. mai men da tror jeg de ville tapt valget i 2017, For første gang blir sier han. (Aftenposten) det to ulike lønns- Politijakt etter ku som stakk av fra systemer i staten Oslo-slakteri Lovens lange arm rykket 26. mai ut for Johan B. Sættem å lokalisere en ku som ikke hadde lyst til NRK å bli slaktet på Furuset i Oslo. En time senere kommer meldingen om at kua er Det er klart etter at staten ble enig med avlivet. — De ringte oss fra slakteriet og LO, YS og Unio i statsoppgjøret. Det ga- fortalte at en ku hadde stukket av derfra, ranterte lønnstillegget man får fra 1. mai vil sier operasjonsleder Ola Krokan i Oslo avhenge av hvor man er organisert eller om politidistrikt, til VG like etter klokken 13. man er uorganisert. Kua skal ha løpt i stor fart bort fra om- Det er ikke uvanlig at det er lønnsfor- rådet, opplyser politiet. «Sist observert i skjeller i staten. Men det som er nytt etter godt driv mot Alnaparken. Vi er under- nattens resultat av lønnsoppgjøret, er at det veis», tvitret Oslo-politiet da rømningen i praksis blir to ulike lønnstabeller for stats var et faktum. En snau halvtime senere Foto: Olav Olsen & Geir Salvesen / Aftenposten ansatte. melder Oslo-politiet at kua er lokalisert. Kai G. Henriksen var Vinmonopolets øverste sjef i ti år. Det innebærer at det sentrale «Vi har lokalisert kua på et grøntområde lønnstillegget, som blir gitt fra 1. mai like ved. Viltnemnda er underveis for å inneværende år, vil variere om man er bistå», skriver de i en melding. Like etter Øystein Aldridge Helse- og omsorgsminister Bent Høie uorganisert, eller organisert i Akademikerne, klokken 14 melder politiet at kua er av- Aftenposten (H) uttaler at det er med sorg de har mottatt alternativt LO, Unio eller YS. livet av Viltnemda. Oslo-politiet har også beskjeden om at Kai G. Henriksen er gått Hvilken lønnstabell som gjelder, vil tidligere måttet håndtere andre firbeinte — Dette var en veldig trist beskjed å få, bort. avhenge av hvor man er organisert, sier rømlinger fra det samme slakteriet. I 2011 selv om vi lenge har visst at Kai har vært al- — Under hans lederskap har Vinmono- FAFO-forsker Kristine Nergaard, som har lyktes ti slakteklare geiter med å stikke av vorlig syk, sier Lars Sogn. polet blitt en moderne og anerkjent faghan- lest avtaleprotokollene: fra slakteriet. Geitene ble senere obser- Han er konstituert i jobben som Vin- del. Selskapet er kjent for god service og To ulike lønnstabeller i staten er helt vert på vei forbi IKEA og ved gresset i monopolets administrerende direktør. høyt kunnskapsnivå blant de ansatte. Hen- nytt, og er noe vi ikke har hatt før. I første Alnaparken. — Har dere noen formening — Våre tanker går til hans nærmeste riksens ambisjoner og engasjement for Vin- om gang er dette mer upraktisk enn kaotisk. om hvorfor kua ønsket å flykte? — Nei, familie. Kai har gjennom de siste ti årene gjort monopolet har vært avgjørende for den høye Neergaard viser til at arbeidsgiveren fra nå det har jeg ikke. Det blir ren spekulasjon, en fantastisk jobb for Vinmonopolet. Han har men dette er som sagt et slakteri. vært en ambassadør og en uvurderlig ressurs Se > henriksen, side 9 Se > lønn, side 9 (VG) for bedriften. Han var en høyt respektert og avholdt leder som har satt spor etter seg og vil English Synopsis: CEO of Vinmonopolet, Kai G. English Synopsis: For the first time there will be two bli savnet av hele organisasjonen, sier Sogn. Henriksen, died May 27. different pay systems for state jobs. theNorwegianamerican News June 3, 2016 • 3 SAS increasing capacity This week in brief Textbook Norway firm opens office in Minecraft SAS is expanding its Scandinavian network What do you do for an encore after you’ve pulled off the world’s first-ever criticism live Minecraft concert? If you’re Oslo-based creative company Heisholt Inc, the answer is simple: you Secondary school move your office into the Minecraft uni- textbook publishers verse. Heisholt Inc has purchased land and office space on an island within a Mine- answer criticism craft server in what the company says is likely another first-of-its-kind move. “The way people interact, talk, build, Michael Sandelson and create inside Minecraft is full of pow- The Foreigner er, intelligence, collaboration, and innovation. This is an equally important world for Jena Habegger-Conti, associate profes- millions and millions of people, and we sor of English literature at the University truly believe we can have new discussions Photo: Björn Strey / Wikimedia Commons of Stavanger has found disparities between leading to new answers, inside Minecraft,” SAS flights will soon be taking off in more places. lower secondary school level books and the the firm’s founder, Erik Heisholt, said. national curriculum’s aims of teaching respect The company said it will hold cli- for other cultures. Oslo and Akershus Univer- ent meetings within the game, exchang- The Local popular routes,” Evind Roald, the airline’s sity College Rector Curt Rice calls some of ing ideas while enjoying the views from commercial director, said in a press release. the terminology in them “deeply offensive.” within its virtual island property. Scandinavian Airlines, SAS, released its The airline said that demand from Stock- The Foreigner has received answers “It feels amazing to do this, as we 2016/2017 winter program on May 25, which holm led to an increase to three flights a day from publishers Fagbokforlaget and Cap- explore a totally new world of communi- will open “up to 470,000 more seats to travel- to Kiruna and Amsterdam from the Swedish pelen Damm. cation, but it also just feels like a natural ers in Scandinavia than last year.” The plan is capital. Stockholm will also get an additional step,” Heisholt said. set to be rolled out at the end of October. daily Helsinki departure, bringing the daily The Foreigner: What are your selection The executive creative director said “We are always working to improve the total to nine. criteria for the books’ images? that his (virtual) door is open. offering we deliver to our customers. In ad- Flights between Stockholm and Trond- Trond Petter Hinrichsen, Fagbokforlaget (The Local) dition to flying to popular winter vacation heim, Norway, will also double to two daily publishing director: We have in-house picture destinations and continuing to invest our departures. editors, and use Scanpix and many other pic- Clinton joins anti-Norwegian campaign energies on Asia and the USA, we are now “Hillary Clinton urges the Obama Ad- also increasing the number of departures on See > Sas, page 11 See > Textbooks, page 15 ministration against moving forward with final approval of Norwegian Air Interna- tional’s application. Too many questions have been raised about NAI’s practices Changing gender in Norway and plans,” Nikki Budzinski, director of the Hillary for America labor campaign said in a statement. Soon, this former It follows last month’s U.S. Depart- ment of Transportation’s (DoT) tentative Navy captain will be approval of the low-cost carrier’s foreign recognized for what air carrier permit application. Bernie Sanders has also expressed she is: a woman born his strong disapproval. He argues that granting NAI a permit would be “a direct in a man’s body violation” of the Open Skies Agreement’s strong labor provisions. The Local Lasse Sandaker-Nielsen, press spokesperson for Norwegian in Norway As the commander of a Cold War sub- tells The Foreigner that “it’s disappointing marine tracking the Soviets, John Jeanette’s that some politicians have fallen for false dresses were stashed away in a locker re- and misleading claims about Norwegian served for top-secret documents. Air International to get union support.” Under a proposed new bill hailed by ac- Photo: Vegard Eggen / Addressa Norwegian “has created 17,000 tivists as one of the most liberal in the world, Transgender activist John Jeanette Solstad Remø wants to change her legal gender from male to female. American jobs in tourism-related indus- people who want to change gender in Nor- tries since 2013.” way would no longer be required to undergo Expansion will also increase jobs in any physical transformation. cho. I had a nice thick beard, exactly as was Her memories range from the joy of the U.S.—by some tens of thousands, ac- No more humiliating psychiatric exams, expected,” says John Jeanette Solstad Remø, wearing girls’ clothes at the age of four and cording to him: “Norwegian’s order of no lengthy hormone treatments and invasive who picked a first name emphasizing her being immediately stifled by her mother, to Boeing aircraft ... and Pratt and Whitney surgeries resulting in irreversible steriliza- trans identity. suicidal thoughts in her teens after being engines for its Airbus aircraft supports tions that have been the practice for a legal “But when I look like a man, even outed by other youths. close to 100,000 U.S.-based manufactur- gender change in Norway since the 1970s. though I can function, life is gray. When I She also remembers trying to fit in while ing jobs (based on the U.S. government’s All you would have to do is notify au- look like a woman, it’s the opposite, there are hiding her true self in the virile world of the own estimates),” he declares. thorities—a click on a website would suf- lots of colors in my head and around me,” naval academy and the submarine corps. U.S.-based spokesperson Anders fice—if the bill becomes law. adds the 67-year-old ex-submarine captain. “When we called at port, we often stayed Lindström says in a statement that: “Ap- The legislation, which activists hope “No one other than me can decide who I in hotels. I would buy a bottle of wine, I’d proval of NAI will result in more U.S. will be voted on by parliament before the am and this law recognizes this right.” watch TV and I stayed in my room, dressed aviation sector jobs, enable Norwegian to summer break, has met little opposition. Dressed in a black skirt and a pale green as a woman. It was the only way to survive,” expand its already large pool of American “All my life, I had to show that I was top, brown bob framing her face, Remø re- crew, and deliver much-needed competi- a boy, then a man. I played the role of ma- calls a lifetime of uphill battles. See > Gender, page 6 tion and affordable fares to consumers on both sides of the Atlantic,” reports Wash- ington, D.C., website The Hill. This week’s news from Norway is brought to you through partnerships with: Earlier this month, aviation professionals, union leaders, and members of Congress gathered outside the White House at a rally, calling on the Obama Administration to “Deny NAI.” www.thelocal.no theforeigner.no (Michael Sandelson & Sarah Bostock / & The Foreigner) 4 • June 3, 2016 Sports theNorwegianamerican Jørn Andersen North Korea’s new coach Norwegian-born soccer manager signs one-year contract with North Korea national team

“I think he deserves a serious pat on the back, for this is not about legitimizing the Molly Jones government in North Korea but about being The Norwegian American an ambassador for the West and the outside world. What he says and does can help to On May 11, the Norwegian broadcast- give the Koreans a positive image of the out- ing corporation NRK announced—to the side world, for it is an isolated and closed surprise of many—that 53-year-old Jørn An- country in need of positive input from out- dersen has signed a one-year contract as the side,” he said to Dagbladet. manager for the North Korea national team. “North Korea has a horrible internation- His family then confirmed this news to al image and wants to be regarded as more NRK, noting that Andersen has already been of a ‘normal’ country. In that sense, interna- in North Korea since the end of April. The tional sports performances help to give the family has said that the team had wanted to Koreans both more prestige and normalcy,” hire a German for the position but settled on he adds. the Norwegian-born Andersen who became While Helgesen is supportive, not ev- a German citizen in 1993. eryone agrees that Andersen made the right “I knew that there was talk about some- decision when accepting the role. thing a little outside of the comfort zone. If he “Expectations are high. It is a bit special now has made this decision, he has certainly for Jørn Andersen that he must adhere to the thought through it. Considering that it has leadership of North Korea, which is some- been fairly long since he told me about the in- Photo: Steindy / Wikimedia Commons thing many will react to. Many will wonder terest, he has also had ample time to consider Jørn Anderson hopes to coach the 112th-ranked North Korean team into the 2022 World Cup. whether it is ethically right to do,” says TV it. I support the decision and wish him luck,” 2’s foreign reporter Bent Skjærstad, who has says his cousin Bjørn Inge Nilsen to VG. spent time in North Korea. Since the early 1980s, Fredrikstad-born four months of intensive negotiations, I am learning of their dedication to building up a One of those people is John Peder Jørn Andersen has made a name for himself in now the new head of the North Korean foot- strong team in time for the AFC Asia Cup in Egenæs, the secretary general of the human the European soccer scene, first as an athlete ball team. I got the job ahead of competitors 2019 and the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. rights organization Amnesty International. and then as a team manager. He played as a from France, Spain, Italy, and Belgium.” North Korea has participated in two “It is clear that he can be used. Having a striker in Norway, Germany, and Switzerland “We have an intense time ahead of us to World Cups, in 1966 and 2010. In 2010, relatively high-profile person from the West in the ’80s and ’90s. He also represented Nor- create a new, powerful team. My goal is to however, North Korea finished in the bottom who is willing to work for this regime can way on the national team in 27 games, scoring make the team faster and more flexible and of their group after losing all three of their also help to legitimize it. I do not think he five goals. In 2000, he began his managing possession oriented. The team will promote games to Brazil, Portugal, and Ivory Coast. can manage to avoid that. He may become a career and has managed a variety of teams, sustainable development and reap success,” The team is currently ranked 112 by FIFA. pawn in their game,” he said. mostly in Germany. In January 2015, he took adds Andersen, whose biggest opportunity “It seems strange, but in North Korea Andersen, on the other hand, thinks over as manager of Austria Salzburg but left to show the team’s improvement this year sport is political,” said the head of the Nordic that he can help to foster cooperation be- the team in December. Now Andersen has will likely be a match against South Korea Institute of Asian Studies at the University tween North Korea and the rest of the world agreed to coach the North Korean team. in August. of Copenhagen, Geir Helgesen, of Ander- through the sport. “Soccer can build bridges, Andersen confirmed his new position While North Korea is already eliminat- sen’s move. “Just as it is in other countries. It so I’m really looking forward to this task and on his own blog on May 19: “Dear soccer ed from the 2018 World Cup in Russia, An- means a lot for them to win and make a good the daily work with the new team,” he con- friends! I am pleased to announce that after dersen was convinced to join the team after showing within the international arena.” cludes in his blog post. Tippeligaen READY OR NOT, Norway’s Premier League HERE LIFE COMES Life insurance can help results you live it your way Standings Protection when you need it for your 5/20 Sarpsborg 08 0 – 0 Odd Teams PLD PTS growing family. Options to help with 1. Rosenborg 13 32 financial goals along the way. Flexibility 5/21 Stabæk 0 – 3 Tromsø to help power your retirement. 2. Odd 13 27 5/21 Molde 2 – 0 Brann Get life insurance—for the way you 3. Molde 13 24 live. Contact a local Thrivent Financial 5/22 Bodø/Glimt 0 – 1 Aalesund 4. Strømsgodset 13 23 representative or visit 5. Viking 13 23 Thrivent.com/readyornot today. 5/22 Haugesund 1 – 1 Rosenborg 6. Brann 13 23 5/22 Strømsgodset 3 – 2 Vålerenga 7. Haugesund 13 21 5/22 Sogndal 2 – 2 Start 8. Sarpsborg 08 13 19 9. Lillestrøm 13 17 5/22 Lillestrøm 1 – 2 Viking 10. 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5/29 Start 0 – 5 Stabæk Funeral Home 5/29 Brann 1 – 0 Haugesund SOlie and Crematory 5/29 Aalesund 2 – 2 Vålerenga Honoring • Caring • Serving 3301 Colby Ave. Everett, WA 98201 (425) 252-5159 To read more about football in Norway, visit www.uefa.com theNorwegianamerican Sports June 3, 2016 • 5 Norway in the Olympics: Sports News & Notes Golf: Tutta drops to 20th in USA Football: Sarpsborg wins after penalty Blummenfelt Norway’s Suzann Pettersen was in fourth place before bonanza the final round of the LPGA Volvik Cham- Two penalties and two goals within the first pionship in Michigan but had it rough on thirty minutes were enough for Sarpsborg first Olympic triathlete the last day. Tutta ended a full four strokes in Ishavsbyen on May 28. The visitors from over par and ended up tied for 20th place, Østfold won 2-1 in the end against Trom- three under par. Ariya Jutanugarn of Thai- sø. Steffen Ernemann scored twice for the land won with 15 under par. visitors, while Thomas Lehne Olsen scored (NRK) Tromsø’s goal. (NRK) Rallycross: Solberg second in England Petter Solberg drove very well throughout Football: Late goals saved Molde the entire weekend at the Lydden Hill Race With two goals in the final minutes, Molde Circuit in England, but Swedish Mattias beat Brann 2-0 on May 22. Fredrik Aursnes Ekström was too strong for him in the final. (penalty) and Fredrik Gulbrandsen scored The Swede therefore took his third straight in the last seven minutes of the match. victory in the World Rally Championship (NRK) while Solberg took second. (NRK) Football: Viking victory at Åråsen Samuel Adegbenro scored the decisive goal Football: Goalless in Sarpsborg when Viking beat Lillestrom 2-1 on May Despite great odds, the Tippeligaen match 22. Suleiman Abdullahi gave Viking the between Sarpsborg 08 and Odd ended 0-0 lead after 22 minutes before Lillestrøm’s Photo: Dag Oliver / NRK on May 20. Odd’s Sondre Rossbach saved substitute Malaury Martin scored on a pen- Kristian Blummenfelt after winning the European Cup race in Madrid. the penalty shot from Jonas Lindberg mid- alty half an hour into the second half. The way through the first half. winning goal came from Adegbenro with (NRK) Molly Jones just one minute left in regular time. The Norwegian American (NRK)

Norway isn’t known for excelling in tri- tav Iden, also had a fantastic competition and athlon, but 22-year-old Kristian Blummen- ended in fourth place. felt is trying to change that. It turns out the European Cup was just The triathlete from Bergen first decided the start for Blummenfelt. The next weekend, Subscribe today! to try out the sport back in 2008 at the age of he moved on to the World Cup in Italy, fol- 14. While he was a strong athlete, he wasn’t lowed by the World Triathlon Series in Japan. excelling on his swim team and decided to “I always think I can fight for the po- give some additional elements a shot. dium. There it will be even stronger compe- “I knew I was going to swim, bike, and tition, but many of the best were here today run, in that order. What equipment I was sup- too, even if it was a slightly thinner starting Call (206) 784-4617 or email [email protected] posed to use, I knew little about. It was quite field,” he said to NRK. strange. I hadn’t seen triathletes either on You- And he was right to be optimistic: At the Tube or in reality,” Blummenfelt told NRK. World Cup race in Cagliari on May 8, Blum- the Despite his uncertainty, the teenage menfelt and Iden matched their results from Blummenfelt went on to win that first triath- Madrid, finishing in first and fourth place, Hearthstone lon and quickly became hooked on the sport. respectively. “Kristian’s story is wonderful. In 2008, Blummenfelt’s victory secured him 500 he had never tried a triathlon before, but he points and put him safely within the top 55 was pretty good at swimming and running. triathletes in the world, ensuring him a spot at Since then he has shown outstanding prog- the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro this ress and meant a lot to the development of August. He will therefore become Norway’s the sport in Norway,” says Arild Mjøs An- first triathlete to compete in the Olympics. dersen, president of Norges Triatlonforbund “The results are a major step in the right (Norway’s Triathlon Association). direction for a nation that is on the rise to in- Now Blummenfelt represents Bergen ternational senior level,” said Norges Triat- Triathlon Club in Norway and Valence Tri- lonforbund’s sports manager, Arild Tveiten, athlon in France and has won the Norwegian to Aftenposten. Championship four times, two on the normal The World Triathlon Series race in Yo- distance (in 2012 and 2013) and two in the kohama, Japan, on May 14 marked the final sprint version (in 2012 and 2014). chance for triathletes to obtain one of the 55 The triathlete is known for spending coveted spots at the Olympics. This series Welcome to the Neighborhood! more time training than other athletes, av- is the highest level in international triath- eraging around 1,300 hours per year. While lon competition, offering the most ranking he is usually strongest on the bicycle, Blum- points and prize money. menfelt feels he’s improved in all disciplines The Norwegian surprised everybody throughout his vigorous training this winter. by taking third, beat only by Spain’s Mario After several weeks of training at the Mola and Mexico’s Crisanto Grajales. Right Sierra Nevada altitude-training center in on Grajales’ tail, Blummenfelt ended a mere Granada, Spain, Blummendelt arrived in three seconds away from earning the silver. Madrid for the European Cup race on May 1. With this bronze, Blummenfelt’s par- The Norwegian finished the cycling ticipation in the Olympics is guaranteed, and stage with a group of six or seven others, but his podium finishes have helped him climb he broke away from the pack during the run- up the world rankings, which will give him ning stage. Only Antonio Serrat Seoane of a better starting place at the Olympics. Fol- Spain was able to keep up with him during lowing the World Triathlon Series bronze, he the run, but Blummenfelt still managed to ranked 20th in the world. the outrun him and take first place. The triathlon was introduced to the Hearthstone “I felt fresh the last three or four kilo- Summer Olympics program at the 2000 Syd- meters and felt like I had good control of the ney Olympics and includes 1,500 meters of Retirement Living 6720 E Green Lake Way N Spaniard. But you never know,” Blummen- swimming, 40 kilometers of bicycling, and Seattle, WA 98103 felt told NRK right before he went up to the 10 kilometers of running, in that order. at Seattle’s Green Lake www.hearthstone.org podium to accept his gold medal. In Rio “I’ll be fighting for the medals,” (206) 517-2213 His fellow Norwegian, 20-year-old Gus- he promises. 6 • June 3, 2016 Opinion theNorwegianamerican

< gender An opinion column about current issues in From page 3 Norway and the United States says Remø, who has not undergone gender Join the conversation! reassignment surgery. On the EDGE Her first marriage ended after her unwit- ting wife found a bag of women’s clothes What makes Bergen a music paradise? hidden in the cellar. Remø remarried, this time to a woman who accepted her as she was: “The trans that I am is sort of a third person in our relationship.” Karoline Danielsen While times have changed in Norway, Bergen, Norway and public opinion too, daily life can still be problematic when it comes to borrowing a Bergen, one of the most urban cit- book at the library, filling a prescription, or ies in Norway, serves as the present-day crossing borders with identification papers hotspot for producing most of Norway’s that don’t match one’s physical appearance. contemporary music. A city equipped Still listed as a personality disorder by with a wonderfully eclectic music scene, the World Health Organization, transgender- many internationally renowned musi- ism stirs up emotions internationally. cians have hailed from this area. Artists A North Carolina law that requires like the Kings of Convenience, Kygo, transgender people to use the restroom cor- and Aurora Aksnes, each with more than responding to the sex on their birth certifi- 20 million plays on Spotify, are a few of cates has sparked angry protests, from Bruce those who can attribute their impressive Springsteen to Deutsche Bank. success to the music haven of Bergen. But Argentina is a pioneer in the field, hav- why are the musicians in Bergen achiev- ing allowed people since 2012 to choose ing greater and greater success whilst the their own legal gender without having reas- musical subjects in school have become Photo: Tomasz Furmanek / Visitnorway.com signment surgery. But life expectancy for the less significant in recent years? The city of Bergen is a paradise for music. What makes it so, and could those aspects be put in place Latin American country’s transgender popu- Though the city only has around elsewhere? lation is no more than 35 years, according to 300,000 residents, Bergen stands above a study by the Association of Transvestites, most other Norwegian cities in number of Transsexuals and Transgenders of Argentina. musicians. This may be attributed to the celebration of music. get exposure to the music of others. Our It said they were often ostracized by cultural support that Bergen offers its ris- The music scene is also made accessible house is part of a good music environ- society, facing discrimination and a lack of ing musicians. Norwegians are proud of to as many as possible. Places like Kvarteret, ment in Bergen, and we are not alone. access to jobs and housing, for example, that their culture and of sharing it with locals a university cultural center run by volunteers, Opportunities and events like these left them increasingly desperate. and others worldwide, and music holds is known for organizing musical events that throughout Bergen are undoubtedly “The law is one thing but you also a significant place in this culture. Musi- cater to student budgets. They offer students contributing to the rising and continued have to really change attitudes,” says Patri- cians in Bergen are known for collaborat- discounted entry at concerts, along with at- success of “Bergenser” musicians being cia Kaatee of Amnesty International, which ing with one another, rather than compet- tractive prices for drinks and food. This stu- recognized throughout the country and fights for the rights of transgender people. ing. Artists of different backgrounds and dent bar and other places around the city are the world. Bergen’s artists are bringing Norway’s bill also allows minors aged genres are encouraged to learn from one doing well to promote new Norwegian mu- people together, creating unforgettable six to 16 to change their gender if both par- another, which contributes to the enrich- sic to young crowds and are getting financial memories, indescribable moments, un- ents agree. If one parent opposes, authorities ment of one’s musical ability. support from the local municipality. controlled feelings, love at first sight, and may decide “in the child’s best interest.” Bergen offers a lot of cultural events Bergen’s music scene is in constant true friendships. Could this kind of music “The law will make things easier for us. where artists can perform to share their change and there are always new sounds scene be cultivated elsewhere? We won’t have to always prepare everything music with people who are interested. emerging. The music scene is very alive in in advance before going anywhere,” says So- Residents are invited to either participate households throughout the city as well. I am fie Brune, a mother of two who lives in Oslo. on stage or in the audience so that ris- currently living in a culturally diverse house Karoline Helene Dan- Her second child Miria was born in a ing musical talent is discovered. This is in Bergen’s center with eight other people ielsen is originally from girl’s body but has identified as a boy since a good way for newly established bands from around the world, with residents rang- an island outside of a very young age. So it’s only natural that he or artists to try out their new sound in ing from their early 20s to mid 40s. Every Bergen but now lives now plays on the local boy’s football team, front of a diverse and easy-going crowd. few months, we arrange an event called the in Bergen with a nice and he’s treated as a boy in school. Establishments such as Garage, USF “Cultural Happening,” where we invite a view of the city center. “He’s happy. That’s what’s most impor- Verftet, Café Opera, and Lille OleBull of- number of people from around the city to an She loves meeting new tant. Children around him are very tolerant ten support these opportunities with live evening organized around the open sharing people, having a beer once we explain,” Sofie says. shows. Informal jam sessions are com- of music. It’s a sharing of music for love, and with friends, and play- For transgender people, the most im- mon and allow people of different ages not for profit. Our event is a place for people ing music, and is about to go on an adven- portant thing is to be able to live their lives and backgrounds to come together in the to express their new musical talent and to ture in the capital of Norway. the way they want. In the words of Frida The opinions expressed by opinion writers featured in “On the Edge” are not necessarily those of Norwegian American Weekly, and our publication of those views is not Haslund: “I don’t want to be buried without an endorsement of them. Comments, suggestions, and complaints about the opinions expressed by the paper’s editorials should be directed to the editor. ever having been myself.”

Name: Subscribe now! Phone: 26 yearly issues filled with news from Norway, business, Address: sports, opinion, food, travel, language, and more! City/State/Zip: $ one year: 70 Email: the Card #: Norwegian Expiration: CVV: Amount/issues: Questions? Call us at (206) 784-4617 or email [email protected]. You can also pay by phone or mail a check to: american Norwegian American Weekly, 7301 5th Ave NE Ste A, Seattle, WA 98115. theNorwegianamerican Opinion June 3, 2016 • 7

Letters to the Editor theNorwegianamerican Published since May 17, 1889 Do you have something to say? 7301 Fifth Avenue NE Suite A, Seattle, WA 98115 Tel: (206) 784-4617 • Email: [email protected] Write to us at Norwegian American Weekly, Letter to the Editor, 7301 Fifth Avenue NE, Suite A, Seattle, WA 98115, or email us at [email protected], subject line Publisher Letter to the Editor. Letters may be edited for style, clarity, or length. Ragnar Meyer-Knutsen Editor-in-chief Emily C. Skaftun [email protected] Editorial Assistant / Business, Sports, Relatives of Nils Anders Travel Molly Jones [email protected] Dear Editor, Editorial Intern / Nyheter fra Norge, I enjoyed reading articles in the NAW News, Opinion about the discovery of relatives of Nils An- Linn Chloe Hagstrøm [email protected] ders Wik, who were living in various places. Taste of Norway Editor Well… there are more relatives living qui- Daytona Strong [email protected] etly and somewhat secretly in my Montana Advertising town. Ryan Pearson [email protected] It was a sunny afternoon. While vis- Subscriptions iting a business in my community, I heard [email protected] a curious rustling in the back of the store. Upon investigation, I discovered a colony of Contributors Nils Anders Wik’s relatives living there. To Larrie Wanberg Grand Forks, N.D. combat the rugged weather and long winter Patricia Barry Hopewell Junction, N.Y. Melinda Bargreen Everett, Wash. nights in Montana, this band of friends had Terje Birkedal Anchorage, Alaska established a sports and leisure camp. M. Michael Brady Asker, Norway Their spokesman, Lars, came forward Carla Danziger McLean, Va. / Albany, Calif. Daughters of Norway Members Various with a “Welcome” sign and a small basket Gary G. Erickson Sunburg, Minn. of flowers. This group was, wisely, cautious Rasmus Falck Oslo, Norway around strangers, but they seemed to think I Christy Olsen Field Seattle, Wash. Marit Fosse Geneva, Switzerland was okay. tures taken. So, here we have softball play- time enjoying their life of sports and leisure. Sunny Gandara Beacon, N.Y. The sports and leisure camp includes a ers Karl and Kare, swimmers Erik and Einer, Before I departed, they let me know that Shelby Gilje Seattle, Wash. swim team, weight lifting club, and softball Heidi Håvan Grosch Sparbu, Norway and weight lifters Tor and Stor. there is room for more members in the camp. Rosalie Grangaard Grosch Arden Hills, Minn. league. Their score keeper, referee, and time Suddenly, all the team members rushed So, if there are any more relatives of Nils Kari Heistad Edina, Minn. keeper is Leif. He is also the coach for each towards me. They were excited about having Anders Wik who may be interested in join- Victoria Hofmo Brooklyn, N.Y. sport. Leslee Lane Hoyum Rockford, Minn. their pictures taken and wanted one of the ing this group, just contact Lars. Lexi from Old Ballard Seattle, Wash. All the players were very proud of their whole group. Meanwhile, Lars kept walking Roy Jorgensen Hopewell Junction, N.Y skills and came forward to have their pic- around with his welcome sign, offering hos- With best wishes, Inger-Torill Kirkeby Miami, Fla. Michael Kleiner Philadelphia, Penn. pitality to anyone he could find. Edna Gundersen Blanchfield Scott Larsen New Westminster, B.C. This band of relatives is having a fine Hamilton, Mont. Thor A. Larsen Fishkill, N.Y. Jerry Larson Zimmerman, Minn. Solveig M. Lee Seattle, Wash. Richard Londgren Thousand Oaks, Calif. 7. juni 12. juni Donald V. Mehus New York, N.Y. Martha Anderson Cottonwood MN Gerald Anderson Bellevue NE Christine Foster Meloni Washington, D.C. David Moe Sun City, Calif. Karen Gauthun Seattle WA Oscar Aspli Riverton WY Maria Stordahl Nelson Seattle, Wash. Maiken Victoria Gehsmann Nils Gjersengen Aremark Norway David Nikel Trondheim, Norway Morristown NJ Heidi Strand Magnus Cortlandt Manor Ken Nordan Batavia, Ill. Mrs. Norman Grande White SD NY Barbara K. Rostad Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho Esther Johnsen Cary IL Tordis Solheim Seattle WA John Erik Stacy Seattle, Wash. Rolf Kristian Stang New York, N.Y. Roy Naevestad Spectacular NY Barbara Vigsnes Bennington VT Judith Gabriel Vinje Los Angeles, Calif. Arne Neas Paradise CA Dianna Walla Tromsø, Norway 3. juni Solveig Pedersen Astoria OR 13. juni Alf L. Knudsen Jr. Dagrun Isane Brotherston The Norwegian American strives to make Simi Valley CA Olympia its news report fair and accurate. If you have a Megan Lapham Edmonds WA 8. juni WA question or comment about news coverage call Kaleigh Lestrud Princeton MN Walter Barthold Ridgewood NJ Clarice Keeney Sun City AZ (206) 784-4617. • The Norwegian American re- Milo Moe Eau Claire WI Audrey Engebretson Saute Nacoche GA Diane Omdal Langill S. 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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 • June 3, 2016 Norsk Språk theNorwegianamerican

Norwegian Language Corner NORWEGIAn 101 NORWEGIAN FOLK TALES, FAIRY TALES and TROLLS Language practice with Heidi Håvan Grosch

Connections (Tilkoblinger) Volume 2 There are some words (det er noen ord) that work best With 21 classic folk tales, fairy tales, and trolls from Norway in Norwegian and English, “Tuss og Troll” is now (fungerer best) in one language or another (i et eller et annet serialized in the Norwegian American Weekly’s Norwegian Language Corner. The stories are from the collections språk), and the Norwegian words (de norske ord) for “connec- of Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, and retold by Øyvind Dybvad, Gard Espeland, Velle Espeland, tions” (tilkoblinger) or to tie together (å knytte sammen) are two Johannes Farestveit, and Nana Rise-Lynum. Translated by Alexander Knud Huntrods and Odd-Steinar Dybvad Raneng. Illustrated by Solveig Muren Sanden, Jens R. Nilssen, and Ralph A. Styker. “Tuss og Troll” was edited, of those words. To my ear (for mitt øre), they remind me of (de designed, and published by Deb Nelson Gourley of Astri My Astri publishing. Copyright © Norsk Barneblad. minner meg om) the English word “knitting” (strikking). For me, (for meg) to connect (å tilkoble) or tie (å knytte) things together (ting sammen) implies (innbærer) a weaving together (en vev- ing sammen), which is really what connections are all about (er virkelig hva tilkoblinger handler om), isn’t that right (ikke sant)? I was recently (jeg var nettopp) in Bergen for a conference (en konferanse) for day care, kindergarten (barnehage), and lower elementary school (småtrinn) teachers (lærere). The conference itself, called Kykkeliky, which is the sound a Norwe- gian rooster makes (lyden en norsk hane lager) as opposed to (i motsetning til) the American “cock a doodle do,” was inspiring (var inspirerende). However, since this Norwegian 101 is about connections, let me tell you about a few (la meg fortelle deg om noen). Both would never have occurred (ville aldri ha skjedd) if we had not been in the right place at the right time (på rett sted til rett tid). The person I was traveling with (reiste med) has a niece (niese) Skomakaren The Shoemaker in Bergen but had made no plans (ingen planer) to meet her (for del 1 av 4 part 1 of 4 å treffe henne). Imagine (tenk deg) our surprise when she came out of the movie theater (kinoen) right across the street (rett over Det var ein gong ein fattig skomakar Once upon a time there was a shoe- gaten) from our downtown hotel (sentrumshotellet), at the precise som ikkje kunne gjera anna enn å sitja maker who could do nothing more than moment (i det øyeblikket) we arrived. It made for a lovely evening å sauma skor. Dei sauma med reim i dei sit there and sew shoes. They sewed with (en herlig kveld). Upon our return (på vei tilbake) to Trondheim, dagar, og så hadde han lagt noko talg very thin strips of leather in those days, (akkurat i det på bordet til å smørja reima med, så ho and therefore he had put some tallow on we came out of baggage claim at the exact moment skulle gå lettare gjennom hola. the table to lubricate the strips with, so øyeblikket) a friend of mine (en venninne) was saying goodbye (sa Men så kom det så fullt av fluger og that the strip would go through the holes farvel) to her daughter (til sin datter). She had an empty car (tom sette seg på talga. Dette vart skomakaren easier. bil) and was driving by both the towns (kjørte forbi begge byene) lei av, og så tok han opp eit ler-stykke og But there happened to be so many we lived in (vi bodde i), so we connected (vi koblet). slo til flugene. Han råka så godt at han slo flies around and they always settled on Connections (tilkoblinger) can also mean sharing interests ihel femten i eitt slag, og då vart han ikkje the tallow. This, the shoemaker was tired (dele interresser), as we did at the conference where the charm- lite kry. of and therefore took a piece of leather ing escapades (de sjarmerende eskapader) of those under eight — Å hå! tenkte han, — er eg slik kar, and whacked the flies. His aim was so så høver eg ikkje til å sitja her og sauma good that he killed fifteen flies with one years old (åtte år gammel) were shared (delte) and appreciated skor! Og så let han skriva med gylte bok- blow and with this, he was not only just (verdsatt) by all. Connections can be about trading (bytting) stavar på trøya sit at han kunne slå ihel a little proud. book titles (boktitler) or favorite songs (favorittsanger), shar- femten med eitt slag. Oh yes, he thought, if I am this good, ing recipes (oppskrifter) or travel destinations (reisemål), or in Så tok han ut i verda og ville syna kva I need not just sit here at home sewing the case of this paper (av denne avisen), rejoicing together in all shoes! kar han var. Då han hadde gått ei stund, And then he wrote in beautiful let- things Norwegian (i alle norske ting). kom han ut på ei grøn slette i skogen. Der ters on his jacket that he could kill fifteen Hurrah! (Hurra!) sette han seg ned og åt nista si, og sidan with one blow. vart han så trøtt at han la seg til å sova. So off he went into the world and Då kom det tolv kongens karar wanted to show everyone what type of ridande. Då dei fekk sjå den kjempa som man he was. After having walked a while, kunne slå ihel femten med eitt slag, stog- he came to a green opening in the forest. ga dei. — Vi lyt få han med heim til kon- There he sat down and ate his food, and Subscribe today! gen, sa dei. — Men korleis skal vi tora å later he was so tired that he lay down to vekkje han? Han kan slå ihel femten, og sleep. vi er berre tolv! Then along came twelve of the king’s Men så kom dei på at dei skulle slep- guard a-riding. When they saw this cham- 15.NAW.Vangsgutane.CMYK.27Oct2015.qxp_Layout 1 10/27/15 7:52 PM Page 1 pa hestane i hop til å bitast. Då vart det pion who could kill fifteen with one blow, slik knegging og ståk at det var fælt, og they stopped. “We must get him home to Call (206) 784-4617 or email [email protected] så fauk skomakaren opp. — Kva er det for the king,” they said. “But how do we dare leven de finn på! kveste han og gjorde seg wake him? He can kill fifteen and we are så morsk at det var eit syn. only twelve!” The Boys From Vangen: But then they thought that they would let the horses come together and fight. There was so much neighing and • Bilingual English & Norwegian text commotion that it was just horrible, and • For all ages on both sides of the Atlantic • Full colored & illustrated, Smyth sewn with this the shoemaker flew up. “Why • 6″x 9″, hardcover, 176 pages is all this bedlam happening!” he hissed • = $14.95 with FREE shipping in USA and made himself look so tough that it Vangsgutane has been a classic series in Nor- was a sight to see. way since 1941. Right after WWII, Vangsgutane was used as curriculum material in Norwegian schools, as the series had easy-to-read text with pictures. Honest and quick-thinking, the boys become role models for Norwegian children Tune in next issue for the through their numerous ventures and narrow escapes. Previously serialized in the Norwegian second installment! American Weekly. Made in America! Call, send a check or visit website Astri My Astri Publishing www.astrimyastri.com Deb Nelson Gourley Phone: 563-568-6229 $29.95 with FREE shipping in the U.S.A. www.astrimyastri.com 602 3rd Ave SW, Waukon, IA 52172 [email protected] theNorwegianamerican Norsk Språk June 3, 2016 • 9

« All art, literature, and music must be born in your heart’s blood. Art is your heart’s blood. » – Edvard Munch

Pondus < opprør by Frode Øverli Fra side 2

Ryanair. Det hun bøyer av for er tusen ar- beidsplasser og vi som flyr, sier Hagen. — Nå synes jeg Frp bør fremme forslag om at avgiften fjernes og stemme for dette i Stortinget, sier Hagen. I forkant av vedtaket skapte den om- stridte avgiften krøll på det borgerlige sam arbeidet.

< henriksen Fra side 2

oppslutningen som selskapet har i dag. Vi er Thanks for that... svært takknemlige for det arbeidet som han What have you Brought in Just wondering! Jeez! done now then? the mail! har gjort, sier Høie. Henriksen har bakgrunn som politiker og næringslivsmann. Han har hatt lederstill- Lunch by Børge Lund inger i blant annet DLA Piper, Storebrand Bank, Avanse Forvaltning og McKinsey. My goal has always been I 2006 ble han administrerende direktør to be myself — 100%! Think we should take i Vinmonopolet. that down to 10%, Kjell. Is that realistic? Henriksen har også en politisk karrière bak seg. I årene 1984-86 var han leder i Unge Høyre. Senere var han blant annet sekretær for handels- og skipsfartsminister Kaci Kull- mann Five i Utenriksdepartementet. I årene 1985-1989 var Henriksen 3. vararepresentant til Stortinget fra Akershus. I april meldte Vinmonopolet på sine nettsider at de startet prosessen med å finne en ny administrerende direktør grunnet Kai G. Henriksens «alvorlige helsetilstand». Henriksen fikk kreftdiagnosen i november 2014. Han fortsatte i jobben som Vin- monopolets toppleder frem til påsketider i år. Hjalmar by Nils Axle Kanten < lønn Fra side 2

av må vite hvor en arbeidstaker er organisert for å finne riktig lønnstrinn og kunne utbetale lønn. Uorganiserte vil få samme lønnstabell som organiserte i LO, Unio og YS. Unio-leder Ragnhild Lied sier til NRK at nattens resultat innebærer at en statsansatt på lønnstrinn 50 får 3500 kroner i høyere garantert lønn dersom man er organisert i LO, YS eller Unio sammenlignet med de som er organisert i Akademikerne. — Eksempelvis vil stipendiater på uni- My wife is My wife is versiteter og høyskoler være garantert en Hi Jim! Long My wife is My wife is pregnant! They had Oh, congrats! pregnant! time no see! pregnant! pregnant! triplets a høyere lønn hvis de er organisert i et forbund How are you? year ago. under Unio enn hvis de er organisert i et forbund under Akademikerne, sier Lied.

Han Ola og Han Per by Peter J. Rosendahl, with new translations by John Erik Stacy Abonner på Den Norsk Amerikansk!

Ring til (206) 784-4617 What’s the name of Oh good land! That fool Lars This is going Send e-post til that machine, Per? thinks he’s going to dig up great boy! posts with the spade. Ha ha— It’s a “Lightning Post Puller.” [email protected] Oh no well. 10 • June 3, 2016 Business theNorwegianamerican Business News & Notes

Centenary coin in 2017 to feature the liners. The company’s long-haul fleet will Say “Joda!” (Yes in motif “Interplay” consist of 42 Dreamliners by 2020. In Norges Bank will issue a special edition 2015, Norwegian was voted the most fuel- 20-krone circulation coin to mark the 100th efficient transatlantic airline by renowned International Council on Clean Transporta- deed!) with JodaCare anniversary of the first Sámi congress in Trondheim. The artist Annelise Josefsen tion. won the competition to design the anniver- Norwegian is also exercising eight of With this app, families of patients with memory sary motif. its 100 Boeing 737 MAX8 purchase op- Following input from the Sámi Parlia- tions. The group already has 100 such loss can stay up-to-date on their healthcare ment and the Sámi Artists’ Union, Norges aircraft on firm order and is the European Bank invited seven artists to participate launch customer. The Boeing 737 MAX8 is in a competition to design the anniversary Boeing’s next generation short- to medium- motif on the reverse of the coin. Annelise haul aircraft with longer range, enabling in- Josefsen, from Kokelv in Finnmark, won tercontinental flights. the competition with the motif “Interplay.” (Norwegian Air Shuttle) “Interplay” is meant to symbolize the interaction between forces. The symbols 2016 Financial Infrastructure Report are drawn from Sámi mythology and ar- presented ranged freely on the coin using many signs “Norway has an efficient system for pay- from the Sámi ceremonial drum. The motif ments and financial transactions. At the may be slightly altered before coin produc- same time, we are facing new challenges tion begins. that must be met in the years ahead,” says The obverse will bear a portrait of the Deputy Governor Jon Nicolaisen. king in line with earlier issues. The coin On May 24, Norges Bank presented will be issued in connection with the main the 2016 Financial Infrastructure Re- commemoration in Trondheim in February port (in Norwegian). The report is part of 2017—“Tråante 2017.” Norges Bank’s work to promote financial (Norges Bank) stability and an efficient payment system in Norway. The challenges highlighted in the Norwegian adds two additional report include contingency arrangements, Dreamliners to its fleet new methods of payment, and financial in- Norwegian continues to expand its long- frastructure decentralization. haul fleet and international presence by “Banks’ contingency arrangements signing an agreement with CIT Aerospace for cash distribution may prove to be in- to lease two new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner adequate in a crisis. Finanstilsynet (Finan- cial Supervisory Authority of Norway) and aircraft to be delivered in spring 2018. Photo courtesy of JodaCare Norges Bank will follow up contingency Norwegian CEO Bjørn Kjos said: “In The app lets families keep up with the care their memory-impaired relatives are receiving. order to offer customers more routes and arrangements in the payment system,” says make our intercontinental operation even Nicolaisen. more competitive, we need more brand Payment using a mobile phone is be- Rasmus Falck new, cost-efficient aircraft. Our interconti- coming increasingly common. At present, Oslo, Norway nental operation is crucial to the company’s most of these payments rely on interna- global growth and the creation of new jobs. tional payment cards as the underlying pay- Kristil Erla Håland became an entre- that he was there,” says Håland. The Dreamliner is a great airplane with ment solution. Payment system efficiency preneur when her mother got sick. Her When you have a close relative in this high passenger comfort, long range, low could be enhanced if banks were to utilize a mother is an Alzheimer’s patient and lives situation, you need information about ev- fuel burn, and reduced emissions.” single underlying solution for mobile pay- at home with healthcare workers coming to eryday things like what’s happening in the Norwegian currently operates eight ments. her house. Håland was missing information nursing home on the weekend, how his day 787-8 Dreamliners and two 787-9 Dream- (Norges Bank) about her mother’s daily activities, and sud- at work training went, and who was at her denly she needed to know if her mother was house last night. The app provides predict- doing well. ability in everyday life. Exchange Rates Oslo Børs: Week at a Glance Håland had a background in sales. When Healthcare workers meet relatives often. (May 30, 2016) Winners Losers she started working for a digital communica- With JodaCare, you can be assured that their tion system for kindergartens two years ago, expectations of you and the service you pro- Norsk Kr. 8.3525 Name NOK Change Name NOK Change she got the idea to create a system for pa- vide are met in a satisfactory manner. You Dansk Kr. 6.6812 Polarcus 0.63 26.00% I.M. Skaugen 2.46 -20.39% Petrolia 4.19 20.40% Farstad Shipping 11.30 -12.06% tients who have lost their memory. The idea will be kept well informed through a digital Svensk Kr. 8.3439 SeaBird Exploration 11.90 14.42% Avocet Mining 0.73 -9.88% was an app that connects health institutions contact book. Islandsk Kr. 124.99 Nordic Nanovector 27.10 10.61% Sandnes Sparebank TR 1.90 -9.52% with families so they can share appointments The company was started last summer. Thin Film Electronics 5.29 9.52% EMAS Offshore 0.65 -8.45% Canadian $ 1.3057 in a calendar and send messages back and They received 600,000 NOK in funding Euro 0.8983 For detailed information about the Oslo Børs, visit www.dn.no. forth. from Innovation Norway and 250 hours of She partnered up with Elin Sunde Wil- mentoring from Driv Incubator, a special- berg who has developed several applications ist in commercialization of business ideas for established companies and entrepreneurs within healthcare. They have presented the and has a passion for welfare technology and company at the Connect Spring Board, and the Internet of Things. Prime Minister Erna Solberg has even vis- 2709 SAN PABLO AVE — BERKELEY, CA 94702 Just before Easter two students from ited them. Phone: (800) 854-6435 — Email: [email protected] NTNU’s School of Entrepreneurship ex- The startup is located at Asker Hus just pressed interest in helping to build the com- west of Oslo. The municipality of Asker has Featuring great Nordic products pany to become a successful business. One been part of the pilot project, and the two en- of them has a bachelor’s degree in Interna- trepreneurs hope to have ten municipalities Books • Candy and Chocolates • Canned goods • Condiments tional Marketing, and the other holds a BA in on the customer list by the end of the year. Cooking wares • Dry Goods • Gift items • Specialty meats Economics with a specialization in Business and more! and Administration. They have both worked as care workers in home care for several Rasmus Falck is a strong Visit us online: www.nordichouse.com years and are therefore very concerned with innovation and entrepre- eHealth and welfare technology. neurship advocate. The au- Håland explains that her mother will thor of “What do the best call and tell her that she has not received do better” and “The board Subscribe to The Norwegian American! visits that day. “‘Joda,’ I say, and tell what of directors as a resource I have read in JodaCare about her day. You in SME,” he received his have been visited by the healthcare worker. masters degree from the (206) 784-4617 • [email protected] He made meatballs for dinner for you. ‘Oh University of Wisconsin-Madison. He currently yes’ says my mother. Now she remembers lives in Oslo, Norway. theNorwegianamerican Research & Science June 3, 2016 • 11 Abel Prize given for Community Connections proof of Last Theorem Gratulerer med Dagen! Happy birthday / Sir Andrew J. Wiles is recognized for proving one of the most difficult challenges engagement / etc! in mathematics: Fermat’s Last Theorem Your name and message here! M. Michael Brady Asker, Norway For more information, call This year the Norwegian Academy of us at (206) 784-4617 or email Science and Letters awarded the Abel Prize [email protected]. to British mathematician Sir Andrew J. Wiles for a proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem, first proposed in 1637 by French mathematician Pierre de Fermat (1601-1665) and first successfully solved in 1995 by Wiles. Business and individual In everyday language, that Fermat’s Last tax returns; audits; forensic Theorem went unsolved for 358 years shows accounting; financial that in the precise world of mathematics, statement preparation; generalizations of simple truths sometimes are devilishly difficult to prove. Consider the Certified Public Accountants litigation support. Pythagorean Theorem that we learn about in high-school geometry. It states that the 221 First Avenue West Suite 400 Lower Queen Anne location, easy parking. Seattle, Washington 98119 square of the hypotenuse of a right triangle Photo courtesy of the Norwegian Academy is equal to the sum of the squares of the other of Science and Letters Phone: 206.292.1747 • Online: loecpa.com • Email: [email protected] two sides. Expressed in an equation, where a Sir Andrew J. Wiles. and b are the lengths of the sides and c is the length of the hypotenuse, it is: The prize commemorates the significant a2 + b2 = c2 contributions of Norwegian mathematician Nils Henrik Abel (1802-1829). It was first The right triangle often is called the “3- proposed in 1899 by Norwegian mathemati- 4-5 triangle” because the integers 3, 4, and cian Sophus Lie (1842-1899) when he learned 5 are the lowest ones for which the equation that Swedish industrialist Albert Nobel’s plan Sealift Inc. is valid: 3 squared plus 4 squared equals 5 for annual prizes did not include a prize in squared: 9 + 16 = 25. That simple truth sug- mathematics. With Lie’s death in 1899 and gests that there might be a generalization the dissolution of the Union between Norway • Ship Owners • of the equation. Fermat’s Conjecture, now and Sweden in 1905, his proposal of an Abel called his “Last Theorem” says there isn’t. Prize in mathematics was shelved. The equation But in 2001 Lie’s proposal was revived, • Ship & Cargo Brokers • and the Norwegian government announced an + bn = cn that a mathematics prize would be awarded annually starting in 2002, the bicentennial • Steamship Agents • has no solution in positive integers if the ex- of the birth of mathematician Abel. Now ponent n is an integer greater than 2. Fermat known as the Abel Prize, it complements the claimed to have worked out a proof of the Holberg Prize in the humanities and comes conjecture but left no details of it. For three with a monetary award of NOK 6 million and a half centuries, Fermit’s Last Theorem ($721,000). The 2016 award to mathemati- stood unproven in mathematics. In the Guin- cian Wiles was made on May 24 by HRH ness Book of World Records it ranked as the Crown Prince Haakon at a ceremony in the most difficult challenge of mathematics, in University Aula in Oslo. part because it had the greatest number of unsuccessful proofs. M. Michael Brady was The magnitude of the challenge was educated as a scientist and staggering. Mathematician Wiles spent with time turned to writing seven years of research time in compiling and translating. his successful 150-page proof of Fermat’s Last Theorem. For that achievement he was knighted in 2000 and this year is the Abel Prize laureate.

< sas From page 3 68 West Main Street, Oyster Bay, New York 11771 In Denmark, SAS plans to boost ca- destinations of Tromsø, Bodø, and Svalbard. Phone: (516) 922-1000 Fax: (516) 922-6526 pacity by 38,000 domestically, mainly by The Stockholm-Tromsø offerings will also www.sealiftinc.com E-mail: [email protected] increasing seat availability on the popular be doubled. Copenhagen to Aalborg route. However, the SAS said its winter program will also launch of a Copenhagen to Miami flight in entail 130,000 additional seats on flights to September is also predicted to boost overall the U.S. and Asia. The airline is offering a traffic for SAS out of the Danish capital. new year-round flight from Copenhagen to Vesterheim With tourists showing a sustained inter- Boston and from Stockholm to Los Angeles. the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center est in Norway, SAS has also announced that The airline’s overhauled long-distance • The largest collection of Norwegian-American artifacts in the world an additional 90,000 seats will be available fleet will offer flights from Scandinavia to • A national center for folk-art classes • Open all year in Decorah, Iowa on winter routes from Oslo to the northern Beijing, Shanghai, Tokyo and Hong Kong. 12 • June 3, 2016 Taste of Norway theNorwegianamerican Taste the sweetness of Midsummer Two summery recipes to help your tastebuds welcome the longest day of the year

Nevada Berg Rollag, Norway

Sankthans, or Midsummer, is a celebration of both folklore and Christianity in Norway and across Scandinavia—an old tradition of celebrating the summer solstice, which then blended into a newer tradition of commemorating the birth of John the Bap- tist. While in Norway the name still reflects the Christian view of the day (St. Hans), it is the non-Christian elements, such as the midsummer bonfire, which have held fast over the years. And while fewer and fewer Nor- wegians celebrate this day, it is still seen as a welcome to the arrival of summer. Summer in Norway means berry season and cooler and more refreshing dishes. To usher in the celebration of summer, here are two North Wild Kitchen recipes which will have you hoping summer never ends: Aqua- vit, Raspberry, and Cardamom Sorbet and Rhubarb and Strawberry Soup. A friend once introduced me to the amazing combination of vodka, lemon, and black pepper, frozen together in a state of ut- most bliss and saved for a special occasion. Something about fire and ice. Opposites. Here in Norway, we have firewater. Aquavit (akevitt), that is. Golden or as clear as crystal Nevada Berg is a writer, and as hot on the throat as lava. I took my photographer, and recipe Aquavit, Raspberry & Cardamom friend’s recipe back to the kitchen, and I put developer living in Rollag, a Norwegian twist on it. I swapped the vod- Norway, in the Numedal Sorbet (Akevittsorbet) ka with aquavit, the lemon with raspberries, Valley. She shares the sto- and the pepper with cardamom. This sorbet ries, traditions, and history 1/2 cup water 2 cups (250g) raspberries is a recipe that can be made year round, but behind Norwegian food, 1/2 cup sugar 1/3 cup juice from an orange plays quite nicely with the theme of fire dur- as well as inspiring dishes 4 cardamom pods, gently crushed 1/3 cup aquavit ing Midsummer. from local and seasonal ingredients, at www. Another optimal midsummer dish is northwildkitchen.com. the traditional Norwegian fruit soup. This Create a simple syrup by placing the water, sugar, and cardamom pods in a small sauce- recipe features the taste of summer—straw- pan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and berries—which are paired perfectly with the set aside to cool. tart and tangy rhubarb in a refreshing, sweet Puree the raspberries and orange juice together with a hand blender. Using a mesh strain- Photos: Nevada Berg soup. And if you are harvesting the first of Above: Aquavit, raspberry, and cardamom mix in er, strain the mixture into a clean bowl, catching all the raspberry seeds and discarding them. the rhubarb, you can always do as the Nor- a sorbet that plays with fire and ice. Using the mesh strainer again, pour the cooled simple syrup into the puree, catching wegians do: dip a fresh stalk in white sugar Below: Fruit soup is a summer tradition in Nor- the cardamom pods and discarding them. Add the aquavit to the puree as well and combine. and eat it raw. way; serve alone or with ice cream or sweet If using an ice cream maker, pour the mixture into the machine and follow the manu- cream. facturer’s directions. If you do not have an ice cream maker, you can transfer the mixture to a metal baking pan and freeze until firm (about 2 to 3 hours), stirring with a fork every 30 minutes.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Soup (Rabarbrasuppe og Jordbœr)

1 lb. rhubarb stalks, washed 1 cup water 1 lb. strawberries 1 1/4 cups sugar

Cut the rhubarb into slices—if using the first of the rhubarb, you do not need to peel the stalk, but if it is later in the season then do so. In a saucepan, add the water, sugar, and rhubarb and bring it to a boil without stirring. Turn down the heat and let it simmer for 5 to 10 minutes to soften the rhubarb a little, but not too much. Remove from the heat, place a lid on top, and set aside to cool. You can let it stand over- night. The longer it sits, the more flavorful it will be. An hour before serving, cut the strawberries into quarters and add to the rhubarb soup. Garnish with mint or lemon peel and serve alone or with ice cream or sweet cream.

Subscribe to The Norwegian American! (206) 784-4617 • [email protected] news • business • sports • opinion • recipes • & more theNorwegianamerican Taste of Norway June 3, 2016 • 13 Aalborg returns! Two varieties of the famed Danish aquavit Snaps Visa will be available in the US this June Aquavit, Cocktails, and Nordic Snaps Culture by Lexi of the Old Ballard Liquor Co.

The aquavits of Sweden

Styles and definitions of aquavit vary Southern Sweden is lush and temperate; greatly throughout Scandinavia, and region- the thick inland forests give way to sandy al specialties abound. Aquavits in Denmark beaches, warmed by the residual heat of the are nothing like those in Sweden, which in North-Atlantic Drift. It’s a beach culture turn have little in common with Norwegian down south, where vacation homes and sum- varieties. Of the three major Scandinavian mertime resort towns abound and the weath- countries, Swedish aquavit is produced in er is temperate and rainy in the winter, hot the widest variety and can be broken out into and sunny in the summer. In these southerly two distinct types: spicy, often barrel-aged provinces, the aquavit tends to be playful and North-Central types and sweet, fruity South- fruity, reflecting both the availability of fresh ern styles. fruits and citrus from the mainland as well Regionalism in aquavit preference is as the summery party attitude that accompa- abundantly clear when visiting Scandinavia; nies warm weather and beaches everywhere. it’s not uncommon to find native drinkers If southern Sweden had a U.S. parallel, it who have experienced little or no aquavit would be Florida and its aquavit culture Photos courtesy of Arcus AS outside of their familiar local favorites. Some would be comparable to rum. Old posters for Aalborg. The spirit has long been missing from the U.S., but is now available for pur- of those differences are directed by varying Aquavits in the south are typically chase. If you don’t see it at your local store, ask them to stock it. legal definitions of aquavit from country to slightly sweet and often flavored with -cit country: Norwegian aquavits are required to rus, berries, fresh fruit, or baking spices. be made from Norwegian potatoes and aged The lightly licorice-flavored Skåne, the dilly, Molly Jones in oak barrels while Danish aquavits are rare- Danish-influenced Läckö Slotts Aquavit, and The Norwegian American ly barreled but can be spiced with either dill citrusy Malmö Akvavit are all produced in or caraway. For each community, their legal this part of the country. When introducing It’s been four years since Denmark’s distilled from grain and is clear. definitions evolved from older, more cultur- Americans to aquavit, these light aquavits Aalborg Akvavit was last sold in the U.S., Arcus is excited to be bringing the Dan- ally entrenched local preferences, which in are the most familiar and easiest for begin- but Scandinavian Americans certainly ish aquavit back to Americans and wanted to turn were influenced by what was available ners to enjoy. haven’t forgotten about the spirit. Ever make the best reentry possible. They started agriculturally in the centuries before super- Moving north, the country becomes since Aalborg was acquired by Arcus—the by partnering with Sazerac, a privately-held markets and refrigeration. more unforgiving as the land and the people world’s top producer of aquavit—Americans distilling company headquartered in Chi- Swedish aquavit enjoys a broad legal become harsher and colder. Fruits and citrus have been requesting its return to the U.S. cago. definition, with no restrictions on the mate- don’t grow as well in the rocky, stony ground For two years, Arcus has been working to The process wasn’t simple, though. rial used for the base spirit and though it all of northern Sweden and historically, flavor- answer those prayers, and now they have ac- Arcus faced some challenges in getting the must contain caraway, Swedish aquavit en- ing was primarily influenced by dried, long- complished their mission. Jubilæums Akvavit approved for sale in the compasses a broad range of flavors, sweet- lasting spices imported from warmer cli- As of this June, wholesalers in the U.S. country. While both caraway and dill are ac- eners, and aging techniques. The country mates in the south and down into Europe and will be selling two of the 12 variants of Aal- cepted as main spices of aquavit in Europe, itself crosses 15 degrees of latitude, and the Persia. The proximity and cultural connec- borg Akvavit: the original Aalborg Taffel U.S. regulations require the spirit to be fla- weather and topography range from warm tion with Norway in this area has also influ- Akvavit and Aalborg Jubilæums Akvavit. vored from caraway. Fortunately, Arcus was seaboard just a few short miles from the Eu- enced aquavit storage and there is a greater The Aalborg Taffel is the best-selling eventually able to meet an agreement and get ropean mainland to icy permafrost within the tendency to barrel-age northern liquor. spirit in Denmark and is known as the Red approval to sell the dill-based aquavit in the Arctic Circle. This broad range of weather Aquavits produced in these areas are Aalborg to Danes. The original version that U.S. and seasonal change creates vastly different less sweet and use more dried foreign spices is entering the U.S. market for the first time In addition, new bottles and labels had growing and importation zones across the is sold in a green bottle and is 90 proof—an be created to adhere to the American stan- country. See > snaps visa, page 15 increase from the adjusted 80-proof version dards, and of course the bottles then had to sold in the U.S. in the past. It is flavored be filled before they could end up on the with caraway and is best served as is or in shelves of your local retailer. a Bloody Mary, according to Christer A. Ol- The Aalborg Akvavits will be available sen, the Business Area Manager for Germa- to order from wholesalers in June, but many ny, USA, and International Markets. retailers may not have ordered it yet and it The Aalborg Jubilæums Akvavit, on the could therefore take a while to show up on other hand, is flavored with dill, coriander, the shelf. If you want to purchase it from and American white oak extracts and can your local retailer, Olsen recommends that be enjoyed in a variety of different settings. you request them to stock it. Olsen suggests a Jubilæum and Tonic or any Although Arcus is focusing on intro- other drink that usually uses gin. ducing these two aquavits for now, it is their If you’re only familiar with Norwegian ambition to bring more of their 75 different aquavits, you’ll notice quite a few differ- aquavits to the U.S. market in the future. ences when it comes to the Danish varieties. While Norwegian aquavit is distilled from If you have questions or want to learn where potatoes and matured in old sherry casks, re- the Aalborg aquavits are sold in your area, sulting in a darker color, Danish aquavit is contact [email protected].

Have you noticed a shortage of Linie Aquavit? Don’t worry; this is only a temporary shortage due to a change in importers in January—the stock has now been replenished and is read- ily available again along with Aalborg. Photo courtesy of Old Ballard A selection of Swedish aquavits. 14 • June 3, 2016 Norway near you theNorwegianamerican What’s going on in your neighborhood? Calendar of Events california children’s activity tent, and great Scandinavian Anne-Karin Furunes: Of Nordic Archives Texas Tord Gustavsen Concert food at the Nisswa Pioneer Village. Yet another now—June 30 Sankthansaften Observance June 16, 7:30 p.m. special line up of award winning musicians from New York, N.Y. June 25, 9:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. San Francisco, Calif. Scandinavia is headlining. For more info visit RYAN LEE is pleased to announce Anne-Karin Waco, Texas Tord Gustavsen’s new trio with vocalist Simin www.nisswastamman.org or contact Paul Wil- Furunes: Of Nordic Archives, a solo exhibition Join the Bosque County Chapter of the Nor- Tander and drummer Jarle Vespestad person at (218) 764 2994 or nisswastamman@niss- of her most recent body of work that brings to- wegian Society of Texas in celebrating the forms at SF Jazz as part of a U.S. tour marking wastamman.org. gether portraits of men, women, and children Summer Solstice with a group tour of Waco the release of their new album. Tickets start from Finland, Norway, and Sápmi, who suffered Mammoth National Monument and the at $30. Purchase tickets at www.sfjazz.org/ Tord Gustavsen Concert sterilization and documentation at the hands of Mayborn Museum. Cost at the monument is events/34sfjf/0616/tord-gustavsen. June 17, 8:00 p.m. their government between 1900 and 1939. Open $5 for adults, $4 for military, educators, and Minneapolis, Minn. Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 students, $3 for children, and free for infants; colorado Tord Gustavsen’s new trio with vocalist Simin p.m. Visit ryanleegallery.com/exhibitions/anne- cost at the museum is $6 for adults, $5 for se- Tander and drummer Jarle Vespestad performs karin-furunes/ for more information. niors, and $4 for children. Scandinavian Midsummer Festival at Mindekirken. Cost is $25. June 24—26 Our Saviour’s Pastor Anniversary Celebration Estes Park, Colo. Viking Sankthans Aften Rekefest Vita Veritas Writing Workshop June 12, 10:30 a.m. June 25, 4:00 p.m. This family event includes music, dance, crafts, June 20—25, 9:00 a.m.—12:00 p.m. Bay Ridge, N.Y. and food vendors; reenactors and encamp- Ferris, Texas Minneapolis, Minn. Our Saviour’s Evangelical Lutheran Church will Enjoy a St. Hans Midsummer’s Eve rekefest ment; cultural and lefse demonstration tents; Vita Veritas was founded with the goal of helping celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ordinations auto show; silent auction; and more. Hours at the Moore Farm! Delicious shrimp will be people document their life stories. The instruc- of the Rev. Craig A. Miller and the Rev. Khader served with bread, butter, mayo, lemon, dill, are 4:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Friday, 9:30 a.m. to tors are Anette Holt Bratsberg and Oddrun Dehli. N. El-Yateem. The worship will be followed by a 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 and refreshments. Cost is $15; children 12 Through this six-day course, you will be guided luncheon in the fellowship hall. This event is part and under free. RSVP at www.norwegiansoci- p.m. on Sunday. At Bond Park; free. Visit www. through the process of writing your own family of the 150th anniversary year commemoration. estesmidsummer.com for more info. etyoftexas.org/events/sankthans-aften-reke- story. Cost is $399 for Norway House members; For information contact Rev. Craig Miller at (718) fest-shrimp-party/ by June 15. $419 for non-members. Visit norwayhouse.org/ 745-0020 ext 101 or RevCraigMiller@OurSav- District of columbia calendars/back-by-popular-demand-vita-veritas- ioursLutheranChurch.org. Washington of-norway-5/ for registration and more info. Hedda Gabler at Studio Theatre Performance by Septentrio Tord Gustavsen Concert now—June 19 June 16, 7:00 p.m. Midtsommer Gala June 18, 8:00 p.m. Washington, D.C. Tacoma, Wash. June 23, 5:30 p.m. New York, N.Y. Studio Theatre in D.C. will perform Hedda Septentrio combines Finnish and Swedish folk Minneapolis, Minn. Tord Gustavsen’s new trio with vocalist Simin Gabler in a new version by Mark O’Rowe and music that results in a full scope of sound. Join Prepare yourself for a night filled with beautiful Tander and drummer Jarle Vespestad performs directed by Matt Torney. O’Rowe’s adaptation us in the Scandinavian Cultural Center at PLU music and exciting auction items. Norway House at Saint Peter’s Church as part of a U.S. tour is a mesmerizing study of power, control, and for their performance. Strawberry treats will will honor Paul Erickson with the “Going Viking” marking the release of their new album. Cost is self-deception and a nuanced portrait of one be provided from Nordlyset Lodge’s Straw- award. This event raises key funds that support $30. Purchase tickets at www.saintpeters.org/ of the most fascinating figures in modern dra- berry Festival. Free. Visit www.plu.edu/scan- all Norway House programs. At Minneapolis events/detail/2101/details/. ma. For tickets, visit www.studiotheatre.org/ center/septentrio for more info. plays/play-detail/hedda-gabler. Event Center. Reserve your spot at events.r20. constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e oregon Nordic Beer Tasting and Drinking Songs ccf8ggq0396c6bc&llr=mmysuzeab. illinois Scandinavian Midsummer Festival June 19, 6:30—8:30 p.m. Skål! Scandinavian Spirits Exhibit June 11, 11:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m. Seattle, Wash. Scandinavian Hjemkomst & Viking Festival now—June 19 Portland, Ore. Nordic Heritage Museum’s Craft School pres- June 24—25 Chicago, Ill. This summer solstice festival at Oaks Park is a fun, ents a special Midsummer evening of beer Moorhead, Minn. Denmark, Norway, and Sweden share a “spir- family-friendly day filled with games, dancing, and song. Sample a wide range of Nordic and The Midwest Viking Festival and the Scandina- ited” tradition of enjoying beer and aquavit. food, Nordic vendors and crafts and, of course, Nordic-style beers and taste samples of the vian Hjemkomst Festival are joining forces again This exhibition explores the cultural history of the raising of the maypole. Two stages of enter- barley, malt, and hops used. Then join the to celebrate Nordic culture at the Hjemkomst these beverages, follows those drinking tradi- tainment and a beer garden promise continuous museum’s music archivist, Kathi Ploeger, to Center. The Midwest Viking Festival is an outdoor tions to Scandinavian-American communities, entertainment with live music and dancing, all learn some typical Nordic drinking songs. $30 gathering of craftsmen, musicians, and living his- and answers questions like “What is aquavit, with a Nordic flavor. Cost is $7 for adults, $6 for for members; $35 for non-members. tory enthusiasts. The Scandinavian Hjemkomst anyway?” Fun, informative, and engaging, this seniors/students, $15 per family of two adults Festival is a celebration of Nordic cultures. Cost exhibition is curated by the Museum of Danish and two kids, and free for kids under 12. Three-Day Rosemaling Class per day is $10 for adults, $5 for youth 13 to 17, America. At the Swedish American Museum. June 23—25, 9:00 a.m.—5:00 p.m. and free for children under 12. For more info visit The Viking Breakfast Tacoma, Wash. www.nordiccultureclubs.org. Viking Longship Tours June 12, 8:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m. Take a rosemaling class from a true expert, June 19, 25 & 26, 1:00—4:00 p.m. Portland, Ore. Marilyn Hansen! Gain a new depth of knowl- Folk School Camp Geneva, Ill. The Grieg Lodge will be serving all-you-can-eat edge into the traditional craft and better un- June 26—July 2 Come to Good Templar Park to tour a replica pancakes, scrambled eggs, sausages, lingonberry derstand the culture that is behind the various Northfield, Minn. Viking longship, built in 1893. The boat is an jam, fruit, and lots of coffee. Prices are $7 for styles. The class will be limited, so sign up and St. Olaf College is hosting a week-long compre- exact copy of the Viking ship Gokstad, built adults, $4 for children 5 to 12, and children under mark your calendars! The class is three days in hensive, residential camp for boys and girls ages about 850. The replica was sailed across the 5 are free. In addition, there’s a Children’s Nordic the Scandinavian Cultural Center at PLU and 12-15. The camp will teach traditional hand crafts Atlantic Ocean from Bergen to Chicago for the Story Time scheduled in the library at 10:00 a.m. costs $75 upon arrival. Bring your own paint, to campers, who will explore some Nordic tradi- 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition. Guided The Norse Hall is located at 111 NE 11th Avenue. brushes, and wood item or buy them on site. tions and get a feel for the folk school philosophy. tours and self-guided viewing are available as There is free, on-street parking near the hall. Sign up at www.plu.edu/scancenter/classes. Visit wp.stolaf.edu/conferences/summer-camps/ well as guided group tours by appointment. folk-school-camp/ for more information. Parking is free. Cost is $5 for adults and $3 for Anniversary Gala with The Nordic Singers british columbia June 25, 4:00 p.m. children ages 6 and above with a minimum Scandinavian Business Club Gala Dinner Portland, Ore. fee of $25. Call (630) 753-9412 or email vi- new york June 11, 6:00—11:30 p.m. Celebrate the first anniversary of the opening of [email protected] for more info. Peer Gynt at Classic Stage Company Burnaby, B.C. Nordia House with a performance by The Nordic now—June 19 Prepare for a memorable and glamorous eve- Singers, a group of four soloists from the Danish Maine New York, N.Y. ning of dining, dancing, dignitaries, and spe- Royal Opera. The performance will be followed Peer Gynt Concert Director John Doyle (Passion, Allegro) brings to cial surprises as the Scandinavian Business by a reception. Cost is $50. Buy tickets at www. June 21, 7:30 p.m. the stage his own adaptation of Peer Gynt. Follow Club celebrates their 70th anniversary! So scanheritage.org/#!calendar/kr7wa. Portland, Maine young Peer as he searches for a life that will live pull out your finery and polish up those dance Maine Nordmenn will set up a display table up to his impossible and irrepressible expecta- steps; it’s time to party—Scandinavian style! and show slides of Norway in the lobby of the tions. At Classic Stage Company. Purchase tickets Pennsylvania Cost is $125 per person; RSVP by June 6. Visit Merrill Auditorium before Portland Symphony at www.classicstage.org/season/productions/ Tord Gustavsen Concert bit.ly/1Qx9M3g for reservation and schedule. Orchestra’s presentation of Peer Gynt featur- peergynt/. June 18, 8:00 p.m. ing Norwegian violinist Henning Kraggerud Philadelphia, Penn. Midsummer Festival with Robert Moody conducting. Tickets are U.S. Premiere of Then Silence Tord Gustavsen’s new trio with vocalist Simin June 17—19 available online at tickets.porttix.com, by call- now—June 19 Tander and drummer Jarle Vespestad performs Burnaby, B.C. ing (207) 842-0800, or at the box office. New York, N.Y. at FringeArts as part of a U.S. tour marking the Enjoy fun-filled activities, living history, and The Scandinavian American Theater Company release of acclaimed new ECM Records album, non-stop entertainment for the whole family minnesota presents Then Silence by award-winning Norwe- What Was Said. General admission is $15. Pur- at the Scandinavian Community Centre. Visit gian playwright Arne Lygre, translated by May- Nisswa-Stämman Folk Music Festival chase tickets at fringearts.com/event/tord-gus- www.scandinavianmidsummerfestival.com Brit Akerholt, and directed by Sarah Cameron June 10—11 tavsen-trio/. for more info. Sunde. The show presents 10 stories contemplat- Nisswa, Minn. ing human behavior, power, and survival. Pre- This festival features 150 folk musicians, danc- sented at The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row. Send your event to [email protected] or call (206) 784-4617 ing opportunities and instruction, a cultural 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 June 3, 2016 • 15 The Studio’s Hedda nails a classic Ibsen’s characters come to life in a timeless production of the once-shocking play

Christine Foster Meloni Washington, D.C.

The great Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen wrote Hedda Gabler in 1890 and its first performance took place in Munich in 1891. Since then this play has been continu- ously performed all over the world. The current production at the Studio Theatre in Washington, D.C., proves once again that this play can be staged in 1891 or in 2016 and not lose its relevance for a contemporary audience. Studio’s artistic director David Muse expresses it well. When explaining why a theater known for produc- Photos: (left) Igor Dmitry, (right) Allie Dearie / courtesy of Studio Theatre ing contemporary works would stage Hedda Left: Judge Brack (Michael Early), Thea (Kimiye Corwin), Hedda (Julia Coffey), and Jorge Tesman (Avery Clark) all do a terrific job in this production. Gabler, he says, “It felt like now to us.” Right: The characters’ motivations make as much sense today as in Ibsen’s time. Here Hedda reaches out to Eljert Lovborg, played by Shane Kenyon. The key to the play’s success is the figure of Hedda herself. Is she believable? Does her final act make sense? She may be Initially George (or Jorge in this produc- lover, Eljert Lovborg. He returns to town disapproves of her new mistress with all of more credible today than in Ibsen’s time. She tion) appears rather likeable. He seems very with Thea, an old schoolmate whom Hedda her being. seems to have shocked audiences more then sociable and interacts easily with others. But had mercilessly teased at school. She be- This production casts a clear light on than now. Julia Coffey is brilliant as Hedda, it becomes clear that he does not understand comes wildly jealous. If she cannot have Hedda and shows her unsuccessful struggle to the daughter of General Gabler. his wife and is completely oblivious to her Lovborg back, she will destroy both him and gain control of her life. Her father set her up The set is minimalist and, while it looks frustration and mounting unhappiness. He is Thea. She does in fact maliciously contribute for a fall, making her believe that she would modern, it is difficult to determine when the wrapped up in himself, content and secure to Lovborg’s death. Shane Kenyon skillfully be able to live as she pleased. We see her grad- drama takes place. But what particularly that he has won the hand of Hedda Gabler. plays Lovborg as a troubled man who wants ually falling apart as she desperately tries to stands out is a framed photograph of the He begins to turn away from her almost from to do the right thing but lacks the self-assur- establish a role for herself in society. When general. His far-reaching influence over his the start, as he is more interested in doing re- ance to do so. He is deserving of sympathy. she realizes that it is impossible, she makes daughter is evident throughout the play and search in libraries than in spending time with Kimiye Corwin as Thea adeptly strikes the decision to take her own life, revealing gives credibility to her behavior. It bears not- his wife on their six-month honeymoon. After the balance between a woman who has al- that, in the end, she is the one in charge. ing that, even though Hedda is Mrs. Tesman they return, he continues to ignore her as he ways led a life of dependence on others and when the curtain goes up, Ibsen chose to call fears competition for his academic position. one who has taken a major step in rebelling Hedda Gabler runs through June 19. For his play Hedda Gabler rather than Hedda He is also oblivious to the competition for in order to have what she wants. She has fled more info visit www.studiotheatre.org. Tesman. his wife’s attention. Michael Early is a perfect an unhappy marriage and followed her lover. It is clear that Hedda never accepts her Judge Brack. He is tall, handsome, and subtly Lovborg may have had a chance at marital Christine Foster Meloni is married state. She realizes while on their charming. He carries himself with great con- happiness and academic success with her as professor emerita at The honeymoon that she has made a huge mistake fidence and dignity. Hedda clearly feels his his inspiration and devoted spouse. Hedda George Washington Uni- in marrying this boring academic. If she had attraction and goes so far as to agree to a “tri- would not allow it. versity. She has degrees married someone else, however, the outcome angle” relationship with him (unbeknownst to Kimberly Schraf is marvelous in her in Italian literature, lin- would most likely have been the same. She is her clueless husband, of course). However, he role as Aunt Julie. She is a refreshingly with- guistics, and international her father’s daughter, born to be free and in and Hedda share a sinister characteristic, their it older unmarried woman who tries hard to education. She was born in charge of her own life. We watch her as she need for control and their willingness to de- support Jorge but does not appear fussy and Minneapolis and currently becomes more and more frustrated with her stroy the lives of others to gain it. awkward. Berte, the faithful maid, is also ex- lives in Washington, DC. She values her Nor- life until she can tolerate it no longer. The other male attraction is her former cellent as one who clearly adores Jorge and wegian heritage.

< textbooks corrected to our attention. This particular se- < snaps visa From page 3 ries of books is 10 years old, of course, hav- From page 13 ing been published in 2006 when the curricu- ture agencies... There are many considerations lum was updated last. or cold-weather herbs like fennel or caraway. Sadly, imported Swedish aquavits are that we make when choosing the pictures. ES: We take note of the criticism and Coriander, fennel, anise, and caraway are the no longer available in the United States, so Espen Skovdahl, acting head of Cappel- appreciate all studies that evaluate our text- most common, but it’s not unusual to also see if you find yourself in Stockholm, Malmö, en Damm Academic Publishing: Our selec- books. We will take any critical examination exotic spices like grains of paradise, mus- Nykoping, or any other Swedish city, be sure tion criteria starts with the texts, and possibly of our books into consideration when we re- tard, dill seed, saffron, or pepper. Basically, to stop in to the local watering hole for some visual works of art, that we choose to include vise or make new English textbooks. historic spices were limited to anything that local spirit. You won’t be disappointed. in each chapter/topic. The photos, and other could withstand months in shipping or else visual elements, are chosen based on the texts. TF: When are revisions of the current were hardy, cold tolerant, and locally grown, Lexi is the owner and founder of the Old Bal- books in question going to be made? and that flavor profile has become a hallmark lard Liquor Co. in Seattle, which produces TF: Who writes the books? TPH: When the new books are published of the northern part of the country. more varieties of aquavit than any distillery in TPH: Some of the authors teach in sec- depends on current curriculum development O.P. Anderson and Gammal Norrlands the U.S. After growing up with the Scandina- ondary schools, universities, and colleges... work being undertaken by the government... are both classic examples of this style, and vian-American farming culture of the Skagit The authors are highly-educated people with Of course, we’ll be more aware of the termi- each is flavored with the classic aquavit tri- Valley and a three-year residency in Sweden, a lot of experience. nology that is used in our future ones. fecta of caraway, anise, and fennel, then aged she settled back into Seattle life where she ES: We usually have a team of two to ES: There will not be a revision of New in oak barrels until they take on a golden now operates the Old Ballard distillery and four authors working on a subject, such as Flight, as we are currently in the process of hue and mellow flavor similar to Norwe- a Nordic café and fine dining Scandinavian English for Lower Secondary School, to- making completely new textbooks, Con- gian styles. Of the two, O.P. Anderson is the restaurant called Tumble Swede, and travels gether with the editor in charge of the specific nect, and other learning materials for the age most famous and was available in the United the U.S. teaching classes on contemporary “project.” The authors are most often trained group 13-16. In our new material, we will of States until just a few years ago. Scandinavian food and drink. teachers... We also usually have academic course take note of the criticism in the study. professionals and researchers from universities as part of the group or as consultants. Fagbokforlaget’s Trond Petter Hinrich- sen adds that “schools can either pick these Subscribe to The Norwegian American! TF: What do you say about the criticism? new publications, or keep to the old ones. TPH: We take it very seriously and are Developing a book can take years, what with (206) 784-4617 • [email protected] happy when people bring things that can be writing, editing, amending, etc.” 16 • June 3, 2016 Travel theNorwegianamerican Diary of a guidebook writer: Vesterålen, more than “Lofoten Light”

Photos: David Nikel Above left: The remote fishing village of Nyksund has enjoyed a new lease of life as a tourist stop. Above: The Hurtigruten museum at Stokmarknes features the original MS Finnmarken. Left: The beach at Bleik is one of many gorgeous examples across Vesterålen.

David Nikel is a freelance writer based in Norway. He runs the popular www. lifeinnorway.net blog and is the author of the upcoming MOON Norway guide- David Nikel book. Trondheim, Norway

One of the biggest problems when put- book page asking where people most wanted ten, you’re pretty much stuck with the E10 beaches of Florida or the Caribbean, but this ting together the first edition of a travel to visit. Over 50% said Lofoten! But where highway, which gets clogged in the popular is the Norwegian Arctic, in April! There are guidebook is not knowing what you’re going else to include? summer months. plenty of guesthouses, cabins, and campsites to want to include. in the area that had me scribbling notes and My remit for Moon Norway is clear. I’m The Vesterålen Islands The Blue City planning out an itinerary to stay on Andøya to produce a guidebook suitable for a first- or I’d narrowed it down to the nearby Sortland itself is of little interest beyond for a whole week. Perhaps next summer! second-time visitor rather than a comprehen- Vesterålen archipelago or the towns of its blue city project that has seen a big chunk The short 10-minute drive to Andenes sive guide to the country. This means I have Harstad and Narvik. I’d seen enough of the of buildings downtown painted in similar was interrupted by an unexpected find, the to be selective about the places I include, local tourist office website and Instagram ac- shades of blue. Originally the idea of local Norwegian Space Center. At this educational even in popular areas like Lofoten. The count to know that Vesterålen was pretty, but artist Bjørn Elvenes, the blue city project center, you can learn about the Norwegian problem is, how do I plan my travel without I was a little concerned it would be “Lofoten was plagued by various bureaucratic and ar- space program and take part in a simulated knowing beforehand which places they are? light” and not be of interest to travelers who tistic arguments, leading to a rather haphaz- research mission to the moon. How could I The answer is to keep things as flexible were already going to Lofoten. ard implementation. What was intended to not include this in Moon Norway!? as possible. For example, on my recent visit How wrong I was. As soon as I arrived be a 3D interactive painting is now a curious One thing I’ve loved about the guide- to Lofoten, I planned accommodation for my on Vesterålen, I knew I’d be staying for the sideshow as you stop for lunch or to refuel. book research so far is these unexpected first two nights and the last night and decided next few days. An hour’s drive north of Sortland is the finds, all over the country. You could argue to hire a car. This kept a big stretch of time True, the scenery is not as dramatic as curious fishing village of Nyksund, aban- that more needs to be done to promote these flexible, and that turned out to be the right Lofoten. The mountains are lower and some- doned in 1970 as the local fishing industry remote attractions. Well, I’m doing my part! decision. what more rounded, but no less spectacular. relocated elsewhere. In recent years, the vil- I knew I would include Lofoten—of With regional capital Sortland at its center, lage has enjoyed a new lease of life thanks Great coffee in Andenes course I would. It tops the bucket list of so the islands span out in all directions offering to a small number of lodgings, cafés, and Andenes was a charming town and even many travelers, which I verified with a re- choice and helping to keep the roads and at- galleries serving curious backpackers. The in April was thriving with life. The guide at cent post on my “Norway Traveller” Face- tractions much less crowded. Touring Lofo- remote village can only be reached by a nar- the space center pointed me towards a local row coastal road that clings to the mountain- coffee shop—Kaffehuset Strøm Eriksen— side. Once there, many travelers choose to where the beans are roasted on the premises. hike five kilometers across the head to Stø, This is something you only tend to find in the another fishing village with more modern bigger cities in Norway, so finding it on these Where in Norway? facilities. remote islands was a real treat. How well do you know Norway? Match this photo to its My return to Sortland via Andøya’s east Outstanding beaches coast revealed yet more beautiful, empty location and email your answer to [email protected]! After staying the night in the historic stretches of sand, plus a charming old wooden Correct answers will be entered to win one month of Sortland Hotell, I still had some time to kill church just outside the village of Dverberg. NAW. (Folks thought the last one was too easy, so this the next day. I chose to explore the most Getting to Vesterålen is simple. The one’s been cropped to make it more challenging. Enjoy!) northerly island, Andøya. I’d heard the beach Hurtigruten calls at its spiritual home Stok- at Bleik was a worthy trip, and the nearby marknes (where you’ll also find the Hurtig town of Andenes seemed a decent size. ruten museum) and Sortland, while flights The drive took longer than expected be- from Oslo arrive daily at Evenes airport, cause Andøya is simply beautiful. Driving up just south of the islands. During the summer, the west coast of the island, I lost count of the flights from Oslo also land at Andenes air- number of times I stopped to take pictures, port. For those staying on Lofoten, you can Photo: Norman Jensen breathe the fresh air, or just gaze in wonder. take a detour to Vesterålen via the 30-minute Have a photo for “Where in Norway?” Submit it to [email protected]! The beach at Bleik is indeed breath- ferry ride from Fiskebøl to Melbu. Cars, bi- taking. Of course it doesn’t compare to the cycles, and foot passengers are welcome. theNorwegianamerican Travel June 3, 2016 • 17 Midnight sun on Lofoten & Senja Hiking, kayaking, swimming, fishing—explore 24 hours a day with sunshine around the clock

Katrin Konradt & André Fey Oslo, Norway

What a destination for a summer holiday: the Lofoten Islands and the island Senja, a little bit more to the north, are just breathtak- ing. It’s mostly about the landscape: a stunning combination of steep, green mountains, deep blue sea, white beaches, and small cozy villages in between. It is also about the exciting outdoor activities the islands offer (some of which we tried out for the first time), various interesting galleries, art and crafts, sculptures placed in nature all over the islands, and last but not least the excellent local food (try Lofoten lamb and codfish). But more than that, it’s the light and the atmosphere it creates that I still remember so very well. As the islands are quite far north of the polar circle, you have midnight sun from May until July. We could watch the sun in the middle of the night or even go for a walk at 2:00 a.m. in the Photos: Katrin Konradt & André Fey morning—isn’t that great? Above: Kayaking is a peaceful way to explore the We have to admit that Norwegian archipelago—and no experience is required. summers are not always very warm, Left: The stunning scenery of the area is the pri- sometimes even rainy, but all the mary attraction. In the summer you can hike with- above mentioned things will more than out worrying about losing the sunlight. Below: Sunset, such as it is. The sun may kiss the outweigh a little bit of bad weather. horizon, but it’s never really dark. Cruising the fjords and fishing One day we rented a boat (after passing the test question of “Have you done that before?”) and also fishing equipment for the first time. The fishing course took about one minute, so it couldn’t be too complicated. We cruised the fjords back and forth—which was great fun, but very windy—a bit afraid that we would drive onto rocks hidden under the water. We’d been given a telephone number, which we were supposed to call in that case. Luckily, we didn’t need it. After a while we started to think about lunch and got the fishing equipment ready. As totally unexperienced fishermen, we were mentally prepared that Kayaking in Henningsvær this could take a while. But the sonar (is This is truly a completely different way that cheating?) worked really well and after to experience nature. just 10 minutes we got our very first cod- You don’t need to have any experience to fish! Then we had to decide which one of us try it. Some tour operators offer two- to three- should take the poor fish off the hook, kill it, hour trips if you are just as curious as we and put it in the box. were. We booked such a tour in Henningsvær After we had fished two big codfish and and got all the equipment, good instructions, a pollock, we got back to the harbor to pre- and just went out in shallow water. pare them on the grill. Clearly it was the best And both of us were blown away! Kaya- lunch of that holiday! king is so quiet and peaceful up there, as we were just gliding through the water and into south of Copenhagen or so. tains (as we did) and get yourself a sleeping Hiking up the Senja mountains the sun, getting very close to the rocky coast- At the same time, it is exciting and fun! mask. On the islands, Lofoten as well as Sen- line, looking out for birds and other animals. It fills you with energy and creates activity And when you are on holidays? Just ja, you will find plenty of spectacular hik- Just wonderful. and life. Everyone is outside until late night enjoy. Go on a hiking tour at 10:00 p.m. ing tours. So it is just about putting on your We hoped throughout the whole time or even early morning. Day and night just Read the whole night on the terrace without shoes, walking out the door, and choosing that the kayak would not capsize as the wa- glide into each other. switching on the electric light. And go to bed one. Or creating one yourself! ter was bloody cold, but it went well and we If you need to work, buy new solid cur- at 8:00 in the morning—who cares? Some of them offer spectacular views stayed dry. and challenging heights. These were the Katrin and André are two travel-happy Germans in their ones we went for during the summer holi- Experiencing the midnight sun early forties. After moving around a bit, they settled for days. And as it is light outside the whole day, We all know that there is midnight sun good in Norway in 2011, exploring the beautiful country you fortunately do not need to pay attention in the north. But you don’t know it for real ever since. They spend every free day traveling to famous to the time, just the weather. until you have experienced it! sightseeing spots as well as discovering lesser-known stun- We enjoyed the great hikes on Senja, in- During my first summer in Norway, I ning places and unique traditions off the beaten tracks— cluding creeping up the back of the mountains lost my sense of time a bit. The light outside and meeting great people everywhere. What started as a and ending at a cliff with a view straight down just kept me awake all day and night. How or simple homepage for family and friends, explore-norway. for a couple of hundred meters into a fjord. why should I think of going to bed while it org has meanwhile grown into a blog with 25 tour descrip- We love that in Norway nothing is blocked by was still so bright outside? It’s very confus- tions covering all parts of Norway, an Oslo guide, and a fences or signs. It’s just you and nature. ing and unusual for all of us who grew up large picture gallery for Norway enthusiasts. 18 • June 3, 2016 Norwegian Heritage theNorwegianamerican June 7: why Norwegians honor it Part 2 of the Ola Ljødal story, with connecting material by Barbara Rostad

that I would not get to see my heroic king that day. Ola Ljødal After quite a while there began to be Moelv, Norway movement by the crowds in front of me with shouts and noises of many kinds. First a little Barbara K. Rostad rumbling here and there, some flags lifted Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho in the air and waved. Then the sound grew louder and louder until finally it reached a The first significant June 7 in Norwe- single crescendo and I realized that now the gian history was over a century ago. Imag- king was coming. ine a referendum whose outcome is 368,208 I rose on my toes and between heads to 184. In one of the most lopsided results in front of me actually could see the tops of ever recorded, Norwegians voted 99.5% in some vehicles that crawled past. It was easy support of secession from Sweden. This was to realize from the cheers and hurrahs and the voice of the people following up on the waving of flags in front of me that now he unanimous decision of the Storting on June was right there. 7, 1905. Thus, June 7 is seen by Norwegians But as I said, I saw just some glimpse of as the date it regained the independence first the tops of the tallest cars. The throngs ahead formulated May 17, 1814, with the writing of me began to loosen up, shouting subsided of the Norwegian Constitution. and I understood the event was over. King By year’s end King Haakon VII, for- Haakon had gone past! merly Prince Carl of Denmark, had accepted Photo: Oslo Museum / Wikimedia Commons My desire to see him went unfulfilled. the position of Norway’s new king following What Ljødal didn’t see: King Haakon VII returns to Karl Johan Street in Oslo on June 7, 1945. Likewise, in front of me stood a whole mul- a favorable vote of 79% for keeping a mon- titude of people that didn’t see him either—a arch, a poll Haakon himself requested. small consolation. Just the same, I was quite Thirty-five years later, this king found leasing supplies in parachutes over Garder- Nothing like a Spitfire satisfied with my adventure in an atmosphere himself and his government fleeing the Na- moen Airport. Whether they were also drop- This British fighter plane, developed of great joy. I was there when the king came! zis, gradually pushing northward as the Ger- ping people, I don’t know. But in any case, it in 1936, was known for its lightning speed; mans sought to destroy them. was something new and exciting to see. nothing could catch it until 1949 when swept- A special Honor Guard They met in Hamar on the afternoon of Some English soldiers were housed at wing jets were invented. Some Spitfires were Serving as the returning King’s Honor April 9, continued to Elverum, on to Molde, several of the schools. One of our neighbors equipped with a Rolls-Royce Griffin Engine, Guard that day were members of the 99th then to Tromsø. Here they established a gov- that had lived in the U.S. awhile was called making them so fast and agile they could ac- Battalion, one of three in the 474th Infantry ernment on May 1. But barely a month later it upon to be an interpreter. Some of us had to tually overcome German V1 rockets by clos- Regiment of the U.S. Army. Known as the was no longer safe to remain in Norway. On go see these soldiers we knew had fought ing in to tip the rocket’s wings, causing it to Norwegian-American Viking Battalion, the June 7, 1940, the king, Crown Prince Olav, for us out there but our information was ex- crash. They were so lethal that German Gen- 99th was part of the special forces of the U.S. and the rest of the government boarded Eng- tremely limited and had come to a standstill eral Adolf Galland noted, “The best thing Army in WWII. land’s HMS Devonshire and were brought due to newspaper censorship. Several of the about them is there are so few of them.” Sent to Norway to help disarm the safely to London. boys from Sundset that knew a little English In later years one British pilot who flew 400,000 German soldiers still present and to At this point June 7 acquired added sig- made remarks to the soldiers who stood flirt- with the RAF during the Battle of Britain re- show the Norwegian people the close coop- nificance, both for the king on a personal ing with some giggling teenage girls. called, “She really was the perfect flying ma- eration between the U.S. and Norway, they level, and for all Norwegians. Their king and Cigarettes became available and we en- chine... I’ve flown jets right up to the Venom, were also given the privilege to be the Honor government were in exile. joyed the glorious taste and smell of these but nothing, nothing like her. Nothing like a Guard for King Haakon’s homecoming. Virginia cigarettes we bought. They were a Spitfire.” Life after liberation vast improvement over the homemade tobac- And there in mid-1945 Ola Ljødal, near- Ljødals through the years Their struggle continued for just over co leaves we were used to getting. What a ly 18, sits in the cockpit of a Spitfire, almost Ola wasn’t quite a teenager when his five years; May 8, 1945, was Liberation Day. satisfying smoke! breathless as he imagines all the possibilities. country was invaded. His coming of age On that day, recalls Norwegian Ola Ljødal, We were glad to learn that our neigh- years were during the Occupation. the newspaper had a single page with huge bor’s two sons Arvid and Johan, who had The King’s Return Born in 1927, he got his first English les- letters: WE ARE FREE! Below it were the sailed on Norwegian ships during the whole Crown Prince Olav returned to his na- sons from his sister Thorbjørg. Not a staple in words to “Ja, Vi Elsker.” war, came home in good shape. Johan, my tive land May 13. But when was the king the schools at that time, it wasn’t until the fall On May 13 Crown Prince Olav returned childhood hero, had been torpedoed two coming? We found out he would come on a of 1949 when he entered a teacher’s college to Norway, but his father waited another three times and had participated in the Normandy date that held great significance both for him that he learned the majority of his English. weeks. Not because he wasn’t eager, but be- invasion of the French coast in June 1944. and for Norway: June 7! That was the date I After confirmation he took an “after- cause he knew that a June 7 arrival would By late spring/early summer dances looked forward to with extra happiness and primary-school” course in 1942-43. In au- resonate in the hearts of Norwegians forever. made a comeback. English dance orchestras excitement, for that day I would go to Oslo tumn of 1943 he started at a high school but Though King Haakon’s departure from played for huge crowds. It was fun to see and and be part of the Welcome Reception. once he understood that it was managed by Norway was not popular at the time, there hear a big band in the flesh instead of just in At last June 7 arrived. I took the train the Nazis, he and several others quit. The were throngs of cheering Norwegians on American films we had seen before they were from Eidsvoll as early in the day as possible following year he attended a trade school, that special day, June 7, 1945. Ola Ljødal, forbidden during the Occupation or now on with my destination Oslo, 112 English miles after which he worked in a ceramic factory, whose WWII story, “We are not forgotten,” theater posters advertising such films. away. When I arrived, I went over Jernbane then at a sports firm where he was employed appeared in the Norwegian American Week- And how we hungered for American torvet and up Skippergaten toward Karl Jo- when the war ended. ly April 15, 2016, was in Oslo that day. His films! Especially after five lean years with han because I thought that when the king A folk high school took up his time in memories about Liberation Day, the king’s Swedish, Danish, French, Hungarian, and came with a car, surely they would take Karl 1946-47, followed by military service 1948- return, and the subsequent life paths fol- Norwegian films. We especially enjoyed a Johan up to the palace. So I wanted to stand at 49, when he served in the “Tyskelandsbri- lowed by him and his siblings constitute Part charming little girl on the movie screen who the end of Skippergaten and have a fine view. gade,” i.e. the German Brigade in Germany. 2. His narrative is produced in italics while brought us great joy in that era and who, Or so I thought. Four years at a teacher’s college set him the connecting paragraphs are not. of course, we boys fell in love with: Shirley My plan was brutally upended by reality. on his career path as a primary school teach- The excitement engendered by the war’s Temple. I had not gone far up Skippergaten before my er. After positions in Vestfold, Aasnes, and end and their king’s promised return is re- Things scarce or forbidden during the striding tempo became slower and slower un- Oslo, he settled in at Ringsaker for 33 years, called vividly by Ola. May 8th I didn’t eat all Occupation could once more be experi- til finally it came entirely to a halt. Suddenly including 12 as school principal. day—I was too full of joy. And no sleep that enced—smoking cigarettes, dancing, and I stood facing a tightly packed wall of people. There were seven children in the Ljødal first night. I was too excited. going to the movies all provided excitement There was no talk about some possibil- family. Ola’s sister Thorbjørg became a high We floated on intoxicating waves of gid- for a young man in his late teens. Such small ity to come near Karl Johan—and the king. I school language teacher, focusing on Eng- diness from May 8 until far into the summer. pleasures amid the heady joy of liberation remained standing nearly to the back of the lish, German, and French. Mari became a That initial period after the liberation was provide treasured memories yet today for masses. People stood on step ladders, fold- gardener, as did her husband. Two brothers obviously the most feverish. Several enjoy- Ljødal. He recalls in particular a trip to Gar- ing stools, chairs, even on ladders up against studied electrical engineering: Knut, who able things occurred one after the other. dermoen with friends where he was fortunate house walls far up, as high as possible, to get conducted inspections at a power plant, and We stood up in the garden and could see enough to be allowed to go up in a Spitfire a view. Though I stood no more than 15-20 in the clear air that Allied airplanes were re- and seat himself in the cockpit. meters from Karl Johan, I just had to accept Continued on the next page > theNorwegianamerican Norwegian Heritage June 3, 2016 • 19 Meet Øyvind Kvarstein New York’s new Norwegian Seamen’s Church pastor is still serving the sailors

Lagertha Aslaug Brooklyn, N.Y.

On May 5, 2016, the new pastor of the Norwegian Seamen’s Church in New York, Øyvind Kvarstein, drove the church’s van to Brooklyn and picked up Norwegian Krigsseiler Karl Aksel Andresen; Elsie Wil- lumsen, whose husband was a founder of the Norwegian Krigsseiler Club in Brooklyn; and three non-vets. Kvarstein had only taken over his position a few weeks before. He received a message from Victoria Hofmo, President of the Photo: Øyvind Karstein / Facebook Scandinavian East Coast Museum, asking Øyvind Karstein wants to integrate the Seamen’s if he would officiate at a ceremony at “The Church into the life of New York’s Norwegians. Stone” (the Norwegian War Sailors Monu- ment) in Battery Park. He quickly said yes. And a few days later, when she asked him on VH: This is your second time working at the behalf of Aksel if he could pick up the gang Norwegian Seamen’s Church in N.Y. What in Brooklyn with the church van, he also was your prior position? said yes—without hesitation. Each year, the ØK: From 1996-2000, I was the pastor for Scandinavian East Coast Museum hosts a cer- Norwegian students in the USA and Canada. emony at the memorial as close as possible I visited students in all 50 states, including to Norway’s liberation date, which is May 8. six provinces in Canada. Today, the New York side of the harbor is barely used for shipping. The docks have VH: How does it feel to be back in N.Y.? often been replaced with overpriced bland ØK: It is really satisfying to be back and good Photos courtesy of Ola Ljødal housing. And of course, the church’s func- to meet with a lot of nice people I knew then. Top: The Ljødals in 1944. Back: Ola, Knut, Kari, and Neri. Front: Gunner, Thor- tion has also changed. So it was so nice that And this time I am here with my wife, Torunn bjørg, and Mari. one of the pastor’s first activities was tied to Sneltvedt. That makes a huge difference. Above: The remaining Ljødals in 2009. Ola, Neri, Gunner, Thorbjørg, and Kari. the church’s roots. At the ceremony, Pastor Kvarstein chose VH: How has the church changed? a version of the 23rd Psalm entitled “The ØK: Frankly, the church has not changed < Continued from previous page Lord is My Pilot.” It was perfect. Also at- that much. The smell is the same, so are the tending was the wonderful Elin Bergithe cupboards in our kitchen. The work is pretty Neri, who spent many years in school admin- still living. Knut died in 2014 at 91. Mari is Rognlie, the Norwegian General Consul, much the same. The main difference is the istration. The fourth brother, Gunner, served also gone. Like many of their countrymen, who spoke about the bravery of these men. focus on music and art and that we spend as a priest and also taught at the teacher’s the remaining five continue to be active well The funniest touch was when they all more of our working hours on the premises college. Being a housewife suited Kari. into their 80s and 90s. sang the Norwegian national anthem, “Ja, of the church. There are no more visits to At nearly 97, Thorbjørg is the oldest and vi elsker,” accompanied by a street musi- ships in Port Elizabeth or Bayonne. currently lives in the Eidsvoll Health Cen- More Weight to June 7 cian from Trinidad, who was playing a pan ter where she teaches English to some of her Many Norwegians were dismayed about drum. He just happened to be performing at VH: How has N.Y. changed? fellow residents. She was selected Citizen of their King’s June 7, 1940, departure to Eng- the Battery that day. Afterwards, most of the ØK: NYC feels the same as 20 years ago. Eidsvoll 2009. land, but as the war wore on it became ap- group headed a stone throw’s away towards I hardly see any rollerbladers anymore. We She was a student at the University of parent that this decision was part of what the Pier House A to break bread. All wanted used to zigzag through the streets on roller- Oslo during WWII and luckily was at home prevented Norway from surrendering to the to converse with the pastor. blades, including circling the entire island of in Eidsvoll when hundreds of students and Germans. The King met weekly with his cabi- I had a chance to speak with Pastor Manhattan. From the church roof we used to teachers at the university were arrested and net and made regular broadcasts on the BBC. Kvarstein about his plans and hopes for the be able to see the Lipstick Building. sent to Germany sometime around 1942. During the Occupation many Norwe- Norwegian Seamen’s Church in New York. After the war Thorbjørg married her gians surreptitiously wore clothing or jewel- VH: What do you hope to bring to the church? sweetheart Sverre, who, unbeknownst to her ry with King Haakon’s monogram as a sign Victoria Hofmo: What was it like being with ØK: I hope to bring the best from the past or anyone else, had fought in the Norwegian of resistance, also reproducing it on various the Norwegian War Sailors at The Stone? and contribute in pointing it in the right path Resistance. They were married in 1947 and surfaces. Øyvind Kvarstein: It was meaningful and for the future. Next year the church building had three children before he died in 1951. King Haakon VII is now revered for his quite a learning experience. I did not know on E 52nd Street is 25 years old. Highly independent, Thorbjørg deter- courage during the German invasion. He is that we still had Norwegian Krigsseilere/ mined to support her family so she attended buried at Akershus Fortress, Oslo. As noted WWII veterans living in New York. VH: What is your vision for the church? a teacher’s college in Hamar for three years, earlier, he was elected king November 18, As the stones [that comprise the monu- ØK: That the church may be an integrated during which time she placed her young- 1905. His coronation took place June 22, ment] had been formed by nature, we as hu- part of the lives of Norwegians living in est child with her parents. From 1973-75 1906, just over a year after the June 7 deci- man beings are formed by history. That is and around NYC, as well for those visiting she taught Norwegian in London. Her other sion to end the union with Sweden. why it is important to keep telling the stories the city. In other words: that the church is teaching years were spent in Norway. A statue of King Haakon VII has stood of common past. included in the category of “Added Values.” Neri has written a book on Eidsvoll dur- in downtown Oslo for a number of years. ing WWII, edited by the Eidsvoll Historical Last year on June 7 King Harald V and his Society. Gunner too has done a book; his is sister Astrid, both part of that Homecoming on the Langseth Church, prepared at the time Parade in 1945, together unveiled a statue of the church’s 150th Anniversary. Ola also of their father, King Olav V, “the people’s The Scandinavian Hour is in print, having delved into the family tree king.” And so 110 years after independence, Celebrating over 50 years on the air! of the Ørbæks. another link to June 7 further cemented the Ola married Ruth Nancy Haakerrud importance of that date in the minds of many. KKNW – 1150 AM Ostby, born in 1933 and trained as a nurse. Though June 7 is not a public holiday She worked for some time at the Riks Hospi- in Norway, it remains a special day and is an Saturdays 9 – 10 a.m. PST tal in Oslo where she and Ola met. official Flag Day noted as such on many cal- Streaming live on the internet at: Ljødal and his siblings became well-ed- endars. It reminds Norwegians, and all those ucated and productive citizens with a strong with Norwegian ancestry, that freedom is not www.1150kknw.com bent toward teaching and writing. Five are something to be taken for granted. 20 • June 3, 2016 Arts & Entertainment theNorwegianamerican Munch and the Expressionist movement Exhibition in New York explores the Norwegian artist’s place, influence, and inspiration

Victoria Hofmo Brooklyn, N.Y.

Munch and Expressionism, an intrigu- ing exhibit at the Neue Galerie, is on view through June 13, 2016. The first sentence in the Neue Galerie’s mission statement explains its purpose: “a museum devoted to early twentieth-century German and Austrian art and design.” One may wonder why the Munch Museum in Oslo would be partnering with a museum dedicated to German and Austrian art. Why have an exhibition about Norwegian artist Edvard Munch (1863–1944) in this space? Munch is considered to be a father of Expressionism. This movement manifested in the German-speaking countries, a place where Munch’s work had been widely seen and enthusiastically received, as well as where he lived for extended periods of time. And that is why, no matter how many exhib- its you have seen about Munch, this one is Photos courtesy of the Neue Galerie different. It puts his role as a catalyst for the Above: Edvard Munch (1863-1944), “Puberty,” Expressionist movement into context and 1914-16, Oil on canvas, 97 x 77 cm (38 1/8 x 30 explores how this movement continued to in- ¼ in.), The Munch Museum, Oslo. © 2016 Artists fluence him and his work throughout his life. Rights Society (ARS), New York. This color ver- The Neue Galerie is housed in the for- sion of “Puberty” speaks to the works of Erich mer Vanderbilt Mansion, designed by the Heckel on the same theme. Right: Edvard Munch (1863-1944), “Bathing renowned architects Carrère & Hastings in Man,” 1918, Oil on canvas, 160 x 110 cm (63 x 43 1914. As a result the exhibit is limited to ¼ in.), The National Museum of Art, Architecture a small but beautiful space. It is also quite and Design, Oslo. © 2016 Artists Rights Society popular, so anticipate congestion and give (ARS), New York. We may not think of Munch as an yourself sufficient time to savor this exhibit. Expressionist, but works like this show that he was. There are four gallery rooms: Experi- mental Printmaking, Munch and the Expres- sionists in Dialogue, Influence and Affinity, and The Scream. This show’s text is concise but sufficient, indicating that the artwork is the main feature. Careful curation allows the work to speak for itself, both individu- ally as well as in the contexts presented. Lastly, there is a wonderful use of color on the walls—rich and warm, enhancing the artwork. It is so refreshing to break away from the usual antiseptic white. by Swedish playwright August Strindberg. Craftsmanship Landscapes In 1907 a Hamburg Collector, Gustav Lastly, we discover that Munch was al- Munch would reduce landscapes to their Introductory Text Schiefler, published a catalogue of Munch’s ready being appreciated for his one-off ap- basic elements of color and line. Here three Instead of paraphrasing, I am sharing prints, which explains how the Norwegian’s proach to printmaking—no two are alike. To different artists depict this landscape style: text directly from the gallery wall: work was widely viewed in the German- me this reflects the quickly changing world Gabriele Münter in 1911, Munch, and Emil Edvard Munch is rightly celebrated as a speaking part of Europe. at that time and society’s awareness of the Nolde, nearly two decades after Munch’s father of Expressionism. His extreme origi- impact of mass production caused by the In- pieces, thus attesting to his lasting influence nality and inventiveness were a driving force Color in prints dustrial Revolution. When applied to human with visual proof. I found Münter’s piece the for young Expressionist artists at the dawn of Munch repeated many of his themes, of- beings, it represents an awareness of the loss most riveting due to its pared-down shapes the twentieth century…. The present exhibi- ten changing them slightly, trying different of the individual and how all were thrust into and wonderful use of color, especially her tion demonstrates how Munch’s radical ap- mediums. On one wall there are two prints, an uncomfortable flux. choice of a rich blue for a home that sings proach to printmaking, his bold colors and with the same rendition of “Old Fisherman.” amid the white winter. daring compositions, together with his fresh Here Munch is experimenting with ink color. Gallery II: Munch and Expressionism in take on age-old subjects such as portraiture One uses black ink and the other uses dull Dialogue Munch’s Expressionist brushwork and landscape painting, showed the way for- yellow, dark peach, deep blue, and sea-foam- The first thing that struck me in this As Expressionism evolved, the father of ward to a new, revolutionary generation of colored inks. The two prints show how color room were the lovely wall colors in cobalt the movement took notice, especially in the German and Austrian artists. can change the tone and impact of a piece. blue and burnt orange, which added depth to “relationship between brushwork and color.” But after 1900, when Expressionism So much has been said about Munch as the paintings in this room. One wall displays portraits of three males. reached its heyday, Munch responded to the an inspiration that I think we often forget he By this time Munch’s work had grown The last one, “Christian Gierloff,” 1900, is stylistic innovations of his young admirers was also a student and continued to experi- in popularity and been exhibited in major a brilliant example of Munch’s adoption of and became not just a precursor of but also a ment and innovate throughout his life. cities, as well as developed a group of col- these painting techniques. The figure is large participant in the Expressionist movement… lectors. So this room serves as a testament and still and yet exudes kinetic energy due Munch lived until 1944, and his exciting, Repeated themes to Munch’s influence on young Expression- to Munch’s use of broad swirly strokes. His lesser-known late paintings pushed Expres- Three of Munch’s Madonnas follow. ist artists in terms of his unique approach to thick application of paint creates texture, sionism to further extremes, foreshadowing Here we see his use of the same theme ar- traditional genres—landscapes and portrai- allowing his brushstrokes to create further contemporary movements and confirming ticulated in different mediums. The first is a ture. As the text tells us, he “helped the Ex- movement, similar to the way he used the Munch’s enduring vitality and relevance. lithograph with black, white, red, and light pressionists to break with realism and create cuts in the wood block prints. Gierloff be- olive hand coloring, the second a sketchy and works that reflected their personal vision and comes a vibrating presence. Gallery I: Experimental Printmaking light-handed oil. The last one is also a print, emotions.” The pieces here are a delight to Munch began printmaking early in his with broadly differentiated waves around the the eyes, as well as a study in comparisons career in 1890s Berlin. While there he joined Madonna’s head like the kinetic ones found and process. a group of visual artists and wordsmiths, led in “The Scream.” Continued on the next page > theNorwegianamerican Arts & Entertainment June 3, 2016 • 21 Book review: Seeing Munch anew

Emily C. Skaftun The Norwegian American

As a genre, graphic novels are coming into their own. No longer just the province of tights-wearing mutants, serious works like Maus and Persepolis have shown the range of the illustrated format, so it’s only natural that biographies would get in on the action. No group of people fits this format better than artists. UK publisher Self Made He- ro’s series, Art Masters, aims to document the world’s great artists in a visual medium by seeking out books to add to the collection. Thus far, the series comprises Pablo (Picas- Photo courtesy of the Neue Galerie so), Vincent (van Gogh), Rembrandt (van Ernst Ludwig Kirchner (1880-1938), “Street, Dresden,” 1908 (reworked 1919; dated on painting 1907) Rijn), and (Edvard) Munch. Each is done in Oil on canvas, 150.5 x 200.4 cm (59 ¼ x 6’ 6 7/8 in.), The Museum of Modern Art, New York. You can its own style and according to its own rules. see similar themes of angst in the works of Munch’s contemporaries. They were all also originally written and published in languages other than English. A book on Salvador Dalí will join the series in Munch kept copious diaries and corre- < Continued from previous page autumn. spondences, and it is from these that the text Munch, brainchild of Steffen Kverne- is taken as we go through the artist’s early Munch and color you in the face as soon as you enter this small land, takes a page out of Munch’s own mad- life in Berlin and other formative experi- The last wall in this room has three rectangular room. It is the star. Here Munch ness. We see repetition of image themes and ences. Even though they are primary texts, prints by Erich Heckel flanked on either side included a poem at the bottom of the piece. Its stylization that at times borders on Cubist. Kverneland cautions that “they should be by prints from Munch, both of which are translation hangs above the pastel: Faces become masks, and not usually flatter- taken with a grain of salt.” Munch, after all, titled “Puberty.” Each of the five portrays ing ones (the author’s own image is drawn was devoted to rendering his subjective truth a young girl. If you scan them from left to “I was walking along the road with two in an especially pejorative way, when it’s in his art. He referred to some of his diaries right they are placed in reverse chronol- friends included). A muted color scheme dominates, as “literary journals.” ogy, from 1916 to 1894. A very clever wall The Sun was setting— aside from when Munch’s works are repro- If I were to criticize any aspect of this creates a conversation between these five the Sky turned blood-red. duced onto the page. Only those details that phenomenal work, I’d say that the integra- pieces. Presenting visual proof that Munch’s And I felt a wave of Sadness—I paused matter are included, leaving some pages tion of these sources is sometimes clunky work influenced others, you see a direct link tired to Death—Above the blue-black with an unfinished look. But this only makes and even confusing. I’ll admit to trouble fol- between Munch’s “Puberty,” 1894, a litho- Fjord and City Blood and Flaming tongues Munch’s art stand out all the more when it lowing the cast of characters through some graph, and the three pieces by Heckel. And hovered appears: with his world so drab and melan- of the time jumps and POV switches as vari- then Heckel’s young girl pieces inspired My friends walked on—I stayed choly, the colors that he saw truly amaze. ous of Munch’s compatriots were used to tell Munch to revisit his 1894 piece, 22 years behind—quaking with Angst—I In terms of the text itself, Kverneland the story. This vanished on a second read. later, this time transforming it into an oil on felt the great Scream in Nature.” set himself a demanding rule, as explained Steffen Kverneland’s specialty is adapt- canvas version and adding color. in the book’s intro: ing classic literature to a visual format. Besides the impact of this piece, what He’s won Norsk Tegneserieforum’s Sproing Gallery III: Influence and Affinity most intrigued me were references made to award twice for other of his graphic series, This is a very dynamic gallery and the a scream or shriek within the Expressionist and in 2013 Munch took home the presti- largest one, a riot of color and chock full of artistic movement. From the exhibit text: gious Brage Prize in non-fiction. It’s easy to wonderful works by Munch and other Ex- “Viennese critic Hermann Bahr later char- see why when you hold this substantial book pressionist greats. I suggest that before you acterized the shriek (scream) as the out- in your hands and begin to turn its painstak- read or explore individual pieces, you take a standing trait of Expressionism…. Satirical ingly illustrated pages. seat and allow yourself to take in the breadth author Karl Kraus described Vienna as an of this amazing collection in its entirety. Al- isolation cell in which one was allowed to Munch is available in English from Amazon low yourself to savor and be delighted. scream…. Egon Schiele frequently depicted and Barnes & Noble. Or if you’re feeling ex- himself screaming or with his face contorted tra Norsk, you can purchase it in the origi- Urban streets by extreme emotions… Erich Heckel also re- nal Norwegian from No Comprende Press: The wall with eight pieces is a wonder sponded directly to Munch’s ‘The Scream,’ www.nocomprendopress.com/product/stef- to see. First, because it contains so many of which he knew through the dramatic black fen-kverneland-munch. Shipping to the U.S. Munch’s iconic pieces and themes—three and white print version.” is $13. woodcuts of “Angst,” one of “Evening on All of these corroborate Munch’s posi- Karl Johan Street,” and another I had nev- tion as the father of Expressionism. “The er seen. These are in a dialogue with three Scream” resonated within the changing so- pieces by Kirschner. All the pieces express ciety and art movement, through the visual the inner self, reflecting what had become in art, as well as in written word. But more dominant in society at that time in history, an importantly, this very human cry became the alienation and anxiety. symbol of the Expressionist movement.

Munch’s impact on contemporary artists This is the only place where this exhibit From the wall text the following stood will be shown. If you cannot get to New York out: “Munch’s depiction of elements of ex- to see the exhibit, the online info about the istential anxiety in his earlier work also exhibit is incredibly extensive and includes continues to resonate in the work of con- iTunes and Google Play audio tours. temporary artists, working in less traditional Accolades to curator Dr. Jill Lloyd and media.” Thus, Munch continues to influence Munch scholar Dr. Reinhold Heller for giv- and inspire a new generation of artists till the ing the public new insight into Munch and present day. Expressionism in a way that incorporates scholarly gravitas yet never abandons the Gallery IV: The Scream beauty, power, and intensity of the artwork. Undoubtedly, Munch’s most iconic piece of work is “The Scream.” He did four differ- This article was shortened for the print ver- ent depictions of this image, and in this case sion. To read the full article and see more Images: Steffen Kverneland © SelfMadeHero, 2016 we have an unusual one in pastels that smacks photos, visit www.norwegianamerican.com. Scenes from the book: Kverneland describes his rule (above) and illustrates Munch’s turmoil. 22 • June 3, 2016 Roots & Connections theNorwegianamerican Captain Birger Lunde’s war memoir: Part One: The sinking of the Taranger

Most people do not know that the largest shipping company the world has ever known, con- sisting of well over 1,000 ocean-going vessels, had its American headquarters at 80 Broad Street in Manhattan. This company was called Nortraship, and my mother Mildred Lunde worked in this office. In a life-changing moment she would meet my father, Captain Birger Lunde, who was in the office trying to get authorization for payment of back wages lost when the Norwegian ship Blink was sunk off Cape Hatteras in February 1942. World War II was now well underway and the Norwegian government, then in exile, was totally dependent on the income from Nortraship. The British Isles were also hanging on by an Atlantic lifeline, dependent on Norwegian shipping to withstand the German military. Winston Churchill would later write that the only real battle he worried about during the war was the “Battle of the Atlantic.” Historians write extensively about the battle, the shipping losses, and the emergence of new technologies like radar and sonar. They even write extensively about life on the U-boats. What you are about to read now is a rare Norwegian sailor’s perspective. In upcoming issues of this paper you will be reading excerpts from a letter my father prepared for producers at the BBC who in 1993 were finally preparing to do a documentary about the Merchant Marine in World War II. In the last 25 years of their lives, my parents were deeply involved in working for the rights of Norwegian War Sailors and their surviving families. I think after you read the excerpts you will understand why.

~John Lunde

My personal experiences between 1939 time had the fourth-largest merchant fleet and 1945 would forever deeply affect and in the world. Because Norway has minimal change my life. I am still, 50 years later, amounts of farmland, generations of families haunted by nightmares that make me wake turned to the sea. At the time of the invasion, the whole house. I would survive three sink- there were over 1,000 ships, manned by ings by U-boats and see many good friends well-trained professional seamen. Despite Photo: Dag Indrebø / NRK perish. I also signed off of two good ships their training, about 20 percent of these sail- Captain Birger Lunde, shown here in a passport photo that, like him, survived three sinkings. NRK that were soon after sunk with great loss of ors would perish and never see home again. I recently published on the Blink sinking: www.nrk.no/hordaland/xl/styrmann-lundes-logg-1.12783048. life. In ports and in convoys, I experienced don’t believe any branch of the other servic- many air attacks. Once, when traveling out- es suffered anywhere near that casualty rate. side of a convoy, our ship was chased for The Norwegian Merchant Marines con- gan to form a great respect and liking for the been in the lifeboat with my friend. a full day by a surfaced U-boat. We were tribution to the Allied victory was far more English people. We were all very homesick We pushed away from the ship and the able to evade it during the night. I also par- than significant. During the war the Norwe- by this time. submarine came closer. It was suddenly ob- ticipated in several rescue operations and on gian Merchant Marine was organized under The M/S Taranger led a charmed life un- vious that the submarine was going to ram one occasion had to perform surgery on a a company called Nortraship and the 1,000 til May 2, 1941. She not only escaped dam- us. We quickly put every able man to row- wounded crew member. or so Norwegian ships were chartered by the age during the severe Liverpool blitz but had ing. With strong pulling and the incentive of Norway, as you know, is a small but im- English. This was arranged after our king also seen us through the fall of France when survival, we pulled clear from the bow of the portant country. I come from a small town went into exile. Winston Churchill would we were subject to a couple of dive bombing submarine. It passed so close we could hear called Fana, which is located just outside later write that “getting the Norwegian ships and strafing attacks in Leharve and several the crew talking. The submarine then posi- Bergen. Fortunately for me I received prepa- during the darkest days of the war was equiv- rough Atlantic crossings. tioned itself and fired two torpedoes into the ration and training as a young person that alent to getting in England a trained and We were traveling to America to get a Taranger. The ship sank quickly. was to serve me well for some really hard equipped army of one million men.” 5-inch gun installed when a U-Boat surfaced Many of the crew and passengers were sailing. I spent a lot of time in small boats, Despite incredible financial offers from at night and shelled us until the ship literally wounded. One of the crew, an Englishman, which later came in handy when I was to the Germans, not one Norwegian ship re- fell apart. My job was to get the distress call had a large piece of shrapnel about the size spend a fair amount of time in lifeboats. turned home. The Norwegian ships kept out. Despite continued shelling and strafing, of a man’s fist lodged in his foot. Officers I also had good training in the boy scouts England afloat. We carried over 40 percent we were able to get the boats launched. I was were expected to be medically knowledge- and was lucky enough as a teenager to win of the oil, tremendous amounts of food and in charge of the port side lifeboat, which was able and that night, in the crowded, rolling a scholarship for six months’ cadet seaman- munitions, and other vital supplies. This we the side the submarine was firing from. The lifeboat, with three men holding him down, I ship training on the Tall Ship Statsraad Lem- did throughout the war, but our contribution starboard lifeboat had been able to launch operated on the seaman’s foot. Using a large khul. This training in basic sailing and sea- and place in history came during the dark of quickly and get away. We were so busy Norwegian sheath knife, which we sterilized manship on an old square rigger in the North the war when England stood alone. I myself ducking and picking up wounded that our over a flame, I successfully cut the shrapnel Sea seemed hard and harsh at the time. The would be sunk twice by 1942. Without the boat cleared last. The captain was still on the out. The British seaman was incredibly stoic training was designed to prepare future sail- Norwegian ships, England would most cer- bridge with the chief engineer when we low- and thanked me when the job was done! Lat- ors for anything they might encounter. Little tainly have sued for peace. Just imagine if ered the lifeboat. We hung close to the ship er I am proud to say the crewman was inter- did I know then what that might be. the RAF was missing four out of 10 gallons waiting for the captain and chief engineer to viewed on the BBC and told his experiences. I worked my way up through the ranks of gas during the battle of Britain! I once come down. He said that the Norwegian mate had done “a as did all our officers, then did a two year heard that because of the contributions of the During this time the submarine came proper professional job of it.” course at the mates and wireless operators’ Norwegian seamen and ships, Russia was closer and the firing became more intense. When we were sunk, the ship was about school in Bergen. When the war broke out, told to keep out of Norway. I can imagine The wait ended when the chief engineer, a 250 miles off of Iceland. After sailing for I was a Second Mate / Radio Operator on that our ship owners would have insisted on very close friend of mine, dove into the sea two days, we were picked up by a British the M/S Hosanger. I was forced to leave the that one. But it was the sailors who wanted to near our boat. We picked him up; he was Corvette. Because we had so many wound- ship when it appeared that I was going to be see our homeland free who would make the badly wounded. He said that just as he and ed people, it was decided that we should be drafted in the Norwegian Navy. The ship was sacrifice and who really insisted that we fight the captain were clearing the bridge a shell transferred to the British Destroyer Wolver- torpedoed shortly after I signed off and most with England. struck. The captain was killed instantly. The ine. That ship had become a famous U-boat of my friends and colleagues were lost. This The M/S Taranger was overhauled in chief engineer was so badly wounded that he hunter. It was on patrol and after several days had been my first real assignment as an officer Liverpool during the early spring of 1941. could not hold onto the ladder leading down took us to Reykjavík. During the patrol we and the captain and crew had done their best During this time Liverpool was subject to 14 from the bridge, so he dove off the bridge. went after several U-boats with depth charg- to train a young new officer. Their loss was consecutive nights of heavy bombing. The The chief engineer would spend a year in es; this in itself was an incredible experience. very hard for me to bear, and unfortunately it bombing was focused on the dock areas. We an Icelandic hospital only to perish on another While on the ship, we would gather every was just the beginning of such experiences. often went ashore during the evenings, and I ship bound for America. He died after being evening in the officers’ club for a drink and When Norway was invaded, I was at can remember coming back through the sub- repeatedly frozen in a lifeboat. Interestingly, I to hear the BBC world service. Throughout sea on the M/S Taranger as a second Mate way system at night. We had to step carefully would learn this from a doctor who treated me the war in fact, the BBC would prove to be / Radio Operator. Suddenly, Norwegian sail- to avoid stepping on families sleeping on the for wounds I received later in the war when a good friend and somehow always transmit ors had no way to get home. Norway at that subway platform. During these days we be- the Oregon Express was sunk. The doctor had the news and a positive feeling to the ships. theNorwegianamerican June 3, 2016 • 23 A monthly feature to share Brought to you by with kids and grandkids BarnebladBarneblad Heidi Håvan Grosch soon it is summer, & that means FISHING!

Have you heard the song that starts “down in the meadow in an itty bitty pool…”? They have the same song in Norwegian! So now is your chance to learn both versions. The Norwegian version isn’t exactly the same as the English, but that is how they sing it in Norway so that is the way we will sing it here! The Norwegian song is a story about three little fish that ended up as dinner. One fish was called Pål, one was called Hans, and no one knows the name of the third one because he came from another country. One got fried in a pan, one got cooked, and no one knows exactly what happened to the third fish. It’s a mystery. One fish was from Oslo, one from Moss, and one got lost in a waterfall somewhere.

Har du hørt historien om de tre små fisk Down in a meadow in an itty bitty pool Som endte sine dager Swam three little fishies i en fiskehandlers disk and the mama fishie, too Swim said the mama fishie, Refreng: swim if you can Og de svømte og de svømte And they swam and they swam og de svømte rundt all over the dam For deres mor hadde sagt at svømming var sunt Chorus: Photo: Heidi Håvan Grosch Båb-båb – dædi-dædi – båb-båb – suuh! Boop, boop diddum daddum waddum chew! A fish made of newspaper. These kind are easy to catch! Båb-båb – dædi-dædi – båb-båb – suuh! Boop, boop diddum daddum waddum chew! Båb-båb – dædi-dædi – båb-båb – suuh! Boop, boop diddum daddum waddum chew! For deres mor hadde sagt And they swam and they swam at svømming var sunt. all over the dam make your own fish! Den ene het Pål Stop! Said the mama There are many fun ways to make a fish, and you can find ideas if you Google og den andre het Hans, or you will get lost “Fish crafts.” Here is an idea using newspaper and construction paper. den tredje vet jeg ikke, But the three little fishies 1. Cut out two fish the same size out of newspaper. for han var utenlandsk didn’t want to get bossed So the three little fishies 2. Staple the sides together, but leave the top of the head open. Refreng went off on a spree 3. Stuff more newspaper between the two fish shapes stapled together. And they swam and they swam When the fish is stuffed and fluffy, staple the head together. Den ene ble stekt right out to the sea 4. Cut out shapes from different pieces of construction paper. Glue og den andre ble kokt, them to the fish like scales. den tredje vet jeg ikke, Chorus for han var uten lukt Help! Cried the little fishies Refreng look at the whales Norwegian words for different types of Quick as they could, Den ene var fra Oslo they turned on their tails fish—can you match them correctly? og den andre var fra Moss, Back to the pool den tredje vet jeg ikke in the meadow they swam Laks pollock for den havna i en foss. And they swam and they swam all over the dam. Makrell salmon The song “Three Little Fishies” was written in 1939 and traveled to Nor- Ørret herring way in 1940. Over the years, many different singers in Norway, the U.S., and other countries have recorded this song. That has helped it stay famous. To- Sild trout day it is very popular with day care and barnehage children. Here is a short animated film by kids just like you on YouTube: www.you- Sei mackerel tube.com/watch?v=HBDaBiQ0w_A.

Puzzles by Sölvi Dolland Norwenglish Crossword Norsk-Engelsk Kryssord

Solution to “Norwegian crime writers” Solution to puzzle #12: Solution to last week’s puzzle: 24 • June 3, 2016 Bulletin Board theNorwegianamerican

A bar customer asked the bartender if he wanted to hear a Norwegian joke. The bartender pointed to a large man at the Relatives of Nils Anders end of the bar and said, “He’s Norwegian.’’ Then the bartender pointed to a burly policeman near the door and repeated, “He’s Norwegian.’’ The bartender finished, “Now think about whether you want to tell that joke, because I’m Norwegian, too.” The customer replied, “I guess I won’t tell that joke after all. I’d have to explain it three times.’’ Ole and Lena America’s favorite Norwegians!

Happy birthday, Mary!

Photo: Kris Grodahl Here is Mary Johnson celebrating her 86th birthday along with her good friend Aina Photo: Edna G. Blanchfield Kretchman. We were displaying information about Nordmanns Forbundet at the Fellesraad Lars, spokesgnome for a secret sports and leisure camp in Montana. Read the full story on Centennial in early May. page 7.

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Fishing Vessels in the North Pacific and Bering Sea Passenger Vessels from Puget Sound to Southeast Alaska Shipshape & Seaworthy www.pacificfishermen.com