Vol. 36, No. 1 Spring 2017 Drink Like a Viking The new Skål! Scandinavian Spirits Drinking horns were most commonly those exhibition at the American Swedish of oxen, cattle, or goats, though some have Historical Museum inspires a look back been found of ivory and could be decorated at drinking traditions across Scandinavian with precious metal or stones. Evidence cultures over time. Some have theorized of drinking containers can be found in the that the term skål can be traced back famous Bayeux Tapestry, or embroidery, to the Vikings, one of the earliest which depicts the story of William of Scandinavian cultures. This theory Normandy (a direct descendant of Viking comes from a supposed Viking tradition migration) conquering England in 1066. in which warriors would drink from the Revelers in this artwork are imbibing from skulls of vanquished enemies. Though a both horns and communal bowls. Though fantastically gory theory, most agree that few fully intact horns have been found on the term actually originates from the word archeological digs, numerous metal horn “skål”, meaning bowl, which was a common stands have been uncovered suggesting vessel people would drink and share from the wide-spread use of these vessels. Picture stone from Tjängvide in the at community gatherings. parish of Alskog, Gotland, Sweden. Photo: Ola Myrin, The Swedish What was in the horn? Favored drinks of History Museum. Even if the word skål doesn’t involve Vikings included mead, wine, and beer. imbibing alcohol from human skulls, the Mead is an alcoholic drink made of Vikings still did their fair share of drinking. fermented honey and can be mixed with Cups came in the form of ceremonial spices. Mead is often referred to as the drinking horns and communal bowls. continued on page 2 Connecting Cultures and Community Drink Like A Viking continued from front cover drink of the gods and can be found Note from throughout Norse, Roman, and Greek the Director culture. Heiðrún, a famous goat in Norse mythology, is said to consume leaves from I am hearing more and more buzz Læraðr, a tree in Valhalla, and fills a giant lately about DNA testing to learn about caldron with mead from her udders for fallen your ethnic background. If you are warriors who died valiantly in battle. The considering it yourself, prepare to be preferred drink of Odin, king of the Norse surprised. For many people, they find gods, however, is wine. He is said to have out that they had always thought they loved it so much that he would forego food were Italian, but are really Polish, or they and only consume the fermented juice of thought they were Scottish, but found grapes. Since wine was not produced in out they were Irish. DNA testing has Scandinavia, it was a much desired highlighted a trend whereby immigrants commodity and was acquired through raids to the US went on record as being from or trades throughout eastern and western a country that they actually weren’t. This Europe. Because wine was so hard to leads generations of families to identify procure it became a drink of the wealthy. Woman holding a drinking vessel. Silver. Öland, with a group to which genetically they Sweden. Photo: Gabriel Hildebrand, The Swedish History Museum. don’t belong. Beer was also central in Norse drinking culture. Knowledge of brewing was said to One professor at West Chester have been a gift from Odin to mankind. Much like today, drinking in Norse society University is using DNA tests of her Beer played a major role in Viking was a way to strengthen social relationships. students to encourage honest and open celebrations, festivals, and holidays. Toasts were made in celebration, conversations about race that start from It was considered a family duty to brew remembrance, to mark the partnerships a positive place. When students find out a strong beer for important events such of clans, to honor the deities, and at the that they have ancestry from the Middle as weddings, funerals, and religious completion of a successful voyage or battle. East or Africa that they never realized ceremonies. Beer consumption was a Passing and drinking from a shared horn or they had, this challenges their sense of way to mark the harvest, as well as the bowl fostered comradery and trust. These who is like them and who is “the other”. summer and winter solstices. If the harvest themes playout through the centuries and was small, however, beer production was raising a glass to toast or skål in celebration New information from DNA tests often limited to is just as important to modern people as it sets people on a path of self-discovery, special was to Vikings nearly a thousand years ago. wanting to find out who their ancestors occasions really are. They trove through on-line in order to To learn more about cultural drinking services that help them find preserve traditions be sure to visit the exhibit Skål! documentary evidence about previous grain for Scandinavian Spirits, on view through generations. They visit ancestral food. September. If you would like to explore homelands, giving new meaning to the Viking culture, come to Viking Day at the term heritage tourism! They even seek American Swedish Historical Museum on out places like ASHM to learn about what Saturday April 29th. Viking Day will feature it means to be Swedish when they find a 40ft reproduction of the Gokstad Viking out one of their grandparents emigrated ship, Viking weapon demonstrations, from Sweden. lectures from Viking scholars, runic crafts, and traditional game competitions of I, too, was recently suprised by a DNA test. Previously, on St. Patrick’s Day, my Hnefalafl and Kubb. Visit the website husband and children would celebrate www.americanswedish.org their Irish heritage, and I always felt a for more details. little left out. But this year, it’s my turn Drinking horn with to explore my inner Irish woman, since mouth mounting in silver. my sister’s DNA test turned up Irish Grave find, Björkö, Adelsö, Uppland, Sweden. background we never knew about! Photo: Christer Åhlin, The Swedish History Museum. Tracey Beck 2 WinterSpring 2012-13 2017 || Vol.Vol. 30,36, No.No. 41 the community SCA was created to serve. A Desire to Connect SCA has emerged as the community foundation for Swedish North America. Did you know that the ASHM was one of With over $1,000,000 of assets in its three Swedish-American organizations endowment, and a nearly 40 year history that founded a national organization called of supporting organizations and youth with Swedish Council of America (SCA) in grants and scholarships; of connecting 1972? In fact, the first Chairman of the affiliates and individuals with magazines, organization was Dr. Nils Y. Wessell, who books, newsletters and conferences; and was also the President of the ASHM Board of awarding leaders within the Swedish of Governors. The original purpose of the American community with the recognition SCA was to bring into a cooperative Swedish Council Executive Director Gregg White they deserve, we have adopted a new relationship all groups and individuals visits Sjölunden— at Concordia Language Villages tagline that we think embodies what whose purpose is to promote knowledge precisely what we do: and understanding of the Swedish heritage in American life and to strengthen became more important. The SCA began SCA: Supporting, Connecting, Awarding the cultural ties between America and an endowment fund and grant program in Sweden. Representatives of three visionary the 1990s and continues to provide grants Want to learn more about SCA? Connect founding organizations--the ASHM, to Swedish organizations for their own on social media, subscribe to the Quarterly American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis programs and projects. As of 2017, SCA will magazine Sweden & America (only $12 for and the Pioneer Historical Society in have given grants of over 1 million dollars to ASHM members), or join them at one of Chicago—met as the SCA executive a wide range of organizations and projects. their Fall or Spring meetings held at committee in the International Terminal at The founding of two significant scholarships locations across the U.S., Canada, and O’Hare Airport. The organization grew over – also in the 1990s – one bringing Swedish sometimes Sweden! The SCA board is the years and at its peak in the 1980s, the students to America and another sending meeting in Philadelphia May 4-7. Many of council had about 300 Affiliate member American students from Swedish heritage the events for the board are open to the groups in the USA, Canada and Sweden. colleges to Sweden. Throughout its history, community. Check out the full schedule at SCA has facilitated relationships among swedishcouncil.org/meetings. The role of the organization has shifted all of the organizations in Swedish America, over the years. Early on, the emphasis was creating a collaborative working on publications (such as The Swedish environment. Heritage in America, by Allan Kastrup published in 1975) and a quarterly After assessing the needs of constituent magazine, Sweden & America. Later, organizations and listening to the goals of facilitating communications between supporters, SCA has taken on a new role, groups and supporting programming one where there is clearly a void in Meet Our New Swedish Intern: Emma Rönn of January, and I am very happy to say that and eventually the same fascination would the city is already starting to feel like home lead me to studies in Art History at away from home! Stockholm University and a Bachelor’s degree in Criticism, Communication and I grew up on a peninsula on Lake Mälaren Curation: Arts and Design from Central called Skokloster, a small district on the Saint Martins in London.