ISSUE

4 Midnight Sun V O L U M E 2 5 October 2012

Quarterly Magazine for the Scandinavian Club of Regina Growing up in Theme: Life in Sweden Of the 9.5 million people living in Sweden, 2 Members’ Matters 2, 5, 6 million are under the age of 18. Most of them President’s corner 3 take for granted the fact Editorial 5 that they can enjoy free schooling, an active Theme articles 1, 4, 7 social life, as well as Scandinavian News 3, 4 easy access to nature. Upcoming Events 8 Swedish law ensures that children are well protected and their rights are defended. In 1979, Sweden became Time Travel the first country in the by Britt Holmström world to make beating or spanking children a criminal offence. What to write about? Childhood memories? Summers on an endless beach? Dancing around majstången at Midsummer? All that sounds mythical now. In 1993, the Swedish I haven’t lived there for forty years. Government appointed an Ombudsman For My favorite memory is an evening sunbeam Children who is obliged more recent. When I travelling across the room to follow the 1989 visited Malmö a few towards the altar. As the United Nations years ago, I went to a Sonata reached the Convention on the cello recital at Caroli largo, the sunbeam Rights of the Child. Kyrka, a red brick church reached the baptismal Sweden was one of the in the center of the city, font and lit it up. It was a first countries to sign built in 1880. I went for special moment. I have up. two reasons. One: I like lived in Canada most of cello music. Two: my life, yet that baptismal Although I had never set font and I had a foot in the church, I had connection; I was been in it once before, baptized there. I felt a carried in that time, being sudden sense of only a few weeks old. It belonging, of still being felt peculiar sitting in that Swedish. Britt by a stone erected in memory church, everything made of women burnt as witches, subject I left the church, of painted wood; plain and of her latest novel. lightheaded, walked past Lutheran. Two students St. Petri Kyrka, where the from Musikhögskolan were playing row of trees stood laden with pink Chopin’s Sonata for Cello and Piano in clusters of flowers. I stopped, reached G Minor. Accompanying the music was (Continued on page 6) Read Midnight Sun online and get all the links! Members’ Matters more on pp. 5 & 6

The Annual SCoR Corn Roast Event

We had great weather! There were 56 From the adults and 8 children attending and the corn was great, thanks to Kim and Jon SCoR Board Gillies who did an excellent job of giving every one more corn on the cob than they could consume. Lauren Membership Carlson assisted them with his many years of experience with cooking corn. on the Rise! Kelly and Greg manned the BBQ and Larry Bristol reports: many volunteers made it a very As of September 5th successful event. As convener of the SCoR membership event, my chores started up front but counts 167 active because of previous commitments I members. That is the had to leave early and left the clean-up highest since 1996! to Pearl, Tony and many other volunteers. Looking forward to NEXT

YEAR. Do we hear 200? Larry

New Phoners’ Coordinator Thank you, Guðrún! SCoR Cooking Class Carol Solberg is taking over as coordinator of the On behalf 20 students turned up at Ecole Phoning Tree after of the entire Monseigneur de Laval for the first night Guðrún Jónsson club, I of Scandinavian Cooking Classes would like arranged by SCoR in cooperation with to thank Hillsdale Community Association. Cookbook! Guðrún Coordinator Greg Swanson has done a Jónsson for great job getting this together: working Christmas present her idea: with HSA, finding teachers, shopping dedicated for the cooking. Kim is working steadily service. on the club’s new Guðrún has First night was Norwegian Cooking cookbook — and it is served as with teacher Kari Mitchell. Next time expected to be out by the phoning Greg will teach Icelandic Cooking. December 1st. The committee ideal present this coordinator for six years and has been Hmm, what do we do with this herring? Christmas for any instrumental in every event the club Scandinavian cook! has hosted. This is a huge job and Guðrún has done it exceptionally well. She has recently stepped down and Look for Mosaic has passed the responsibility to Carol updates on our Solberg. So again, thank you Guðrún website! for all you do! Kim

2 SCoR Website http://www.scandinavianclubregina.com/ Would you like to be working with the SCoR preparations for MOSAIC 2013? Contact John Edwardson at 584-2246 or Kim Gillies at 531-9794.

home for the weekend. President’s Corner But a few hours later the couple decided they wanted to go see a I’ve been a part of the Scandinavian Club of Regina movie. ”Dad called for a little over six years and it’s amazing to see it around six or seven and grow. I was welcomed into the club with open hearts heard that my girlfriend and I see that warmth continuing. The Executive and and I would go see 'The I have been working on laying the foundation for the Mozart Brothers'. Then possibility of our club re-joining Regina’s Mosaic he said they might want Festival. The club used to take part many years ago. to see that too," said I have heard wonderful stories of the good times and Mårten Palme, another of memories it created for our club, we are working to Palme's sons. give the next generation the opportunity to have the same experiences. As they were walking home down Sveavägen On the flip side; I have heard some club members in central , a say it’s too much work to be in Mosaic, and I gunman approached Olof understand why that is. It’s a lot of work to host a Palme and his wife and successful pavilion. We are currently working hard shot the Prime Minister to create a plan that will make re-joining Mosaic this endeavor, so please join dead. The assassination manageable for the club. Having said that; we do us to discuss where the club remains unsolved and need to know if this is what the club wants to do. will go from here. The Mosaic continues to haunt I think joining Mosaic is a wonderful way to celebrate committee will have a Swedes more than our unique culture and tradition. Our club is presentation on the twenty five years later. multifaceted with our language classes, cooking organization of the pavilion, According to classes, not to mention traditional events. We have a answer any questions, there Mårten, the system in lot to offer and showcasing our club at Mosaic will will be a general discussion place for protecting his show Regina just that. followed but a vote on if the father was less than satisfactory. "It was pretty At the last Annual General Meeting we decided to Scandinavian Club of Regina poorly organized. The hold a Special GM to discuss Mosaic and see if there will enter Mosaic or not. I bodyguards were okay, is enough club interest to make a pavilion feasible. I hope to see you all there. but it was a complicated encourage everyone to come out to this meeting on system," he said. November 21st, to make your opinion known. We Kim Gillies really need to know how the club members feel about

Olof Palme Wanted Protection

"On the night of the interviews that her husband didn't want murder, he actually to have bodyguards that night, but tried to call, but it Joakim Palme recalled things differently. didn't work. He "That was information she provided very couldn't get ahold of early in the murder investigation, but the anyone," Olof Palme’s son Joakim told reason why he didn't get in touch with talk show host Fredrik Skavlan in an them? That I don't know. He may have episode broadcast on Swedish had the wrong number; there was The number of people Television in late September. However, something that just made a clicking who ”like” us on information about the alleged call wasn't sound." Facebook is growing. included in the investigation, according to On the afternoon of February 28th, 1986, Join them! a lead investigator on the case. Olof Palme and his wife had been driven According to the Expressen newspaper, home by police guards, at which point Lisbeth Palme confirmed during Palme told the security guards to go

http://www.facebook.com/scandinavianclubregina 3 Re-immigrating to Sweden

by Ida LeRuyet, Midnight Sun editor 2007-2010

during that extra time of 15-30 minutes where the guests would slowly trail in one by one. Best Another noticeable difference is the Director at level of bureaucratic connectedness in Montreal Festival each country. Strangely enough I was bothered both times I moved to a new Swedish director Jan place. In Canada it seemed nothing Troell won the award for was connected, not even government bodies, so if you moved you had to tell Best Director with his film every single organization about your The Last Sentence (Dom address change. I almost had a fear of över död man) at the getting lost in the system. In Sweden World Film Festival in everything is centralized which I have Montreal. frustratingly come to realize means The film is about Torgny everyone knows everything about Segerstedt, editor in chief everyone. After six years in Canada it at a Gothenburg paper makes me feel a little claustrophobic between 1917 and 1945. with a big brother hanging over my shoulder. He is considered to be I believe the hardest struggle so far one of the most important Vilma-Louise on a hike just behind our house anti-Nazi publishers in has been for my husband. He’s painfully watching the weather forecast Sweden during the Two months back in my home country daily on our computer desktop; Regina Second World War. The of Sweden. Is it the paradise I remembered it to be? +30, Sweden +15. I have Swedish coalition to remind him that in government repeatedly I lived in Regina for six I was caught off guard when all of the January it will say; Regina asked him to stop his years, without realizing -30, Sweden -15. Sweden 20 guests showed "anti-German" writings in until moving away, that is never too hot or too cold enough time had elapsed up at once exactly order to maintain – just right. The Swedes for me to acclimatize to the on time. Sweden's neutrality. have a hard time believing Regina way. I now feel Source: Embassy of we came to Sweden for a Canadian in Sweden. In order to warmer winter! Sweden, Ottawa illustrate this feeling I have a few stories for you. Now even though we’ve met some unexpected challenges, I still love my I threw my husband a 30th Birthday Sweden. What does make Sweden my party and was caught off guard when paradise? It is so beautiful here and all of the 20 guests showed up at once the food is amazing just like I exactly on time. Swedes are remembered it to be! The forest, lakes apparently crazy punctual, even for and sea are my neighbors and the social functions, and I no longer know outdoorsy culture here has provided how it is done. In Canada I remember trails and huts almost everywhere. It is an invitation was more of a suggested easy to be outside and the outdoor time of arrival, with it being almost experiences are endless. The forest inconsiderate to surprise your host by has allowed me to gather mushrooms showing up on time. As a host it was and berries in addition to filling our nice to complete the final touches Director Jan Troell (Continued on page 6)

4

Editorial

In this issue of Midnight Sun we are had groups and committees working thanking two long standing club together, they had special contacts for members for their many years of young people among the membership, service for the SCoR. During the 36 they had crafts workshops, dance years since the start, literally countless groups, singers (they even recorded a members have contributed with even CD!). We were able to grant more countless hours of volunteer work scholarships. And I’m not forgetting to keep alive the Scandinavian spirit on Mosaic, but Kim is writing about that the prairies. The phoning committee elsewhere in this issue. and the language classes are two of New times will have new preferences. the many areas where the The important thing is finding areas Scandinavian Club of Regina has that will attract new members, not managed to engage the membership in forgetting to let those who have been activities that has given them the club during all those years will have ownership to the purpose of this reason to stay with us. That does not organisation. mean to do everything the way it has What is good to see, is that new people always been done - nor does it mean are coming in, prepared to continue the to throw out traditions. We all need to work. Over the last couple of years the have an open mind, we all need to use Board of Directors has got valuable the renewed resources represented by new blood in three new Directors who our new members in such a way that all in their different fields have ideas, there will be something for all - and working spirit and a wish to bring the something to attract lots of new When you think of work forward. The founding members members. Do I hear 200? Flowers think of...

Thank you, Mildred - Tusen Takk!

Mildred local community hall. Since 1998 she Flowers For Every Ihlen has has taught beginners and advanced Occasion! taught classes in her home. Mildred has also Norwegian tutored many students individually as classes for well as assisted many to translate 40 years. letters and documents. She will not She has teach classes any more, but she does had more not like to give up the practice of using her mother tongue. She will have a than 200 3004—13th Ave. adult group come together in her home to students give them a chance to speak (13th & Robinson) pass Norwegian together (see p. 6). (306) 757-6666 (306) 757-3030 through her Her many students as well as the classes. SCoR are very grateful for all the time Mildred began teaching under The she has given us. Department of Education, followed by The Wascana Institute and the Tusen takk (A Thousand Thanks) Community College. Due to changes in Mildred! www.galesflorist.com funding she began to rent space at her Lylah Gess

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Join a Norwegian seeing things, but no, there were Conversation women in brightly colored dresses and Group! turbans and beautiful jewelry, men in long robes. It was so unexpected, I just stared. One of the women, her dress and turban bright green and yellow, Mildred Ihlen stopped looked at me and smiled. I was already teaching Norwegian smiling, I couldn’t help myself. Several classes (see p. 5), but more people began smiling back. she is not giving up (They turned out to be a large speaking the language. delegation from several African She will be hosting countries visiting Malmö.) I wanted to conversation groups in say welcome to Malmö, but didn’t. I no her home every second longer lived there. I, too, was a visitor. Thursday. The first The Malmö I connected with that meeting was on Sept. Caroli Kyrka, Malmö, Sweden evening was the old Malmö, not the 20th - then follows Oct. new. I walked back to my friends’ place (Continued from page 1) Time Travel... 11th and so on. Phone slowly, wanting my date with my hometown to last as long as possible. I Mildred at 757-1311. up and cupped a cluster in my hand, knew it would not last, that feeling of wanting to touch something that was being at home, so I needed to savor part of the city. Because so often when every minute. you visit the country of your birth, your hometown, you have that disconcerted That was the May evening when I once Picture Credits feeling, that though you know the place again was Swedish, as well as a so very well, you have also grown member of the global village. It’s nice distant from it. Another hometown has that you can be both. replaced the old one. PS. The church where I was baptized But that evening, I was truly at home, was bought in 2009 to become part of the way I used to be, in the Malmö that the nearby shopping centre, Caroli used to be mine. City. I can now say I was baptized in a shopping mall. I turned the corner at Stortorget and —- P.1: (Old town hall, found the outside of City Hall filled with Lidköping) K.Mitchell; Africans. It seemed like there were Britt Holmström is a Regina based author of several books, the last one out being Falling B.Holmström (courtesy of thousands milling about; but that could for the Devil (available at amazon.com). She B.Holmström) not have been. At first I thought I was was born in Malmö, Sweden, and has lived in Canada since 1970. P.2: (All photos) K.Mitchell (Continued from page 4) Re-immigrating... P.3: (Kim Gillies) J.Gillies freezer with moose meat. Both the P.4: (Hiker) I.LeRuyet; differences and similarities between my (Jan Troell) K.Ruona native country and my adoptive one P.5: (Mildred) K.Mitchell have increased my perspective and appreciation of my home and the P.6: (Kayakers) people that live there. Sweden is not I.LeRuyet; exactly the same as I remember it, but P.7: ( Family Crest) it is still the paradise that I had hoped it Houseofnames.com would be. Other: Public domain Ida and her family now live in Bjästa near Örnsköldsvik, Sweden Ready for kayaking on the Baltic Sea

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What’s in a Name? A Famous By Eric Lindgren, Winnipeg Lindgren

My wife and I were fortunate to take a had not remarried. - My grandfather took bus tour through Scandinavia in 2007. or was given the name Lindgren when he Our Trip was an experience of a lifetime. joined the Swedish Army in 1890. He We started in Denmark, the land of wind had been chosen by the community to be power generators; traveled through their soldier representative, but he was Sweden which in parts is very similar to under age and needed a written the North of Saskatchewan and permission to enlist. The “Lindgren” Manitoba; and ended in Norway, country family crest is a tree stump with of mountains and fjords. branches growing out of it. The linden tree is common in Scandinavia and has been imported to North America as well. You think you have come across the name

Lindgren before, but

cannot quite remember where? It’s Astrid Lindgren (1907-2002), of course, best known as the ”Mother of Pippi Gagnef Church Longstocking”. My grandfather and father came from the parish of Gagnef and the village of Pippi Långstrump is the Gagnefsbyn in Dalarna. Byn in Swedish strongest girl in the means the village. Farming and forestry world, and the books are the main industries in this area. Via about her are e-mail we had made contact with the head of the historical society in Gagnef. internationally famous. We found that our tour would do an They have been overnight stop at Falun. This city is In Sweden, Norway and Denmark people translated into 64 about one half hour from Gagnefsbyn. used to have a second name, for languages, and Astrid Although we had never met, he arranged example Eric Ericson (son of Eric), to Lindgren is known and to meet us and drive us to Gagnefsbyn. identify family connections. This also There we met a couple that hosted us for celebrated all over the applied to girls as in Kerstin Persdotter supper and also had arranged for us to world as one of the most (daughter of Per). (This is still the norm in meet two of our distant cousins. In Iceland - Editor’s comment). In Dalarna influential children’s addition they had complied a family names are often prefaced by the name of book authors in history. history chart that traced our roots back to the farm they lived at; Liss Anders the mid 1600’s. We do maintain contact Andersson or Busk Margit Jonsson. with these relatives as well as our new found friends in Gagnefsbyn. The highlight of the tour was when my wife and I were able to stand in front of Prior to going on our adventure we had the house where our great grandfather, been trying to learn more about our grandfather and my father were born and name – Lindgren: Lind = Linden tree; raised. The family home sits in an area of gren = Branch. Our grandfather had farm land carved out of the bush. The come to Canada in 1903 with three of his house although well over one hundred brothers. It must have been quite an years old is still a family home!!! experience at Immigration as grandpa’s surname was Lindgren and all his brothers were Olson! - No, his mother Eric Lindgren has family in Regina

7 Life in Denmark Upcoming Events ’Davs’ all Danes! Do Salmon Supper you have a Date: Sunday October 21th special story from growing up in Venue: The Austrian Club, 320 Maxwell Cres. the Old Country? Bring items for a silent auction! Maybe from an More information later from phoners, on SCoR Website and Facebook page. unforgettable visit? For no. 1/2013 we want your input to our theme series ”Life in...”! Special General Meeting on SCoR participation in 2013 Mosaic Please observe Date: Wednesday November 21st. We would like to remind our members that guest Venue: Whitmore Park United Church, 336 Durham Drive numbers for catered events Full information in written notice no later than two weeks before the meeting. are submitted one week in advance. The caterer will order the food and SCoR will be charged accordingly. Christmas Party If you are unable to attend an event after you have Date: Sunday December 2nd been included in the final numbers, the club will have Venue: Whitmore Park United Church, 336 Durham Drive to bill you for your meal. More information later from phoners, on SCoR Website and Facebook page. Thank you for your understanding

Midnight Sun Issue 4, Vol. 25; October 2012 Quarterly Magazine for the Scandinavian Club of Regina 2012-2013 Board of Directors Membership Fees Family membership $ 30 PRESIDENT Kim Gillies 531-9794 Single membership $ 20 VICE PRESIDENT Pearl Baumgartner 761-0678 Membership starts January 1, expires December 31. PAST PRESIDENT John Edwardson 584-2246 TREASURER Fay Johnsen 522-0377 Contact us: SECRETARY Kelly Nelson 584-2562 SCoR contact DIRECTORS Brian Beck 789-0662 Kim Gillies Larry Bristol 586-1799 Phone 531-9794 Greg Swanson 586-9737 Email [email protected] Ingrid Van Dusen 949-6064 Membership contacts Larry Bristol [April to December] Phone 586-1799 Email [email protected]

Kelly Nelson [January to March] Phone 584-2562 Email [email protected]

Midnight Sun editor Kari Mitchell Phone 565-2450 Email [email protected] SCANDINAVIAN CLUB OF REGINA Any views expressed in individual articles do not necessarily P.O.Box 37182, Regina, SK S4S 7K4 reflect the policies of the Scandinavian Club of Regina.