the Inside this issue: Norwegian Two soups to ease us into autumn american story on pages 14-15 Volume 128, #17 • September 8, 2017 Est. May 17, 1889 • Formerly Norwegian American Weekly, Western Viking & Nordisk Tidende $3 USD Norway’s musical collage

A B C

D E F

What’s inside? « En god poplåt skal Nyheter / News 2-3 gå inn det ene øret og ut Business 4 gjennom munnen. » Sports 5 – Carl Hammarén Opinion 6-7 Research & Science 8 G Arts & Entertainment 9 Norway near you 10-11 Travel 12-13 Taste of Norway 14-15 G Music 16-23 Barneblad 24 From jazz and accordion to indigenous sounds Norwegian Heritage 25 Norsk Språk 26-27 to vintage pop and strange string instruments, Bulletin Board 28 Norway has a lot to offer the music world $1 = NOK 7.805 updated 09/01/2017 For photo credits, see the individual stories: A & F: “Exploring Norway’s pop music ‘oldies,’” by Sean LaFleur, page 16 In comparison B: “Sámi yoik survives and thrives,” by Judith Gabriel Vinje, page 22 08/01/2017 7.9231 C: “Leif & Sunnie bring a favorite song home,” by Sunnie Sundquist, page 19 03/01/2017 8.4006 D: “Never second fiddle: On Norway’s most famous instrument,” by M. Michael Brady, page 17 E: “From Sognefjord to Sandpoint to Shanghai,” by Barbara K. Rostad, page 21 09/01/2016 8.3273 G: “Nordic Jazz: Finland and Norway share the stage,” by Christine Foster Meloni & May Kamalick, page 20 2 • September 8, 2017 Nyheter fra Norge theNorwegianamerican Nyheter Musikkbransjen med rekordvekst «Game of Thrones» ga nettrekord I et intervju med fagbladet Kampanje Nesten 12.000 nord­ opp­lyser Telenor at trafikken i bredbånds­ menn jobbet i musikk­ nettet nådde nye høyder 28. august. Den amerikanske strømmeleverandøren HBO bransjen i 2015 bruker Telenors nett inn i det norske markedet, og det er sesongavslutningen til Petter Sommer serien «Game of Thrones» som tilskrives NRK den voldsomme trafikken i nettverket. — «Game of Thrones» er en veldig pop­ En ny rapport fra Music Norway viser at ulær serie og en stor snakkis i Norge. Der­ det er gode tider i musikkbransjen i Norge. for er det ikke uventet at trafikken steg til Ikke bare har bransjen blitt mer lønnsom, nye høyder under sesongavslutningen men lønnsomheten vokser raskere enn resten mandag kveld, sier Birgit Bjørnsen, leder av fastlandsøkonomien og mye raskere enn for TV og bredbånd i Telenor Norge, til andre kreative næringer. Kampanje. Trafikken inn til Telenors nett I Music Norways nye rapport «Musikk­ var cirka 40 prosent større 28. august bransjen i Norge 2011—2015» står det at: kveld målt mot samme tid lørdag og 20 • Musikkbransjen hadde en vekst prosent større enn på søndag. HBO Nor­ i verdiskaping på 28 prosent på fire år, tre dic ønsker ikke å kommentere seertall, prosentpoeng mer enn fastlandsøkonomien Foto: Rodrigo Díaz / Flickr men bekrefter at det er enorm interesse for øvrig EDM-musiker Kygo er en av Norges største artister. for «Game of Thrones». • Nesten halvparten av veksten (Aftenposten) skjedde fra 2014 til 2015 • Veksten var hele 20 prosentpoeng sier Joakim Haugland i musikkbransje­ også må engasjere i musikkbransjen, nå som Vil forby burka og nikab på norskkurs høyere enn for den kreative næringen for festivalen By:Larm. den vokser så raskt og sysselsetter så mange Politikerne i Asker har sagt et samstemt øvrig — Veldig mange har Spotify og Tidal flere enn for eksempel oppdrettsnæringen. ja til forbud mot bruk av heldekkende • Musikkbransjen omsatte for 10 mil­ der de hører mye norsk musikk, flere går på — Jeg er helt enig med Haugland i at hodeplagg i barnehager og utdannings­ liarder kroner i 2015 konserter enn før og bransjen er blitt mer det burde vært mer oppmerksomhet rundt institusjoner. Vedtaket ble enstemmig • Musikkbransjen sysselsatte 11.665 profesjonell i alle ledd. kreative næringer i valgkampen, fordi kultur banket gjennom da oppvekstpolitikerne personer i 2015 — Men alt som er bra kan bli bedre. gir oss noe å leve for, men kan også gi oss i Asker hadde saken oppe til behandling • Hordaland har hatt spesielt høy Det som gjør meg fortvilet er at politikerne 22. august, melder Budstikka. Det betyr veks­t, både i sysselsetting (75%) og i verdi­ fremdeles kun ser på musikkbransjen som Se > musikkbransjen, side 26 at ansatte som jobber med barn og opp­ skaping (62%) kultur—og ikke som en næring. læring av voksne i Asker, ikke skal kunne — Det som har skjedd er at musikk­ Haugland understreker at det i prinsippet English Synopsis: A new report from Music Norway bransjen har kommet seg etter problemene ikke er noe galt med Kulturdepartementet, shows that it is a good time for the Norwegian music bruke burka eller nikab. Forbudet vil også industry as it is experiencing rapid growth. gjelde barna som går på skole og i barne­ med ulovlig nedlasting og svikt i CD-salget, men at By:Larm mener næringsministeren hager, samt unge og voksne som er under opplæring og deltar på introduksjons­ program. For deltakere i introduksjons­ program og opplæring i norsk, har kom­ munen til nå ikke hatt noen mulighet til Nesten Leter verden rundt å si nei til tildekking av ansiktet. Det har Kunnskapsdepartementet nå sagt at de Antallet stjålne vil få: «At deltakerne innretter seg etter én million forbudet allerede på dette stadiet i inte­ viking­gjenstander er greringsprosessen vil forberede dem på forventninger og holdninger de trolig vil nå rundt 400, ifølge møte senere i høyere utdanning eller i ar­ er usikre Universitetsmuseet beidslivet», heter det i høringsbrevet fra Kunnskapsdepartementet. To uker før valget hadde Hilde Sandvær (VG) 910.000 velgere fortsatt VG Kaldeste august på mange år ikke bestemt seg for hva Det var mandag morgen, 14. august, at Meteorologene har gjort opp status for ansatte ved Universitetsmuseet oppdaget at august, og det mest spesielle har vært lave de skulle stemme det hadde vært innbrudd på Historisk mu­ temperaturer. Mange steder har det også seum i Bergen i løpet av helgen. falt mer nedbør enn normalt. — Det mest Hans Cosson-Eide & Lilla Sølhusvik Tidligere ble det meldt om at minst 245 spesielle er at varmen har uteblitt, som NRK historiske gjenstander, noen opp mot 2000 år i juli. Vi må tilbake til 1998 for å finne gamle, hadde blitt stjålet. Nå frykter museet en lavere verdi for månedens høyeste NRK presenterte 29. august nok en at totalen blir nærmere 400. Foto: Universitetsmuseet i Bergen / VG temperatur, forteller forsker Jostein Ma­ sjokk­måling for Arbeiderpartiet, som går til­ «Vi arbeider på spreng med å få oversikt En av de stjålne gjenstandene. men ved Meteorologisk institutt. — Det bake 4,6 prosentpoeng på bare én uke. over hva som er stjålet. I øyeblikket tror vi at er satt én fylkesrekord i august: Folldal- Bare 58 prosent av de som stemte Ap totalen kan komme til å ligge omkring 400 Fredheim i Hedmark registrerte minus ved sist valg, sier de vil gjøre det samme i objekter. Det er et høyt tall, og fortvilelsen veldig høyt, sier Yates. 5,1 grader 27. august. Den gamle rekor­ dag. Men også mange av Høyres velgere fra øker for hver gjenstand vi må føye til lis­ Hun kjenner ikke spesielt til tyveriet i den var minus 4,8 grader, målt på Eng­ 2013, er usikre på hva de skal stemme i år. ten. I særlig grad har dette gått ut over våre Bergen, men forteller at vikinger er et pop­ erdal II 31. august i 1942, forteller han. ­— Jeg syntes dette var det mest urovek­ samlinger fra vikingtid», skriver museums­ ulært tema innen populærkultur. Høyeste maksimums­temperatur—25,9 kende med målingen, for alle partier. Jeg tror direktøren i en uttalelse på Universitets­ — Det ser ut som at folk vil ha deres grader—ble registrert 10. august i Lier både Støre og Solberg bør ta det ad notam: museet i Bergen sine Facebook-sider. egen bit av vikingene, derfor er det en etter­ i Buskerud. En av årsakene til at tem­ De klarer ikke å tenne folk og få dem ned fra Tyveriet har engasjert folk verden over, spørsel, forklarer hun. peraturen har holdt seg lav, har naturlig gjerdet. Hjemmesitterpartiet ser ut til å vinne og nyheten om de forsvunne vikingskattene Å bryte seg inn på et museum for å fylle nok vært mye skyer og regnvær. Ellers valget, sier Dagsavisens kommentator Hege har dukket opp i blant annet Malaysia og denne etterspørselen, mener hun imidlertid har månedst­emperaturene for hele landet Ulstein. Singapore viser Facebook-siden. blir for dumt. ligget nær normalen. Måneds­nedbøren Ved forrige stortingsvalg bestemte flere Donna Yates, foreleser i organisert — Disse gjenstandene er i hovedsak var 130 prosent av normalen for august. velgere seg i løpet av valgkampen. I år er antikvitets­smugling og kunsttyveri, ved Uni­ ikke salgbare på det åpne markedet ettersom Relativt mest nedbør fikk enkelte stas­ trenden motsatt, ifølge NRK-kommentator versitetet i Glasgow, forteller at vikinggjen­ de er veldokumenterte museumsgjenstander. joner i Akershus og Oslo, med hele 225 stander er spesielt attraktivt for tiden. til 275 prosent av normalen. De våteste Se > velgere, side 26 — Spesielt blant middels dyre Se > vikingskattene, side 26 målestasjonene var Kritle (Etne i Horda­ antikvitets­butikker. Det er spekulasjoner om land) med 538,2 mm i august. English Synopsis: Just two weeks before the Sep­ det er på grunn av en «Game of Thrones»-­ English Synopsis: The University Museum of Bergen (Aftenposten) tember 11 Norwegian parliamentary election, 910,000 effekt, noe jeg kan se logikken i, spesielt is searching worldwide for around 400 Viking objects voters still had not decided how they would vote. etter­som prisnivået vi snakker om ikke er that were stolen from the museum in mid August. theNorwegianamerican News September 8, 2017 • 3 Netflix Utøya This week in brief Ragnarök avoided Norway could become world’s first “fully film okayed electric” country Science explains Industry interest organization Energi what caused three A film about the July 22, Norge (Energy Norway) says that Norway 2011, terror attacks will has a chance of becoming the world’s first summerless years in fully electrically powered society. A target begin filming this fall of becoming 100 percent electric by 2050 the ninth century is achievable, according to the firm. The organization handed over a new The Local plan for growing green energy to climate M. Michael Brady minister Vidar Helgesen on August 11, re­ A film about the July 22 terror attacks Asker, Norway ports news agency NTB. Two dozen spe­ carried out by right-wing extremist Anders cific proposals are included in the plan. The three summerless years of 821-823 Breivik in Oslo and on the island of Utøya “Climate change and job losses in the were horrific. Across Europe, blizzards in­ will be produced by streaming giant Netflix. oil industry are two of the biggest chal­ undated the land; rivers froze; storms raged; English director Paul Greengrass will lenges facing Norway today. We believe famine and plague followed. The pre-Chris­ direct the film, writes deadline.com. that sustainability has a huge potential to tian Vikings reckoned that Fimbulwinter, the The film will, according to the report, contribute in both of these areas,” director immediate prelude to Ragnarök, the twilight use Norwegian actors and has a budget of Oluf Ulseth of Energi Norge told NTB. of the Norse gods, had arrived. Christian $20 million (155 million kroner). Prepara­ Photo: Institute of Earth Sciences, Iceland Some 96 percent of Norway’s elec­ clerics were of like mind. Paschasius Rad­ tions have already begun for filming, which Photo of last eruption of Katla in 1918. The vol- tricity is already produced by hydropow­ bertus (785-865), the Abbot of the Bene­ cano is thought to be responsible for what Vikings is scheduled to take place during the autumn. er, according to the report. “This gives dictine Monastery in what now is the town of the time thought was the apocalypse. In February this year, newspaper Ber­ us a unique opportunity to convert other of Corbie in the Hauts-de-France region of gens Tidende reported that Greengrass sectors to electricity and thereby reduce northern France, wrote that God himself was would collaborate with Norwegian journalist emissions,” Ulseth said. angered. the underlying air. So researchers have long Åsne Seierstad on the film. A complete conversion would re­ But Ragnarök didn’t happen. Carolin­ suspected that there was a significant erup­ “Åsne’s book En av oss [One of Us] quire considerable effort within the trans­ gian Europe recovered. Obviously no de­ tion in the summerless years of 821-823. was a thorough piece of work that made a port industry, along with oil and coal, he ity had directed the devastation. Scientists Ice cores collected by the multinational deep impression on me. She conveyed the added. As many as 110,000 electric cars now know that volcanic eruptions can affect Greenland Ice Core Project (1989 to 1992) truth about what happened and how those are already on Norwegian roads, and par­ weather. A sufficiently powerful eruption strengthened that suspicion, as they showed involved experienced the atrocities,” Green­ liament has decided that no fossil fuel- ejects sulfur dioxide that reacts with gasses high atmospheric sulfate levels in the early grass told the newspaper. powered private cars will be sold in the in the upper atmosphere to form aerosols country after 2025. that reflect sunlight back into space, cooling See > ragnarök, page 11 See > utøya film, page 6 (The Local) Norway sees 14 percent more patent applications in 2016 Homeless World Cup takes Oslo The Norwegian Patent Office received 2,062 patent applications in 2016, the Some 100,000 fans highest number since 2009. The increase in the number of patent descended on applications is largely due to forwarded international applications. These account­ Oslo for the eight- ed for 36 percent of the total. day street football The number of patent applications from Norwegian applicants was 1,195 tournament played and is also higher than in previous years. Seven out of 10 of the Norwegian appli­ by homeless athletes cations in 2016 came from enterprises. In 2016, the largest group of applica­ tions was for engineering, building/con­ The Local struction, and thermodynamics, where most of the applications are related to oil The 2017 Homeless World Cup compe­ and gas extraction. tition appears to be the largest of its kind in (SSB) its history, attracting a worldwide audience of more than three million. Successful round of consultations A record entry of 72 teams from 54 coun­ between Norway and China tries across the world competed in the eight- Photo courtesy of Homeless World Cup Foundation day tournament, which kicked off at Oslo’s Teams play in the Homeless World Cup 2016 in George Square, Glasgow, Scotland. The first round of talks in the new po­ Rådhusplassen city square on August 29. litical consultation mechanism between Now in its 15th year, games were played Norway and China was held in Oslo the by 570 homeless men and women. The tour­ “Homelessness is a global issue, which of responsibility and purpose to make posi­ last week in August. The Chinese del­ nament uses football as a force for good to affects millions of people in different ways tive changes to their lives, and over the last egation was headed by Vice Minister of help people who are homeless transform around the world. But thanks to football’s 15 years the Homeless World Cup has helped Foreign Affairs Wang Chao. Norway’s their lives for the better, say its organizers. universal appeal and ability to bring people thousands of people who are homeless to re­ delegation was headed by Secretary Gen­ As well as developing relationships and together, the Homeless World Cup Founda­ connect with employment, education, and eral Wegger Strømmen, and talks were learning to trust in teammates, street football tion has been a revelation in being able to rehabilitation,” he continued. concluded with a meeting with Foreign can also improve other aspects of a person’s break down personal barriers and change Last year’s Homeless World Cup in Minister Børge Brende. life, such as self-esteem, physical health and many people’s perceptions around homeless­ Glasgow resulted in an estimated £10 million “The talks were successful, with a well-being, and relationships with friends ness,” Mackie said via press release. in social capital being generated from people broad agenda covering the whole range of and family, says Ryan Mackie, chief execu­ “Football gives people who have previ­ topics relevant to relations between China tive of the Homeless World Cup Foundation. ously felt alienated from society a real sense See > homeless, page 6 and Norway. Meetings of this kind help to build mutual understanding and trust, and are important in the development of long- This week’s news from Norway is brought to you through partnerships with: term, sustainable relations,” said Brende. The consultation mechanism was established during Prime Minister Erna Solberg’s visit to China in April this year, as a step in the normalization of relations between Norway and China. www.thelocal.no & theforeigner.no (Mnistry of Foreign Affairs) 4 • September 8, 2017 Business theNorwegianamerican Business News & Notes Inauguration of Hydro’s Technology equivalent to Norway’s annual production Oslo Innovation Week Pilot at Karmøy of hydropower,” he adds. Entrepreneurs and innovators will gather in Hydro and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna (Norsk Hydro ASA) Solberg inaugurated the world’s most cli­ Norway’s capital this month to tackle meeting mate-friendly aluminum production at Kar­ Biotec enters into a supply agreement møy, in western Norway, on August 24. in the US the UN Sustainable Development Goals “The technology Hydro has developed On August 25, Biotec Pharmacon ASA’s represents a quantum leap for climate-friend­ subsidiary Biotec BetaGlucans signed a ly and green industry,” says Hydro President term sheet to supply M-Gard to a U.S. cus­ and CEO Svein Richard Brandtzæg. tomer for consumer health applications. “This is a technological breakthrough. According to the term sheet signed, the No one has managed to produce aluminum customer will receive certain rights based with such low energy consumption and high on a minimum purchase volume of NOK productivity as Hydro will at full-scale pro­ 12 million over the three-year initial term. duction,” he added. “We have been exploring the possibil­ The new pilot plant is adjacent to ity to reenter the consumer health market Hydro’s existing aluminum operation at with our beta-glucan ingredient M-Gard Karmøy. The 60 new electrolysis cells will over the last months and have received be capable of producing 75,000 metric tons positive feedback from several potential of aluminum per year. customers. This term sheet represents the The pilot is creating 50 new jobs, with first agreement where Biotec BetaGlucans production beginning toward the end of provides a bulk ingredient intended for 2017. end-user products sold in the U.S. market. The goal of the pilot is to test parts of It will also provide an important reference the new technology for implementation in to reestablish ourselves as a long-term sup­ other plants around the world. plier to this industry,” says Biotec Pharma­ “If the world’s production of alumi­ con’s CEO Svein W. F. Lien. Photo: MariaGershuni / Public Domain num was made with the technology Hydro (Biotec Pharmacon ASA) The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, adopted on September 25, 2015, as a part of the 2030 has now developed, it would save energy Agenda. This September Norway’s businesses will focus on meeting these ambitious goals.

Exchange Rates Oslo Børs: Week at a Glance Rasmus Falck (Sept. 1, 2017) Winners Losers Oslo, Norway Norsk Kr. 7.8047 Name NOK Change Name NOK Change This year’s Oslo Innovation Week sets January she became one of the founders of a Dansk Kr. 6.2661 Seadrill 2.50 79.86% I.M. Skaugen 5.66 -19.26% Intex Resources 1.56 35.65% Techstep 3.95 -15.42% the agenda for business solutions to the new early-stage fund based in Helsinki. She Svensk Kr. 7.9992 Incus Investor 1.05 17.98% RenoNorden 4.52 -13.08% United Nation’s Sustainable Development worked 12 years for Wall Street firms like Islandsk Kr. 105.06 Avocet Mining 3.78 7.39% InterOil 2.51 -9.06% Goals. Throughout 50 events, the organizers Merrill Lynch and Allegiance Capital and Canadian $ 1.2391 Sevan Drilling 2.60 6.12% Funcom 2.45 -7.55% will push the world forward by combining moved from Manhattan to Stockholm, Swe­ Euro 0.8426 For detailed information about the Oslo Børs, visit www.dn.no. entrepreneurship, technology, and innova­ den, in 2013 with her family. She received a tion—all with a sense of urgency. bachelor’s degree in marketing with a minor The week will be truly international. All in mathematics from Georgia State Univer­ event organizers are cooperating with inter­ sity in Athens, Georgia, with a collegiate ten­ national partners, and there is also a great de­ nis scholarship. sire to achieve gender equality and diversity Oslo is big on culture. You may think and empower everyone. of Henrik Ibsen and Edvard Munch, but the Action speaks louder than words at Oslo city offers much more. There are more than Innovation Week. It is all about innovation in 5,000 live performances every year. While in Sealift Inc. action; there are no motivational talks or bor­ Oslo I would recommend the Astrup Fearn­ ing debates about what should be done, and ley Museum and the Opera House. The city no sales presentations either. New influences is located between the Oslo fjord and the for­ • Ship Owners • are vital to finding new solutions. Entrepre­ est, so you are never far away from nature. neurs, intrapreneurs, micropreneurs, impact The trams, buses, and trains take you to the investors, tech experts, bold explorers, and islands in the fjord or the walking paths in • Ship & Cargo Brokers • new thought leaders will have a voice. the forest in no time. It’s a dugnad, a Norwegian tradition of Oslo Innovation Week will be held Sep­ voluntary communal work with roots 800 tember 25 to 29 this year. This is the 12th edi­ • Steamship Agents • years back. Attendees, keynote speakers, tion. The weeklong event includes full-day partners, and event organizers create the conferences, talks, pitching, workshops, and week together with networking and co-work­ parties. It is a collaboration, and the events ing at the core of all events. are held by different organizers, such as cor­ First of the events is the Venture Cup porates, startup networks, and organizations. featuring a business-plan competition by and The Oslo Innovation Week organization is for students, where the process is more sig­ owned by the City of Oslo and Innovation nificant than the glory of winning. Among Norway with Oslo Business Region serving the speakers at the opening is Jamie Smith. as the project manager. She speaks regularly around the world from See you in Oslo at the end of the month! the World Economic Forum to the Clinton Global Initiative. Smith is also an industry expert in the emerging technology of block­ Rasmus Falck is a strong chain. You may remember her as special as­ innovation and entrepre- sistant to President Obama and deputy White neurship advocate. The au- House press secretary. thor of “What do the best At DNB NXT, which is Norway’s larg­ do better” and “The board est meeting place for investors and entrepre­ of directors as a resource neurs, Tanya Marwin-Horowitz from Amer­ in SME,” he received his ica will share her knowledge as a venture masters degree from the capitalist. She has invested in 18 early-stage University of Wisconsin-Madison. He currently 68 West Main Street, Oyster Bay, New York 11771 companies in the U.S. and Scandinavia. In lives in Oslo, Norway. Phone: (516) 922-1000 Fax: (516) 922-6526 www.sealiftinc.com E-mail: [email protected] thank you for reading our paper! theNorwegianamerican Sports September 8, 2017 • 5 Warholm wins World Championship Winning the 400-meter hurdles, Karsten Warholm makes Norwegian running history

Jo Christian Weldingh Oslo, Norway

In a rainy London on August 9, Karsten Warholm was the first to cross the finish line in the 400-meter hurdles race and became the first Norwegian man to ever win a World Championship in a running event. “I truly don’t believe it. I’ve worked so hard for this, but I don’t know what I’ve done. This is an amazing feeling,” he told the 55,000-strong crowd after somebody gave him a Viking helmet to wear during his lap of honor. Warholm’s win was the first track vic­ tory by a Norwegian at any World Champi­ onship since Ingrid Kristiansen’s 10,000 me­ ters triumph in Rome in 1987. Norway’s last medal in a World Championship in athletics occurred in 2011 when Andreas Thorkildsen won the silver in the javelin throw. Warholm got off to a great start and lead Photo: Svein Olav Humberset / Aftenposten the race from start to finish. He entered the Karsten Warholm shows off his gold medal. He’s the first Norwegian man ever to take home a World Championship gold in a track event. final stretch first and was able to keep all his competitors behind him. The 21-year- old won the race with the time of 48.35, he had become Norway’s seventh World shoulders after an amazing season. Very few considering that he is a former decathlete, which was 15 hundredths of a second faster Champion in athletics, grasping his face Norwegians knew who he was before he beat having won silver in the event at the 2015 than the silver medalist, Yasmani Copello of in-between his hands, looking more or less Olympic Champion Kerron Clement and the European Junior Championships as well as Cuba. Warholm also spoiled Olympic cham­ terrified. Warholm’s smile of disbelief said rest of the world elite in the Golden League gold in the octathlon at the 2013 World Youth pion and favorite Kerron Clement’s dream of it all—a smile that the media compared to event in Oslo in June, where he also lowered Championships. He has focused only on the becoming the first man to win three world Edvard Munch’s masterpiece Scream. his personal record to 48.25. When he fol­ 400-meter hurdles for the past two years. titles at the discipline, and the 31-year-old “It’s insane. He’s a robot. Imagine be­ lowed up with another just as impressive American had to settle for bronze. Clement ing 21 and running like that; it’s unbeliev­ victory in Stockholm a few days later, the Jo Christian Weldingh grew up in Lilleham- won world titles in the event in both 2007 able,” silver medalist Copello said in the Norwegian audiences started believing that mer, Norway, but is currently living in Oslo. and 2009. press zone. he might have a chance in the World Cham­ He has a BA in Archaeology from The Univer- Warholm seemed to be in shock when Warholm must have felt the weight of pionship. sity of Oslo and a BA in Business Administra- he crossed the finish line and realized that the enormous expectations resting on his Warholm’s win is even more impressive tion from BI Norwegian Business School. Community Connections Sports News & Notes Cross-Country Skiing: 18-month ban for Ada Hegerberg and Nora Holstad Berge had Gratulerer med jubileum til et Therese Johaug announced that they were withdrawing from On August 22, the Court of Arbitration for the national team. fantastisk par, Thor & Shari Hervold! Sport decided to extend Therese Johaug’s (NRK) doping ban by five months. Norway’s Olym­ pic Committee originally banned the cross- Skateboarding: NIF approves sport country skier for 13 months after she tested On August 31, Norges Idrettsforbund ap­ positive for clostebol, a steroid found in a lip proved skateboarding as a new sport within balm approved by a team doctor. Johaug will the Norwegian Snowboarding Association. therefore not be able to compete in the 2018 This means that Norwegian skaters can par­ Winter Olympics. ticipate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when Johaug has decided not to appeal the skateboarding is first introduced as an Olym­ decision. She will be able to compete again pic sport. Love, starting April 17 and has stated that she is (NRK) Kaara, Richard & looking forward to competing in the 2019 Valbjørn Nordic World Ski Championships. Athletics: Ingebrigtsen wins 3000m (Staff) As expected, Jakob Ingebrigtsen won the 3000-meter race in the 17-year-old class of Football: National women’s team falls the youth championship in Bergen on Sep­ to 14th place tember 1. In what became more or less a solo The Norwegian women’s national team has race, he won with a time of 8:00.01. fallen three places on the last FIFA ranking (NRK) published on September 1. Norway is now in 14th place, which is the lowest position Athletics: Hynne in fourth place the national team has had since the ranking Hedda Hynne finished in fourth place in the system was introduced in 2003. The United 800 meters during a meeting in Zagreb, Croa­ States tops the list. tia, on August 29. Hynne’s time was 2:01.60. Before the rankings were released, both (NRK) Vesterheim the national Norwegian-American museum and heritage center • The largest collection of Norwegian-American artifacts in the world • A national center for folk-art classes • Open all year in Decorah, Iowa 6 • September 8, 2017 Opinion theNorwegianamerican

< utøya film An opinion column about current issues in From page 3 Norway and the United States Seierstad told Bergens Tidende in Feb­ Join the conversation! ruary that she had spoken with a national On the EDGE support group established after the July 22, 2011, atrocity. Two takes on foreign aid “A film can be very hard for many peo­ ple no matter what, because the wounds are still open. That’s why I contacted the support group and those involved in the book. It’s Espen Haugen important that they think a film is the right Tromsø, Norway thing to do now for it to go ahead,” she said. Greengrass is known for film dramati­ Both Norway and the United States zations of real-life events. He won a Golden have unique cultural and sociopoliti­ Bear award at the 2002 Berlin International cal characteristics that affect their ap­ Film Festival for the film Bloody Sunday proaches to international development about the 1972 shootings in Northern Ireland. assistance. Norway prioritizes the equal He also directed Captain Phillips (2013), treatment and care of its own citizens about a ship hijacked by Somali pirates; while contributing an ambitious level of Green Zone (2010) about the 2003 invasion support to international development as­ of Baghdad; and United 93 (2006), for which sistance, encouraging more opportunities he won the BAFTA Award for Best Director. for human equality abroad. The United Other films he has directed include three States has been the leading contributor to in the Bourne action-thriller series. international development assistance in dollar amounts since World War II, but its Photo: Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) / Flickr percentage of GDP contributed annually R.E.D.D. for the rainforest: The fictive characters Rein Egerberg and Dagfinn Dreggstadnesmoen < homeless has been dropping since the 1960s with make up the fictive music group R.E.D.D. (“redd” in Norwegian translates as “scared”). R.E.D.D. From page 3 indications of this amount to drop further. worries that the tropical house genre will disappear if we don’t take care of our tropical rainforests. Norway is widely praised for its getting off the street and into employment, work in the field of international devel­ writes the Homeless World Cup Foundation. opment assistance. This small country Assistance Act of 1961 (USAID). In the channels are informative about diverse Some 94 percent of players surveyed af­ annually contributed approximately 1% 1960s, the United States’ contribution to in­ international topics that keep viewers and ter that tournament said the event had a posi­ of its national GDP towards foreign aid ternational development assistance reached listeners updated about global topics and tive impact on their lives, while 84 percent during the past 40 years, a level matched almost 0.6% of its GDP before descending Norway’s potential role in them. As these of spectators said they had a more positive by very few nations. In 2016, the Orga­ towards its present-day level. media outlets are not financed by paid attitude towards homeless people as a result nization for Economic Cooperation and Norway’s contribution towards inter­ advertising, their main priorities are the of watching the tournament. Development (OECD) recorded that national development assistance began to delivery of mostly objective information “On any given day the best a homeless Norway contributed 1.14% of its GDP increase at the end of the 1960s and was sup­ rather than viewer ratings. person can expect from society a lot of the (or $4.6 billion) to Official Development ported by the country’s discovery and export The goals of both Norway and the time is pity, and the Homeless World Cup is Assistance (ODA), the country’s largest of petroleum. As Norway’s economy grew, it United States’ international development not about pity; it’s not about shame; it’s not international assistance/aid amount to maintained a progressive socialistic tax sys­ assistance are led by each country’s na­ about your head being down. date. Norway’s contribution is a far cry tem that prioritized the equal distribution of tional interests, which naturally influence “The Homeless World Cup is about your from the largest contribution in 2016 by surpluses among its citizens over individu­ head being up; it’s about no apologies and, at the United States at $33.2 billion, but it als’ opportunities to accrue wealth quickly. See > foreign aid, page 7 the end of the day, it is about coming togeth­ sets a high symbolic precedence globally Norway’s strict wealth distribution struc­ er through competition,” actor Colin Farrell, (OECD). The United States’ contribution tures can be attributed to the country’s re­ Espen Haugen was born an official ambassador for the event, said via equaled 0.181% of its GDP in 2016. cent memories of poverty before the 1960s, a press release. and raised in Alaska by As with much of Europe, Norway and therefore economic security for all is Norwegian parents and Games are four-a-side with four roll­ was economically depressed after World still held in high regard. This in part is why is a dual citizen of both ing substitutions allowed and are 14 minutes War II and had very little to offer towards Norway has taken its commitment to assist Norway and the United long, split into two seven-minute halves. foreign aid and development. During countries in need so seriously, recognizing States. He studied inter- Host nation Norway met former cham­ this period, the United States led a his­ the importance of equal treatment towards national development pions Brazil in the men’s/mixed competition toric initiative to help with the post-war all global citizens as it does its own. and geography at a and Chile in the women’s. recovery process via the Marshall Plan As a social democracy, Norway has con­ bachelor and masters level in both the Unit- The tournament kicked off on August 29 in Europe (and other assistance abroad) siderable influence over numerous sectors, ed States and Norway, and has since worked with Norway vs. Chile, followed immediate­ and then continued to offer global assis­ including its own media channels. Daily news in both Central America and Uganda. He ly by the match between Norway and Brazil. tance and development via the Foreign broadcasts via national radio and television currently resides in Tromsø, Norway.

More information on the Homeless World The opinions expressed by opinion writers featured in “On the Edge” are not necessarily those of The Norwegian American, and our publication of those views is not an Cup and how to donate can be found at endorsement of them. Comments, suggestions, and complaints about the opinions expressed by the paper’s editorials should be directed to the editor. homelessworldcup.org. the Norwegian american’s(secret) plan for personalglobal domina enrichment!tion: shhh... don’t tell! Step 1—send us your Your Name: Norwegian-American ^ Friend’s Name: friend’s address*** Step 2—???* Friend’s Address: Step 3—you PROFIT!** City/State/Zip: * Step 2 is that we send your non-subscriber friend a sample copy of the newspaper (no other nefarious purpose, we promise!) ** If your friend signs up for a year’s subscription, YOU get a free month added to your subscription *** Call (206) 784-4617, email [email protected], or mail 17713 15th Ave NE, #205, Shoreline, WA 98155 theNorwegianamerican Opinion September 8, 2017 • 7

Letters to the Editor theNorwegianamerican Published since May 17, 1889 Do you have something to say? 17713 15th Ave NE, #205, Shoreline, WA 98155 Tel: (206) 784-4617 • Email: [email protected] Write to us at The Norwegian American, Letter to the Editor, 17713 15th Ave NE, #205, Shoreline, WA 98155, or email us at [email protected], subject line Publisher Ragnar Meyer-Knutsen Letter to the Editor. Letters may be edited for style, clarity, or length. Editor-in-chief Emily C. Skaftun [email protected] Assistant Editor / Nyheter, Business, < foreign aid Sports, Travel From page 6 Molly Jones [email protected] Opinion Editor initiatives abroad. Norway is currently Linn Chloe Hagstrøm [email protected] being led by a more conservative party than in previous years, which has in­ Taste of Norway Editor Daytona Strong [email protected] spired further debates about how Norway will prioritize its foreign assistance. The Advertising United States’ current administration is Rhonda Staton [email protected] promoting drastic changes in its foreign Subscriptions policy and support of international de­ [email protected] velopment assistance, which seemingly Contributors seeks to further isolate the United States Larrie Wanberg Grand Forks, N.D. from the rest of the world. Julia Andersen New York, N,Y. Norway’s commitment to interna­ Tove Andersson Oslo, Norway Patricia Barry Hopewell Junction, N.Y. tional development assistance is com­ Melinda Bargreen Everett, Wash. mendable considering its small position Terje Birkedal Anchorage, Alaska on the international stage and thereby the M. Michael Brady Asker, Norway David Burke Skoppum, Norway seeming selflessness of its contributions. Daughters of Norway Members Various Norway’s political ideologies, cultural Gary G. Erickson Sunburg, Minn. homogeneity, history, and resource-rich Rasmus Falck Oslo, Norway Christy Olsen Field Seattle, Wash. economy make it a fascinating country Sunny Gandara Beacon, N.Y. case and this includes its approach to in­ Heidi Håvan Grosch Sparbu, Norway ternational development assistance. Nor­ Rosalie Grangaard Grosch Arden Hills, Minn. Kari Heistad Edina, Minn. way has made a quick transition from a Victoria Hofmo Brooklyn, N.Y. poor nation to a wealthy state that con­ Telephone nostalgia While we were in Oslo, there were many Leslee Lane Hoyum Rockford, Minn. tributes positively to the global commu­ museums to visit, among them the wonder­ Roy Jorgensen Hopewell Junction, N.Y Ilan Kelman Agder, Norway nity, and it can attribute much of this to Dear Editor, ful Vigeland Park. The next day we wan­ Michael Kleiner Philadelphia, Penn. its perspective on human equality. While After reading the article “The Riks tele­ dered over to the Viking Museum where we Scott Larsen New Westminster, B.C. Norway and the United States have sig­ phone booth” (August 25, 2017, www.nor­ happened upon a Riks telephone as we were Thor A. Larsen Fishkill, N.Y. Lexi Seattle, Wash. nificantly different GDPs and political wegianamerican.com/heritage/norwegian- leaving. It’s been many years since I’ve seen Solveig M. Lee Seattle, Wash. ideologies, it would be wise of the U.S. to design-the-riks-telephone-booth), it brought one of these. I remember years ago there were Richard Londgren Thousand Oaks, Calif. reflect upon Norway’s approach to inter­ back memories of my trip to Norway. many phone booths on the street corners and Donald V. Mehus New York, N.Y. Christine Foster Meloni Washington, D.C. national development assistance and how My daughter and I went for a two-week coin phones on the walls of almost every shop. David Moe Sun City, Calif. the world could benefit from more help trip. We arrived in Oslo, stayed a few days, If you ask today’s teenagers what a dial phone Maria Stordahl Nelson Seattle, Wash. rather than less. then took a train to Bergen and departed half­ or a phone booth is, they wouldn’t know. David Nikel Trondheim, Norway Ken Nordan Batavia, Ill. way. I took the bus, train, and ship excursion. Sincerely, Barbara K. Rostad Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho My daughter went on a four-day hiking trip. Norm Jensen John Erik Stacy Seattle, Wash. Rolf Kristian Stang New York, N.Y. Judith Gabriel Vinje Los Angeles, Calif. Dianna Walla Tromsø, Norway Kari Pederson Blaine MN 17. september Linda Warren Washington, D.C. Petra Scalfaro Chicago IL Anne-Marie Vevle Dalenberg Jo Christian Weldingh Oslo, Norway Roger Ingolf Sean Marshall NC Martinez GA The Norwegian American strives to make David Moe Sun City CA its news report fair and accurate. If you have a 12. september Anders Daviknes Ottem Ulset Norway question or comment about news coverage call John Arthur Garner Olympia WA Hanne Daviknes Ottem Ulset Norway (206) 784-4617. • The Norwegian American re- Thoralf Gilje Yuma AZ Rune T. Rolfsen Johnsburg NY serves the right to edit any and all submissions for style, grammar, accuracy, and/or space, and the Laura Olufsen Burnaby BC Canada Arnhild Rumsey Louisville KY right not to print submissions deemed libelous, Capt. Asbjorn Erik Oscarsen Stenn Richter Salvesen Plano TX in poor taste, or not suited for publication in this 8. september San Francisco CA James P. Sites Billings MT newspaper. • The opinions expressed by opinion writers and letter writers are not necessarily those Kerry Hall Seattle WA Steinar Skipsnes Seattle WA of The Norwegian American, and our publication Mrs. A. O. Leslie Astoria OR 13. september Ingeborg Stensland Anacortes WA of those views is not an endorsement of them. Astrid K. Johnson Sequim WA Edie Gahre Manchester VT Comments, suggestions, and complaints about the opinions expressed by the paper’s editorials Wayne Rohne Arlington TX Peter D. Sund Jr. Olympia WA 18. september should be directed to the editor-in-chief. • The Nor- Susan Vigsnes Charlotte VT Ole Søholt Galesburg ND Myron Hanson New Rockford ND wegian American (USPS 679-840) (ISSN 2473- E. Vike Patterson CA Rachel Thompson Hawthorne CA Dick Johnson Eagan MN 1293) is published every other week by Norwegian Ronald Olson Hansen ID American Weekly, INC. 17713 15th Ave NE, #205, Shoreline WA 98155 • Periodicals postage paid at 9. september 14. september Joyce Jorgensen Power New City NY Seattle, Wash. and at additional mailing offices. Tony Andrus Sydney Australia Patricia Ann Garner Olympia WA Ruth Svanoe Decorah IA • POSTMASTER: Please send address changes Ingri Gayle Berg Bainbridge Island WA Laura Henriksen Cashton WI to The Norwegian American, 17713 15th Ave NE, #205, Shoreline WA 98155 • Annual Subscription Evelyn Arnstdatter-Olsen Brown Emily Diane Pearce Satellite Beach FL 19. september Cost: US $70 Domestic, US $94 to Canada, US Arcadia MI Patrick Johansen Shiels Pelham NY Inga Øyre Fradal Norway $212 to Norway and all other foreign countries. JulieAnn Herset Kila MT Trygve Sørensen Narvik Norway SINCE MAY 17, 1889. Formerly: Leif Holmes Stanwood WA 20. september Emma Paasche Santa Rosa CA 15. september Alan Clausen Edmonds WA Norwegian American Weekly Patricia Jacobsen Seattle WA Janet Hovland Rockville MD Norway Times / Nordisk Tidende, 10. september Marvin Nelson Enumclaw WA Marilyn Moe Molinari West Hills CA Western Viking & Washington Posten Alfred Hagen Auburn WA Comprising Nordisk Tidende, Decorah-Posten Halvor Hinderlie Sveio Norway 16. september 21. september og Ved Arnen, Minneapolis-Tidende, Minnesota Posten, Norrona, and Skandinaven John E. Johansen Alta CA Melvin M. Holland Tacoma WA Ted Haug Outlook SK Canada Louis Kristiansen Kent Lakes NY Henry W. Larsen North Hills CA O. S. Krogstad Portland OR NORWEGIAN AMERICAN WEEKLY, INC. Jon Saatvedt Columbia City OR Sig L. Olsen Juneau AK 11. september Finn Raae Emerson NJ Anne Nordby St. Paul MN Richard Wood South Colby WA

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 • September 8, 2017 Research & Science theNorwegianamerican Unintended consequences: Electric car fires on the rise in Norway

M. Michael Brady Asker, Norway

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are increasingly commonplace around the world. With that upswing comes the new challenge to emergency responders of what to do when one catches fire. In the USA, which has a stock of 570,000 electric vehicles (Dec. 31, 2016, figure), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) conducts research, trains firefighters, and publishes on electric vehicle fires. In Cali­ fornia, where the stock of electric vehicles is 270,000, nearly half of all such vehicles in the U.S., local fire departments have imple­ mented NFPA recommendations and have developed procedures for dealing with elec­ tric car fires (Further reading). Norway now has a stock of slightly more than 160,000 electric vehicles, about two- thirds that of seven times more populous Cali­ fornia. Electric vehicles have a 29% share of the new car market, the world’s highest figure, Photos: Bridgehill Innovations as reported last year at an international elec­ Above & below: A car on fire, and that fire being put out with a fire blanket handled by two people. tric vehicle symposium in Montreal (Further Right: Proposed sign that would alert people to the location of a car fire blanket. reading). There’s a Norwegian electric vehi­ cle association, a non-profit organization and clearinghouse for information and documen­ Research in Norway as well as in the a collision. Internal flaws in batteries or in tation on electric vehicles in the country, and U.S. has shown that there are two principal charging circuits may cause short circuits in February this year an independent testing causes of electric vehicle fires. The lithium- that trigger fires. Once started, a fire may be laboratory, SP Fire Research, released a report ion batteries most used in battery electric sustained by the heat it generates together on electric car fire testing (Further reading). vehicles may ignite upon being damaged in with the batteries themselves catching fire. Research has also led to new firefighter procedures and to new products for extin­ guishing fires in electric vehicles. Bridgehill NOW AVAILABLE! Innovations, a small, newly started (in Feb­ firefighters,” by Kevin Foresteri, Palo Alto ruary 2014) company in Larvik, Norway, (California) Online, link: www.paloaltoon­ developed and now sells a car fire blanket line.com/news/print/2017/01/29/electric- Exile Air: World War II’s “Little Norway” that can be handled by two people for put­ cars-pose-new-challenges-to-firefighters ting out car fires. It works by excluding air, The Norwegian EV success continues, by in Toronto and Muskoka which smothers a fire. It is designed to pack P. Haugneland et.al., free PDF downloadable easily, as in a cabinet marked with a car fire from several websites, including the Norwe­ By Andrea Baston blanket sign, and can be deployed as are fire gian Electric Vehicle Association (below) Photographs/Photographic Editing by Candis Jones extinguishers in tunnels, in parking garages, The Norwegian Electric Vehicle Asso­ and onboard car ferries. ciation, headquarters in Oslo, website: elbil. no/english/about-norwegian-ev-association Further reading: (Norwegian and English) Emergency Response to Incident Involv- “Fullskala branntest av elbil” (Full-scale ing Electric Vehicle Battery Hazards, by fire test of an electric car), by A.S. Bøe, SP R.T. Long et al., link: www.nfpa.org/news- Fire Research, free PDF downloadable from and-research/fire-statistics-and-reports/ Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection research-reports/electrical-safety/emergen­ website, link: www.dsb.no/globalassets/do­ cy-response-to-incident-involving-electric- kumenter/rapporter/andre-rapporter/fullska­ vehicle-battery-hazards la-brannforsok-av-elbil.pdf (in Norwegian “Electric cars pose new challenges to with extended summary in English)

Enjoy the true story of the Royal Norwegian Air Force training camps located in Toronto and Muskoka during wartime. It’s a tale of the courageous young flyers who learned flight skills there and returned to battle the Nazis overseas!

Available at www.oldstonebooks.com theNorwegianamerican Arts & Entertainment September 8, 2017 • 9 Book review: The party’s starting They Sang for Norway Norwegian pop star Astrid S embarks on Party’s Over Tour with shows near you

Melinda Bargreen Everett, Wash. Molly Jones The Norwegian American Two Norwegian brothers from the so- called Red County of Nord-Trøndelag took Labeled “Scandinavia’s next break­ of how many times I’ve had to pinch my­ two different directions with their lives: One out pop princess” by music blog Idolator, self,” wrote the artist on her website. stayed in Norway, organizing guerrilla forc­ 20-year-old Norwegian singer and songwrit­ She hopes that her music will instill a es in his country’s struggle for independence er Astrid S is certainly on the rise—not just sense of belonging and joy in her listeners. after more than four centuries of Danish and in Scandinavia but around the globe. “I want them to feel happy and just forget Swedish rule. Finishing fifth in the Norwegian version about all their worries for a bit. It’s nice to The other, Oluf Martin Olsen Five (later of Pop Idol, Astrid Smeplass experienced her think that I have the opportunity to make called Olaf Martin Oleson), emigrated to breakthrough into Norway’s music scene at someone’s day a little better. Because the America, joining the hundreds of thousands the age of 16. The following year she moved focus for me is on bringing people together of Norwegians who flocked to these shores to Oslo from her small hometown of Berkåk because they like to listen to my music and during the 19th century—and contributed in Sør-Trøndelag to pursue her music career. that’s where they feel like they belong,” she funds and other support to those fighting for And she has never looked back. says. the independence of their homeland back in Astrid S released her self-titled debut The Norwegian will start her tour in Norway. EP in 2016, and her international fame flour­ Canada and the U.S., where she will be sup­ Author Ane-Charlotte Five Aarset is the ished. The single “Hurts So Good” gained ported by 16-year-old British singer Jasmine great-granddaughter of Ole, the brother who more than 136 million streams on Spotify, Thompson, followed by a series of other stayed in Norway; this comprehensive his­ charted in 21 countries, and led to tours in countries and ending with almost a dozen tory tells the story of her emigrating great- festival was presented that year in Duluth, Europe and North America with Australian shows in her home of Norway. grand uncle, Olaf M. Oleson. And what a Minnesota, and the movement spread rapid­ singer and songwriter Troye Sivan. story it is! Oleson was a farm worker, herb­ ly. Those Norwegian Americans weren’t just Following sold-out shows in Los An­ alist, American pioneer, then pharmacist and singing, either: During the years 1900-1914, geles, New York, and London, in early June Tour dates: entrepreneur. He was a singer, promoter of the author estimates that donations chan­ Astrid S announced her largest headline tour Norwegian Male Choruses, donor to Norwe­ neled through banks and post offices, plus ever: the Party’s Over World Tour with over Toronto, Ont. gian independence efforts, and early share­ direct cash payments to private individuals, 30 concerts this fall in North America, Eu­ Sept. 12, doors open 7:00 p.m. holder in the Norwegian American Line— corresponded to “about a quarter of the Nor­ rope, and New Zealand. The five-track al­ Velvet Underground and those are only a few highlights of Ole­ wegian national budget per year.” Indeed, bum Party’s Over was released on June 30, Allston, Mass. son’s story. “they sang for Norway.” featuring the electro pop hit “Breathe.” The Sept. 14, doors open 7:00 p.m. Soon after his 1870 emigration to the This colorful history, well illustrated lead single was an instant hit, and the emo­ Brighton Music Hall U.S., Oleson arrived in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and crammed with interesting facts, tells a tional song has already racked up more than Philadelphia, Penn. and as he prospered, he concentrated on fascinating story of considerable interest to 25 million streams worldwide. Sept. 15, doors open 7:00 p.m. helping others. He established a church, a Norwegian Americans—illustrating the vital “‘Breathe’ could be about that over­ The Foundry at Fillmore Philly department store, and a park, among other importance singing had for our forebears and whelming feeling of being in love, but for enterprises. He co-founded utilities compa­ the success that it is possible to achieve with me it’s about these moments over the past Washington, D.C. nies and arranged a meeting between Nor­ determination and imagination. The extent year that took my breath away, like having a Sept. 16, doors open 7:00 p.m. wegian student singers and President Theo­ of Oleson’s philanthropy, and its continuing hit single, going on my first tour, and playing U Street Music Hall dore Roosevelt; he brokered a commissioned impact, is outlined in a final chapter that is some of the festivals back home in Norway New York, N.Y. song from composer Edvard Grieg, and he indeed a tribute to the American dream: that that I’ve always dreamed of. I’ve lost count Sept. 19, doors open 7:00 p.m. revisited Norway with 20,000 Norwegian an impoverished immigrant can succeed in The Bowery Ballroom male chorus members from America. He was making a better life for not only his own asked to run for Congress but declined. Ole­ family in his own time but for countless oth­ Brooklyn, N.Y. (Sold Out) Sept. 20, doors open 7:00 p.m. son even became a composer; the book in­ ers both at home and abroad. Rough Trade NYC cludes his choral setting of the famous poem “In Flanders Fields.” They Sang for Norway: Olaf Oleson’s Immi­ Chicago, Ill. Oleson married twice; after he was grant Choir, by Ane-Charlotte Five Aarset. Sept. 22, doors open 7:00 p.m. widowed, he married a woman 20 years his Translated by Roald Aarset. Minnesota His- Subterranean junior—“the richest girl in town,” according torical Society Press, $24.95 (paperback). Minneapolis, Minn. (Sold Out) to the author. Most of all, he promoted (and Sept. 23, doors open 4:00 p.m. sang in) Norwegian male choruses, whose Melinda Bargreen is a 7th St Entry fundraising efforts helped many causes be­ Seattle-based writer and sides Norwegian’s struggle for independence Los Angeles, Calif. composer whose career at from Sweden. They sent money to hurricane Sept. 25, doors open 7:30 p.m. The Seattle Times began El Rey Theatre relief efforts in October of 1899 (believe it in 1977. Her choral works or not, hurricanes do occasionally hit Nor­ include the “Norwegian Santa Ana, Calif. way); they donated funds to rebuilding ef­ Folksong Suite.” Melinda Sept. 29, doors open 8:00 p.m. forts when the city of Ålesund burned down contributes to many pub- Constellation Room a few years later. lications and is the author of Seattle Opera’s San Francisco, Calif. (Sold Out) And, beginning in 1898, Oleson and his forthcoming 50-year history book. She holds Sept. 30, doors open 8:30 p.m. fellow singers organized vast Norwegian- B.A. and M.A. degrees from the UW, and a The Independent chorus events on a scale that scarcely seems doctorate in English from the University of possible today. The first such all-Norwegian California, Irvine. Visit astridsofficial.com to purchase tickets. Please note that several con- Photo: Stian Andersen certs are already sold out. Business and individual Portait of Astrid S taken in September 2014. tax returns; audits; forensic accounting; financial statement preparation; Subscribe to The Norwegian American! Certified Public Accountants litigation support. (206) 784-4617 • [email protected]

221 First Avenue West Suite 400 Lower Queen Anne location, easy parking. Seattle, Washington 98119 news • business • sports • opinion • recipes • travel • events • entertainment • Norwegian language • more! Phone: 206.292.1747 • Online: loecpa.com • Email: [email protected] 10 • September 8, 2017 Norway near you theNorwegianamerican What’s going on in your neighborhood? Calendar of Events california Maryland ors, he’s forced to make alliances with the criminal Ken Johnson, International Third District Di- 65th Rosemaling Seminar Norwegian American Club of Maryland Dinner underworld. Episodes shown on Wednesdays at rector. For reservations, please call Mikki at Sept. 23—24 Sept. 20, 6:30 p.m. 7:00 p.m. and Fridays at 6:30 p.m. at Scandinavia (570) 729-7628 or Karen at (908) 637-6943. At Alta, Calif. Baltimore, Md. House. Cost is $12 per episode ($7 for ASF mem- Woodloch Springs Golf Club Banquet Room. The seminar at Camp Norge will have two Join the club for their monthly dinner meet- bers) and $36 for a series pass ($21 for members). classes taught by Karen Nelson and Onya Tol- ing at Radisson North Baltimore Hotel in the texas masoff, both painting a card box. Visit www. Greenspring 1 Room. Following drinks at 6:30 Book Talk: The History of Bees Leif Eiriksson Day Banquet campnorge.org/site/wp-content/uploads/ p.m., dinner will be served at 7:15. Cost is $35 Sept. 14, 7:00 p.m. Oct. 6 Sept-2017-Rosemaling-Seminar-Registration- per person. Please RSVP to Einar Skretting at New York, N.Y. Richardson, Texas form.pdf for registration form and info. (410) 667-6235. Norwegian author Maja Lunde visits Scandinavia The annual Viking Leif Eiriksson Day banquet House to discuss her debut novel, The History of will be held at the Canyon Creek Country Club. Vista Viking Festival Massachusetts Bees. A deftly executed literary debut, it follows The guest speaker this year will be the Consul three generations of beekeepers, weaving a spell- General of Norway in Houston, Mr. Morten Sept. 23—24 Book Talk: Viking Economics binding story of their relationship with nature, Paulsen. More info will be available at www. Vista, Calif. Sept. 17, 7:00 p.m. their children, and ultimately one another against norwegiansocietyoftexas.org/events/. Step back a thousand years into the Viking West Newton, Mass. Village and Marketplace. There will be two the backdrop of an urgent global crisis. Copies Discuss “how the Scandinavians got to the top of available for purchase and signing. Free. stages of live music and entertainment, Viking the international charts and what we can learn Washington encampments, beer gardens, a KidZone, and from them.” George Lakey, author of Viking Ski for Light Fundraiser more! Cost is $10 for adults, $3 for children 6 Book Talk: The Half-Drowned King Sept. 23, 6:00 p.m. Economics, leads discussion based on recent re- Sept. 19, 7:00 p.m. to 12, free for children 5 and under, and $5 for search and experience. In the Nordic Hall at the Seattle, Wash. parking. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on New York, N.Y. Puget Sound Ski for Light presents its fund- Scandinavian Cultural Center. The Half-Drowned King Saturday and 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Sun- , Linnea Hartsuyker’s com- raising dinner, silent auction, and dance for pelling debut novel, launches an epic saga drawn day. Located at 2006 East Vista Way. Visit www. Nordic Bites Food Festival Leif Erikson Hall. The social hour begins at vikingfestivalvista.com for more info. from her own Scandinavian lineage. This first in- 6:00 p.m. and the dinner of open-fire grilled Sept. 23, 11:00 a.m.—3:00 p.m. stallment of a trilogy brings to life the cold and West Newton, Mass. salmon and cod will begin at 6:30 p.m. Mu- illinois violent ninth century when Norway’s first king, sic will be provided by Nordic Reflections. At Enjoy tastes from the Nordic while visiting ven- Harald the Fair-Haired, united a warring nation Tours of Viking Leif Erikson Hall. Tickets cost $25 and can be dors, listening to live music, and taking part in and ascended to the throne. Copies available for Sept. 16, 1:00—4:00 p.m. purchased at www.brownpapertickets.com/ other foodie fun! Don’t forget the return of ev- purchase and signing. At Scandinavia House; free. Geneva, Ill. eryone’s favorite Vikings! Visit their encamp- event/3061461 or by calling (206) 783-1274. Viking The public is invited to tour the , an exact ment, listen to their music, and watch them fight. north carolina copy of the Viking ship Gokstad. Guided or self- Cost is $20 in advance, $25 at the door, $15 for GTPP Laureate Recognition Banquet Norsk Carolina Welcome Back Party guided tours are available. Guided tours begin SCC Members, and $7 for kids 12 and under. At Sept. 28, 5:30 p.m. Sept. 16, 2:00—4:00 p.m. every 15 minutes with the last at 3:30 p.m. the Scandinavian Cultural Center. Tacoma, Wash. Guided group tours are also available by ap- Charlotte, N.C. Join the Greater Tacoma Peace Prize to honor pointment; two weeks’ notice required. Admis- Join Norsk Carolina Lodge and celebrate the new the 2017 Peace Prize Laureate, Pennye Nix- sion is $5 for adults and $3 for teens. Parking Minnesota program year with a U.S. regional hot dog tast- on. At the PLU Scandinavian Cultural Center. is free. Call (630) 302-7338, email viking1893@ Celebrating 125 years of Concordia College ing event and celebration of Norwegian football. Tickets can be purchased through Sept. 20 at gmail.com, or visit vikingship.us for more info. Sept. 12—24 Wear your favorite sports jersey of Norwegian or www.eventbrite.com/e/gtpp-annual-laure- At Good Templar Park. Minneapolis, Minn. other teams. At Holy Trinity Lutheran Church. ate-recognition-banquet-honoring-pennye- Chronicling the long, storied past of one of nixon-tickets-36531309129. Program on Reformation Moorhead’s oldest institutions, this exhibition north dakota Sept. 24, 1:00 p.m. celebrates the history of Concordia College—an Norsk Høstfest Nordic Knitting Conference Chicago, Ill. institution founded by Norwegian Lutherans in Sept. 27—30 Oct. 6—8 In observance of the 500th Anniversary of the 1891. At Norway House. Minot, N.D. Seattle, Wash. Reformation, Minnekirken welcomes Dr. Hall- North America’s largest Scandinavian Festival has The Nordic Heritage Museum is excited to geir Elstad from the University of Oslo who will Lunch Seminar with Ambassador Aas Scandinavian tradition on full display. From Nor- welcome stellar Scandinavian designers Arne speak on “Reformation without a Reformer: Sept. 15, 10:30 p.m. dic entertainment to culinary options, guests will & Carlos back to headline this year’s event. the History of Reformation in Norway.” Free Minneapolis, Minn. truly have a cultural experience. Visit with arti- Other featured instructors include Beth will offering. Ambassador of Norway to the U.S., Kåre R. Aas, sans showcasing ancient traditions or take a walk Brown-Reinsel, Chris Bylsma, Evelyn Clark, invites you to a presentation of a new report: back in time at Tromsø Cultural Village and Viking Carol Rhoades, and Laura Ricketts. Register Concert of Scandinavian Music Norway Creates Jobs in the United States. Reg- Village. One thing is for sure—it will be a Nordic at www.eventbrite.com/e/nordic-knitting- Oct. 1, 2:00 p.m. istration starts at 10:30 a.m. followed by lunch, adventure! Visit hostfest.com for more info. conference-2017-registration-35735903048. Chicago, Ill. networking, and program. At Robins Kaplan LLP. Pianist Julie Coucheron; concertmaster of the oregon Embla Lodge Nordic Festival Program on Occupation of Norway Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, David Coucher- Cook & Eat: A Nordic Autumn Oct. 7, 10:00 a.m.—4:00 p.m. Sept. 18, 7:00—10:00 p.m. on; and their guest soprano, Deanna Breiwick, Sept. 12, 6:30—8:30 p.m. Edgewood, Wash. Crookston, Minn. join in presenting a concert of Scandinavian Portland, Ore. Enjoy traditional music, arts, crafts, cookies, Leif Andol lived through the Occupation of Nor- music at Minnekirken. Free will offering. Join Chef Melissa Bahen, author of the book Scan- lefse, Scandinavian food, and more! Free park- way. He will share his childhood memories of dinavian Gatherings and creator of the blog Lulu ing. Cost is $2; children 12 and under free. At wartime and his love for both his birthplace and the Baker. She will treat us to a Nordic fall meal Mt. View Lutheran Church. Free parking. iowa his adopted U.S. His wife will accompany him and and have signed copies of her book available for Opening of Rocks and Hard Places close the program playing music on her carpen- purchase. At Nordic House. Cost is $20 for mem- Wisconsin Sept. 23 ter saw! An all-you-can-eat Norwegian dinner is bers and $25 for non-members. Purchase tickets Find your Norwegian Roots Decorah, Iowa available for $8.55 in Brown Dining from 5:50 to at www.scanheritage.org/upcoming-events. Sept. 23, 1:00—2:00 p.m. Why do people leave their homes in search of 6:30 p.m. This event is open to everyone interest- Stoughton, Wis. a better life? Join Vesterheim as we look for an- ed. Free will offering. At University of Minnesota, Liv Marit Haakenstad has worked as a genealo- swers to that question in this exciting new -ex Crookston Bede Ballroom A/B. pennsylvania hibit that explores emigration through first per- Program with Timothy Boyce gist for many years, researching Norwegians and emigrants from Norway to other countries, son accounts, family histories, and the stunning Book Talk & Signing: The Devil’s Wedding Ring Sept. 15, 7:15 p.m. especially the U.S. Her goal has been to find an- black and white photography of Knud Knudsen. Oct. 8—10 Lancaster, Penn. swers about what happened to the Norwegian At 4:00 p.m., there will be a showing of the film Minneapolis & St. Paul, Minn. Author Timothy Boyce will be returning to the emigrants after they left their homeland. She Album, a beautiful introduction to Knudsen’s Attend a reading and book signing of The Devil’s Bondelandet Lodge to talk more about his re- also lectures and leads courses in Norwegian world of images, produced by the Norwegian Wedding Ring, the first book in a new Scandina- search on Norwegian Odd Nansen, who wrote genealogy, internet genealogy research, trans- Film Institute in Decorah’s Viking Theater. At vian crime mystery series by Norwegian author a diary while in Nazi concentration camps. From migration, and the emigration from Norway in 6:00 p.m., Zach Row-Heyveld will give a gallery Vidar Sundstøl. At the American Swedish Institute Day to Day: One Man’s Diary of Survival in Nazi general. At Livsreise. Free. talk in the museum’s main building. at 2:00 p.m. on Oct. 8, the Highland Park Library Concentration Camps will be available for pur- at 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 9, and Once Upon a Crime at chase. Guests welcome. Questions? Call Jeanne Stories of Norway, Presented by John Yilek 7:00 p.m. on Oct. 10. Addison at (717) 793-7428. Maine Oct. 7, 11:00 a.m. Book Talk: Viking Economics Bernt Balchen 40th Anniversary Gala Stoughton, Wis. Sept. 15, 7:00 p.m. new york Sept. 16, 5:00—9:00 p.m. John Yilek is the author of History of Norway Norway, Maine Film Series: Valkyrien Hawley, Penn. and Stories of Norway, two books that discuss Discuss “how the Scandinavians got to the top Sept. 13—Oct. 6 Festivities include a champagne toast, dinner, Norway’s history from ancient times to the of the international charts and what we can New York, N.Y. coffee and dessert, cash bar, and live music by present day. In this presentation at Livsreise, learn from them.” George Lakey, author of Vi- Valkyrien is a unique, high-concept Nordic noir. In The Flash Back Band. The keynote speaker is Mr. he will be discussing Stories of Norway. king Economics, leads discussion based on re- an illegal hospital in an Oslo underground station, cent research and experience living and work- a physician is desperately trying to find a cure for ing in Nordic countries. At Books and Things. his wife’s terminal illness. To finance his endeav- Send your event to [email protected] or call (206) 784-4617 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 September 8, 2017 • 11 Seven Lags meet at Luther College

Anna Oksnevad Minneapolis, Minn.

This July 20-23, Luther College hosted Tone Jorunn Tveito and Torgeir Straand the Sju-Lag Stevne groups for a weekend of of Telemark, Norway. Tveito grew up music, dancing, genealogy research, courses, in Lårdal and began singing at the age and a youth camp. of 12. She has sung for the Norwegian The opening session was held Thurs­ Cabinet, the Prime Minister, and the day evening at the Center for Faith and Life King of Norway and has won many mu­ with music performances by the Luran Sing­ sical awards. Straand began playing se­ ers of Decorah and Tone Jorunn Tveito of riously at age eight. He has participated Telemark as well as a performance by the in many fiddling competitions and won Decorah Nordic Dancers. Guest speaker several top prizes. Per Lykke of Rjukan, Anette Holt Bratsberg of Skien, Norway, Norway, gave a lecture called “Sustain gave a speech titled “Sustain Your Legacy, and Celebrate Our Common Legacy.” Write Your Story.” Other speakers included The program concluded with dancing Don Arendt, Mayor of Decorah; Dr. Paula from Tinndølan Folk Music Group, a Carlson, President of Luther College; Elaine Norwegian folk music and dance group Hasleton, President of Bygdelagenes Felles­ from Tinn in Telemark. raad; Hayley Jackson of Luther’s Archives; ​Saturday evening included­ ­­a Bu­ Dr. Andrea Beckendorf of Luther’s Rare nad Parade and guest speaker David Photos: Anna Oksnevad Book Collection; and Dr. Kate Elliott, Cura­ Engen, 2015 winner of Norway’s​​ popular re­ Top left: From Telemark, Norway, Tone Jorunn Tveito, the Tinndølan Folk Music Group, fiddler Torgeir Straand, and keynote speaker Per Lykke participated in the 7-Lag Stevne program at Luther tor of the Fine Arts Collection. ality show Alt for Norge ​where participants College. The program continued Friday with compete for a chance to meet their relatives Top right: Decorah’s Nordic Dancers and the Tinndølan Folk Music Group teach each other and courses, vendors, and research opportunities still residing in Norway. The program con­ members of the youth camp various traditional dances from Norway, in this case the famous Halling for participants. The Special General Session cluded with a worship service in the CFL at hat dance. held Friday evening included special music by Luther College. Above: Tone Jorunn Tveito and daughter from Telemark, Norway, participate in the Bunad Parade.

< ragnarök The Norwegian American From page 3 ninth century. In 2003 a flood in Iceland re­ settled other northern islands, including the Photo of the Week vealed a forest that apparently had been alive Orkneys and the Shetlands. In the Íselend- in the ninth century but had been knocked ingabók (Book of the Icelanders), written over by an enormous force, probably by a between 1122 and 1133, Icelandic chronicler violent flood from the rupture of Myrdals­ Ari Þorgilsson (1067-1148) mentions the Pa­ jokull, the glacier that overlies the Katla vol­ par (from the Latin papa), wandering Celtic cano some 21 miles away. These clues trig­ monks, some of whom took eremitic resi­ gered retrospective scientific detective work dence in Iceland before 874, when it was first by Ulf Büntgen and colleagues at the Uni­ settled by Norsemen. In any case, had the in­ versity of Cambridge together with peers in coming Norsemen not obliterated whatever seven countries. That multinational research records may have been kept by the eremitic effort dated the causal eruption of Katla to Celtic monks, we might have an eyewitness 822-823 (Further reading). account of the Katla eruption. The accuracy of the dating shows the power of the scientific method to reveal the Further reading: “Multi-proxy dating history of an event in the absence of extant of Iceland’s major pre-settlement Katla human-generated records. That said, there eruption to 822-823 CE” by Ulf Bünt­ may be an alternative history. Dicuil, an gen et. al, Geology (Geology Society of early ninth century Irish monk and geogra­ America journal), June 28, 2017, listing: Photo: Bruce Jacobsen pher, wrote about holy men who wandered to pubs.geoscienceworld.org/geology/article- Sons of Norway International President Jon Tehven presents a plaque honoring the Norwegian- the lands of the North. He mentioned Thule, abstract/doi/10.1130/G39269.1/208004/ American soldiers of the 99th Infantry Battalion (Separate) for their service during WWII. Others in the photo represent the 99th Inf. Bn. (Sep.) Educational Foundation Board. They which may have been Greenland or Ice­ multi-proxy-dating-of-iceland-s-major- are Bill Hoffland, Erik Brun, Irene Starck, Eric Kerska, Paula Lindholm, and Kelly Solberg. land, but is imprecise, as Celtic hermits also pre?redirectedFrom=fulltext The photo was taken during the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the mobilization of the battalion held at Camp Ripley, Minn., on August 12, 2017. thank you for reading our paper! Submitted by Irene Starck. 12 • September 8, 2017 Travel theNorwegianamerican Norway’s world of music festivals From rock and pop to classical and black metal, Norwegian festivals embrace all genres

Photo: Didrick Stenersen / VisitOSLO Among the crowd at Øyafestivalen, one of Norway’s biggest. Staff The Norwegian American

If you’re a Norway enthusiast with June festival also provides up-and-coming and even the venues are made up of ice and ferno is the largest metal festival in the coun­ a passion for music, it may be a dream of local artists the opportunity to play for large snow. And with changing temperatures af­ try. After the club day with concerts at vari­ yours to attend a music festival on your next crowds. Because of the classic artists, range fecting the sound of the instruments, no two ous rock clubs around the city, the concerts Norwegian vacation. But where to begin? of genres, and no age limit, the crowds tend concerts are ever the same. Set in the pictur­ are held at Rockefeller Music Hall and John Norway is home to hundreds of music festi­ to be varied and diverse. Learn more about esque mountain town of Geilo, located about Dee. Head over to www.infernofestival.net vals each year, spanning almost every genre the festival at norwegianwood.no. halfway between Oslo and Bergen, this is the to learn more. imaginable with venues scattered throughout only ice music festival in the world. You’ll the country. Bergenfest want to bring your warmest layers for this MaiJazz While it would be impossible to list Held on the historic grounds of the me­ festival as the icy event takes place during Since its beginnings in 1989, MaiJazz even a fraction of these, below you will find dieval Bergenhus Fortress right in Bergen’s the middle of winter on the first full moon of has become not only one of the leading jazz a selection of a few of the top festivals as city center, Bergenfest is undoubtedly an ex­ the year. For more information, visit www. festivals in Norway but also one of the top well as several unique festivals that you perience to remember. The open-air festival icemusicfestival.no. cultural events in Stavanger. Over the years, would be hard pressed to find elsewhere in has grown over the years to become the larg­ the festival has grown rapidly and attracted the world. Not seeing what you’re looking est music festival in western Norway. Each Øyafestivalen artists from around the world. In addition for? Do some quick research and we think year, there are around 50 acts presenting a One of Norway’s biggest festivals, Øya­ to promoting the best of the local and na­ you might just find the perfect Norwegian vast array of genres—from pop and rock to festivalen is held in Tøyen Park on Oslo’s tional jazz scene, MaiJazz has presented festival for you. EDM and world music. In addition to local eastside. Featuring famous headliners while many well-known artists to its audiences, Norwegian artists, prominent international also promoting Norwegian talent, the festival including the Pat Metheny Group, Herbie Norwegian Wood stars including John Mayer, Imagine Drag­ has been praised for its ability to seamlessly Hancock, and Youssou N’dour. The concerts Sharing its name with the well-known ons, and Lana Del Ray have taken the stage weave the two together. The 2017 festival are held in early May at a variety of venues Beatles song, Norwegian Wood is a rock fes­ at Bergenfest. The four-day festival takes showcased Lana Del Ray as the headliner, throughout the city. For more information, tival held each year at Frognerbadet, Oslo’s place in mid June each year. Visit www.ber­ as well as other famous artists including the visit maijazz.no. outdoor swimming pool complex. Over the genfest.no for more information. The xx, Pixies, and The Shins, but also man­ last 25 years, the impressive festival has aged to highlight Norwegian pop artists like Insomnia Festival hosted many of rock’s biggest names: Johnny Ice Music Festival Gabrielle, Sigrid, and Nils Bech. Over the As the home to several of the country’s Cash, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, Sting, and At this chilly festival you won’t find four days in mid August, more than 90 con­ successful electronic music artists when the the Eagles, among many others. The mid- any traditional instruments; all instruments certs are held on several stages throughout genre first became popular, Tromsø earned the park. For more details, check out oya­ the title of Norway’s capital of the techno festivalen.no. scene. It should be no surprise, therefore, that the arctic city is home to Insomnia Fes­ Where in Norway? Dark Season Blues Festival tival, which aims to showcase and develop In late October each year, Longyear­ new innovative electronic music and techno How well do you know Norway? Match this photo to its byen hosts the Dark Season Blues Festival culture. In addition to seminars, exhibitions, location and email your answer to [email protected]. just as the sun is about to leave the Svalbard and debates, there are a series of concerts, DJ Correct answers will be entered to win one free month! archipelago for the long, dark winter. Blues events, and performances. The festival lasts musicians, both local and international, three days and is considered to be Norway’s make their way up to Svalbard for this in­ most important electronic music festival. Visit timate festival with concerts held over four www.insomniafestival.no for the details. days at pubs, schools, and a church. Due to the casual atmosphere in Longyearbyen, Grieg in Bergen close connections are made between the mu­ You can’t talk about Norwegian music sicians, locals, and audience. The audience without mentioning Edvard Grieg. This con­ is even invited to play with the artists at the cert series spans 10 weeks from mid June to blues jam on the final night. Visit www.sval­ late August each year. There are four eve­ bardblues.com to learn more. ning concerts each week for a grand total of 40 concerts. If you’re visiting Bergen in the Inferno Metal Festival summer, there’s a good change you’ll be able If you’d rather spend your Easter rock­ to attend one of these concerts at Korskirken, ing out to heavy medal than painting eggs or the Church of the Cross, conveniently lo­ going to church, the Inferno Metal Festival cated in the city center right next to the fish is the place to be. Norway has played an market. While some of Grieg’s pieces will important role in the extreme medal scene, be included in each concert, music from Photo: Daniel Milner / Wikimedia Commons especially black metal, and each year metal other well-known composers will also be Have a photo for “Where in Norway?” Submit it to [email protected]! fans from all around the globe flock to Oslo performed. Find more information at www. for this festival. With around 40 bands, In­ grieginbergen.com. theNorwegianamerican Travel September 8, 2017 • 13 International appeal: Molde’s famed jazz festival thrills

Patricia Barry Hopewell Junction, N.Y.

Molde in July is the place to be for jazz artists and enthusiasts as the acclaimed Mol­ de International Jazz Festival takes place. This year my family had the good fortune to experience Moldejazz, “arguably the prize among Norway’s rich jazz festival circuit” (Downbeat).

High standards at Moldejazz Moldejazz, established in 1961, is Eu­ rope’s second-oldest jazz festival. Approxi­ mately 120 concerts are held, 22,000 tickets are sold, 500 artists perform, 600 people vol­ unteer, and 60,000 people visit Molde (more than tripling the city’s population) for the an­ nual six-day festival, according to the official 2017 Moldejazz website. Photos: John Barry The Moldejazz program committee Right: “Jazzgutten” (The Jazz Boy) overlooks downtown Molde, with a stun- headed by festival director Hans-Olav Solli ning view of fjord and mountains for his backdrop. works year round to put together a high- quality and attractive program. Arne Torvik, a committee member and teacher at Molde kulturskole, describes the challenge: “We try to put together a program with a combination de Brass Band, one of the top 10 brass bands profound impact on the city. Many people marka, where there are hiking trails with of big jazz names and artistically interesting in Norway, was selected to play with trum­ have been working as volunteers for the fes­ gorgeous panoramas of Moldefjord and the and new names—all within the diverse genre peter and composer Jan Magne Førde. At tival all their lives. So I think people from Romsdal Alps. Molde is also a great place called jazz—so that the high quality will in­ Molde domkirke on the last night of the fes­ Molde feel like they own a little bit of the for kayaking and biking. terest people enough to come to Molde. In tival, Førde, his ensemble, and Molde Brass festival themselves.” Beyond Molde, the awesome must-see addition we try to focus on having a blend performed Førde’s work “Mezzing,” a “great As Moldejazz gets underway, people fill Norwegian scenic route Atlanterhavsveien of local, national, European, and American end to a fantastic festival,” writes Romsdals the performance venues, streets, hotels, ca­ (Atlantic Ocean Road) is just a 45-minute jazz. Additionally it is very important to have Budstikke. fés, and shops. Alexandraparken, a city park, drive. In the opposite direction, a couple the right artist in the right venue so that both Solli, festival director, points out that is the hub of activity, the site of the open­ hours away, is the famous Trollstigen. the audience and the artist feel good about among the many special things about Molde­ ing ceremony, a daily parade destination, Also close to Molde are a couple lesser- the gig.” jazz, “About half our program is unique in and venue for free concerts during the day. known but worthwhile destinations. Con­ By these standards the 2017 Moldejazz that these concerts happen only at Molde­ For some, spending their days in Alexan­ sider a trip to the island of Ona and see its program was a success. Downbeat described jazz. One example is this year’s mini-resi­ draparken is in itself the Moldejazz experi­ much-photographed lighthouse. In Tingvoll this year’s program as “an embarrassment of dency with guitar legend Pat Metheny who ence, listening to various artists, soaking up stop by Tingvollost for Kraftkar, the most riches.” Jazzwise Magazine writes about the did three concerts together with Norwegian the atmosphere (and sun if they are lucky, as recent “World Champion” at the World adventurous spirit and breadth of program. artists—bassist Arild Andersen, Jaga Jazzist, we were), while enjoying coffee and waffles Cheese Awards. Nearby is Den Glade Ku “We could shake our bluesy hips, but we and Trondheim Jazz Orchestra.” or beer and popcorn. (The Happy Cow), a charming farm shop could also tremble under the full onslaught The beautiful Molde setting contributes Several locations around the city also and café. Den Glade Ku is known for its mar­ of free-squall. We could leaf through the to the uniqueness of Moldejazz to attract serve as concert venues, including the city’s malades, jams, and dairy products, as well as standard Broadway songbook, but we could artists from around the world, notes Torvik. cultural building Plassen, Molde domkirke, other locally made food products and crafts. also nod cerebellums to the most advanced “Many jazz artists (especially Americans) Romsdalsmuseet, and Bjørnsonhuset at the Tingvollost and Den Glade Ku products can forms of avant-rap.” have fallen in love with the area of Molde Scandic Seilet. At every turn street musi­ also be purchased in Molde grocery stores Moldejazz has featured jazz legends and Romsdal.” cians can be found playing along Storgata and specialty shops. If you go to Moldejazz, such as Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Dexter and at outside cafés. be sure to take home some of the local fare. Gordon, and this year Herbie Hancock and Bond between Molde and the festival The six-day concert schedule runs from Pat Metheny, with Vijay Iyer, American Moldejazz shares a special bond with midday well into the night, with some con­ A venerable festival pianist and composer, as artist-in-residence. the city of Molde, as Torvik has observed. certs starting as late as midnight (yes, those Moldejazz, with its rich history, is Pop musicians who fit into an expanded defi­ “One special treat is the combination of an tickets we just purchased are for midnight, unique in its program and setting. Whether nition of jazz and rhythmic music have also ambitious program of jazz music and the not noon). With the late-night concerts and you want to enjoy a concert in the park or performed at Moldejazz—an impressive list beautiful nature and surroundings of Molde. the long daylight hours in July, it’s a special take advantage of the many performances including Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Sting, The city changes for a few days into a place treat to be walking, along with many others, and venues or just walk the streets and enjoy Steely Dan, Elvis Costello, Stevie Wonder, where many residents want the festival to be after midnight without the aid of street lamps the festive atmosphere, there is something and Eric Clapton. great for both artists and audience and they or flashlights. for everyone. I would highly recommend ex­ This year for the first time, a brass band work as volunteers or simply just enjoy the During Moldejazz, Storgata becomes a periencing Moldejazz. And absolutely take performed at the festival. Molde’s own Mol­ good music themselves. The festival has a pedestrian walkway lined with vendors. You in the beauty of this part of Norway while can buy Moldejazz and Molde Fotballklubb you’re there. merchandise, handmade crafts, and souve­ nirs—or try Fonte Verdi “Cheese from Mol­ Resources: de,” fresh-picked berries from Sekken and “Iyer’s Idiomatic Adventurism by the Skåla, self-proclaimed best Belgian waffles Fjord,” Downbeat, link: downbeat.com/ in Norway, or an elgburger (mooseburger). news/detail/iyers-idiomatic-adventurism-by- the-fjord Getaways from Molde Moldejazz website: www.moldejazz.no Besides Moldejazz, there is much to “Steve Lehman and Pat Metheny Lead enjoy in this beautiful area of Norway. If The Moldejazz Pack,” Jazzwise Magazine, you want an easy getaway from the down­ link: www.jazzwisemagazine.com/breaking- town bustle, you can take a quick boat ride news/14680-molde to Hjertøya, an island one mile away in “Verdig og flott avslutning” (Worthy and Moldefjord with swimming and picnic areas, great conclusion), Romsdals Budstikke, link: Photo: John Barry walking paths, and a fishing museum. Or go www.rbnett.no/pluss/2017/07/23/Verdig-og- The Moldejazz parade band Jazzlogen arrives at Alexandraparken for the opening ceremonies. the opposite direction, up the hill to Molde­ flott-avslutning-15055447.ece (Norwegian) 14 • September 8, 2017 Taste of Norway theNorwegianamerican Winter is coming: prepare food to nourish Make some traditional Norwegian beef stew sosekjøtt for the dinner table and freezer

Christy Olsen Field Edmonds, Wash.

It’s still summer for a couple more weeks, but I am in full-on preservation mode these days. The chest freezer is filled with peach slices and berries and cherry tomatoes, and the pantry is stocked with growing rows of jams and tomato sauce. And though I’m not usually one who has foresight to freeze dinners for later, I have a good reason now: Our second child is due in late September, and I want to have a supply of freezer meals to rely on when we’re running low on time and inspiration. To me, a good freezer meal in those early newborn months is 1) full of protein and iron, 2) not cheese-centric, and 3) able to be eaten with one hand, preferably a spoon. I found my ideal dish in sosekjøtt, also known as kjøtt i mørke or småsteik. Norway’s favorite chef Ingrid Espelid Hovig called it one of her favorite dishes, and it’s not hard to see why. This simple, deeply flavorful beef stew is like a hug from Norway: cozy, nutri­ tious, and loved by all ages. Cubes of beef are simmered with onions in a roux-thickened brown sauce and served with potatoes and vegetables on the side. No wine, no spices beyond a bay leaf. I read through a couple Christy Olsen Field was Photos: Christy Olsen Field versions that included mushrooms, and I in­ on the editorial staff of Sosekjøtt stores even better than most beef stews because the vegetables are added later. cluded them in mine to add some extra savory the Norwegian American notes and texture. Weekly from 2008 to 2012, Sosekjøtt is a great dish to make on a and the Taste of Norway weekend: It takes a few hours to make, but page was her favorite sec- Sosekjøtt most of it is hands-off. And because it takes tion. Today, she is a free- about as much effort to make a double batch, lance grantwriter for small 4 tbsps. butter 2 leeks or one large onion, thinly sliced freeze half of it for later. Come January, you’ll to mid-size nonprofits with her business, Chris- 4 tbsps. flour 1 lb. crimini mushrooms, cleaned & be glad you did. ty Ink. Learn more at www.christy.ink. 6 cups beef or mushroom stock, quartered (can be omitted) warmed 1 bay leaf 2 tbsps. olive oil or butter, more as handful of parsley or chives to garnish needed salt & pepper to taste 5 lbs. beef round roast, cubed

The day before you start cooking (or at least two hours before), cube the meat and gener­ ously salt on all sides. Don’t skip this step, as it will season the meat from the inside. Remove from the fridge about 20-30 minutes before searing. Prepare the brunsaus (brown sauce poaching liquid). In a medium saucepan, melt the butter until foaming subsides. Add the flour and whisk constantly until it turns deep golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Whisk in a little stock, about ½ cup. The mixture will look lumpy and curdled, but keep going. Add the stock in gradually, whisking constantly as you go. Bring to boil and reduce to simmer for 15 minutes to thicken into a lovely brown sauce. Remove from heat and set aside. Meanwhile, get out a heavy-bottomed 5-quart pot (I use my trusty cast iron Dutch oven) and heat olive oil or butter over medium-high heat. Brown the beef chunks, making sure to get a deep brown sear on both sides. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, and place seared pieces in a big bowl. Repeat until all beef is seared. If you have extra grease in the bottom of the pot, pour off until you have about 2 table­ spoons left in the pot. Turn down the heat to medium, sauté the leeks until brown, about 5 minutes, and add to bowl. Add more oil/butter if the pot looks dry and sauté the mushrooms. (Don’t add salt for the first few minutes, as the mushrooms will shed their water too quickly.) After they have started to take on color, add a healthy pinch or two of kosher salt and stir the mushrooms as they release their liquid. Use this liquid to scrape up the fond, those tasty brown bits in the bottom of the pot. (If you omit the mushrooms, use about ½ cup water or stock to release the fond.) Add beef, leeks, and brunsaus to the pot and stir everything together. Cover, bring to boil, and reduce to simmer for 2 to 2 ½ hours, stirring every 15 to 30 minutes. Taste for sea­ soning at each point, and add more salt if needed. If your brunsaus looks watery at the 2-hour mark (like mine did), remove the lid so the sauce can concentrate for the last bit of cooking. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives and serve with boiled potatoes (typically Nor­ wegian), mashed potatoes, and vegetables such as carrots, peas, or cabbage. Serves 8 (or two dinners, one to enjoy right away and one to freeze).

Note: Like all good things, the flavor of sosekjøtt will improve with a day of rest in the fridge, so you can make it a day before you plan to serve it. It also freezes beautifully since the veg- etables are served on the side. God appetit! theNorwegianamerican Taste of Norway September 8, 2017 • 15 But wait, there’s more soup... Make a meal of the humble cauliflower

Daytona Strong Taste of Norway Editor

With an almost embarrassing level of access to a wealth of produce at local gro­ cery stores year-round, I have to admit that I’ve long thought of cauliflower as an ordi­ nary, everyday vegetable. I was wrong. With its pale color and plentiful flo­ rets, cauliflower was once a vegetable to be praised and celebrated. Its origins go back to the Middle Ages when, according to Danish cook Camilla Plum, it was a cabbage cho­ sen for its enlarged flowers. It had spread to northern Europe by the 17th century. Just the thought of cauliflower brings sweet memories to the minds of Scandina­ vians. Norwegian cookbook author Astrid Karlsen Scott writes with nostalgia in Au- thentic Norwegian Cooking about how she remembers the feeling of summer breezes rustling the kitchen curtains while her moth­ er simmered cauliflower soup. Magnus Nils­ son, chef of the celebrated Fäviken in Swe­ den writes in The Nordic Cookbook about the pleasures of steaming a head of cauliflower straight from the garden, perhaps served with salted butter and lemon for dipping. Reading his words I can’t help but picture that garden and taste the sun and the Nordic air. Photo: Daytona Strong At its simplest, cauliflower soup might Cauliflower soup lends itself to infinite variations, look like steamed cauliflower pureed with fry or roast it. As for flavorings, one recipe host of New Scandinavian Cooking, adds dry like this cardamom-speckled delight. broth and swirled with cream, but it invites includes Danish blue cheese, while another white wine and a generous splash of aqua­ so much more. Some recipes call for steam­ source says that in Denmark people some­ vit in his recipe in Kitchen of Light. Nilsson ing the cauliflower first, while others pan­ times add a shot of sherry. Andreas Viestad, writes that he likes to garnish his with bacon, Daytona Strong is The Nor- chives, and a halved hard-boiled egg. While wegian American’s Taste of some recipes call for garnishing the soup Norway editor. She writes with small prawns or shrimp, Danish chef about her family’s Norwe- Nordic Roasted Cauliflower Soup Trine Hahnemann tops hers with grilled scal­ gian heritage through the lops in The Scandinavian Cookbook. lens of food at her Scandi- (Blomkålsuppe) The version I’m sharing today fea­ navian food blog, www.out- tures cardamom, which I find gives a subtle side-oslo.com. Find her on Adapted from the cauliflower and juniper soup inThe New Nordic: Recipes from a warmth to cauliflower. Flecks of spice dot Facebook (www.facebook.com/OutsideOslo), Scandinavian Kitchen by Simon Bajada the soup, a whisper of flavor infused in each Twitter (@daytonastrong), Pinterest (@dayton- bite, lending a gentle warmth to a classic. astrong), and Instagram (@daytonastrong). 1 head cauliflower, leaves attached 20 oz. vegetable broth 1 tsp. kosher salt 3 tbsps. butter 1 tsp. dried juniper berries 1⁄3 cup sour cream ½ tsp. cardamom seeds ground white pepper, to taste 1 tbsp. canola or rapeseed oil

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse the cauliflower thoroughly, then snap off the thick outer leaves, leaving the small, tender ones attached. Using a sharp knife, cut off the stem, leaving a flat base on which the cauliflower can rest. Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet. Pour the oil over the cauliflower, Custom jewelry in using your hand to rub it in. Using a mortar and pestle, smash together the salt, juniper, and cardamom, thoroughly silver and gold crushing the herbs. Sprinkle it over the cauliflower in a generous, even layer (you may not need it all). featuring Slide the tray into the oven and roast for about 40 minutes, until a knife easily pierces the stem. (After 40 minutes, if the cauliflower is not tender yet, the original recipe suggests turn­ Norwegian filigree, ing down the heat to 340 degrees to finish roasting—this took me an additional 15 minutes.) At this point, the cauliflower will be deep golden and richly fragrant, almost nutty. Nordic designs and When the cauliflower is still warm but cool enough to handle, cut it into rough florets, reserving the leaves, and place in a blender. Blend, gradually adding broth, until as smooth Scandinavian as can be. You only want to add as much broth as necessary to make it a luscious, spoonable soup—it took me 15 ounces. gemstones by In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Continue heating until the butter starts to brown. It will crackle and release an intoxicating aroma into the air. Carefully swirl the pan Debra Carus until the milk solids separate and the butter is golden brown. Promptly remove the pot to a cool burner to stop cooking, then pour the pureed cauliflower in, taking care as it will sputter dramatically when the cauliflower hits the hot butter. Stir in the sour cream. Taste and season Elentari-handverk.com with additional salt and white pepper if necessary. Return the pot to medium heat and cook, continuing to stir occasionally until the soup [email protected] is heated through. Serve, garnishing with the leaves, which are now curled, warmly colored, 971-221-8151 and almost translucent. Serves 4. 16 • September 8, 2017 Music theNorwegianamerican Exploring Norway's pop music “oldies” Take a walk down a Norwegian memory lane with these lively gems from decades past

Sean LaFleur New York

If you ask most Americans what they know about the pop music of Norway’s past, I’ve found the answer usually will range from simply nothing, to one thing—recalling the mid-’80s catchy, upbeat song “Take on Me” by the band A-ha, the first Norwegian artist to have a big hit song in America. If you ask Norwegian Americans this same question, odds are they’ll know a bit more about Norwegian “oldies”—they might mention the national anthem or fondly recall how a parent played the old immigrant favorite “Kan Du Glemme Gamle Norge,” or recite a few lyrics to the well-known ’40s waltz “Nidelven.” Some of you reading this, I’m sure, know more. But in my experience, when it comes to Norwegian pop music—not only folk songs but also the countless songs in other pop styles—I’ve found Norwegian Americans of today weren’t exposed to many “oldies” unless they lived in Norway for a long time. Thus, though those of us growing up in the U.S. may know our Nor­ wegian heritage well—and may be able to tell a Hardanger fiddle from a normal violin or name a Grieg symphony that’s not Peer Album & magazine covers scanned by Sean LaFleur Gynt—for most of us, Norwegian pop music Clockwise from top left: Nora Brockstedt, Inger Jacobsen, Thor Raymond, Kirsti Sparboe, Odd Børre, and Folque. of yesteryear is something rather unknown. As a Norwegian American from my mother’s side and always interested in heri­ be surprisingly accessible; the rhythm and you want to dance, or even be surprisingly This 1956 song, a mellow blend of twangy tage, I, too, was unaware of older Norwegian beat were dance-ready. Plus, the styles I dis­ understandable to you if you don’t know guitar and violins, makes you begin to feel and Scandinavian pop until my work as a DJ covered were surprisingly varied—in addi­ Norwegian. the Norwegian romance with the loose, ram­ in New York City inspired me to look closer tion to folk, polka, jazz, swing, and rock, I 1) “En Glad Gutt fra Skandinavien,” shackle American country sound of the time, at the music of Norway, as well as older pop found a lot of country and bluegrass, as well Einar Rose: This catchy mid-’30s tune, as the elegant crooner vocals suggest the of Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. as blues, soul, and disco tunes. I had come translating to “A Happy Boy from Scandi­ singer is in a jazz world but longing for the And not just the folk music, but the jazz, across a world of music almost completely navia,” by one of the first pop stars of Nor­ country. rock, and other genres I guessed had a his­ unknown to Americans—one I knew they way, is a lively and accessible example of 6) “Dancin’ with My Rockin’ Shoes,” tory there. would be charmed by if they just could hear the sound of the early days of pop music in Odd Gisløy & Kjell’s Rockin’ Stars: In the Once I started hearing some of these some of it. the country—when folk, polka, and a bit of ’50s, when most Norwegian artists sung rock songs, I became excited and motivated to So here are many of the best Norwegian swing jazz sounds mingled together. in English, they recorded versions of Ameri­ discover more and more songs and artists be­ pop oldies in a breadth of styles I’ve found, 2) “Mandag, Tirsdag, Onsdag,” Jens can songs. This late-’50s tune is a rare exam­ cause the music I was finding made me think from the not only not only ’20s, when radio Book-Jenssen: This lightly swingin’ fox­ ple of a Norwegian original sung in English, not only that Americans of Scandinavian de­ and records became more commonplace, to trot from the early ’50s by another beloved and its catchy swing-rock groove stands up scent would delight in the songs but also that the late ’70s, when more Scandinavian pop Norwegian singer stands out not only for the so well with most American classics of the anyone who hadn’t heard these songs would bands like ABBA, A-ha, Roxette, and Ace of tender lyrical sentiment of longing for your time that you may think it’s a cover of a hit think they were great. Base began to have hits in the U.S. I chose sweetheart every day and month but also for Elvis song you somehow never heard. Why? So many of the songs I found had these songs because I think they’re the most Book-Jenssen’s vocals, which have a dash of 7) “Jeg Venter Deg,” Jens Book-Jen- everything—the melodies stuck with you; remarkable and distinctive of a style and operatic flourish—giving a pleasant touch of ssen: This gentle but epic mid-’50s take on the sound of the Norwegian accents was de­ because I think to those not knowing much grandness to the warmth. “Unchained Melody”—done about a decade lightfully fresh; the lyrics had enough “Eng­ about vintage Norwegian pop, these songs 3) “Røkk og Rull på Ring,” Nora before the definitive version would be re­ lish-y” sounding words or English slang to will seem catchy, pretty, or amusing, or make Brockstedt: Sung with a crisp, elegant vocal corded by the Righteous Brothers—makes by still another beloved Norwegian singer, the song feel like it was lifted from an aria this mid-’50s tune was the first that hooked from some Norwegian opera. me on Norwegian and Scandinavian pop 8) “Sigaretter, Whisky Og Ville Jen- oldies. Unlike much Scandinavian pop of ter,” Arne Bendiksen: Even if you don’t this time, this isn’t a reworked version of an know much Norwegian, in hearing this mid- American song but a vivacious original. It’s ’50s cover of the folk-bluegrass standard dressed up in brassy swing rhythms but also “Cigarettes, Whiskey and Wild Women,” feels quite rockin’, especially in the lead-up you’ll be able to pick up on the big ol’ feeling 5351 24th Ave NW • Seattle, WA 98107 • Tel: 206-784-2562 • Fax: 206-784-1986 to the chorus and in that chorus. Since at this of “Uff da!” in the verses from Bendiksen’s time rock was just starting to thrill so many warbling, exasperated vocals. This makes around the world, you can feel the wilder this song funny to listen to, but when Ben­ new style at times soaring over the more tra­ diksen steadies his voice and cathartically ditional big band arrangement. starts shouting each chorus, it’s hard to resist 4) “Mitt Svermeri,” Inger Jacobsen singing along. with Karl Westby’s Orchestra: A bouncy, 9) “Jeg Trodde,” Nora Brockstedt: jazzy tune from the mid-’50s, this song pairs This original rock ‘n’ roll tune from 1963 is Jacobsen’s sweet-but-nearly-sultry vocals another that stands up so well to any Ameri­ Fishing Vessels in the North Pacific and Bering Sea Passenger Vessels from Puget Sound to Southeast Alaska with fun, brassy bursts from the backing can or British song of the time, you’ll think orchestra that likely created an ideal back­ it’s a cover of a huge hit you’ve mysteri­ Shipshape & Seaworthy ground mood for stylish Olso or Bergen ously missed. But it also creates a sound all www.pacificfishermen.com lounge bars long ago and still would. 5) “Cowboydansen,” Thor Raymond: Continued on the next page > theNorwegianamerican Music September 8, 2017 • 17 Never second fiddle: On Norway’s most famous instrument M. Michael Brady Asker, Norway

A fiddler plays for a solo male dancer. A with sympathetic strings. In the 18th century lage innermost in the Fyksesundet (sound) Scot might regard the music as akin to that similar instruments, known as viola d’amour in the Hardanger district of western Nor­ produced by a bagpipe. The tune and rhythm in French and Liebesgeige in German, had a way. The bridge of the instrument is nearly might remind an American of traditional short and unimportant musical life in Cen­ flat, which allows playing a variety of po­ square dances. But there’s nothing Scottish tral Europe. But in Norway the Hardingfele lyphony, the simultaneous sound of several or American about the dance. survived. notes of different pitch. When played, the The dancer turns in an intricate pattern, Music on a Hardingfele is like that of active strings, usually tuned to A, D, A, and pacing steps to the major key 2/4 melody, no other violin; it’s a second sort of fiddle. E, cause the underlying sympathetic strings, usually in an allegro moderato (cheerful) Nobody knows why it did not slide into usually tuned to D, E, F sharp, and A, to vi­ tempo. Nearby a girl stands on a chair, hold­ oblivion along with its English and continen­ brate. The effect can be compared to that of ing out a stick with a hat hooked on its end. tal cousins, but Norway’s relative isolation the drone pipes of a traditional bagpipe. The dancer seems to be building up to some­ until the mid l9th century probably contrib­ The slåtter (peasant dances) that Myllar­ thing, as if under a spell cast by the hat well uted to its survival. University of Oslo so­ guten popularized were the model for Nor­ above his head. Finally it comes: he leaps cial anthropologist Henrik Sinding-Larsen wegian national melody that first was given nimbly into the air to kick the hat. Applause pinpoints 1850 as the decisive date. At that classical clothing by composer Edvard Grieg. follows if he kicks the hat off the stick on the time, Norway had begun to build railways, Grieg had learned music from his moth­ first try. which were to foster the greater mobility of er, Gesine Hagerup, who, being of solid If he misses, he repeats the acrobatic the population that eventually standardized peasant stock, also knew the slåtter well. In performance. Among the spectators, there’s music and eroded the music traditions of the 1902 he paid tribute to that connection in small talk; everyone seems to have an uncle more fixed peasant societies. But it was also his Opus 72, Slåtter—Norwegian Peasant or father who could still ta hatten (take the the apex of the romantic era, as Norwegians Dances Arranged for Pianoforte Solo. hat) at the age of 80. sought their national identity in their peasant It’s a mini-drama seen nowhere else, an roots. World-renowned Norwegian concert Original peasant melodies indigenous facet of Norwegian music. The violinist Ole Bornemann Bull had discov­ Naturally, Grieg’s music is popular dance is the Halling, the most characteris­ ered Hardingfele virtuoso Tarjei Augundson. in Norway. But so are the original peasant tic folk dance of Norway, taking its name Known as Myllarguten (Miller Boy), as his melodies. Spelemenn (fiddlers) are still to from the Hallingdal valley between Oslo and father had been a professional miller, Au­ be found, though their national association, Bergen. The origins of the music for it are gundson accompanied Bull on concert stages Landslaget for Spelemenn, formed in 1923 unknown, but it’s apparently related to the in Bergen, Christiania (now Oslo), Copenha­ and disbanded in 2009, is no longer part of Scottish reel, whose musical descendants in­ gen, and Gothenburg. Bull performed on the the cultural scene. But its purpose has been clude some bagpipe melodies and American common European violin and Augundson on preserved. NRK, the national radio and TV square dance music. the Hardingfele. The effect was electric and broadcasting network, occasionally fea­ far reaching. tures programs of folk music by spelemenn. Four active strings With Bull, Augundson firmly anchored This was so important that in pre-TV 1947, The instrument played by the fid­ awareness of peasant music tradition in the the main NRK studios in Oslo were fitted Photo: Frode Inge Helland / Wikimedia dler is the Hardingfele (Hardanger Fiddle), cities. Myllarguten and the railways rep­ with a small studio specially designed with A Hardanger fiddle made by Knut Gunnarson named for the first such instrument, devised resented the opposing forces shaping Nor­ acoustics replicating those of a rural log hall, Helland. around 1650 in the Hardanger area of west­ wegian music in the latter half of the 19th where the Hardingfele sound is at its best. In ern Norway. Unlike other members of the century. The influence of the railways finally 1956, mobile NRK units equipped with tape violin family, the Hardingfele has four active dominated, but to this day Myllarguten’s mu­ recorders enabled program crews to go on M. Michael Brady was educated as a scientist and strings and a second set of four sympathetic sic is still very much alive. location for Hardingfele recordings, so the with time turned to writing strings, lying closer to the belly of the instru­ small studio was dismantled. and translating. ment. It’s the only remaining member of a Similarities to a bagpipe Out in the countryside, there are still scattered, small, and now mostly obsolete The modern Hardingfele differs little many spelemenn. And there’s a statue of one family of instruments. In late Elizabethan from the first instrument made in the early of them, Myllarguten, in the village of Nor­ times, English lyra viols were briefly made 18th century by Isak Botnen in Flatabø, a vil­ dagutu in Telemark County.

< Continued from previous page its own. The combination of catchy, slightly at the time and how powerful it could feel is the most lively. This makes the tune more To hear each of the 14 songs listed, visit the distorted guitar riffs all over the place under to coax melodies and sounds from Norway’s memorable to hear, but more importantly, online version of this story at www.norwe- the clear, powerful but elegant vocals make distant past. it makes you want to dance, sing along, or gianamerican.com/featured/exploring-nor- for a sexily unfamiliar blend of gritty raw­ 13) “Heksedans,” Jan Eggum: Seam­ just tap your foot to it. And when you inter­ ways-pop-music-oldies. ness and jazzy sophistication—as if Ella lessly blending soul, rock, jazz, blues, act with the song, I think it just could make Fitzgerald sung lead on “Johnny B. Goode.” funk, and a touch of Caribbean and African you, a Norwegian American, feel kind of ex­ Sean LaFleur is a DJ 10) “En Student fra Uppsala,” Kirsti rhythms as effortlessly as Stevie Wonder otic. Many of us, with last names like Olsen, based in New York City. A Sparboe: From 1969, this breezy tune has a often did, this 1977 song creates a natural Larsen, or Petersen, have been in the U.S. so favorite specialty of his is rare kind of melody—both gentle and sweet, and irresistible groove out of so many styles long that we don’t often get to feel that way. incorporating music from but also anthemic. Sparboe’s vocals and the that’s as perfect for dancing as it is for lis­ Well, long ago, a song was written about a a crowd’s heritage(s) at his song’s childlike whistle sounds echo the tening to on headphones. It also adds a wel­ girl with one of those names—reminding us events. His website is www. youthful French “Ye Ye” girl recordings of come touch of experimentation, mystery, that our names were, and still are, worthy of djnewyorkcity.com. the ’60s, showing that Norway could match and soul to Scandinavian pop of the ’70s, a big, fun moment of celebration. the quality of France’s pop just as well as much of which was dominated by the lighter, America’s. straightforward sounds of ABBA and nostal­ 11) “Lena,” Odd Børre: A sleek, jazzy gia groups called “dansbands” covering rock song, also from 1969, with vocals that effort­ and roll from the ’50s and ’60s. The Scandinavian Hour lessly channel the best of Neil Diamond’s or 14) “Kristine Olsen,” Odd Tom Ris- Celebrating over 50 years on the air! Tom Jones’ singing of this time—in other dal: This last song, a polka-ish take from words, there’s the soaring anthem feel but the ’50s on a well-known folk standard, is KKNW – 1150 AM none of the kitschy drama. the only one here out of chronological or­ 12) “Harpa,” by Folque: From 1974, der—and that’s because this song, with its Saturdays 9 – 10 a.m. PST this lovely, meditative song, with its mixture simple name, might be the most profound. of traditional and modern instruments and Other Norwegian singers have recorded ver­ Streaming live on the internet at: ethereal female vocals, is a striking example sions of this tune, but this one, with its fast www.1150kknw.com of a folk music revival that was taking place accordion and robust, beer-hall ready chorus, 18 • September 8, 2017 Music theNorwegianamerican The myth of Norwegian black metal The music and performance phenomenon that for many is synonymous with Norway is neither as extreme nor as pervasive as some foreign fans would like to believe

As for the fans, most will agree that the black metal and metal communities are very Kaycee Boe & Rachel Levy tight knit. High Plains Reader “They like to wear the clothes and the patches to show that they are outside of so­ For many people, black metal is as syn­ ciety,” says Grete Joanne, “but also that they onymous with Norway as snow and fjords. are a part of something.” Imagery of young men with dark painted For young fans Emilie Sandal and Jone faces burning down churches and causing Hoftun, who sit on a hillside at Tons of Rock trouble in the gray Norwegian winters often Festival clothed in band t-shirts and high comes to mind. The legacy of black metal tops, the metal community in Norway could draws fans from all over the world, who be described as united and also, surprisingly, hope to learn more about the history and find friendly. out if the music they love still exists in Nor­ From an onstage perspective, Odden way today. says that black metal fans are generally quite Many are interested to find that black mellow. “Metal fans never approach you like metal only existed in a small community a crazy person,” Odden said. “If they rec­ throughout the 1990s and may not be as ognize you from a band, they approach you prominent today as they hoped. very politely. They just want to talk to you Anders Odden, 44, has been around the about music.” black metal community since the genre was People still come from all over the world born. He was drawn into the black metal to Norway to see where black metal started world when he was only 13. Living on a even though the genre has moved more to­ farm created an isolated universe for him Photo: © Markus Felix / PushingPixels / Wikimedia Commons wards other countries. Black packers, as they that drove him to create. Anders Odden now tours with the band Satyricon, shown here at the RockHarz Open Air festival 2016 are called, travel to Norway to visit many of “You basically don’t have any friends in Ballenstedt, Germany. According to Odden, the more extreme aspects of the genre, like burning the spots where black metal formed. around, so you can turn to music or some­ churches, hurt the black metal scene’s reputation and weren’t representative of most of the artists. Up until 2012, Odden conducted a black thing else to get busy or get inspired,” Odd­ metal tour during Inferno Festival, a black en said. “That was my case and the case for metal festival held during Easter each year. many others actually.” It was born in Norway’s underground, and upon as animals in society for a really long Black packers would take a bus to Neseblod In 1988 Odden formed Cadaver, which according to Odden, it wasn’t supposed to time,” he says. Records, a record store once owned by May­ he says was the first death metal band in leave the underground. While black metal may have been hem’s Euronymous, then to Holmekkon to Norway and first band to sign with a label “Back then, nobody cared really,” Odd­ known for being filled with tales of arson see the church burnt down by Varg Vikernes. in the UK. Now Odden plays guitar and bass en said. “That’s the thing that people don't and murder, that is no longer the case. Ac­ “I think it’s strange for them to come in multiple metal bands, including influential understand; it didn’t get any attention in cording to Odden, the legacy of the genre is here to realize it’s quite normal people doing and major label black metal band Satyricon. music magazines. At the time, most people much more prominent than the scene ever this,” Odden said. “I don’t know what they He has watched black metal grow and evolve were into grunge or more polished American was. This is a common perspective on black think, that people live in cages or in caves from its inception. stuff.” metal culture in Norway. or in castles, people have all kinds of weird The black metal community was small It was anti-establishment attitudes and “I think the history of it draws people expectations, so it says more about them than throughout the 1990s. According to Grete authenticity that drove the genre forward. in,” Kenneth Neseblod, owner of Neseblod the reality.” Joanne Neseblod, co-owner of Norway’s “These were just young people who records, said. “The murder and all the mys­ Kenneth also notes that some black black metal music shop and museum Nese­ were 16 to 17 years old who just wanted to tique around it. They want to see how dark packers may be disappointed to see that the blod, most of the culture was centered around do something really new,” Grete Joanne said. and evil it all is, but it was more back then people of Norway aren’t actually walking 15 to 20 key people. Bands such as Odden’s “They had these guts because in the begin­ than it is now. It is not so dark and evil any­ the streets in corpse paint. communicated by meeting in each other’s re­ ning, people thought that it was weird and more.” People from all over the world heard hearsal rooms and trading tapes. strange.” Peter Beste, who has been studying about everything black metal bands did in “I got like 10 letters a day from people The brutality that is often associated black metal for years and published a book the 1990s and believe that all black metal everyday at the peak of it—magazines and with black metal came later, when Varg Vik­ on the subject, notes that many artists no lon­ bands were alike. According to Odden, the tapes and demos and contacts around the ernes of fellow black metal band Burzum at­ ger stand by the aspects of black metal that point of the tours were to teach people about world,” Odden said. “It was inspiring to be tracted media attention through what Odden made it so brutal. the background of black metal and what re­ a part of a world movement that was very refers to as publicity stunts such as the burn­ “It’s part of the sensationalistic story of ally went on during that time—how it was unique and that nobody knew about.” ing of churches. Odden believes that artists it,” Beste said, “but it isn’t really the essence not all church burnings and satanism. As with many extreme music genres, like Vikernes hurt the genre musically. of it.” “They are really interested in that,” black metal was never meant to blow up. “People doing this were really looked Through exposure and developments in Odden said. “Somehow they were caught up production, black metal has transitioned to a in the myth of it so if you try to tell them how more mainstream genre. it really was, you can’t really get their heads “Black metal is more clean; it’s not so around it, so I stopped doing it.” Community Connections underground now,” Kenneth said. “But you While to outsiders, it may seem that have some of the same people who still play black metal is still an integral part of Norwe­ Happy birthday, in the bands and are pretty dark.” gian culture, the general consensus is that the Fans and those who have followed black genre lives mainly in its legacy. metal notice this as well. “The people that are in the original engagement, birth, “I think the best Norwegian bands are, bands are still making new music,” Odden like, Mayhem and Emperor,” says Sanvik, a said. “We’re just going to continue on our family reunion, etc! young member of the black metal community. paths regardless of what’s going on.” As for Odden, he is currently touring Kenneth Neseblod agrees. “A lot of the internationally with Satyricon. However, music was invented in Norway by black Your name and while they may be touring at a more profes­ metal bands,” he said. “They were the first sional level, Odden notes that there is still to start black metal, but there’s not so many message here! an edge to their music. For them, their music people who are very black metal anymore.” has changed, but it still fits their definition of black metal. This article was originally published as “The For more information, call “For us, it’s about the vibe and how we Original: Norwegian Black Metal” in High us at (206) 784-4617 or email think it should be, not how others define it,” Plains Reader and is reprinted with permis- [email protected]. Odden said. “We are defining what black sion. You can read the original at hpr1.com/ metal is to us, and we never care for other index.php/arts-entertainment/music/the- people’s definitions.” original-norwegian-black-metal. theNorwegianamerican Music September 8, 2017 • 19 A musical journey: United in song Leif & Sunnie bring Choir’s Norway tour builds relationships a favorite song home Rosalie Grosch Arden Hills, Minn.

Why would a choir from Shoreview, Minnesota, travel by bus from Trond­ heim, Norway, to a village called Sparbu, two hours north? My daughter, Heidi, married a Nor­ wegian in 2007 and moved to Sparbu. Settling into a new culture was not easy for her, but she found a place to belong and feel at home in the Sparbu Songlag, a community-based choir. In 2011, Sparbu Songlag came to the U.S. Participating in the Nordic Fest in Decorah, Iowa, was a major reason for their trip, but they also sang in our community of faith, Incarna­ Photo courtesy of Rosalie Grosch tion Lutheran Church. Homestays were a Incarnation choir sings in Nidaros Cathedral in part of the experience for the Norwegians. Trondheim, a highlight of the journey that bound Dr. Dave Ellison, Director of Music them together as family. at Incarnation, and his wife, Cindi, trav­ eled to Norway in 2015. The trip included Photo courtesy of Sunnie Sundquist a visit to the Sparbu area. The bus ride from Trondheim gave us a Leif & Sunnie Accordion Duo play “Nidelven” on Den Gamle Bybro over the Nid River in Trondheim. In the fall of 2016, Dave asked the first glimpse of the amazingly beautiful rural choir if anyone would be interested in scenery in Nord-Trøndelag. Our tour guide a tour to Norway and Sweden, the goal commented, “This area is a first for me. Most Sunnie Sundquist being to have enough of us to fill one tours don’t travel to this area.” Mt. Vernon, Wash. bus. The response was good and by mid- Upon our return to the States, one of the March rehearsals began. Over the next choir members said it best: “Had it not been The journey of Leif & Sunnie Accordion may prevail, my quarter-Norwegian heritage three months, the group, made up of In­ for Sparbu and Steinkjer, this would have Duo, musicians from the Pacific Northwest, shines through when I am playing with Leif carnation choir members and others, not been just another great tour. But the hospital­ began in Finland with an invitation to play at Holmes, and the Norwegian passengers re­ only rehearsed but also gathered socially. ity shown by the Sparbu choir and the Kam­ The 50th Kaustinen Folk Music Festival, the sponded enthusiastically. Friendships were established. mekor choir of the cathedral in Steinkjer biggest folk and dance festival in the Nordic At Hammerfest, we visited the Polar On June 13, 2017, before boarding was beyond what we hoped for.” All anxi­ countries. Tens of thousands of folk music Museum. Havørn, Norway’s sea eagle is the plane for the first leg of the trip, the eties disappeared and many new and lasting lovers fill the vast grounds in Kaustinen, on display and of interest to us, as we play choir sang “Stay With Us, Lord Stay With friendships were made with the homestays. Finland, as groups representing 25 countries a song called “Havsörn,” high notes soaring Us.” It was an informal moment, but other It’s music that makes the Spirit sing perform on 27 stages. The acts are predomi­ like an eagle. We disembarked at Tromsø to boarding passengers gathered to listen. when played or sung in any land. Concerts nately violins and string instruments, some view a midnight concert. The acoustics in the Getting off the plane in Trondheim, one of in Bergen, Stockholm, and Uppsala united button accordions, with only a few musi­ contemporary cathedral amplified the sounds our choir members fell and everyone had a us choir members in special ways. Sights, cians from the U.S. I ponder, why us? of a soprano accompanied by flute and piano, wake-up call. We would take care of each sounds, smells; walking, singing, sharing At Kaustinen Festival, we played out­ not the folk music we’d expected from the other. We were family. meals, talking together; mid-summer in doors under clear skies to an enthusiastic excursion description—except for a rendi­ Seeing the sights and hearing the his­ Sweden; memorable, yes, everything! The crowd on the Setori stage, a large covered tion of “Biegga” (Wind), a Sámi joik, written tory from our guides was expected of the theme for the choir concert in Steinkjer had flatbed behind a tractor. The next day, our by Sámi poet Nils-Aslak Valkeapää, whose trip, but the thrill of singing in the famous been Coming Together. That is exactly what first performance was in the intimate San­ poetry I am familiar with. Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim was a happened from start to finish on this 11-day terin kabinetti adjoining a café in the Peli­ The northern coast of Norway was a definite highlight. tour. Incarnation choir became Incarnation mannitalo, where I happily found grisar, my feast for the eyes as we passed the Lyngen Two couples from Incarnation who family. favorite Swedish-Finnish pastry shaped with Alps and the enchanting Lofoten Islands had hosted couples from Norway in 2011 pig’s ears and filled with jam. That evening, where mountains meet the sea. Cod-drying were excited to visit their Norwegian Rosalie Grangaard Grosch we played in the Troka, an over-18 bar and racks appeared like sculpture beside the sea friends, but many of the choir members was born into a Norwe- expressed great apprehension about the dance floor under a vast tent. at Svolvær. Framed by the port window like gian/American family in The programs we presented were a se­ a beautiful painting, we passed farms and weekend we were to spend in Sparbu and Decorah, Iowa. A gradu- lection of traditional Nordic folk music, colorful village houses dotting the green Steinkjer, a more rural part of Norway ate of Luther College, she some learned as young students from Hugo mountainsides. where tours seldom traveled. There were has taught music, English, Helmer, Swedish immigrant accordion mu­ MS Trollfjord entered its namesake, the unknowns that might be waiting, such as and drama in the U.S., Ad- sic teacher in Mt. Vernon, Washington. impressively narrow Trollfjord, a nature ex­ homestays and an entire weekend in this dis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Helmer’s emphasis was old Nordic folk perience that touches the soul. Norwegian off-the-beaten-path location. How could Papua New Guinea. She is a contributor to songs, perhaps at the urging of our parents: friluftsliv defines “an ingrained ancient Nor­ singing in the Steinkjer Cathedral com­ Chicken Soup for the Soul and has written nu- “Livet till Finnskogen,” “Kristiania valsen,” dic philosophy of outdoor life, the idea that pare to singing in Nidaros? merous articles for publication. Gammal Svensk schottis, vals, polka, ham­ returning to nature is returning home.” I have bo, “O Store Gud,” a Swedish folk tune from that sense of returning home, a connection the 1800s, and so on. accentuated by Nordic heritage that remains From Kaustinen we drove northward in my blood memory. through the fell landscape (From Old Norse In Trondheim, we hail a cab to trans­ fell, fjall, referring to mountains rising above port our accordions to the Old Town Bridge the alpine tree line) in Finnish Lapland to our crossing the Nid River that runs through the 2709 SAN PABLO AVE — BERKELEY, CA 94702 destination of Kirkenes, Norway, where we heart of Trondheim. There, our most satisfy­ Phone: (800) 854-6435 — Email: [email protected] boarded the Hurtigruten ship MS Trollfjord. ing and proudly shared moment was playing For us, the Hurtigruten trip was the ic­ the beautiful song “Nidelven” on Den Gam­ Featuring great Nordic products ing on the cake for our musical journey in le Bybro within sight of Nidaros Cathedral Norway. We were invited to play in the Troll­ where the man who wrote the words is bur­ Books • Candy and Chocolates • Canned goods • Condiments fjord Bar to overflow crowds. We played a ied. Twelve years ago, I joined an accordion Cooking wares • Dry Goods • Gift items • Specialty meats favored Norwegian song, “Nidelven,” and band that Holmes was directing. One prac­ and more! MS Trollfjord Tour Manager Eksvil, born tice, he stood in front of the band and played in Trondheim, waltzed in to find a dance Visit us online: www.nordichouse.com partner. While my quiet Swede-Finn nature See > nidelven, page 21 20 • September 8, 2017 Music theNorwegianamerican Nordic Jazz: Norwegian Notes Finland and Norway Three musicians come together in Alaska to showcase Norway’s traditional music share the stage

Christine Foster Meloni & May Kamalick Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C.’s 11th annual Nordic tograph of a clear mountain stream, jazz is Jazz Festival took place in late June with the stream.” These two groups performing concerts by internationally acclaimed per­ at the Nordic Jazz Festival invited the audi­ formers from Denmark, the Faroe Islands, ence to experience rather than understand the Sweden, Finland, and Norway. images that they created and communicated. The Finnish and Norwegian Embassies With varying degrees of improvisation and co-hosted an exciting program of cool jazz by deliberate distortions of pitch and time, the Ikonostasis from Finland and Gard Nilssen’s musicians forced the listeners to invest in Acoustic Unity from Norway on June 29. emotional attentiveness. The event was held at the Embassy of The call and response of the musical in­ Finland. When the guests arrived, they de­ struments provided more than a Nordic char­ scended the stunning spiral staircase into the acter. Some images that Ikonostasis offered spacious Finland Hall on the lower level of borrowed from Arabic music, which made the embassy, a perfect setting for the music. some listeners’ heads nod, bodies sway, and The chairs were arranged to face a two-story feet tap to the rhythm of the familiar sounds. Photo: Brad Swortz glass wall through which the trees of neigh­ With passion and skill, Gard Nilssen Skogen Sällström, Ann-Marita Garsed, and Knut Erik Jensen perform as Norwegian Notes at the An- boring Normanstone Park were clearly vis­ layered his intimate, often boisterous, solos chorage Lutheran Church on August 5, 2017. ible, creating a peaceful view of nature. with images created in his own mind, using Finnish Embassy Cultural Counselor two saxophones simultaneously (yes, at the Annina Aalto welcomed the guests and ex­ same time). The standing ovation that the lis­ Terje Birkedal pressed her pleasure at coordinating the eve­ teners gave him was proof of their apprecia­ Anchorage, Alaska ning with her Norwegian colleagues, point­ tion and enjoyment, even their understand­ ing out that, of the Nordic countries, Finland ing of his art of the spontaneous. The music She leans forward into the mike when Sällström first played the traditional tune and Norway are the most similar in size and spoke to their hearts as well as their ears. she sings, her face framed by long blond “Rotman-Knut” on the Hardanger fiddle, then population. They also share a love for out­ This musical event was also an opportu­ hair. In her Sunnmøre bunad, she resembles explained that the tune had also been arranged door life and living attuned to nature. nity to educate non-Finns about Finland. Be­ a princess from the illustrations in Asbjørn­ for piano by the famous Norwegian composer But she was eager to point out that Fin­ tween sessions the guests wandered around sen and Moe’s Norwegian Folk Tales. On her Edvard Grieg. Jensen then sat at the piano and land is superior to Norway in two ways. the room to observe two interesting displays. right is a tall, lean young man with a mane of showed the audience how different the same First, Finland is better at ice hockey. Sec­ The exhibition, “The Iconic and the Ev­ swept-back brown hair wearing a vest and in­ tune sounded in classical piano mode. ondly, Finland has more heavy metal bands eryday: Creative Finland in America,” high­ tently playing a traditional Hardanger fiddle; Similarly, Sällström talked about the per capita than Norway—53.2 per 100,000 lighted the presence and strength of Finnish on her left is another young man, but this one great Norwegian violinist Ole Bull who pro­ inhabitants to Norway’s 26.99. (Finland is design, architecture, and industry in the lives is stocky with long hair that makes him look moted the sounds of Norway across Europe actually #1 and Norway #5 in the world.) of Americans. To mention just a few of the 60 like a perfect extra for a Viking movie. In­ and North America in the 19th century. He Then it was time to hear some jazz! Each examples: Marimekko clothing, Finn-Crisps, stead of swinging a sword, he’s energetically then played a beautiful and haunting Ole Bull group played for approximately 45 minutes Louisville Slugger baseball bats, the Finnish playing a large, dark-colored accordion. tune, “Et Sæterbesøk” (The Seter [Mountain with a leisurely intermission during which Baby Box, Carnival Cruise Lines ships, and They are three accomplished Norwegian Farm] Visit), just as Ole Bull would have, not guests could partake of a light reception of the Gateway Arch in St. Louis. soloists who came together in Anchorage, on the Hardanger fiddle but on the classical Finnish appetizers and desserts. An enormous wall chart presented “100 Alaska, to give a performance called Norwe­ violin. Garsed spoke about the Norwegian Counselor Aalto introduced the members Fun Facts about Finland.” Here is a very gian Notes for the Anchorage Lutheran Con­ immigrants who came to the U.S. during the of Ikonostasis: Finnish Kari Ikonen, piano; brief sampling: cert Series on August 6, 2017. Though they’d time of both Ole Bull and Grieg and then Norwegian Ole Mathisen, saxophone; and • Finland has more saunas than cars. only been playing together for two and a half sang a song of her own composition called American Ra-Kalam Bob Moses, drums. Jon- • The literacy rate is 100%. weeks, the solo performers complemented “Karoline.” This song, sung in English, in Åge Øyslebø, Minister Counselor for Com­ • Finland has 187,888 lakes. each other with their musicality and well-cho­ an “Americana style,” tells the moving story munications and Cultural Affairs at the Nor­ • Finnish is a non-Indo-European lan­ reographed collaboration. As their tour orga­ of her great grandfather’s sister, who immi­ wegian Embassy, introduced the members of guage belonging to the Uralic family. nizer, Mari Eikeland, explained, “Each brings grated alone as a young woman. Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity (all Norwe­ • Finns are the world’s biggest milk something to the performance, so they shine After the concert, I was able to speak at gians): Gard Nilssen, drums; Ole Morten Vå­ drinkers. together and make a musical marriage.” length to Eikeland and the musicians. They gan, bass; and André Roligheten, saxophone. Perhaps the most important fact of all The lead singer of the newly formed emphasized that Norway’s traditional music Keith Jarrett, the well-known Ameri­ was that Finland is celebrating 100 years of group, Ann-Marita Garsed, comes from the is not simple to play or sing; it is immensely can pianist, composer, and bandleader once Independence this year after existing as a Geirangerfjord area of Norway, but she is complex and intricate. Sällström explained said, “While classical music is like a pho­ Grand Duchy of Russia from 1809 to 1917. now based in California where she has re­ that what makes Norway’s music unique is leased three independent albums. She has its heavy emphasis on the minor as opposed performed professionally in Europe and Aus­ to the major scale, which is typically more tralia at a number of world-renowned music dominant in Western European music. festivals. She is known for the range of her The musicians of Norwegian Notes con­ voice and her charismatic stage presence. tinue to bring recognition to Norway’s musi­ Skogen Sällström is the Hardanger fid­ cal traditions through their masterful perfor­ dle player. He is from Trondheim, Norway, mances and teaching. They also have other where he earned a master’s degree in Nor­ projects in the making. One day they hope wegian music from the Norwegian Univer­ to put together a musical that would tell the sity of Science and Technology (NTNU), story of Norwegians in the Klondike. But for specializing in both the Hardanger fiddle and now, they have gone their separate ways as the classical violin. soloists, only to perhaps reform next June. Knut Erik Jensen is the Viking look- alike. He plays both the piano and the accor­ To learn more about these Norwegian musi- dion, and he too received his master’s degree cians, visit their websites: www.annmarita. from NTNU. In 2014 he and Sällström toured com, www.knuterikjensen.com, and www. Seattle, Vancouver, and Fairbanks, Alaska, in skogensallstrom.com (the latter still under their notable Arctic Memoirs Project. construction). Also, search for their names What made these three performers to find them on YouTube. Look up “Arctic stand out was their willingness to share their Memoirs Project” for videos of Sällström Photo: John Olsen knowledge with the audience. For instance, and Jensen playing together. Gard Nilssen of Gard Nilssen’s Acoustic Unity (left) plays two instruments at the same time. theNorwegianamerican Music September 8, 2017 • 21 From Sognefjord to Sandpoint to Shanghai Harp guitars make connections across two oceans for Norwegian Americans from Idaho

Barbara K. Rostad Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho

Harp guitars, largely credited to Norwe­ gian immigrant Chris Knutsen from Sogne­ fjord, and a century later hand-crafted in Sandpoint, Idaho, by two brothers of Norwe­ gian heritage, now are also gaining a pres­ ence in China where the Powell brothers re­ cently completed a 10-city music tour. It’s been a circuitous route, not just for Knutsen, but also for Anthony and Da­ vid Powell, first featured in this newspaper in November 2014 (“From freedom tree to harp guitar,” www.norwegianamerican.com/ featured/from-freedom-tree-to-harp-guitar). Chris Knutsen came of age in North Da­ Photos courtesy of Tonedevil Guitars kota, moved to Port Townsend, Washington, The Powell brothers show off their harp guitars in in 1895, and developed a prototype for a harp Changzhou (left) and Changsha (above). In China guitar, acquiring patents in the U.S., Eng­ players can purchase either Tonedevil originals land, and Canada. After his death in 1930, or a mass-produced version of the instrument. Knutsen’s legacy faded for some time, but early in the 21st century, the Powell brothers became the first to produce harp guitars on in America, Guitar Center Stores, which also guitar builders, they began at the Tonedevil was also upgraded and a guitar gallery cre­ U.S. soil in nearly 100 years. owns Musician’s Friend, an online sales cen­ shop. ated where they can be kept clean and away Like Knutsen, they have Norwegian ter. From this meeting emerged the possibili­ Agreements began forming at that time, from tools. heritage and ties to North Dakota and are ty of Tonedevil’s guitars being added to these and in May Dave and Tony took their first This fall they will be attending the an­ at the forefront of harp guitar development. lines. Negotiations are still being finalized. trip to China, demonstrating their harp gui­ nual Harp Guitar Gathering in Carlsbad, Ca­ Their recent milestones include completing Another landmark event of 2017 is the tar, playing music, and selling CDs. lif., where there is also a Museum of Making their 100th harp guitar. completion of a new CD, Livin’ and Lovin’, Skepticism was initially paramount in Music. Among those many instruments is a rep­ by the Tonedevil Brothers and the Fiddlers the minds of the brothers when they contem­ Demand for their harp guitars has al­ lica of Knutsen’s harp guitar and a special Three. The latter consists of a trio of A’s: plated their hard-won harp guitar mass-pro­ ready increased based on their association one commissioned by guitarist Leon Atkin­ Andrew, Arvid, and Avery. At least two of duced in China. But when they were present­ with Musician’s Friend and Guitar Center son, a Julliard Music School graduate who the three have some Scandinavian heritage. ed with a prototype at the Chinese factory, Stores. They will be doing a tour of selected presently lives in Sandpoint and is featured Arvid Lundin is a Swedish-Norwegian mix many of these doubts vanished. Built from stores across the nation, promoting their gui­ on the Powells’ new CD. and is quite devoted to the Hardanger Fiddle, pictures and a somewhat different design, tars and their CDs. even traveling to Norway to learn more be­ the Chinese version sounded much like their A workbook for learning to play the Getting started fore making his own. Avery Anderson also own harp guitars. harp guitar is also in the planning stages for More than a decade ago, Dave Powell has some Scandinavian background. (How the Chinese market. With the vast opportu­ spotted a harp guitar at Vintage Guitars, Post else would you explain a brother named Looking ahead nity there, the Tonedevil Brothers may want Falls, Idaho. It wasn’t for sale, but the owner Leif?) Andrew Wilson is Fiddler #3. Heading the Powells’ list for the imme­ to consider naming it Volume I. allowed him to play it; Dave was hooked so The 15 songs on the CD include eight diate future is completing the renovation of he asked his brother Tony to build one. That numbers composed by the Powell brothers: their shop to improve assembly line proce­ To hear CD clips or learn more about the first effort is strictly a wall ornament now, four by David, three by Tony, and one where dure for faster production and better quality. Tonedevil Brothers, visit www.tonedevil- but several years later Tony renewed his ef­ they both collaborated with a lifelong friend. Part of this redo involved construction of a harpguitars.com. forts, constructing two more. Leon Atkinson is featured in their rendition two-room recording studio. Their insulation The next step forward seemed like two of “Sixteen Tons.” In contrast, “The Norwe­ back. They met someone at a Nashville con­ gian Table Prayer,” a tune from A.D. 1551, is ference who had been importing harp guitars also included. < nidelven from China and also wanted to build them Finished just one week before the China From page 19 in the U.S. But after fulfilling a three-month trip, this CD played a promotional role dur­ contract in Los Angeles for this business­ ing the 10-city tour which included Shang­ “Nidelven.” I was smitten and vowed to vakker du er, her hvor jeg går og drømmer. man, he decided against U.S.-built harp gui­ hai, Beijing, Changsha, and Wuhan. Their learn that beautiful song. And now, here we Far in the distance, ’neath mountains tars, leaving Dave and Tony out of his loop. first 100 copies of the new CD sold in China. stood playing it together on the very spot so blue, lies a place I hold dear. There my Undaunted, the brothers chose to focus where the poetic words of love were written thoughts and dreams will go. Always, you on two key realizations from that apparent Bridging cultures by Oscar Hoddø on a scrap of paper and left are so near to me. Nidelven, quiet and beau­ sidetrack: a market exists for harp guitars, So how did China get in the loop again? between the planks of the wood bridge, be­ tiful you are. Here where I go to dream. To and the two of them make a good team. From A Chinese businessman named Weifeng who fore he went off on a mission during WWII dream of her that I held so dear, now they these truths, Tonedevil Guitars was born. likes fingerstyle harp guitar music started a German occupation. He did not return. are only memories. The Old Town Bridge blog and website, fingerstyleChina.com, at­ Back in the U.S., we wheeled our Petosa is the lucky portal, together we sail under Ramping up tracting 200,000 Chinese subscribers, mak­ accordions, Hurtigruten ID tags still hang­ starry skies. Nidelven, quiet and lovely you The last three years have been busy ones ing a profitable business, and helping oth­ ing from the cases, into the Nordic Museum are, here where I go and dream. for the Powells. Where once they struggled ers start stores. He also promoted tours for Viking Days celebration. Leif & Sunnie Ac­ to complete 25 instruments in a year, they American artists. cordion Duo had been invited to perform at Leif Holmes and Sunnie Sundquist were now find themselves stringing one on a Fingerstyle primarily uses the thumb, the last Viking Days event at the museum’s both born to immigrant parents and grand- weekly basis. index, middle, and ring fingers for strum­ current location, and we played to an over­ parents, raised in the embrace of Scandi- Built from cedar or Engelmann Spruce, ming, allowing more varied and resonant flow crowd in the vast outdoor beer garden navian-American community. Leif is Board Tonedevil guitars feature local wood from tones as opposed to the flat pick style where tent. And yes, we played with heartfelt emo­ Trustee of Sons of Norway Fritjov Lodge; the Idaho Panhandle. The instruments’ un­ a piece of solid material is used to pluck the tion our favorite song, “Nidelven”: Sunnie is Board Trustee of the Nordic Heri- usual shape requires trees with tremendous strings. The latter is currently more popular Langt i det fjerne, bak fjellene blå, lig- tage Museum and author of a narrative girth. A harp guitar has a long, hollow arm in the U.S., especially with electric guitars. ger et sted jeg har kjær. Dit mine tanker og nonfiction book about her Swedish/Finnish and merges the body of a six-string guitar And contact with the Powell brothers? drømmer vil gå, alltid du er meg så nær. grandmother, The Legacy of Ida Lillbroän­ with the bass strings of a harp, enabling a As often happens in today’s world, it was Nidelven,­ stille og vakker du er, her hvor jeg da: Finnish emigrant to America 1893. multiplicity of sounds. through the internet. Their communication går og drømmer. Drømmer om henne jeg Their Nordic Folk Music CD is available A year ago the brothers had a meeting led to a face-to-face meeting earlier this year. hadde så kjær, nu er det bare minner. Den at Ingebretsen’s online and in Seattle at in Thousand Oaks, Calif., at the corporate When Weifeng and his business partners be­ Gamle Bybro er lykkens portal, sammen vi Scandinavian Specialties and the Nordic headquarters of the biggest guitar store chain gan their West Coast tour of potential harp seiler I stjerners korall. Nidelven, stille og Museum Shop. 22 • September 8, 2017 Music theNorwegianamerican Sámi yoik survives and thrives Once banned, this ancient musical expression is evolving and making a comeback

Judith Gabriel Vinje Los Angeles

What is probably the most ancient music in Europe is still alive and thriving, thanks to the efforts of the Sámi—the indigenous peo­ ple of Scandinavia—to preserve their unique tradition of yoiking. Not a song, not a yodel, but a mysti­ cal, haunting body of tones without definite structure, the yoik (also joik) is continuing to emerge on the world music stage, while remaining a vital, unchanging part of Sámi tradition. The Sámi people who originate in Sápmi—the northern tundra region of Nor­ way, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Penin­ sula—treasure the age-old practice that is constantly renewed and constantly evolving.

Trancelike ritual According to oral traditions, the fairies and elves of the arctic lands gave yoiks to Photos: (left) courtesy of Mari Boine, (above) Judith Gabriel Vinje, the Sámi people. (cover page collage) Henryk Kotowski / Wikimedia Commons A yoik is meant to express the soul of Left: Mari Boine from Norway is one of the most popular artists of her Sámi culture. She blends elements of joik with other idioms, including jazz, rock, anything—tree, reindeer, tent, human being. and world music. She is popular throughout Europe and recently released There’s no one way to do it—it’s an im­ her first album in English. provised expression of the spirit and as such Above: Nathan Muus, right, well-known performer of the yoik and other is unique, ephemeral, and untouchable in song forms, performs at the Scandinavian Festival at California Lutheran any other way. There are no rules on notes, University in Thousand Oaks, Calif. intonation, or scales and few or no lyrics, al­ Cover: Mari Boine in concert in Warsaw, Poland, in September 2007. though sometimes there are nonsense words or short sentences and names interspersed. The yoik follows the Sámi worldview of scribes it, it can be received during moments Ceremonial drums were confiscated and registered member of the Norwegian Sámi there being no beginning, no end. of “adjágas,” a Sámi word suggesting a mys­ many were burned. In the 1950s, it was for­ Electorate, says he finds “a lot of similari­ Sven Lugar, a member of the Pacific terious state between sleeping and waking. It bidden to use yoiking in Sámi-area schools. ties” with some Native American chants. Sámi Searvi organization in Washington was used by centuries of Sámi shaman as part For many years, the yoik was done in secret. When I was teaching Norwegian Heri­ State, describes what yoiking feels like to of their ceremonial and healing methods. It went underground and in fact emerged as a tage at Camp Norge in California’s High Si­ him: “A spinning energy lifting yourself. Yoik form of secret communication. erras, the sounds of would-be yoikers filled pulls me into other realms and often, I use it Devil’s music It almost disappeared by the mid-20th the forest as dozens of young campers each as my starting point for a shamanic journey.” Yoik has had a dramatic history, almost century, but during the 1960s and 1970s there picked a tree or a rock to yoik. The sound And yet, otherworldly as this all sounds, sentenced to extinction when over-eager was a revival of Sámi culture, and the yoik they made trying to capture the essence of the most common item can be yoiked. In missionaries declared it to be the “devil’s became a vital part of a cultural renaissance. tall pines was impressive, if not authentic. Sápmi, each reindeer has its own yoik that music.” As far back as the 1500s, the yoik The Sámi people have survived centuries The future of the yoik has an open path herders call it by. Ancestors are yoiked, as was forbidden. It was wrongly interpreted by of prejudice, discrimination, and abuse. Yet now, Storfjell noted, especially with the in­ are friends and lovers. Sámi children are Christians—specifically, Protestant mission­ throughout generations of oppression, these creasing solidarity the Sámi have with Native given their own yoik at birth or adolescence. aries—who did not understand the nature of indigenous people of the north have managed Americans and other indigenous people. The The Sámi believe that the yoik is not the highly spiritual phenomenon. to retain their ethnic and cultural identities. Sámi people have gained significant indepen­ just about something but that it actually is Yoiking was a key part of the Sámi tradi­ dence after centuries of neglect and abuse. that something. It’s not so much a folk song tional religion, performed by a noaidi or sha­ Censored no more According to Ursula Länsman, writ­ as ritual, according to David Ward of The man who used the ceremonial drum to accom­ The yoik is no longer limited to the ing in Folkworld, “The yoik has survived Guardian, who describes it as a sometimes pany his incantations. An ill person would be tundra. Sámi artists are performing interna­ through the centuries. It has renewed itself “trancelike expression of the identity of a given a specific yoik when they were sick. tionally, often with a rock-style framework. and changed its meaning, but it is still indis­ person, place, or animal.” The noaidi was also a prime target of the per­ Probably the most famous Sámi singer is pensable for the Sámi people. To consider the It is not really composed but, as Ward de­ secutions directed against the Sámi. Mari Boine, a Norwegian best known for power of the yoik, we need only consider how adding jazz and folk rock to the yoiks of her eagerly outsiders have tried to destroy it.” people (Further reading). The Finnish folk band Korpiklaani introduced yoik metal in Further reading: “Mari Boine, Sámi cultur­ the late 1990s. al ambassador,” The Norwegian American, Rocks and Today, you may yoik in a recording stu­ July 14, 2017, link: www.norwegianameri­ dio or on a stage, often for a Scandinavian can.com/featured/mari-boine-sami-cultural- Hard Places festival or musical event. These yoik hybrids ambassador and the intermixing with more Western mu­ Emigration through sic forms can be called “yoik songs.” the Lens of Knud Knudsen Recently, yoiks are being “sung” in two Minneapolis-born Judith different styles: a traditional style, known as Gabriel Vinje has been a Exhibit on view the “mumbling” style, and a modern style journalist for nearly 50 Sept. 23, 2017 - Sept. 23, 2018 sung mostly by young people and used as an years, including a stint as a war correspondent. Now element in contemporary Sámi music. a Los Angeles resident, she Opening events on Sept. 23. For those who want to try yoiking for started writing for Norway Special thanks to our sponsors. themselves, Troy Storfjell of Pacific Lu­ Times in 1998, and has Find a list at vesterheim.org. theran University has this advice: “Do a lot been with the paper through its merges and of listening. See if you can find someone changes. An active member of Sons of Norway, Vesterheim to teach you. Record yourself, and listen.” Edvard Grieg Lodge, Glendale Calif., she is The National Norwegian-American Storfjell, who is half Sámi, half Norwegian, also a member of Ravens of Odin, a Viking re- Museum & Heritage Center admits that it took a long time before he felt enactment group on the West Coast, and writes he was good enough to perform in public. frequently about Viking Age subjects for sev- Decorah, Iowa • 563-382-9681 • vesterheim.org His 11-year-old son also yoiks. Storfjell, a eral publications. theNorwegianamerican Music September 8, 2017 • 23 Alluring instruments: Norway’s unique sounds The biggest star resonate in memory you’ve never heard Bergen DJ Kygo has vaulted from remixes to international fame in a mere three years

Staff Compilation The Norwegian American

If you have not heard of Kyrre Gørvell- career-revitalizing, first No. 1 Billboard Hot Dahll, you might know him by his iconic 100 single, ‘What Do You Mean?,’ and Felix stage name Kygo or recognize his unique Jaehn’s remix of OMI’s ‘Cheerleader’ (an­ sound on the radio. This young Norwegian other 2015 No. 1 smash).” DJ and music producer with origins from Kygo has several notable performances Bergen is a well-known and acclaimed Elec­ under his belt, such as the EDM festival To­ tronic Dance Music (EDM) star who quickly morrowWorld in Atlanta, the Ellen DeGe­ rose to fame both at home and abroad. neres Show, and more high-profile venues His rise to fame is breaking records. In such as the Nobel Peace Prize Concert and Photo: Emily C. Skaftun 2015, he became the fastest artist to hit one the Closing Ceremonies at the 2016 Olym­ Hanne Maren Kristensen demonstrates a Lur, using it to herald the beginning of the cultural event that billion streams (listens) on Spotify, a popu­ pics in Rio. In 2015, Kygo won the Spelle­ is the Peer Gynt Festival from inside the festival’s dining tent. lar music streaming platform. He achieved mann award at the Norwegian Grammy this within just one year of releasing his first Awards. single. Signed with Sony Music/Ultra, Kygo Larrie Wanberg Kygo and his rapid rise to stardom start­ released his debut studio album titled Cloud Features Editor ed with remixes made in the family home in Nine, which features several well-known the Bergen area. He released his first single, artists and collaborators, including Foxes, When I was a graduate student studying cal message to the home farm below. This “Firestone,” featuring Conrad Sewell at the Angus & Julia Stone, and John Lennon. He in Norway in the mid-1950s, I was intro­ memory of melodic resonance still rings in end of 2014. “Firestone” garnered attention is on track to release a new album this fall. duced to unique Norwegian folk music and my ears as I remember that moment in time. internationally and led to his debut on world­ Kygo has enjoyed great Norwegian and in­ two musical instruments—the Hardanger A modern backstory to my cousin Elling wide charts. This young man in his mid-20s ternational success with his own hits “Fire­ Fiddle, known as Norway’s national instru­ recently emerged through a Norwegian jazz can now boast of his music reaching billions stone,” “Stole the Show,” “Nothing Left,” ment, and the Lur. album of modern music titled “Ellivan.” This of streams across online platforms. Current­ and “Here For You,” which you can find on­ In Voss, I was privileged to meet and album prompted me to reflect on my cousin ly, his top hit is “It Ain’t Me,” which made line on iTunes, Spotify, and other platforms. hear well-known violin players on the Har­ Elling, who in his lifetime had become a it to the top 10 on the U.S. Billboard chart What do you think of Kygo’s relaxed danger Fiddle—literally a work of folk art in well-known poet on Norwegian radio. His and has over 500 million streams on Spotify and melodic electronic house style? its construction and sound. The fiddle’s eerie poetic works inspired Arve Henricksen, a alone. chords come from the four or five sympa­ popular Norwegian trumpet player with dis­ Kygo wears many hats, as he is a song­ Further reading / viewing / listening: thetic strings under the finger board that adds tinctive flute-like sounds, to compose music writer, musician, DJ, and record producer. He • “Kygo on His Rise to Fame—‘I Have an echoing sound. that lives on in the melodies presented at a is credited with creating a new music genre to Enjoy It While It Lasts,’” Billboard, link: The Hardanger Fiddle has ceremonial music festival and in a record album. called tropical house, but his music can also www.billboard.com/articles/news/cover-sto­ traditions of players leading Norwegian wed­ The backstory, as told by Henricksen, is be characterized as EDM or deep house, and ry/6882495/billboard-cover-kygo-rise-fame- ding parties as they parade from a farm site that at age 15, he heard Elling recite poetry he is now making his way into the pop-scene dance to the church with the bride sitting on a fjord in a classroom in school and it had a lasting with his latest singles “It Ain’t Me” with • Kygo: Stole the Show, documentary horse led by the groom on foot. Today, one impression on him. Years later, after Elling Selena Gomez and “First Time” with Ellie available on iTunes, link: itunes.apple.com/ of my nephews in Voss is an accomplished had died, Henricksen was commissioned to Goulding. Last year, Kygo launched his new us/music-movie/kygo-stole-the-show/id125­ Hardanger Fiddle player and performs at produce music for the Balejazz Festival in lifestyle brand called Kygo Life, which in­ 9108856?app=music&gclid=Cj0KCQjwwe­ wedding dinners and cultural events. Balestrand. The memory of Elling’s voice in cludes merchandise, clothing collections, vLBRCGARIsAKnAJvfvLrxHEsVnsEzjSg During the same time as a student, I vis­ poetry inspired the composition, as Henrick­ headphones, and snapbacks. sbQPVS7l7TrikLpVMhNcbfszOi0d3krHw­ ited my family’s ancestral farm in Nord­fjord, sen reports: How can an artist be so huge and yet so GEskaAifAEALw_wcB where I was introduced to an unfamiliar mu­ “I have my own personal connection relatively unknown? As Amos Barshad wrote • Key to Success, NRK documentary, sical instrument called a Lur. It rested on the with this music, and I hope that the form of in a Billboard cover story in 2016, “You may link: tv.nrk.no/serie/noekkelen-til-suksess/ wall of an unoccupied historic log house, the record and Elling’s voice can give the lis­ have never heard of Kygo. You may have MKMF40000415/sesong-1/episode-4 (in complete with a grass roof, that stood along tener a glimpse of nature, of life on the farm never heard the term for the sound he in­ Norwegian) the side of a two-story modern farm home. and in the fjord district, of deep relationships vented: tropical house. But you know it. The • “Firestone” music video, link: www. The decor in the little house was a step into and of the seasons. His poems can be seen as kid born Kyrre Gørvell-Dahll popularized youtube.com/watch?v=9Sc-ir2UwGU the past that showcased a collection of heri­ personal and local but also as having a uni­ the effervescent congas and pan flutes that • “It Ain’t Me” music video, link: www. tage artifacts with rose-painted chests and versal perspective.” set apart, most prominently, Justin Bieber’s youtube.com/watch?v=u3VTKvdAuIY bowls, hand-carved figures and panels, and Music from the masters reigns in Nor­ colorful woven rugs and wall hangings. way in many venues and styles, but the sound The Lur is a long wooden “trumpet” of the Lur that filled the valley and mountain about five to six feet long, wrapped in birch meadow where my ancestors once stood still bark, with a trumpet-like wooden mouthpiece gives me goose bumps from a once-in-a-life­ on the end opposite the bell. It has multiple time memory. uses but is primarily an instrument used for heralding the beginning of a cultural event. My cousin on the home farm at that Larrie writes features that time, Elling Vanberg, demonstrated other draw on eight decades of life experience highlighted uses of the Lur. He guided me on a strenuous by three career recogni- hike high on the mountain that rose abruptly tions: As a researcher behind the farm to the “saeter” where they through a Fulbright Schol- grazed the cows on a meadow during the arship to Norway in 1957; summer. When at this small cabin, he took As a health care provider a time-worn Lur from its hooks on the wall, in behavioral science through a 27-year mili- put the horn to his mouth, faced the open val­ tary career and awarded upon retirement in ley, and played a series of notes that had such 1981 the highest non-combat medal, the Le- resonance that it seemed to fill the valley gion of Merit medal; As an educator, through below with musical sound. The Lur on this a 50-year career in college education, culmi- saeter was used for calling the grazing live­ nating in the 2010 Public Scholar award at the Photo: Tom Øverlie / NRK stock together for feeding or sending a musi­ UND Center for Community Engagement. This star’s 26th birthday is next week; with all his success he has much to celebrate! 24 • September 8, 2017 theNorwegianamerican A monthly feature to share Brought to you by with kids and grandkids BarnebladBarneblad Heidi Håvan Grosch De gode, gamle barnesangene (Good old-fashioned children’s songs)

If you ask your parents or grandparents to sing you a song from when they were little, it might be a song you know too. Some songs are classics. Ro, ro til fiskeskjær They are songs that are passed down from one generation to another. These “Ro, ro til fiskeskjær” is a song many children sing when they are small. songs are full of memories. Put in anyone’s name at the end instead of using Frederik! (Video: youtu.be/ We have some of those songs in Norway too. There is not enough room hbBhlvgJuXk) here to share all of them, so I have picked out just a few. If you want to know more, check out some of the links included here. Norsk: English: Ro, ro til fiskeskjær. Row, row to the fishing reef Mange fisker får vi der! where we found many fish! Fader Jakob En til far og en til mor, One for dad and one for mom, en til søster, en til bror, one for sister, one for brother, “Fader Jakob” is a song that can be sung in many different languag- og to til den som fisken fikk. and two for the one who caught it. es. We sing it in English (Are you sleeping, are you sleeping, Brother Og det var lille (Frederik)! And that was little (Frederik)! John? Brother John?). It is a nursery rhyme that originally comes from France called “Frère Jacques.” (Video with sign language: youtu.be/ y24GO1oEa88) A book about a fish and a hat Norsk: English: There is a really fun book about a little fish that steals a hat from a Fader Jakob, Fader Jakob, Father Jacob, Father Jacob big fish. It is called This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen. It won the 2013 sover du, sover du? are you sleeping, are you sleeping? Caldecott medal. If you want to read it in Norwegian, it is called Dette Hører du ei klokka? Don’t you hear the clock? er ikke min hatt. You can order the Norwegian at www.mangschou.no/ Hører du ei klokka? Don’t you hear the clock? netthandel/products/dette-er-ikke-min-hatt. Ding, dang, dong, ding, dang, dong Ding, dang dong, ding, dang, dong

Mikkel Rev Mikkel Rev is about fox named Michael. Norwegian children like songs about foxes. (Video: youtu.be/ILD9JssPL3Q)

Norsk: English: Mikkel rev satt og skrev Michael the Fox sat writing på ei lita tavle. on a tiny blackboard. Tavla sprakk, The blackboard cracked, Mikkel skvatt Michael jumped opp i pappas flosshatt. into daddy’s top hat.

Mikkel Rev, skrev et brev, Michael the Fox wrote a letter M sendte det til månen. and sent it to the moon. in hatt Månen sa: “Hipp hurra.” The moon said: “Hip hurrah,” “Min hatt” was originally written Sendte det til Afrika. and sent it down to Africa. in German (Mein Hut, der hat drei Ecken). It is about a hat with three Afrika, Afrika Africa, Africa, corners, and if it didn’t have three corners, it wouldn’t be my hat! Often ville ikke ha det. would not take it. Photo: Hugh Talman / Smithsonian Afrika, Afrika Africa, Africa, this song is sung in Swedish. (Video: Tri-corn (three-cornered) hat worn in Colonial sendte den tilbake. sent it back. youtu.be/ahNC8759qqI) Connecticut. Is this your hat?

Norsk: English: Min hatt den har tre kanter; My hat, it has three corners; tre kanter har min hatt. three corners has my hat. Og har den ei tre kanter, And if it didn’t have three corners, så er den ei min hatt. it wouldn’t be my hat.

More Norwegian songs: www.mamalisa.com/?t=es&p=3883&c=52 Are you interested in knowing more about children’s songs in Norway? Check out this wiki! barnesanger.wikispaces.com/About+Barnesanger Here is a good book with classic Norwegian songs for all ages. Link: www. adlibris.com/no/bok/de-gode-gamle-barnesangene-9788252043914. theNorwegianamerican Norwegian Heritage September 8, 2017 • 25 Forty years of pure Scandimonium Nation’s largest Scandinavian festival, Norsk Høstfest, kicks off September 27 in Minot, ND

the length of the stage and Duane’s wife, Jeanne Brekke, painted it. She also painted Special Release the trolls you’ll still see at the festival. Norsk Høstfest Becky Piehl coordinates the decorating each year and it takes two to three weeks of When Chester Reiten and early sup­ volunteer work to transform the North Da­ porters determined that Minot needed an kota State Fair Center into a Scandinavian event to celebrate Scandinavian heritage, wonderland. “I give Becky a big heads up for they couldn’t have dreamed of where Norsk how well she decorates the place each year,” Høstfest would be today. said Brekke. “At the beginning, we’d go in According to his son, David Reiten, the day before, dust off the chairs and tables, Chester’s interest began when he found let­ and go to work. The first year, people even ters in Norwegian from the late 1800s and brought their own tables!” early 1900s. He enlisted a translator and sent The mission of the event has remained a letter to their city in hopes of finding any constant, but some of the logistics have living relatives. Chester was successful and changed. According to Reiten, the most nota­ began correspondence with his Norwegian ble changes in recent years include adding Vi­ relatives. From that point on, Chester wanted king Village, renting additional venue space “everyone to take great pride in their ances­ to support more exhibits, upgrading Høstfest try and celebrate it,” said David, who now Photo courtesy of Norsk Høstfest University, and recruiting Scandinavian acts. serves as the Norsk Høstfest president. The Viking ship was added in early years, built by Sam Brekke and painted by Jeanne Brekke. The first Høstfest was set up as a fall fes­ Norsk Høstfest is held annually in the fall in tival where local churches and other groups the North Dakota State Fair Center on the would bring Scandinavian food and crafts to figure out what should change, what should tremendous difference in their inventory.” North Dakota State Fairgrounds in Minot, sell at the City Auditorium. Duane Brekke, stay, and what should be added. The evolu­ Cheese sales isn’t the only impact Norsk N.D. Entering its 40th year, the festival has Høstfest board member, remembers when tion is a really positive thing for Høstfest.” Høstfest has had on the Minot area. Over the become North America’s largest Scandina- his parents attended the very first Høstfest. Brekke was friends with Chester from years, Schatz Crossroads started selling lu­ vian festival with tens of thousands of people They represented the Sons of Norway lodge the start and saw the evolution firsthand. tefisk during Høstfest. Home of Economy attending from all over the world. The fes- in Simcoe. The ladies of the lodge would “When we started the General Store, they started selling more skillets to cook lutefisk tival features entertainment, Scandinavian make Norwegian delicacies like lefse, røm­ focused on bringing Scandinavian cheese to and now even hosts lefse bake-offs in con­ culture, handcrafted merchandise, Scandi- megrøt, and sandbakkelse. the attendees,” said Brekke. junction with the event. navian cuisine, plus a fine dining establish- From there, with the help of many dedi­ “We’d cut little samples to give to people The one-day fall festival has grown to a ment led by Norwegian chefs. Norsk Høstfest cated volunteers, the festival has continued and got them to taste it. Jarlsberg was the big­ four-day festival experience at the North Da­ celebrates Scandinavian culture from Den- to grow each year. “It continues to evolve,” gest one that caught on,” Brekke continued. “I kota State Fair Center. But the planning team mark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Swe- said Reiten. “It’s been a fun process because talked to the Marketplace Manager in casual has never lost their do-it-yourself attitude. den. This year’s festival runs from September we involve everybody from the people who conversation and learned that the introduction In earlier years, Brekke’s father, Sam 27 to 30. For more information visit hostfest. come to the people in charge of the halls. We of Scandinavian cheese to our area made a Brekke, handcrafted a Viking ship that filled com or call (701) 852-2368.

Notable Norwegians With David Moe In Loving Memory Do you have a loved one or friend who has recently passed? Contact us at (206) 784-4617 or [email protected] to place an obituary. In the history of Norway, has family coat of arms and a signet ring a wealthy family ever fallen from made of gold with a black agate stone wealth? The Benkestok family was one in the center. of the country’s early noble families. In 1565, Trond’s grandson spon­ Myron D. Egtvedt Trond Benkestok was born about sored a large wedding for his daughter, died July 29, 2017 the year 1437. Norway was then ruled Brynhilda, in Bergen. All of the nobil­ by a king who was threatened by his ity and aristocracy in the area attended Myron D. Egtvedt, 87, of Skaneateles, enemies. The king fled into the the wedding to honor this noble N.Y., passed away on July 29, 2017, at Up­ countryside and came upon a family. state University Hospital. farm where he was welcomed Denmark had a wealthy Myron retired from GE as an Electrical and hid from his pursu­ family by the name of Engineer. He was a proud member of Mas­ ers. There are two leg­ Holberg. A niece from terWorks Chorale and GE Retirees Elfun ends of how they hid this family, with the volunteers. He was also an ADK 46er and an him: one is that the surname of Tosterup, Eagle Scout. He loved the outdoors and his farmer hid him in went to Nordland, activities included sailing, cross-country and a large hollow log Norway, where she downhill skiing, hiking, and camping. Fish­ (stok) and the other met and married ing for salmon in Puget Sound was one early says it was a large a Benkestok. This favorite of his. trunk at the foot of marriage created a Myron grew up in the Ballard part of a bed full of blankets new dynasty of two of Seattle, Wash. His parents were Arthur and and bedding. Either the wealthiest families Sonva (Storaasli) Egtvedt, whose parents way, the king’s life was in Scandinavia. and grandparents immigrated from Norway saved. After the rebellion As the family grew in size, in the 1840s to Wisconsin and Minnesota was under control, the king gave the family estate was divided many and later to the West Coast. those who helped him titles of nobil­ times, until all were reduced to middle- Myron was an active member of Ballard ity, a new family name of Benkestok, class farmers and fishermen. However, First Lutheran Church and choir. He gradu­ and a large island estate named Melø many people living in the Melø area ated from Ballard High School and as an in Nordland. still remember the descendants of this Electrical Engineer from the University of blessing to all who knew him. As time passed, they became one noble family as “The Benkestoks.” Washington. Myron then moved east to work Myron was pre-deceased by his sister of the wealthiest families in Norway with GE. Patricia, brother Art, and step son Phillip. He and lived the life of royalty. The king Image: Public Domain Brother Claire recalls that his young is survived by his wife of 29 years, Barbara; had his artisans design and make a The Benkestok coat of arms. family of three, Lisa, Kristi, and Erik, have step children William and Melissa Epp; five stated that Christmas did not start until their step grandchildren; his brother Claire; and Uncle Myron arrived. Myron was a true many nieces and nephews. 26 • September 8, 2017 Norsk Språk theNorwegianamerican

< musikkbransjen « A good pop song should go in one ear Fra side 2 and out through the mouth. » – Carl Hammarén noe å leve av, sier Kulturminister Linda Hof­ stad Helleland. Kulturministeren viser til at kulturell og Pondus by Frode Øverli kreativ næring er blant Europas raskest vok­ sende industrier og garanterer at det kom­ mer til å skapes mange arbeidsplasser innen denne sektoren i Norge også i tiden framover. — Men når By:Larm ber nærings­ ministeren engasjere seg, kan jeg berolige med at jeg jobber svært tett med henne. Sam­ men har vi gitt et omfattende oppdrag til In­ novasjon Norge som sammen med Startup Norway nå har fått 70 millioner i året for å hjelpe nettopp kulturell og kreativ næring, herunder musikkbransjen. — Så jeg vil slå fast at aldri før har en norsk regjering satset så hardt på dette feltet som denne. Good luck! A man in his thirties has sued his ...and in that time exposing him to Justice will prevail! bank for keeping him waiting on Elton John’s “Nikita,” on pan-flute!! < vikingskattene the phone for over 5 minutes... We’re here for you! Fra side 2

De er sporbare og dermed verdiløse, etter­ Lunch by Børge Lund som fotografier av gjenstander sirkulerer i nyhetene, forteller Yates. Hun mener dette betyr at gjernings­ Meanwhile at the train office... personene enten ikke visste om risikoen ved å stjele museumsgjenstander, og at de snart finner ut at de ikke kan få solgt dem. — Eller så brydde de seg ikke fordi de stjal gjenstandene for deres egen personlige bruk, med ingen intensjon om å selge gjen­ standene videre, sier Yates. Hun forteller at liknende tyverier støtter førstnevnte teori, om at kunsttyvene tror at det er et marked, når det ikke er det. Lørdag kveld, 12. august, hadde alar­ men ved stillaset, som står rundt tårnet, gått ...Right on time! to ganger. Ved begge anledninger undersøkte Let’s see...... round trip... The coffee? It’s on that shelf right behind ...1 adult... so playfully easy! This surpasses my the cable for the entire eastern region. vaktselskapet museet, men fant ingenting. wildest fantasy! Careful it doesn’t fall down again! En eller flere gjerningspersoner ser ut til å ha klatret opp stillaset, knust et vindu og tatt seg inn i syvende etasje i tårnet. Hjalmar by Nils Axle Kanten Museumsdirektør Henrik von Achen har tidligere sagt til VG at tyveriet er en Toilet paper? Does katastrofe for museet og norsk kulturarv. he have a cold?

< velgere Fra side 2

Lars Nehru Sand: I løpet av sommeren og valgkampen har 165.000 flere blitt usikre. Blant Ap-velgerne fra 2013 er nå 165.000 usikre på hva de skal stemme. Av Høyres velgere sier 128.000 at de ikke vet hva de skal stemme. Samtidig har partiene overbevist velgere fra andre partier. — Jeg tror det sier noe om tonen i denne So here is where my The computer is Favorite movie is valgkampen. Du har en regjering som går til son spends all his time, on... What kind of Titanic? Really? valg uten å ha noe stort prosjekt for Norge, in front of a computer. movie is this...? Yeah. Impossible to og Jonas Gahr Støre har litt av det samme hold back the tears. problemet, mener Ulstein. Venstre er det partiet som mister størst andel av sine velgere fra 2013 til gjerdet. Han Ola og Han Per by Peter J. Rosendahl, with new translations by John Erik Stacy Hele 29,6 prosent av de som stemte Venstre sist, sier de ikke vet hva de skal stemme i år. Selv om NRK-målingen er gode nyheter for Høyre, er det fortsatt svært usikkert hvem som blir statsminister etter valget. Solbergs flertall i målingen er med knappest mulig margin. Dermed kan de mange usikre velgerne bli helt avgjørende, dersom de bestemmer seg innen valgdagen 11. september. — Vi vet fra tidligere valg at det er overraskende mange som bestemmer seg den siste uken og det siste døgnet, sier Af­ Oh my, pancakes! My goodness, we I have some advice Is it syrup you have in tenpostens kommentator Harald Stanghelle. have no syrup! for that, Mother. your jug then, Lars? That’s gonna be Han sier Aps utfordring er at oppslutnin­ dandy boy-oh-boy! Naturally, I’ve never had gen faller, selv om de sitter i opposisjon. anything but syrup in my jug. theNorwegianamerican Norsk Språk September 8, 2017 • 27 Norwegian Language Corner NORWEGIAn 101 Language practice with Heidi Håvan Grosch NORWEGIAN FOLK TALES, FAIRY TALES and TROLLS

The accordion Norwegian = trekkspill Finnish = harmonikka Volume 1 Danish = harmonika Swedish = dragspel With 18 classic folk tales, fairy tales and trolls from Norway in Norwegian and English, “Tuss og Troll” is now serialized in The Norwegian American’s Norwegian Language Corner. The stories are from the collections of I remember the first time (jeg husker den første gangen) I was really im­ Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe, and retold by Øyvind Dybvad, Gard Espeland, Velle Espeland, Johannes Farestveit, and Nana Rise-Lynum. Translated by Alexander Knud Huntrods and Odd-Steinar Dybvad pressed (veldig imponert) by an accordion player (trekkspiller). I was working Raneng. Illustrated by Solveig Muren Sanden and Jens R. Nilssen. “Tuss og Troll” was edited, designed, and as a tour guide (reiseleder) and our tour (turen) took us to the Lawrence Welk published by Deb Nelson Gourley of Astri My Astri publishing. Copyright © Norsk Barneblad. Village to hear (for å høre) a concert (konsert) that included (som inkluderte) Myron Floren. Up until then (inntil da) I had associated (tilknyttet) accordion music with “oom-pa” bands, but Floren, often referred to by (som ofte omtales av) Welk as the happy Norwegian (den lykkelige­ nordmannen), was amazing (fantastisk). He pulled notes (trakk notater) out of that instrument (instrument) at a pace (et tempo) I had never imagined (aldri tenkt på). It is no wonder (det er ikke rart) that he was one of the first (en av de første) to be inducted (som ble innført) into the Scandinavian-American Hall of Fame in 1985. Accordions as we know them (som vi kjenner) were invented (ble opp­ funnet) in the 1800s, thought to be inspired by (inspirert av) the much-older (mye eldre) Chinese (kinesisk) sheng. This “handaeoline” quickly gained in popularity (fikk raskt popularitet) as a source (som en kilde) of loud dance music (høy dansemusikk) at a time (på en tid) when electronic amplification (elektronisk forsterkning) was unheard of (var ukjent). I married into (jeg giftet seg med) a family of accordion players, although (selv om) my husband (mannen min) and sister-in-law (svigerinne) play very little now. Per, my father-in-law (min svigerfar), is another story (en annen historie). He plays Guten som stal gullhønene The boy who stole the golden hens every day (hver dag) and we call upon him (vi spør ham) whenever we have del 2 av 2 part 2 of 2 visitors to entertain (besøkende å underholde). He has enthralled students from Slovakia (studenter fra Slovakia), played a duet (duett) on Skype with — Dotter mi får du ikkje utan du kan “My daughter you cannot have un- a man from Lithuania (Litauen), and recently accompanied (spilte med) an koma med gullteppet òg, svara kongen. less you come with the golden blanket as 18-year-old American visitor and her ukulele. Så måtte guten i veg til trollkjerringa endå well,” answered the king. So the boy once ein gong. Han hadde ei lang tong med more had to go off to the troll woman. seg, og ville nappa teppet opp gjennom He had long tongs with him this time, ljoren medan kjerringa låg og sov. with which he would snatch the blanket Men då han stakk den lange tonga through the smoke vent in the ceiling, ned gjennom ljoreopningen og skulle while the old woman was asleep. gjera dette, tok han i miss og kneip But when he put the long tongs trollkjerringa i nasen. Dermed vakna ho. through the vent to snatch the blanket, Ho sprang opp og fekk tak i guten, og då he missed and pinched the troll woman’s kan du tru ho var eitrande harm. nose instead. This woke her. She jumped — No er det ute med deg! sa ho. — up and grabbed the boy, and you can Men du skal sjølv få velja kva slag daude imagine how awfully mad she was. du helst vil lida. “Now you are in trouble!” said she. — Ja, får eg lov til det, så vil eg helst “But, you can choose which death you eta meg i hel på graut, svara guten. would prefer to suffer.” — Det skulle han få, sa trollkjerringa, “Aye, if I am allowed to do this, I og så gjekk ho ut og ville koka grauten. would prefer to eat myself to death on Medan ho var ute, fann guten ein stor porridge,” answered the boy. sekk som han batt på seg framme på brin- “Then so it shall be,” said the troll ga. Då grauten var sett fram, gav han seg til woman, and went out to cook the por- å eta. Men han auste berre ned i sekken så ridge. lenge der var rom. Til sist sa han at han var As soon as she went out, the boy stappmett og la skeia frå seg. found a big bag, which he tied on at the — No har eg ete så eg snart kjem til front of his body. When the porridge å sprekka, sa han. — Men då er eg redd was served, he began to eat. But he just det blir ein fæl stank, så det er vel snautt ladled it into the bag until it was full. Fi- du kan tola det. Det er visst best at du nally, he said he was chockfull and laid sveiper meg inn i dette teppet og kastar the spoon down. meg ut! Ja, kjerringa gjorde som han “Now I have eaten so much that I Photo: Heidi Håvan Grosch hadde sagt. will soon explode,” he said. “But I am Per Håvan at his farm, Brubakken, in Sparbu. Så snart han var komen ut, slengde afraid there will be such a terrible stench, han sekken frå seg og sprang sin veg med which you may only just barely tolerate. teppet. Ei stund etter kom trollkjerringa It would be best if you roll me in that Did you know (visste du) that there is a Norwegian Championship ut og fann sekken, men guten såg ho ik- blanket and throw me outside!” Aye, the (norsk mesterskap/NM) each year (hvert år) for accordion playing, with kje, og teppet var borte. Då vart ho så arg old woman did as he said. categories (kategorier) in solo, duet, old-time dance music (gammel danse- at ho sprakk. Men guten heldt bryllaup As soon as he was outside, he threw musikk), chamber music (kammermusikk), and orchestra music (orkestra- med kongsdottera. the bag away and ran off with the blan- musikk)? The Norwegian Accordion Ensemble (www.facebook.com/The- ket. A little while later the troll woman came out and found the bag, but the boy Norwegian-Accordion-Ensemble-115716611844635) provides a forum for she could not see, and the blanket was accomplished young accordionists (dyktige unge trekkspillere), mostly mu­ also gone. Then she became so angry sic students or former (tidligere) music students, from all over Norway (fra that she herself exploded. And the boy hele Norge). In March 2008 they won (vant de) the 5th European Festival married the princess. of Accordion Orchestras in Prague. Many communities also have accordion clubs, and many culture schools offer accordion lessons to children and teens (til barn og tenåringer). Accordion music is so much more than a Tuss og Troll 2-vol set stereotype (så mye mer enn en stereotype). Try googling “accordion music” $35.95 with FREE shipping in USA. to see what you can find (for å se hva du kan finne). www.astrimyastri.com 28 • September 8, 2017 Bulletin Board theNorwegianamerican

Viking Days

Norwegian American notes Cookbook delay I’ve finished a draft and sent Those who ordered cook- it to the printer and to all our books and other perks through contributors for their notes and Indiegogo already know this, but corrections. It’s been proofread for those of you who ordered by by Molly one time through. The phone or mail or at our website... proof of the book should already The good news is that the be in my hands by the time cookbook is epic. It’s 190 pages you’re reading this, as should the with 65 recipes, each with a beau- remaining edits needed, which tiful photo to accompany it. means that if nothing’s wrong The bad news is that this with the proof, our full order is on Photo: Eric Stavney means my original time estimate the way to us! Vikings Jason Marsh and Jon “Hengist” Morford prepare to demonstrate a holmgang during was a little on the optimistic side. If there are problems with the Nordic Heritage Museum’s Viking Days. A holmgang was a fight between two people to We took the chance thinking that the proof, we’ll let you know. If settle a dispute. Marsh and Morfort belong to the Pacific Northwest Reenactment Alliance you’d all prefer a really gorgeous everything looks good, we should (PNRA), a society comprising groups from British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. book to one that’s only pretty be able to mail out the cookbooks The Viking groups make period-accurate textiles, armor, weapons, garments, and jewelry, just good but on time. You won’t be- and the other perks that go along as the Vikings did. Each member adopts a chosen Viking name such as Olaf, Jarl of Hrafngardr, lieve the work that’s gone into with them by early October and or Hengist Helgasson, Hersir of Jarnfolk. this. Daytona Strong, our tireless have them hit your mailboxes To demonstrate how the Vikings lived, the PNRA recreates Viking encampments at area Taste of Norway editor, actually mid-month. festivals and events. They demonstrate ancient skills such as weaving, wood carving, spoon- making, arrow making and fletching, spinning thread with drop spindles, nålbinding, tent- made and photographed many of You have my apologies for making, metal-forging, shoe making, and of course, live steel combat. Although they use real the recipes because she wasn’t the delay. It turns out that try- metal weapons in full contact combat, the weapons are blunted and armor is worn for safety. satisfied with the photos we had. ing to produce a cookbook while But that doesn’t mean they don’t come away with lots of bruises! It was worth the wait! also running a newspaper is hard. So what is the new timeline? Who’d have thought? Submitted by Eric Stavney & Seth Tufteland.

Legend of Siljatjern Seter: Life, love and faith on a Norwegian mountain dairy By Gunlaug Nøkland • Bilingual English Norwegian text SAVE • Hardcover, 6″x 9″, 448 pages 60% • Recipes & pictures of old seter life • Was $29.95, now only $11.95 plus $4.95 S/H in USA Legend of Siljatjern Seter tells the story of Mette agreeing to take a summer job as a budeie (dairy maid) on an old-fashioned demonstration dairy called Siljatjern (Silja’s pond) Seter. Now you can experience life as your ancestors lived in Norway before they immigrated to America. Call, send check or visit website Astri My Astri Publishing Phone: 563-568-6229 Deb Nelson Gourley [email protected] 602 3rd Ave SW, Waukon, IA 52172 www.astrimyastri.com

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