VOL fIX NO 1 FEBRUARY 1999 Serving Norwegian-Americans of Sigdal - Eggedal & Kredsherad Ancestry SIGDAL LAG WILL PARTICIPATE IN BYGDELAG CENTENNIAL JULY 29-31 A larger-than-usual stevne is planned this reservations by JULV 1, sent directly to Luther. summer since all 32 bygdeJag are invited. The And expect banquet tickets to sell out before the 7 Lag Stevne meets in 2000. Sigdal like many new JUNE 1 deadline. (Keep cancelled checks others, will hold its only 1999 meeting as your receipt) Saturday during .the Norwegian-American Bygdelag Centennial at Luther College, Where else might one expect major entertainers Decorah, lA, July 29-31. to share the same opening night? Both the Leikarring Noreg, folk dancers from Drammen, Norway, and Leroy Larsen's Scandinavian BygdeJag played the vital roles in observing the Ensemble, Minneapolis, perform Thursday 1914 Centennial of the Norwegian Constitution evening along with Paul Ulvilden, lurist, and and the 1925 Norse American Centennial, Karen Brunssen, mezzo-soprano. celebrating Norwegian immigration. As hosts, the Stavanger Lag invited other lag to raise Friday and Saturday morning one may choose a funds to offset expenses since the sloop, total of 'six from 50 multiple choice forums or Restauration, left Norway from Stavanger. activities with distinguished guest presenters. Badges were sold, and perhaps 100,000 at the Drammen dancers will, for example, teach folk fairgrounds heard a speech by President Calvin dance in small group settings. Lag meetings are Coolidge, crediting Leif Eriksson's discovery of after lunch July 31, adjourning in time to get America. ready for the banquet. Saluting all of the bygdeJag 74 years later, the Friday evening is the historical heart of the 1999 festival recognizes the beginning of the Centennial. Valdres Samband will lead the subsequent bygdelag movtmlent, which followed parade of lag in an evening promising the display that first Valdres gathering of ~everal hundred in of lag banners--including some originals--· and Minnehaha Park, Minneapolis, 100 years ago this authentic bunader. (Facilities are air conditioned. June! Norwegian language newspapers ran the Some may bring a sweater to cover bare arms). notices, obviously bringing good results. Entertainers Saturday evening are: the Lost The NABC celebration begins July 29, the day of Norwegians, Northfield, MN, who mix folk St. Olav the martyr (O(sok). Those registered songs, good humor, and more serious music not may pick up badges, programs and tickets at 8 readily heard; Decorah's traditional Luren AM Thursday in the Centennial Union. The bus Singers, the oldest Norwegian male chorus still tour leaves at 9:30 and by lOAM folk artists performing; and the Foot-Notes, an instrumental and craftsmen as well as genealogy vendors will quartet who SiAg, research area fiddle music, open for business. Craft demos and Norwegian and whose 1998 CD is selling well. related resource demonstrations and the presence of various Norwegian-American Present day Norway will be represented by organizations will occur at mutu'ally agreed-upon presenters living there. Tom Vraalsen, times. The latter will share the focus and Norwegian Ambassador to the US, has been benefits of each group. invited and the Consulate General will attend. Norway is among the most technologically First, register using the NABC form; then choose advanced nations, a distinct contrast to the last lodging. The forms on pages 9 and 11 will not century when so many emigrated due to be re-printed in May. III you registerodearlier, e Amerika feber and hope for better opportunities. recent maUing asked for information: V.............. lind MrivIII .y. Are address •• atil current? The NARC Come and participate. Meet and welcome with form goes to Cennon•. l Saga suggests you read, our newest members. There will surely be copy, send, or save the forms. "If capacity is discussion of the trip to SigdaI. After all, the reached sooner, registering at-the-door may not Sigdal motto means, "There is strength in be an option," according to Jan Frye, registration numbers.· Anyone interested in the Norwegian chairperson. Plans are for 1,000; however, heritage may register. Luther wishes pre-paid meal and lodging SEEK EMIGRANT PHOTOGRAPHS FOR SIGDAL-EGGEDAL MUSEUM \ Sigdalslag has been asked to help set up a photographic exhibit of emigrant life at the Sigdal og Eggedal Museum in the year 2000. The museum staff is primarily interested in photographs that show the work life of the people that left, and their circumstances in the new land. Photos of farming, lumbering, household chores, homes, schools, churches, stores or businesses.would be appropriate. At this time the size of the picture is not a factor. It is probable that most pictures will have to be reproduced in some way, so we HAVARD STQJVERN GETS AWARD need to collect good prints, not Xerox copies. Havard St0vern, whose artistry appears in The goal is to make the exhibit as the above sketch of Andersnatten, has long interesting and attractive as possible; however been associated with Sigdal-Eggedal Museum, that can happen only if the lag members are with Under Norefje(l, and with folk music willing to share their treasured photos with the throughout Buskerud fylke. people in Norway. Now another distinction comes. He is the Identification of each picture should give the 1998 recipient of the Buskerud (County) owner's name and address and then a careful Cultural Award. identification of names and places in the Having retired as museum director, Havard photo. An actual or estimated year is a plus. now chooses his own schedule. He no doubt If you have photographs of emigrants from continues to do family history research or Sigdal, Eggdal and Krllldsherad that you are s(ektsgransking in the new location in the lower willing to share, please send them to Lee level of the museum. Rokke, 13465 Garden View Drive, Apple During the editor's Valley,MN 55124. visit in Sigdal last June, he smiled as he attested to the GENEALOGY NEWS usefulness of Lee Rokke's ongoing First Lee Rokke, Sigdalslag genealogist, reports Name Index of people receiving the following gifts and documents emigrating from our lag since the October SAGA was published. areas. Lee has periodically sent him ** $30 gift for genealogy work from Janet supplemental data. Poff, St. Paul, MN. Christmas wishes, too, came to several . from Stlllverns which CongretulatlOns, HAverdl Genealogical Survey Forms Completed we share with lag members. His e-mail is: "Cynthia Omoth Peterson, Santa Rosa, [email protected] California, on the family of Helge Halversen Aamodt (Omoth) USonja Minchau, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Among Christmas greetings to the editor was on the family of Arne Olsen Bjlllrndalen. Sonja one from Spalding, Sask: Garth Ulrich's note also 'sent additional information that gives and the current revison of the CanadianNational clues to several SigdaI people who were in Anthem. He appreciated hearing it and praised Canada, particularly Magnus l2lverby. the organizing commitees that plan the 7 LAG uDavid Ellingson, Waskish, MN, on the family STEVNE.This includes Sigdal Lag as well as six of Elling Nilsen Tostenrude. other lag. 2 Sigdal Trip in 2000 Needs Deposit and "Homework" Now Larry & Linda Rolfstad, Sigdalslag trip coordinators, investigated options for Sigdal Lag's "Norway 2000" tour and chose Brekke Tours, Grand Forks, ND. Last May Sigdal and Kmdsherad municipalities invited lag members to an Emigration Festival June 19-24, 2000. A proposal was published in the October issue. A $50 per person DEPOSIT is asked if you plan ANY travel with Brekke/Sigdal 2000 TOUR. The deposit is REFUNDABLE if one is unable to go (by the time additional payments are due). It applies to ALL (tour or airfare only) participants. Rolfstads also need people to respond to their recent mailing soon. It is also essential that the lag/norsk host committee know IF you think you have relatives there! Investigate. Three plans were mailed lor those interested at the stevne last July: (A) June 11-26; (8) June 17·25; (Bl1 June June 17-July 2. Prices based on at least 35 participants in either plan at current rates, which are subject to change. NOTE pertaining to all plans: evening of June 19 - 24 in Sigdal area. Lag/host arrangements made'with Kari Ask, coordinator in Norway. Costs are not in tour package prices. BUSES serve for entire tour. (A) Leave Minneapolis SUNDAY, June 11; depart Oslo MONDAY, June 26. (BI Leave Mpls SATURDAY, June 17; tour ends 25th. Independent travel til July 2 departure an option, (B1) June 17-July 2 = (B) + Tour extension You may wish to thank Rolfstads, 11D Glendale HOMESTAYS or PAID LODGING in Sigdal? MEALS Lane, Rapid City, SD 57702, for all the work are a/so not included in tour prices. IF you have they have put into planning thus far. They chose relatives, homestays are an option, but please LIST neat places and activities (some you have missed, NAMES for the local committea to verify. no doubt, next): (N8f) First come, first served basis. Sendpayment to lag treasurer, Don Skadeland. TOURS use the new IGardermoenl OSLO airport and include hotel and city tour at the beginning or ending. Included are L1LLEHAMMER: Lake Mj0sa, Olympic sites, Hedmark Museum and the Emigrant Museum (Hamar), Henning woodcarving factory FORM - JUNE 19-25, 2000 (Gj0vikl, ELVESETERHotel, Lom, Geiranger, Loen, OATE _ horse cart to Briksdal Glacier, ferry across Names of my/our living relatives Sognefjord, VOSS to Flam/Myrdal ra.i1trip, Edvard are Grieg home & Bergen city tour. Aurland to Borgund Circle where: in (SigdiII) (EggedalJ (~) Stave Church at LJERDAL. Travel via Hemsedal & Hallingdal'to Sigdal for overnight there June 19. IS it LlKELY NOT LIKELY that Norsk relatives exist? APPROXIMATE TOUR COST about $2300, based on double occupancy.