Congressman Erik Paulsen Visits Sons of Norway

Sons of Norway welcomed Congressman Erik Paulsen from Minnesota’s Third Congressional District to its headquarters in Minneapolis Tuesday, October 14. Intended to familiarize Representative Paulsen with the Sons of Norway’s story dating back nearly 120 years, the meeting focused on the ways in which the organization and its approximately 60,000 members across the US, Canada and Norway are making a difference in their communities.

Sons of Norway’s  CEO Eivind Heiberg, Fraternal Director Linda Pederson and Cultural Coordinator Anna Stoltenberg sat down with the Congressman in the Sons of Norway Board Room. As the Congressman admired the pictures of the 33 past Sons of Norway International Presidents, Heiberg outlined how the Fraternal Life Insurance Company provides financial protection, Norwegian cultural awareness, and charitable support through its Foundation.

Sons of Norway is a 501 (c)(8) tax exemption status, granted to fraternal benefit societies in the 20th century, which means that proceeds from the sale of financial products are used to support the organization’s fraternal and Foundation endeavors. With this in mind, Sons of Norway shared with the Congressman how the tax exempt status allows Sons of Norway to enhance the lives of its members and make a difference in their communities.  

Started by 18 Norwegian immigrants who wanted to protect one another in times of great hardship, Sons of Norway’s membership grew and so did the effort to uphold the Norwegian traditions in America. Today Sons of Norway is a thriving philanthropic organization supported by nearly 17,000 insurance certificates currently in force. The creation of the Sons of Norway Foundation (501(c)(3)) in 1966 meant that scholarships for educational exchange, grants for community cultural programming and humanitarian aid in times of great need could be offered in addition to the financial security and fraternalism already being provided to members.

Pederson emphasized the value of fraternal benefit societies by citing a recent study done by Phillip Swagel, a professor at the University of Maryland, which states that for every $1 the federal government invests, fraternal benefit societies produce $76 in value back to society. In 2013 alone, Sons of Norway members organized nearly 20,000 civic events, volunteered almost 400,000 hours and donated over $1,000,000 to their communities. Congressman Paulsen was captivated by stories of lodge events and fundraisers put on by members including a fundraising gala hosted by Vennekretsen Lodge in Anoka, MN, that raised over $65,000 for Hope 4 Youth, a local nonprofit that provides services for homeless youth.

Congressman Paulsen also spoke highly of the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast, founded by Sons of Norway in 1985, which he has previously attended. Bringing together people of Nordic heritage to offer thanks for the privileges of freedom, faith, family and friends, the event gives guests an opportunity to give back to the community by supporting two local non-profits -  the Second Harvest Heartland and Minnesota Military Family Foundation.

Sons of Norway is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of its members, the communities it serves and the world in which we live. Congressman Paulsen posed with Heiberg and even agreed to take a selfie with Stoltenberg in order to post to NorwayConnects, Sons of Norway’s new website geared at bridging the gap between Norway and North America by connecting young adults with college, career, financial and cultural resources.

Sons of Norway sponsors active, healthy lifestyles

This past Friday Sons of Norway sponsored the Uptown Minneapolis Criterium, which is the 4th stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix/Bicycle Festival. This was a great event for because it brought together some of the country’s most elite cyclists and thousands of people who are interested in leading active and healthy lifestyles.

The event was important for Sons of Norway because we, also, believe in the importance of active and healthy lifestyles. So much so, that we have redeveloped our Sports Medal program to better reflect the fun and excitement that comes with being active. We’ve already rolled out two new medals and every quarter we will introduce another new design for our program.

Combined with this new look, we have also added a new sport, swimming, to the list of activities that are eligible for medals. If you’d like to learn more about this new svommerke medal, or any of the redesigned programs, don’t hesitate to contact culture@sofn.com or call 800-945-8851.

Founders Day

January 16th, 1895. In world news, France was wrapping up the first chapter of the Dreyfus affair and Russia was experiencing a revival of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. Otherwise it was just another Wednesday. However, far flung from these events in Minneapolis, MN, a small group of 18 Norwegian immigrants did something that would have an effect on our lives for the next century and beyond.

It was on that date Sons of Norway was founded.

Coming together out of a sense of fraternity and necessity for mutual protection, the founders based their fledgling group on the ideals of community assistance plans, which had been popular in areas of Norway. These plans required members to pay a small amount each week and in return receive free medical care for themselves and their families. The founders were proud of this new mutual assistance society and believed it reflected the moral principles of American fraternalism.

"Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson" was the name first selected for the new organization but it was soon rejected on the realistic grounds that the American people would find it quite impossible to pronounce. "Sønner av Norge" was the name settled upon and the formal inception with the 18 founders was completed on 16 January 1895.

The fledgling organization provided not only security against financial crises and a forum to celebrate their new nationalism, but it also served to preserve the many things Norwegian which were treasured by those who had left Norway: the literature, music and art which formed such a large part of their heritage.

Now, 116 years later, even though we’ve grown from 18 individuals to nearly 70,000 men, women and children, we’re still as dedicated to those same principles as we were in 1895.

So, with that, I want to encourage all our members reading this to celebrate Founders Day this Sunday, January! Wear your Sons of Norway pins, buttons, vests, jackets or hats all day, and when someone asks you what Sons of Norway is, show your pride and tell them all about the great things your lodge does in the community! Here at the HQ we’ll all be wearing our Sons of Norway member pins all week to commemorate the founding of our beloved organization!

If you or your lodge have any special plans for Founders Day, I’d love to hear all about it. Leave a comment below, tweet me at twitter.com/sonsofnorway or post something on the Sons of Norway facebook page!

Lutefisk Unleashed!

Is anyone in the Twin Cities looking for something to do this weekend that mixes fun activities with Norwegian culture? If so, I've got the perfect thing for you.

This past Wednesday I was slowly making progress on some writing projects that had been on my desk far too long. I was knee deep in updates to internal documents and wrapping up some info for the November Viking magazine when a call came in that would instantly grab my attention and give me a good shot of wonder, which I was in serious need of. I picked up the receiver and said hello.

A pleasant voice on the other end responded with, "Hi, Mr. Evans, I'm a reporter with the Chaska Harald and I'm calling to see if you know anything about Lutefisk tossing?"

Now I've worked with reporters from all sorts of media outlets from the Blaine Banner to USA Today. I started my career more than a decade ago at one of the eminent PR firms in Minneapolis and had some great mentors who prepared me to respond to almost any question in any situation imaginable. Yet there are still situations that I don't think anyone could prepare for.

Like this one.

Which is why my initial response was, "Uh...I'm sorry...would you mind repeating that?"

I know, real eloquent, right? I sure earned my paycheck on that one.

I'll save you the play by play, but the reporter went on to tell me about a Sons of Norway lodge in Waconia, MN who is hosting the second annual Nordic Music Festival at Lake Waconia Regional Park. As part of the day dedicated to celebrating Nordic music, there is going a contest where teams of individuals will compete in the ultimate test of precision and skill (if you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about the lutefisk tossing).

According to event planner and Scandia Lodge President, Dick Keller, "There’ll be a 5-gallon pail at one end of the toss area. We’ll cover the ground with plastic sheeting and we’ll have a backboard. We don’t want to contaminate the grass even though it [lutefisk] is considered by some as a Scandinavian delicacy.

“We’ll have a line about 25 feet back from the pail. Each member of each team will have three tosses to get the lutefisk into the pail. The team that gets the most in the pail wins the prize, which is a handsome trophy with a fish on top."

Dick admits its goofy, but I think it sounds like a great time and I'm encouraging everyone to go. I may even try to get down to Waconia to check it out myself. If you want to learn more about the event, you can get the full info from the news article found here.


In the meantime, if you want to see what a lutefisk toss looks like, check out this video from Two Harbors, MN.

Ok, next week I'll be reporting live from Norsk Høstfest. Make sure to come back to see all the excitement in Minot, ND!

It's Festival Season

It’s high summer, and that means that there are events celebrating our Norwegian heritage happening all over North America. Two events featured in the July Viking calendar are coming up this weekend. The Hardanger Fiddle Association of America is holding its annual music and dance workshops in Dodgeville, Wis., July 22-26. Also, the city of Decorah, Iowa will celebrate its 44th annual Nordic Fest, July 22-24.

Each month, the Viking staff receives many submissions to be considered for our calendar. While we can only feature a few events, the Sons of Norway website provides a much more extensive calendar. Check it out to find some Nordic fun in your area this summer!

Image courtesy of Flickr user billrdio.

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in
Northfield, Minnesota, where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585. Amy is a Nordic folk music enthusiast, and when she’s not working or parenting, she can often be found making music with friends.

Greetings from the District 1 Convention!

As most Sons of Norway members know, we're in the middle of convention season. Well, just past the middle, actually--five down, two happening this weekend and one next week.

It's an exciting time for Sons of Norway because this is when members come together to participate in the governance of our beloved organization. At each district convention decisions are made that will potentially affect thousands of members within the district, or tens of thousands if the decision is passed on to the International Convention in August. What I'm trying to say is that this is a REALLY BIG DEAL for us!

That's why I'm so excited, because I have been invited to the District 1 convention to work with delegates and give a breakout session on lodge websites and using the web to promote your lodge. I always have a great time at District conventions, so I'm really looking forward to it. This is an important step in the charting the course for Sons of Norway and I'm grateful to be a witness to it.

Speaking of which, if you're interested in learning more about what this all is leading up to, check out the Sons of Norway International Convention website at www.sonsofnorway2010.com.

That's all for now--hope to see you later today in Rochester!

Celebrate St. Hansaften

It's that time again! Amy B. has a great post about Midsummer/St. Hansaften!

Midsummer is soon here. I know this—even without the aid of a calendar—because it’s hard to get enough sleep these days. The sun sets later each evening, and my room-darkening shades and Sleepytime tea just aren’t enough to trick my body into getting tired when I should. Do I sound like I’m grumbling? I don’t mean to. I love this time of year, when, despite our schedules, to-do lists and best intentions, we are humbled by the forces of nature. I’m reminded of a favorite song, “Vi Skal Ikkje Sove,” by Auslaug Lygre and Geirr Tveitt:

Vi skal ikkje sova bort sumarnatta,
ho er for ljos til det.
Då skal vi vandra isaman ute,
under dei lauvtunge tre.

We won’t sleep away the summer night,
it’s too light for that.
We’ll wander instead together
under the trees, heavy with leaves.

Midsummer, or St. Hansaften as it is called in Norway, is celebrated on the evening of June 23, with bonfires late into the night. There’s an old custom for a girl to pick seven types of flowers and sleep with them under her pillow, in order to dream of her future husband. Many celebrations include eating rømmegrøt and toasting the summer night with friends.

In North America, many Sons of Norway lodges and communities host midsummer celebrations. Check Sons of Norway event listings or your local community calendars to find a celebration new you. Or plan your own midsummer gathering with family or friends using the recipes in our “Celebrate Summer” feature, found in the June issue of Viking. Skål!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minnesota, where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585. Amy is a Nordic folk music enthusiast, and when she’s not working or parenting, she can often be found making music with friends.





Bonfire photo by Doug Bratland

International Director Awarded King's Medal of Merit

This just in: Long-time Sons of Norway member and District 8 International Director Ernst Granly has been awarded the silver Kongens fortjenstmedalje for his years of community service and efforts in promoting Norwegian culture.

At a special ceremony in Oslo last Thursday, County Governor Hans J. Røsjorde presented Ernst with the medal and a personal citation and greeting signed by King Harald V. As tradition dictates, Ernst and his wife will also go to the Royal Palace in Olso to thank the King in person for the great honor.

We at Sons of Norway are all very proud of Ernst and his accomplishments. In a recommendation that was sent last year from Sons of Norway CEO, Eivind Heiberg, said "I have had the distinguished pleasure of getting to know Ernst as he has taken on various leadership roles in Sons of Norway. Ernst has a level of energy and enthusiasm that is second to none when it comes to strengthening ties between Norway and the United States. He has worked tirelessly on behalf of Sons of Norway and has always been engaging and positive when given the chance to promote our international organization."

Sons of Norway International Director Ernst Granly is shown here being decorated with The King’s Medal, by The King’s representative County Governor Hans J. Røsjorde.

Ernst Granly (Center) celebrating after the medal ceremony with the Mayor of Eidsvoll Terje Teslo, County Governor Hans J. Røsjorde, District President Ole Hillestad, and Mayor of Ullensaker Harald Espelund.

Scandinavia’s Best in Your Own Backyard

Is a trip to Norway not in your budget this summer? Me neither. But we can still enjoy some Scandinavian culture and learn something new, right?
Here are three upcoming opportunities to learn Nordic folk music and dance in the U.S.

If you live in the East, the Midwest or in the West, there’s an event taking place in your region in June:
• Nordic Fiddles and Feet, June 27-July 4, near Littleton, N.H.


• Nisswa-stämman, June 11-12, in Nisswa, Minn. 

• Scandia Camp Mendocino, June 12-19, near Mendicino, Calif.


All three of these events offer training in folk music and dance from top-notch Scandinavian instructors. As someone who’s attended Nisswa-stämman for the past 7 years, I can attest to what a great opportunity these events are for Nordic music and dance enthusiasts, whether you’re just beginning to explore your musical roots, or you’ve been at it for years.
PS: Look for more ways to experience Norway in your own backyard in the July issue of Viking!
Photo courtesy of Doug Bratland

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. The mother of two grade-schoolers, Amy and her family live in Northfield, Minnesota where she is a member of Nordmarka 1-585. Amy is a Nordic folk music enthusiast, and when she’s not working or parenting, she can often be found making music with friends. She is a founding member of Northfield’s Nordic Roots Session and performs with the groups Scandium and Hütenänny.

Today we have a short post from Viking magazine editor, Amy B about the 13th Annual Ibsen Festival. If you have unique ways that Norwegian culture is celebrated in your area, share them with Viking magazine by e-mailing vikingeditor@mspcustomcontent.com.

This past weekend marked the Commonweal Theater’s 13th Annual Ibsen Festival in Lanesboro, Minn—a “weekend celebrating Scandinavian theater, visual art, music and dance.” This year’s festival centered around Ibsen’s lesser-known play “John Gabriel Borkman.” The story of a banker who steals from his customers, the play is a timely examination of greed, lust and power. (It’s funny how well Ibsen’s work holds up, isn’t it?)

Next spring, the Commonweal will stage a production of Ibsen’s “Enemy of the People” and will take its production on the road throughout the Midwest. Sounds like a great lodge outing to me!

Norwegian Films at the Berlinale!

Our very own Nichole is currently spending some time overseas, but that's not stopping her from working/blogging! Here's a great post on some wonderful Norwegian movies!

Greetings from Berlin, where the Berlinale (the Berlin film festival) is celebrating is 60th birthday! Taking some time to take in the sights, I was quite pleased to see a decent representation of Norwegian films in the program. No word yet on how they fared in competition, but a maybe you can hedge your bets with these synopses:

En ganske snill mann (A Somewhat Gentle Man)
Dir. Hans Petter Moland
Ulrik has spent twelve years behind bars for murder. After his release he rents a small basement room. Ulrik doesn’t say much, but everyone he knows thinks he deserves a second chance. His gangster friend welcomes him with a pot plant. They talk about the good old times and about some unfinished business that Ulrik has with Kenny, who was to blame for Ulrik’s spell in prison. Kenny will pay for this with his life. As soon as Ulrik’s mate finds out where Kenny works, Ulrik borrows a car and begins to spy on Kenny. He follows him home. Kenny no longer lives alone. He has a wife. From the backyard Ulrik observes a happy couple. The sight really pulls at Ulrik’s heart strings. He calls up his ex-wife to find out how their son is getting on. His ex is not exactly overjoyed to see Ulrik and insists that he leave their son well alone. Ulrik’s been away for most of the boy’s childhood. The boy is now an adult and is doing just fine. Ulrik promises not to call him but then breaks his promise, visits his son and discovers that he’s about to become a grandfather. Ulrik is a changed man. He has an apartment, a pot plant, a son, and will soon have a grandchild; he also has a woman who likes him. But then he learns that he’s not allowed to see his grandchild because he’s a murderer, his girlfriend suddenly won’t have anything to do with him, and his gangster friend urges him to take his revenge on Kenny. Ulrik discovers that Kenny had nothing to do with his arrest. So why on earth should he kill Kenny? Wouldn’t the world be a better place without his gangster friend?

Bestevenner (Rafiki)
Dir. Christian Lo
Julie, Mette and Naisha are best friends and classmates. They live in a small village in a valley in Norway. At school they are rehearsing for the Christmas play, and Naisha is elected to play Santa Lucia. Julie’s biggest fear is to perform in front of the class. In order to overcome this fear, this year, she has been asked to introduce the Christmas play.

One day Naisha suddenly disappears and nobody knows where she and her mother are. It turns out they have run away from the local home for asylum-seekers and are hiding somewhere in Oslo. Their refugee application has been rejected, and they will be sent back home if the police find them.

Julie and Mette decide they need to find Naisha and her mother and help them. The trouble is that Julie’s dad is a policeman, Julie and Mette are only nine years old, Oslo is a long way from home, and Christmas is approaching.

With a secret address written in invisible ink as their only clue, Julie and Mette sneak off on the night train to the city. This marks the beginning of an unforgettable adventure in an exciting film about friendship and courage.

Knerten (Twigson)
Dir. Aasleik Engmark
Strong? Yes.
Brave? Yes.
A twig? Yes.
Ordinary? No! Because twigs like Twigson don’t grow on trees.
Twigs like Twigson exists in fantasies and play with you in the woods when you find it hard to be with everyone else. Twigs like Twigson don’t like to be left in an anthill, but will join you in the search of golden princesses. Twigs like Twigson don’t mind the fact that father sells underwear and stockings, or that big brother cuts his hair to fit in. Twigs like Twigson aren’t worried about having to fit in. It’s a real shame that there aren’t more Twigsons around.

Twigson is funny. He is animated. And Twigson is Junior’s faithful companion on all his adventures.

Mother and father are worried about how they are going to pay the bills; the roof is collapsing, and Junior even falls through it. It’s not always easy. Luckily, Junior and Twigson are able find solutions for almost everything. To earn some extra cash you can for example bring back the same bottles twice and claim the deposit for them a second time.

Sometimes even a little twig can make all the difference, as this story about an unusual friendship portrays.

Sinna mann (Angry Man)
Dir. Anita Killi
"One day I hope to be like Daddy, my big, kind Daddy! I’ll be good, and quiet, and hope the day will turn out fine,” thinks Boj. But then the Angry Man turns up after all …

SINNA MANN chronicles the heartbreaking story of childhood abuse at the hands of a violent father, and one boy’s brave attempt to seek help from Norway’s King.

I had hoped to take in En ganske snill mann, but it was totally ausverkauft (sold out) long before I arrived. Anyone seen it? Feedback? I'm sad to miss Stellan Skarsgaard's performance, whose work I've enjoyed in everything from National Treasure to Breaking the Waves. Hopefully, you, dear readers, won't think less of me for thinking so fondly of a Swede...

3 days and counting

It's a gloomy, rainy day here in Minneapolis and I am finishing up on some office work before the weekend. November Viking page proofs? Check. Publishing contracts? Check. Blog post? Workin' on it. All things I have to get done before I can go home today.

Why's it so important to get it all done today?

Because I'll be busy all next week, basking in the glow of the Norwegian Mecca that is Norsk Høstfest! That's right, come Monday morning I get to shake the overcast city-scape and wing my way to sunny downtown Minot, North Dakota! I'm really excited about going because being at an event with that many people who really into their Norwegian heritage is an awesome thing to see and it really re-charges my batteries. I find it to be very refreshing.

But it's not all fun and games. We put a lot of work into our presence at the event--in fact, we've been prepping for the 2009 event since last November. Rarely is there a time of year when we aren't thinking about Norsk Høstfest. Whether we are planning, executing or holding wrap-up meetings, it's a year-round thing for us. But that, too, makes the event a lot of fun for us because we get to see our plans and efforts come to fruition.

This year is going to be cool because we are going to be blogging from the event, and sending tweets, too, to all of our readers from the event site. If you aren't following us on twitter yet, make sure you start because we will be making a number of announcements there. Also, it's the best place to go to find out about news flashes and announcements of new blog posts.

Ok, I'm off to finish a couple more things before heading out. Come on back this weekend and next week to learn about all the cool things happening at the 2009 Norsk Høstfest! And don't forget--members in attendance can get a 15% discount on the Norwegian Buffet at En To Tre!

Kvinesdal Emigration Festival: Day 1

Today's events for the Kvinesdal Emigration Festival include a Grand Re-Opening ceremony for the Lister Emigrants Museum. Here's some video of Mayor Omland og Thoralf Haugland at the ceremony. Here's some video of Toralf Haugland opening the festivities.

Then, in about an hour or so (9:30 p.m. Norway time) there is going to be a get-together of Sons of Norway members who are in town for the celebration. I may get a report afterwards, so make sure to check back in a few hours to see if we have more info about todays happenings.

Kvinesdal Emigration Festival: Prelude

Today is the beginning of the Kvinesdal Emigration Festival being held in Kvinesdal, Norway. Sons of Norway's Interim CEO, Eivind Heiberg is over there now preparing to give a welcome speech. I've had the good fortune to have seen an earlier draft and it's going to be great. I believe he's going to talk about Norway and America's strong relationship and how emigration has created a bond between the two countries and intertwined their modern histories together.

This, I think, is a very unique experience for modern countries like ours. I mean, even in this age of globalism, there is still an overriding sense of isolation amongst first world countries, making them more business partners than brothers and sisters. Thanks to our shared histories, U.S. and Norway, however, have a relationship more like the latter than former. Definitely something worth celebration, don't you think?

Uh...ahem...[quietly steps down from pulpit]

Anyhow, this is a very unique and special festival. I'm glad Sons of Norway is participating. I spoke with Eivind yesterday about his experiences so far and as of last night he'd had dinner with Toralf Haugeland, one of the main organizers of the festival, and some film makers. I guess that in addition to a good meal they discussed the possibility of our acquiring some new, hard to get, fils for our media lending library. That'll be very cool!

In the mean Eivind sent some video of the Utsikten hotel. Here's some video of the hotel itself. Then, in this video and in this one, too, you can see why the hotel is call Utsikten (translated to English means "the view").

Ok, more later about today's festivities, including the grand opening ceremonies for a new wing on the Listes Emigration Museum.

Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival

So far we've had a great time at the Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival. Yesterday was the first day of the event and there was a lot going on. The morning started with a welcome ceremony where various dignitaries and sponsors gave messages of congratulations and, of course, welcome. On hand were some folks from the local media, the honorary Finnish counsel and yours truly.

It was a fun experience standing in front of a packed room, welcoming everyone and discussing how the goals of the festival and Sons of Norway were very much in sync. "The Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival is committed to the celebration of all Scandinavian cultures and the preservation of their unique traditions, but at the same time the festival builds a bridge that spans the differences between the cultures. This event connects us by our common experiences and strengthens our shared Nordic pride." Just as the Sons of Norway's mission is to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries, so too is it the mission of the Scandinavian Hjemkomst festival.

After that, it was back to booth, where I talked with a lot of different people from all over the U.S. It was very cool to meet folks from as far as California and Florida who had made the trip north just for the festival.

Then, today it was more time at the booth meeting with current and prospective members. Each had their own story about how much they were into their Norwegian heritage and culture. Even District 1 President, Bob Hoover, stopped by for a bit to say hello and to help recruit some new members. Good times had by all.

Oh, and as if that weren't enough, our booth backs up against the IcelandAir booth, which was staffed by some corporate folks and Linda from Borton Overseas. So even during the slow times, it's been nice to have good people like them around to chat with and discuss ideas for the future.

Well, it's late and I have the early shift tomorrow at the booth. I'll write more tomorrow or Monday to wrap up the festival.

Remember how I was talking about the cool stuff planned for the upcoming Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival? Well, I've got an update with more info about what's going to be going on.

As part of the festival's “Nordic Spirit Rocks!” theme, the teenage band KEHO, from Finland, “ROCKS” and will be in Fargo-Moorhead for a week holding workshops, working with Trollwood students and participating in the Festival. Along with new music styles, there’ll be the traditional Finnish sounds of Kanteleen Soittajat kantele group and Järvenpää Singers; the sweet vocals from Saana Ensemble and the danceable music of Finn Hall Band. Kisaret Finnish Folk Dancers will make your toes want to dance and the Sumolainen Sisters (the Finnish version of Those Lutheran Ladies) will laugh you “off of your rocker”.

Lively Danish folk music will make you hop with Denmark’s fiddle-accordion duo Jensen & Bugge. Icelandic-Canadian multi-media performance artist Freya Olafson will intrigue you with her interpretation of the life of her ancestors. Arna Rennan will sing sweet ancient and traditional Norwegian songs of the past. Swedish fiddle tunes by a group of the American Swedish Institute’s Spelmanslag will make your heart sing. The ancient sounds of Saami Yoik music will be shared by Nathan Muus and the Saami Siida Camp will feature the Lake Crystal Reindeer, Saami lavvu (tents) and displays.

If that weren't enough, Beatrice Ojakangas, author of many amazing Scandinavian and other cookbooks including Scandinavian Feasts, will whet the appetites of attendees by sharing genuine recipes during the Cooking School and be the guest chef for a dinner at HoDo Restaurant during Nordic Nightlife in Downtown Friday night. Musicians will also be featured in downtown establishments during Nordic Nightlife Take the Traditions Tour and fill up your passport with stamps as you explore the Nordic cultures.

I'm pretty stoked about this event! Any readers out there who are planning on coming to the festival should stop by one the Sons of Norway booths and say hi!

Russ (Rhymes with Moose), or You Thought Senior Prank Day Was Bad?

We've got a really interesting article today from Nichole about the yearly Norwegian happening, called Russ. Enjoy!

As schools across the US begin to wind down, we thought it might be an apt time to expose our members to an interesting Norwegian end of schooling tradition…

Right about now, you’ll see stories on Aftenposten, detailing the fall out from the annual Russ celebrations.
Q: What is this Russ celebration?
A: One of Norway’s most confusing (IMO) and entertaining pastimes.

This annual tradition (russfeiring or russ celebration) surrounds the graduation of students from secondary school, who are preparing to enter university. The most striking visual component to this celebration is the red (for school of arts) and blue (for economics) coveralls that the graduates wear. Tradition dictates they wear these for over two weeks at the beginning of May.

While the donning of the coveralls marks an important rite of passage for these young adults, it can often mean mayhem for the communities of the graduates. These youngsters receive knots, which dangle from their russ caps, that connote the completion of different outlandish tasks (examples can be found in the articles).

In recent years, Russ have spent thousands of dollars outfitting party busses and pulling elaborate pranks. Communities, which would otherwise condemn their loud and constant partying seem, for the most part, to accept the weeks as an earned tradition for the students.

Next time you see Fraternal Director Eivind Heiberg, ask him about his experiences with as a Russ. Most certainly, he’ll have a yarn or two to share…

Russ in pictures:

• Typical Russ outfit
• Red and blue Russ with curious bystanders
• Russ visit the Royals

(search hard and you can even find a picture of young HRH Crown Prince Haakon!)

*Some of this information was obtained from Culture Shock! A Guide to Customs and Etiquette by Elizabeth Su-Dale.

Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival: It's almost that time of year again!

It's almost that time of year again when Nordic folk from around the Midwest will be come together and celebrate their shared heritage at the 32nd Annual Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival, being held from June 26-28 at the Hjemkomst Center in Moorhead.

It's always been a fun event for me, partly because the the variety that the festival is known for. Not only do vendors and entertainers change from year-to-year, so does the national focus. This year, for example, Hjemkomst is bringing some great programs highlighting Finnish culture and traditions.

I know, I know, you're probably asking yourself why the Sons of NORWAY blog is participating in an event that's focusing on Finnland, right? The answer is simple: our mission, beyong preserving Norwegian heritage and culture, is to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries. We all have a shared heritage and a shared pride in where we/our ancestors came from and Hjemkomst is a great event that focuses on that fact.

This year will be no different in that Hjemkomst is bringing in a lot of great traditional and modern programming and music. Think about the rocks of Scandinavia’s geology, steamy sauna rocks, stories told by grandparents in the heirloom rocking chair and electrified traditional Nordic instruments that rock! Deeply rooted Nordic arts and traditions along with the modern Scandinavian cultures will be showcased.

A variety of Scandinavian music genres from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Saamiland will provide something for everyone at the Festival. One can hear the ancient sounds of the drum and Saami Yoik, to the traditional and electrified Finnish Kantele; as well as fiddles, accordions, and songs by one voice to a full chorus.

It's going to be a really exciting event and Sons of Norway is proud to be a Festival Sponsor of this year's festival. We're all over the place at this year's event--Kringen lodge will have a booth on level 1, the Heritage Stage/Sons of Norway stage are on level 2 and Sons of Norway International will have a booth on level 3. Be sure to stop at one of our locations and say hello!

Lodges in the News

It looks like this year's Syttende Mai celebrations were especially successful. There were parades, lodge events and special meals enjoyed by communities throughout the North American and Norway. Congratulations to everyone who hosted a Syttende Mai event this year!

As a little recap I've found some news stories about Sons of Norway lodges and their Syttende Mai celebrations that are great examples for other lodges who are thinking of hosting their own in the future.

Here's one about Nordkap lodge in Detroit, MI.

This one comes from Løven lodge in Eau Claire, WI.

And here is a photo album of images from the Petersburg, AK lodge's celebration.

Syttende Mai in Brooklyn!

Today we have the promised post from our own Nichole who was on hand for the Syttende Mai celebration in New York this past weekend. Enjoy!

Ah, it seemed a cool day when setting out for Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, but once taking in the sights there, I forgot all about the weather! For just over two hours in the afternoon, hundreds of Norwegians (and those with Norwegian leanings), took to the streets to celebrate Norwegian Independence with a fantastic parade.

Cheers of “Hurra, hurra for Syttende Mai!” broke out spontaneously on the street with some frequency, with smiling bystanders joining in the fun and festivities. Tons of Norwegian flags lined the streets, waving at the marchers and parade participants. Even street vendors seemed to get in the spirit.

These are a few of my favorite photos from Sunday’s celebrations.

The modern and the traditional:


Representing District 3 with, um, zeal, Roy Berntsen:


And, who knew the Scots were so supportive of Norwegian Independence? This is one of the two(!) bagpipe ensembles marching for Syttende Mai.


It was great to see so many of our international officers and District 3 officers and lodge members. Check back on the blog later this week and next for some video of this great event, as well some lovely photos of the Sons of Norway youth contribution to Syttende Mai Brooklyn!