readers` photos

3 | 2012 fall
news of norway
readers’ photos
Norway and
America: A Very
Long Engagement
dear readers,
W
We, the
Embassy in
Washington,
D.C., should
reflect the
best of
Norway.
—Lajla
Jakhelln
e Norwegians really
love America. For
proof of this, you
need look no further than pages
6 and 7 of this issue of News
of Norway, where you can read
about a small town in Norway,
Vanse, that’s as American as
apple pie — yet still as Norwegian as lefse.
I’ve been fascinated with
America and American politics
and culture since I was in college. When I started studying
comparative literature at the
University of Oslo, writers such
as Toni Morrison and Tom Wolfe
made an everlasting impression
on me. More recently, Jonathan
Franzen and the Norwegian
American writer Siri Hustvedt
have been among my absolute
favorites. The diversity and
dynamics of the U.S. have been
a source of curiosity and an
inspiration to me ever since, and
now I find that I’m fortunate
enough to be stationed at the
embassy in Washington, D.C. as
the new Deputy Chief of Mission
for the next four years.
In my brief time here, I’ve
already come to see just how
engaged the Norwegian American community is. According
to our recent survey of News of
Norway readers, large numbers
of you have traveled to Norway,
and many more intend to do
so in the future. You’re proud
of your heritage. Many of you
incorporate Norwegian culture
into your daily lives. In fact, for
our next issue, we’re asking you
to tell us about the Norwegian
holiday traditions you observe
(see back cover for details).
2 | news of norway | fall 2012
I look forward to learning
more about you as time goes on.
And we will continue to tell you
about us, through News of Norway, norway.org, our Facebook
page, brochures, lectures, poster
exhibits and much more. It’s
part of my job here to help teach
Americans about Norway, while
also learning as much about
America as I can.
Previously I have worked
in various departments in the
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs in Oslo, and I was also
posted at the Embassy in Bern,
Switzerland. I have covered
European issues, cultural affairs
and global development issues
within the U.N. I’ve also studied
and worked on issues relating to
global health, gender equality
and climate change.
I believe in a Foreign Service
that is relevant and in close
contact with all its stakeholders.
In addition to our political work
and contacts, as well as our
working relationship with the
powers that be, a vibrant and
dynamic Embassy has close contact with businesses, the cultural
and academic sectors, and the
general public, which can expect
efficient and friendly service
from us. We, the Embassy in
Washington, D.C., should reflect
the best of Norway. With all the
competent and dedicated staff
we have here, I am convinced
that we will continue to develop. So please let me know
how we’re doing. Your feedback
is welcome!
—Lajla Jakhelln
Deputy Chief of Mission
Royal Norwegian Embassy
2720 34th Street, Northwest
Washington, D.C. 20008
202.333.6000
norway.org
Ambassador to the United States
Wegger Chr. Strommen
Head of Culture and Communications
Linken Nymann Berryman
Editor
Kenneth Krattenmaker
150 Metcalfe Street, Suite 1300
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1P1
613.238.6571
emb-norway.ca
Ambassador to Canada
Mona Elisabeth Brøther
SUBSCRIPTIONS
News of Norway (ISSN: 0028-9272)
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Olympics Recap
by kenneth krattenmaker
A
country such as Norway might be expected to do well in the Winter
Olympics, and it did very well indeed in Vancouver in 2010, tying the
United States for third in gold medals with nine (Canada had 14; Germany had 10), and coming in fourth with 23 medals overall. Norwegians are
said to be born with skis on their feet, and they prove it every fourth year when
the Winter Olympics reappear.
But this year it was time for the Summer Olympics, not exactly the tiny Arctic
nation’s bread and butter, but still a chance for Norway to show that it can
compete with countries from warmer climes. And it did. Out of 79 countries
that earned at least one medal, Norway tied for 42nd place, with four medals,
including two golds, one silver and one bronze.
Norway’s two gold medals tied it for 26th in the gold medal count.
Norway outperformed traditional powers such as the United States and Russia
in medals per capita, according to data from medalspercapita.com, with one
medal per 1,251,425 residents, placing it between Bahrain and Kazakhstan.
Here’s a look at the Norwegians who performed well—and one who didn’t
quite live up to expectations—in 2012.
The women’s handball team after winning gold.
women’s handball
The Norwegian women’s handball team took the gold in a thrilling final against
Montenegro, 26–23. Led by Linn Jørum Sulland’s 10 goals, the team successfully
defended the gold it won in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The team has dominated the sport for decades, with five European Championships—an all-time record—and two World Championships since 1986.
Eirik Verås Larsen exults after his win in the kayak sprint.
men’s kayak sprint
Norway’s Eirik Verås Larsen, 36, took the gold in the men’s kayak single 1000m
with a time of 3:26.462, edging out Adam van Koeverden of Canada (3:27.170)
and Max Hoff of Germany (3:27.759). He took gold in the same event in Athens
in 2004, and a silver in Beijing in 2008. He took the bronze in kayak double
1000m in Athens, as well.
He has medaled six times in the World Championships.
men’s fencing
Bartosz Piasecki, 25, took silver in men’s individual épée, falling to Venezuela’s
Ruben Gascon Limardo, 15–10, in the final. The silver marks Norway’s highest
finish in the event. Their second-best showing was an 11th-place finish in 1984.
Piasecki was born in Poland but his family moved to Norway when he was
two years old.
Alexander Kristoff, right, with his bronze in cycling.
cycling
all photos courtesy london 2012
Alexander Kristoff, 25, took bronze in the men’s road race. At 16, Kristoff won
the Norwegian youth championship and finished fourth in the Youth Olympics.
He is now a professional racer with a UCI ProTeam, Team Katusha.
javelin
Somewhat disappointing was the failure of Andreas Thorkildsen, 30, to win a
medal in the javelin. Thorkildsen previously won the gold medal in both the
2008 Olympics in Beijing and the 2004 Olympics in Athens. In Beijing, he also
set the world record with a throw of 90.57 meters.
Thorkildsen was born in Kristiansand in 1982, and is the first male javelin
thrower in history to be European champion. He comes from an athletic family:
his father threw the javelin and his mother ran the 100m hurdles. He was considered the odds-on favorite to win the gold in 2012, but he wound up coming
in at a disappointing sixth place. n
Ida Alstad (#5) of Norway celebrates after a point against
Montenegro during the women’s Handball gold medal
match on Day 15 of the London 2012 Olympics Games at
the Basketball Arena.
norway.org | 3
an order of magnitude
Siri Lawson, Founder of warsailors.com, Is Awarded Royal Norwegian Order of Merit
by kenneth krattenmaker
S
News of Norway: You started warsailors.
com as a way to learn more about your father,
particularly his years in labor camps. What
are some of the most interesting things you’ve
learned about him?
Siri Lawson: I knew he had escaped from
some camp, but I didn’t know which or
where, so when I found an old letter from
him describing the escape, it was interesting
to learn more details [note: Ms. Lawson’s
father’s letters are online at http://www.
warsailors.com/oddswar/frameoddletters.
html; the letter in question is No. 3]. But
the most fascinating thing of all is that not
long after I had added his letters to the site I
was contacted by the daughters of two of his
crewmates who were in the camps with him.
One of them was even my dad’s cabin mate
on the Ringulv, the ship he was on when
he was interned. His daughter’s Guestbook
A screen capture of one of the pages on
warsailors.com
All photos by Konrad M. Lawson
he started out trying to learn a little
bit more about her father’s experience during World War II. She wound
up founding a website that has become a
major online resource for people researching World War II maritime activity, and for
World War II war sailors and their families.
She’s Siri Holm Lawson, and on June 15,
2012, she became a Knight of the Royal
Norwegian Order of Merit. Ambassador
Wegger Chr. Strommen bestowed the
award on behalf of HM King Harald V in
a ceremony at the Ambassador’s residence
in Washington, D.C. News of Norway had a
chance to speak with Ms. Lawson about her
website, warsailors.com, and her award.
Ambassador Wegger Chr. Strommen presents Siri Lawson with her award.
message took my breath away [see http://
www.warsailors.com/gb2.html#veiberg].
Also, in an old book from 1943 called
“Tusen Norske Skip,” there’s a chapter called
“Rudzin’s Diary,” which I added to my site,
because it describes the exact same things
my dad describes. Rudzin was the stoker on
Ringulv, and was from Latvia. The chances
of finding a relative of his would seem slim,
but lo and behold, his daughter landed on
her father’s diary on my site one day when
she was searching for relatives in Latvia!
Your site has inspired other people to share
their stories. Do any of those stories in
particular stand out? Have you gained any
particular insights into war and the effect it
has on people that you would like to share
with our readers?
Each story is equally important, but there’s
4 | news of norway | fall 2012
one that I’ll never forget as long as I live.
Over a long period of time, I kept receiving messages from several different people
who had met an old man on his wanderings
around Loleta, Calif. He lived in a shelter
for the homeless, was in an advanced state
of senility, and could barely remember who
he was or where he lived, but to each and
every one of them he had recited a very long
poem, which inspired them to make further
investigations.
The poem mentioned the Norwegian ship
Hallfried, and it was easy for them to find
it on my website. However, his name, Karl
Hansen, did not match the names of any
of the crew members of this ship. With the
help of an “Internet friend” in England, who
made a visit to the Public Records Office for
me, I found out that he was identical to the
British Thomas P. Shaw, one of three survi-
vors of Hallfried. He had, for some reason,
taken the Norwegian name Karl Hansen. I
also found him in the crew list for another
Norwegian ship that was sunk during the
war, the Rym [http://www.warsailors.com/
singleships/rym.html] and later learned that
he served on several Norwegian ships.
In 2005, two years after I had first been
contacted about this man, I received a long
Guestbook message [http://www.warsailors.
com/gb5.html#thomashaw] from a lady in
the same town, who had seen him outside
her house, and who had invited him in for a
Christmas meal. He subsequently ended up
living with her and her family. He has since
passed away, but had some happy years
with this family. I contacted some people in
Norway, who were also deeply moved by
his story, and with their help we were able
to get him a Norwegian war pension. I’ve
added his poem to my page about Hallfried
[http://www.warsailors.com/singleships/
hallfried.html]. The page also has links to
the many Guestbook messages and forum
postings I received about this man. [See also
this article about him http://www.northcoastjournal.com/102005/cover1020.html.]
What I’ve learned is that we should never
judge our parents until we know what they
have experienced in their lives. We are all a
result of our life experiences and carry our
own little “backpack” of issues around with
us. Those who sailed during World War II
had a hard time settling into a normal life
afterwards. This invariably affected their
children, too. And this is true whether
it’s World War II or today’s wars – I can’t
imagine you’ll ever be the same person after
having taken part in war.
How did it feel to receive the Order of Merit,
one of Norway’s most prestigious awards?
Closeup of Siri Lawson’s medal.
I’d be very happy to receive personal stories
that I can add to the site. Time is running
out, and it’s so important that these stories
get recorded, for all the world to see! I
have a section entitled “Warsailor Stories”
[http://warsailors.com/freefleet/historiereng.html], and I could add them there.
Just to save me time and work, I’d prefer
it if they’re already typed up, and sent as a
Word document, but if this is not possible,
I’d still love to receive them. English or
Norwegian, doesn’t matter.
Proclamation from HM King Harald V.
To be honest, I felt kind of numb, because
it was impossible to wrap my brain around
the fact that it was for real. I’ve been sitting
here fiddling with “my ships” now for years,
and at times have wondered if anyone even
notices. It has been a hobby, I was an old
housewife whose kids had left for college, I
needed something to do, so can you imagine
what it felt like to receive such an award for
my “little hobby”? When I started, I knew
next to nothing about the war, nor about the
seamen who sailed during that time, not to
mention the ships and convoys etc. I’ve since
learned so much about all of that.
This is so huge — it’s impossible to
fathom. But you know, as huge as it is, what
remains the most rewarding for me is to
see all the e-mails and Guestbook messages
from descendants of those who sailed on
“my ships,” who have wondered for years
and years what happened to their relatives,
mails like, “My mom is still alive, and has
never known what happened to her brother,
until I found your website.” Also, several
crewmates or descendants of crewmates
have been reunited through the site. What
better motivation to continue working on
the site, realizing it means something personally to people?
Is there particular information your site is
lacking, something our readers might be able
to help you track down?
No, I can’t think of anything it’s lacking, but
Any other thoughts you would like to share
with our readers?
To any war sailor among your readers,
please write down your story, if you haven’t
already done so. To any younger reader, if
your father or grandfather or great uncle,
or whoever, sailed during the war, or otherwise took part in it, please ask them about
it, and encourage them to tell you their
story. You have no idea how many e-mails
I receive that start by saying they’re just
going through the belongings of their late
relative — they find information related
to their service, then tell me the relative
never talked about his experiences, and
they never bothered to ask questions while
he was still alive. This is exactly what happened to me too: my own dad was willing
to talk about it, which is unusual, but I was
too young and too stupid to take notice.
When I was old enough to be interested,
it was too late. Now I keep thinking, what
would he have said about all this if he had
known what I’ve been doing for the last 10
years or so?
I would also like to mention that I
have three discussion forums on my site
where people can go in and ask questions
concerning ships or seamen — these are
very popular and the people who visit them
on a regular basis are extremely friendly,
knowledgeable and helpful. n
To read an extended version of this interview,
please visit norway.org/non.
Links
Main site: warsailors.com/
Ship Forum: warsailors.com/forum/list.
php?1
Find Old Shipmates Forum: warsailors.
com/forum/list.php?2
Book Forum: http://warsailors.com/
forum/list.php?3
norway.org | 5
Norwegian Profiles
red, white and blue
and norwegian all over
by benedikte birkeland salvesen
photos by karin lundekvam
S
ay you’re out for a walk on a Saturday
afternoon. You take a stroll through
Brooklyn Square, stopping at a restaurant called 8th Avenue, where you order a
Coney Island Burger. Out walking again, you
pass the bus station, where you spot Elvis
and the Statue of Liberty, along with the
Stars and Stripes flying from a flagpole.
Crossing the street, you sidestep Chevys,
Fords and Dodges as you make your way to
a department store, where you buy Big Red
cinnamon gum and shop for a sofa that was
made in the U.S.A.
Where are you on this fine Saturday afternoon? You happen to be roughly 3,500 miles
away from New York, in Vanse. Vanse is a tiny
village in a small city called Farsund, which is
in Vest Agder in southern Norway. And while
Vanse may be separated from the United
States by many miles and an ocean, it is a
place that nevertheless finds the U.S. close to
its heart. Vanse may be the most American
place in all of Norway.
How did America come to Vanse? It
started with Vanse coming to America. From
the late 1800s to the early 1900s, a large
number of Norwegians migrated from this
district to the United States, traveling by
A Norwegian take on an American-style soapbox derby race.
6 | news of norway | fall 2012
boat to look for work and happiness, and
ended up flocking together in a neighborhood in Brooklyn. There they had a Norwegian bar and a Norwegian shop. Their small
Norwegian American community drove
large American cars and spoke a distinctive
language where English words were Norwegianized. Expressions such as sinken (sink),
trunken (trunk) and laisen (driver’s license)
were common and are even used today.
a reverse migration
Migration from Norway to the United States
during that period was so common that it is
now almost a nonstory. What makes this story different is that many of these immigrant
families ultimately returned to Norway, and
they brought back with them American goods
and a love for the American way of life. They
shipped home the possessions, large and
small, that they had amassed in America
— cars, toasters, coffeemakers, refrigerators, and so on. As a result, many houses in
Farsund were converted to an American style
120-volt power system instead of the 220volt system common in most of Norway, and
they remain that way to this day.
Today the American way of living still has
a great influence in everyday life for people
living in the area, particularly in Vanse’s
Brooklyn Square, the first official “American”
address in Norway.
The village holds an American Festival
every year in the last weekend in June. The
festival features a street parade where locals
dress up in their old American dresses, hats
and gloves. They drive their Cadillacs and
they have a street dance. They arrange a
gospel brunch and many more activities.
The Ambassador of the United States
to Norway, Barry B. White, attended this
year’s festival. “I was delighted to attend
the American Festival in Farsund Kommune. It demonstrated once again to me the
very close and long-standing historical ties
between the U.S. and Norway. I was excited
All dressed up for the parade.
to see remnants and reminders of Brooklyn
right here in Norway. I had the opportunity
to ride in an old-style Cadillac convertible
and was treated to an Elvis impersonation
act that brought back very warm memories
of my younger days. Perhaps the sweetest
part of the weekend for me was judging the
cupcake contest. Within a 20-minute period,
I tasted and judged over 30 cupcakes prepared by contestants from the area. I had
a very difficult time choosing a winner. Another highlight for me was judging a beauty
contest to determine who would win a trip
to the U.S. All in all, the people from the
area were extremely friendly and welcoming
and feel very connected to the U.S.”
planning for the festival
The dedicated people behind the festival
are extremely committed to maintaining
American influences and tradition. Christina
H. L. Breisnes is one of seven committee
members who do most of the planning. She
says she loves America and she loves to
make people happy, which makes this kind
of job perfect for her. She also happens to be
the owner of the American-style department
store, Trunken. News of Norway spoke with
Ms. Breisnes to get her perspective on the
Festival, America and cupcakes.
“Ever since I was a little girl, I had grandparents and aunts and uncles who sent stuff
Uncle Sam and a pink Cadillac (with Norwegian license plates) made an appearance at the American Festival in Vanse, Norway.
from America. I was amazed every time, and
it was so thrilling and exciting. They sent
stuff we had never seen or tasted in Norway.
It felt really magical. The first time I went
to the United States myself was in 1989. I
was 11 years old and I visited my family in
New Orleans. Seventeen years ago I moved
overseas to live in America for a year. It was
the best year of my life,” recalls Christina.
Her family had a Norwegian-American
restaurant called The Viking in Iowa. “The
first thing that met you outside the restaurant was a giant troll, and inside the restaurant, the salad bar was formed as a huge
A girl wraps herself in the American flag, and
a NYC Transit sign directs Vanse residents
toward a subway station 3,500 miles away.
Viking ship. The place really was so unique.
Sadly, it burned down 10 years ago — but
then again that was the only way my uncle
and aunt would ever retire,” she jokes.
Breisnes says she’s lost count of how many
times she’s been to America. “Last year I
was there three times in three months. But
regularly I try to get myself overseas one or
to two times a year. It is not so easy to go
as often as I would like after I opened my
American-inspired shop here in Vanse.”
Asked about the inspiration for the shop,
she says, “Ever since I got back I longed for
the U.S. I missed the food, the clothes, even
the furniture! My cousin and I wanted to
start something people in the community
could relate to, be a part of and appreciate.
I also wanted to work with something that
gave me joy in my everyday life. I decided to
call the shop Trunken.” The name Trunken
is derived from the English word “trunk.”
Breisnes’ Norwegian family and friends
returning from the U.S. to Farsund shipped
trunks full of stuff. “Food, clothes, electrical equipment and so on. I was convinced it
would be the perfect name. I had some food
in the shop, just some basic American favorites, like mac and cheese, Big Red, Skittles
and Cherry Coke. The customers went
bananas and the first day I got in turkey
stuffing it sold out immediately. People were
so happy to be able to shop for their favorite
food that they used to eat in America, right
here in little Vanse!” she says.
The American Festival seemed like a
natural next step for the America-loving
town. “We wanted people to have fun and
be happy. Since there are so many people
here who love America, have Cadillacs and
old American dresses, we thought, why not
make it an American festival? So the last
weekend in June we have an art exhibition,
music, some fun activities for the kids, a
parade and so on. This year we even had a
cupcake-baking contest.”
Asked why she thinks the festival is important, Breisnes says, “I think it is important to be proud of our traditions and teach
our kids about the labor immigration and
what it meant to people living in the area.
We also want something positive to happen
in our community, something everyone can
be a part of. This year as many as 15,000 to
20,000 people visited the festival during the
four days the festival lasted. It was almost
impossible to find a place to park your
car!” n
The King appears to be alive and well in Vanse.
norway.org | 7
voyages in the
wake of
by lasse kolbjørn anke hansen
T
hor Heyerdahl was born in Larvik,
Norway on October 6, 1914. His
father was a master brewer, while
his mother, among other things, chaired the
museum association in the city. She was a
strong supporter of Charles Darwin’s theory
of evolution and strongly influenced her
son’s interest in zoology and anthropology.
Encouraged by this, the young Thor even
made a small zoo/museum at his father’s
brewery.
In 1933, he began studying biology
and geography at the University of Oslo.
Privately, he also began studying Polynesian
culture and history, drawing on what was
then the world’s largest private collection of
books and papers on Polynesia, owned by
Bjarne Kroepelien, a wealthy wine merchant
who had traveled in the region during World
War I.
all images used With permission from The Kon-Tiki Museum
first traces of tiki
8 | news of norway | fall 2012
In 1936, Heyerdahl was able to get sponsorship from his zoology professors to visit
Polynesia, to study how the local animals
had arrived there. Together with his wife, Liv
Coucheron-Torp, he lived for one year on the
isolated island of Fatu-Hiva in the Marquesas
Islands. The young couple were completely
self-sufficient, having learned from a chieftain on Tahiti how to survive on only what
they could gather and catch.
During his time at Fatu-Hiva, Heyerdahl
began noticing how important the trade
winds and currents from America were to
the Polynesians, and he began to doubt the
reigning belief that the islands had been
populated from Asia. Furthermore, he was
shown stone statues in the jungles of the
neighboring island and was told that their
counterparts could be found in Colombia.
Although their stay was cut short by diseases and ailments that forced them to return
to the West, their time in Polynesia caused
Heyerdahl to question the leading theory on
how the islands had been populated. It was
also where he first heard the old legend of
Tiki, who was said to have come to the islands from the east, which most likely meant
Thor Heyerdahl climbs the mast of the Kon-Tiki.
history
South America. This was to have a major
impact on the rest of Heyerdahl’s career.
After returning from Polynesia, Heyerdahl
took up an offer to study at the museum in
Victoria, British Columbia, where he learned
about the First Nations of the northwest
coast and their culture. He would also live
with them for a time.
At Victoria, he set forth his theory that the
first settlers of the Polynesian islands had
come from South America on balsa rafts,
and not, as the leading theory held, from
Asia in canoes. His theory met with great
opposition, both because it challenged one
of the basic anthropological tenets of the
time and because the one advancing the
theory was a young student.
testing the theory
Heyerdahl would not let his colleagues’
skepticism stop him. Instead, he decided to
test his theory by reconstructing the voyage
he believed the first settlers of Polynesia had
undertaken.
Critics believed that the ancient South
Americans lacked both the materials and the
knowledge to build crafts that could survive
the roughly 5,000 mile (8,000 km) journey
across the Pacific. It was believed that balsa
wood would soak up too much seawater and
sink, and the raft itself would not be able to
withstand the rough forces of the open sea.
Following the designs of rafts used by
the natives along the coast of Peru and
Ecuador, the balsa raft Kon-Tiki was built
and would put the doubters’ predictions of
certain wreckage to shame. The raft set sail
outside Callao Harbor in Peru with a crew of
six men on April 27, 1947. Heyerdahl, who
concealed the fact that he had a fear of water
and couldn’t swim, was accompanied by
four Norwegians — Herman Watzinger, Knut
Haugland (who had participated in the heavy
water sabotage at Vemork during World War
II), Torstein Raaby (also a decorated member
of the World War II resistance) and Erik Hesselberg — and one Swede, Bengt Danielsson. Only one of them knew how to sail, but
everyone put their faith in Heyerdahl’s theory
that the raft could make the trip and that the
winds would carry them to their destination.
Kon-Tiki crossed the Pacific in 101 days, surviving storms,
waves and an encounter with a whale shark, before landing safely,
although somewhat roughly, on the atoll Raroia in the Tuamotu
archipelago. The voyage had proved that Polynesia had been within
reach for the ancient South Americans and their balsa rafts.
instant fame, continued doubt
Upon completing the journey, the crew became instant celebrities
and was invited to meet President Harry Truman. In 1951, Kon-Tiki,
a documentary film about the voyage filmed by the crew and narrated by Heyerdahl, won the Academy Award for best documentary.
Heyerdahl’s book, The Kon-Tiki Expedition: By Raft Across the South,
would be translated into more than 70 languages and sold an estimated 50 million copies. In 2012, the story of the voyage has been
retold in one of the most expensive feature films ever produced in
Norway (see following page).
However, not all critiques of Heyerdahl’s theory were dispelled.
Some still questioned whether South Americans had actually made
the trip to Polynesia. One of the major arguments against this was
a lack of evidence of pre-European settlements on the Galapagos
Islands, which were a lot closer to South America.
Using funds from the Kon-Tiki movie and book, in 1952, Heyerdahl led the first archeological expedition to the Galapagos, accompanied by professional archeologists E. K. Reed of the U.S. and
A. Skjølsvold of Norway. Evidence confirming pre-Columbian visits
from South America to the islands was found, but at the same time
it was discovered that drinking water was available only during the
rainy season, preventing permanent settlement.
Heyerdahl moved on to the habitable island closest to South
America, Easter Island, in 1955. The island is famous for its gigantic
statues of unknown origin. The expedition also found other statues
and stone walls that resembled pre-Inca constructions in South
America. The expedition ultimately resulted in another popular book
and a documentary film, as well as three massive scientific volumes.
expanding the theory
During his visit to Easter Island, Heyerdahl had become interested
in the seaworthiness of reed boats. He began speculating that such
boats could also have brought the ancient South Americans across
A moment of respite aboard Kon-Tiki.
Burning the Tigris in protest in 1977.
the Pacific. Other scientists had pointed out the similarities between
the old reed boats of Mexico and Peru and the papyrus boats found in
the earliest civilizations of the Mediterranean. However, many experts
believed that reeds would rot and dissolve after a few weeks in ocean
water. Heyerdahl was convinced that this was not the case, and he
decided to build a reed boat to cross the Atlantic. Ra was launched in
Safi in Morocco in 1969 with a crew of seven men from seven countries, sailing under the flag of the U.N. to show that people of different
nations could cooperate even under difficult and stressful conditions.
The boat was able to make about 3,000 miles (5000 km) in eight
weeks in bad weather before the loss of the starboard reed bundles
forced them to discontinue the voyage. Ten months later, having
brought over four Aymara Indians from Lake Titicaca to help with
their reed bundling expertise, Heyerdahl launched Ra II from Safi.
In 57 days, the 39-foot (12 m) craft would cross roughly 3,800 miles
(6,100 km) of the Atlantic to Barbados, and once again Heyerdahl
had proven that some of the accepted tenets of anthropology were
incorrect. Reed boats were capable of connecting North Africa to
Central America, even in pre-Columbian times.
In 1977, Heyerdahl set out on the 59-foot (18 m) reed boat Tigris
at the point where Mesopotamia had once been, now in Iraq. He
wanted to prove that there could have been contact between the
three ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, Egypt and the Indus
valley. All three cultures had left behind illustrations of reed boats
similar to the one he used to cross the Atlantic and the one he would
now use to traverse the Persian Gulf and the Indian Ocean.
Once again mustering an international crew under a U.N. flag, the
4,200 mile (6,800 km) voyage ended in Djibouti at the entrance to
the Red Sea. With war raging on all sides, the crew decided to set fire
to its vessel to get the world’s attention and sent a communique to the
U.N. urging all parties to stop delivering weapons to the region.
pursuit of knowledge, peace and understanding
Heyerdahl continued to pursue evidence of his theories of early
human migration and settlement, all the while remaining an avid
supporter of international cooperation, fraternization and environmental protection. Numerous honors and awards were bestowed
upon him. When he passed away on April 18, 2002 at age 87, he
was given a state funeral by the Norwegian government.
Information and artifacts from the life of Thor Heyerdahl, including his expeditions, can be found at the Kon-Tiki museum in Oslo
and online at kon-tiki.no. n
This article was adapted from materials provided by the Kon-Tiki
Museum.
norway.org | 9
Kon-Tiki: A Heroic Tale Retold
T
he story of Thor Heyerdahl’s 8,000
kilometer, 101-day voyage across the
Pacific from Peru to Polynesia on the
balsa raft Kon-Tiki has captivated audiences
since it began on April 27, 1947, most notably through Heyerdahl’s book, The Kon-Tiki
Expedition: By Raft Across the South, and the
Academy Award-winning documentary film
Kon-Tiki. Now the story will reach out to a
new generation, this time as Norway’s most
expensive feature film of all time. Costing
close to NOK 93 million ($15.5 million), the
movie features the most special effects ever
seen in a Scandinavian production, including a scene depicting Kon-Tiki’s run-in with
a curious whale shark.
The movie is a dramatization of actual
events, a personal story covering half the
world, from Norway to Polynesia, via the
U.S., Peru, and of course the vast Pacific
Ocean. The creators of the movie describe
it as “a story about choosing adventure and
daring to stand up for what you believe in
and go for it, even when everyone says it
cannot be done.”
The directors are childhood friends Espen
Sandberg and Joachim Rønning, best known
for Max Manus, one of the biggest Norwegian box office successes of all time. Starring
Pål Sverre Valheim Hagen as Heyerdahl,
with Gustaf Skarsgård, Magnus Wiliamson,
Tobias Santelmann, Anders Baasmo Christiansen, Jakob Oftebro and Agnes Kittelsen,
it was filmed over the course of 20 weeks
in six countries, from a script by Petter
Skavlan.
Norwegian Film Institute
by lasse kolbjørn anke hansen and jan-terje studsvik storaas
A still from the 2012 movie Kon-Tiki, which
comes to theaters in North America soon.
Kon-Tiki launched the 40th Norwegian
International Film Festival in Haugesund
on August 18, before hitting the Norwegian
cinemas August 24 with a gala attended by
King Harald and Queen Sonja. n
HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl in Canada
O
n July 10, the Fridtjof Nansen class
frigate HNoMS Thor Heyerdahl
(F314) arrived in Halifax, Nova
Scotia. The Fridtjof Nansen class frigates
are the main surface combatant units of the
Royal Norwegian Navy, and the ships are
named after famous Norwegian explorers.
These frigates are a great improvement over
their predecessors, the Oslo class frigates,
not only in size, but also in personnel,
capabilities and equipment. It is a so-called
multi-purpose frigate, meaning it can strike
aerial, surface and underwater targets and
holds a 115 member crew. HNoMS Thor
Heyerdahl (F314) is the last of an order of
five from the Spanish shipbuilder Bazan
(now Navantia), and was commissioned by
the Norwegian Navy in January 2011.
The visit was part of a North American
tour for the frigate, which represented Norway at the bicentennial of the outbreak of the
War of 1812, on invitation from the United
States Navy. After visiting several U.S. coastal
cities, beginning in Norfolk on June 7, and
participating in a naval exercise with vessels
from other nations present for the anniversary, Thor Heyerdahl made its final stop in
Halifax before returning home.
10 | news of norway | fall 2012
This part of Nova Scotia has had strong
ties to Norway going back to 1940, when
Camp Norway — where Norwegian sailors
underwent military training during World
War II — was established in Lunenburg.
The ties are so strong that to this day, when
Norwegian sailors visit Halifax, they lay
down flowers at both the Norwegian and
Canadian memorials.
The Canadian Navy joined the crew
onboard Thor Heyerdahl on Tuesday, July
10, followed by an Innovation Norway
breakfast meeting onboard the next day. As
it did during many other stops on the tour,
the Norwegian Navy used the opportunity to
demonstrate the capabilities of its new frigate and its highly advanced missile system,
the Naval Strike System (NSM), developed
by Norwegian company Kongsberg Defense
& Aerospace. According to Assistant Defense
Attaché and Military Attaché Captain Bjørn
Egenberg, the Canadians where very interested in the ship, which is one of the most
modern in the NATO fleet, as they too are
planning new acquisitions.
“The Fridtjof Nansen class frigates were
designed to be manned by a smaller crew
than what is usual for this type of ship.
Steinar engeset
by lasse kolbjørn anke hansen
Captain Bjørn Egenberg of the Norwegian
Embassy in Washington salutes at the
Canadian war monument in Halifax July 11.
Utilizing a high degree of automation, it
only needs half the crew size of comparable
frigates,” said Capt. Egenberg. “This ensures
both lower operating costs and less strain
on the personnel resources of the relatively
small Norwegian Navy. As more countries
are faced with increasing personnel costs,
the Nansen class frigate serves as a good
example of how one can reduce the number
of crew members without affecting the operating capabilities of the vessel.” n
riddu riđđu
the
small but powerful storm
by jan-terje studsvik storaas and lasse kolbjørn anke hansen
Photos courtesy Riddu Riddu
I
n Manndalen, a beautiful but remote village in the municipality of
Kåfjord in Northern Norway, a storm is brewing. A small but powerful storm that draws people from all over the world to its center.
Riddu Riđđu Festivàla is an international indigenous festival
that takes place in July each year in the Coastal Sami municipality
Gáivuotna-Kåfjord in Northern Troms. The Riddu Riđđu Festival,
which takes its name from the Sami word for “small storm on the
coast,” started out as a group of coastal Sami youth who wanted to
revive their culture and language. Due to long-time integration with
the Norwegian population, prejudice and, in earlier days, policies enforcing assimilation, many Sami could no longer speak the language
of their ancestors and were unfamiliar with their own heritage. Many
even felt ashamed of their ethnicity. In 1991, when the first Riddu
Riđđu festival was organized, it was an attempt by this movement of
engaged youth to provide a place where young Sami people could
get together to sing, talk and discover their history and traditions and
build an identity as Coastal Sami. (Coastal Sami are different from
the better-known reindeer-herding Sami. Coastal Sami settled on the
coast and made their livelihood from fishing and farming.)
Over the last 21 years, the ambitious festival has developed into
a leading festival in the fields of arts, culture and music with special
emphasis on the Arctic and the High North. The festival has grown to
become one of the most significant international indigenous festivals
in Europe, and in addition to the strong Coastal Sami profile, the goal
is to include indigenous cultures from all over the world. The festival
typically hosts an audience of about 3,500, and this year’s (which ran
July 11–15) featured more than 100 events, including music, art, film,
theater, dance, literature, workshops and seminars.
“Through our extensive quality programming and network building, Riddu Riđđu has an ambitious goal of becoming the world’s
number-one stage for indigenous performances,” said festival director
Kirsti Lervoll. “We want to bring to the forefront the Coastal Sami
culture and traditions as well as give young indigenous people from
all over the world an arena where they can get to know both their
own and each others backgrounds, exchange views and discuss the
situation of the many indigenous peoples across the world.” n
norway.org | 11
Reader Photos
norwegian snapshot
I
n our last issue, we asked our readers to send in photos of places or things
in Norway that inspire them. We received scores of submissions. On these
pages we present some of the most unusual or interesting. You can see
many more in our online photo gallery at norway.org/non.
Many thanks to all who submitted photos. We wish we had room to print
them all.
On the cover is a photo by Andrea Albertino of Carignano, Italy. We like the
way it captures Norway’s natural beauty, with a nod to its maritime tradition.
For our next issue, we would like to hear about your Norwegian-inspired
holiday traditions. Please see the back cover for details.
When our son graduated from high school we visited Norway to explore our roots. Trondheim is the city that is most
special to us. This photo is from the Sverresborg Trondelag
Folk Museum, depicting the past, and making us wonder
about the dwellings of our ancestors. —Sue Haugan
Wrapped in lambswool they came
to America with 17-year-old Anna
Gustava Hagerud in 1909 from
Magnor, Norway. Anna worked
at the Magnor Glass Factory in
1899. These fragile ornaments
are put on the Christmas tree
every year. She married Magnus
Trostad. These special ornaments
help tell Anna’s story!
—Kathryn E. Trostad
This project, Villa Sognefjord, is something that makes my
partner and me rather proud as we bought this unbelievable place last year and had to totally renovate it. My
whole family and friends helped us with the remarkable
success of renting it out. We are emotionally and passionately connected to it, especially as we are able to share
our love for Norway with them.
—Katharina von Oltersdorff-Kalettka
Visiting the Viking Shop, I ordered a pair of mittens designed
by these two Norwegian girls.
I remember the visit every
winter when the mittens keep
my hands warm. This memory
continues for 48 years in 2012.
— Suzanne Butler
12 | news of norway | fall 2012
As my cousin›s grandchildren and I were
inspecting a gull nest, this gentle giant came
wandering into the meadow! One grandchild
noticed him and ran for the gate, but the other
just said, “Oh.” —Anita Sorensen Schnacky
I appreciate how lush it is whenever I go visit
Norway! The green colors are so rich and the
feeling of health and well-being I experience
by being there is delightful. The sheep feasting on that grass always look very well-fed
and adorable in their own silly way. —Helene
Rein
“Spirit of Norway” is a watercolor I painted following my
1966 stay in Norway. It depicts the Norwegian people’s
historical and intimate relationships with the sea, from voyages of the Vikings to Kon-Tiki to Caribbean cruises, polar
explorations, ship building, global shipping and fishing.
—Mohamed Mekkawi
In 1948 I was an American exchange student
at the U of Oslo. At the end of my year, I
visited my mother’s cousin’s farm on Ostgulen
Fjord. The wife of my mother’s cousin had
a younger sister who was the saeter girl.
She tended and milked the cows. I became
absolutely enamored of her. I’d never met
anyone so innocent and lovely. I spent a lot of
the short time I had up at the saeter — where
we picnicked, frolicked and explored to our
hearts’ content. When my time was up, her
sister allowed her to go with me on the boat
back to Bergen, where sadly I had to take the
train to Oslo and then home to America.
I never saw her again. —Ken Kvammen
The Holberg statue in downtown Bergen is
one of our favorite Norway art works. So we
were amused to see this immobile “statue” of
Holberg by the harbor.
I asked him if he was Holberg, but of
course he did not move until I gave him some
money. —James Holden
This view of the Geiranger Fjord embodies much of the natural beauty of Norway,
featuring its mountains, fjord, forests and the
community of Geiranger. To show the vastness of this view, the small dot one-third of
the distance between land and the cruise ship
on the left is a canoe. —Norm Carlson
Holmestrand is the hometown of my husband
and when we visit his parents and siblings, we
get to enjoy this view. —Lorie Johnson
The small fishing village of Rørvik is special to
me because my mother was born here. She
immigrated to America in 1925. Mother loved
America but always kept a warm spot in her
heart for Norway and Rørvik, as I also do.
—Norm Paulsen
In the middle of a long hike in the mountains, I
paused to replenish my energy the Norwegian
way — with a mackerel sandwich.
—Kristin Jesnes
Vestfold is an area rich in Viking artifacts and
the city of Tønsberg is building an exact reproduction of the Oseberg ship using techniques
and replicas of tools from the Viking Age. Stunning craftsmanship! —Lisa Gade Asquini
The church at Tautra Mariakloster is a monastery of Trappistine nuns on an island (Tautra)
in the Trondheim fjord. Queen Sonja laid, and
signed, the cornerstone in May, 2003. The
architect who designed the monastery won a
prize for his design. I find that the beauty of
the fjord seen through the glass wall behind
the altar and the simplicity of the church are a
great inspiration to gratitude and prayer.
—Sr. Sheryl Frances Chen, OCSO
norway.org | 13
Norway Launches a New Oil App
I
n cooperation with the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (MPD), the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy
(MPE) has developed Oil Facts, an app dedicated to
the Norwegian petroleum industry.
The app provides key figures, maps, facts and news
updates. It also features an analysis function and an
energy calculator.
The app gives people interested in the Norwegian petroleum industry access to a high-quality, comprehensive
reference database of up-to-date information.
The app is based on the annual publication Facts: The
Norwegian Petroleum Sector, which MPE and MPD publish jointly. It was developed by the company Applaud.
“I believe that everyone who is interested in the
Norwegian oil and gas industry will discover that this is
a helpful, easy-to-use tool. The app is full of useful information. I hope that it will help to increase knowledge
about the Norwegian petroleum industry,” said Minister
of Petroleum and Energy Ola Borten Moe.
Oil Facts is currently available only to iPhone, iPod
Touch and iPad users.
The app is free, and can be downloaded from www.
oilfacts.no or via the App Store. n
Security Council Chamber Redesign
by hansine korslien
A Security Council
Chamber stripped of
everything but concrete and a recess
where the famous
round Norwegian
table stood.
F
or the first time, The United Nations’ Security
Council Chamber is being renovated. And Norway
is playing a special role in the restoration.
Norway will contribute $5 million to the renovation
of the Security Council Chamber, and an additional
$3.2 million to the entire renovation of the United Nations headquarters in New York.
The U.N. headquarters in New York is undergoing its
first renovation since Trygve Lie, the first Norwegian
U.N. Secretary General, opened the place in the early
1950s. Norway is committed to maintaining a Norwegian identity in the U.N. Security Council Chamber,
which Norway gave as a gift to the U.N. in 1952.
The U.N. Capital Master Plan from 2006 affirms that
all member states will contribute to the renovation, with
a total budget of $1.9 billion.
The value of the Norwegian identity in the Security
Council chamber is priceless. The décor in the Security
Chamber was designed by Norwegian architecture Arnstein Arneberg, and includes straw wallpaper from Biri,
Else Poulsson–designed fabric on the walls, Norwegian
furniture and Per Krogh’s world-famous image of a
phoenix rising from a world in ashes. The U.N. requested that the Norwegian gift would be reinstalled after
the renovation, which ensures a well-kept Norwegian
identity.
14 | news of norway | fall 2012
Martin Fossum/Norwegian General Consulate
The renovation is essential for continued operations
in the U.N., and involves a new infrastructure, updated
electrical equipment, better lighting and ventilation.
The Norwegian focus has been on restoration rather
than replacement. The chamber will open in its restored
form in January 2013. n
The Security Council Chamber by the
Numbers
First meeting held: April 4, 1952.
Official inauguration: August 22, 1952.
Dimensions: Floor space of 157 x 95 ft.
Capacity: 120 seats for the press and 400 for the
general public.
Old School
Recipe from Gudrun’s Kitchen
T
he youngest of a large Norwegian immigrant
family, Gudrun Thue Sandvold was known for
her beaming blue eyes and a reserve that gave
way to laughter whenever she got together with her
sisters. She took immeasurable pride in her children
and grandchildren, kept an exquisite home, and turned
the most mundane occasion into a party. And to all who
knew her, Gudrun’s cooking was the stuff of legend.
Part cookbook, part immigrant story, and part family
memoir, Gudrun’s Kitchen: Recipes from a Norwegian
Family (Paperback: $22.95, ISBN: 978-0-87020-4623) features hundreds of Gudrun Sandvold’s recipes for
comfort food from a time when families and friends
gathered at the table and connected with one another
every single day.
This book is much more than a guide to Norwegian
culinary traditions; it is an important contribution to
immigrant history and a vital documentation of our nation’s multicultural heritage. n
chicken fricassee
This is a good way to prepare older
chickens, as they are always made tender
by long and slow cooking. Gudrun often
made this dish and served it on baking
powder biscuits or with dumplings to the
Lutheran Church Ladies Group, along with
mint juleps with fresh sprigs of mint from
the garden. Begin this recipe several hours
or one day ahead.
We like to use the Norwegian birch
sticks for stirring sauces so they won’t get
lumps or stick. These are always foolproof.
If you don’t have them, you can use a wire
whisk to make the sauce smooth.
Pinch of salt and pepper
1-inch piece of ginger root, grated
1 whole onion
3 quarts boiling water
½ cup diced onion
½ cup diced celery
½ cup diced carrot
Fricassee Sauce
¼ cup poultry fat or butter
¼ cup flour
1 ½ cups hot chicken stock
½ cup hot cream
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
3 ½ pounds chicken legs, thighs, and
breasts, cut into pieces (or you can cook
a whole hen chicken for 1 ½ hours with a
piece of ginger and a whole onion in the
cooking water)
Place chicken in a large bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss with grated
ginger and add a whole onion, cover, and
refrigerate for several hours or overnight.
Place chicken in a pot, add whole onion
and ginger, cover with boiling water, and
simmer over low heat, covered, for 3
hours.
Add diced onion, celery, and carrot, and
cook until vegetables are tender. Drain the
chicken and vegetables and set aside.
Discard the whole onion.
Let the chicken cool, remove the meat
from the bone, and return the meat to the
cream sauce before serving.
cream sauce
To make the sauce, melt fat or butter in
a frying pan large enough to hold the
chicken. Add flour, and, while stirring with
a whisk, gradually pour in the hot chicken
stock. Add the hot cream and continue
stirring until gravy has thickened. Season
gravy with salt and pepper and add chicken to pan, spooning gravy over chicken.
Let cook a few more minutes and serve.
Visit Us Online
Additional News of Norway content: norway.org/non
The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Washington: norway.org
The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Ottawa: emb-norway.ca
See a full listing of events around the U.S. at norway.org/calendar
norway.org | 15
news of norway
Royal Norwegian Embassy
2720 34th St., NW
Washington DC 20008
202.333.6000
norway.org
Andrea Albertino
on the cover
Reader Andrea Albertino
submitted this photo
of a boat in Lofoten, in
the county of Nordland,
Norway. See more
readers’ photos below
and on pp. 12–13.
news of norway
Readers’ Photos
Please see pp. 12–13 for a collection of photos by our readers.
More can be seen online at norway.org/non. Below is a photo
by reader Dean Brekke. On our front cover is a beautiful shot by
reader Andrea Albertino.
3 | 2012
Call for Writers
How do you celebrate your Norwegian heritage during the holidays? By cooking a special dish, reenacting a ceremony, displaying a family heirloom, or donning a cherished bunad? If so, tell
your fellow News of Norway readers about it.
Please send us your submission of no more than 250 words,
and you might see your words in print.
Email: [email protected]
Mail: A late afternoon stroll around Bergen’s harbor gave my wife and me
this opportunity to catch the fish market in the waning sunlight with
Mount Floren as a backdrop. The absolute calm of the water still
evokes the peaceful moment. —Dean Brekke
Kenneth Krattenmaker, Editor
News of Norway
Royal Norwegian Embassy
2720 34th St NW
Washington DC 20008
Include your name, address, and a daytime phone number.
All submissions become the property of the Royal Norwegian
Embassy. Entries may be edited for length or clarity.
Entries must be received by November 14, 2012. Tusen takk!