November 4, 2022 - Welcome home to the new Norway House!

Photo: Coppersmith Photography

the new addition to Norway House was officially opened by Queen Sonja of Norway.

Nyheter

Nå skal det bli lettere å søke i offentlige dokumenter

En ny søkemotor skal gjøre det enklere å finne fram i dokumenter fra departement er og statlige virksomheter. Den har fått navnet Kudos og ble åpnet 10. oktober.

De store søkemotorene er ikke til passet forvaltningens krav til søkeresul tater, mener Direktoratet for forvaltning og økonomistyring, som har samarbeidet med Departementenes sikkerhets- og serviceorganisasjon og Nasjonalbib lioteket om Kudos.

Kudos står for «kunnskapsdoku menter i offentlig sektor» og har samlet 17.000 dokumenter på ett sted. (NTB)

Svalbard Reiselivsråd bryter båndene til Russland

På grunn av Russlands krig i Ukraina har styret i Svalbard Reiselivsråd, som eier Visit Svalbard, besluttet å ekskludere det russiske statseide selskapet Trust Arcticugol fra foreningen.

Vedtaket om å ekskludere selskapet ble besluttet i et styremøte 12. okt., opplyser foreningen i en pressemelding.

— Alle produkter, reiser, tjenester eller andre tilbud med enhver form for tilknytning til russiske, statseide selskaper på Svalbard, fjernes fra Visit Svalbards plattformer, skriver selskapet.

—Vi vil fortelle omverden at Russlands invasjon av Ukraina ikke er noe vi passivt kan sitte og se på, sier Styreleder Ronny Strømnes i både Svalbard Reiselivsråd og Visit Svalbard AS. (NTB)

Hurtigtog til Stockholm kan gi en halv million færre flyreiser Jernbanedirektoratet og det svenske Trafikverket har studert mulighetene for en oppgradering av deler av strekningen mellom Oslo og Arvika—noe som kan gi raskere togreiser mellom Oslo og Stockholm.

I studien kommer de fram til at en åpning i 2040 kan føre til at i underkant av en halv million flyreiser vil erstattes med tog, opplyser Jernbanedirektoratet til NTB.

Men kostnadene kan bli så store at studien konkluderer med at de aktuelle oppgraderingene ikke vil ha samfunnsøko nomisk nytte, skriver Aftenposten — Samfunnsøkonomisk netto nå-verdi er minus 9,5 milliarder. Men det er ganske vanlig at man får negativ samfunnsøkono misk nytte i store jernbaneprosjekter fordi det er så dyrt å bygge, sier Bente Bukholm, prosjektleder for mulighetsstudien i Jern banedirektoratet. (NTB)

Norge tilbyr helsehjelp for Ukrainere

Flere sårede soldater kommer i tiden framover

NTB

Statsminister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) regner med det vil komme flere ukrainske soldater og sivile for å få helsehjelp i Norge i tiden framover.

— Det er slik at det nå kommer soldater. Vi forventer flere framover, både soldater og sivile, sier Støre.

Statsministeren var til stede 3. oktober i trontaledebatten på Stortinget for å redegjøre om evakuerte ukrainske soldater. Flere par tier har stilt spørsmål ved om de får gratis helsehjelp i Norge.

— Prinsippet er at kommer de til Norge, så får de gratis sykehusbehandling. Det til budet har vi gjort klart. Det har vært noen spørsmål fra ukrainsk side om det er gratis behandling på sykehus. Det er det, sa Støre.

Han viste til at Norge bidrar gjennom den felles europeiske ordningen for å evakuere sårede soldater og sivile ut fra Ukraina.

—Norge er i toppen i Europa i sånne transporter. Det handler blant annet om et høyt antall transporter til land nær Ukraina,

fordi mange pasienter ønsker å bli behandlet der. Vi har også mottatt mange til Norge, men vi har større kapasitet, sa Støre.

Støre sa at Norge har gitt tilbud om evakuering av over 300 personer. Inntil 3. oktober hadde det kommet 99 pasienter til behandling på norske sykehus, sammen med 60 pårørende.

— Norges tilbud skiller ikke mellom si

vile og militære, og vi tar også imot militære, sier Støre.

Regjeringen besluttet at Norge kan hente inntil 550 sårede ukrainere. I juni ankom de første sårede ukrainske soldatene Norge.

English synopsis: Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre is counting on that Ukrainian wounded soldiers and civil ians will be coming to Norway for medical treatment.

Energiministeren sier nei til atomkraft

Milliardær vil starte kjernekraft i Norge

Milliardær Trond Mohn vil starte kjernekraft verk i Norge. Energiminister Terje Aasland sier at kjernekraft ikke er en aktuell problem stilling i Norge.

—Kjernekraft har en rekke krevende sider knyttet til kostnader, sikkerhet og ikke minst når det gjelder oppbevaring av avfall. Vår vurdering er at kjernekraft ikke er en ak tuell problemstilling i Norge, skriver Terje Aasland (Ap) i en epost til VG

Avisen skrev tidligere at milliardær Trond Mohn er hovedaksjonær i det nystift ede selskapet Norsk Kjernekraft, som jobber for å få på plass flere små kjernekraftverk i Norge om 10 til 15 år.

— Dette er startet etter flere år med analyser av om det er realistisk at vi klarer å gjennomføre dette på 10 til 15 år. Deretter om det er noe Norge trenger og noe det vil være

Bilde: Colourbox Kjernekraft er ikke aktuellt i Norge i dag.

politisk vilje til, sa daglig leder Jonny Hest hammer til VG

Det har aldri vært kommersiell drift av kjernekraft i Norge, og det finnes ikke konses jonsprosesser og myndigheter til å godkjenne dette. Selskapet har per i dag tre ansatte. Blant dem er kjernefysiker og kjernekraftforkjem per Sunniva Rose.

Aasland

Foto: Lise Åserud

Norges

Energiminister Aasland sier at regjerin gen heller vil satse mer på vannkraft, vind kraft og etter hvert også solkraft.

Foto: Javad Parsa / NTB

Statsminister Jonas Gahr Støre under pressekonferansen sammen med president Volodymyr Zelensky. Støre besøkte fredag Ukraina og fikk se konsekvensene av den russiske invasjonen.

English synopsis: Billionaire Trond Mohn would like to build atomic energy plants in Norway, but Minister of Oil and Energy Terje Aasland has said no to the idea.

Government presents budget for 2023

Press reports on tough measures for tough times

NTB

Responsible economic policy and reduced use of oil money are the keywords for the government’s state budget, which has been referred to as by far the tightest in a long time.

On Oct. 6, Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum (Center Party) presented his first state budget.

Both he and Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Labor Party) have repeatedly warned that this budget will be tight. They have em phasized that many will be disappointed. Terms such as “responsible economic pol icy” and “reduced use of oil money” have been mentioned frequently.

When the government presented its policy for the next parliamentary year in the ceremonial opening of the Storting on Oct. 3, rising prices and the war in Ukraine were consistent themes.

“There is war in Europe, extensive droughts and floods as a result of climate change, rising prices, rising interest rates, and an acute energy crisis in large parts of the world,” said the king on behalf of the government.

“Tough measures”

This was the backdrop when the state budget was presented on Oct. 13. Støre told NTB that throughout his time in government and the Storting for 20 years, there have never been tougher measures than what the government is doing in this national budget.

“For the first time in decades, our part of the world is experiencing inflation. If it gets stuck at a high level, we’re in big trouble. Then we have to take action early, and those

measures are tough,” said Støre.

The Socialist Left Party (SV) is the gov ernment parties’ preferred negotiating partner on the budget and thus holds the key to secur ing a majority for the budget in the Storting.

SV leader Audun Lysbakken has prom ised the government that the budget nego tiations will be tough, and the party has an nounced that they will look for a clear climate profile in the state budget when it is presented.

Ukraine support

The war in Ukraine has led to the most dramatic security policy situation Europe has seen in 60 years. This has had consequences for the Norwegian defense.

Defense Minister Bjørn Arild Gram (Cen ter Party) promised more money to strengthen Norway’s armed forces. However, the details of this were not made known in advance.

In addition, the government increased support to Ukraine by up to NOK 10 billion in 2022 and 2023, of which NOK 3 billion will be allocated next year.

Tax measures

The government has proposed introduc ing a ground rent tax for the aquaculture in dustry and increasing ground rent taxation as well as introducing a high price tax for energy producers. In total, this will increase tax rev enues by NOK 33 billion annually.

The comprehensive measures are intend ed to close the gaps in the national budget. Costs for electricity support and defense and ever-increasing expenses for national insur ance make it necessary to obtain new income, according to Støre and Vedum when they pre sented the proposal in early October.

There will be a six-point plan for electric ity savings. The list includes NOK 1.1 billion for Enova, which will be used to conserve electricity in Norwegian homes.

The state budget also contains a number of other tax measures, including raising divi dend tax in addition to income tax for those who earn over NOK 750,000.

> BUDGET continued on page 4

Norwegian Parliament opens on Oct. 3

News in brief

Nordic security was the topic when Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre hosted the president of Finland on Oct. 10.

“I don’t think Putin is capable of accepting defeat,” said the president.

Finnish President Sauli Niinistö met Støre at an event at the House of Literature in Oslo and later in the day in the prime minister’s residence. Their common neighbor to the east was a recurring theme at the following press conference.

There, Niinistö said that he has little faith that the war in Ukraine will end with Putin accepting any kind of defeat.

“The West’s task, if you want to put it that way, is not to offer or look for a way out for Putin,” Niinistö continued.

Støre emphasizes that the Finnish president is one of the people who has had the most contact with Putin over the years and knows Putin relatively well.

(NTB)

The Endometriosis Association wins the 2022 Jenteprisen

The 2022 Jenteprisen award went to the Endometriosis Association for their work in increasing knowledge and awareness of the women’s disease endometriosis.

“For more than 25 years, the Endometriosis Association has tirelessly and voluntarily worked to increase knowledge about underdiagnosed women’s diseases, and in a larger perspective managed to focus on women’s health. The jury is very impressed with the work,” said jury leader Hege Yli Melhus Ask in a press release.

The female disease endometriosis is characterized by severe pain during menstruation and intercourse, as well as problems with conception.

The disease affects one in 10 women of childbearing age, and costs society a fortune in sick days and treatments. Nevertheless, only 1.6% of women receive the correct diagnosis, research from Aarhus University shows.

Every year, Jenteprisen is awarded to a person, organization, or company in Norway that has made an extra effort to stop violence, abuse, and discrimination against girls—in Norway or elsewhere. Plan International Norge and Costume award the prize.

(NTB)

Almost 60% want Princess Märtha Louise to renounce title

NTB

During the Storting’s ceremonial opening on Oct. 3, the chairs for the queen and the crown prince were mistakenly changed.

“Shouldn’t happen again,” said the pres ident of the Storting.

The opening of the Storting is a tradi tional session with no shortage of etiquette. The king sits on the royal throne in the mid dle, with the queen and crown prince on each side.

The two chairs are almost identical, but the queen’s chair has a closed crown on top, while the crown prince’s chair has an open crown. At the Oct. 3 sessions, however, they were switched because of an error.

“It is true that the regalia on the two chairs were mistakenly changed yesterday, and that will not happen again. We discov ered this only after the ceremony was over,” wrote Storting President Masud Gharah

khani (Ap) in an email to VG.

Royal House expert Trond Norén Isak sen believes that the change of seats was a letdown by the Storting.

“In the grand scheme of things, it’s not important, but it is symbolically important and important for etiquette and protocol,” he

said to the newspaper.

“Placing her on a prince’s chair is a pro tocol-related downgrading of the queen, and placing him on a queen’s chair is a protocolrelated upgrade of the crown prince,” said Isaksen.

Almost 60% of Norwegians want Märtha Louise to renounce the title of princess, according to surveys carried out by Nett avisen and Dagbladet. Men and the el derly answered to the greatest extent that she should give up the title.

In Nettavisen’s survey, 56.12% re sponded that they believed Märtha must renounce her royal titles and represen tative responsibilities. Only 22.45% an swered no.

In Dagbladet’s survey, 53.9% of those questioned answered that Märtha should give up the title, while 23% said no.

The reason why more and more Norwegians are turning their backs on Märtha is several recent statements from her fiance, Durek Verrett. Several as sociations have also chosen to end their collaboration with the princess.

Märtha Louise’s manager, Carina Scheele Carlsen, said to NTB that they have no comment on the surveys. Netta visen and Dagbladet wrote that the royal palace also will not comment.

(NTB)

Norway and Finland discussed Nordic security

Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon seated on the wrong chairs

Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre (Ap) hands over the throne speech to King Harald during the opening of the 167th Storting on Oct. 3. Queen Sonja is pictured to the left and Crown Prince Haakon to the right.

Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB

Finance Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vedum met up with the press before presenting the 2023 budget to the Norwegian parliament on Oct. 3.

Doctors, culture, and diesel tax

NOK 690 million will go toward strengthening the general practitioner pro gram, reported VG. At the same time, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (FHI) can expect a sharp cut, according to Aften posten, which writes that it is estimated that close to 250 positions may be cut.

The culture sector, which has put two de manding pandemic years behind it, has been warned that many of the government’s cul tural promises from the Hurdal platform will be put on hold. In last year’s budget, about 0.9% of the state budget went to culture, and the proportion will not be higher in this year’s budget, the government has announced.

The diesel tax will be cut by NOK 1.3 billion, Dagbladet wrote. The tax cut in volves a reduction of around 50 øre of the price at the pump after an increase in the CO2 tax and tax on biofuel have been factored in.

At the same time, the government plans to offer free kindergarten to everyone who lives in the action zone in Finnmark and Nord-Troms, according to NRK.

More leaks on the new state budget

* The rate for wealth tax may be in creased, according to Dagbladet. Last year, the rate was increased by 1.35% for those with assets over NOK 20 million, following negotiations with the Socialist Left Party on the state budget.

* Several road projects may be post poned, among them the E134 Oslofjord con nection, E134 Røldal-Seljestad in Vestland, E6 Megården-Mørsvikbotn in Nordland and E16 Hylland-Slæen in Vestland. Initiated projects will not be postponed or cut, includ ing the controversial development of the E18 westward (West Corridor).

* According to NRK, the government proposes that foreign students will have to pay for their education in Norway going forward.

* According to Vårt Land, the target of providing 1% of the national income in for eign aid will probably fail in the state budget for 2023 due to large oil and gas revenues. In 2016, a majority in the Storting decided that 1% of GDP should be set aside for aid in the annual budgets.

* The trade union deduction increases to NOK 7,700, sources informed Dagbladet

* According to VG, the government has set aside NOK 96 million in additional funds for sports equipment and leisure activities for children and young people.

* High school students receive an in creased stipend. In total, the government proposes to increase the funds allocated for grants to students who live away from home by NOK 57.3 million and the equipment grant by NOK 50.1 million in 2023. For the living-away stipend, this means an increase of NOK 660 per month, the Center Party and Labor Party informed Adresseavisen and VG

* The oil tax package will be continued in the government’s proposal for the state budget, but there may be adjustments, Dag bladet learned. There may be adjustments in or around the oil tax package to collect more money directly from the oil compa nies. These amounts could be in the billions, according to sources with insight into the newspaper’s budget work.

* The government will spend NOK 900 million on young people who are struggling, in what they call the “youth pledge.” In its proposal for the state budget, the govern ment will prioritize several measures to help young people into work or education. They will also strengthen mental health services.

An opinion column about current issues in Norway and the United States

Join the conversation!

We must avoid treating people differently

As a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, millions of people have had their lives changed overnight. For the third time in re cent times, Europe is in a mass migration situation, and there was never any doubt that Norway would contribute. That we have done.

The authorities have been clear about their support from Day One and, under ex traordinary circumstance, have taken mea sures to be able to receive a large number of people in a short time. The municipali ties have set themselves up to settle far more refugees than they had planned for this year, and people all over the country have taken in collections, made donations, and signed up as volunteers.

Stretch out a hand

In an article in NRK Ytring, Secretary General of the Norwegian Red Cross Bernt Apeland has warned that refugees are treat ed differently in Norway.

He points out that refugees from coun tries other than Ukraine face a challenging everyday life with increasing uncertainty when they experience that Ukrainian refu gees are sent to the front of the line. That shouldn’t be the case.

We have gained a lot of experience through having taken in a large number of refugees in a short period of time.

Apeland points out that refugees from Ukraine get free tickets to movie theaters and concerts, activities, and discounted bus tickets from various sources. He writes that “no one wants to deprive anyone of a free ticket or other gifts. We must, however, expand what we are offering, so that even more people can benefit from the solidarity that Norwegians are now showing Ukraini ans.” I agree with that.

I want to encourage private individuals, businesses, and organizations to extend a helping hand, regardless of whether those in need come from Ukraine, Eritrea, or Syria.

Collective protection

So far this year, over 30,000 asylum seekers have come to Norway, most of them from Ukraine. The situation in Ukraine and surrounding areas is unpredictable, and

there is great uncertainty about how many refugees will arrive in the future.

In the mass migration situation that Eu rope now finds itself in, it is necessary to take measures to increase the efficiency of the early settlement phase. Temporary col lective protection for all those who have had to flee Ukraine is one of these measures.

This protection is valid for one year at a time, because the need is assumed to be temporary. How the war develops will de termine whether this temporary protection is extended.

So far this year, 20,000 refugees are liv ing in a single municipality. This is a historic number, and the municipalities have under gone a formidable effort.

Under normal circumstance, refugees and asylum-seekers can apply for permanent residence, and the placement process is com prehensive and takes longer to implement and makes for a more reliable settlement policy.

For refugees with collective protection, the placement procedure is simpler in order to settle them in more quickly, so that the ca pacity for taking them in is not exceeded and that people can get started with a normal ev eryday life as soon as possible.

Letter to the Editor

farmer’s daughter from western Washington, I was delighted when several times the pil grimage went straight through a field to hook up again with a path on the other side.

Shorter waiting time

The average waiting time from a deci sion on a residency permit application to actual settlement for all is now 1.8 months for all refugees. This is a sharp decrease that benefits all those who are to be settled.

As a result, with this temporary collec tive protection, certain rights are also weak ened. For example, people who have fled Ukraine do not have the same educational opportunities as other refugees.

To remedy this situation and to make it possible for voluntary organizations to scale up and focus their work, extra subsidies were given to voluntary organizations, along with other provisions. The Red Cross also re ceived part of this grant. The grant was ear marked to ensure that benefits quickly reach as many refugees as possible.

We have gained a lot of experience by having received a large number of refugees in a short period of time. It gives us the op portunity to learn and assess whether some of the adaptations made this time can and should be made more long-term.

I want the authorities, municipalities, and volunteers to figure that out together.

Dear editor,

I loved reading your rendition, Lori Ann, of our journey of self-discovery along the Nidaros Pilgrimage (Sept. 2, 2022, “Coming to inner knowledge along the way”). I want to add what I learned—or re learned—on the journey.

The first is that, once again, I find Nor way to be the most beautiful country I know. Our walk from Oslo to Lillehammer was mostly through farmland. Acre after acre, across rolling hills, the fields were golden with stands of barley, oats, or wheat. As a

My second learning came about when one of our fellow hikers became extremely ill. Even though years ago I had lived in Nor way, I’d never used the health-care system. We had whiplash when we helped our sick friend pay at the conclusion of each visit to urgent care or the ER. We asked ourselves whether the bill could possibly be accu rate when we realized that her comprehen sive doctor visits were $33 in one case, and slightly more in the other two visits. Must be what some Americans are afraid of, namely subsidized health care.

Two lessons I learned walking from Oslo to Lillehammer in August of 2022: The beauty of the Norwegian countryside and the bonus of subsidized health care.

The opinions expressed by opinion writers featured in “On the Edge” are not necessarily those of The Norwegian American, and our publication of those views is not an endorsement of them. Comments, suggestions, and complaints about the opinions expressed by the paper’s editorials should be directed to the editor.

Photo: Javad Parsa / NTB

Marte Mjøs Persen (Labor Party.) has served as Norway’s minister of labor and social inclusion since 2022 and was minister of petroleum and energy from 2021 to 2022. She served as the mayor of Bergen from 2015 to 2021, when she was elected to the Storting.

MarTe Mjøs PerseN Minister of Labor and Social Inclusion

Kristine Leander, Ph.D. President Leif Erikson International Foundation Seattle

Photo courtesy of Kristine Leander For Kristine Leander, Norway is the most beautiful country, with the added bonus of great health care.

OPINION

PO Box 30863, Seattle, WA 98113 Tel: (206) 784-4617 · Email: naw@na-weekly.com

More than just flags and lutefisk

Dear readers and friends,

It was a crisp sunny day in Minneapolis on Oct. 15, when the new addition to Norway House was officially opened by Queen Sonja of Norway. The queen’s presence heightened the sense of excitement for the large crowd that had gathered. But for me, there was an other somewhat unexpected highlight when I was invited to sit down one-on-one with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota.

I learned that while she cannot claim any Norwegian ancestry, Klobuchar is a very good friend of Norway. “Norway is one of our best friends,” she said. In our conversation, she stressed the importance of this friendship over and over again.

“This was a very important moment for Minnesota,” Klobuchar said. “Norway House is a gathering place for what Norway does best: dialogue and freedom of expression. This how you further democracy.”

The senator also underlined the impor tance of cultural exchange. “There is hard and soft diplomacy,” she said. “Norway House will be a place where all this will take place.”

She was excited that the new event center will provide more space for larger gatherings. With Norway House’s inner-city location with the historic 100-year-old Mindekirken directly across from it, there is a symbolic connection or transition of past and present.

“You have to remember the past and look to the future,” Klobuchar said. “Our coun tries fought together in World War II, creat ing a strong bond. And today, the transatlantic alliance is just as important as ever. We are working together on important issues, climate change, for example, Arctic issues ... It is about more than just flags and lutefisk.”

In this context, Klobuchar underlined the importance of the exchange between the Min nesota National Guard and the Norwegian Home Guard, in which Norwegian soldiers come to Minnesota for training. This program has been in place for over 49 years.

I briefly mentioned the trip I made last summer to Eidsvoll in Norway, where I learned more about the influence our U.S. Constitution had on the Norwegian Constitu tion signed there on May 17, 1814.

“We share common values,” she said. “There is a strong bond between us with deep roots. We understand each other.”

Finally, our conversation turned to a topic close to Sen. Klobuchar’s heart and my own: journalism. Her father was a newspaperman, and she understands the value of the press in

strengthening a democracy. I was happy to learn more about the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act to allow news organiza tions to jointly negotiate fair terms for access to their content by Google, Facebook, and other dominant platforms—a very good idea.

I was proud to share a little about the his tory of our newspaper, The Norwegian Ameri can, publishing since May 17, 1889. As a pro gram of Norway House, we honor the past, celebrate the present, and look forward to the future. It is our common goal to strengthen the

friendship between Norway and the United States for many years to come.

With this, I dedicate this issue to Queen Sonja and all my colleagues and friends at Norway House and Mindekirken—congratu lations on a wonderful grand opening and cel ebration of your ongoing commitment to our greater Norwegian-American community!

Lori Ann Reinhall, editor-in-chief Lori Ann

Publisher Norway House

Publisher Emeritus Ragnar Meyer-Knutsen

Editor-in-chief Lori Ann Reinhall loriann@na-weekly.com

Business & Sports Editor Michael Kleiner michael@na-weekly.com

Taste of Norway Editor Kristi Bissell food@na-weekly.com

Travel Editor Cynthia Elyce Rubin travel@na-weekly.com

Design Editor Beth Holmes naw@na-weekly.com

Editorial Assistant Ragnhild Hjeltnes ragnhild@na-weekly.com

Copy Editor Becky Kruse Gjendem naw@na-weekly.com

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Subscriptions subscribe@na-weekly.com

Executive Board of Directors

Ragnar Meyer-Knutsen

President, Sealift Inc.

Lori Ann Reinhall

Editor-in-chief, The Norwegian American Christina Carleton

Executive Director, Norway House Robert Tunheim

Partner, Ballard Spahr, LLP, Loren Anderson

Former President, Pacific Lutheran University

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Photo: Kristi Bissell

Editor-in-chief Lori Ann Reinhall sat down with U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar at Norway House on Oct. 15.

Photo: Coppersmith Photography

The American and Norwegian flags fly proudly on the Norway House plaza with historic Mindekirken.

No to nuclear Norway

Is atomic energy a viable option in today’s world?

Project in which Norway was involved and the 2019 hijacking of the Norwegian cargo ship MV Bonita show that any facility can be targeted, interrupting supplies.

With the warnings of energy crises across Europe during the coming winter, includ ing rolling blackouts, talk inevitably turns to guaranteeing supplies and reducing de mand. On the supply side, nuclear power is raised, with Norway so far not pursuing this pathway for domestic electricity generation. Should the country’s future embrace nuclear for the coming years and decades?

Two main forms of nuclear-fueled elec tricity generation exist. Nuclear fission splits atoms into other elements, and nuclear fusion combines atoms into other elements, each process releasing a large amount of heat. This heat boils water into steam, which drives tur bines or rotors generating electricity.

Currently, nuclear fusion reactors are not available, while nuclear fission reactors operate around the world. Uranium is the typical fuel that, after use, can be processed along with the by-product plutonium for fur ther electricity generation. Small amounts of fuel can produce large amounts of electricity for an extended time period.

Yet Norway has been reluctant to adopt nuclear power, instead focusing on being “nuclear free,” not just for energy but for other applications, including weapons. Nor way, though, has not always been entirely free from or opposed to nuclear.

Aside from not yet having endorsed the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weap ons (although participating as an observer) while supporting its allies’ right to have and possibly use nuclear weapons, the country built nuclear reactors for research. The last two were separately shut down in 2018 for

maintenance. Later, it was decided not to de commission them.

Other countries challenge Norway’s nu clear-free status. Also in 2018, Russia moved the Akademik Lomonosov, a floating nuclear power plant constructed in St. Petersburg,

to its far east. The trip passed along much of Norway’s coastline. In 2000, the Russian nuclear-powered submarine Kursk sank in the Barents Sea, around 155 miles from the border with Norway. Norway continually worries that other countries’ nuclear-powered vessels might run into problems near Norway, including around the High Arctic islands.

Yet the likelihood of nuclear energy from within Norway remains low. Most no tably, the process for approving and building a nuclear power plant takes years, so nuclear cannot meet short-term needs. Many other objections would impede attempts to start the process.

Nuclear power would not necessar ily improve the reliability or cleanliness of electricity generation. The plant’s fuel and construction materials must be extracted and transported to Norway, processes with their own energy costs and pollution. The 2013 terrorist attack on Algeria’s Amenas Gas

Another security issue is potential nu clear power plant disasters. How safe would any nuclear power plant in Norway be from terrorist attacks, tsunamis, and other hazards?

The March 11, 2011, tsunami in Japan led to a major nuclear power catastrophe that came close to affecting the world and continues to be a concern in Japan today. Norway suffered significant radioactive fall out after two nuclear power plant disasters: Windscale, England, in 1957 and Chernobyl, USSR, in 1986, both caused entirely by hu man errors. A conflict-related nuclear power plant catastrophe affecting Norway became frighteningly real in 2022 when Russia occu pied Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with concerns about competent opera tion, weapons damage, and sabotage.

All these issues are short term. Para mount among reasons for opposing nuclear power is the long-term challenge of radioac tive waste storage and disposal.

Radioactive nuclear fission waste stays highly dangerous for over a millennium, an order of magnitude longer that humanity has regularly used electricity. Other products need to be stored for more than 10 times lon ger again, over 20,000 years. Consider the cost and security. With Norway experiencing several moderate earthquakes per century, what is the largest one that could shake the country during a stretch longer than the time since the last Ice Age?

Many ingenious ways of rendering nu clear waste harmless exist on paper and are being explored. Given human creativity, a practical method might emerge at any point, but there is no guarantee.

So, how will Norwegians keep warm this winter? Within the plethora of options, their own nuclear power is not included.

Ilan Kelman is professor of Disasters and Health at Uni versity College London, Eng land, and professor II at the University of Agder, Norway. His overall research inter est is linking disasters and health, including the integra tion of climate change into disaster research and health research. Follow him at www.ilankelman.org and @ILANKELMAN on Twitter and Instagram.

IlaN KelMaN Agder, Norway

Photo: Colourbox

With energy prices rising to new heights and shortages imminent in Europe, is nuclear energy a viable option for Norway?

Soccer sensation

Molde “roses” above the rest in Eliteserien

MIchael KleINer Business & Sports Editor The Norwegian American

A tie would have done it, but, of course, a win is more exciting if you’re going to clinch a championship. Molde couldn’t have waited much longer to get the win. In the sixth min ute of stoppage time in the second half, Et zaz Hussain poked one home to give Molde a 1-0 victory over host Lillestrøm on Oct. 16. It enabled the team from the City of Roses to clinch the Eliteserien championship with four games left, breaking the two-year reign of Bodø/Glimt.

It was Molde’s 13th straight victory since mid-July–breaking the previous record of 11 set by Lillestrøm in 1986–and improved its record to 21 wins-3 draws-2 losses for 66 points and 61-21 goals advantage. They will fall short of B/G’s single season point record of 81 in 2020.

It was the team from Romdal’s first title since 2019, fifth overall, all since 2011 (2011, 2012, 2014 and 2019).

“We played very well today,” Hussain, who scored his second goal of the season, said to Discovery. “I was served a brilliant pass, so then it was just a matter of putting it in.”

Bodø/Glimt wasn’t going quietly. It tried to score as many goals as possible to cut into Molde’s goal differential advantage, the tiebreaker. Behind two goals from Amahl Pel legrino–who led the league with 23 goals–B/G routed Vålerenga 6-0. The week before, the yellow shirts beat Sandefjord 4-1 on two goals from Hugo Vetlesen and a goal and an assist from Pellegrino. On Oct. 9, Molde handled Ham-Kam 5-0 behind two goals from Magnus Wolff Eikrem and four goals in the first 39 minutes. Bodø/Glimt cut into the goal margin 70-32, but it was the 15-point difference that was too difficult to overcome.

The Northerners realized the better team had won.

“It was a very good season by Molde, a bit understated,” said Bodø/Glimt player Patrick Berg to VG. “From the summer on ward, they were absolutely superb.”

“We just applaud them and it’s an inspi ration for us,” said Glimt coach Kjetil Knut sen. “We probably inspired them a little too, but all credit and praise to them.”

The championship gave Molde a double as they beat Bodø/Glimt 1-0 in May for the Norway Cup.

Added TV soccer analyst Yaw Ihle Amankwah: “This is one of the strongest Molde seasons in history. They have had many good seasons in recent times. They are the reigning cup champions and are do ing well in Europe despite a season full of injuries.”

Visiting Molde fans set off flares at the game’s conclusion. Players celebrated with their supporters, shouted, grinned, waved the championship scarves.

“It feels fantastic. Look at the players,” said David Fofana, who led Molde with 10 goals.

“Incredibly great to be a part of. It’s the best feeling I’ve ever had,” said Emil Breivik. “We are a fantastic team with many good individual players.”

Manager Erling Moe was emotional.

“This is one of the biggest things you can be a part of,” he said to Discovery. “We have been through tough periods. There is a backbone in this team. We never let our selves down.”

Molde didn’t have to think about trying to clinch against archrival Rosenborg on Oct. 23. A war of words has developed.

In the excitement, Molde captain Ei krem, whose partner died a few weeks ago af ter a long illness, said, “We have known for a long time that we had one hand on the trophy, but now we have two. Now we will celebrate well. Now I’m looking forward to Rosenborg standing guard on Sunday.”

There’s a tradition of respect for a new champion. The other teams “stand guard.” Rosenborg wrote on its website that the team would not participate.

“The guard of honor is intended as an act of respect for the newly crowned series champion. We feel that Molde is more con cerned with inflicting humiliation on Rosen borg than getting deserved respect. Under no circumstances will we agree to that. Rosen borg congratulates Molde…on a well-de served league championship. We are looking forward to a wonderful game on the pitch…”

Retorted Moe on Discovery: “It seems to them that they have become a Twitter club. They let Twitter decide what the club should do. It is strange and not the best way to make decisions.”

Moe added that he and his players “would have stood” if Rosenborg won the gold.

However, Vålerenga manager Dag-Ei lev Fagermo calls the ceremony a “strange tradition.”

Toppserien

Toppserien women’s soccer decided to add a post-season playoff. The top four teams were put in a championship brack et to play home and away games against each other. The bottom six plus two teams from the 1st division played in a relegation bracket. Brann, as a reward for being the regular-season winner, received six bonus points to start; second-place Rosenborg four; third-place Vålerenga two, and fourth-place Stabæk 0. As of Oct. 15 with two games to go, the standings are 1. Brann (3-1-0-16); 2. Vålerenga (3-0-1-11); 3. Rosenborg (1-1-28); 4. Stabæk (0-0-4-0).

In an Oct. 18 statement, the board at Vålerenga said it wants the playoffs scrapped beginning next year. They and others have claimed the regular season has been rendered meaningless.

“We will work to ensure that this is ad opted at the federal parliament in March next year,” writes Vålerenga.

However, the recently released schedule from the Norwegian Football Association includes playoffs. A task force is “investigat ing solutions to the league structure,” and Vålerenga emphasizes a playoff-less sched ule must be considered.

“We believe it would be irresponsible not to take action in 2023, so that we get the

full effect of a new model in 2024. Anything else could contribute to devaluing the product and create uncertainty about the way forward.

“A decision by the federal parliament in 2023 will also mean that we get started with further solutions to ensure enough matches and good matching, which Vålerenga Fotball is very concerned about.”

Avaldsnes and Brann have also ex pressed displeasure with the playoffs.

Michael Kleiner has more than three decades of ex perience as an award-win ning journalist and public relations professional. He has operated his own PR and web design business for small businesses, authors and community organiza tions in Philadelphia since 1999. Not of Norwegian descent, he lived in Norway for a year with his fam ily at age 11 and has returned as an adult. He is the author of a memoir, Beyond the Cold: An Ameri can’s Warm Portrait of Norway, and a member of the Norwegian American Chamber of Commerce Philadelphia. Find him at kleinerprweb.com and beyondthecold.com.

Photo: Rodrigo Freitas / NTB Molde captain Magnus Wolff Eikrem leads his championship-scarved teammates in victory cheers after winning the league title against Lillestrøm.

Making connections and building business

Mandel’s festive “Dronning” kransekake a big hit

lorI aNN reINhall Editor-in-chief The Norwegian American

When placing an ad in The Norwegian American, you never know exactly what the response will be. If you are a business own er, you hope to reach new customers. With a targeted audience of Norwegian Americans, this works very well for most Nordic ven dors. But in the case of Maggie Øyen and Mandel, there were a few unexpected bo nuses that came along her way.

The idea for Mandel—literally “Al mond”—makers of authentic Norwegian kransekake came about during the pandem ic, when the Øyen-Ustad family—mother, father, and daughter—in Rhinebeck, N.Y., found themselves in quarantine, looking for a fun and productive way to pass the time. Proud of their Norwegian heritage, their thoughts turned to kransekake (see “Mandel: Keeping traditions alive” by Laila Simon, The Norwegian American, Nov. 19, 2021).

Working for months to perfect their product, they were ready to launch in 2021. Advertising with The Norwegian American, North America’s oldest and only Norwegian newspaper, seemed like a logical decision, and it yielded results. Mandel Cake was tak ing off.

One of the perks of working as editorin-chief of The Norwegian American is that I meet a lot of interesting people and gain ac cess to many new products that I love. That is what happened with Maggie and Mandel. So, when Norway House was getting ready for their groundbreaking ceremony last September, I got in touch with Maggie and asked her if she would like to send out a few cakes for the big celebration. It seemed like

a good way to get some exposure in the Mid west market. It turned out to be a good idea. And as is often the case, one good thing can lead to another. Maggie not only became a reader of The Norwegian American, but she also signed up to be a member of Nor

way House. She became intrigued with the Business Accelerator Resource Network (BARN) program there, and decided to put in an application for Mandel.

While BARN was originally intended for Norwegian-based businesses wanting to enter the U.S. market, Mandel technically didn’t qualify for the program. But after a Zoom interview with Britt Arkadani, director of BARN at Norway House, they all decid ed to move forth. After all, Mandel’s ties to Norway were very close. Ola was born and raised in Norway, and Maggie grew up in a Norwegian-American family. The product, genuine traditional kransekake, was quintes sentially Norwegian.

Maggie and Ola have worked with their BARN mentor, Ted Risdall of the Risdall Marketing Group in Roseville, Minn., on set ting goals for the growth of their company. There are many challenges, as orders con tinue to stream in, and the family finds itself constantly in the throes of production. There are many hats to wear in this family opera tion, as the business continues to grow. Cur rently, Mandel is renting space in a commer cial kitchen, but one of the goals is to eventu ally own their own baking premises.

Weddings are a big part of Mandel’s business, and with pandemic restrictions lift ed, orders continue to increase. Over time, Maggie and family saw a high demand for a larger kransekake, and on Aug. 20, 2022, Mandel launched the 36-ring “Dronning,” the “Queen” kransekake. Perfectly formed and beautifully decorated by hand, it has been a big hit among bridal couples and oth ers. While an 18-ring kransekake will feed about 100 people with about 2-inch bites, the “Dronning” serves about 225 with the same size portions.

In September, before it was made known publicly that Queen Sonja would be coming to Norway House, Britt from BARN reached out to Maggie and asked her if she would like

to make a kransekake for the royal visit and participate in the vendor exhibition. Even though it was a very busy time of the year at Mandel, Maggie decided to take a break and fly out from New York to Minneapolis. She arrived the morning of the event at 8:07 a.m. to set up her booth, bringing along a “Dron ning” to put on display for the queen and the other guests.

Fortunately, Maggie had some help that day. Ola’s second cousin Marit Andol Kring stad and her husband, Orlyn Kringstad, from Tower, Minn., were on hand to assist. Mag gie had known Marit and her sister, Shirley, from earlier family trips to Norway, but had not been in touch with them in the United States. When she read a story about Marit’s dad, Leif Andol, in The Norwegian American (“For Leif Andol, Ski for Light is part of who he is” by Lori Ann Reinhall, Feb. 18. 2022), the two were able to reconnect. For me, sto ries like this are another one of the wonderful things about being editor of this newspaper.

The 1,300 bite-sized samples that Mag gie brought along with her to Norway House went like hotcakes, and everything was gone before she put herself in a cab at 12:30 p.m. to take her to the airport. Maggie had 62 kran sekaker to make before the weekend was over. Fortunately, cousin Marit was able to continue staffing the booth at Norway House.

If you haven’t yet tried kransekake from Mandel, I can assure you that it is the real deal. You can check out their website at mandelcake.com. All the Mandel products, including the impressive “Dronning,” can be shipped to your doorstep via United Parcel Service.

But don’t wait too long to put in your holiday order. Maggie and family will soon reach production capacity for the season. This custom-baked Scandinavian almond confection of perfection is simply too good to last.

For the love of Grieg

Private house concerts, gala events, film screenings,

and

Photos courtesy of Maggie Øyen

Left: The “Dronning” kransekake created for the royal visit at the Norway House grand opening, is an authentic 36-ring cake suitable for any grand occasion.

Right: Marit Andol Kringstad (left) and Maggie Øyen (right) welcomed visitors to the Mandel booth at the Norway House grand opening.

Change in the Sovereign Wealth Fund

Nicolai Tangen visits New York City

MIchael KleINer Business & Sports Editor The Norwegian American

Peter Parker, aka Spider-Man, is advised by his uncle that “with great power comes great responsibility.”

That is kind of how Nicolai Tangen felt when he became CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management in September 2020. NBIM oversees the Norway Sover eign Wealth Fund, sometimes called the oil fund, as the receptacle for much of the money from Norway’s oil and gas industry. It is meant to sustain the welfare state in the present and future.

“I thought that I potentially could be the person who lost a lot of money,” he said in a presentation, Crisis? Being a Large Fi nancial Investor in a World of Uncertainty, to Norwegian American Chamber of Com merce at Scandinavia House in New York City on Sept. 16.

“You have the richest person in the world. You have the first person who goes to the moon. You have, in tennis, the person who won the most Grand Slams. Then you have the person who loses the most money and is the biggest loser of all time. That could easily be me.”

In the first half of this year, the fund lost a record NOK 1.68 billion. There were a va riety of factors. Industry-wise, technology was a sector that affected the decline. CO VID, of course, reared its head. There were changes on the political scene.

“Imagine a situation where you, as an investor, lost, say, 15% of all the assets,” he said. “Well, that’s exactly what happened in the first half (of this year) after having had a period of really, really strong performances over a whole series of years. Due to the geo political situation, we had a steep decline.”

There was a lot of purchasing by inves tors and consumers. “In the first half of the year there were higher interest rates,” said Tangen. “These assets are long-duration as sets, investments in the future. There was also a lot of pre-buying (going) on technol ogy investments in 2021 during COVID. Among consumers, there was a lot of buying of washing machines and home appliances. And 2021 was very strong. In 2022, you had a pullback in expenditures and indus trials, with higher interest rates. People are afraid that there will be a slowdown coming. Stocks reflect future value, future compa nies’ incomes, so that made them pull back.”

There are positive developments. Tan gen says the Ministry of Finance has pro vided them with a “great mandate, that we should invest roughly 70% equities and 20% bonds, which for the long term, is fantastic. It means that we will go through periods where we have less return.”

Energy made a recovery and oil and gas companies in worldwide markets started earning more money, but this led to high in flation rates in the United States and world wide. The fund made adjustments, taking advantage of their years-long research and analysis into ways to protect the fund. They investigated other industries in which to in vest. They are careful on initial offerings of stock and changed the terms and length of bonds. The fund purchased insurance to pro tect against high inflation and oil prices.

On the geopolitical front, after two de cades of relative calm, there have been sig nificant developments: ceasing of globaliza tion; the higher expense of producing goods in the United States than China; climate cri sis, which is forcing a search for new ways of producing power, which will likely lead to higher power prices. All of these are infla tionary and not likely to change in the next 10 years with “a lot of geopolitical uncertainty.”

To a question about dealing with compa nies that might be climate polluters, Tangen noted, “We have conversations with them. We also do an ESG [environmental, social, and corporate governance] risk-based in vestments, divestments score. If companies score badly on our test, we divest of them. We’ve had more than 300 divestments since

we started this. We think climate is now an integral part of all the risk factors.”

Tangen says the fund’s real employers are the Norwegian people and politicians, with whom they must build trust. It’s essen tial that the fund be transparent. This has tak en the form of more visibility, appearances in the media, producing podcasts about the companies in which they invest. “There is a very close correlation between how much people know about the fund and how much they trust the fund,” he said.

“The key to running the fund well is es sentially our employees, and you do work for the country,” said Tangen. “We have to attract the best people with solid knowledge and experience. We think we are quite suc cessful in doing that. I’m very proud of the people I’m working with. They are of the highest ethical standards, very smart with their education and experiences. We work as a collective for a common goal. These em ployees are what make me feel quite secure about the future, despite all the turbulence we talked about. Having these top people build top processes and systems, we can stay ahead of the game and continue to do what we are supposed to do, which is this good.”

Tangen’s surprise answer to what to in vest in drew a laugh and applause at the end.

“Over the next five to 10 years, you’re not going to make money anywhere,” he said. “We’ve had 25 years of uninterrupt ed growth. That’s not the way it is. It was easy to make money. You have a period now where there is a risk the rates will go higher. Therefore, you’re not going to make any money in the bond, stock, or even in the real-estate market. I think you should spend some of that money <laugh>. I have a degree in social psychology and spent time reading about happiness research. The best way to increase your happiness is to spend money on experiences with family and friends, not buy things. Invest in learning a new hobby. Spend time with people you love. That’s probably the best investment you can make.”

In 1991, when Nicolai Tangen was at the Wharton School at the University of Penn sylvania in Philadelphia, he tutored Michael Kleiner in Norwegian.

Business News & Notes

The average household has NOK 17,400 less

Higher wages are not enough to make up for record high price increases. An aver age household will lose at least NOK 17,400 this year.

According to Statistics Norway, a normal household in 2020 had a total in come after tax of NOK 544,600.

The price increase in the last year is 6.9%. For the average household to have the same amount to work with, income after tax would have to have increased by NOK 37,500, FriFagbevegelse wrote.

At this year’s wage settlement, a fi nancial framework of 3.7% was agreed upon, which adds NOK 20,100 to the family budget, if the tax stays the same.

As a result, the family lacks NOK 17,500 to buy the same goods and ser vices as last year. Additionally, there are high interest expenses.

“We have had several years of low interest rates, low price increases and real wage growth. That time is over. After prosperous years come lean years,” said consumer economist Magne Gundersen at Sparebank1. (NTB)

Retail chains fear poor Christmas sales

The consequence of a weak krone, high raw material prices, well-stocked warehouses and increased living costs mean that several retail chains fear an unprofitable Christmas shopping season this year.

Retail is now moving into the year’s most important sales period with “Black Month” and “Black Friday” before Christ mas shopping gets underway. Last year, Norwegians shopped for close to NOK 125 billion in November and December.

“In my long career, I have never ex perienced so many negative things hap pening at the same time,” said Nille CEO Kjersti Hobøl to Dagens Næringsliv Hobøl believes Norges Bank is too ea ger to raise interest rates, which “can have major consequences for Christmas shop ping,” she said.

In high-cost and uncertain times, people tend to steer clear of capital goods. Low-cost actors can benefit from this, while those at the opposite end of the mar ket can face challenges.

(NTB)

Google to establish cloud region in Norway

Google will establish a cloud region in Norway, consisting of three data-center facilities on Norwegian soil. This involves large investments and a large number of employees.

The decision on where the data-cen ter operations will be established has not been made, but the first agreements could be signed already before Christmas, wrote Digi.no.

The Norwegian head of Google Cloud, Kjell Arne Yttervik, does not want to say how large the investment will be but makes no secret of the fact that it is a lot of money.

“You cannot invest in a cloud region if you do not spend a significant amount of money. The only reference I have is what it has cost to build similar centers in other regions, and here we are talking billions of kroner,” he concluded.

In addition, there will be an unknown number of new jobs created.

(NTB)

Photo: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB Nicolai Tangen has served as CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management since September 2020, tasked with managing the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, commonly known as the oil fund.

Right to free access prevails

Nordkapp municipality wins case for the people

The view is spectacular, but under the aurora sky, a battle took place that affects allemannsretten.

Allemannsretten is one of the most im portant rights Norwegians have: to move freely in nature, in what is called utmark. Little Nordkapp municipality won an appeal in Hålogaland Court of Appeal against the billion-dollar hotel group Scandic Hotels AS, which for several years has collected parking fees from visitors to the Nordkapp plateau.

Rica/Scandic has collected almost NOK 80 million annually in admission tickets for the area where the E69 road ends. But is it considered innmark or utmark where visitors and locals move around outdoors?

Around 300,000 tourists visit the Nord kapp plateau annually; 166 cruise calls were reported in 2020, but most tourists are cap tivated by the landscape and completely un aware of the dispute over the plateau.

“This is a victory for allemannsretten and people’s access to Norwegian nature. This is an important verdict for everyone who wants unique nature experiences in Norway,” said Jan Olsen, the mayor at the time, in a press release.

There was no less joy when the appeal was won by the small northern municipality.

“The Norwegian state is satisfied,” said government attorney Henrik Vaaler, who as sisted Nordkapp municipality in court.

“This is a verdict that may have an im pact on the ability to charge parking fees in many recreation areas in Norway, so it has the potential to be of great significance.”

The municipality won the dispute, and the hotel chain was ordered to pay legal fees of NOK 1.6 million to the municipality. Now they must also pay court fees of NOK 970,950 and NOK 262,092 to the Ministry of Climate and Environment.

Nordkapp is on the German travel maga zine GEO Reisemagazin’s top 10 list of un forgettable destinations. The opening of the Nordkapp road in 1956 laid the foundation for 40,000 annual visitors in 1966.

In 1927, Nordkaps Vel, one of the coun try’s first reisetrafikklag was founded in Hon ningsvåg and was granted the first monopoly to operate Nordkapp in 1928. A total of three monopolies have operated the plateau over a period of 90 years, a fact that changed the po litical landscape in Nordkapp Municipality in 2019 when the Labor Party had to step down after several decades in power.

The municipality, with its 2,906 inhab itants, is concerned with the living condi tions of future generations, and sustainable tourism. The core of the dispute has been the entrance fee and the Outdoor Recreation Act (Friluftsloven), as well as the fact that the Nordkapp community has received too little in return from its national treasure. The Ministry of Climate and Environment has provided support for Nordkapp municipal ity because this concerns the interpretation of the Outdoor Recreation Act and people’s access to recreation areas in various parts of Norway.

The Outdoor Recreation Act was imple mented on July 1, 1957. The purpose of the law is to protect the natural foundation of

outdoor recreation activities and to ensure the public’s right to move freely in nature, so that “the opportunity to practice outdoor recreation with environmentally friendly ac tivities that promote health and well-being is preserved and promoted” (norsk friluftsliv).

Tourists from home and abroad are charmed by Honningsvåg, which officially calls itself “Norway’s summer city,” but be hind the scenes, the Nordkapp case has been a cause of fatigue for its inhabitants for many years. The political climate around the Nord kapp plateau changed the political scene in the municipality, and in 2019, the Socialist Left and the Center Party won the election by a landslide, ending the Labor Party’s reign since World War II. With 37% of the votes, there were no other municipalities that could match the result of the Socialist Left Party in Nordkapp; it was the Nordkapp case, and the question of who will profit from the approxi mately 300,000 annual visitors—the munici pality or Rica Eiendom/Scandic—which al tered the citizens’ political vote.

In a politically vulnerable environment, political lines divided the population; a torch light procession was organized to unify the residents, who have close ties and traditional ly stand up for each other. A press release this past summer announced that the mayor at the time, Jan Olsen, resigned due to harassment.

“It is with a sense of loss, with sadness and despair, really, that I am seeking exemp tion,” Olsen told Sagat.no

Olsen barely had time to exhale before the Scandic hotel chain appealed. In an article in Ságat he writes: “For everyone else in the country of Norway, ‘the Nordkapp case’ is about the right to move freely in nature with out being charged for payment following an ‘understanding’ between capitalists, local au thorities, organizations, and politicians. It is about the function and compliance with the Outdoor Recreation Act.”

The Nordkapp case continues as a more than 90-year-old legacy, but tourists do not

feel much of the conflict.

Today, you do not have to pay an en trance fee if you don’t use the facilities, which include a cinema, toilet, exhibit, cafe/ restaurant, and souvenir shop, but only stay outdoors. That’s a consequence of the court ruling in favor of the municipality and not granting the Scandic hotel chain the right to charge parking fees.

On Oct. 24, Radio Nordkapp reported that Scandic has filed an appeal to the Norwe gian Supreme Court after losing two court cases against Nordkapp municipality.

friends

Tove Andersson is a free lance journalist who writes about travel and culture. She conducts interviews for the street magazine Oslo, while writing poetry and fiction. Jeg heter Navnløs (My name is Nameless) was published in 2020. Visit her website at: frilanskatalogen.no/frilans tove, or email her at tove. andersson@skrift.no.

Limited edition design by Colored Soul Studios available exclusively from the Norwegian American Genealogical Center & Naeseth Library.

a pack of 20

Photos: Tove Andersson

Left: A statue of Bamse, a ship’s dog and war hero, greets a cruise ship that has come into port in his hometown of Honningsvåg in Nordkapp municipality.

Right: The North Cape on the northern coast of the island of Magerøya in northern Norway is the northernmost point in Europe that can be accessed by car.

A spectacular bronze sculpture

Explorer Otto Sverdrup has come to America!

In spring 2022, famous Norwegian explorer Otto Sverdrup (1854 –1930) had a journey that he never could have imagined during his lifetime. Actually, it was his image por trayed in a fantastic 23-inch bronze sculp ture by Per Ung that made the trip.

It was flown to North America from Oslo, via Denmark, Germany, two U.S. states, and finally to Norway Art® in Min nesota. The bronze is fascinating because of its rarity, historical story, engaging design, and excellent craftsmanship.

Beautiful, important bronze

Per Ung’s 1999 rare bronze is a min iature version of the large public statue erected in Sandvika, Norway, to honor Otto Sverdrup. It brings his strong physical char acter to life.

Ung’s work shows his classical knowl edge of human bone and muscle anatomy. One of Norway’s most prominent modernday sculptors, Ung depicted Sverdrup’s fa cial features in detail, the clothing of a po lar explorer of the day is accurate, and the figure’s posture reflects the excitement of a person discovering the unknown.

From the telescope cradled in Sver drup’s right arm, down to his boots, every detail is meaningful. (Sverdrup was awarded a patent on a new type of boot! That creation attested to his innovation and inventiveness.)

As an art object, per se, the bronze is stunning. Its clever design is highlighted by its lovely patina.

Visionary leadership

Sverdrup was the captain of Fridjof Nansen’s polar exploration ship Fram, long before air travel and transport were com mon. He not only was captain of the ship, but he also supervised its construction be fore the voyage and led the movement to establish the Fram Museum when the ship returned to Norway.

Public interest in the remarkable dis coveries of Norwegian explorers Amundsen, Nansen, and Sverdrup is consistently high, and the Fram Museum is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Norway. It is a national monument in polar world history.

One wonders if the Nansen success in breaking through previously uncharted Arctic territory would have been achieved without the talented leadership and commit

ment of Otto Sverdrup. Raised on a farm in Bindal, Norway, after his family moved there from the Stavanger area, Sverdrup turned to a life at sea at an early age. Later, when he met the brother of Fridjof Nansen—he must have been the right person, in the right place, and at the right time—Fridjof’s brother rec ommended Sverdrup to be the captain of the Fram.

In February 2022, the Harvard Business Review carried a story on the current popular ity of “skill-based-hiring.’’ This practice fea tures hiring people with demonstrated skills and competencies in a particular area, often over qualifications of formal education. The Nansen brothers were ahead of their time in recognizing Sverdrup’s technical and leader ship skills.

It could be said that the Fram may have been like the proverbial ship without a rud der if not for Sverdrup at the helm. The steady captain managed threats, such as se vere weather, becoming icebound, isolation, keeping up the morale of the crew, polar bear attacks, and caring for the physical needs of the people and sled dogs.

About the artist (based on an excerpt from Store Norske Leksikon)

Per Ung was born in Oslo in 1933 and died there in 2013. He was schooled in the conservative sculptural tradition but gradu

ally distanced himself from formal and sub stantive traditionalism. He earned his sculp tor education under the influential of Per Palle Storm (1910 to 1994) at the Norwegian National Academy of Fine Arts from 1952 to 1955. He became a student of Anthony Caro (1924 to 2013) at St. Martin’s School of Art in London in 1960.

Ung made a number of public portrait statues and monuments. His first large public commission was the statue of actress Johanne Dybwad (bronze, 1959), located on Johanne Dybwads Plass outside the National Theatre in Oslo. His statue of Olympic figure skater and movie actress Sonja Henie (bronze, 1985) is located at Frogner Stadium. His statue of Nobel Prize laureate Fridtjof Nansen (bronze, 1993) is placed outside the Fram Museum. A monument honoring the composer Johan

Halvorsen (bronze, 2002) stands outside the National Theatre in Oslo.

Ung was a member and served as chair of the Norwegian Association of Sculptors (Norsk Billedhuggerforening). He was also active in numerous other art organizations.

Sverdrup: curious, inventive, courageous Otto Neumann Knoph Sverdrup’s legend lives on in Per Ung’s sculpture, at the Fram Museum in Oslo at Bygdøy, in literature, including in the book Farthest North and in many internet citations. He was an inspira tional icon in his time, as he is to this day.

The Per Ung sculpture combines a unique piece of art with a way of marking history, honoring a great explorer, modeling a significant public monument, and repre senting a prominent sculptor.

Mary Jo Thorsheim, Ph.D., the owner of the Norway Art® im porting business for 40 years, is a regular contributor to The Norwegian American. She welcomes comments or ques tions by email at mjtmng@ gmail.com or phone at (612) 339-7829. Visit norwayarton line.com

Welcome to

the National

and

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Mary jo ThorsheIM Minneapolis

Photos: Mary Jo Thorsheim

Above left: The Per Ung sculpture is a unique piece that honors the great explorer, Otto Sverdrup. Above right: The unique bronze was crafted with great detail, including historical clothing that is accurate. Below: The impressive statue has the signature of its artist, Per Ung, engraved in its base.

Photo: National Library of Norway Otto Sverdrup (1854 –1930) was a famous Norwegian explorer, who was the captain of Fridtjof Nansen’s polar exploration ship Fram.

Life in Norway team experiences a life of leisure at sea

All aboard Norwegian Prima for top-notch cruising

davId NIKel Trondheim, Norway

Take a peek inside Norwegian Cruise Line’s brand-new vessel Norwegian Prima, which will be heading for Norway during the sum mer months.

The long-awaited debut of the new Nor wegian Prima cruise ship from NCL finally arrived with the christening sailing from Reykjavik (Iceland) to Amsterdam (Nether lands). The Life in Norway team tagged along for the ride.

Norwegian Prima in Norway

Despite the company’s name, NCL oper ates cruises all over the world. Typically, the line runs cruises to Alaska and Northern Eu rope (including Norway) during the summer, switching to the Caribbean and other warmer destinations during the winter.

Other destinations such as the Mediter ranean and Canary Islands are popular yearround.

A typical 10-day Northern Europe itin erary on the Norwegian Prima leaves Co penhagen and calls at popular Norwegian cruise ports, including Oslo, Kristiansand, Bergen, Geiranger, and Ålesund. It then calls at ports including: Zeebrugge, Belgium; Le Havre, France; and Southampton, England.

Other popular itineraries include Iceland. For example, a 14-day cruise on the Norwe gian Prima leaves Southampton and calls at Le Havre, Belfast, and three ports in Iceland before heading for Norway.

In Norway, the ship calls at the Geiran gerfjord, Olden, and Stavanger before return ing to Southampton.

Introducing the Norwegian Prima

It’s hard to know where to begin when discussing this new ship. For context, this was the first time I had been on a cruise line, hav ing only taken the Hurtigruten coastal voyage before on the relatively small MS Vesterålen.

The Norwegian Prima is the first in an entirely new class of ship from NCL. The second in the prima line of cruise ships, the Norwegian Viva, is under construction right now in Italy, with several more to follow in future years.

If you prefer to watch rather than read, check out this 12-minute tour of the ship I pub lished on YouTube: youtube.com/watch?v=5 pXfkgah-No.

If that video gets you curious about what you saw, read on for the details!

First impressions

Check-in at Reykjavik was impressively efficient and took place in an enormous mar

quee. We were required to show a vaccination certificate and photo ID.

Everything else to do with setting up the on-board account happened online before hand. We were handed our room key/ship ID and after a quick security check, we boarded the ship.

The first impression is absolutely fantas tic, thanks to the incredible three-story atrium.

Despite it being a very busy time, the atrium gave a spacious feel and the first hint at the luxurious interior that we would find throughout the ship. Around the atrium are numerous shops, bars, and cafes, including a Starbucks, and the guest-services desk.

We found our room on deck 15 and we soon met someone from housekeeping who introduced herself. You can read more about our impressions of the room in this article all about the Balcony Staterooms on the Norwe gian Prima: see lifeinnorway.net/norwegianprima-balcony-room.

Best facilities on board the Prima

It’s hard to know where to start on the Prima. There is simply so much to do that I wouldn’t be able to list everything even if I tried. But what I’ll focus on here is what you don’t necessarily expect to find on a cruise ship.

Prima theater: There’s nothing unusual about a theater or nightclub venue on a cruise ship, but the scale and flexibility of this venue has to be seen to be believed.

I saw the three-story facility in three dif ferent configurations: a lecture hall, a musical/ concert theater, and a nightclub.

During our voyage, the theater hosted an adaptation of the Donna Summer musical, Summer. It also hosted performances by Kool and the Gang and Chaka Khan, and two lec tures on World War II history in France, fea turing two actors from Band of Brothers

I’m not sure if that’s “something for ev eryone”, but it certainly was a diverse line-up!

Prima speedway: Simply put, this is gokarts on a ship. While the carts don’t go very fast, the ability to race carts on a three-level track at sea is simply astounding.

Galaxy Pavilion: An arcade reinvented for the modern era! This was packed with simulators, immersive games, and even an escape room.

Tee time & darts: The games contin ued on the outer section of Deck 18. Crazy golf and darts are two activities I hadn’t ex pected to find on a ship. I enjoyed them both, although playing crazy golf while at sea adds a certain challenge!

Given our itinerary, we didn’t always have the best weather so some of these out door activities were limited. However, when we were in port and the weather was nice, both the golf and darts were fun ways to spend some time.

Both have some interactive elements. The darts are set up with an interactive screen that automatically counts the score and sets challenges.

The darts lounges are also more shel tered than the crazy golf, which helps to keep your arrows straight! On the same outdoor deck, you’ll find the stadium, which includes shuffleboard tables, table football, and other games.

Outdoor Deck 8: We spent a lot of time on Deck 8, as it is the only deck on which you can walk around the entire exterior of the ship. In good weather, this area is a good alternative to the main pool (Deck 17).

There are infinity pools with a variety of comfy furniture for sun-seekers, a couple of outdoor bars, sculptures, and even an “ocean walk” section, where you can see the ocean below you.

There’s also easy access to the Local Bar & Grill, including some outdoor seating. At the rear of Deck 8, guests can access the food hall or grab a drink from the Soleil Bar.

It’s worth spending plenty of time ex ploring the outdoor parts of Deck 8 and there is such a variety of places to sit and relax.

Dining aboard the Norwegian Prima

Because of the cost of eating out in Nor way, food and drink is something we look for ward to on any vacation. With an astonishing 14 restaurants on board, the dining experience did not disappoint, with one technological ex ception.

Main restaurants: Five of the restau rants are classed as main dining rooms, which means they are open and inclusive to all. Of these, two are traditional à la carte dining

Season’s Greetings

Welcome to the Norwegian Prima, a sleek, luxurious, custom-designed exterior that delivers a five-star experience. It is the first in a new class of ships de signed to elevate every expectation. It’s a once-in-a lifetime opportunity to chart new heights.

rooms. There’s also a buffet restaurant, sports bar and grill concept, and a fantastic food hall.

Most of the restaurants are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We split our time equally among most of them.

Having expected to be limited to a buffet on a cruise, it was great to be able to enjoy a leisurely breakfast or a more indulgent din ner in the a la carte restaurant whenever we wanted.

Bookings were not necessary in the a la carte restaurants and there was always enough space, especially at breakfast time. In contrast, the buffet was often busy and neigh boring restaurants were opened up to provide additional seating.

While there is so much that is modern about the Prima, one cruise tradition that was fully embraced was seafood day at the buffet!

The food was outstanding, but it was cra zy popular and took a while to find a seat. On seafood day, bring a healthy dose of patience!

Food hall

Another unexpected feature of a cruise vacation was a full-blown food hall. The con cept is simple. You can order however many small dishes you want from a variety of out lets, including Indian, salads, pasta, seafood, and a smokehouse.

You order as and when you like using the tablets at every table, or you can sit at the bar of an individual outlet and order directly from there. The concept is great, as it allows you to quickly grab a light bite or compose your own multi-course meal.

Everything we ate at the food hall was excellent, although I especially enjoyed the Indian food.

The downside was a few technical diffi culties with the ordering system. We had a lot of problems on the first day, and it took four different staff members to resolve the issue and finally place an order for us.

However, we successfully used the tab let ordering system on two more visits to the food hall. The only other issue is the availabil ity of tables, because the food hall is a compli mentary restaurant for all passengers.

Staff did their best to find tables for new arrivals, but the concept was incredibly popu lar at all times, so you’ll need patience here.

Specialty restaurants

In addition to the Haven private restau rant (more on that later), there are eight “spe cialty” restaurants. These include French, a steakhouse, Mediterranean seafood, and a Japanese grill.

During a regular voyage, guests can up grade their dining experience to include two dinners at specialty restaurants. Due to the limitations of the christening voyage, we were only able to eat in one of the specialty restau rants, Food Republic.

With new facilities and new staff, some teething problems are inevitable, but it was frustrating that it happened on the one night we had expected a premium experience. On the plus side, when the food did eventually ar rive, it was outstanding.

I am confident that these problems will be ironed out. Assuming they are, both the food hall and Food Republic will be fantastic dining experiences.

Bars and entertainment

With an all-inclusive drinks package, ex ploring the ship’s many bars was an enjoyable way to spend the evenings!

Each of the many bars on board has its own theme or specialty, from cocktails to whiskey. There are several bars located beside the main restaurants, perfect for a pre- or postdinner drink, and several outdoor bars, too.

The friendly bartenders at the Vibe Beach Club and the unique cocktails and relaxed at mosphere at the Belvedere Bar made these two my favorite bars.

Another bar we spent some time in was the Observation Lounge at the front of Deck 17. The comfy lounge furniture and views made this a pleasant place to spend an hour or so, especially during sunsets.

Other facilities

There’s a ton more to do on the Prima, some of which we didn’t get a chance to do, even on an eight-day voyage!

We didn’t spend much time on the pool deck, mostly because this was a Northern Eu rope cruise in September. But we did make use of the Waves pool bar and one of the hot tubs. Oddly enough, the infinity pools down on Deck 8 were hotter than the hot tubs.

Perhaps the most notable of the “other” facilities were the slides and the spa. The Prima features two different dry slides and a water slide.

While an eye-catching feature on the exterior of the ship, the slides weren’t as fast as many people hoped, according to gossip I heard at the buffet!

While I had intended on at least taking a look at the spa, once again there were just so many other things to do.

According to the promotional material, “from multiple detoxifying saunas to stateof-the-art pools to a two-story waterfall, the experience on Norwegian Prima will awaken every sense.”

Introducing the Haven

The Haven is NCL’s premium “shipwithin-a-ship” concept. It’s located over sev eral of the higher decks at the aft of the ship. Keycard access keeps the whole area private.

Designed as a self-contained VIP area with suites including butler service, bar and restaurant, outdoor pool, and sun decks, the Haven is a solution for those wanting more peace and quiet, and an even more premium experience.

While we didn’t stay in the Haven, we were invited to eat in the restaurant and I was given a quick tour of the facilities. The only thing I didn’t get to see is any of the Haven suites, some of which have private hot tubs on the balconies.

Speaking honestly, I wouldn’t feel the need to spend three to four times a regular fare to stay within the Haven, despite its perks. Having a 24-hour butler available would stress me out. I prefer to fetch my own coffee!

That being said, I can of course see how the Haven appeals to a certain kind of travel ler. If you have the money, the option is there.

In summary

Having never been on any cruise ship before other than the Hurtigruten, I went into the experience with certain expectations. I hadn’t expected to enjoy the experience, but I couldn’t have been more surprised.

Something I haven’t mentioned so far is how helpful many of the staff were, especially housekeeping and the bartenders. Most staff we spoke to obviously loved their jobs, and many had been with the company for more than 10 years.

While I haven’t become a fan overnight, cruising is now definitely a possibility for us in the years to come.

Of course, cruising is not for everyone. There are issues that remain in the industry, not least the environmental impact and rela tions with local communities, especially in small Norwegian ports.

But if you are comfortable with the idea of cruising, it’s well worth your time taking a look at the Norwegian Prima

And then, its sister ship, the Norwegian Viva, will be debuting next year.

This article first appeared on the Life in Nor way blog: lifeinnorway.net.

Disclaimer: The Life in Norway team were invited guests on the inaugural voyage of the Norwegian Prima. This review was indepen dently produced.

All photos courtesy of David Nikel

David Nikel is a freelance writer based in Trondheim, Norway. He runs the popular lifeinnorway.net website and podcast and is the author of the Moon Norway guide book, available now in all good bookstores.

The Kool & the Gang concert at the Prima theater, a three-story venue, is just one of the many events in this space that has the scale and flexibility to rival any outstanding theater on land.

Relax on comfy furniture for sun-seekers or fun-seekers all the while watching the view of the ocean and whatever ships happen to pass by. Savor the pleasure.

Relax and recharge in well-appointed rooms where the luxury of your personal space is key to a won derful sensory experience. Enjoy comfort all around you. The stylish staterooms feature fine appoint ments highlighted by thoughtful touches and clear views of the ocean.

With 14 restaurants on board, you have a grand choice of offerings, an impressive selection of dining possibilities from casual to fine dining. Whether it’s meat, fish, or vegetarian, you won’t go hungry!

Film review from Films of Norway Trapped Those Icelanders are cold ones, man!

Jesus lives in Karmøy

The documentary genre has become more and more popular in recent years.

Perhaps the most common variant is what we call “true crime,” but sometimes little pearls emerge that are so well-made, so charming that it is simply fascinating to see what themes can be used to make a film and how elegantly they can be produced.

Jesus lives in Karmøy is a good example of what I’m talking about.

The filmmaker decided to take us into a universe about to disappear from Norwegian society and not least the local environment: the house of worship culture of Karmøy.

It is said that at one time there were so many houses of worship in the west region of Norway that they stood next to each other.

Stavanger to Kristiansand. The area was called the “Bible Belt.” The prayer house culture was strongly and deeply rooted in the soul of the folk of the local communities that had houses of prayer.

Why the house of prayer culture became so strongly rooted in the people’s soul is not easy to say in a definite sense. Some believe that this culture emerged as something sim pler, more everyday than what was experi enced in the mainstream churches, which per haps had something more solemn and heavy about them.

The film’s action quickly takes us to meet the main character, Svein Helge, who, despite his young age, is concerned with passing on the house of prayer culture to new generations.

Most other young people are concerned with playing games, the future, and so forth but Svein Helge’s passion is directed toward a journey back in time and preserving some thing that is about to die out.

An important element for preserving the culture of the house of prayer includes the ac tual setting for the meetings, a home for com munity, and a message of faith, namely the house of prayer.

Svein Helge finds and takes over a dilapi dated house of prayer with a rather worn-out congregation.

But he is firm in his belief that he will both be able to finance renovations and build a congregation that will pass on the traditions to future generations.

Many probably think that his project is relatively stillborn from the outset, but, amaz ingly, Svein Helge’s courage and unwavering faith produce results, and against all odds, old friendships, faith, and an old building are res urrected.

The older people in the congregation are both impressed and motivated when they see that young initiative is yielding results for something that many thought was about to die out.

For my own part, I would like to add that I am impressed when I see that a filmmaker manages to carry out a production with so many professional functions and responsibili ties on his own shoulders.

Take a look at the introductory text overview in this review, and you will see that this is, so to speak, a “one-man show.” Well done, Arne!

Jesus lives in Karmøy

Streaming at filmsofnorway.com

Script: Arne Gunnar Olsen

Director: Arne Gunnar Olsen Cinematography: Arne Gunnar Olsen

Producer: Arne Gunnar Olsen

Production year: 2020

Run time: About 30 minutes

Genre: Documentary

Geir Mæland is the founder and manager of Films of Norway, a Norwegian filmstreaming service based in Stavanger, Norway. Visit filmsofnorway.com to start streaming Norwegian films and TV-series with English subtitles.

Synopsis: The Icelandic mystery thriller se ries Trapped (2016–2019) is the brainchild of wildly creative acclaimed filmmaker and producer Baltasar Kormákur. Over two se ries, police in a remote town in Iceland work both to solve the mystery of a mutilated corpse recovered from the fjord and a series of murders seemingly related to a local fac tory at the center of an environmental crisis.

Who knew Icelanders were so cut throat? Okay, not every single one of these Scandi souls. But a whole mean mess of ’em in the dramatic mystery crime series Trapped.

Set in a remote small town situated on the frigid waters of a gorgeous southern Ice land fjord, we watch over two seasons as doggedly dedicated local law enforcement contends with both abject evil and con scienceless politicians.

Season 1 centers on nefarious activity of an international nature come to infest those running the hamlet’s metro show. Season 2 then shifts to domestic government greed and skulduggery leading to environmental disaster beating down this beleaguered berg.

While the debut campaign is a bit more compelling than its successor, the acting across both continuing story arcs is consis tently first-rate. Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and Ilmur Kristjánsdóttir stand out in particu lar among this uniformly stellar cast. Their tandem of Andri and Hinrika, respectively, are long time cop comrades whose relation ship may, or may not, evolve into something much more chummy.

The first two seasons of Trapped are avail able now on Amazon Prime Video. Season 3 is entitled Entrapped and was released in September after making a streaming service switch to Netflix.

Watch John Smistad’s weekly entertainment interview podcast series “CONVERSA TIONS WITH “THE QUICK FLICK CRIT IC” livestreams every Tuesday at 7 p.m. EST on the homepage @ ruderangers.com.

John Smistad is a published author of short stories, poems, essays, and movie reviews. He lives and loves with his family and cat in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. He is the fiercely proud son of a native Norwegian dad. (He loves his mom, too.) You can follow him as on his blog at thequickflick critic.blogspot.com . His new book of short stories, Sliced Lives , is now available for purchase: Sliced Lives: Volume 1 – Kindle edition by Smistad, John, Smistad, Jane. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks at Amazon.com

Image: Official series poster

Trapped is an Icelandic mystery series set in a remote small town situated on the frigid waters of a gorgeous southern Iceland fjord.

Photos courtesy of Films of Norway In the documentary Jesus lives in Karmøy, a young man rebuilds a house of prayer against all odds.

GeIr MælaNd Films of Norway

johN sMIsTad Olympia, Wash.

Conversations With The Quick Flick Critic hosted by John Smistad

Hit men, psychotics—and very noisy neighbors

Jo Nesbø

The new crop of Norwegian crime fic tion has plenty of memorable characters to meet—but they aren’t exactly the sort you’re going to want to have a beer with down at Schroder’s.

I name-drop Schroder’s, because our first selection of the new works is by na tional treasure Jo Nebsø, the creator of ev erybody’s favorite Norwegian derelict cop, Harry Hole, who, of course, hangs out at Schroder’s in Oslo.

Like the rest of the reading public, I await Harry’s next misadventure with im patient anticipation. So—Nesbø does have a new book—but Inspector Hole is not in evidence. This is a collection of short stories, bearing the enigmatic title The Jealousy Man. While the story with that name is long ish, indeed, Nesbø displays a penchant for the novella form throughout this bulky col lection.

Protagonist Nikos Balli, “Jealousy Man,” is a cop with a shaky past who solves crimes that have a Green Monster aspect. His chief says that what Nikos possesses in the “way of emotional intelligence,” he lacks in “practical imagination.” In other words, Balli does one thing only and he does it well: he solves crimes inspired by jealousy.

This unusual trait is owed, Balli be lieves, to his ex-wife, who was cheating on him. He honed his skills while ferreting out her perfidy. In fact, the back story here is the most interesting part of this signature story, since the major plot is the old identical twins trope that has been done endlessly before.

But wait!! There is a very interesting paragraph in this story about how readers engage—it was the saving grace for me.

Nesbø bookends (almost) his collection with two tales of hitmen. One is London, a crisp cat-and-mouse between a killer and his victim, who have side by side seats on a plane.

Black Knight, the other hit man tale, is longer and shows plenty of promise to be a full-length novel. The plot, set in the nearfuture, introduces us to an elite society of assassins, where we watch two of its best square off in a grudge match—with a child’s life hanging in the balance.

This is the sort of run-in that Harry Hole eats for breakfast—and the assassin in this tale proves to be no slouch himself. This one is prime Nesbø—and prime Nesbø never disappoints.

Helene Flood, a working psychologist by day, whips up plenty of good old-fashioned suspense in The Lover, a novel with a hook you won’t be able to resist. Our very fallible narrator, Rikke, lives with her husband and two children in an upscale apartment complex in Oslo. Things seem calm on the surface until Rikke reveals to us that she is deep into an affair with Jørgen, a married man who lives upstairs—and who has just turned up dead in his own study.

Yep—the hook is in. Police are swarming the building, and Rikke knows it’s a matter of time—maybe moments—before she starts getting asked the kinds of questions that, if answered honestly, will end her marriage.

Author Flood, a canny plotter, also offers a houseful (literally) of other suspects with motives galore. Though the conclusion is un necessarily drawn out, the author is also good at getting us to invest in her characters—flaws and all. In the best crime fiction tradition, she puts poor Rikke in some real messes—mostly of her own making—even as, between the lines, she pointedly asks the reader: “What would YOU do?” That direction lies the way to a great literary discussion of guilt and re

Stensland Books

Ruth Lillegraven

For the “Flawed Protagonist of the Year Award”—maybe of the decade—I’m going to have to pick Clara Lofthus, the central figure in Ruth Lillegraven’s Blood Ties. This volume is the second in a series: Clara’s debut—a very successful one—came last year in the book that started this series—Everything is Mine

In that opener, Clara is a child-rights activist who winds up murdering—well—a COUPLE of people, but mainly her jerk of a husband. Good riddance, readers said—but in the new book it looks like Clara might have swung her scythe again, this time in the cause of self-preservation. She’s got a lot to preserve this time—she’s now Norway’s min ister of justice, although she puts in about as much actual office time as Santa Claus. That’s because her two sons have been kidnapped and of course imagine the consequences if the press finds out and—OK, you’ve passed this way before also.

The wrinkle is that this woman really is a stone-cold killer. In fact, you can tell she sort of likes it. Lillegraven is toiling in vine

yards already planted by television’s Dexter and Barry, not to mention, in print, Lawrence Block’s superb Keller series.

But, like Helene Flood, Lillegraven knows how to hook—her preference is for multiple first-person narrators so that if one irritates you another is just a page-turn away.

As for her homicidal protagonist, Clara—she’s living on her own very frightening terms. And who knows? In her world, we might, too.

The payoff in Blood Ties doesn’t really sustain the weight cast upon it by a double kidnapping, but I was bemused enough that I’d go for another soiree with Clara— just as long as she’s not armed.

Jerry Holt is a novelist, play wright, teacher, and public speaker. He is professor emeritus of English at Purdue Univer sity Northwest and a recipient of Purdue’s 2015 Dreamer Award, recognized for work as that has “embodied Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of service to oth ers.” Holt has written four major plays, one novel, and nine short plays. His acclaimed novel, The Killing of Strangers, fo cuses on several mysteries surrounding the Kent State Uni versity shootings on May 4, 1970.

a

from Norway

Photo: Terje Pedersensen / NTB Helene Flood, a working psychologist, knows how to pack her novels full of suspense.

Helene Flood

sponsibility, and The Lover, at its best, is ex actly that.

Photo: Terje Pedersen / NTB Ruth Lillegraven knows how to hook in her read ers every time, as she does in Blood Ties.

Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB

Jo Nesbø, creator of Harry Hole, Norway’s favor ite derelict cop, is a national treasure.

A big 100th birthday bash in Norway

War sailor Karl Aksel Andresen honored as a hero

MIchael KleINer Business & Sports Editor

Norwegian

There are numerous movies about Norwegian resistance and heroism during World War II. Now, there’s a blockbuster and Oscar nomi nee for Best Foreign Film, Krigsseileren (War Sailor). The storyline on imdb.com reads: “When World War II breaks out, Alfred and his childhood friend are at work on a merchant ship in the middle of the Atlantic. Suddenly they find themselves on the front lines, fight ing in civilian clothes, without weapons, as their ship is targeted by German submarines. We also follow Alfred’s wife and children’s wartime everyday lives back in Bergen ...”

The heroism has become a footnote to history, but 1,100 Norwegian ships trans ported supplies between the United States and sites of the war. In all, 30,000 sailors and naval gunners staffed the ships. One sailor was Karl Aksel Andresen, who turned 100 on Oct. 10. His hometown of Kristiansand wanted to rec ognize the surviving war sailor. He had lived in the United States for a long time.

Enter Victor Samuelsen, a Farsund, Nor way, native, who’s lived in the United States for 50 years.

“I was asked if I could assist in any way to get him to Norway, because that was his wish, to travel to Norway to celebrate his 100th birthday,” said Samuelsen by phone from Greenwich, Conn. “I said, yes, I could. I reached out to the airline and got free roundtrip tickets for him and his girlfriend, Sylvia. I also reached out to several friends and asked for little donations. We raised about $2,300 in cash for him, which helped him pay for some of the expenses. I believe that in Oslo, SAS took him to Kristiansand for free.”

It wasn’t the first time Samuelsen had provided this act of kindness. Around 30 years ago, he assisted legendary cross-county skier and ski jumper Ole Hegge (1898 – 1994) to

return to Norway.

“I feel very good about doing this,” said Samuelsen, who is a retired executive, for merly owning a helicopter sightseeing busi ness and a marine supply company. “When they get up into the ages of 90 and 100 years old, they can just end up being forgotten.”

Andresen was welcomed at the Kris tiansand airport by water cannons, a military guard of honor from the Air Force School Center in Kjevik and Fullrigger Sørlandets Shantykor (shanty choir), officials, and family.

“You are absolutely fantastic,” said An dresen. He joked with people, who greeted him at the airport. “I’m so happy to come back home again. Thank you very much for com ing, it’s just too bad it would start to rain.”

Andresen was a crew member on several ships, which sometimes came under enemy fire. In 1980, Andresen received a war medal. The first ship he served on (as a chef), Hest

mann, is now a museum in Kristiansand.

After World War II, Andresen settled in New York.

There was also some envy among the au dience.

“It is with humility, respect and recogni tion that I meet Andresen today,” said Ove Andreas Austrud, leader of Norway’s Veter ans Association for International Operations, to N247. “Even though I myself have been out in the service and have a certain under standing of what the war sailors have expe rienced, I feel humble and maybe I also get a little star-struck. There was not a battle or battle site that did not have supplies trans ported without the help of Norwegian sailors. Without their efforts, I don’t know where we would have been today.”

Inger Greta Lia Stålesen, Andresen’s niece, and other relatives were responsible for having Andresen’s milestone birthday at

home. County Mayor Arne Thomassen and Kristiansand Mayor Jan Oddvar Skisland both felt that honoring the war sailors was a long time coming.

“These were the heroes who have been forgotten and it is also part of the reason for me and Skisland being here today,” said Thomassen. “I want to apologize on behalf of society that it has been so many years before the war sailors were appreciated.”

“It was great to be able to appreciate the effort the war sailors put in,” said Skisland. “Not only the efforts of Andresen but also all the other war sailors. It is now important to show gratitude for those like you again.”

It is with great sadness that we report that Andresen’s companion, Sylvia Kristiansen, died of sudden illness while in Norway. An dresen is staying with his relatives there over the holidays.

First Edition of the Scandinavian Icons Christ mas Ornament series. It

Ornaments

2.75” por

come beautifully gift boxed with a history of the Icon included.

Join us as we embark on a new series of Ornaments that cel ebrate the great Scandinavian Icons. Each year a new Scan dinavian Icon will be chosen to allow it to be celebrated for its place as an Icon of our Scandi navian Roots. Enjoy!

Photos: Inger Grete Lia Stålesen

Left: Upon arrival at Kristiansand’s airport, Karl Aksel Andresen (right) was met by local dignitaries.

Right: Norwegian war hero Karl Aksel Andresen was presented with an honorary bronze medal as a Norwegian Veteran of International Operations.

Photo: Odd Ridse Bentsen Karl Aksel Andresen was surrounded by family, friends, and fans at the celebration of his 100th birthday. Norwegian flags were in abundance.

Welcome home to the new Norway House

Lori Ann reinhALL Editor-in-chief The Norwegian American

Royal visits don’t take place every day, and usually they are for a very special occasion. And that is exactly what is was when Queen Sonja of Norway came to Minneapolis last month for the grand opening of the new Nor way House on Oct. 15, presented by Viking.

The 85-year-old queen had a full agenda for the extended weekend she spent in the Twin Cities, but displaying an incredible level of fitness and stamina, she was certainly up to the strenuous itinerary. After all, she is an avid hiker, a living testimony to the vir tues of Norwegian friluftsliv, and everywhere she went, she looked fantastic. The queen is at the same time elegant and regal, friendly and down-to-earth. She took the crowds who came to meet her by storm.

Official business

The queen started her visit to Minnesota with a trip to the State Capitol in St. Paul, where she was received by Gov. Tim Walz on Oct. 13. The occasion previewed next year’s 50th anniversary of the state’s Nation al Guard exchange program with the Norwe gian Home Guard.

State officials and Minnesota National Guard leaders filled the governor’s reception room for the brief ceremony. Historic gifts from past Norwegian delegations were on display, and new gifts were exchanged be tween Minnesota and Norway.

The next day, Oct. 14, Queen Sonja vis ited the Rølvaag Memorial Library at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn. There, she cut the ribbon for a new archive space. It didn’t matter that the archives are still under con

struction. The staff and students at St. Olaf went wild over the queen (see page R6). But this was only a prelude to perhaps her most important engagement in her royal tour to Minnesota. On Oct. 15, she arrived at Norway House to cut the ribbon for the grand opening of their new Innovation + Culture Center. It was a day that the Twin Cities Nor wegian-American community had been look ing forward to for over eight years and a day they will never forget.

Behind the scenes preparations

Getting ready for a royal visit is no small undertaking, but the staff at Norway House showed that they were up to the task. Working together with construction firm Mc Gough, they had to ensure that the new build ing would be ready for prime time when the queen arrived.

And then there were the logistics of the entire program to put in place. The plans had to be cleared with the Royal Norwegian Em bassy in Washington, D.C., and the Royal Palace in Oslo. Every precaution possible was taken to guarantee the queen’s safety and comfort. The goal was to mark a grand oc casion and put on a party for the entire com munity. And when the day came, everything came off seamlessly.

A bouquet of posies

As is custom, the queen was presented with a beautiful bouquet of colorful flowers upon her arrival at the plaza in view of the crowd at Norway House. The red carpet had been rolled out, and she was met by an ador able group of children dressed in traditional bunads and Norwegian sweaters.

“It’s the 17th of May and the 17th of May many times over here today.”

On a crisp, bright sunny morning, a smiling Queen Sonja greeted the crowd that had gathered at Norway Block to celebrate the grand opening of the new addition to Norway House.

All photos courtesy of Coppersmith Photography

Upon her arrival at Norway House for the grand opening of its new addition, Queen Sonja was presented with flowers, as Executive Director Christina Carleton and other dignitaries stood by.

The queen bent down to thank the little ones for the gift, and the children seemed to be totally enchanted. And who wouldn’t be?

Queen Sonja has a smile that could melt your heart. Most of all, it is a genuinely sincere smile, which gives her an extraordinary abil ity to connect with anyone she meets. It was only the beginning of a very happy day.

As the queen proceeded through the new Norway House entrance and entered the pla za, the crowd waiting there went crazy with applause and cheers. Many had arrived by shuttle bus, and many had been there waiting in the cold for hours to find a good spot to secure a good view of the queen and the day’s program. And while the temperatures may have been much colder than expected, no one seemed to mind too much. The Norwegian Americans had come dressed in traditional Norwegian sweaters or their colorful bu nads made of warm Norwegian wool to keep warm. The sun was shining on Norway Block that day, both in a literal and metaphorical sense. You could feel the excitement in the air.

Anticipation

Spirits were high, and everyone was ready for the program to begin, after hav ing been prepped by Joseph “Joe” Grødahl, director of programs and events at Norway House. Justin Anthony Spenner, winner of the 2022 Edvard Grieg Society of Minne sota Voice Competition, had already built up the atmosphere singing with his guitar, with Wesley Frye on the piano and Ryan Cihlar on accordion and drums—with all Norwe gian songs, of course.

Grødahl had already led the crowd in the Norwegian national anthem “Ja, vi elsker dette landet,” as everyone looked to the new flagpoles, the American and Norwegian flags flying proudly against the brilliant blue sky.

But now the moment had come, and Queen Sonja and an entourage of dignitaries, including Minnesota U.S. Sen. Amy Klobu char, Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis, and the Norwegian Ambassador to the United States, Anniken R. Krutnes, stepped up onto the stage.

Of course, Norway House was there, too. Executive Director Christina Carleton looked picture-perfect in her light blue bunad from her hometown, Oslo, accompanied by the em cee for the day, Rebecca Jorgenson Sundquist, senior development officer at Norway House.

A warm welcome

Sundquist gave the opening welcome re marks, reminding everyone of the printed pro gram of the day’s events to follow along and to keep as a memento. The program contained the Norwegian lyrics of the musical numbers interspersed throughout the program. For the less hale and hearty, there was a reminder that the entire program was being livestreamed via closed-circuit video inside Mindekirken.

Executive Director Carleton was the first speaker to come up to the podium. She took the opportunity to recap the history of Norway House, its missions, its programs, and events.

Founded in 2004, Norway House moved to its present location next to Mindekirken in 2015. From the outset, its mission has been to connect the United States to contemporary Norway in the realms of business, arts, and culture. “There is no other organization in the United States like it,” Carleton said.

She thanked the many institutions and organizations that had turned a vision into a reality, including the state of Minnesota, the city of Minneapolis, and the Norwegian government. She also thanked the donors, volunteers, and expressed her gratitude for the donors, volunteers, and the patron of Nor way House, King Harald V. And finally she thanked Queen Sonja for making the long trip.

“Your Majesty, we are so very honored that you are with us for celebrating our open ing,” she said.

A strong transatlantic friendship

There were more cheers and applause when U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar headed to the podium.

Klobuchar is a senior U.S. senator from Minnesota, holding her seat since 2007. She is recognized for her ability to work across

the aisle, supporting legislation on issues of security, trade, economic development, and climate change.

But the day was not about Klobuchar’s political platform.

“The sun is shining,” she said, “and the sun is shining, because we are welcoming Her Majesty Queen Sonja, and we are so honored to have her back once again to Minnesota.”

Klobuchar shared a memory of the queen’s last visit to Minnesota with King Harald, when they traveled to Duluth in the northern part of the state. They had walked up the steep hill to the Enger Tower, built in honor of a prominent Norwegian immigrant. A young girl had suddenly run up to Queen Sonja with a paper crown, and the queen put it on. “That is this queen,” said Klobuchar.

The senator also made reference to the challenges in the world today, but added a word of reassurance: “The strength of the American-Norwegian friendship will get us through this time,” she said.

Norway has deep roots in the North Star State, home to the largest Norwegian diaspo ra in the United States, making it the second largest Norwegian population in the world. There were many cheers.

It was an emotional moment when Klobu char remembered the many great Norwegian-

Photos: Coppersmith Photography

The stage was set and crowds had gathering for an exciting day with the official grand opening of the new Norway House in Minneapolis.

Left: Emcee for the day was Rebecca Jorgenson Sundquist, senior development officer at Norway House. Right: Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey was one of the distinguished guests and speakers.

Left: Joseph Grødahl, director of programs and events at Norway House, got the program rolling, as he led the Norwegian national anthem.

Right: Christina Carleton, executive director of Norway House, welcomed a crowd of about 1,000, under a bright sunny blue sky.

American leaders who have come from Min nesota, including her late friend and mentor Vice President Walter Mondale, “whose spirit is with us today.”

Klobuchar also spoke about the se riousness of the situation in Ukraine and what Norway and the United States are do ing within the NATO alliance. She praised Norway for its efforts with Ukrainian refu gees and its care for wounded soldiers and civilians. In this context the National Guard exchange between Norway and Minnesota plays an important role.

She concluded, “Now more than ever, it is clear that the connection between Norway and the United States is worth celebrating. And I’m confident that this beautiful expand ed facility—just gorgeous—will continue to strengthen our ties to our best friend in the world, Norway.”

A place to come together

Next up to the podium was Minneapolis Mayor Frey, who spoke about the beautiful diversity of the city and neighborhood sur rounding Norway House, where “everyone is welcome.”

The mayor pointed to the new “Seeds” pine cone sculpture as being emblematic.

“Norway House has long been about planting the seeds of future generations to make sure that all of us in this city can find a wonderful home and can be welcomed and have success,” Frye said. “It’s about a place where we all can gather, get to know each other, celebrate our differences, something that Norway House has been about from the very beginning.”

He then had the great pleasure of present ing the day’s guest of honor, Queen Sonja.

The queen speaks

Regal, relaxed, and stunningly beautiful in her colorful East-Telemark bunad, Queen Sonja addressed the crowd.

“It’s a great pleasure for me to be here at the exciting opening of the new Norway House this morning,” she said. Like others, she mentioned the strong ties of Minneapo lis to Norway. “Being here feels like a home away from home,” she said.

The queen talked about the shared expe rience of Norway and the United States, with two of the oldest constitutions in the world.

“We share hopes, fears, values, and dreams for the future,” said the queen. “On a funda mental level, we understand each other ....”

The queen offered her congratulations to everyone, especially the Norway House team for the opening of the new Innovation + Culture Center. “With these words, I declare Norway House, Minnesota, officially open,” said the queen.

Five, four, three, two, one ...

It was finally time for the ribbon-cut ting. Emcee Sundquist called on Sen. Klobu char and Mayor Frey to hold the ribbon tight —without engaging in a tug of war—as Car leton got out the scissors. After a countdown of five, Queen Sonja playfully cut the rib bon. The official ceremony was over, and the block party began, with more music, food trucks, handshaking, hugs, and much merri ment. Norway House had come home.

When asked about the Norway House grand opening, Queen Sonja said that it had been one of the major experiences of her life.

“It shows the importance of the relation ship between the United States and Norway, and everything that goes into that collabora tion. It is an important place both for Ameri cans and for Norwegians who want to estab lish themselves here.”

And apparently, Queen Sonja had quite a good time at the festivities.

“It’s the 17th of May and the 17th of May many times over here today,” the smil ing queen said.

Lori Ann Reinhall, editorin-chief of The Norwegian American, is a multilingual journalist and cultural am bassador based in Seattle. She is the president of the Seattle-Bergen Sister City Association, and she serves on the boards of several Nor dic organizations.

Left: Minnesota’s U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar ignited the crowds as she extolled the longtime friendship between Norway and the United States.

Right: Guitarist and vocalist Justin Anthony Spenner, winner of the 2022 Edvard Grieg Society of Minnesota Voice Competition, provided the music, with Wesley Frye on the keyboard and Ryan Cihlar on accordion and drums to back him up.

Without any doubt, the highlight of the day was the cutting of the ribbon by Queen Sonja, which marked the official opening of the new Innovation + Culture Center at Norway House. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Executive Director Christina Carleton held one end, and Mayor Jacob Frey held the other.

Left: After the conclusion of the program, visitors entered the Sundet Family Aula, passing by the new “Seeds” pine cone sculpture, another star of the show. Right: The block party continued with music, food, and merriment, as Queen Sonja took the time to say hello to the many visitors who had gathered to greet her.

Left: Norway’s ambassador to the United States, Anniken R. Krutnes, was on the stage to cheer along with the large crowd that had gathered. Right: On the opposite end of the block from Norway House is Mindekirken, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, an anchor to the past.

Art and architecture come alive at Norway House

A new place for gathering and a new landmark

Lori Ann reinhALL Editor-in-chief The Norwegian American

In September of 2021, staff, supporters, friends of Norway House in Minneapolis gathered there for the groundbreaking for a new 18,000-foot addition, including a new Innovation + Culture Center. At that time, we saw drawings and renderings created by Twin Cities architect Dewey Thorbeck, giv ing us a vision of what was to come. That vision has now become a reality.

After the grand opening ceremony on Sept. 15, Thorbeck and I found a quiet cor ner in the new center to talk about how the new space had come together. “It’s exciting,” said Thorbeck. “It’s meant to be a gather ing place. For weddings, for receptions, for conferences.” While not everything has been completed, Thorbeck shared that it “turned out just the way he had planned it.”

The Sundet Family Aula in the Innova tion + Culture Center is an open, airy space with plenty of natural light painted in a sooth ing sky blue that complements the indigo blue that has become the signature color of Norway House. The oversized funky flower light fixtures in the main entrance hallway create a very warm and inviting feeling. And it is not to be forgotten that the space includes a new state-of-the-art kitchen to ac commodate catered food service for events.

Water is a predominant theme with the Innovation + Culture Center, architecturally designed with an iconic “floating roof” sup ported by slender steel columns that extend up through round openings above the roof with tension cables—looking like sailing ships an chored in a harbor.

Wood is an important element with the new wood-clad entrance to Norway House, designed with a tower reminiscent of a Nor wegian stave church. It provides a bridge to the older structure of Norway House, also painted in the iconic indigo blue.

And then there is the Twin Cities’ newest landmark, the pine cone sculpture “Seeds,” designed by sculpture artist Finn Eirik Modahl from Bergen, Norway. Modahl says that he is “very proud and honored that he was select ed.” At 16.5 feet tall, the sculpture makes an impressive statement.

As Thorbeck commented, the sculpture provides a focal point in relation to Min dekirken, which is located at the diagonal cor ner of the plaza. Thorsen traveled to Norway to meet with Modahl, where the sister sculp ture “Konglo” to “Seeds” can be found on the island of Sotra outside of Bergen.

But while “Konglo” was crafted in bronze, “Seeds” has been executed in a polished steel. “This is built to last,” said Modahl. The reflective quality of the material means that you never experience the sculp ture in the same way, depending on the light

and what is being reflected. You can see both what is around you and your own image in the sculpture, with a perspective that is constantly changing. Standing as an open sculpture, it is a magnet for children to run around and takes on a living quality.

“This sculpture builds toward the future,” said Modahl. “Always changing and evolv ing, the sculpture goes right into the core and idea of Norway House.”

And by the way, the red pine is the state tree of Minnesota.

Perhaps most impressive is that the new landmark sculpture was funded in full by pri vate donations. Principal donors Ron and Kay Olsen are thrilled with its final execution and see “Seeds” as making “a statement of how the immigrants planted new seeds in a new land to thrive and grow.”

Photos by Coppersmith Photography

The Sundet Family Aula in the new Innovation + Culture Center can hold up to 300 people and is a light, airy space designed for conferences and meetings, receptions, exhibitions, lectures, and concerts.

Large modern light fixtures in the entrance hall hang from the ceiling like friendly bursts of sunshine.

The pine cone sculpture “Seeds” is destined to become a new landmark in the Twin Cities.

Artist Finn Eirik Modahl shakes hands with Queen Sonja, as Norway House Curator Max Stevenson and Executive Director Christina Carleton stand by.

Clad in wood, the entrance to Norway House was designed to be reminiscent of a Norwegian stave church. Visitors lined the red carpet leading up to it, hoping to get a glance of Queen Sonja.

Custom Nordic inspired jewelry featuring Scandinavian gemstones and Norwegian filigree in gold and silver

Together in Hope concert supports refugees, celebrates diversity

Queen attends U.S. premiere of “The Stranger”

Lori Ann reinhALL Editor-in-chief The Norwegian American

We carry tears in our eyes: good-bye father, good-bye mother, We carry soil in small bags: may home never fade in our hearts ...

— Wang Ping

So opens “The Stranger,” a new choral work by contemporary Norwegian composer Kim André Arnesen. The work saw its world pre miere at the St. Olavsfest last July with the Together in Hope Choir at Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway, one of the largest cul tural events in Norway. Then last month, on Oct. 15, the U.S. premiere took place at the Ordway Concert Hall in St. Paul, Minn., with Queen Sonja of Norway in attendance.

“The Stranger” was commissioned by the Together in Hope Project, a nonprofit organi zation based in the Twin Cities. Founded in 2017 by Gary Aamodt and Celia Ellingson, its purpose is to create “unique, music-anchored projects to address a need and an opportunity for healing and reconciliation.”

In their program notes, Aamodt and El lingson write: “It is our hope that ‘The Strang er’ will awaken and activate all who hear it to work for a world where all are respected, included, and welcome.”

The Together in Hope Choir has brought together about 50 artists from the Twin Cities area to carry out its mission. This past year, they have partnered with the USA for UN HCR (the United Nations Refugee Agency) on “The Stranger.” Using music as the univer sal language, it is their hope to raise aware ness and empathy for over 100 million people who have been displaced from their homes worldwide.

“The Stranger” is drawn from work ini tiated by António Guterres, who now serves as secretary-general of the United Nations. Before that, Guterres was the United Na tions High Commissioner for Refugees. He has worked closely with faith leaders, hu manitarian organizations, academics, and international government representatives to promote the values of “humanity, caring, and respect, and the traditions of granting protec tion in danger.”

The starting points for the composition are the poems that refugees from countries all over the world have written describing their journeys to new lands to find new homes for themselves. Interspersed are Biblical passag es and other thematic poetry. The message is multicultural and ecumenical.

The work is divided into three principal sections: “The Plight of the Stranger,” “We are All Strangers Somewhere,” and “We Jour ney Together in Hope,” to mirror the progres sion of the refugee journey from displace ment to inclusion in a new home where they are embraced and finally accepted.

The language of the texts is clear, mak ing use of simple syntaxes, but no less lacking in impact for that. With a clearness and pure ness of expression, they have a genuine qual ity that is relatable. Their meaning can easily be understood and are relatively accessible to newcomers to the English language.

It is somehow no surprise that the To gether in Hope Project would turn to Nor wegian contemporary composer Kim André Arnesen to commission the music for this work. Born and educated in Trondheim, his compositions are some of the most frequently performed choral works in the world.

As a child, Arnesen studied classical pia no and was a chorister in the famous Nidaros Boys’ Choir, and later, he was educated at the Music Conservatory in Trondheim. Today, he focuses solely on composing choral music.

Arnesen’s music has been described as “beautifully evocative and calming.” His mu sic can also be described as eclectic in nature, incorporating elements of baroque, contem

porary, classical, and popular music.

Of “The Stranger,” Arnesen writes: “The music for ‘The Stranger’ is not written in a strictly Western classical style but rather con tains elements from many different traditions. Many will have associations with the Middle East, but I have tried to create a tonal language based on different genres and traditions. ... So even though the foundation is classical, I would assert that ‘The Stranger’ has turned out to be a genre-defying work. We find ele ments from folk and traditional music, world music, pop, and jazz.”

In this way, Arnesen’s eclectic approach with “The Stranger” weaves together a mul ticultural musical tapestry. Strictly speaking from a musical point of view, the score can at times be jarring, as the music operates on a symbolic level.

The performance at the Ordway with the Together in Hope chamber orchestra and choral ensemble under the direction of Artis tic Director Mark Stover, working together

with Executive and Artistic Director Brian A. Schmidt, touched the hearts of many. It was a moving moment when the audience—which included many local refugees—gave the per formers a steady round of applause and stand ing ovation.

At the Sunday service at Mindekirken in Minneapolis the next morning, Queen Sonja most eloquently expressed the universal mes sage of “The Stranger.”

“The extraordinary concert I attended last night ...also reminded us about everything we have in common as human beings in a global community. The concert made a deep impres sion on me, and I hope that will we keep this in our hearts that there is more to connect us than to divide us a human beings, no matter where we live and who we are.”

Wise words for us to follow as we all go forth together in hope.

To learn more, visit the Together in Hope Project website at togetherinhopeproject.org.

• In-person & virtual worship every Sunday at 11 a.m.

• Coffee, treats, and fellowship every Sunday after worship

• Free monthly event featuring local musicians and artists 4th Sunday at 1 p.m.

join us!

Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church

The Together in Hope Project is an idealistic nonprofit organization that focuses on “the transformative power of music on issues of our shared humanity.”

Photo: Ole Wuttudal

Kim André Arnesen is known around the world for his choral compositions.

Photo courtesy of Together in Hope Project

Artistic Director Mark Stover conducts the Together in Hope Choir at the U.S. premiere of Kim André Arnesen’s “The Stranger” at the Ordway Concert Hall in St. Paul, Minn., on Oct. 15. Queen Sonja of Norway was in attendance as part of her four-day tour in Minnesota.

Studying the past to look to the future

Queen Sonja inspires students at St. Olaf College

Lori Ann reinhALL Editor-in-chief The Norwegian American

A three-hour flight delay with a midnight arrival. A long wait to get a rental car at the Minneapolis–St. Paul airport, and then a drive in the dark to Northfield. It only allowed for a few hours of sleep, to awake to the sight of snowflakes coming down the next morning. What have I done? I asked myself. Was it all really worth it to catch a glimpse or two of Queen Sonja at St. Olaf College?

Well, I can say without any hesitation, that the answer turned out to be a resound ing yes. My morning at St. Olaf on Oct. 14 will remain in my memory as one of the most meaningful receptions I have ever attended. And this is not so usual at an academic insti tution, where things have a tendency to be–well—a little too academic. This was very different, very heartwarming, very inspiring.

Queen Sonja and her entourage from the royal palace, embassy, and other security per sonnel arrived at the north entrance of the St. Olaf Buntrock Commons at 11 a.m. on the dot to be presented with a bouquet of red, white, and blue flowers by Sebastian Pham, St. Olaf student body president. The queen then went inside to be greeted by a large Norwegian flag that was hung from the landing at the top of a long staircase. Students had gathered to wel come her and cheer her on—many wearing Norwegian sweaters and waving Norwegian flags, as she ascended the staircase.

As the group left the building, followed by the press corps, cameras in hand, the ex citement stepped up, as throngs of students had lined the walkway to the Rølvaag Me morial Library, with more flag-waving and cheering. “I saw royalty, I saw royalty!” I heard a blond-haired, blue-eyed girl exclaim, flag in hand, of course. But what struck me

was the diversity of the student body that had come out. Apparently, you didn’t have to have Norwegian genes per se to get excited about Queen Sonja’s visit—this was a day for all Oles—and the excitement was intoxicating.

Once inside the Rølvaag Memorial Li brary, the queen was greeted by David R. Anderson, president of St. Olaf College, and Amy Boxrud, executive director of the Norwegian-American Historical Association. The program also included remarks from Kari Lie Dorer, King Olav chair of ScandinavianAmerican Studies and professor of Norwe gian, and Mary Barbosa-Jerez, head of strat egy for library collection and archives. The queen and other attendees learned about who O.E. Rølvaag was and the history of the li

brary and its collections. The queen, who was seated next to the Norwegian ambassador to the United States, Anniken R. Krutnes, lis tened attentively.

But the real stars of the show were the students who read from the archives and pre sented projects that were part of their Nordic Studies programs.

Leah Berdahl, Skye Federation, and Teague Lars Peterson-McGuire, all class of ’23, read from the letters of Norwegian im migrants from the archives. Listening to these accounts, one got the sense of history in an immediate way, gaining understanding of why the work of the Norwegian-American Histori cal Association and the archives with letters, photos, and other documents is so important.

But the Norwegian and ScandinavianAmerican Studies programs at St. Olaf are not only about the past, as we learned from four student presenters, also from the class of ’23.

We learned from Caroline Flaten that O.E. Rølvaag (1876 – 1931) was a professor of Norwegian at St. Olaf College and general secretary of the Norwegian-American His torical Association. His epic novel Giants in the Earth is considered to be one of the best accounts of the Norwegian-American immi grant experience on the Great Plains in the 19th century.

Esmir Hodzic spoke about Norwegian Americans’ path to “whiteness,” the experi ence of the immigrants finding their place in the socioeconomic hierarchy of their new country. A second-generation Bosnian immi grant, Hodzic sees parallels among the experi ences of all immigrants.

In fluent Norwegian, Helen White spoke about the often overlooked history of Norwe gian settlements in Texas (and the queen com plimented her on her Norwegian).

Also speaking fluent Norwegian, Eric Moe presented his project on the 1925 NorseAmerican Centennial, when celebrations were held in several North American cities with a major festival at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Documenting materials from these events make up a major part of the ar chives. Moe proudly shared that he plans to pursue a doctorate in Norwegian.

After a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the queen for the library’s new special collections and archives vault, I got the opportunity to talk with the students more about their plans for the future. Having obtained my degrees in Scandinavian languages and literature many decades ago, I was not surprised to hear that one of the most common questions they get is, “What in the world will you do with a degree like that?”

But these students are optimistic and have a vision. Some are planning to work as linguists in some capacity, others have double majors and understand the value of knowing a foreign language, there were those with a razor-sharp focus on an academic career, and in all cases, there was a strong intellectual curiosity expressed. All recognized the value of understanding the interplay among differ ent cultures.

Finally, with the visit of Queen Sonja, I asked the students if the monarchy was still relevant in today’s world. They didn’t hesi tate to respond that the Norwegian monarchy provided an important anchor to history and tradition and a steady presence in the now. They had just seen how the queen’s presence had elevated the meaning and importance of what they were doing, without any politics being involved. For them and all of us there, it was an exciting, inspirational day.

Photos: Lori Ann Reinhall

Left: The students of St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn., cane out in full force, Norwegian flags and cell phone camera in hand, to greet Norway’s Queen Sonja.

Right: Student Caroline Flaten (left) briefly presented the history of O.E. Rølvaag to Queen Sonja (right), as professor Kari Lie Dorer stood by.

With St. Olaf College President, David R. Anderson, Queen Sonja cut the ribbon to dedicate the new Rølvaag Archives, now under construction.

ROYAL VISIT

A historical congregation welcomes the queen and archbishop of Norway

Centennial celebration continues at Mindekirken

Lori Ann reinhALL Editor-in-chief The Norwegian American

Last January, The Norwegian American published a special edition to commemorate 100 years of Mindekirken, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church in Minneapolis. That same month, on Jan. 9, the congregation celebrated with a banquet, kicking off a year of celebrations. Those celebrations culmi nated on Oct. 16 with a royal visit from Her Majesty Queen Sonja of Norway.

The queen is no stranger to Mindekirken. Her husband, King Harald, is the patron of the church. The queen has visited several times, first in fall 1978 as Crown Princess Sonja. In many respects, it must have felt like a homecoming for the queen, so beloved by the congregation there.

And that congregation came out in full force on the brisk Sunday morning for the special service with the queen, 450 in total, filling the church to capacity.

Entering Mindekirken is always an awe-inspiring experience, with the church’s sweeping cathedral ceiling, the magnificent stained-glass windows, and illuminated altar painting. On this morning, the atmo sphere was heightened by a musical prelude performed by regularly performing church musicians and a visiting vocal group from northern Norway, Vocal Art, with Simen Kiil Halvorsen on the trumpet. The folk sounds of “Bruremarsj from Sørfold” help set the mood for the arrival of Queen Sonja.

The congregation rose when the queen entered, and the regular service began. Pre siding were the Rev. Gunnar Kristiansen of Mindekirken and the visiting archbishop of the Church of Norway, Olav Fykse Tveit. Younger members of the congregation also came forth to read Scripture passages in flu ent Norwegian.

It was a moving moment when Queen

Sonja rose to deliver her remarks. “I have in deed had some wonderful days here in Minne sota and ending my visit here at Mindekirken is truly special,” she said.

The queen read from the same scripture passage, Psalm 90:12, that she had read when she visited in 1978. It was a reminder of the royal family’s enduring commitment to the Mindekirken community. “I’m certain that Mindekirken in this next century will continue to bring together people who are passionate about traditions,” Queen Sonja said.

Archbishop Tveit delivered the sermon, reminding the congregation that while Mind ekirken was built as a “memorial church,” it is a living place that must look to the future.

Queen Sonja was escorted away to a pri vate room to prepare for the gala luncheon. She found the church program from her 1978 visit placed on a table there. It was a reminder from the congregation that they had not for gotten her first visit, an expression of Minde kirken’s ongoing commitment and gratitude.

The church’s Fellowship Hall was filled to the brim as she entered with Jeannette Hen rikssen, congregation president. The mood was festive in a Norwegian way, with tables decorated with accents of red, white, and blue.

Just as festive was the food, prepared by Chef Francisco of ELMO Catering LLC and Stine Carillo-Aasland’s Nordic Waffles. The Norwegian table prayer was sung, and there were speeches and presentations, including a brief overview of the history of congregation by Gracia Grindal, Mindekirken historian.

As the celebration came to a close, Jo seph Grødahl, director of programs and events at Norway House and a good friend of Mindekirken and member of the planning committee, delivered a heartfelt “Takk for maten” speech of thanks. Grøhdahl could not contain his emotion as he spoke for the congregation, expressing their thankfulness for the unwavering support of the Norwegian royal family for the Mindekirken congrega tion and Norwegian-American community.

Photos: Coppersmith Photography

The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church in Minneapolis—Mindekirken—was filled to capacity for a special commemorative service with Queen Sonja on Oct. 15 to honor the church’s centennial.

Queen Sonja’s address to the congregation, nostalgic and inspirational, was the highlight of the service.

Archbishop Olav Fykse Tveit traveled from Norway to receive the queen and deliver the Sunday sermon.

Gracia Grindal, Mindekirken centennial committee chair, poses with grand niece Eline Gro Knatterud.

Mindiekirken’s pastor, Gunnar Kristiansen, sat to the queen’s right, and Jeannette Henrikssen, president of the congregation, to her left, as the guests waited for a special celebratory luncheon to be served.

Chef Francisco offered up smoked lake trout, turkey, wild rice, and roasted squash.

Cocktail “Kom hjem!”

Skål for Norway House with a royal blue libation!

Kristi BisseLL Taste of Norway Editor The Norwegian American

Lori Ann reinhALL Editor-in-chief The Norwegian American

The grand opening of the new Norway House addition with Queen Sonja calls for a celebration, and what better way to celebrate than with a signature cocktail!

We decided to call our royal libation “Kom hjem”—“Come home”—the tagline of Norway House. Offering your guests a glass is warm and inviting, the feeling that pervades Norway House.

The color blue has been associated with Norway House from the beginning. It symbolizes the blue waters of the ocean that connect our North American continent to Norway across the Atlantic. For this reason, the Norway House building was painted blue. Blue is also traditionally a color associated with royals.

To achieve the color and taste we wanted for our signature drink, we choose blue Curaçao liqueur. It is flavored with the dried peel of the bitter orange laraha, a citrus fruit grown on the Dutch island of Curaçao in the Caribbean, giving the cocktail its refreshing taste.

But the quintessential Norwegian el ement in this drink is a good infusion of aquavit, of course. With its caraway flavor, it gives it that extra tang that is oh-so-Nordic. But if for some reason aquavit is not available where you live, vodka may be substituted.

No matter how you make it, this drink is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, as we raise a glass to Norway House!

INGREDIENTS

Lime wedge

Coarse or granulated sugar

Ice cubes

¼ cup cranberry juice cocktail

COCKTAIL “KOM HJEM!”

HOW TO MAKE IT

1. Moisten rim of chilled martini glass with lime wedge. Sprinkle sugar onto small plate and dip moistened rim into the sugar to coat lightly.

2. Fill cocktail shaker with ice. Add cranberry juice, aquavit, Curaçao, and lime juice; cover and shake. Strain into martini glass.

2 tbsps. (1 oz.) aquavit or citron-flavored aquavit

2 tbsps. (1 oz.) blue Curaçao liqueur

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

3. Garnish your drink with a lemon or lime wedge. CHEERS! SKÅL!

Photo: Kristi Bissell

In celebration of the grand opening at Norway House, Taste of Norway Editor Kristi Bissell and Editor-in-chief Lori Ann Reinhall present a new signature cocktail “Kom hjem!” With its royal blue color and the taste of aquavit, it makes for a perfect toast for this very special occasion.

Dronningens juvel

A jewel of a dessert fit for a queen

Kristi BisseLL Taste of Norway Editor The Norwegian American

This Norwegian roll cake called “The Queen’s Jewel” is truly fit for royalty. A tender chocolate hazelnut sponge cake surrounds layers of fresh bananas, chocolate, and whipped cream. This stunning cake is then topped with more whipped cream, bananas and chocolate. It makes a festive and surprisingly light dessert for the coming holiday entertaining season!

Roll cakes can be intimidating but are really quite simple with a few tips and tricks to ensure your success:

• Use baking spray to prepare the pan, and make sure that it is spread evenly. This cake will release easily if you spray the pan with baking spray, cover it with a layer of parchment, and then spray the parchment. I then use my fingers or a brush to make sure that the parchment and the sides of the pan are evenly coated with baking spray. This will help keep the cake from sticking to the pan or the parchment after it is baked.

• While it is still warm, roll the cake in a dish towel (not terry cloth) generously dusted with powdered sugar. This is an absolutely critical step. The cake must be rolled while it is still quite warm from the oven. It will crack and break if you try to roll it once it is cool. Since the cake is too warm to assemble with the fillings at first, it is wrapped in a cotton dish towel until it is cool enough to fill. This sets the rolled shape that we are ultimately looking for. The powdered sugar acts like flour here and keeps the cake from sticking to the towel.

• Once the cake is cool, carefully unroll it and spread your whipped cream on top, leaving a 1-inch border around the sides.

• Transfer the cake to a serving platter using two spatulas, one at the top of the roll and one at bottom, on opposite sides of the cake. This is enough support to get it from the work surface to a pretty serving tray.

• Let the finished cake rest in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving. This will help everything meld together.

Taste of Norway Editor Kristi Bis sell is the founder of True North Kitchen, a Nordic food blog de signed for the American home cook. She enjoys creating recipes that celebrate her Scandinavian heritage and that approach tra ditional Nordic ingredients in a modern, fresh and approachable way. Kristi is a native of Minneap olis and currently resides in Omaha, Neb. When she’s not cooking and baking in her cozy kitchen, Kristi teaches private and corporate yoga classes and leads Scandinavian cooking and baking workshops. For more information, visit true-north-kitchen.com

DRONNINGENS JUVEL —THE QUEEN’S JEWEL

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE:

4 large eggs, separated

2/3 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup water

½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup hazelnuts, toasted and ground in a food processor

¼ cup all-purpose flour

¼ cup cornstarch

¼ cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

FOR THE FILLING AND DECORATION:

2 cups heavy whipping cream

3 tbsps. powdered (confectioner’s) sugar

½ tsp. vanilla extract

3 ripe bananas, 2 bananas thinly sliced, 1 banana sliced on the bias into thicker slices for decorating the top

2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate shavings

HOW TO MAKE IT

Makes 1 9-inch roll cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a rimmed baking sheet (12 inches x 18 inches) with baking spray and line the bottom with parchment paper. Spray parchment with baking spray and use your fingers or a pastry brush to make sure the spray is distributed evenly around the top of the parchment paper and the pan. Set aside.

2. Transfer the egg whites to the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Scrape the whipped egg whites into a separate bowl using a rubber spatula and set aside.

3. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, water, and vanilla in the now empty mixer bowl. Using the whisk attachment, whip on medium-high speed until the mixture is light in color and thick, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary, about 3-5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, whisk the ground hazelnuts, flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

5. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the dry ingredients until just incorporated. Add the whipped egg whites and mix until just combined.

6. Scrape the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer. Bake until the cake is just set, about 12 –15 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool for 5–10 minutes.

7. Run a knife along the edge of the pan and invert the warm cake onto a clean cotton dish towel (not terry cloth) that has been generously dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off the parchment paper that was on the bottom of the cake while it was baking. Starting with the short side of the rectangle, roll the cake in the dishcloth and allow it to rest for 15 minutes.

8. Meanwhile, make the whipped cream. Combine the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a clean stand-mixer bowl. Using a clean whisk attachment, whip the cream until medium-stiff peaks form.

9. Carefully unroll the cake, and spread with about half of the whipped cream, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Top with a layer of thinly sliced bananas. Sprinkle the bananas with half of the chocolate shavings. Carefully re-roll the cake around the filling leaving the towel on the counter. Trim the ends and transfer to a serving plate. Frost the cake with the remain ing whipped cream and decorate with additional banana slices cut on the bias and sprinkle with more chocolate shavings. Serve immediately or gently cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator for up to 3 hours before serving. If the decorative banana slices on top of the cake turn brown before serving, simply replace with fresh banana slices.

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Photos: Kristi Bissell

Dronningens juvelkake is a Norwegian roll cake that is a royal creation of hazelnut sponge cake, fresh bananas, chocolate, and whipped cream.

Dronning Sonja av Norge Queen Sonja of Norway

Nylig var Norges dron ning på offisielt besøk i USA (Recently the queen of Norway made an official visit to the United States). Under hennes besøk (Dur ing her visit) understrekte Hennes Majestet Dronning Sonja (Her Majesty Queen Sonja) de sterke båndene (emphasized the strong ties) mellom Norge og USA (between Norway and the United States). Mange norskamerikanere (Many Norwegian Americans) har stor interesse for Dronning Sonja (have great interest in Queen Sonja) og gledet seg til dronningens besøk (and looked forward to the queen’s visit).

Sonja Haraldsen ble født 4. juli 1937 (was born on July 4, 1937). Som dat ter av en forretningsmann (Daughter of a merchant), vokste Sonja opp på Vin deren i Oslo (Sonja grew up at Vinderen in Oslo).

Sonjas barndomshjem (Sonja’s childhood home) ble flyttet til Maihaugen friluftsmuseum i Lilleham mer (was moved to Maihaugen open-air museum in Lillehammer) og åpnet for publikum i (and opened to the public in) 2018.

Sonja studerte engelsk, fransk og kunsthistorie (studied French, English, and art history) ved Universitetet i Oslo (at the University of Oslo). Sommeren 1959 (In the summer of 1959) møtte hun kronprins Harald (she met Crown Prince Harald) i et selskap hos felles venner (at a party with mutual friends). De ble forelsket (They fell in love), men de måtte holde forholdet sitt hem melig (but they had to keep their relationship secret) i ni år (for nine years). På den tiden (At that time) kunne en norsk prins ikke gifte seg borgerlig (a Norwegian prince could not marry a commoner).

I 1967 (In 1967) sa kronprins Harald fra til kong Olav (Crown Prince Harald told King Olav) at hvis han ikke kunne gifte seg med Sonja (that if he couldn’t marry Sonja), ville han leve ugift (he would live unmarried). Endelig fikk de lov til å gifte seg (Finally they were allowed to marry) and Sonja ble forlovet med kronprins Harald i 1968 (and Sonja became engaged to Crown Prince Harald in 1968). De giftet seg 29. august samme år (They married on Aug. 29 of the same year) i Oslo domkirke (in Oslo Cathedral) og Sonja Haraldsen ble kronprinsesse Sonja (and Sonja Haraldsen became Crown Princess Sonja).

Da kong Olav V døde 17. januar 1991 (When King Olav died on Jan. 17, 1991), besteg kronprins Harald tronen som kong Harald V (Crown Prince Harald ascended the throne as King Harald V) og kronprinsesse Sonja ble dronning (and Crown Princess Sonja became queen). Kongeparet ble signet (The royal couple was consecrated) i Nidarosdomen (in Nidaros Cathedral) i Trondheim 23. juni 1991 (in Trondheim on June 23, 1991)

Dronning Sonja har et sterkt engasjement (Queen Sonja has a strong com mitment) for sosialt og humanitært arbeid (to social and humanitarian work) Hun er også kjent (She is also known) for sin stor interesse i musikk, kunst og norsk natur (for her great interest in music, art, and Norwegian nature).

Kilder (Sources): Det Norske Kongehus: kongehuset.no/seksjon.html?tid=27197&sek=26953

Norsk Biografisk Leksikon: nbl.snl.no/Sonja

Christie Ericson is an academic librarian living in Anchorage, Alaska. She has a background in languages and linguistics and has been fulfilling her lifelong dream of learning the Norwegian language. She also serves as the cultural director and librarian at her local Sons of Norway lodge and is completely addicted to Selbu mitten knitting.

Hand-harvested julenek from Washington’s

Valley

your sheaf in a

deck,

birds

$25 Available locally. To order, email Kristine Leander at leif@leiferikson.org or call 206-778-1081

Pick-up in Seattle’s Ballard and Queen Anne Hill neighborhoods

Photo: Jørgen Gomnæs / Det kongelige hoff

An official portrait of Queen Sonja of Norway from 2021.

Barneblad

Queen or King for a Day!

With an issue focusing on a royal visit, it seems only ap propriate that his month’s Barneblad should focus on the topic of royalty. What is it, what does it mean, and how does it have meaning for us today?

What is royalty?

So many of us know about queens, kings, princess es, and princes from fairy tales. Our minds are filled with grand images of palaces, majestic thrones, beauti ful clothes, fur-collared robes, and, of course, crowns adorned with bedazzling jewels. To marry into roy alty and live happily ever after is a fairy-tale dream for many, but what does it mean to be royal?

At one time, many countries were ruled by royal families, queens and kings, who made the laws of the lands. They were looked up to as protectors, and their power was great. This power was symbolized by the crowns they wore on their heads. Most often, when a king or queen died, one of their children would take over for them.

Royal responsibility

But today, in most of the world, queens and kings no longer rule is this way. In modern countries like Nor way, there is a constitution, a set of laws made by and for the people. The queen and king stand as symbols for the country. It is their duty to uphold the laws of the land that have been made by the people.

This means that the queen and king must work hard to help their people. Above all, they must always do what is best for their country. They support good causes, travel to other countries to make the best im pression, and do their best to carry on beautiful tradi tions. They may still wear beautiful clothes and crowns, but it is their job to serve the people. This is their royal responsibility.

ROYAL ACTIVITY: Queen or king for a day

Imagine if you were queen or king for day. You would also have this same royal responsibility. While it would be fun to wear a crown on your head, you would have to think about doing what is right for others, too.

So, why not make a crown to wear for a day and think about what you could do to rule as a good queen or king? What could you do to bring some happiness to the lives of others around you?

For this month’s Barneblad, why not have the fun of making and wearing your own crown while think ing of at least 10 things you could do for your family, friends, or others you love? You could make cookies, for example, you could visit you grandma or grandpa, or you could clean your room. The possibilities—and fun—will make for wonderful queen or king for a day!

HOW TO MAKE YOUR ROYAL CROWN

Making your own royal crown is easy and fun! For a basic crown, all you need is some colored construction paper, a pair of scissors, and some glue.

First of all, ask mom or dad to measure the circumference of your head. Most likely you will need to glue two pieces of paper to go all around.

Then, draw the outline of your crown, leaving a straight edge on the paper and making zigzags or some other decorate shape at the top. (There are many tem plates available to download online if you search for “make a crown.”)

Of course, you may choose to decorate your crown to make it fancier. There are many possibilities:

1. Colored crown: Perhaps you are a drawing artist at heart. One of the easier ways to decorate your crown is to use crayons to color pretty designs on it.

2. Eclectic crown: Ever wonder what to do with scraps of old wrapping paper? Cut them up in fun shapes and decorate your crown. Alternatively, you can use other colored construction paper scraps for a similar effect.

3. Jeweled crown: Decorative jeweled pieces are available at craft stores. Foiled colored wrapping paper is also pretty. Glue everything on your crown for an elaborate, sparkling effect that is absolutely regal!

A monthly feature to share with kids and grandkids

Brought to you by Lori Ann Reinhall

Photos: iStock and Shutterstock

It’s both fun and easy to make your own royal crown.

Photo: Colourbox Think like a royal with a crown on your head.

Get a jumpstart on your Christmas shopping with our first online auction

Presenting the 2022 Gift Guide Auction Preview

This year, why not beat the holiday rush and take some of the stress out of the Christmas season by shopping online with The Norwegian American?

For the first time, we are offering you the opportunity to purchase a selection of items in our first Holiday Gift Guide Auction. Working with select vendors, we have tried to find something for everyone on your list: decorations, toys, books, clothing, delicious treats, and more!

Mark your calendars: Bidding will get started on Nov. 5 and end on Nov. 20 at norwegianamerican.com/auction. All proceeds go to The Norwegian American.

FREIA MILK CHOCOLATE

No Norwegian Christmas is complete without genuine Norwegian chocolate. Perfect as a stocking stuffer. Scandinavian Specialities scanspecialties.com Value: $12.99 · Buy it now: $10 Quantities limited

NORDIC WARRIOR SHIELD RING

Celebrate the beauty of the ancient world with a one-of-a-kind sterling silver ring made in the shape of a goddess warrior shield. The design honors classic Norwegian traditional jewelry in filigree and granulation. U.S. size 7. Elentari Håndverk by Debra Carus · elentarihandverk. patternbyetsy.com Value: $350 · Opening bid: $140

BUSSERULL SHIRT

The traditional Solberg bright blue cotton shirt is a reconstruction of the traditional Scandinavian work shirt, commonly worn 150 years ago. Today, this shirt can be worn for all occasions by both men and women.

Hovden Wear · hovdenwear.com

Value: $180 · Opening bid: $70

And, of course, the ultimate gift is a subscription to The Norwegian American That is why if you purchase a gift subscription for a family member or friend, the cost will be only $50 during the auction. Quantities for this item are unlimited, so you can purchase as many as you’d like.

EMIGRANT MUSIC CD

VIKING ART BOOK

The Arts and Crafts of Ancient Scandinavia by awardwinning artist Sven Lindauer features 21 paintings and stories about Viking artisans and craftspeople. Lindauer Fine Art · lindauerart.com Value: $49.95 · Opening bid: $20

EKELUND TABLE RUNNER

Dress up your Christmas table with a fine woven runner from Ekelund, master weavers from Sweden since 1692. A mixture of tradition and modern design. Size: 14 in. x 47 in. Nordiska Shop · nordiskashop.com Value: $48 · Opening bid: $20

What is Christmas without family and music? This year, celebrate your heritage with music from the Old World emigrants—soon you’ll be singing along!

Lori Ann Reinhall, your singing editor-in-chief Value: $8 · Buy it now: $7 Buy several to gift to your family.

NORTHERN LIGHT BLANKET

Get warm and cozy for winter nights with the “Northern Light” blanket from Vingtor. 100% Norwegian wool, woven in Lithuania. Reversible, 51 in. x 71 in. Ingebretsen’s Nordic Marketplace ingebretsens.com Value: $195 · Opening bid: $80

18-RING KRANSEKAKE

Treat your holiday guests like royalty with this artisinal kransekake by Mandel, handmade in a small batch with wholesome quality ingredients. Naturally glutenfree, contains almonds. Mandel mandelcake.com Value: $179.95 Opening bid: $70

THE NORWEGIAN AMERICAN

Share your love for Norway with a one-year subscription to our newspaper. With something for everyone, this is the perfect Christmas gift. Buy several— quantities are unlimited.

The Norwegian American norwegianamerican.com Value: $70 · Buy it now: $50

The Great Emigrant

NATIVITY SET CANDLE HOLDER

This beautifully crafted black metal taper candleholder depicts a nativity scene to brighten up your house for Christmas. Candles sold separately. Size: 11 in. x 6 7/8 in.

The Nordic Shop thenordicshop.net Value: $80 · Opening bid: $20