Published by Swedish News. Volume 145 No. 3, March 15, 2017. Price per copy $3.50.
Photo: KP Photograph
Water is Life
Photo: Stockholm Visitors Board
Viking Age manor For centuries it has been speculated where the manor of the royal bailiff of the Viking city Birka, Herigar, might have been located. New geophysical results provide evidence of its location at Korshamn, outside the town rampart of the Viking Age proto-town Birka in Sweden. The results have been published in the international scientific journal Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt. continues on page 22
From the simplest organisms to the most complex animals, water is critical to survival. It is a precious resource that affects all facets of life, and humans can’t go for more than a few days without it. Water makes up nearly 60 percent of our bodies as both a solvent of essential vitamins and a delivery mechanism that flushes out toxins, regulates body temperature and aids our metabolism. Because we rely on water for so many basic needs, water sustainability and conservation have become increasingly important, especially as staggering statistics continue to reveal that more and more people around the world don’t have access to water for drinking or even sanitation. One in 10 people in the world lack access to safe water – that’s 663 million people (twice the population of the U.S.) who do not have access to an adequate water supply. Many countries are stepping up their game
to conserve water as well as get water to those in need, and Sweden has become a frontrunner in doing so. And though World Water Day calls special attention to this issue on March 22 every year, “water blindness” is still a problem: Many of us have come to expect the water running from our faucets or through streams to flow forever. Story page 12
How ABBA, the first band to make it big from Sweden got its name and rose to fame. / p2 Oscar for Best Cinematography to Linus Sandgren. The last time this happened was when Sven Nykvist won for his work on Fanny and Alexander. / p. 5 Like California, Sweden has also been warned about future possible water shortages. / p20 Get the recipe for “Kornmjölsgröt” (barley flour porridge), a common Viking porridge. / p21
dashboard | march 15, 2017 SCANDINAVIAN QUIZ
What year was the Swedish pop group ABBA formed? a) 1970 b) 1976 c) 1972 d) 1971
2 In Norse mythology the Valkyries select the most heroic of those who die in battle and take them to Odin’s Hall. What’s the name of this hall? a) Edda b) Asgard c) Valhalla d) Akalla
ABBA, the Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The name is an acronym formed from the first letters of each group member’s first name: Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid. They became one of the most commercially successful acts in the history of popular music, topping the charts worldwide. ABBA’s record sales figure is uncertain and various estimates range from 140 to over 500 million sold records. ABBA were the first group from a non-English-speaking country to achieve consistent success in the charts of English-speaking countries, including the UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and on a lesser scale, the US (lesser at the time, pre-Mamma Mia). The group disbanded in Dec.1982. several tribute bands have been created since the revival of their music’s popularity in the 1990s with one group performing at the upcoming Scandinavian Festival in Thousand Oaks in April (page 6). Name’s Days of the Swedish Calendar Namnsdagar i mars månad.
March 15 March 16 March 17 March 18 March 19 March 20 March 21 March 22 March 23 March 24 March 25 March 26 March 27 March 28 March 29 March 30 March 31 March 15
New York Chicago Stockholm Kiruna Lund Los Angeles 2 NORDSTJERNAN
Kristoffer/Christel Herbert/Gilbert Gertrud Edvard/Edmund Josef/Josefina Joakim/Kim Bengt Kennet/Kent Gerda/Gerd Gabriel/Rafael Marie Emanuel Rudolf/Ralf Malkolm/Morgan Jonas/Jens Holger/Holmfrid Ester |
4 What city in the north gets the most rain? a) Luleå b) Tromsø c) Bergen d) Stockholm
5 What’s the name of Sweden’s southernmost point? a) Kåseberga b) Malmö c) Smygehuk d) Kullaberg
CULTURE
Namnsdagar
7 What’s the name of the strait between Sweden and Denmark? a) Öresund b) Gulf of Bothnia c) Kalmar Sund d) Lilla Bält 8 What Swedish town is known as “lilla Paris” (little Paris)? a) Vänersborg b) Visby c) Stockholm d) Trosa 9 What is Sweden’s rank in Western Europe in terms of geographic size? a) 2nd b) 4th c) 3rd largest d) 5th largest
10 When is Sweden’s National Day? a) May 7 b) June 6 c) January 4 d) May 17 e) June 7
Mars
Gerd – March 23 The female name Gerd is of Old Norse origin with two possible meanings. It could mean either “shelter” or “she who belongs to the house”. In Germany Gerd is a man’s name. Gerd is quite common among women between the ages 50-70, but among younger women it’s not common at all. There are 23,480 women named Gerd in Sweden and 127 men with the name. Jonas - March 29 The man’s name Jonas is a form of the name Jona, of Hebrew origin and means “white dove.” The name has been in Sweden since 1303, and was extremely popular during the 1960s to 1980s but has since gone down in popularity. Carl Jonas Love Almqvist (1793-1866) was a Swedish romantic poet, early feminist, realist, composer, social critic and traveler. Almqvist wrote many books and poems, some of which dealt with his radical views on society and politics. In his novel “Drottningens juvelsmycke” (The Queen’s Jewelry) the main character Tintomara is neither male nor female and arouses both men and women
to fall in love. In the novel “Det går an” (It is acceptable), a woman lives with a man without being married to him. These books caused the church and state to condemn him and call him a dangerous revolutionary. Many of Almqvist’s writings are included in the long series “Törnrosens bok” (“Book of the Briar Rose”). Some of his musical compositions have been recorded.
founded in new york city in september 1872
Sunrise & Sunset
7.07 am 7.01 am 6.04 am 5.59 am 6.22 am 7.03 am
3 Swedish fish are one of the only gummy candies that do not contain what? a) sugar b) gelatin c) artificial flavors d) milk
6 What was the name of the famous Danish philosopher who said: “Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom”? a) Kierkegaard b) Hegel c) Kant d) Hein
Answers: 1:C, 2:C, 3:B, 4:C, 5:C, 6:A, 7:A, 8:A, 9:C, 10:B
1
7.03 pm 6.57 pm 5.50 pm 5.38 pm 6.10 pm 7.01 pm
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this week…
What kind of example is Sweden? The U.S. president recently mentioned Sweden as a bad example in one of his speeches, and after getting flooded with comments and concerns, I realized I had to share some facts and insights. It’s been all over the media—the President Trump referred to a situation in Sweden during a rally in Melbourne, FL in mid-February, mistaking dated information about the immigration difficulties in recent years for immediate events, suggesting there was an immigration-related security incident “last night in Sweden.” He later stated his comments were based on the report he’d seen on Fox News the night before on Ami Horowitz’s YouTube documentary. Refuting Trump’s initial claim was easy since not much happened in Sweden on the night of Friday, February 17, official statistics show that crime has actually fallen in Sweden since 2005, and the most recent, possibly only, attack linked to extremism happened in Stockholm in December 2010. Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt pointed out there are 50 percent more murders in the county Trump was speaking in than in all of Sweden, and he offered Mr. Trump “a piece of friendly advice,” telling him: “When you are in a hole, stop digging.” But, while the majority of Sweden and Sweden’s elite refuted the ill founded claims by the U.S. president—often with humor—two Swedish politicians stood up for much of the facts behind the Fox News segment. Not surprisingly it was the leader of the Sweden Democrats Jimmie Åkesson and the party’s parliamentary group leader Mattias Karlsson who countered in a joint opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal on February 22. Under the heading “Trump Is Right: Sweden’s Embrace of Refugees Is not Working,” they write that Trump’s image of Sweden is rather an understatement of what the situation really is. The two SD leaders write that many women do not feel safe in their own neighborhoods and the number of sex crimes has increased, which indeed is true based on statistics and recent surveys. That said, while one-third of women surveyed did say they felt unsafe in their own neighborhoods, the same was true about immigrants in Sweden who feel equally unsafe. Åkesson and Karlsson also say crime and riots have increased and that the “socialist government accepts the return of Swedish IS-soldiers with open arms.” We cannot begin a discussion about how IS-soldiers are treated upon return, but if they are citizens and return to any western country they will be treated according to the set values of that country. Anything else would be unthinkable since this is the way modern civilized societies work. In as far as riots are concerned, there were really no riots in Sweden 25 years ago. Suffice it to say, recent population growth has put a lot of strain on housing, schools and social services. “So, sure, Sweden has difficulties, but it’s not all dark and gloomy, a majority of Sweden is stronger and better than ever and I’ll say it again: Sweden will prevail.” That’s the message I felt the need to convey after spending some time in Sweden last year. That said,
however, one of our letters to the editor (page 6) highlights an important aspect of immigration in general that has changed during the last 50 years. Jay Stratton mentions his childhood as a “Stealth Swede”—an experience and term that exemplifies how important it was in generations past to assimilate and play according to the majority’s rules. The expression “if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging” means that if you are in an untenable position, it is best to stop carrying on and exacerbating the problem. When Sweden’s government decided to stop all immigration other than quota refugees and those in critical need of protection in 1989 (the so-called Lucia Decision), Sweden saw a then-unprecedented refugee volume of 20,000 in the second half of the year. The decision was made by a social democratic government lead by Ingvar Carlsson but was two years later reversed after the election in 1991 as Carl Bildt took office as prime minister in a conservative government. Over the last five years, 2012-2016, Sweden received close to 400,000 asylum seekers (that’s 4 percent of the entire population). Not everyone is offered asylum but the numbers are staggering nevertheless. The border was effectively closed in November 2015, but the number of refugees, factual and expected, remains between 30 and 50,000 per year. Given the world situation, the humanitarian aspects of Sweden’s attitude to refugees are commendable and something anyone with a connection to Sweden should be proud of. Then again, as of January 2017, 17 percent of the country’s population was born in another country. The employment rate among immigrants is much lower than among native-born and the unemployment rate is three times higher among foreign-born than among born Swedes. For younger groups, ages 19-24, the statistics are worse, with at least every third foreignborn unemployed. The aforementioned Carl Bildt made a point in Sweden’s parliament in 1991, six months prior to winning the election that year, to focus resources not just on receiving refugees but on problems in areas where the massive volumes of refugees are created. This would of course have to be and should be a mission for the international community, not one country alone. Sweden has set a good example, but such an increase in population—by a full one-fifth— puts a lot of strain on the society and its people. It is necessary to deal with the problems at hand before possibly jeopardizing the fundamental things that are so desirable for so many in a world with over 65 million people living in chaos, warlike situations, poverty and hunger. If you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.
Page 5
Photo: Lionsgate
This sequence from the beginning of the movie La La Land may be a large part of what gave Sandgren the Oscar in Cinematography.
Dashboard, P4-5
Stockholm ranks high among digital cities / Vasaloppet draws skiers from a record number of countries / Spotify brings a thousand jobs to NY / Swedish Bakery closes after 88 years / Ingenuity is strong among Swedes / A Man Called Ove didn’t win an Oscar, but Linus Sandgren did. Page 7
Lindsborg, KS takes the Swedish Waffle Day tradition very seriously.
Local, P9
Swedish pianist Per Tengstrand performs three centuries of Swedish music in New York.
Local, P16
Wisconsin book club gets a glimpse of Ove’s Sweden. Page 20
New Swedish invention, The Shower.
Sports, P22
Minnesota feels like home to a new Swedish MLS goalkeeper. The Exchange Rate:
Ulf Barslund Mårtensson Editor & Publisher
$1.00 = SEK 9.05 (3.01.2017)
MARCH 15, 2017 3
dashboard | march 15, 2017
Stockholm ranks high Sweden’s capital ranks high on the European Digital City Index (2016), which measures how well different cities in 60 countries support digital entrepreneurs in a variety of ways—from access to capital to lifestyle. Stockholm ranks second in the annual index; the city has produced several of Europe’s biggest digital companies such as Spotify, King (creators of Candy Crush) and Mojang (creators of Minecraft). Moreover, it is the European city leader on many measures of digital infrastructure: It has the highest penetration of residential broadband, the highest percentage of fiber broadband connection in Europe and reports a greater proportion of ICT-specialist users in the total economy than any other country in the OECD. The government, too, is highly supportive of entrepreneurship: It is a relatively easy place in which to do business, and public funding may be available via VINNOVA, Sweden’s innovation agency. The city is also home to top ranking universities, such as Stockholm University and the Karolinska Institute, as well as telecom giant Ericsson, which promotes strong knowledge spillovers. A bit strange for some that Stockholm falls to 30th place when lifestyle is evaluated predominantly due to a severe lack of housing more than anything else.
The stories, the traditions, the people behind the news. founded in new york city in september 1872
“Can’t stop the feeling” ... reaching the finish at the Youth Vasalopp. Photo: Vasaloppet/Ulf Palm
record number of nations
The U.S. Vasalopp was already in early February (Page 5) while Vasaloppet’s Winter Week in Sweden 2017 started on Friday Feb. 24, with Kortvasan. Tjejvasan (the Girls’ Vasalopp) kicked off the weekend on Saturday and the youth Vasalopp and the so-called “Öppet Spår” (Open trail) on Sunday. Participants from 58 different nations, from all continents, registered for Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2017. For comparison, the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Falun 2015 had participants from 55 nations and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Lahti 2017 will have participants from 60 nations. Vasaloppet’s Winter Week took place in Mora, Sweden February 24 – March 5, 2017. Out of 65,000 registered participants there were over 7,200 international registered, of which about 3,300 skied in the traditional Vasaloppet on March 5.
The 15 countries with the most registrants for Vasaloppet’s Winter Week 2017:
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Herr & Fru | Mr. & Mrs.
Him: Shares, bonds, Her: But boring. insurances. Our Let’s do something future is secure!” fun with the money instead.
Him: You have to take financial responsibility in your old age.
Her: I’d rather speculate in fun memories.
dashboard | march 15, 2017
Chicago Swedish bakery closed
The Andersonville Swedish Bakery closed on Feb. 28 after more than 88 years. The bakery at 5348 N. Clark St. leaves an empty space not only in the hearts of long-time fans, but also in the community’s heritage. The landmark store may be the last Swedish bakery in Chicago for now. With so many creative chefs, bakers and above all, great tasting Swedish specialties, who knows where and when the next generation “konditor” will turn up in the Chicagoland area.
One thousand new jobs to U.S.
Swedish company Spotify is bringing more than 1,000 jobs to New York. The mega digital music streaming service has signed a lease for 378,000 square feet on 10 floors of Four World Trade Center, doubling the size of its current New York office. “I hope Spotify’s expansion sends a clear signal to the tech community that New York is open for business,” said Spotify General Counsel Horacio Gutierrez. The private company is headquartered in Stockholm and will expand its Manhattan offices in time for occupancy in 2018. Its lease is the last in the now fully-leased office tower, which stands on the 16-acre World Trade Center site.
Swedish ingenuity
In tools, Skiftnykeln — Johan Petter Johansson (18531943) worked as a mechanic in an industrial plant where he often had to carry around numerous wrenches for different nuts and bolts. So he came up with the concept of the universal pipe wrench (1888), and in 1892 he designed and patented the adjustable wrench (monkey wrench or universal screw spanner). He established a company that later became Bahco. The company, now called Sandvik Bahco Tools, has manufactured more than 100 million monkey wrenches, and production continues. Throughout the world, about 40 million monkey wrenches of J.P. Johansson’s model are produced annually. Johansson made a total of 118 inventions, several of them world-famous and still in production. Or teeth, osseointegration — Per-Ingvar Brånemark (1929-2014), often called the “father of modern dental implanvology,” developed osseointegration in the early 1950s. It is based on the discovery that the human body, which normally rejects foreign bodies, permanently accepts the metal titanium. Today the invention is most widely applied in the form of the Brånemark System of dental implantation. Nobel Biocare, the company that develops and produces these products had annual sales of $750 million in 2014 when it was sold for $2.2 billion to the NYSE listed Danaher Corporation.
Linus Sandgren took home Sweden’s 30th Oscar with his win for Best Achievement in Cinematography for La La Land.
MOVIES
Academy Award for Linus Sandgren
Linus Sandgren, 44, of Stockholm, took home Sweden’s 30th Oscar with his win for Best Achievement in Cinematography for La La Land on Feb. 26. Sandgren is also known for his work in such films as American Hustle, Promised Land, Joy and Hundred Foot Journey, and commercials by Volvo, Gatorade and Duracell. Damien Chazell, who made history at the 2017 Oscars for being the youngest director to ever win an Oscar, had a feeling Sandgren could capture the movement he wanted for La La Land when he saw the cinematography of American Hustle. “He knew he wanted the camera telling the story in a physical and interactive way,” Sandgren said. The camera was like a musical instrument itself, with the camera movement having a rhythm of its own. In his acceptance speech, Sandgren included a special thanks with love to his family in Swedish, “Jag älskar er, ni är mitt allt” (I love you all, you are my everything). Sadly, no Oscar for a new all-time favorite Swedish movie, A Man Called Ove. SPORTS
Vasaloppet U.S. ski weekend
The official U.S. Vasalopp, the 45th annual Mora Minnesota Vasaloppet fell on a warm weekend in mid-February. Thanks to the work of a lot of volunteers, and the new ski gun, enough snow was created for trails into the woods, around the Nordic Center, onto Lake Mora, and finally to the finish in downtown Mora. Spectators were happy for the weather, and some racers said the track was slow, but others said it was alright. Skiers were warm, too, as evidenced by shorts and sleeveless shirts, showing bare arms and Dogs and skiers tackled Bell Tower Hill on their necks in the wintery surrounds. Four races took place on Saturday, a fifth way to the skijoring finish line. occurred on Sunday along with the skijoring, fat bikes, and the just-for-fun spark races. Next year Mora will host the International Vasaloppet partners from Japan, China, and of course Sweden, the mother of all Vasaloppets. www.vasaloppet.us
MARCH 15, 2017 5
local events
Around Swedish America CALIFORNIA Thousand Oaks 04.01-02, 10 AM-5 PM Scandinavian Festival: Celebrate the cultures of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Sami with music, dancing, food, lectures, demonstrations, vendors and activities for all ages. California Lutheran University, Olsen Rd. and Mountclef Blvd., 805.241.1051 / scanfest17@gmail. com / www.scandinaviancenter.org
Chicago 03.25, 10 AM - 12 PM Swedish Monarchy Genealogy: Presentation of the origins of the Swedish royal family, the House of Bernadotte, and other interesting royal connections. Free/Swedish American Genealogical Society members; $10/ non-members. Swedish American Museum & Swedish American Genealogical Society. Reservations via email genealogy@samac.org / 773.728.8111
FLORIDA Sarasota 03.25, 6-11 PM Annual Shrimp Party: Enjoy buffet style all-you-can eat Scandinavian shrimp dinner followed by Happy Hour all evening with Swedish Club of Sarasota. $35/member, $45/non-member. info@swedishclubsarasota.org, www. swedishclubsarasota.org
04.04, 1-4 PM Easter Crafts for Kids: Have fun learning about fun Swedish Easter traditions from creating Easter trees with feathers to dressing up as witches! Preregistration required at the museum or online. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac.org
ILLINOIS South Elgin 03.18, 6:30-10:30 PM Vasa Park Dinner Dance: Celebrate the coming of spring during this important fundraiser for Vasa Park with a wonderful dinner, a huge raffle and dancing. Attendance is open to the public and tickets must be purchased in advance. Vasa Park, Rt. 31. 847.695.6720 / www.vasaparkil.com River Forest 03.19, 4-6 PM Concert: “Scandinavian Scenes” features the music of Berwald, Sibelius and Grieg with soloists and the award-winning Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest. A free preconcert conversation begins at 3 p.m. Students through college are admitted free, adults are $28. Dominican University’s Lund Auditorium, 7900 W Division St., River Forest. 708.488.5000 / www. SymhonyOPRF.com
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04.09, 10-11 AM One Million Cats and Lots of Hats Swedish: Actor Björn Söderbäck performs his one-man-show “One Million Cats and Lots of Hats” based on Elsa Beskow’s story about the very, very small lady and her cat. RSVP at the museum or by email. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac.org 04.15, 5-9 PM Påskmiddag: Celebrate Easter at a traditional smörgåsbord and by hunting for Easter eggs in the permanent exhibit. Reservations can be made at the museum or online. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / www. swedishamericanmuseum.org KANSAS Lindsborg 03.25, 10 AM - 5 PM Våffeldagen: Spend the day eating waffles for breakfast, lunch and dinner at various restaurants in Lindsborg. 888.227.2227 / cvbdir@lindsborgcity. org / www.visitlindsborg.com MARYLAND Baltimore 04.01, 5:30-9 PM Swedish Påskbord: A traditional Easter smörgåsbord of herring, various salmon dishes, potatoes, eggs, crispbread, cheese and Påskmust. Advanced purchase from the Ikea Baltimore Restaurant highly recommended to guarantee a seat. Ikea Baltimore, 8352 Honeygo Blvd. www.ikea.com/us/en/ store/baltimore/activities MASSACHUSETTS West Newton 03.25, 1 - 2:30 PM Nice People: The predominantly white community of the rural Swedish town of Borlänge (whose town slogan is “Nice People”) is trying to integrate all the Somali refugees through bandy (a cross between ice hockey and soccer), though they have never skated in their lives! In Swedish, English, and Somali with subtitles. 90 minutes. $8, free/SCC members. Scandinavian Cultural Center, 617.795.1914 / www. scandicenter.org
The parade of flags in the morning hours opens the day-long celebrations.
Scandinavian Festival in Thousand Oaks
One of the largest Nordic festivals in the western United States will return to California Lutheran University April 1 and 2. The 42nd Scandinavian Festival celebrates the cultures of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and the Sami people from the Arctic regions of Scandinavia. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with music, dancing, food, lectures, demonstrations, vendors and activities for people of all ages. Festivalgoers can visit an authentic Viking village, as well as a Sami sliddastallan, or community gathering. Nearby will be the Norwegian Elkhounds, and to have a truly personal experience, one can ask the rune reader for advice. Moving into the 20th century, Scandinavian vintage cars and motorcycles will be on display. Friends can try their hand at Dala horse croquet and play the ancient Viking game of kubb. During the food demonstrations one can learn how to make ableskivers, leftse, krumkake and more. Admission is free for children, $5 for teenagers and $10 for adults. Parking is free. For information or volunteering, go to www.scandinaviancenter.org or email scanfest17@gmail.com. The Scandinavian American Cultural and Historical Foundation is sponsoring the event. California Lutheran University is located at the corner of Olsen Road and Mountclef Boulevard in Thousand Oaks..
MINNESOTA Minneapolis 03.17-03.18, 9 - 10 AM Kids at the Castle -- Witches, Feathers and Fun: What’s a Swedish påskkärring!? Come find out through dance, storytelling, exploration, and craft! Ages 2-5 with an adult. $8/ family. American Swedish Institute. info@asimn.org / www.asimn.org
03.25, 10 AM-4 PM The Weather Diaries Tour: Come for an inside look at how this exhibit got its start, the unique experiences working with the designers in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands and the insights discovered on how weather and nature impact fashion and identity. Both artists live and work in Göteborg, Sweden. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www.asimn.org
03.21, 4:30 – 7 PM Skål! A Toast to Uppsala Celebrate: Help support the exchange activities of the Minneapolis-Uppsala Friendship in a silent auction, and enjoy complimentary refreshments and a cash bar. Free. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@asimn. org / www.asimn.org
03.26, 1 - 3 PM Youth Wood Stamp Making & Printing: Make stamps with trinkets, tools, and wood then print your designs on a cotton pillow case. Ages 7+. $20/ member, $25/non-member. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@asimn.org. / www.asimn.org
03.25, 10 AM – 4 PM March 25 is Våffeldagen (Waffle Day) in Sweden. Choose a morning or afternoon demo-style class to prepare savory and sweet waffles. $45/members, $55/ non-members. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@asimn. org. / www.asimn.org
03.29, 6:30 – 8 PM Minnesota History and Sauna Society: Finnish migration to Minnesota inspired the cooperative movement and influenced key businesses, social movements, and continues to inspire new projects, including the 612 Sauna Society. Learn all about it and tour a mobile sauna. Registration
local events
Våffeldagen in Lindsborg
Våffeldagen in Lindsborg, Little Sweden USA in Kansas becomes an event for the whole town. Originating in Sweden, Våffeldagen is an entire day dedicated to the delicious waffle, and the upcoming arrival of spring. The city of Lindsborg, Kansas will be serving up waffles at any number of participating restaurants on Våffeldagen (Waffle Day), March 25, 2017 from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. Swedish waffles, which are usually thinner and crisper than American waffles, are served with whipped cream and jam rather than syrup. Och de smakar mycket good (and they taste very good)! Lindsborg is not alone. The American Swedish Historical Museum recommended. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@asimn. org. / www.asimn.org 04.09, 12:45-2:45 PM The Devil’s Sanctuary: Discuss the thriller by Swedish author Marie Hermanson. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / karen.n@ asimn.org /www.asimn.org 04.15, 9-10:30 AM Easter at the Castle: Hunt for colorful eggs hidden throughout the 33-room Turnblad Mansion, celebrate other holiday favorite traditions with the Easter Witch, adding feathers to the Easter tree, make a craft to decorate your Easter table and traditional Swedish-style Easter greeting cards to share with friends. Register by April 7. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@asimn.org. / www.asimn.org MISSOURI St. Louis 04.07, 6-8 PM Swedish Påskbord: All-you-caneat Easter smorgåsbord! Seating is limited so purchase your tickets early
in Philadelphia, PA, the Swedish American Museum in Chicago and the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis all serve waffles on this day. And while we in the north celebrate with waffles, snowbirds in the south celebrate March 25 with an all-you-can-eat Scandinavian shrimp fest. The Swedish Club of Sarasota is inviting everyone to its annual shrimp party at the Airport Holiday Inn. (No, we’re not aware if waffles are served for dessert.)
Most shrimp served in the U.S. are large and are more commonly referred to as prawns while the Scandinavian shrimp is usually Greenland shrimp or — the most common shrimp in Sweden — the North Sea shrimp (Nordhavsräka). (The typical Scandinavian shrimp is rarely longer than 5 to 7 inches when it’s stretched out, we usually see them curled up about after boiling.) The shrimp, which in real life are pale pink, are cooked in sea water already on the
fishing boat after the catch. Boiled, it develops a uniform red color; the greater the depth the shrimp has lived in, the deeper the red color.
- for meatballs and mashed potatoes, Jansson’s Temptation, Swedish ham, prinskorv, herring, salmon, cheeses and breads and more, plus assorted desserts, fountain drinks and hot beverages. Ikea St. Louis, 1 Ikea Way. www.ikea.com/us/en/store/st_louis/ activities
03.22, 6-9 PM The Here After: John is ready to move on with his life after serving a sentence for a violent crime he committed as a child, but his close-knit Swedish community is not about to forgive him. The Here After (“Efterskalv”) screens at Scandinavia House, 212.779.3587 / www.scandinaviahouse.org
new book Markings of His Life, Dag Hammarskjöld emerges in an accessible and personable manner like never before. Berggren presents the book and participates in a discussion moderated by Henrik Hammargren, executive director of the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation. Scandinavia House, 212.779.3587 / jennifer@amscan.org / www.scandinaviahouse.org
NEW YORK 03.16, 6-8 PM Knitting Club: Meet up with other knitting enthusiasts to share ideas, knowledge, and your love of knitting. Bring your own projects to work on. Scandinavian knitting books available for inspiration. Scandinavia House, 212.779.3587 / info@amscan.org / www.scandinaviahouse.org 03.16, 7:30-9:30 PM Swedish pianist Per Tengstrand performs Swedish music from the 18th-21st centuries. The concert coincides with The Morgan’s exhibition Treasures from the Nationalmuseum, Sweden: The Collections of Count Tessin, open at 6:30 p.m. The Morgan Library, 225 Madison Avenue at 36th St., (212) 6850008 / www.themorgan.org
03.25, 1-2 PM Scandinavian Sing-Along: A treasure trove of children’s songs and are introduced to children in English with musical games and dancing. Scandinavia House, 212.779.3587 / info@amscan.org / www. scandinaviahouse.org 03.27, 7-9:30 PM TenThing Brass Ensemble: The all-Norwegian, 10-woman brass ensemble led by Norwegian trumpet star Tine Thing Helseth performs works by Handel, Mozart, Vivaldi and Edvard Grieg at Scandinavia House, 212.779.3587 / jennifer@amscan.org / www.scandinaviahouse.org 03.28, 6-8 PM Dag Hammarskjöld: In Henrik Berggren’s
03.29, 6-9 PM Nordic Cinema: A Serious Game is the story of a young couple who is drawn to the dream of pure, great love, but it demands greater sacrifice than they could ever imagine. The Serious Game (Den allvarsamma leken) screens at Scandinavia House, 212.779.3587 / www.scandinaviahouse.org 04.06, 7:30 PM Swedish pianist Per Tengstrand performs with Shan-shan Sun in Masterpieces for Two Pianos to close out the season’s music series with Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story and Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. Scandinavia House, 212.779.3587 / www.scandinaviahouse.org MARCH 15, 2017 7
local events OHIO West Chester 04.07, 5-9 PM All-you-can-eat Påskbord: Enjoy Swedish ham, meatballs, cheeses and more! Ask a restaurant co-worker for more details and purchase tickets early. Ikea West Chester, 9500 Ikea Way. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/store/ west_chester OREGON Portland 03.26, 3-6 PM Viking Rune Ring Workshop: Using hand tools that date back hundreds
Vi har öppet måndag till fredag kl 8:30 till 15:00. Den mobila passtationen kommer till Fort Lauderdale den 2-4 maj 2017. Kontakta konsulatet för mer information.
Välkommen!
Consulate of Sweden Tower 101, 101 NE 3rd Avenue, Suite 1700B Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
Phone: +1 954 467 3507 Fax:+1 954 467 1731 fortlauderdale@consulateofsweden.org consulateofsweden-fortlauderdale.org Like us on Facebook
of years, shape a finger ring using hammers and files, size it to your hand, and personalize it with your own “rune script” using the original Futhark runes from the Vikings. Nordia House, 503.977.0275 / www.scanheritage.org PENNSYLVANIA Philadelphia 03.25, 11 AM - 2 PM Waffle Day: Learn why Swedes eat waffles on March 25 and enjoy some tasty Swedish waffles served with whipped cream and strawberry jam, and of course coffee. $12/nonmembers, $8/members - includes waffles and a beverage. American Swedish Historical Museum, 215.389.1776 / info@americanswedish. org / www.americanswedish.org TEXAS Houston 03.30, 5-8 PM Nordic Traditional Thursday: A night of networking and traditional Swedish food with friends from other Nordic and European Chambers of Commerce in Houston. Enjoy pea soup, Swedish and Finnish pancakes, beer, wine and punch. $15. Chef Søren Pedersens Kitchen, 2314 Dunlavy St. texas@sacctx.com / sacctx. chambermaster.com 04.06, 7-11 PM Jenny Berggren, lead singer of Ace of Base, sings in concert! Ace of Base is Sweden’s third-most successful band after ABBA and Roxette. George R. Brown Convention Center, 713.516.2050 / www.amconcerts.com WISCONSIN Milwaukee 03.11, 1:30 PM Growing up Swedish: Hear stories from a Swedish American growing up in public schools in Milwaukee during the 1960s-70s versus those growing up in Sweden during the same timeframe. We’ll also hear from children who recently attended grade school in Sweden. Redemption Lutheran Church, 4057 N. Mayfair Rd., Wauwatosa, 414.352.7890 / www.sahswi.org
The exhibition Where the children sleep is open in Minneapolis through March 26. Photo: Marcus Wennman
where the children sleep
Award winning Swedish photojournalist Marcus Wennman has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in a photo exhibit of refugee children in Europe and the Middle East who have left everything behind. Wennman’s exhibit of moving photos that show where children sleep as they await an uncertain future has been internationally acclaimed, raising attention to the more than two million children who have been forced from their homes by the war in Syria. The show is on exhibit through March 26 at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis, 612.871.4907 / info@asimn.org / www.asimn.org
Aquavit Tasting at Skål! Have you ever sampled Aquavit? Whether you are new to Scandinavian spirits or you’re an aficionado, come for an exclusive guided tour of the Skål! Scandinavian Spirits exhibition on March 11 at 1 p.m. The tour explores the history of Scandinavian spirits and the role those beverages play in the heritage of Scandinavia America. Learn how to properly Skål (cheers!) at the end of the tour with an aquavit tasting. Must be over 21 and pre-registration is required. The next tour and tasting is April 16. American Swedish Historical Museum, Philadelphia, 215.389.1776 / info@americanswedish.org / www.americanswedish.org
Former New York Swedish Consul General Olle Wästberg ending a proper skål in aquavit. Photo: Catarina Lundgren Åström.
National archives and library for Swedish-American historical research Publishers of Swedish American Genealogist 639 38th Street Rock Island, IL | 61201-2296 309-794-7204
www.augustana.edu/ swenson 8 NORDSTJERNAN
Life made Sweder: NORDSTJERNAN Call 1.800.827.9333 ext. 10 for your own subscription.
Swedish pianist Per Tengstrand performs Swedish music at the Morgan Library and Museum on March 16.
Three centuries of Swedish music in New York Swedish pianist Per Tengstrand performs Swedish music from the 18th-21st centuries, combined with works by composers whose music inspired the Swedish works. The concert is part of the Scandinavia House series Music on Park Avenue, this time collaborating with the Morgan Library. The concert at Morgan Library, 225 Madison Avenue at 36th Street, NYC coincides with the Morgan’s exhibition Treasures from the Nationalmuseum, Sweden: The Collections of Count Tessin. The exhibition will open at 6:30 p.m. for concert attendees; the concert begins at 7:30 p.m. For more info, see www.themorgan.org
A native of Växjö, Sweden, Tengstrand first entered the stage as a wonderkid at age 7. Today, at 49, he has reached beyond his dreams. Since his first major solo performance in Helsingborg in 1981, the pianist has acquired an impressive resume. He has won several international competitions, performed as a soloist with the world’s most prominent orchestras and in recital at venues in New York, Amsterdam, Tokyo, Zurich, Paris, Nice and the list goes on. A defining moment in his career came in 1997, when he won a prestigious piano competition in Cleveland and decided to move to the United States. “I felt that in order to main-
tain the contacts and momentum I had gained, I’d better live here,” Tengstrand said in an interview with Nordstjernan. The Washington Post has described his performance as “technically resplendent, powerful, intuitively secure,” and the NYT as “a superb Swedish pianist” whose recital “was rewarding, both for its unusual programming and for his eloquent, technically polished performances.” After a recent concert, we wrote “Tengstrand’s performance is filled with a wonderful sense of drama. Alone on stage he’s rapidly turning the music, smoothing back his hair (kept long à la Liszt), is crouching forward, leaning back, solemnly
nodding, and at times almost levitating from the piano chair. It’s quite wonderful to witness such passion.” Tengstrand returns to the concert venue at Scandinavia House on April 6 for a performance with fellow pianist Shan-shan Sun in Masterpieces for Two Pianos. The two musicians will close out the season’s music series with versions for two pianos of two great masterpieces: Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story and Igor Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring. For more info, see www.scandinaviahouse.org
MARCH 1, 2017 9
readers forum
InBox Dear Editor, Thank you for your excellent coverage of all things Swedish, in Sweden and in Swedish America. I’m glad your paper has more cultural content and minimal political discussion, but I was surprised that you haven’t mentioned that Donald Trump was “Swedish” in the 1950s and 1960s. This is not true, that he was Swedish, but it is true that until his early 20s Donald Trump would say that he was Swedish at the urging of his father. There was still a lot of ill will against Germany and German-Americans left over from WWII at that time. Was any other American president taught to lie by his own father? Every American knows that George Washington never told a lie, nor did he spout “alternative facts.” He did chop down the cherry tree and admitted it! :) In my own case, we were never told about our Swedish heritage until we were teenagers. “Others need not know,” said our father. “It’s not your fault. It’s really your great grandparents’ fault.” We were stealth Swedes! We snuck down to Grandma’s for Xmas Eve and got to open our presents early. We ate beet salad, yellow mashed potatoes (rotmos?), gingersnaps and ham, but never lutfisk. Sometimes we even ate Swedish meatballs! I grew up in the country in the “Swedish enclave” around Jamestown. Jay Stratton Rochester, NY
Thanks Jay, you are right of course. Trump’s father Fred even wrote in his biography about being Swedish. “Stealth Swedes” is a new term, the background must be fascinating. We’d love to hear more. /Ed. En liten ide till ett experiment... Kanske en student på statsvetenskapliga eller sociologen kan göra som magisteruppsats? Om ni känner någon i akademin kanske detta kan filas till något akademiskt. Borde vara intressant forskning? Är muslimerna samhällsomstörtare eller en tillgång för vårt samhälle? Varför spekulera? Vi låter alla svara... Muslimskt upprop för Sverige! Frågan huruvida muslimer och Islam är förenligt med Sverige är ett hett ämne. Som en vän av fakta över åsikt så finns det ett ganska enkelt empiriskt sätt att testa detta på, nämligen genom att först definiera vad som är normer, och sedan fråga om de respekteras och kan promulgeras av muslimska institutioner muntligen, och på deras webbsidor på svenska och arabiska. Därefter publiceras samfundens svar på detta upprop. För det första, vad är svenska normer? Vissa kanske hävdar att svenskheten inte finns osv. Sådan värderelativism avskriver vi oss. Följande är en del av svenska normer. • Kvinnor har samma rättigheter som män. • Sveriges språk är svenska. • Kriminalitet är förkastligt. • Religionsfrihet råder i Sverige. • Islamska staten måste motarbetas överallt alltid • Sveriges lagar är de enda lagar som råder i Sverige. • Sverige skall vara ett samhälle och en gemenskap • Homosexuella ska inte förtryckas eller förföljas.
Upprop: Vi inom [samfund] vill förklara var vi står värderingsmässigt som svenska muslimer och bedyrar härmed följande tio värderingar. 01. Kvinnor och flickor ska få bestämma själva om de bär slöja, utan tvång och hot 02. Om en muslimsk flicka eller pojke vill ha en svensk pojkvän eller flickvän är det inget problem, och hon/han och hans/hennes familj skall inte utsättas för hot 03. Alla i Sverige ska lära sig svenska, svensk historia och om svensk kultur 04. Vi förkastar all brottslighet, såsom bilbränder, stenkastning på blåljuspersonal, upplopp och attentat på den svenska staten 05. Om en muslim vill konvertera från eller inom Islam är det dennes val som individ och ingen har rätt att hota eller utsätta denne för något tryck 06. Vi predikar aktivt mot Islamska Staten i alla Sveriges moskeer och rapporterar omedelbart till SÄPO misstänkta jihadister 07. Homosexualitet är en individuell läggning och vi stöder denna kärlek som muslimer 08. Sveriges lagar gäller över alla religiösa lagar i Sverige 09. Vi förkastar konceptet av ett parallelsamhälle och vill göra vårt för att bli en del av Sverige 10. Vi uppmanar alla våra medlemmar att följa dessa värderingar till fullo, och att underrätta myndigheterna om de ser någon brottslighet och oss om något som går mot dessa värderingar Signerat [högste förordnade i samfundet] Björn Stansvik Vi vill alla tro att samtliga trossamfund i Sverige, oavsett religion ställer sig bakom ett upprop som detta. /Ed.
SAN FRANCISCO Lördag 18 mars kl 15.00
SVENSK GUDSTJÄNST i Los Altos Lutheran Church.
Lördag 8 april kl 18.00
FUNDRAISER FÖR SVENSKA KYRKAN
i San Francisco med middag hos Consul General Barbro och Mr. Bernard Osher. Info och anmälan www.svenskakyrkan.se/sanfrancisco eller tel. 415 632 8504.
Torsdag 6 april kl 19.00: Skandinavisk student, au pair
“ung vuxen” middag i Norska sjömanskyrkan 2454 Hyde Street. God hemlagad mat. $5 anmälan och info Facebook eller websidan.
Söndag 9 april kl 14.00
VÅRGUDSTJÄNST
i Swedenborgs kyrkan med vackert musikprogram Rutger Bohlin med solist. Staffan Eklund och Louise Linder präster. Årsmöte efter gudstjänsten följt av kyrkkaffe. Swedenborgs kyrkan, 2107 Lyon Street, San Francisco.
17, 31 mars och 7, 28 april kl 10.30: Svensk barngrupp i kyrkan
CHURCH OF SWEDEN AT Norwegian Seamen’s Church 2454 Hyde Street, San Francisco • Tel: 415-632-8504 Mer information: www.svenskakyrkan.se/sanfrancisco 10 NORDSTJERNAN
On a lighter note, this photo of the most recent past Grand Master and first lady of the Vasa Order of America, Bill and Sheila Lundquist, arrived on Fat Tuesday—enjoying fresh semlor at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik in Sister Bay, WI. (www.aljohnsons.com) Yes, Bill, we wish we could have been there! /Ed.
viewpoints
Struggling in Sweden As a bitter Nordic cold ushers me toward my hotel room, I hear the clanging of metal coins against the side of a cup. I offer the beggar what I have in my pocket. Having researched begging for a number of years in South Asia, I was quite surprised to see it in Scandinavia, a region of such wealth, extensive welfare systems and high living standards. And yet, there seem to be more beggars on the streets every year. Most of the beggars are Roma people, Europe’’s largest minority groups comprising a diverse range of tribes — clans which result in distinct ethnicities such as Roma, Sinti, Manush. The Roma clan is one of the largest tribes among this group, and Roma is the term used to identify them in EU policy documents and discussions. Those who have migrated farther north are from Bulgaria and Romania, the poorest countries in the EU. Both these countries joined the European Union in 2007. Their inclusion in the EU enabled citizens the freedom to travel without restrictions within the EU, however countries were allowed to impose transitional controls on migrants’ freedom to work for up to seven years, and most did. Countries such as the UK claimed these controls were put in place to protect their labor markets. Ten EU countries did not, including Sweden. January 1, 2014 marked the lifting of those last restrictions on the free movement of the workers from Bulgaria and Romania. When those rules were lifted, Roma, particularly in Romania, headed north. It isn’t surprising that they did. The Roma are a traditionally itinerant group originating from South Asia, descendants of an “untouchable” caste, the “dalits.” As a group at the very bottom of the caste system, they were shunned by Indians, subject to widespread discrimination and only given the lowliest of jobs. Around the 11th century, there was a mass exodus of the Roma — they moved from their ancestral heartland of northern India to Punjab, and then westward to Sindh and Baluchistan, facing a harsh journey with slavery, ethnic cleansing, forced labor and sterilization through China and the Middle East, and eventually into central and Western Europe. The Roma diaspora within the whole of Europe is now estimated at around 10-12 million; within the EU the Roma population is estimated at around 6 million. Those found begging on the streets are largely from Romania, which has one of the greatest populations of Roma where they face discrimination against access to education and health care, and the lack of education leads to social immobility. With
scarce resources and opportunities in Romania, migrating farther north seems to have become an attractive option. Refugees from outside Europe who are seeking asylum are eligible for basic social welfare benefits, however, the Roma people who are European citizens and migrating within Europe get very little assistance from the government, usually just emergency health care if they are registered — but they do not often register as they do not want their identity disclosed. What is attractive about Sweden for them is that begging is not illegal in Sweden and according to a report by Fafo, a Norwegian social research foundation, Roma people who are living rough in Oslo, Stockholm and Copenhagen make an average of approximately EUR 690 ($730) per month, which is many times more than the minimum wage in Romania. Even if these figures reflect an average, they wouldn’t represent every Roma beggar and especially not those outside larger cities where earning is less. Soup kitchens and shelters assist even those who are not registered, not working and therefore not able to claim benefits. Even if these efforts aren’t enough to help them out of their desperate situations it seems better than their lifestyle back home. And as begging is illegal in other countries, they are driven away — and toward Sweden. It is no wonder, therefore, the number of Roma begging in Sweden has doubled. According to a survey by SVT, the number of EU migrants begging in Sweden has doubled to 4000 within a year. The issue has divided the Swedish population. This arises out of confusion over rights of the Roma beggars, which are not the same as nationals. If they are working, EU migrants and their families are entitled to the same benefits as nationals. This also means inactive EU migrants without
work cannot be given complete health care rights, because Sweden cannot afford to extend this to all 500 million European Union citizens. Initiatives to assist the Roma beggars exist across the country, but xenophobic and racist behavior is also on the rise. According to the Swedish National Council for Crime Prevention, there were approximately 300 reported attacks on Roma in 2014, a 23 percent rise from the year before — and police believe the figures are underestimated. But this is a humanitarian issue. People are seeking safe harbor and have found Sweden, where they live on frozen street corners, preferable to home. These people do not need to be criminalized. They need help, and initiatives such as shelter and soup kitchens that have been set up by the Swedish Church in different municipalities, day centers for migrants and children provided by the Salvation Army and outreach efforts by Stadsmissionen, the City Council and NGOs should be merged on a national level in order that the country is able to integrate the Roma community, along with collective efforts from the member states of the EU including Romania and Bulgaria to protect the Roma community wherever it lives. Otherwise, this socially excluded group that is stigmatized as a result of its very identity will keep traveling, trying to find home and inclusivity. Dr. Sheba Saeed Dr. Sheba Saeed is an assistant professor of social sciences and liberal arts at Institute of Business Administration, Karachi. Dr. Saeed holds a Phd in social sciences from the University of Birmingham, UK and spent time in Sweden to join SASNET, the Swedish South Asian Studies Network conferences. More on the Swedish stance on begging in our next issue.
MARCH 15, 2017 11
feature
water is life Stockholm is a city balanced between lake and sea, a city that boasts of water so clean you can go for a swim or catch the evening’s fish in the city center. We have previously noted that one in four Swedes regularly takes to the water. Sweden boasts more than 1.3 million leisure boats in a nation of 10 million people, and 25 to 30 percent of Swedes describe themselves as active boating enthusiasts. One Swedish American hypothesized that perhaps her love of water could be part of a Scandinavian or Swedish heritage. And certainly, with Sweden’s long coastline, deep inlets, and thousands of lakes and rivers, water has played a dominant role in most Swedish lives. Small wonder then that Sweden has become a frontrunner in many areas of water research, the development of new technologies and policymaking. For water is no longer something to be taken for granted and is no longer an issue confined to academic research. The fact is that close to one billion people currently do not have access to an adequate water supply, two billion people do not have adequate sanitation facilities and less than one percent of the world’s water is actually fresh, usable water. Nor are these problems isolated to developing countries. What Sweden’s professor Malin Falkenmark once termed “water blindness” is affecting us all. Although it is far from unlimited, we have come
“You cannot solve poverty without solving water and sanitation.” - Matt Damon, co-founder of water.org
to expect the “fresh” water running from our faucets or through streams to flow forever. And yet, according to Environment Nutrition Magazine, around 20 percent of the U.S. population (over 50 million people) is exposed to substandard drinking water. The water issue constitutes nothing less than a major question of human survival and is closely related to both the eradication of poverty and the need to secure health as well as adequate food supplies. March 22 is World Water Day. Instituted in 1993 it was founded as a day about taking action to tackle the water crisis. And yet, as a layman, I find it surprising to discover that no activity related to water has so far been planned for a World Water Day at the UN headquarters. Björn von Euler, a former spokesperson for ITT Industries, had this to say in an interview: “Solving the problems worldwide will take the cooperation between science, corporations, nations and society, and in many countries, the women.” As global sponsor for the Stockholm Junior Water Prize, Xylem (formerly ITT Industries) has taken upon itself the goal of increasing water research—and awareness of this research—among the younger generation. “Water is life, and future life belongs to the coming generations. The Junior Water Prize is about life in the future.” In addition to Xylem, through its acquisition of Flygt Pumps, a number of Swedish companies have become involved in water research and the
development of new technologies. A surprisingly large number of Swedes are, and have been, involved in the policymaking process on a global level—every year the Stockholm International Water Institute, SIWI, organizes the World Water Week in Stockholm to network, exchange ideas and foster new thinking around today’s most pressing water-related challenges. The drought in California lasted for five years with a state of emergency declared since January 2014. The rain did come. Three months ago almost 75 percent of the state faced drought conditions compared to today’s less than 20 percent. Some areas got too much of the needed water too quickly, such as the area of Sveadal in the Santa Cruz Mountains—rumors have it that the annual traditional Midsummer celebration will not be held this year due to road conditions. It took three years and the occasional brownout before people in California woke up to the problems of scarce electricity. The same might become true about water, only with much more critical ramifications—we can live without the electric shaver or air conditioner but water truly IS life. Water, so important for Sweden, the United States and the survival of the world and human race, needs our attention. Ulf Barslund Martensson
For more info, see www.siwi.org, www.water.org
12 NORDSTJERNAN
World Water Week in Stockholm is organized by SIWI every year. In 2016, over 3,200 individuals and around 330 convening organizations from 130 countries participated in the Week. In 2017, World Water Week will address the theme “water and waste – reduce and reuse.”
Photo: Nayereh Rajabi
Everyone has heard of the Flint, Michigan water crisis, but did you know:
Photo: Riccardo Mayer
• 1 in 10 people lack access to safe water? 663 million people (that’s twice the population of the U.S.) in the world do not have access to an adequate water supply • 1 in 3 people lack access to a toilet (2.4 billion) • According to www.water.org, an organization co-founded by actor Matt Damon (H2O Africa) “to bring water and sanitation to the world,” more people in the world have a mobile phone than a toilet. • 50 million Americans are exposed to potentially harmful levels of hazardous materials when they turn on a faucet (source: Self Magazine) • 62 million Americans have since 2004 been exposed to drinking water that did not meet at least one commonly used government health guidline. (The NYT, Dec. 2012) • The water crisis is the No. 1 global risk based on impact to society (as a measure of devastation). Announced by the World Economic Forum, January 2015. • March 22 is the World Day for Water MARCH 15, 2017 13
feature
Taking the waters [Dricka Brunn] You know the adage to drink eight glasses of water a day? This is because water is crucial to our health: It makes up about 60 percent of our body’s weight. According to the Mayo Clinic, water flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues. And of course the lack of water can lead to dehydration. Today water is fashionable; we carry around water bottles and the brands we drink have become status symbols. But the fact that water is important is nothing new. Various forms of hydrotherapy existed in the ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman societies. Hippocrates (c. 460 BC to c. 370 BC), often referred to as the Father of Western Medicine, prescribed bathing in spring water for curing illness. There was also a focus on hydrotherapy in China and Japan that even predates the Roman bath complexes. In a way, when you take a sip from a bottle of Ramlösa, you take part of that history. Ramlösa, Ronneby and Loka are a few of the many mineral water sources in Sweden, around which fashionable health spas grew up in the early 18th century. When I took a sip of Ramlösa mineral water, I could clearly taste the iron in it — it tasted good and it made me wonder what happened to the old “taking the water” tradition in Sweden. All those places where people gathered to take the cure — were they actually cured, and if so from what? When did that tradition die out and why? Curious, I contacted Elisabeth Mansén, professor of history of ideas at Stockholm University. In her book “Ett paradis på jorden” (2001), Mansén writes about the Swedish resort tradition. She explains that the tradition took off with Sweden’s first spa resort, Medevi, which was founded by one of the country’s then most famous doctors and chemists, Urban Hiärne (1641-1724), who had studied the phenomenon on the continent. Medevi was followed by several others in the early 18th century: Ramlösa, Ronneby, Gustafsberg, and Sätra among the more famous ones. And in the
beginning “taking the waters” (or “dricka brunn” as it was known in Swedish), was thought to cure almost anything. “Yes, almost everything except perhaps cancer, epilepsy and tuberculosis. The most common diagnoses were gout, rheumatism, psychological problems and problems with indigestion,” says Mansén. “But it’s hard to say whether the water itself cured anything, and I have to admit the statistics from these resorts, which are kept at Riksarkivet (the National Archives) in Stockholm, are imposing.” Mansén explains that it can hardly have been the water alone (with its relatively small quantities of minerals and salts) that led to such enormous effects. Doctors in the early 19th century were already pointing out other benefits of the resorts: The change of air, rest, diet, a more regulated life, perhaps access to better health care and the possibility that people were removed from their destructive home environments were also important components. According to Mansén, the resorts filled a number of needs—they meant vacation, health care, preventative care and a way to care for oneself all rolled into one experience. Some people traveled there alone, others brought their families with them. “We oftentimes forget that also poor people came. The letters, diaries and pictures we have from that time that describe the resorts often belong to the middle or upper class, but there are also stories about how maids and farmhands were cured,” says Mansén. “Some people came to recover after a difficult birth, others to get rid of a stubborn cold.” The stay at the resort was divided into semesters of four to six weeks; according to tradition that’s how long it took a cure to “take.” In the beginning, one only drank the water to flush out the ailment, but at the same time one also bathed in the water, especially warm baths were popular, which in turn were good for the general hygiene.
Augusta’s Daughter Ever wonder what made so many emigrate from Sweden in the nineteenth century? Judit Martin’s novel, “Augusta’s Daughter,” about 19th century Swedish peasant life made such an impression on us, we decided to offer it to the Nordstjernan readership. call 1.800.827.9333 for your own copy ($24.90 incl. S&H to cont. U.S.). Mail to: Nordstjernan, P.O. Box 1710, New Canaan CT 06840
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“The most important persons at the resort were the doctor and the priest. As soon as you arrived, you had to register with the doctor to receive your prescription for your stay. You also had to report the result to the doctor prior to leaving,” says Mansén. It seems the resorts had a holistic view of humans and their health. Exercising was part of the recommendation, which at the time meant trips in a carriage, walking in the adjoining park and arranged dances and balls. The social aspect of life, with communal meals, walks and cultural events were important. Worries and cares ought to be left behind. In some ways, this kind of restfulness is still alive in the many resorts and spas that exist today. The tradition to “dricka brunn” died out sometime between World Wars 1 and 2, however. Many factors were at play.
Elisabeth Mansén, professor at Stockholm University. In her book “Ett paradis på jorden” (2001), Mansén writes about the Swedish resort tradition. Photo: Jonas Ellerström.
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(Above) The Ramlösa Brunnshotell - The Spa hotel at the Ramlösa natural well in Helsingborg. / (Inset) The park at Ramlösa brunn in the southern part of Helsingborg, 1816. It is still open for visits today.
Mansén explains: “There were structural changes in society, a reorganization of health care, and also a change in attitudes and values. Add to that an accelerated medical specialization. New medicines and treatments were introduced and people put their hope in experts rather than their family doctor. There was also a change in how people viewed their spare time. Activity became more important than rest, and it was no longer enough with a stroll in the park. Turistföreningen (the Swedish Tourist Association) and Friluftsfrämjandet (the Swedish Outdoor Association) were successful in their campaigns for hiking trails and biking holidays. It became more important to see as much as possible of Sweden, than to remain a few weeks in the same place.” There are traditions worth keeping, and this might be one of them. There’s a lot of interest in spas in Sweden today with newspapers full of ads selling a weekend at a spa. And of course there’s a renewed interest in alternative medicine and natural remedies in general. Today, though the spas are more sophisticated and algae and seaweed treatments are often offered, there’s always water involved to some degree. Eva Stenskär
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MARCH 15, 2017 15
local events
A glimpse of Ove’s Sweden
The Milwaukee suburb of Wauwatosa (AKA Tosa) could easily be home of the best book club — ever. Every February the entire city comes together to read, discuss and celebrate a great book, and this year it’s all about A Man Called Ove. All month, curious readers have been attending fun cultural events inspired by Swedish author Fredrik Backman’s best-selling novel — with Swedish cooking demonstrations, an ABBA disco dance class, pea soup every Thursday, even a food collection for needy cats and dogs. I recently stopped in a local wine and painting studio, where 30 people were each painting a Swedish Dalahäst (Dala horse), the most recognized symbol of Sweden. Most participants didn’t
Maureen Badding, Tosa’s All-City Read book club chairperson extraordinaire. Painting Dala horses, an event for Tosa’s All-City Read and Fredrik Backman’s book, A Man Called Ove.
know the meaning of what they were painting, nor did most of them claim any Swedish heritage, but they were so happy to be there, doing something Swedish, and being among others who just loved the book. There is camaraderie in being curious together, digging a little deeper into the lives of the characters they encountered in the novel. Maureen Badding, book club chairperson extraordinaire, was there (painting her Dalahäst yellow), and she said each event has attracted a different crowd: At the Swedish immigrant presentation, there were a lot of people with Scandinavian heritage; and the event of embracing diversity brought many young, civic minded people — including more than a dozen college students who traveled an hour to attend. The amazing “month of Ove” was supposed to end with a Skype interview with Fredrick Backman himself, but it got postponed by the Oscars, which he (as well as the movie director and lead actors) attended. Amanda Robison
Early spring in the south The groundhog didn’t see its shadow in Atlanta, though it must have done so in Sweden. Everyone these days wants to know what happened in Sweden. I can tell you what happened in Sweden. They had winter. They still have winter with snow and ice. It’s cold and windy. A warning “class 1” — that is fresh gale — has been issued. And what is happening in Atlanta? We have summer. Technically it is still winter. But we have summer. Today, February 24, we had 79˚ Fahrenheit — the warmest ever in February. On February 2, Groundhog Day, at 8:14 a.m. General Beauregard Lee, Georgia’s own celebrity groundhog (or whistlepig), came out of his groundhog-sized, antebellum-style mansion at the Yellow River Game ranch in Lilburn. He found no shadow. After one full minute without seeing his shadow he made the prediction that we’ll have an early spring down here. He was right. We got spring quickly. Flowers are flowering. Greens are getting green. People are wearing T-shirts, shorts and flip-flops. Birds are singing in chorus. Talking about chorus, here’s some16 NORDSTJERNAN
thing really new and you Nordstjernan readers are the first to know: We just started a new Swedish choir in Atlanta. It’s a mixed choir that’s so new it does not have a name yet. It grew from Atlanta’s great Lucia Choir — consisting of men from Vasa Drängar and women from SWEA. Once a year we perform at the Lucia Celebration Concert, and we sound very good. Now, us 20 or so singers have come to the conclusion that we’d like to sing more than only once a year. Our first performance is already planned. It will be on March 25 at 3 p.m. at St. Luke Lutheran Church in Atlanta. The Rev. Louise Linder, from the Church of Sweden in Florida, will conduct a service, in which the new choir will sing Swedish spring songs. And more performances are on the calendar. But right now I have to get up from my couch and start the “spring tillage” — raking, aerating, digging, planting, cutting, trimming, painting, you name it! Whereas in Sweden they are shoveling snow, freezing, slipping and blowing away. Göran Rygert
A common February sight in Georgia...
A common sight in Swedish towns.
the pacific states
Economic Outlook in the West Scandinavians in the San Francisco Bay Area had much to think about after two stimulating programs presented by the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce for San Francisco and the Silicon Valley (SACC-SF/SV) and by the Silicon Vikings (SVkgs). Here’s a look at the first program, by the Swedish American Chamber of Commerce-San Francisco. At this, the first program of 2017, the members of a new advisory board were introduced — Lars Johansson, Christian Lagerling, Ted Olsson, Maya Strelar Migotti, Jan Uddenfelt, Nicholas Wadstrom (absent) and Nils Welin — as a panel to discuss what it sees for the business climate this year. The event was superbly moderated by Adiba Barney, a member of SACC Board of Directors. About two dozen members and guests attended the event at the new Ericsson Experience Center, its U.S. headquarters, whose labs engineer the communications centers for the principal companies of the U.S. and for the technology leaders of the valley. Erik Ekkuden, head of the Ericsson Center, welcomed everyone, explaining that the new center personifies how Swedish entrepreneurism flourishes here. After a delicious smorgasbord, the guests were invited on a tour to learn of the breadth of Ericsson’s research and projects to support all its clients, the cream of U.S. innovative companies. The main message was how it supports the highly decentralized communication and storage of data, video and human communications.
SACC-SF/SV’s Advisory Board: Christian Lagerling, Nils Welin, Ted Olsson, Maya Strelar Migotti, Jan Uddenfelt, Lars Johansson. Nicolai Wadström is absent. Photo by SACC/SF-SV
SACC advisors’ forecasts The audience gathered to hear the panel present their views on the future. From his perspective as a retired executive at both Ericsson and Sony communications companies in Silicon Valley, Jan Uddenfelt stated that he believed 2017 looked very promising for business. Established tech giants and innovative new Scandinavian companies alike were expecting the pace of innovation, investment and growth to continue both in consumer products as well as for corporate clients.
Nils Welin noted that the field of robotics, drones and autonomous vehicles is accelerating quickly, as are the fields of sensors and system-wide monitoring equipment. This has several effects: first, companies and their assets, both physical and intellectual, are ever more closely guarded; second, with these tools it would take fewer guards to more surely patrol larger areas. Everyone agreed that it promises to be a period that’s unpredictable but transformative, and that technologists need to consider the new continues on next page
not my time to die Titanic and the Swedes on Board
The 123 Swedes on board made up the third largest ethnic group on the Titanic after the American and the British. The book profiles each of the Swedish passengers; including the 34 survivors... Perfect bound, large size paperback, 296 pages. Richly illustrated.
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the pacific states continued from page 17 administration’s effects upon trade agreements and immigration: 1) Can U.S. manufacturing (using imported raw materials) and domestic robots produce equal or better products at the same price? 2) Since technology displaces more Americans and produces products more efficiently than sending jobs abroad, any modern luddite sabotage would damage all citizens and the economy. 3) There are two types of immigrants: those doing cheap labor (typically U.S. citizens will not do this labor nor will they pay more for products of more expensive skilled labor) and educated professionals (most of the imported college students are better qualified than domestic students and pay more, subsidizing poorer local students). 4) Since immigrants create many more new companies with local labor rather than native-born citizens, any decrease in such entrepreneurs will drag down our innovation, our economy and all consumers (that is, us).
SACC board forecasts Our host Erik Ekkuden confirmed that technology is now taking on additional challenges by helping companies and larger metropolitan groups and governments improve their efficiency and services to their citizens. Among these are the challenges facing urban transportation. Dr. Gunilla Jacobson, a Swedish physician and visiting associate professor at Stanford’s School of Medicine and the Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital, spoke about the tremendous breakthroughs occurring in translational medicine. This new field of biomedicine and bioengineering focuses upon tightening the relationship and benefit between research and clinical practice to improve medicine at the individual level. She suggested this field is promising, providing physicians with new tools and techniques that are now designed to use a patient’s personal genome, development, and physiology to limit or cure illness.
SACC-SF/SV members of Board of Directors and Advisory Board presented at the SACC 2017 forecast meeting: back row—Helene Åström, Gunilla Jacobson, Jonas Törnqvist, Christian Lagerling, Nils Welin, Ted Olsson, Jan Uddenfelt, Adiba Barney, Lars Johansson, Erik Ekudden; front row— Maria Ingelsson, Maya Strelar Migotti, Helena Kristersson. Nicolia Wadström, a member of both the Board of Directors and of the Advisory Board, was absent. Photo by SACC/SF-SV
Ted Olsson
Peter Fellman, Cronja Hultin, Anders Frostenson, Ali Piltan & Cris Cristina
The topic for the evening, “Why your digital strategy is your business strategy,” was moderated by Peter Fellman, U.S. correspondent for Dagens Industry. The panel consisted of a number of dynamic young business leaders including the evening’s host, Anders Frostenson, president and founder of Doberman, Cronja Hultin, marketing director at Whispr Group, Cris Cristina, lead interaction designer at Ixonos, and one of our new members Ali Piltan, regional director of Nepa. Anders Frostenson welcomed the guests before the panel launched into a lively and incisive conversation on how to adapt business strategies to the digital era. A point on which the panelists all agreed was that digitalization has largely caused traditional divisions between industries to disappear. For businesses this means creating new models of delivering services to existing customers as well as ways of reaching out to new customers. Ali Piltan urged businesses to maintain flexibility in their outlook and be innovative when it comes to their mode of delivering services. Digitalization has permeated most industries to the point where the digital is a natural and integrated part of day-to-day operations, a means to an end rather than an industry unto itself. In the words of Cronja Hultin: We can’t go back. Digitalization has already happened. You can’t fight it, you’ve got to go along with it and catch up.
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No longer just comfort clothes for home: Stepping out on the town in sweat pants was once considered slovenly in Sweden, but a new trend combines the casual soft look with knit sweaters, leather jackets, overcoats and stylish white sneakers to create a trendy uptown look. Stockholm’s fashion editor Martin Hansson has his eye on menswear and says the look works as long as the pants look clean and fit well. Seeing the trend both at work and in restaurants, Hansson says it is peaking in 2017 both in Sweden and abroad.
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news in brief
Swedish News
entrepreneur behind Orbital, Mehrdad Mahdjoubi, was at the SACC NY event in October to collect the award from Anders Walls Stiftelse. For more info on the Malmö, Sweden based Orbital Systems, see www.orbital-systems.com
The 2016 Water Prize
energy carbon dioxide lasers to remove the pigment from the outer skins of fruits and vegetables. Natural branding is a process that uses low-energy carbondioxide lasers to remove the pigment from the outer skins of fruits and vegetables. Laser beams create tattoo-like patterns with the product’s name, country of origin and code number. If the test is successful, ICA, with 1,350 stores across Sweden, hopes to cut down on the stickers and packaging it now uses to identify organic produce. Ica expects to save over 125 miles of plastic film per year just on its volume of avocado. Organic fruits and vegetables are often wrapped to distinguish them from the traditionally grown.
Muzak for business Water shortage in Sweden?
Joan Rose, water quality champion, won the 2016 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate. Photo Michigan State University
Water entrepreneurs
Professor Joan Rose of Michigan State University was named the 2016 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate for her pioneering contributions to water quality as it relates to global public health. Rose is a leading world authority on water microbiology and is widely regarded as the world’s foremost authority on the microorganism Cryptosporidium. She and her team, whom she calls “water detectives” investigate waterborne disease outbreaks around the globe to determine how they can be stopped and prevented. In its citation, The Stockholm Water Prize Nominating Committee said, “The world is blessed with few individuals who can tackle the increasing and changing challenges to clean water and health, starting from state-of-the-art science through dedicated and original research, then moving to professional dissemination, effective lobbying of the legislative arena, influencing practitioners, and raising the general awareness. Joan Rose is the leading example of this extremely rare blend of talents.” Rose was presented the prize by H.M. King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden, Patron of Stockholm Water Prize, at a royal award ceremony in Stockholm in August, during the 2016 World Water Week. The 2017 Water Prize will be announced in March. For more info, see www.siwi.org
It’s not just third world countries that face a lack of drinking water. Warnings have been issued that water shortages in Sweden will require new rules and stricter monitoring of how much water individual households consume. According to the Geological Survey of Sweden (SGU), the solution lies in nature providing long deep soaking rains and snowy winters to saturate the ground. Swedish consumption of water is sometimes seen as wasteful; it has even been suggested that Swedes switch from drinking coffee to drinking tea in an effort to conserve. (Because, who’d drink as much of the hot drink?)
Natural branding
Last year’s winner of the Anders Wall Entrepreneur of the Year Award at Innovate46 was Orbital Systems, a global leader in domestic water savings. By implementing its own developed and patented water recycling technology in the company’s first product, The Shower, you can save up to more than 90% of the water and 80% of the heating energy compared to conventional showers. Inventor and 20 NORDSTJERNAN
Laser marks have replaced labels on the organic avocados and potatoes in some stores in Sweden. In December Swedish supermarket chain ICA started experimenting with “natural branding,” a process that uses low-
Armed with $22 million in fresh funding, Swedish Muzak streamer Soundtrack Your Brand is cutting its musical ties to Spotify and embarking on a quest for international growth. The startup that’s signed deals to stream background music to TAG Heuer watch stores and McDonald’s restaurants said Friday that investors including Balderton Capital and Industrifonden will fund what chief executive officer and co-founder Ola Sars calls an “aggressive expansion plan.” The strategy includes building its own library of music to offer to hotels and retailers. Soundtrack is pushing into global markets to attract retailers with hundreds or even thousands of locations to its cloud-based music as it chases the market leader, Toronto-listed Mood Media Corp. Spotify, an early Soundtrack investor, used a similar formula to wean consumers away from pirated lists and illegal streaming. Soundtrack used Spotify’s catalog for its first 18 months of operations, but is now building a library of its own music to pursue a more independent path. Spotify is the company’s largest external shareholder but didn’t take part in this financing round. After the new funding, Spotify will hold about 15 percent of Soundtrack. For more info, see www.soundtrackyourbrand.com
Who needs a boss?
Do you really need someone to tell you what to do at work? A few years ago, Swedish software consultancy Crisp decided that the answer was no. The company of about 40 had already tried a variety of structural models to run the business and finally started changing CEO on an annual basis, based on a staff vote. Then eventually decided that no boss was needed. The company now holds four-day meetings for all staff two to three times a year where decisions are made on issues that affect everyone. Other than that all staff is encouraged to make decisions themselves. All corporations in Sweden are legally obligated to have a board of directors and any issue that cannot be resolved in the group will be deferred to the board.
news in brief
Major Viking Age manor discovered at Birka For centuries it has been speculated where the manor of the royal bailiff of Birka, Herigar, might have been located. New geophysical results provide evidence of its location at Korshamn, outside the town rampart of the Viking Age proto-town Birka in Sweden. The results have been published in the international scientific journal Archäologisches Korrespondenzblatt. During spring of 2016 a number of large presumed house terraces were identified at the inlet Korshamn. As a consequence, high-resolution geophysical surveys using ground-penetrating radar were carried out in September 2016. Korshamn is one of the main harbor bays of the island of Björkö, situated just outside the town boundaries of Birka. The survey revealed a major Viking hall on the site, with a length of around 40 meters. Based on the land upheaval the area, the ruins can be dated to sometime after 810 AD. The hall is connected to a large fenced area that stretches toward the harbor basin. “This kind of Viking period high status manor has previously only been identified at a few places in southern Scandinavia, for instance at Tissø and Lejre in Denmark. It is known that the fenced area at such manors was linked to religious activities,” says Johan Runer, archaeologist at the Stockholm County Museum. During the survey a predecessor for the Viking Age manor was also identified at the site: a high status manor that existed during the Vendel period, prior to the establishment of the Viking Age town of Birka. Both the identified buildings and their continued use from the Vendel period to the Viking Age correlate well with the “ancestral property” of Birka’s royal bailiff Herigar as mentioned in Rimbert’s Vita Anskarii. Herigar was Christianized by Ansgar, archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen, during his first mission, and he built the first church on his land. “The consequences of our discoveries cannot be overestimated in terms of the emergence of
Food for Vikings
It’s become popular to eat like the Vikings ate. Some of their recipes can still successfully be used today, too. Other than meat, when available, the main staple in the Viking diet was, not surprisingly, any kind of “gröt” (porridge). But there were other dishes as well. Here are some of the popular Viking dishes: “Kornmjölsgröt” (Barley flour porridge) Probably the most common porridge during the time of the Vikings.
Reconstruction of the Viking Age manor by Jacques Vincent.
The northwestern part of Björkö where the Viking city was is not far from Stockholm.
the Viking town of Birka, its royal administration and the earliest Christian mission to Scandinavia,” says Sven Kalmring, researcher at the Zentrum für Baltische und Skandinavische Archäologie in Schleswig, Germany. “The results highlight the benefits of using nonintrusive geophysical surveys for the detection of archaeological features and, once again, prove to be an invaluable tool for documenting Iron Age building remains in Scandinavia,” continued Andreas Viberg, researcher at the Archaeological Research Laboratory at Stockholm University. The research project is a collaboration between Zentrum für Baltische und Skandinavische Archäologie, Stockholm county museum and the Archaeological Research Laboratory, Stockholm University.
On Birka
To make 4 servings you need: 4 cups water or milk 1 cup barley flour 1/2 – 1 teaspoon salt Boil the water and the salt and slowly stir in the barley flour. Let the porridge boil for 10 minutes while stirring. Serve with milk, and a pat of butter and/or honey. Lingonberry jam is also a nice addition, but not if you want to eat it the way the Vikings did.
For 4 servings you need: 8 1/2 cups fresh nettles 2 Tablespoons butter 2 Tablespoons flour 4 cups water 2 cubes vegetable bouillon, crumbled salt, thyme, marjoram or chives. Wash the nettles carefully. Bring the water to a boil and put in the nettles, let boil for 5 minutes, then separate the nettles from the water. Don’t throw out the water. Chop the nettles. Melt the butter in a pot. Put in the nettles and fry for a few minutes. Drizzle the flour over them and stir, add the saved water, a bit at a time, and bring to a boil again. Add the crumbled bouillon cubes, and let boil 3-4 minutes. Add spices to taste and serve with boiled eggs.
Nettle soup Nettle soup is simple and delicious and a great vitamin- and mineral cure in a bowl. It’s another dish the Vikings used to make.
During the Viking Age, Birka, on the island of Björkö (literally “Birch Island”) in present-day Sweden, was an important trading center, which handled goods from Scandinavia as well as Central and Eastern Europe and the Orient. Björkö is located at Lake Mälaren, 18 miles west of contemporary Stockholm, in the municipality of Ekerö. Generally regarded as Sweden’s oldest town, Birka (along with Hovgården) has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. It’s a day trip from Stockholm city center. Boats run by Strömma (www.stromma.se) leave every morning from City Hall and take you to the island — a beautiful trip of about two hours and later after a few hours of excursions back to the city.
MARCH 15, 2017 21
sports
Minnesota—land of opportunity
Nils Jakobsson/Bildbyrån
Former IFK Göteborg goalkeeper John Alvbåge now calls Minnesota and Major League Soccer home.
Just as it did for thousands of his countrymen in years gone by, Minnesota beckons to a new Swedish immigrant. John Alvbåge arrived in Minneapolis from Göteborg after a whirlwind of negotiations and immediately became the No. 1 goalkeeper for the fledgling Minnesota United of Major League Soccer. Alvbåge is on loan to the expansion side until July, with an option to make the move permanent. For the 34-yearold net minder, United and MLS offer a chance he simply could not refuse. “It really did happen very fast,” Alvbåge said. “When MLS and Minneapolis came to me I knew I might not get the chance again. It is an opportunity to come to the U.S. and tryout this league. It has such good players and is really an up-and-coming league. I am 34 now so I if had turned this down I think I would regret it if I looked back. This opportunity is great.” Alvbåge is coming off what for most goalkeepers is a solid season. After a slow start in 2016, IFK Göteborg finished fourth in Allsvenskan. Alvbåge played in 29 of 30 matches, allowing 41 goals while making 111 saves and finishing with a .730 save percentage. It is a far cry from his 2015 season when he led Göteborg to a second-place finish and capped the year with Goalkeeper of the Year honors at the annual Fotball Gala. “It was a decent season,” he said. “It was not the best season. We struggled a bit on defense but it was a good season, but for me, maybe, it wasn’t as good as I would have liked.” The deal with United came on quickly as the expansion club was on the verge of entering its preseason without an experienced goalkeeper. The Minnesota club approached IFK general manager 22 NORDSTJERNAN
Mats Gren about a loan and Alvbåge had nothing but praise for how Gren handled the request. “Mats was really supportive,” he said. “There are some bosses out there who would have said Minnesota has to pay a lot of money or something, but Mats was really good. He and I talked and he told me ‘I know you’re 34 and maybe you don’t have too many years left [on the pitch] and this is a great opportunity.’” Alvbåge said the presence of two highly rated young goalkeepers at Göteborg, Erik Dahlin and Pontus Dahlgren, made it somewhat easier for Gren to allow the former Swedish international to leave for Minnesota. “They are both very good,” Alvbåge said. “So, I am not worried. My future is in my hands so I don’t think Göteborg is going to force me to come back.” Swedish-MLS history Alvbåge became one of the most accomplished goalkeepers in MLS when he signed with United. In his five seasons with Göteborg, he won the Swedish Cup twice, silver medals in the Allsvenskan twice, played in the Champions and Europa leagues. He also played for Örebro in the Allsvenskan, spent three season at Viborg in Denmark, where he also played in the Europa League, and was the No. 3 goalkeeper on Sweden’s 2006 World Cup team. He knows all that experience will be crucial to a side newly promoted from the second-tier NASL. “This is a very young team. We have 25 new players here and we’re trying to build a whole new team,” Alvbåge said. “For me, I know it is a great opportunity. Most clubs have American goalkeepers and America is really producing some really good
goalkeepers, so there is pressure on me as a foreign goalkeeper to do my best.” Alvbåge is the second big-name Swedish goalkeeper to play in MLS. Former IFK Göteborg net minder Thomas Ravelli played for now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1998 in what proved to be a tumultuous season for the Swede. Alvbåge said he was not too concerned about any Swedish-MLS precedents. “No, I don’t think about that at all,” he said. “[Former Seattle Sounders midfielder] Erik Friberg won the championship last year, so I don’t worry about the guys who maybe didn’t do that well. I am here to give my all and try to help my club succeed.” Friberg left Seattle during the January transfer window and returned to BK Hacken, the club he left in 2016 when he joined Seattle. The Sounders quickly replaced Friberg with former Swedish international Gustav Svensson, who spent last season in China. If MLS has not been the kindest league to Swedes, Alvbåge said coming to Minnesota is “like coming home.” “There is a lot of Scandinavian history. This was a big place for Scandinavian immigrants who made this place,” he said. “If you look at the surnames even today you see Erikssons and Anderssons and Lindahls. Plus the weather is like Scandinavia so it’s a lot like home.” Grant Wahl, a columnist for Sports Illustrated, picked United to finish last in MLS’s inaugural season. Head coach Adrian Heath and Alvbåge both say that is fine by them. “Maybe if I was a writer who never played football or just sat in front of the TV watching it, I would pick last, too,” Alvbåge quipped. “For us, that’s perfect and will use that as motivation.” Despite his confidence, Minnesota does face a tough season. Although the Loons kept several of the players that helped the club advance from the second-tier NASL to MLS, many of the players on the roster had never played together. Alvbåge said as a goalkeeper, his job is to provide leadership for his new teammates. “I want to try to help the team much as I can,” he said. “Minnesota brought me here because they wanted an experienced goalkeeper. I have played a lot of games. Every goalkeeper down to lowest level can make great saves, but what makes a goalkeeper reach the highest level is to play with stability. You have to read the game well. I want to bring that to this team and do what they brought me here for. I want to play with good stability.” Minnesota opens its season March 3 against the Portland Timbers. The match is available on FoxSPorts 1. Chipp Reid
Spicing it up
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Waffle with löjrom, shrimp and creme fraiche.
March 25 is våffeldagen, the day for eating waffles. The tradition to eat waffles on Jungfru Marie bebådelsedag or Vårfrudagen (Lady Day or The Feast of the Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady) came about when people lazily began to mispronounce Vårfrudagen as ‘våffeldagen’ — a mistake that makes many people happy because it means waffles with whipped cream and jam are being served almost anywhere you go. When you’ve celebrated Waffle Day year after year with jam and whipped cream on your waffles, it can be fun to spice up tradition with de lux toppings on your waffles. Remember last year’s tips on toppings such as Smoked salmon and wasabi, Löjrom / bleak roe (add a dollop of creme fraiche on the waffle heart then add 1/2 tsp of roe, finely chopped red onion and decorate with dill) and Västerbotten butter (mix the grated Västerbotten - or other flavorful - cheese) with unsalted room temperature butter. Spread on the waffle heart and decorate with chopped chive. Here’s Gunillas’ basic recipe for waffles once again: Makes 10 waffles 3 tbs butter (40 g) 1-3/4 cup flour (112 g) 1/2 tsp salt 1-1/4 cups water 2-1/2 cup whipping cream 1 small egg 1 tsp melted butter for frying Melt the butter and let it cool. Stir the salt into the flour. Whisk flour and water into a fine smooth batter. Beat the egg in a cup. Whip the cream until it’s a thick foam. Mix together egg and cream in the batter, and finally stir in the melted butter. Heat the waffle iron. Butter the griddle; you typically won’t have to butter it again after the first waffle. Pour 1/3 cup (3/4 dl) batter per waffle into the iron, close and let the waffle bake about 1-1/2 minutes. Lift out the waffle using a fork. Let the waffles cool completely on a rack.
Sweden’s selection for the Oscar’s
Immerse yourself and family in swedishness with the latest dvd releases from Sweden. A Man Called Ove (RELEASED Dec. 27, 2016) $29.95 = _______ The Last Sentence $29.95 = _______ The 100 Year Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared $29.95 = _______ The Dragon Tattoo Trilogy Extended Boxed Set $39.95 = _______ Wallander Series 2 Boxed Set $74.95 = _______ Max Manus: Man of War (in Norwegian) $19.95 = _______ Jackpot (in Norwegian) $24.95 = _______
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