The Swedish North Star, continuously published since 1872. Price per copy $3.50. Volume 147 No. 13, October 01, 2019.
Sensational Grövelsjön
Norrland burgers
In Dalarna in the heart of Sweden, peace, quiet and fresh mountain air reach out to nature lovers. The birch trees and reindeer and untold miles of trails in Grövelsjön lead over the mountains and through the valleys in every season. Join us on an amazing autumn excursion. / p 14
Västerbotten cheese isn’t the only food to come from the northernmost part of Sweden above Bothnian Bay. This Norrland countryside is bursting with small businesses in the food industry, including a number of small dairies that are helping put specialty hamburgers on the culinary map. / p 20
Thriving Swedish tradition
Millennium writer in Chicago / p4
IKEA innovates for child safety / p12
Working toward zero food waste / p5
The ethnicity maps you receive from your DNA test may not be as reliable as you’d wish / p30
As Swedish immigrants were settling in the San Francisco area 125 years ago, they didn’t know they were creating the foundation of a tradition that would still be cherished all these years later. Maybe it’s not unlike other sweet stories of Swedish legacies around the U.S. withstanding the test of time. / p24
dashboard | october 01, 2019 SCANDINAVIAN QUIZ
Photo: Sara Friberg, Kungahuset
Sweden’s king with next-in-succession princesses.
Constitutional monarchies In 1397, the three kingdoms in Scandinavia – Sweden, Denmark and Norway – formed the Kalmar Union. Eric of Pomerania was the official king of all three countries, but it was his aunt, Margaret I of Denmark, who ruled them until her death in 1412. Sweden left the Kalmar Union in 1523 and elected Gustav Vasa as king; Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden in 1814; and Norway became independent from Sweden in 1905. Each country is a constitutional monarchy, a form of government in which the king is formally the head of state but his duties are mainly representative and ceremonial. The Swedish monarchy traditions date back more than a thousand years, and with the exception of early queens Kristina and Ulrika Eleonora, the Swedish throne has always passed to the firstborn male – until 1980, when the 1979 Act of Succession came into effect for a monarch’s eldest heir, regardless of gender, to inherit the throne. Today’s public support for the monarchy in Sweden is fairly strong; the Bernadotte family recognized 200 years of leadership in 2018, a record in Sweden and in Europe, too. Name’s Days of the Swedish Calendar Namnsdagar i oktober
October 01 October 02 October 03 October 04 October 05 October 06 October 07 October 08 October 09 October 10 October 11 October 12 October 13 October 14 October 15
Ragnar/Ragna Ludvig/Love Evald/Osvald Frans/Frank Bror Jenny/Jennifer Birgitta/Britta Nils Ingrid/Inger Harry/Harriet Erling/Jarl Valfrid/Manfred Berit/Birgit Stellan Hedvig/Hillevi
September 15
New York Chicago Stockholm Kiruna Lund Los Angeles 2 NORDSTJERNAN
|
double wedding for their children B) just to see if she could C) to mutually fortify their militaries D) to bypass trade sanctions on tea and coffee
2 What did immigrant Swedes add to coffee grounds for a smooth, mild taste? A) akavit B) potato skins C) egg D)butter 3 What northern country has the highest percentage of forested land in all of Europe? A) Finland B) Iceland C) Sweden D) Norway
4 Viking men often used lye soap to bleach what? A) their hair B) their sons’ swords C) glogg stains D) fish 5 Who developed Ikea’s product naming system? A) There’s a naming system? B) founder Ingvar Kamprad C) opening day customers in 1958 D) the first product designers CULTURE
Namnsdagar
6 What is toast Skagen? A) a special “skål” in Skagen, Denmark B) a 1950s Swedish food C) bread roasted over an open fire D) a shrimp dish Norwegians won’t eat 7 On which of the following seas does Norway NOT have a coastline? A) Barents Sea B) North Sea C) Norwegian Sea D) Baltic 8 Which Nordic country boasts more Summer Olympic medals per capita than any other nation in the world? A) Denmark B) Finland C) Sweden D) Norway 9 Which of the Scandinavian countries are monarchies? A) Finland, Sweden and Norway B) Denmark, Finland and Sweden C) Sweden, Norway and Denmark d) Norway and Sweden
10 Which Nordic country was the first in the world to make access to the internet a legal right for its citizens? A) Finland B)Sweden C) Norway D) Iceland Answers: 1:A, 2:C, 3:C, 4:A, 5:B, 6:B, 7:D, 8:B, 9:C, 10:A
did Queen Margaret hope to 1 Why form an alliance with King Henry IV of England in 1402? A) to encourage a
October
Ragnar – October 1 Ragnar is a man’s name with Nordic origins. It’s combined by two words: “Regin” which means power by God and “-arr” which means warrior. The name Ragnar today is most common among older people. There are 15,680 men in Sweden with the name and five women. There are also 310 people with Ragnar as their last name. Inger – October 9 Inger is a female name with Nordic origins. It may also be used as a man’s name (though that is rare) and as a last name. It is a so-called “nusvensk” form of the Old Norse name Ingegerd, which is a combination of the old god name “Ing” and “gerd,” which means “yard, surrounded, protected.” Inger is also a form of Ingegerd or Ingrid, older variations of the name were Ingerd and Ingri. There are 70,297 women with the name in Sweden and six men. 27 people have Inger as their last name.
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Sunrise & Sunset
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this week…
October TO DO 10.01 GO VEGETARIAN: VEGETARISKA VÄRLDSDAGEN / Join a growing number of Swedes who are kicking off an entire month of parties and presentations to encourage giving meatless fare a try. 10.04 EAT A CINNAMON ROLL: KANELBULLENSDAG / In solidarity with the entire country of Sweden, enjoy (at least) one cinnamon roll today, Cinnamon Roll Day. See p27 for a recipe to make yours the Swedish way. 10.09 LEIF ERIKSSON DAY: A day honoring the first European known to set foot on North American soil more than a millennium ago. Leif Erikson, son of Iceland and grandson of Norway and his crew explored present-day Greenland and Canada over 1,000 years ago. 10.09 SEND A LETTER TO SOMEONE ABROAD: VÄRLDSPOSTUNIONS DAG / Support World Post Day on the anniversary of the establishment of the Universal Postal Union in 1874 in Bern, Switzerland. 10.14 RÄKMACKANS DAG*: A day in Sweden devoted to the open faced shrimp sandwich.
Three local northern burgers with the ever present local and imported relishes and dressings. /Page 20
Dashboard, p4-5
Surprise visit / Millennium writer in Chicago / Träffpunkt in New York / Swedish help for Amazon fires / Sweden’s Oscar nominee / Leading the way / Working toward zero food waste.
Events calendar, p6-10
What’s going on in Swedish America. Page 5
* In Sweden, the shrimp sandwich is connected to traveling, mostly by sea - it has always been offered onboard ferries. It was in the late 19th century that the first sandwich with “fresh shrimp from the fjords” was introduced in Denmark, and it is thought the delicacy came to Sweden via the ferries running between Denmark and Sweden. Later on, it was actually the airports that in 2009 started “räkmackans dag,” though shrimp sandwiches are such a favorite among Swedes that they are enjoyed anywhere, any day of the year. Making one yourself is easy, instruction on page 11.
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Food & Culture, p27
The cinnamon bun. A classic recipe for an aunthentic Swedish fika.
Swedish News, p28-29
Wallström resigns / Sweden’s new foreign minister / Sweden’s low property tax / More people with wrong personnr / Reduced tax in rural areas/ Commission for future electric roads / Finland wants closer cooperation / Swedish for foreign-born women.
Awesome & Swedish, p30
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Telephone: ________________________ Credit card#: __________________________
Can the ethnicity maps from DNA testing really be trusted? /Page 30
Exp: _____/_______
Signature______________________________________________ Sec code: _______
The Exchange Rate:
$1.00 = SEK 9.61 (09.13.2019)
OCTOBER 01, 2019 3
dashboard | october 01, 2019
Photo: Don Reed
Millennium writer in Chicago
Surprise visit
A family in the ski district Vemdalen in Jämtland in central Sweden was in for a surprise recently when a wild musk ox bull showed up close to their house. Musk oxen in the open is still extremely rare in Sweden, but there are some in western Härjedalen and western Jämtland. The musk ox aren’t native to Sweden, but in 1971 a group of five musk ox from Dovrefjäll mountain range in Norway came across the border and made their home in western Härjedalen.
The stories, the traditions, the people behind the news. founded in new york city in september 1872 executive editor & publisher:
Ulf Barslund Mårtensson (editor@nordstjernan.com) editor:
Amanda Olson Robison (editor@nordstjernan.com) managing editor & production: Everett Martin graphic design: Nadia Wojcik (design@nordstjernan.com) contributors:
Chipp Reid - Ted Olsson - Leif Rosqvist - Kitty Hughes Ulf Kirchdorfer - Valorie Arrowsmith Bo Zaunders - Göran Rygert - James Kaplan - Gunilla Blixt publications director:
Mette Barslund Mårtensson (mette@nordstjernan.com; 800.827.9333, ext 12)
nordstjernan p.o. box 1710 new canaan ct 06840 contact us at 1.800.827.9333 ext 10 for reader services, email: subs@nordstjernan.com; ext 12 for advertising, email: ads@nordstjernan.com www.nordstjernan.com Covering three worlds: Sweden, America and Swedish America. Order your own copy, $55.00 for a year (18 issues) Choose ‘subscribe’ at www.nordstjernan.com or call 1.800.827.9333, ext 10 4 NORDSTJERNAN
David Lagercrantz speaking at the museum.
On September 1 the personable, bestselling author of the continuation of Stieg Larsson’s Millennium Series, David Lagercrantz, was promoting his third and final book of the series, The Girl Who Lived Twice, released on August 27. Lagercrantz shared humorous stories, answered many questions and said the last book is the best. The self-described “neurotic intellectual” admitted he struggled to decide if he would write
fiction or nonfiction and was smuggled into the basement of the publishing house where Eva Gedin, on behalf of Larsson’s estate, asked him to write the fourth book of the series. Steig Larsson’s untimely death left a void in Swedish crime novels. Lagercrantz didn’t realize the public put the late author on the same level as other Swedish giants ABBA and IKEA until he said Sweden went crazy with the news of his authorship. Things worked out very well with the first two books he wrote; The Girl in the Spider’s Web and The Girl Who Takes an Eye for an Eye became international bestsellers. The final book promises to resolve some lingering questions. Lagercrantz has succeeded in creating an impressively smooth transition as he dared to further develop the characters and tighten the story. Lisbeth Salander criticized him in his dreams, Lagercrantz says, but he has brought more darkness to her in this great adventure readers will be sad to see end. By Kate Reed For more info on the Swedish American Museum in Chicago, see www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
‘Träffpunkt’ in New York Träffpunkt, “Meeting Point,” is a new activity at the Swedish church in New York City. A group gets together every second Thursday of each month for a presentation and discussion. The meetings, open for all, is the brainchild of Gunhild Ljung, standing all the way to the right in the photograph here, and behind Catarina Lundgren Åström, who visited to speak about her latest book, a photographic odyssey of the sculptures of Central Park, The Statues of Central Park, (ISBN: 978-1-57826-541-1). Published by Hatherleigh Press and distributed by Penguin Random House – look for it on Amazon.
Swedish help for Amazon fires
The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB, Myndigheten för samhällsskydd och beredskap) hopes to send materials and personnel to Bolivia, the agency announces. The severe forest fires in the Amazon have put pressure on local rescue services and authorities, and Bolivia has requested temporary housing assistance to rescue personnel and support for coordination in the form of management centers. Among other things, MSB would be responsible for building the facilities and then releasing them to local authorities.
dashboard | october 01, 2019
Scene from “And Then We Danced.”
Sweden’s Oscar nominee The Swedish film “And Then We Danced” was selected to compete in the best international feature category during the Oscars. The film, directed by Levan Akin, is about a male dancer in a Georgian dance company who falls in love with his male rival. It is considered controversial content in Georgia; when asked if the film could have competed on Georgia’s behalf, Akin responded that it would be difficult “considering the content.” Each country has a chance to nominate a movie but only a few are selected in the end; it is still far from certain if the Swedish nominee will go all the way to the Oscars gala event. Last year, Border was nominated to the so-called short list, but did not become one of the final five entries in the category of best non-English-language films. New this year is that the international category has changed name from “Best Foreign Language Film” to “Best International Feature Film.” And then we danced opened in Sweden in September. The Oscars gala will take place on February 9, 2020.
Leading the way
Denmark, Sweden and Finland are leading the way toward a more sustainable future. This is according to the SDG Index, which follows up on the Sustainable Development Goals in the UN’s 2030 Agenda. The U.S. comes in 35th place after a host of countries such as Chile, Japan and Costa Rica.
The four founders of Karma: Elsa, Mattis, Ludvig and Hjalmar.
Working toward zero food waste
Food waste has become a problem area that many companies are working to solve. According to studies done in collaboration with the UN, almost a third of all food production today is wasted while other parts of the world are suffering from food shortages. The food waste also drives the increased greenhouse gases in the world—8 to 10 percent of greenhouse gases are related to food lost during harvest and production or wasted by consumers, according to a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. As pointed out in a recent article by the New York Times, several retailers in the Nordic region have started their own campaigns to stop waste, turning items near expiration into bargains under the umbrella of “Happy Hour” for food or eliminating in-store bulk discounts. Several Swedish startup companies such as Karma, Most, Deligate and Matsmart are just some of the players trying to solve the problem with the large amount of discarded food. But the road ahead is long. The food waste app Karma, which made it onto Fast Company’s list of most innovative companies in Europe this year, has grown at a rapid pace but is still not profitable, showing a loss of SEK 27 million with revenue of a mere SEK 3.83 million (about $396,000) in 2018. Investors trust this is a future growth area, however; to develop the business, the Swedish company raised almost SEK 110 million in venture capital from, among others, Electrolux and Kinnevik. ”Our ambitions are well above the billion kronor mark in revenue,” the company’s
The Karma app connects consumers with retailers.
CEO Hjalmar Ståhlberg Nordegren has said. Karma helps restaurants, cafes and grocery stores reduce their food waste by selling surplus food to consumers at a lower price through the app. According to Ståhlberg Nordegren, the 2018 result was not unexpected as the service was launched in France and the UK. With that, Karma has opened two new offices abroad and doubled the number of employees. This year, the aim is to expand the service by saving food waste from even more places. For more info, see www.karma.life There are U.S. based solutions, such as Full Harvest, which offers a marketplace for imperfect or surplus produce, and Spoiler Alert, which offers software and services, but as pointed out in the NYT article in a quote by an assistant professor in food systems and policy: “Food waste may be a uniquely American challenge because many people in this country equate quantity with a bargain.”
The Nordic postal service PostNord has released a series of fashion-themed stamps, and one of our partners was chosen for one of the designs. A colorful stamp featuring dots was created together with world-famous illustrator Mats Gustafson – it doesn’t get any more Gudrun than that. (And the dress. Well, it’s of course available through the online store, at www.gudrunsjoden.com.
OCTOBER 01, 2019 5
local events
Local Events California Thousand Oaks 10.20, 9 AM – 5 PM Hostmarknad: The annual Scandinavian fall event includes a Swedish Meatball Competition and Lingonberry Pie Easting Contest, Scandinavian food and artists, gifts, entertainment, folk dancers, vendors, swimming, petting zoo, kubb and more. At Vasa Park in Triunfo Canyon in Agoura Hills, www.vasapark.org
Illinois Chicago 10.01, 6 PM Dinner and Concert - Across the ocean, songs about the Swedish immigration to America: Johan Johansson is a songwriter and a folksinger from Uppsala, Sweden. The themes of his songs are mostly Swedish history and the Swedish immigration to America. With his voice and guitar, he will tell us about the Swedes and Bishop Hill. RSVP for dinner and the concert, $10. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac.org/ www.swedishamericanmuseum.org 10.04 11 AM – 4 PM Pop-up Café - Kanelbullens dag (cinnamon bun day): Celebrate by stopping by pop-up cafe to get your coffee and a bun for $6. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac. org/ www.swedishamericanmuseum.org 10.12 Tour of Ten Chimneys: Enter a bygone era of drama and sophistication at Ten Chimneys (in Genesee Depot, Wisconsin) where Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, “the greatest acting couple in theatre history,” lived and entertained guests. Unique among historic sites, Ten Chimneys was
designated a National Landmark in 2003 and offers guests a virtually barrier-free tour of an estate replete with Swedish décor, original furnishings and the romance of the Golden Age of Theatre – and the many influences of Alfred’s Swedish heritage and childhood summers spent in Finland. We’ll travel in comfort by coach and begin our afternoon with a lunch before our tours begin. Our Coach will depart from our pick-up location mid-morning and returns early evening. RSVP via email to suenordstrom@sbcglobal.net. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / www. swedishamericanmuseum.org Geneva 10.19-10.20, 1-4 PM Swedish Cottages in the Park: On October Open Day, see the stugas (little houses) that were built around 1933 to provide seasonal shelter to campers (and are now privately owned) and tour the Viking, an exact replica of the Gokstad, that sailed the Atlantic in 1893 from Bergen, Norway to New York and to the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Docent-led tours begin every 30 minutes; learn about this one-of-a-kind ship, its construction, journey and significance. You may even meet a Viking. Good Templar Park, 630-674-7530 / viking1893@gmail.com / www.vikingship. us and www.goodtemplarpark.org/cottages
Massachusetts West Newton 10.18, 7 PM The Saga of Ragnar Lobrok and Other Tales: Chapter House weaves together stories and music to create a unique concert experience, this time with Peter and Sarah Walker exploring the rich lore of the medieval Norse world - and the saga of the legendary viking Ragnar Lobrok, tales from the Eddas featuring mythical gods and giants, and the Vinland sagas, which describe Leif Eriksson’s discovery of the New World centuries before Columbus arrived. Scandinavian Cultural Center, 617.795.1914, kerry@scandicenter.org / www.scandicenter.org
SAN FRANCISCO Söndag 13 oktber kl 11.00
HÖGMÄSSA
i Norska Sjömanskyrkan på Hyde Street. Församlingspräst Mary Philipson och Therese Brewitz är pianist. Kyrkkaffe och saft.
Lördag 19 oktober kl 15.00
GUDSTJÄNST
i Los Altos Lutheran Church. Mary Philipson predikar och Therese Brewitz är pianist. Zaida Singers medverkar. Kyrkkaffe och saft. Se Facebook för mer info!
SVENSKA KYRKAN SAN FRANCISCO Norska Sjömanskyrkan, 2454 Hyde Street, San Francisco Tel: 415-632-8504 Epost: sanfrancisco@svenskakyrkan.se Hemsida: www.svenskakyrkan.se/sanfrancisco 6 NORDSTJERNAN
Swede Hollow book tour Swedish author Ola Larsmo is launching his new novel in the U.S. Extensively researched and beautifully written, Larsmo’s award winning novel (translated by Tiina Nunnally) vividly portrays a family and a community determined to survive: When the Klar family leaves Sweden for New York in 1897, they take with them a terrible secret and a longing for a new life. Their dream of starting over is nearly crushed at the outset, until an unexpected gift allows them to make one more desperate move, this time to the Midwest and a place on the edge of St. Paul, MN called Swede Hollow. You can meet Larsmo, enjoy a discussion and reading, reception and book signing in various places along the way of the author’s tour:
+ Seattle: Oct. 6, 2 p.m. Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / www.nordicmuseum.org + Minneapolis: Oct. 9, 6 p.m. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / emilyk@asimn.org / www.asimn.org + St. Paul: Oct. 10, 4:30 p.m. East Side Freedom Library (includes walking tour), 651.230.3294 / info@eastsidefreedomlibrary.org + Chicago: Oct. 14, 6 p.m. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / www. swedishamericanmuseum.org + Washington, DC: Oct. 17, 6:30 p.m. House of Sweden, 2900 K St NW + New York: Oct. 19, 6 p.m. Scandinavia House, 212.847.9729 / chelsea@ amscan.org / www.scandinaviahouse.org
local events This year’s film festival has a Swedish film focus comprised of diverse and exceptional work of different Swedish film makers. Several Swedish films will be presented October 3-13, 2019. Visit www.mvff.com for showtimes, venues and more information:
Mill Valley Film Festival 42
Amateurs (Amatörer) And Then We Danced (Sweden’s submission for the best international feature category in the 92nd Academy Awards) Scheme Birds (Won best documentary feature and best documentary director awards at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival) The Unbearable Lightness of Being Out Stealing Horses MVFF will honor Anna Serner, CEO Swedish Film Institute, with its Mind the Gap Award, which recognizes those persons whose work and leadership inspire the movement toward greater equity in film. In honor of Serner’s work, MVFF42 will be presenting Serner with the award at the screening of Amateurs on October 4 at 6:30 p.m. at The Rafael Film Center in San Rafael. Anna Serner will also be the keyOngoing Exhibit - Available Light: Photographs and videos by Swedish American visual artist and writer, Erika Råberg, from her 2012– 2017 work at the family farm in Värmland, Sweden, in the family since the early 1600s. Erika’s lens work brings a unique sense of place that both document and transform. Through October at Scandinavian Cultural Center, 617.795.1914, Kerry@scandicenter. org / www.scandicenter.org
Minnesota Minneapolis 10.04, 10-11:30 AM Preschool Program: Swedes observe kanelbullens dag (Cinnamon Bun Day) every year on Oct.4 and so are we! Celebrate this beloved pastry at ASI as we use all five of our senses during this special adult/child program specifically designed for children ages 3-5. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@asimn.org / www.asimn.org 10.09, 6-9 PM Swede Hollow Book Launch: Ola Larsmo’s Swede Hollow (translated by Tiina Nunnally) – enjoy a talk and reading, followed by a Q&A, reception and book signing. About Swede Hollow: When the Klar family leaves Sweden for New York in 1897, they take with them a terrible secret
note speaker at the festival’s annual Mind the Gap Summit, whose theme was inspired by Serner’s work with the Swedish Film Institute and is focused around “Money as financing, as power, as gender equity.”
Scheme Birds, winner of the Best Documentary Feature and Best Documentary Director awards at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. The debut film by Swedish filmmakers Ellen Fiske and Ellinor Hallin gives a lyrical portrait of Scotland’s “scheme birds,” the young women of working-class housing developments who drink, smoke and fight alongside the boys. Gemma, 16, can scrap with the best of them, but when she gets pregnant, the soon-to-be mother realizes she has to take control of her future - it’s this petite blond with a steel backbone and a capacity to find hope in the darkest corners, that gives the movie its tender heart and soul.
and a longing for a new life. Their dream of starting over is nearly crushed at the outset, until an unexpected gift allows them to make one more desperate move, this time to the Midwest and a place on the edge of St. Paul, MN called Swede Hollow. Extensively researched and beautifully written, Ola Larsmo’s award winning novel vividly portrays a family and a community determined to survive. There are hardships and indignities, but also acts of kindness and moments of joy. This haunting story of a real place echoes the larger challenges of immigration in the 20th century and today. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / emilyk@asimn.org / www.asimn.org 10.13, 3-5 PM Intro to Swedish: Are you curious about the Swedish language and need a one-time introduction for a quick and low-pressure way to get excited and prepare for an upcoming visit to Sweden? Pick up a bit of grammar and learn how to pronounce some words as part of basic conversation. $15/ members, $18/non-members. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@ asimn.org / www.asimn.org 10.13, 2-4 PM Teen Träff: A new activity group for teens interested in Swedish culture. Bring a friend and bake cinnamon buns (kanelbullar)! $10/
Also showing at Mill Valley Film Festival, Amateurs by Swedish director Gabriela Pichler, who continues to portray a modern Sweden with nuances and intelligence in this film. It brings you to a truthful reality through an invented but typical Swedish town in Skåne, in which teenagers Aida and Dana go on a filmmaking journey with iPhones to make a promotional video showing the best their town has to offer. The movie won the prestigious and lucrative prize for best Nordic film at Göteborg Film Festival in 2018. In our movie review Niclas Goldberg wrote: “This compelling story should resonate far from Scandinavia, both in small towns and in melting pot metropolises. Based on a script by Pichler and the acclaimed Swedish novelist Jonas Hassen Khemiri, Amateurs becomes a film inside a film, asking questions of representations and what the sense of community in a multicultural society actually means.” OCTOBER 01, 2019 7
local events
The Saga of Ragnar Lodbrok & Other Tales A unique concert experience is offered by Chapter House, a duo who weaves together stories and music. Peter and Sarah Walker explore the rich lore of the medieval Norse world, including the saga of the legendary viking Ragnar Loðbrok, tales from the Eddas featuring mythical gods and giants, and the Vinland sagas, which describe Leif Eriksson’s discovery of the New World centuries before Columbus. Music is drawn from medieval and traditional sources, and performed on a variety of instruments including Swedish bagpipe, Norwegian medieval lyre, overtone flute, tagelharpa and kantele. www. facebook.com/chapterhouseconcerts + Lancaster, PA: Oct. 8, Meduseld Meadery + West Newton, MA: Oct. 18, 7 p.m. Scandinavian Cultural Center, 617.795.1914 / www.scandicenter.org + Hillsdale, NY: Oct. 19, Metabee Farm members, $15/non-members. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@ asimn.org / www.asimn.org Ongoing through 10.27 The Vikings Begin: See the highly anticipated exhibit of 1400-year-old artifacts from the early Viking Age, on view for the first time in the Midwest at American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www.asimn.org Moorhead 10.02, 3 PM Scandinavian Crime Thrillers Today: Dr. Jim Kaplan, Professor Emeritus at Minnesota State University Moorhead, introduces the popular crime thrillers that have had an international success, by authors like Henning Mankell, Jo Nesbo, Arnaldur Indridason and Jussi Adler-Olsen. L a k e A g a s s i z R e g i o n a l L i b ra r y , 218.487.6220 / kaplan@mnstate.edu Scandia 10.05, 10 AM & 1 PM Annie’s Swedish Coffee Party Gammelgården’s oldest resident is the
inspiration behind our traditional Swedish 3-course Coffee Party. Afterward, visit the Butik to find Scandinavian gifts. Also included is a tour of the five historic buildings. $15. RSVP to 651.433.5053, G a m m e l g a r d e n M u s e u m . w w w. gammelgardenmuseum.org 10.24 4th Thursday Smörgåsbord: Get a tour of the museum and enjoy a traditional Swedish meal featuring meatballs and gravy, boiled potatoes, a cheese plate, herring in wine sauce, pickled beets, fresh fruit, bread basket, dessert, coffee and lemonade. RSVP two weeks ahead: 651.433.5053 / info@gammelgardenmuseum.org / www. gammelgardenmuseum.org Ongoing The attic stores immigration stories: Gammelgården’s Attic exhibit hosts a wide variety of items that are relevant to telling the story of Swedish immigration and settlement. Many are on display in the Passage Room of the Välkommen Hus where they can be enjoyed and help tell the story of immigration.
Titanic Sailing Again A new book by Lilly Setterdahl
The passengers dress in period clothing, dance, flirt and fall in love on the maiden voyage of the newly-built Titanic Princess sailing from Jiangsu, China to Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2018. But will the ship reach Southampton, England and New York without serious threats? True to her tradition, the author creates Scandinavian characters and fits them into the story. Whether or not you are a Titanic fan, you will love reading about the surprise onboard meeting of the grandsons of two Titanic survivors, the lady’s maid Anna and her rescuer, Roberto, both featured in Setterdahl’s previous Titanic novels.
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Gammelgarden Museum, 651.383.7351 / www.gammelgardenmuseum.org
New York Corning New Glass Now: The special exhibition features works by 100 living glass artists, including Kosta Boda artists and others in Sweden’s “glass country” as well as Denmark, Finland and around the world. Through January 2020 at The Corning Museum of Glass, 607.937.5371 / www.cmog.org New York 10.17, 6-9 PM Swedish Music on Park Avenue: Swedish pianist Per Tengstrand returns for the Music on Park Avenue concert series with a special presentation of famous piano concerti performed with musicians from Princeton chamber music group, Opus 21. Tengstrand and Opus 21 musicians perform Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E Flat Major, Op. 47. Scandinavia House, 212.847.9729 / chelsea@amscan. org / www.scandinaviahouse.org
10.19, 6-9 PM Swede Hollow Book Launch: Swedish author Ola Larsmo joins us to discuss his latest award winning novel Swede Hollow, a riveting family saga immersed in the gritty side of Swedish immigrant life in America in the early 20th century. Scandinavia House, 212.847.9729 / chelsea@amscan.org / www.scandinaviahouse.org 10.25, 6-9 PM Comedy from the North: See a screening of The Cake General / Tårtgeneralen, an outrageous, unconventional comedy set in the 1980s about an eccentric villager who decides to put his sleepy hamlet on the map by assembling the world’s longest layer cake. Based on a true story. Directed by Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson (Sweden 2018), in Swedish with English subtitles. Scandinavia House, 212.847.9729 / www.scandinaviahouse.org
Oregon Portland 10.15, 7:30 PM Nordic Folk Group: The music of Fru Skagerrak (Lady Skagerrak) takes you
Please send me ____ book(s) “Titanic Sailing Again” x $15.95 = _______
6” x 9” soft cover, 319 pages
S&H (in the continental U.S.) +
$4.95
Total: _________
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local events
Journey through Scandinavia
on a journey through Scandinavia: from lowlands to mountains, from slow airs to lively polkas, in major and in minor, and everything in between. Maja Kjær Jacobsen ( Denmark), Elise Wessel Hildrum ( Norway) and Anna Lindblad ( Sweden) Bring together the rich traditions of Swedish, Norwegian and Danish folk music played on fiddles and recorder. Nordia House, 503.977.0275 / www.nordicnorthwest.org
The music of Fru Skagerrak (Lady Skagerrak) takes you on a journey through Scandinavian folk music: from the lowlands to the mountains, from slow airs to lively polkas, in major and in minor, and everything in between. If you’re in Portland, Oregon on October 15, visit Nordia House to hear Maja Kjær Jacobsen (Denmark), Elise Wessel Hildrum (Norway) and Anna Lindblad (Sweden) bring together the rich traditions of Swedish, Norwegian and Danish folk music played on fiddles and recorder. 7:30 p.m. 503.977.0275 / www.nordicnorthwest.org
10.16, 5-7 PM Wine Wednesdays: The summer series that brought Oregon wines with Nordic connections to your tastebuds continues! Sit on the patio and enjoy light refreshments and great regional wines. 503.977.0275 / www.nordicnorthwest.org 11.12, 6:30 PM Cook & Eat: Holiday Cookies & Glögg: Guest chefs Barb Randall and Erika Lundquist lead the baking of traditional Christmas rosette cookies. Cookie preparation is followed by social time and chance to eat what you prepared with a glass of glögg. $25/ members, $30/non-members. Nordia House, 503.977.0275 / www. nordicnorthwest.org
Felting: a Viking tradition
Did you know that the Vikings were felting more than 1000 years ago? Discover this ancient technique while felting a pillow cover with a runestone-inspired design, on October 12, 10 a.m. -5 p.m. at the American Swedish Institute in Minneapolis. Use fast felting Scandinavian wools to create pillows and use pre-felt wool to create the runestone message. Students can choose from a variety of colors of wool and prefelts and will use tradi-
tional felting techniques to lay out the wool in thin layers around a pattern, add soapy water and then rub, roll and manipulate the wool into an envelope style pillow cover. This workshop requires hand strength and some extended standing! Leave with a finished pillow that will need to dried at home; students can provide their own pillow insert or may purchase one from the instructor. info@ asimn.org / www.asimn.org
Do you know about an upcoming event in Swedish America? Submit it any time to our online calendar at www.nordstjernan.com/calendar
Pennsylvania Lancaster 10.08, 7 PM The Saga of Ragnar Loðbrok and Other Tales: Chapter House weaves together stories and music to create a unique concert experience exploring the rich lore of the medieval Norse world. Music is drawn from medieval and traditional sources, and performed on a variety of instruments including Swedish bagpipe, Norwegian medieval lyre, overtone flute, tagelharpa, and kantele. At Meduseld Meadery, 717.208.6144 / www.facebook. com/chapterhouseconcerts Philadelphia 10.03, 8 PM Kolonien in Concert: Kolonien is a 4-piece family band with Swedish roots. The four Swedes have been pursuing their music fueled by the vision of a united world, taking them on multiple tours in Europe and beyond. With hundreds of concerts, numerous workshops and collaborations they have constantly been following their ethos of always seeking new ways and new connections. Philadelphia Folksong Society, 215.247.1300 / www.kolonien. nu/in-english 10.15, 10:30-11:30 AM Toddler Time: Learn about Swedish culture, hunt around the museum, and play games to build counting and language skills. $5/child or free/members, no charge for accompanying caregivers. American Swedish Historical Museum, 215.389.1776 / info@americanswedish.org / www. americanswedish.org 10.24, 5:30-8 PM Fall Concer - Jenny Lind’s America: Soprano and harpist Zoe Vandermeer and New York pianist/conductor Richard Nechamkin present a potpourri of songs and arias sung OCTOBER 01, 2019 9
local events
the most popular films and tv shows from sweden
swedish dvd releases Order Swedish language movies on DVD. All videos are in the original language with English subtitles.
Svensk 2019 Hyllningsfest October 18 & 19
Visit Lindsborg 19.95
ed: $
educ
r Price
www.SvenskHyllningsfest.org
Becoming Astrid: About the life of the creator of Pippi Longstocking, Sweden’s beloved author Astrid Lindgren.
Travel Questions? 888.227.2227 www.VisitLindsborg.com
Immerse yourself and family in swedishness with the latest dvd releases from Sweden.
Augusta’s Daughter
Becoming Astrid $29.95 = _______ A Man Called Ove ($29.95) $19.95 = _______ The Last Sentence $29.95 = _______ The 100 Year Old Man ($29.95) $19.95 = _______ The Dragon Tattoo Trilogy Extended Boxed Set $39.95 = _______ Wallander Series 2 Boxed Set ($74.95) $59.95 = _______ Max Manus: Man of War (in Norwegian) $19.95 = _______
Please send me:
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 continental U.S.).
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NORDSTJERNAN P.O. Box 1710 New Canaan, CT 06840 or call 1.800.827.9333 Ext. 10
10 NORDSTJERNAN
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
Through
NORDSTJERNAN 1.800.827.9333 Ext 10
local events by Jenny Lind on her American Tour 18501852. Enjoy music composed for Miss Lind, a rousing 1850 vocal version of the Jenny Lind Polka, the Swedish Nightingale’s favorite opera arias, and more. Reception at 5:30 followed by the concert at 6:30 p.m. Pre-registration is encouraged $25/ members, $30/non-members. American Swedish Historical Museum, 215.389.1776 / info@americanswedish.org / www. americanswedish.org
Virginia Virginia Beach 10.03, 7 PM “Solsidan” screening and concessions with the 2017 movie adaptation of the Swedish television series of the same name – a comedy of three couples, divorces, love, child longing, weird parents and unwritten bathing rules.$10. The Museum of Contemporary Art. www.virginiabeach.swea.org
Washington Seattle 10.03, 10-11 AM Nordic Stories - The Three Billy Goats Gruff from Norway, retold by Mary Finch. Includes a related craft project. Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / www. nordicmuseum.org 10.04, 5:30 – 11 PM Viking Disco 2019: Dance like a Viking or feast like a Viking - or both, costumes encouraged! RSVP for any part of the evening: Feast seatings at 5:30 and 7:30; disco begins at 7. The Swedish Club, 206.283.1090 / www.swedishclubnw.org 10.06, 1-4 PM Nordic Knit Café: Bring your projects and meet kindred spirits at this informal drop-in knitting circle. You don’t have to be Nordic to knit Nordic! Sponsored by SeattleReykjavik Sister Cities. Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / www.nordicmuseum.org 10.06, 2-3 PM Swede Hollow author Ola Larsmo: Join us for the launch of the English translation of Swede Hollow—the award-winning, best-selling epic family history that grittily depicts the darker side of Swedish immigrant life in America. Nordic Museum, 206.789.5707 / www.nordicmuseum.org
Wisconsin New Berlin 10.05, 10 AM - 6 PM The 29th Annual Indoor Scandinavian Festival: The festival has grown with ethnic Scandinavain foods and candy, vendors (many new ones from around the Midwest, geneaology, language classes, children’s activities, raffles, music and dancing. Headline entertainment: The duo Vidar Skrede (Hardanger fiddle) and Randy Gosa (guitar), and the Swedish-American Children’s Choir, as well as other local performers. Bring a non-perishable food item and get $1 off admission. Reagan Elementary School near Milwaukee, 262.366.9152 /lekstrand@wi.rr.com
Musicians at the autumn market. Photo: Christina Westberg/Skansen
Skansen celebrates
On October 11, 1891, Stockholm’s Skansen open-air museum and zoo opened its gates for the first time. A concert was part of the program and admission was 1 krona (roughly 10¢), no insignificant amount at that time. The day is celebrated on October 11 with birthday coffee and pastries from 10.00 - 15.00. Most environments at Skansen, such as the bakery, the letterpress or carpentry factory, are open daily during October as are the Skansen Aquarium and the new Baltic Science Center. Check opening times and for other activities at www.skansen.se
Swedes love their shrimp sandwiches
Even though many Swedes eat them any day of the year, Oct. 14 is the official räkmackansdag. For a really, really good räksmörgås, the secret lies in the simple ingredients: a slice of bread that’s half an inch thick, mayonnaise, finely chopped red onion and sliced hard boiled egg. Then it’s time for the shrimp, lots of it. Top that with some fresh dill. Here’s a recipe that serves two: Ingredients 2 slices French bread or Challa, 1/2-inch thick 4 tablespoons mayonnaise (or crème fraîche or Greek yogurt (some say Hellman’s mayo is even better than the Scandinavian variety; it has less vinegar.)) 2 large leaves Boston or Romaine lettuce, optional 2 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped 1 egg, hard boiled & sliced 6 ounces small baby shrimp, cooked salt ground pepper dill sprigs lemon wedges Instructions Spread each bread slice with a thick layer of mayo, then add the lettuce. Sprinkle on the red onion and sliced hard boiled egg. You might want to put on another thin layer of mayo before generously arranging the shrimp in rows on top. Add some salt and freshly ground black pepper, then garnish with dill sprigs and serve with a lemon wedge. Smaklig måltid! OCTOBER 01, 2019 11
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Ikea introduces new line of furniture designed to prevent tip-over dangers.
Ikea innovates for child safety In June, Ikea announced it will be introducing a new line of furniture that has been specifically designed to avoid tip-overs, injuries and deaths. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has data indicating Ikea dressers and chests of drawers have been responsible for the deaths of eight children and dozens of injuries in the past two decades. Ikea is the world’s largest furniture manufacturer and retailer with annual sales of $44.6 billion. It has a huge market in parents of young children; besides appealing product design, Ikea relies on affordability as a major selling point. The sales volume to this group is surely significant in bedroom furniture lines. The question arises about how the Swedish retailer can make safety a core element in their design, manufacturing and marketing. In addition, parental responsibility for child safety is critical—it is certainly not all on Ikea. Ikea communicates through many channels about the absolute necessity of anchoring the furniture to a wall to decrease the risk of tip-overs. Ikea’s assembleit-yourself furniture is light and prone to falling if the center of gravity is changed. Although no data is available to me regarding the percentage of parents who buy Ikea furniture and fail to anchor it, one can assume it is a very big proportion (likely more than 50%). Some fail to read instructions for assembly, others disregard the very last step—anchoring, some have issues with landlords and anchoring. Other ob12 NORDSTJERNAN
stacles include concrete walls, lack of tools or experience in using them, all making anchoring difficult. A typical injury scenario is one in which a toddler tries to climb into a low drawer of unanchored furniture and then tries to climb to the drawer above it. The center of balance changes, the dresser tips and the child is crushed by the dresser. An even worse scenario is where heavy objects (lamps, televisions, etc.) are placed on the top of unanchored furniture, and they topple over, too.
Recalls, research and increased awareness
In 2016, Ikea recalled 35 million Malm dressers after the documented child deaths and injuries took place. It also paid $50 million to settle a lawsuit with parents whose children died. At the time Ikea said it was aware of at least 299 tip-overs, resulting in 144 injuries to children. Full refunds were offered for products made between 2002 and 2016 and partial refunds for items made before then. The company engaged in a massive “Anchor It” campaign stressing the necessity of anchoring furniture to a wall. Also, Ikea offered free anchoring kits for those buyers who wanted to keep their existing dressers. Ikea stresses that furniture tip-overs are an industry problem and not just an Ikea issue: The U.S. furniture industry, including manufacturers, furniture trade as-
sociations, suppliers and retailers, have been remiss for not addressing the child safety issue. Government data suggests that every 17 minutes an unsecured piece of furniture, appliance or television tips over and injures or kills someone in the U.S. Most of the injuries involve children under 6 years of age. Consumer Reports and government data all show that even dressers under 30 inches high can pose a safety risk to toddlers, indicating mandatory safety standards are needed for all dressers of any height. Tighter voluntary industry standards via the furniture industry association or the USPSC are in order. The current voluntary stability test is designed to ensure a dresser remains standing when a 50-pound weight (meant to simulate the pull of a child) is hung on an extended drawer. It was developed by a committee of manufacturers, testing labs, safety advocates, and consumers. Both child safety advocates and federal regulators have for several years advocated to strengthen the rest by increasing the weight and simulating how the dressers are used in real life: loaded with clothing, often with multiple drawers extended.
Do dressers need to be anchored?
To be sure, Ikea has a problem which has multiple dimensions: Kids and toddlers are accident prone, they move out of sight in a flash and are prone to
“getting into things.” Accident incident data and statistics used by Ikea indicate that some of the tip-over incidents happen when all drawers are pulled out at the same time and the center of gravity shifts.w Ikea’s furniture is inexpensive and light. The dominant factors in design are having the right Ikea “look” and price point, and that the piece can be sold in a flat pack and assembled by a customer. Ikea has been consistent in its message to consumers that the best way to ensure safety for any age is to anchor dressers and chest of drawers to the wall. There is ample research that shows safety has not been a primary motive of buyers when purchasing furniture, even for children’s use. Safety is an attribute of most, if not all, consumer products, but no matter how widely it is noted in media messages and at the point of sale, a percentage of customers will ignore “anchor it” messages. We know that even “fear appeals” featuring terrible car accidents, legislation, and fines do not get all automobile drivers and passengers to “buckle up,” for example. Anchoring has some inherent problems—certain tools and the ability to use them, finding appropriate wall structure—and the “anchoring” step is simply easy to skip, because maybe the dresser looks stable enough to the assembler.
Other solutions
A simpler solution might include recommendations that parents pay careful attention to loading dressers with significantly heavier weight in the bottom drawer. The bottom drawer could become the “toy drawer,” for example. Also, a stable wooden or composite base that is heavier and widens the lowest part of the dresser could be sold. It would be easy to assemble and compatible with Ikea furniture (both of these were suggested by Northwestern University engineering students in a class Ikea product design project.) The solution to this multiple dimensional problem really requires a more comprehensive look, perhaps open to “out of the box” approaches. A systemic view is encouraged in product design, educational programs and by design practitioners. Commu-
nications about “kid proofing” are needed, where furniture safety is just as important as location of electrical cords and outlets. The best designed furniture itself may depart from traditional approaches. Some flooring or carpeting may hinder balance. In short, anchoring may be but one component part in the overall solution.
The Glesvär Line
Ikea’s Glesvär is a brand new line of tip-resistant dressers. It has already received praise from consumer publications such as House Beautiful (“Ikea’s new chest of drawers aims to prevent furniture tip overs— the Swedish retailer puts safety first in the home,” June 8, 2019). The Glesvär collection comes with a range of stability features aimed at getting consumers to secure the furniture to their walls. These features were tested with small consumer focus groups. One design has an interlocking method similar to what is used with filing cabinets. If you open one drawer, you are prevented from opening another drawer at the same time. This interlocking method stays in place until the consumer has properly attached the dresser to the wall. The second Glesvär dresser is similar to the first but more extreme: It won’t let you open any drawers until you anchor it to a wall. The third design is very unique in that the dresser has only two legs and must be fully attached to a wall, since the wall plays the role of a primary support for the dresser. The first Glesvär design will be for sale in Germany and the UK in October 2019, and in the USA in December 2019. Ikea deserves credit for researching and designing a new line of furniture that is anchored for child safety. To date, I haven’t found any other manufacturers or retailers who have come out with such safety innovations, particularly among moderately-priced DIY furniture manufacturers. By Robert Dyer Dr. Robert F. Dyer is professor emeritus of marketing at George Washington University. Richard Buta, Peter Storm and Chester Taylor contributed to this story.
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.). The sequel,
Kajsa
was just released. The story of 15-year-old Elsa-Carolina’s illegitimate daughter Kajsa,who was cast out into the world from a foster home at the age of 8.
Nancy Cowles, executive director of the nonprofit Kids in Danger and a long time advocate for child-safe consumer products, says, “We think the Glesvär is a great design that more companies should do.”
“People buy furniture expecting it will be sturdy and resist tipping over. The solution is to build sturdier furniture, not to push an additional burden for safety onto consumers by requiring them to anchor,” says Dr. James Dickerson, chief scientific officer at Consumers Reports, who calls the new Ikea Glesvär interlocking drawers a promising approach but worries people may still try to by-pass the mechanism.
Please send me ____ book(s) “Augusta’s Daugheter” x $24.90 = _______ Please send me ____ book(s) “Kajsa” x $24.90 =
Incl. S&H (in continental U.S.)
_______
Total: _________
Name Address City State Zip Tel. m Check enclosed payable to Nordstjernan m Please charge my credit card: Card# Signature
Exp. Date:
/
SSC Code:
Mail to: Nordstjernan, P.O. Box 1710, New Canaan CT 06840
OCTOBER 01, 2019 13
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grövelsjön in sensational colors Few things beat a well-timed mountain hike in the autumn while the hillsides are still bathed in color before leaves fall. We went to Grövelsjön on Sweden’s western border with Norway to experience exactly this. Text: Emil Sergel
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//
Photography: Roger Borgelid
I bathe in both Dalälven and Klarälven on the way to Grövelsjön. All of Värmland and Dalarna are blessed with a warm autumn sun, and the air is still more balmy than crispy. Photographer Roger Borgelid and I cross the land on winding country roads; I’ll finally get to visit Grövelsjön in warm weather. My expectations are surpassed already on the first evening. The mountain station is a few minutes’ walk below the tree line so we feel as if we’re in the middle of the mountain. After a long day in the car, I put on running shoes and run along the boardwalks and trails to enjoy the sunset. Out of breath, I perch on a mountain ridge. It’s my favorite time of day, with mountains as far as the eye can see, the sun going down and the moon rising. Fog forms over the barren mountains and a handful of reindeer are picking away at lichen in the distance. Silence and comfort spread inside me and heal my senses after a week of office work in the big city. This is where I feel the best. Everyday life runs off me and I look forward to discovering this gem so easily accessible. A few easy day trips await. A light pack and quick feet hopefully create opportunities to see much of the area around Grövelsjön. This is also how the mountain station is introduced, “fjällnära” — alongside the mountains.
day 1
The breakfast buffet is exquisite. Although I love living in a tent and waking up in the middle of nature, it has its advantages to stay at the mountain station and make day trips with a light pack. There is less to carry, demanding tours of peaks are an option, and we can avoid the hassle of food because we sit down to a set table each day of the trip. We prepare a packed lunch from the breakfast buffet, and get ready for today’s hike: over Blåkläppen then Långfjället. The hike is comfortable whether or not you follow trails. It’s been a dry summer so I can trudge along in my light trail shoes without getting wet. The peak season is over and we meet only the occasional mountain enthusiast who’s also managed to pick the perfect day for hiking. The underbush is crammed with blueberries so there will be many stops and blue fingers and lips before we start reaching any height toward Blåkläppen. There’s reportedly also a lot of cloudberries, but despite my efforts I don’t find any. We reach the top and the view reveals no civilization. All we see is forest and mountains, forest OCTOBER 01, 2019 15
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and mountains exploding in color. Purple heather, reddish yellow blueberry bushes, green moss and white mountain birch trunks. Everything against a clear blue sky. It’s enchanting and a serene sense of balance takes over. We seek a place to stop and eat sandwiches and finish a thermos of coffee. Grövelsjön is located on the border between Sweden and Norway in the north of Dalarna where it offers lots of excellent trails, good fishing and even fun kayaking on Grövelsjön Lake. During our days here we meet retirees, families with children and mountain runners — it seems there is room for everyone. We head down to the Foskbäcken stream that winds between Blåkläppen and Långfjället, then west to end up on the trail again. Reindeer watch us curiously but dare not get too close. The sun begins its descent and the soft light makes everything a little yellower, warmer. We walk past small ponds and jump over streams, and with tired legs we arrive back at the mountain station. It feels effortless to jump into the shower and put on fresh clothes before dinner. The mountain lodge offers a variety of accommodations: a double room with private shower and toilet or dormitory with shared shower and toilet in the corridor; there are also cottages and spaces to set up a trailer or tent. You can eat at the restaurant or cook in the shared kitchen. Grövelsjön also has a clean environment initiative and offers a small spa with different treatments. Everything from classic massage to seaweed masques but also deluxe foot treatments that can suit exhausted hikers perfectly. They also have lots of special activities—every16 NORDSTJERNAN
thing from family weeks, photography classes and yoga camps. Dinner from the KRAV-labelled restaurant is superb, and since it’s a buffet we can eat until we’ve replenished every ounce of energy used in the day’s hike. The restaurant has actually received high marks from the White Restaurant Guide: “Here in the northernmost corner of Dalarna is Sweden’s southernmost mountain lodge. The environmentally conscious restaurant serves daily fresh buffets and a superb à la carte.”
day 2
The fog is bewitching when we start in the valley early the next morning. We’re ready for a classic excursion: a boat to Norway and hike back to the Swedish side. A happy Gothenburger welcomes us at the dock and the boat fills up with a dozen hikers and a dog. The journey takes about 30 minutes, it’s a nice ride. On the way we see a German fighter plane from World War II lying in the water. It crashed June 2, 1940 after being shot down by an English fighter plane. Everyone aboard survived, and now the remains of the cabin rest above the surface for public scrutiny. It is known that here and there around Grövelsjön are traces of the Second World War. Inscriptions by stationed troops on the walls of cottages used for the summer pastures are but one example. We go ashore in Gammelbuvika on the Norwegian side, and start hiking parallel with the mountainside, south up Salsfjellet mountain. The hike takes place in birch forest and offers a palette of colors, including the blue lake below. It really feels as if we are in Norway—the mountains are a bit more dramatic and a little bigger.
feature We are not fast, but we are enjoying every minute of the hike. Only because we find a good spot against a birch near a blueberry bush and idyllic views we decide on a coffee break that we really do not deserve. The thermos, then chocolate and another cup of coffee. The other passengers on the boat are passing by and are probably wondering what we are doing. With the sun on our faces we slowly get up again, find the trail and continue to go higher. I would say it is the finest hike in the entire mountain station environment. The contrasts between the forest, the large mountains and wide-open spaces are hard to beat. We hike up the pass at Salsfjellet and soon cross the border unnoticed. The wide spaces open up and soon we see the mountain station draped in the afternoon light. It truly is a nice hiking trail and is clearly marked, making for the kind of hike that in principle anyone can venture on. The big advantage is that even the inexperienced hiker can go out on the mountain for a few hours and see the station the whole time. We go down to the lake again and, of course, swim. It is refreshing, ice cold water when we throw ourselves in head first. Then we wait a little before enjoying the last evening light. It ends where it begins: at sunset in the mountains with the reindeer still gently prying. The sense of urban stress is very far away, our batteries are fully charged with mountain air and tranquility. The stars come out, the cold comes quicker than expected, and we walk down the mountain one last time.
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facts Getting there: Grövelsjön village is part of the Älvdalen municipality of Dalarna. It is in the northernmost part of Dalarna, 300 miles (490 km) from Stockholm and 375 miles (600 km) from Göteborg. It is most convenient to reach by car but possible to get to by public transportation: Train and bus from Stockholm will take approximately 8 hours; from Göteborg, 12 hours. Take the train to Mora, and Dalatrafik is running buses from Mora to Grövelsjön, a trip that will take 3.5 hours. You can do just fine without a car once you’ve arrived at Grövelsjön. Timetable, trains: www.sj.se, buses: www.dalatrafik.se. Or, check Resplus, which is a collaboration between air, bus and trains that allows you to book all travel on one ticket: www.samtrafiken.se Accommodation: Accommodations at the mountain station include double rooms, dorms or private cottages. There are also numerous cabins in the area. Prices range from SEK 350 per night per person. A typical small four-bed room will cost SEK 1,500 per night. Tour suggestions: There are numerous short and long trips. My favorite was to take the boat over Grövelsjön Lake to the Norwegian side and hike back. If you want to hike in the mountains but are also tempted to add something more, there are several options: On the Linnaeus Trail you can walk in the footsteps of the world-renowned Swedish botanist and test your knowledge of history; or why not visit a summer pasture settlement? Valdalsbygget is located close to the Norwegian border—it’s a settlement that was formerly a living summer pasture but is now an idyllic outing place. On the Norwegian side you can go to the Gutulisetra, which serves coffee and waffles in the peak season. There are plenty of mountain peaks to hike, waterfalls to visit or forest treks to experience. Useful links: www.grovelsjon.se and www.grovelsjon.com
OCTOBER 01, 2019 19
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Norrländska hamburgare: Three Swedish Norrland burgers In the 1970s and 1980s, fewer and fewer foods were produced in Norrland. Then the phrase "depopulation region" was often used when talking about Norrland in the media. Small farms were closed down and the northerners (norrlänningar) moved south to look for other work. Today the northernmost Swedish countryside is bursting with small businesses in the food industry. Companies such as Nordchark in Luleå and Vindeln's Smokehouse were each awarded their gold medal in Chark SM (Sweden’s best charcuteries championship) in 2018. Jokkmokk's Sausage and Smokehouse took home no less than three medals in the same precious metal. In the Norrland region, juice, jam and berry syrup are produced from blueberries, lingonberries, cloudberries and field berries. Ever since 1842, Västerbotten cheese has been
manufactured in Burträsk, but now a number of small dairies are growing like mushrooms from the soil and the different farm cheeses surpass each other in taste and character. Here, hard cheese, white mold cheese and blue mold cheese are made from mountain cows, sheep and goats. Here, too, several small dairies are manufacturing modern Eldost “fire cheese,” the Swedish version of Halloumi. Here are some favorite recipes from the Norrbotten region: Norrland hamburger on prime rib and smoked pork belly, classic Norrland parisare, the “Parisian” and Eldost. Another thing to remember, in Norrland you eat your burger with knife and fork.
Burträsk burger
The model for this hamburger from Norrbotten is called Burträsk burger—with prime rib and
smoked pork belly, with Västerbotten (or other aged) cheese added to the mix. I found Burträsk burgers in Burträsk Saluhall, where they specialize in locally produced products of all kinds. A genuine Burträsk burger is manufactured by Hansén's Charcuterie in Stöcksjö, south of Umeå. Of course, they have their own secret recipe, so the recipe later in the text is my own version of the burger. **And there has to be coffee in a hamburger from Norrland.** The classic Burträsk burger has prime rib from the Renbergsvattnets Farm south of Skellefteå. The pork comes from Åbyn, north of Skellefteå, and is smoked by Burträsk Deli. And then it should be grated Västebotten cheese in the mix, the cheese that is only produced in Burträsk.
Parisare—the Parisian with “Bostongurka,” a trademarked Swedish-made relish by Felix, and the Norrland national drink, Trocadero. 20 NORDSTJERNAN
Classic Northern Parisare
A Northern Parisare (a Parisian) is made on falukorv or even more specifically the special sausage just called parisare. In an original parisare there shouldn't be any lettuce, but I prefer it in mine. A true parisare is also served in bread without sesame seeds and always with relish (in Sweden it's called Boston cucumber—Bostongurka) or cucumber mayonnaise. The typical drink accompanying a Northern Parisian should be the soft drink Trocadero. In southern Sweden, the dish is most commonly called Korvburger (not to be confused with the famous Jamestown korvburger created by the late, legendary Norm Owen), except in Gothenburg, where it is called Gothenburger (Göteburgare). In Finland, you place a falukorv-like (similar to bologna) sausage between breads and call it Björneborgers. The Swedish Northern Parisare was invented in Umeå during the latter half of the 1950s as a typical night snack, i.e. something you ordered in the korvkiosk (sausage stand) on the way home after a night out. The street kitchen Ragges in Umeå started serving a sausage slice cut on the slant to make it larger than a regular slice. There are many suggestions for how the parisare got its name. One rumor is that a similar dish was served on a night flight to Paris, but no one knows for sure. Ask a Stockholmer what a parisare is, and you will get the answer "a fried bread slice with fried minced beef on top." The soft drink Trocadero with the unique taste of apple and orange began to be produced in Sweden in 1953, at the same time the previously banned cola drinks, Coca-Cola and Cuba Cola, started to be sold in the country. It was the only Swedish soft drink that, like Coca-Cola, contained caffeine. Trocadero, now owned and produced by Spendrups Brewery, became especially popular in Norrland and is sometimes called Norrland's national drink.
The author, chef and food critic Gunilla Blixt with her husband enjoying their first bite of a Parisare.
Norrland?
Norrland, Sweden, also “the Northlands,” comprises the provinces (landskap) of Gästrikland, Medelpad, Ångermanland, Hälsingland, Jämtland, Härjedalen, Västerbotten, Norrbotten and Lappland, roughly 59 percent of Sweden’s total area. Then again, while to a born Stockholmer Norrland might be anything north of Norrtull (the historic northern customs house in Stockholm) which is these days close to the city center, someone living in the north may only consider the three northernmost provinces of Lappland, Norrbotten and Västerbotten*, “the real” Norrland. For this story we visited the two coastal provinces in the far north, Norrbotten and Västerbotten. For more info on Norrland, turn to p23
Eldostburgare
There’s been a heated discussion around the use of cheese to fry or grill in Sweden, especially Halloumi from Cyprus. The high use of antibiotics in animal feed has been cited as a reason for opting out of the imported grilling cheese. Cypriot producers have obviously protested, but it has nevertheless resulted in many Swedish consumers demanding an alternative Swedish-produced cheese for the grill. In response to demand, many smaller dairies have succeeded in producing a Swedish cheese to grill, called Eldost, “Fire cheese.” The name has been trademarked by the Swedish Farm Dairy Association. Eldost may be fried or grilled, but be careful: It should not be grilled for more than a short while. And it is great to serve in a bun with mustard and ketchup. One of the dairies that produce Eldost is Svedjan Ost, located in northern Västerbotten. Here, the cows graze in the meadow next to the dairy, so there is no distance between the production of milk and the production of cheese.
The north of Sweden may be cold and you’re sure to get snow— a lot of it—in the winter but, it’s not all snow and ice … late summer sunset at Råneå river in the province of Norrbotten 40 miles south of the Arctic Circle, still in the very north of the Gulf of Bothnia. In late June, the sun doesn’t set at all, and for most of the rest of summer, the brief dip below the horizon is barely noticeable. Photo: Moa Karlberg/imagebank.sweden OCTOBER 01, 2019 21
feature
Norrländsk parisare Serves 4
Perisare.
A Parisare in the making.
4 hamburger buns without sesame seeds 4 slices extra thick falukorv, just over 1/2-inch thick (15 mm) 2 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons mustard 4 tablespoons ketchup 4 lettuce leaves or the equivalent shredded lettuce 4 tablespoons relish or cucumber mayonnaise For serving: Trocadero (you won’t find this soda anywhere outside Sweden, and there it is mostly in the north. Substitute with a soda or drink of your liking unless you’re a few hours north of Stockholm.) Roast the hamburger buns in a dry pan for a nice color. Fry in butter or grill the parisare slices so that they are cooked through. Lay out the bun bottoms and tops and evenly distribute mustard and ketchup on all the bread. Add the lettuce and slices of sausage. Top with relish, then the bun tops. Press lightly and serve immediately, preferably with Trocadero.
Serves 4
Eldost burger.
Fry the onion to golden brown. Roast the hamburger buns in a dry pan for a nice color. Turn the cheese in flour, then gently grill or fry the cheese in butter so it is cooked through but doesn't melt. Add mustard and ketchup, evenly distributed on both halves of bread. Add salad and dressing. Add the cheese slices and cucumber, and top with the onion. Add the bread tops and press down. Serve immediately.
Västerbotten —West Bothnia, simply refers to west of the Bothnian Bay, the northernmost part of the Baltic. There’s of course also an Österbotten, East Bothnia, across the strait in today’s Finland. In the Middle Ages the entire area around the northern part of the Baltic was North Bothnia, Norrebotn, comprising both east and west of the Bothnian Bay and the parts of Lappland that the Swedish power controlled at the time. Text and food photo: Gunilla Blixt
22 NORDSTJERNAN
Serves 4
Prepare your own Burträsk burger.
Patty: 300 g (10 ounces) finely ground prime rib 75 g (2.5 ounces) finely ground smoked pork belly 1 teaspoon salt A pinch ground white pepper 2 tablespoons brewed coffee, cold 50 g (1.5 ounces) grated Västerbotten cheese (can be substituted with other aged, sharp cheese) butter for frying For serving: 1/2 yellow onion, shredded 4 hamburger buns 4 lettuce leaves (or equivalent amount of shredded lettuce) sliced salted cucumber mustard, ketchup
Eldostburgare 4 slices Eldost, just over 1/2-inch thick (15 mm) ... substitute with Haloumi until Eldost appears on U.S. shelves (... if) 2 tablespoons all purpose flour 4 hamburger buns 1/2 yellow onion 4 lettuce leaves 4 tablespoons hamburger dressing sliced salt cucumber butter for frying
Norrländsk hamburgare
Stir together the ground beef with the pork, salt, pepper and coffee. Carefully mix in the grated cheese. Shape four equal sized burgers. Let them dry a bit in the refrigerator. Fry the onion to golden brown. Roast the hamburger buns in a dry pan for a nice color, then fry the burger patties in butter so they are cooked through. Evenly distribute and spread mustard and ketchup on both bun halves. Add lettuce and the burgers on the bottom buns, top with the onion, then add the bread tops and press down carefully. Serve immediately.
Norrland Västerbotten is bordered in the east by the Bothnian Bay and the Kvarken (the narrow section of the Gulf of Bothnia), Ångermanland to the south, Lapland to the west, and in most instances Norrbotten to the north. Archaeologists have established there were people in northern Sweden since the Stone Age—coming from all directions around 8000 BC—but ancient finds are fewer than in the rest of the country, and the population must have been sparse throughout antiquity. Västerbotten has about 270,000 inhabitants and is located directly south of the Arctic Circle, its largest town is Umeå, with nearly 85,000. The northern latitude affects the landscape lighting. After the equinox, Västerbotten has more daylight hours, and the summer nights are bright. After the autumnal equinox, the area has less sunshine than in the south. Holmön, located in the north of the southern archipelago, has the most hours of sunshine a year throughout the entire country. The province’s cuisine includes Västerbotten cheese, goat cheese, potato dumplings, dishes of bramble and cloudberry, moose and reindeer, and flatbread. Potatoes and salmon are typical Västerbotten food, and smoke houses are especially common along the southern coast. The older food culture includes whey and “tätmjölk” (similar to “filmjölk” or kefir, a sort of cultured buttermilk), and blood bread and blood pudding, and even blood pancakes. During the early 1900s there were many special places for drying berries in Västerbotten, but before that it was rare for people to eat berries at all - other than lingonberries. Mushrooms weren’t used for food until the 1900s, and during the years of famine, bark bread was eaten.
Bordering Västerbotten to the north is Sweden’s northernmost province, Norrbotten. It is as far north as you can go in Sweden, but temperatures can be surprisingly warm in the summer, with an all-time high record of 37°C (98°F). Winters see temperatures drop to -20°C (-5°F) and not seldom lower yet. Norrbotten is a fairly young province; it didn’t receive its coat of arms until 1995, after decades of controversy (the idea of Norrbotten as a province evidently took some getting used to). During the Middle Ages, Norrbotten was a no man’s land, sparsely populated by the Samis who lived on hunting, fishing and reindeer herding. But since the Middle Ages, Swedish kings have done their utmost to colonize and Christianize the area. Settlers from Finland controlled the trade and even the taxing on the area, which wasn’t tied firmly to Sweden until the mid 16th century. Today, Finnish and Sami minorities live in Norrbotten and have kept their culture and language alive. In addition to Finnish and Sami, Swedish and Meänkieli are also spoken in the province. Some Meänkieli speakers have gradually been considering themselves part of the Kven people, who supposedly arrived to the area much earlier than the Swedish settlers. The population of Norrbotten is around 250,000. The biggest city in Norrbotten is Luleå on the northern coast with a population of 75,000. It is home to “Shopping,” one of the oldest indoor shopping centers in the world and the harbor of Luleå—Sweden’s fifth-largest port, which transports over seven million tons of cargo each year—and is of particular significance for iron ore from Kiruna and Gällivare/Malmberget. During the winter, sea traffic continues at a virtually unchanged rate with the assistance of icebreakers; Luleå is the homeport of the Swedish icebreaker Armada.
Landskap=province
A sign declaring the official beginning of the Arctic region. The Arctic Circle runs through the small town of Juoksengi in northern Sweden. It marks the northernmost point at which the center of the noon sun is just visible on the Winter Solstice and the southernmost point at which the center of the midnight sun is just visible on the Summer Solstice. Photo: Jerker Andersson/imagebank.sweden
It deserves to be noted that when we are mentioning provinces, we are referring to the older term “landskap.” Sweden was traditionally divided into 25 landskap or provinces. These are historical, geographical and cultural regions, and though they no longer have administrative functions, they remain historical legacies and are often part and parcel of a person’s way of identifying him or herself. “He’s from Skåne,” we say. Aha, then we believe we know exactly who and how he is (likely enjoying food and is overall jovial, possibly a bit overweight). “She grew up in Norrbotten” (is not very talkative and sucks in air instead of agreeing with a voiced word …). We immediately get a mental picture of the person depending on what “landskap” he or she is from. The origin of the “landskap” is smaller kingdoms that gradually became more and more subject to the rule of the Swedish king during the consolidation of Sweden, around 800-1000 AD. After Sweden was unified and a common Swedish monarch was established, these provinces were held as duchies. OCTOBER 01, 2019 23
local events
The Santa Cruz Mountains, home to the Swedish Sveadal community in Santa Clara County.
California Swedes,
history of a thriving Swedish tradition The founders—a century and a quarter ago—would be grateful and proud that the legacy of their beloved tribute to one of their homeland’s favorite holiday traditions continues for another year to another generation.
San Francisco’s Midwinter Fair of 1894 was the brainchild of San Francisco Chronicle publisher, Michael H. DeYoung, who attended Chicago’s Columbian Exposition of 1893. He convinced many of the countries’ representatives to extend their investment by moving their exhibits to San Francisco at the end of Chicago’s fair. He hoped to stimulate the city—then in a deep financial depression—and to demonstrate all the products of California and its counties. As with every international fair, he recruited ethnic communities of the city and Bay Area to increase attendance at the fair by inviting their 24 NORDSTJERNAN
countrymen to attend on a day honoring their people. The fair was held in the city’s grand central park being reclaimed from sand dunes, in Golden Gate Park’s “Concert Valley,” the amphitheater between today’s DeYoung Fine Arts Museum and the California Academy of Sciences. The only remnant of that fair is the Japanese Tea Garden. Swedes were invited to celebrate their day on Monday, May 14. While there were many Scandinavian clubs, there was no one to coordinate them. So the Swedes formed a committee representing all their clubs for this purpose, chaired by Dr. Frederick Westerberg. The assigned date was not of their choosing; however, it was close enough to Sweden’s traditional Midsummer on June 24 that they chose this as the theme for that day. They paraded through the city from Van Ness and Golden Gate avenues to the fairground with many contingents marching or on horses, with flags waving and banners taut, with costumed regiments and several floats. Their exhibits extolled the history and contributions of their fatherland, with delicious foods and ingenious products. Two well attended programs at the Festival Hall included familiar songs and folk dances, poems and speeches, mostly in Swedish from prominent local Swedes. In the evening an orchestra accompanied their dancing well into the night. At least 8,000 people attended the fair on that date—a record for a weekday—of which 6,000 were counted as Swedes.
Successive Svenskarnas Dag
The very next year, on Jan. 31, 1895, the committee was transformed into the Swedish American Patriotic League, proclaiming their dual allegiances as a congress of all local Swedish clubs with delegates from each, to cooperate and coordinate, and specifically to produce an annual Swedish Midsummer festival. Dr. Westerberg was elected president. The early programs held on the Summer Solstice were for many years called Svenskarnas Dag (Swedes’ Day). For almost half a century these were celebrated outdoors at rented spaces in parks and beaches. They featured programs with favorite songs and dancing to familiar tunes around the maypole, but also family picnics with Swedish specialties, children’s races, and athletic competitions like tug-of-war. The second year’s program, attended by 2,000 people, was the largest west of Minneapolis; in 1898 parades and floats preceded the program, in which Columbia and Svea’s companions were Cuba, the Philippines and Hawaii, as Americans celebrated the spoils of the Spanish American War. The following year returned to the picnic format. SAPL’s celebration with a Midsummer Queen, Columbia, Svea and the Maids of Honor—strictly a Bay Area invention and now historic feature of our festivals—is emblematic of these Swedes’ dual allegiance as well as their pride in representing each of the clubs of the league. The pattern began in 1901 with the first Midsummer Queen to reign over the festivities. By the next year there were 5,000 attendees, and the tradition of the queen’s court confirmed its place at Midsummer. On April 18, 1906 San Francisco suffered its destructive earthquake and fire. Only eight days later, Vestkusten’s headline proclaiming “San Francisco in ruins,” also carried the announcement of that year’s Midsummer at Shell Mound Park on June 13. This news was greatly appreciated—everybody came to learn the fate of friends and exchange contact information.
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SAPL’s 1961 Midsummer festival at the Scottish Rite Auditorium was more formal.
A major transition
For 47 years SAPL’s Midsummer was held outdoors, but in 1941, with the beginning of World War II, the celebration moved indoors to the Scottish Rite Auditorium in San Francisco. Not only did the location change, but so did the entire celebration. Rather than informal picnics and dancing outdoors, now the festival was celebrated in a cavernous auditorium with a ballroom and formal stage, a huge horseshoe balcony with hundreds of seats above that, and below ground another huge area with tables for dining. The program became more formal to match the building. People wore formal attire. The program became an evening’s entertainment and concert with a dozen acts. Songs were sung by a full men’s chorus. Each Maid of Honor in the court curtsied to the queen and the audience. There was always a piano on the stage because there were always accompaniments, soloists or duets. Once a magician was featured live on stage. The typical processional was formalized here: parade marshal, flag bearers, performers in folk costumes and court members were ushered through the audience and up the central steps onto the stage. Afterward, the queen and court exited to an adjoining room where the audience congratulated them, and a volunteer crew pushed all the chairs under the stage to transform the ballroom for dancing. A band took the stage, the queen, court and escorts had their initial dance, and everyone took to the floor for both modern dances and old Swedish folk dances. This after-party became a contemporary dance party of the 40s and 50 era, with all the latest tunes.
Another transition
By the mid-1960s, the auditorium was sold to be-
come a cineplex and our Midsummer transitioned again. A younger group of SAPL officers, who had grown up in Sveadal, recommended we save money and transfer the tradition to the league’s cultural heritage site, decidated by Sweden’s Crown Prince and Princess in 1926. So, in 1967, Charlotte Peterson served as the last queen in the auditorium, and a week later she and her court repeated the program in Sveadal, where it has been ever since. Sveadal is a couple hours from San Francisco and the East Bay where many of the clubs and people lived at the time, but during the postwar years, bridges, highways, the family car and road trips all became typical, as did commuting. Now Sveadal was within reach of everyone. That first Midsummer in Sveadal changed the nature of the program and festivity, not merely the location. A low stage and performing platform was temporarily erected on the semi-circular lawn in front of the original clubhouse near the towering 400-year-old Olsson Oak. For some years the court and stage were lit directly by the hot sun. Gradually pity was taken on the court and performers, and the stage was moved to a shady nook in the corner.
Since 1967 Midsummer has been held at Sveadal.
the new maypole!” They went right to work creating a crossarm and soliciting John Spencer, a steel worker, to re-create the flagpole’s stanchion for a maypole in time for the 99th Midsummer festival. That year we raised the huge maypole for the first time on the Sports Lawn, had ringdances for children and danced around it with guidance from our leaders Britt O’Grady and Jan Nordin and traditional Swedish instruments played by accomplished musicians.
More significant changes
The maypole was made of large PVC pipes anchored at the top with wires secured to the corner posts at the Old Dance Floor. Fred Nichelini and John E. Peterson were in charge of decorating it. Gradually Ken Weissenborn and Ted Olsson joined the crew. But in 1993 Gus Brolin led Ted on a tour under the new clubhouse. Gus proudly pointed to a flag pole which had survived the catastrophic fire that destroyed the old clubhouse. Ted said: “That’s not the old flagpole, Gus; that’s
At the centennial Midsummer, president & MC Kurt Talbot, a great-grandson of Alexander Olsson, introduced four previous Midsummer Queens. OCTOBER 01, 2019 25
local events the wedding of a Swedish couple. The next week, many of the same people participated in the Midsummer celebration at Sveadal. We celebrate the Consuls General, Swedish Americans of the Year, royal marriages and the births of royal children, visits from ambassadors and very special birthdays, like that of Muriel Beroza’s 90th. She was born about a month before Sveadal was dedicated, and Muriel always felt Sveadal was a wonderful birthday present, which she delights in sharing with everyone.
Programs and posterity
In 2017, an abbreviated SAPL Midsummer was held at Saratoga Springs. L-R: Conor Massey VP, SAPLSF; Columbia (Challena Gilbert); Laura Carlson Pres., SAPL-SF; Queen (Sonya Beroza); Svea (Olivia Simms); Ken Weissenborn PastPres., SAPL-SF&EB; Train Bearers Kyra & Linnea Decker; and Mike Bray Past Pres., SAPL.
In the early 80s Swedish gift shop merchants had been invited to form a village marketplace (marknad). It wasn’t long before each club started hosting its own potluck smörgåsbord on nearby picnic tables, too. This always attracts people to meet each other from the different lodges and perhaps sample each other’s foods. Some now bring home-brewed akvavit, one was famously labelled “Majstång Sally,” parodying the song “Mustang Sally.”
Special celebrations
These Midsummer programs have also observed various anniversaries. Following the patriotism implicit in the name “Swedish American Patriotic League,” these programs have observed significant occasions in both countries and for the larger Scan-
dinavian communities, such as the bicentennial of the U.S. Declaration of Independence in 1976 and the bicentennial in 1983 of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the United States and Sweden, one of the earliest nations to recognize us. SAPL celebrated the 90th anniversary of the birth of Dag Hammarskjöld, UN Secretary General and recipient posthumously of the UN Peace Prize. The league observed the establishment of the Nobel Prizes and Alfred Nobel’s life and Linnaeus, creator of the binomial classification system for plants and animals. In 1988 two major Midsummer celebrations were held — that was the year of New Sweden ’88, the 350th anniversary of the founding of the North American colony of New Sweden, which became part of Delaware. The celebration concluded with
This is written with thanks to Muriel Beroza and her successors Susan Bianucci, Astrid Olsson and Linda Zalko, for archiving the history of Sveadal, much of it available at www.archive.org. What remains magical to me about Midsommar at Sveadal is at the very essence of humankind: a voluntary and communal spirit of life and nature, working together for the greater good. Our festival needs—and gets—100 volunteers. The old regulars and new recruits continue the myriad of details that are each year improved after a century of productions. And no account of the history of SAPL’s Midsummer festivals throughout its century and a quarter is complete without the appreciation of all the people who make it possible with their volunteer efforts—throughout the year and particularly on that day. This was most especially demonstrated by Laura Carlson, who as SAPL president had to once more abandon Sveadal and hold our compromised festival offsite a couple years ago. Because of her efforts and many who helped that year, and of the additional sponsorships and donations, this year’s festival continued the unbroken tradition of 125 years of SAPL Swedish Midsummer festivals. Everyone is grateful for the preservation of this institutional heritage. / Ted Olsson, San Francisco 26 NORDSTJERNAN
Another aspect of these Midsummer celebrations that has changed notably during the last half century of Sveadal celebrations is the free booklet.Both the quality and quantity have changed due principally to the ubiquity of personal computers and Kinkos. What had been printed at Vestkusten’s offices on printing presses with lead type and cuts of photos, is now composed at home. It benefits from the artistic talents of several and the dedicated work of many. What had been a program of a dozen pages is now one of five dozen pages. Now the queen, Columbia and Svea each have a full page biography with photo. There is room for histories of each theme. The main entertainers get their spotlight and now Fred Bianucci’s map of Sveadal is included. There are ads and greetings from companies and individuals, making it so unique. One of my favorite but short-lived aspects of the program was the annual Beroza Writing Challenge, which only lasted three years. The winners and their essays were included in the program. The writing as well as the memories were distinguished. I sincerely regret cancelling this project for lack of promotion or participation, both because I believe it was the most appropriate way to celebrate Muriel and because I believe the writing on many themes demonstrated to and celebrated for all people the various perspectives and skill of remembering and understanding what is meaningful in one’s life. I hope someone else might revive this tradition. Ted Olsson
art and culture
BORTA BRA MEN HEMMA BÄST Känn dig hemma med Original Swedish Snus. What’s different about Swedish cinnamon buns? Swedes don’t glaze their cinnamon buns, they add pearl sugar.
GeneralSnus.com/Find
Classic Swedish cinnamon buns
Ingredients: 2 cups milk 50 grams fresh yeast 3/4 cup sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon cardamom, ground 6-1/3 cups flour 1/2 cup butter (room temperature) 1 egg (for brushing) pearl sugar (for decoration)
Directions: Warm the milk to 98.6°F. Crumble the fresh yeast into a big bowl, pour the milk over it and stir until yeast is dissolved. Add sugar, salt, cardamom, and most of the flour (save some for later). Add the butter in dots. Work into a smooth dough, cover with a tea towel and let rise for 30 minutes. While dough is rising, mix the filling ingredients in a small bowl. Knead the dough on a surface with some flour, and roll it out to a large rectangle. Spread the filling on top of the rectangle, then roll it up into a long roll. Cut the roll into pieces about 1-inch long - 40-50 of them - and put them into baking cups placed on a baking plate. Again let rise under a tea towel for 30 minutes while you preheat the oven to 475°F. Brush the buns with a beaten egg and drizzle pearl sugar on top. Remember Swedish cinnamon buns don’t have the sticky icing, but big crunchy “pärlsocker” instead. Bake on a middle rack for 8-10 minutes.
©2019 Swedish Match North Europe AB
Filling: 1/2 cup butter 3/4 cup sugar 2 tablespoons cinnamon, ground
WARNING: This product can cause mouth cancer. OCTOBER 01, 2019 27
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Swedish News In early September Margot Wallström (S) informed Prime Minister Stefan Löfven that she wants to resign as foreign minister. “I have informed the prime minister that I want to resign in the near future,” says Wallström. She cites family reasons for why she wants to quit after five years at the post. Exactly when she will resign is not known, nor is whether she will continue to work in politics. Prime Minister Löfven stated in a written response to Swedish television that Margot Wallström as Foreign Minister has received great respect and appreciation around the world. Our active and successful foreign policy is an important part of this, according to Löfven.
Sweden’s low property tax
Although income tax in Sweden has been reduced in several stages (with a total of SEK 250 billion since 2000), it is still above the OECD average. By contrast, Sweden stands out with low property taxes. The National Institute of Economic Research, Konjunkturinstitutet (KI) found these results after looking into tax systems in the EU and countries within the OECD. The report, which was commissioned by the organization SNS (Studieförbundet Näringsliv och Samhälle, Center for Business and Policy Studies), was presented at a recent seminar.
More people with wrong personnr
The number of people in Sweden who receive personal ID numbers that do not correspond to their birthday is increasing. The Swedish personal ID No. consists of the year, month and day of a person’s birth plus four unique control numbers, for instance 650216-3754 for a person born on Feb. 16, 1965. According to the Swedish Tax Authority, Skatteverket, there are now over 13,000 people who have been given a different ID number than their date of birth. In 2016, only about 2,500 people were in that situation, according to reports on Swedish Radio. The reason is there are not enough control numbers
Sweden’s new foreign minister
Foreign Trade Minister Ann Linde (s), right, will become Sweden’s new foreign minister, replacing Margot Wallström (s). Linde, 57, has a long history in the field of foreign policy with international assignments in Sweden and the EU. Prime Minister Stefan Löfven presented three new ministers during parliament’s opening day on September 10: Ann Linde, Labor Minister Eva Nordmark and Minister of Commerce Abba Hallberg. Nordmark, who was chairman of TCO, succeeds Ylva Johansson. Hallberg replaces Linde as Minister of Commerce. She was previously deputy CEO of the state investment company Almi Företagspartner.
for certain dates due to immigration from countries where the population registration does not have the same requirements as in Sweden.
Reduced tax in rural areas
About 830,000 people in large parts of northern and western Sweden, in what are called support areas A and B, will receive SEK 137 ($13) in reduced tax each month beginning in 2020. The reduction comes after the Center Party called for it, first asking to reduce it by SEK 310, in budget negotiations with the Liberal Party and the governing Social Democrats and Environmental parties.
Commission for future electric roads
A state commission will be set up in 2020 to develop a plan for electrifying the country’s busiest roads, according to Swedish media. Liberal Party leader Nyamko Sabuni proposed this during the Almedalen 2019 political week, and the proposal becomes reality with the autumn budget. “The transition can be extremely quick, the technology already exists,” says Sabuni. The commission, allocated SEK 5 million per year, will enable the transport industry to switch to electricity to reduce emissions.
Photo: Kristian Pohl/The Government Offices of Sweden
Wallström resigns
Finland wants closer cooperation
Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto wants the defense cooperation between Sweden and Finland to be further formalized. He wants to eliminate any doubt that the countries can expect military assistance from each other if a war comes.
Swedish for foreign-born women
The Swedish government is contributing SEK 65 million (~ $6.5 million) in 2020 to language efforts for foreign-born women who are on parental leave. The support will increase to SEK 80 million per year in 2021 and 2022. According to the government’s estimate, getting this group into the labor market can result in an SEK 37 billion boost the the economy. “It is important to have your own work and independent income, that is the basis of Swedish society,” Finance Minister Magdalena Andersson (s) said on Swedish Radio. Andersson believes the group might otherwise end up lagging behind in language development when they are at home with children.
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2/18/19 9:33 AM OCTOBER 01, 2019 29
news in brief
Some experts criticize ethnicity maps
DID YOU KNOW? Best burgers. Nothing beats a good burger and it’s often one of the first things we reach for when arriving in a new city, claims Big 7 Media, which published the list of best burgers in Europe earlier this year (Nordstjernan, issue 04/2019). The sixth best burger in Europe, according to 1.5 million followers on social media and a panel of food experts, is served at Barrels Burgers and Beer in Stockholm. We lack information at present whether the Burträsk burger (page 20) was among those voted on … Match makers. Ivar Kreuger may have been the Match King but it was Gustaf Erik Pasch (17881862), Johan Edvard Lundström (1815-88) and Alexander Lagerman (1836-1904) who laid the groundwork for the Swedish match industry. In 1844 Pasch received a patent for the safety match. He replaced the hazardous yellow phosphorus found in the matches of that period with red phosphorus and put it on the striking surface instead of the match head. In 1845 Lundström and his brother started a match factory which adopted and improved Pasch’s invention. In 1864 Lagerman designed the first automatic match fabricating machine, thereby opening the way to mass production of matches. His “full-service machine” produced both matches and match boxes, turning out filled match boxes that were ready for sale. Kreuger’s development of what was to become Svenska Tändsticks AB (Swedish Match) didn’t begin until WWI. Life as a woman or child. According to U.S. News & World Report, Sweden ranks highest in the world for equality for women, raising children and green living. It places 6th in the overall ranking after Switzerland, Japan, Canada, Germany and the U.K. In addition to the aforementioned spots as number one, Sweden ranks high in forward thinking, education, transparency and comfortable retirement, to name but a few areas covered by the report. Innovative company. FastCompany magazine’s list of the world’s most innovative companies, mentioned on page 5, lists furniture giant IKEA (p12) among the 10 most innovative in design for “solving furniture issues like a tech company.” 30 NORDSTJERNAN
An increasing number of people are conducting DNA tests to investigate their family background and ethnic origin. The result is, among other things, a map that purports to show the person’s ethnicity. But critics in Sweden believe the DNA maps give a false picture. A person can get their DNA tested by swiping the inside of the mouth or spitting into a sample glass and submitting it to companies like MyHeritage or Ancestry. Results that come after a few weeks include a list of possible relatives and a map that may show a person’s ethnic background. Peter Sjölund, who has written several books on DNA genealogy, was critical of the ethnicity maps when he was interviewed on Swedish TV earlier this year. “The companies market this aspect but many times it is not true at all. A person may get 26 percent heritage from the British Isles and believe that at least one grandfather or grandfather comes from the UK, but when he or she tests his parents, it may show that none of them have any connection to the British Isles. So 26 percent could as well mean zero percent,” he said. Genetics professor Mark E. Thomas from the University College London agrees. He thinks the ethnicity map in the test results tries to emphasize an old-fashioned and outdated view of ethnicity, ancestry and racial affiliation “In fact, we are very mixed,” he says. “It is enough to go back 1,000 years in time for us Europeans to find a common ancestor.”
“We are sure to point out on our website that this is an estimate of ethnicity.” Sjölund thinks the DNA tests are good when people are looking for their relatives or want to get answers to a family riddle, but he does not put any value on the ethnicity maps. “It’s the mix of people that becomes obvious when you look at the DNA. It is when you try to show something else that it becomes wrong,” he points out.
Are we suggesting you don’t look for your own ethnicity?
Not at all. It’s fun and gratifying to find out you’re 78% Swedish with a splash of Danish and some from the British Isles and possibly an additional spice from the Mediterranian and southern Europe. Will it make me look for relatives in northern England? Hardly, but it makes for a fun new dimension and something to add to your Viking tales. /Ed.
Based on reference groups ...
The ethnicity maps are based on the companies reference groups and their family tree. What the map really shows is how much DNA a person shares with these reference groups. For example, if 24 percent of one’s DNA is found in a reference group in Norway it can be claimed that you are 24 percent Norwegian. According to Peter Sjölund, the ethnicity maps have primarily been added to satisfy an American target group. “In the U.S. where people have little idea of their roots and are a heavily mixed population that comes from many different places, people look for a quick fix in the form of a map.”
... not about science
Daphna Bossik, Sweden’s manager at MyHeritage, one of the companies that does DNA tests with ethnicity maps, says the tests should not be compared with a thorough science.
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