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Swedish Press N Y A
S V E N S K A
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December 2017/January 2018 Vol 88:10 $4.95
Exploring Vancouver the Swedish Way
10 2017
Swedish Cultural Society Arctic Bath Wallenberg Day in Vancouver
Vancouver’s Vibrant Swedish Community By Marie Low
V
ancouver is more than just a beautiful city; it has a vibrant Swedish community of traditions, celebrations, and a deep sense of belonging amongst Swedish-Canadians of all ages. A quintessential example of such traditions is the annual Lucia celebration. Luciatåget first took place in Vancouver 52 years ago, and has become a huge event since then. Every year, approximately 300 people attend Lucia at Vancouver’s Scandinavian Community Centre. Those who attend the afternoon performance will enjoy fika and a rendition of Swedish Christmas songs by the Swedish School. The evening performance is complete with a Swedish julbord and glögg. Guests will be invited to enjoy allsång and traditional dancing around the Christmas tree. “I have never in my life celebrated Lucia as much as I have here in Vancouver, and I lived in Sweden for 30 years!” says Kee FranzenKimmel, long-time member and librarian for the Swedish Cultural Society. On December 9th, 2017, Annika (Petersson) Knight 2017 Lucia candidate Annika will wear the luciakronan, (Petersson) Knight. Photo: Chris & don the white gown and red Annika Photography sash, and lead the procession. The darkened room will be filled with candlelight as the procession enters, singing the hauntingly beautiful melody of “Santa Lucia.” This year there will be about 20 girls and boys in the luciatåget, ranging in age from as young as seven to 22 years old. The young girls are patiently awaiting their turn to wear the Lucia crown, as Annika has done since the age of seven. “I am very thankful to belong to a culture that has so many traditions,” says Annika, adding that the Swedish community has helped her feel connected to her roots. “The events are incredible and the people remind me of
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some of my family members in Sweden.” There certainly is an impressive range of events hosted year-round by Vancouver’s Swedish community. In November, holiday cheer is spread at the annual Swedish Christmas Fair. The fair boasts 35 ven- Annual Swedish Christmas Fair. Photo: Chris & Annika Photography dors, ranging from leather crafts to silver jewelry and delicious baked goods. Children can get creative at the craft station while watching the Kalle Anka Christmas special on TV. In January 2018, the 13th annual Wallenberg Day will be hosted by the Wallenberg-Sugihara Civil Courage Society. The Swedish and Jewish communities collaborate to pay tribute to Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who rescued close to 100,000 Jews from Nazi-occupied Hungary during WWII. As winter melts into spring, Valborg is celebrated with singing and a bonfire at Ambleside Beach in West Vancouver. In May, Sweden is represented at the European Festival. This fun-filled weekend opens with a flag-bearing parade, followed by cultural exhibitions and cuisine from over 30 countries. The people of Sweden love summer, and SwedishCanadians are no exception. In 2018, the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival will be hosted in Vancouver for the 32nd time. During June 22 – 24, the long summer days will be celebrated by all five Scandinavian House societies together: Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, and Iceland. Among other festivities, the midsommarstång will be raised with traditional singing and dancing. The Swedish Cultural Society (SCS) of Vancouver is the driving force behind many of these events. Their mission is to preserve the Swedish language and traditions with art, culture, music and
dance. There are currently 330 members. The SCS falls under the umbrella of the Sweden House Society, which co-owns the Scandinavian Community Centre alongside the other four Nordic house societies. “I want to preserve some Kicking off midsummer festivities of the Swedish culture and with the flag ceremony. Photo: Chris language here,” says Carina & Annika Photography Spencer, President of the Scandinavian Community Centre Board, “because I feel that my soul is still yellow and blue.” The Scandinavian Community Centre houses the SCS library. This collection holds close to 800 books by Swedish authors and 65 DVDs. The selection consists mainly of fiction ranging from classics to new releases, as well as some poetry and non-fiction. Book lovers can bond through the two Swedish book clubs, which meet on a monthly basis to discuss current Swedish literature. The Swedish Cultural Society also supports the Swedish School of Vancouver. In the 2017 – 2018 academic year, 65 children aged 3 – 15 years are registered. The goal is to raise a bilingual generation of SwedishCanadians, as the students generally have at least one Swedish parent. “It’s fun, and I get to Kasper Cheung, one of the students learn Swedish,” says Kasper of the Swedish School of Vancouver. Cheung, a 10-year-old stuPhoto: Sandra Benholm-Cheung dent at the Swedish School. “The best part of Swedish School is Evans Lake, the camp we do in May.” The Swedish School has been functioning for over 25 years. Since then, the SCS has also introduced four levels of language classes for adults.
Another important organization is the Swedish Women’s Educational Association. SWEA provides support and networking opportunities for over 60 members who have immigrated to Vancouver. The association supports Swedish-Canadians with scholarships. SWEA also hosts much-anticipated social events such as kräftskivan and sillsexan. Religion adds another element to the community. Twice annually, a Swedish minister visits Vancouver to hold a Swedish church service. The service is held at one of the Danish churches in Burnaby near the Scandinavian Community Centre. Vancouver is also the home of the Swedish Canadian Village, a non-profit organization offering affordable senior housing. It is culturally oriented to residents of Swedish descent, but other cultures and ethnicities are also welcome. Since opening in 1949, it has expanded to a new location with over 200 units. The Swedish presence Scandinavian Community Center. in Vancouver extends to Photo: Amanda Wood royalty as well. In 2010, King Carl XVI Gustaf, Queen Silvia and Prince Carl Philip attended the Winter Olympics to support Team Sweden. Hockey, of course, is important to Sweden and Canada alike. The Sedin twins recently promised hockey fans that they would finish their career as Vancouver Canucks. “We are Swedes, but this is our home,” wrote Henrik Sedin in an open letter to Vancouver on September 7, 2017. The Swedish community in Vancouver works diligently to preserve traditions and build a sense of belonging. There is fun for all ages, all year round! At the heart of it is a group of incredible people celebrating their heritage.
Photo : Songquan Deng
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