Luren Indianapolis Circle City Lodge 5-614 Volume 23 Issue 5 Sept.-Oct. 2014 Viking Longboat Delayed, Not Defeated The Draken Harald Hårfagre the largest replica Viking longboat ever built set sail in late June from Haugesund, Norway toward Liverpool, England. Using only human power to row its 50 oars and the wind behind its 3,200 square foot sail of pure silk, the crew intended to make a stopover at the Isle of Man before continuing to England. Unfortunately, three days into the voyage, the ship encountered large waves and high winds, causing the mast to snap and plummet overboard. Vicki Inglis, a volunteer crew member who blogs at http://thesevagabondshoes.org/, was asleep on board at the time and recalls being woken by a loud crack by my head, like the sound of a locker slamming shut, followed by rumbling, then urgent shouting. Wearing only long underwear and a t-shirt, with bare feet, I climbed out of the tent through a tangle of rope. The thick shrouds snaked across the roof of the tent, and had smashed down on the galley, spilling sugar grains across the deck like ice crystals. Turning to look forward, the huge rå (yard) lay across the beam of the ship, the red sail pooling underneath and spilling over the rails into the water. And a space where the mast should be. Astonishingly, the top 16 feet of the mast fell off to one side of the boat, while the larger part, roughly 55 feet long and 2 feet in diameter, broke off in the other direction. Neither part had damaged the body of the ship, but floated off to the side. Despite the close quarters on board, no crew members were injured during the accident. On July 10th, the captain announced that the crew and ship would forge on Sunset over Shetland, as Draken Harald Hårfargre approaches Burray Sound toward Liverpool, with slight adjustments to their route. They would go through the Caledonian Canal rather than sailing around northern Scotland without a sail. They navigated to Inverness, passing through Loch Ness and on to Fort Augustus, Neptune s Staircase, the Isle of Mull, and Islay. Despite not having a sail, the ship arrived in Liverpool ahead of schedule. During the ship s passage through the Caledonian Canal, two crew members who are boatbuilders, Arild and Ola, traveled around Scotland in search of timber for a new mast that could withstand the voyage back to Norway. They selected a massive Douglas fir from Dumfries, which was transported by semi trailer, arriving just after the longship. Once the boat was docked in Wallasey near Liverpool, the ship was cleaned and retarred and the sail stretched, before the boat was opened for public viewing. Inside this issue: Calendar 2 Litt av Hvert 3 Vesterheim Museum 3 Birthdays 3 Member bio Harruff 4 Virtual Train Ride 4 Roald Amundsen 5, 7 Book Review 6 Learn Norwegian 6 Classified ads 6 Recipe 8 President - Tim Lisko 304-444-6454 timporary@gmail.com Vice Pres. - Dagrun Bennett 317-736-5025 dbennett@franklincollege.edu Treasurer - Burt Bittner 317-842-4042 burtonbittner@att.net Membership & Editor - J. Rud 765-653-3636 jlrud@cinergymetro.net Member bio for Sharron Harruff. You Tube link to hour long virtual train ride video in Northern Norway. See details on Page 4. Read about Roald Amundsen, famous Norwegian explorer, on Pages 5 and 7. See page 4. Upcoming classes Rosemaling with Lois Mueller (Sept 10-12). Call Pete Bullard if interested (812-597-4932).
Page 2 Calendar September 2014 Sept. 10-12 Rosemaling Class (9am-4pm) Art Sanctuary in Martinsville Sept. 12 - Sammenkomst: 6:00 Help make smørbrød (open-faced sandwiches) 6:30 Meal - Bring a dessert Program: Julane Beetham Lund s Talk on Studying Abroad $6 per adult 16 and older (15 & under free) Sept. 15-6:30pm Board Meeting Ruby Tuesdays (near Michigan Road) 9106 Wesleyan Road Sept. 17 - Noon - Member Luncheon Aristocrat Pub & Restaurant 5224 North College Ave., Indpls. Call Tim Lisko to reserve 304/444-6454 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12/12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Have a great Labor Day! October 10-6:30pm Sammenkomst Pitch-In Meal Program: Opportunities to Manage Family Photos by Tim Lisko Oct. 15 - Noon - Member Luncheon Host and Location to be decided Oct. 20 6:30 pm Board Meeting Ruby Tuesdays (near Michigan Road) 9106 Wesleyan Road October 2014 Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Page 3 On August 8th, Alex Vance attended his White Coat Ceremony, a tradition of the first day of medical school at Marshall University in West Virginia. Of course his father, Laurin, was there, too, overflowing with pride. Burt and Jean Bittner recently went on a two-week trip to Russia. They enjoyed seeing the many sites and chatting with the local people. Litt av Hvert (A Little of Everything) The Russia they saw and experienced was very different from the one they thought they would see. Dagrun and Bob Bennett spent a month visiting family in England (their son and his family) and Norway. They had wonderful weather and attended a family reunion. Jerry Rud entered a chip carved plate and a cherry tine at the District 5 Convention in Delavan, Wisconsin in June. Each piece won first place. As you may recall, Sharon Harruff has been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. She has been undergoing treatment and after her latest mammogram and CAT scan she learned they were normal!!. She continues to take Avastin for the rest of this year, but feels she is doing well now. Karen and Chelsea Courtney attended a Norwegian genealogy workshop in Chicago in late August. Jerry Rud s chip carved plate won first place at the District 5 Convention in Delevan, Wisc. Photos from 2014 National Exhibition of Folk Art in the Norwegian Tradition held annually at Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa September Amy Balcam 4 Seth Baugh 7 Robert Bennett 8 Doug Bittner 9 Gail Degenhardt 13 David George 15 Darlene Gilbert 22 Norma Haggstrom 24 Alma Lathrop 26 Carol Neiman 26 Helen Roll 28 Bryan Samuelsen 29 Jean Tygum 30 October Arne Alvar 1 Nancy Andersen 4 John Baker 5 Emilee Baugh 8 Erik Bennett 10 Luke Davis 10 Dakota Divine 12 John Gunderson 12 Julianna Hagen 14 Mary-Jean Halvorson 14 Mary Herndon 15 Kari Jahr 15 Marie Johnson 15 Gabrielle Julienne 16 Byron Lathrop 16 Lisa Pacior 17 John Price 18 Mitchell Price 21 Davis Quarles 21 Lucy Quarles 21 Andrew Samuelsen 22 Mary Samuelsen 24 Connie Sivertson 24 Henry Sorensen 24 Robert Sorensen 26 Jon Swanson 28 Charlotte Swenson 29 Eija Vesterqvist 29 Gretchen Wiegel 29 Gratulerer med dagen! (Happy Birthday!)
Page 4 Member bio: Sharon Harruff I was raised on a farm in eastern Iowa. My mother s side was German and my father s side was Norwegian. My father s family settled in northern Minnesota and so that was our one week of summer vacation, to go visit them. My grandfather Simonson left Norway at the age of 19 and came to America on a Canadian ship through the St. Lawrence Seaway. His brother Oscar was already in North Dakota. They were the only 2 members of their family to come to America. In 1998, Norm and I took Mom and Dad to visit the German relatives and my Grandmother Simonson s family in Helle, Norway. They helped us meet up with some of Grandpa Simonson s relatives in Oslo. In 2001, we took Mom and Dad again to Norway and spent our time meeting the rest of Grandpa s family and visiting the home place. Both my Mother and Dad have mentioned these trips as being their favorite traveling adventures. I attended Northern Iowa, now called the University of Northern Iowa, where I received my BA with a major in elementary education and a minor in history. I then taught 5 th grade for 10 years in Clinton, Iowa. Family wise, I have 2 brothers and one sister (all younger). They and my mother still live in eastern Iowa. My dad just died this year in June. He was just 2 months short of 92. Norm and I have been married since 1986. I have 2 children: Lisa in Lafayette and Michael in Frankfort. When I came to Indiana in 1975, I was able to obtain a 5 th and 6 th grade language arts position at Caston School Corporation and taught there for 3 years. During that time I received my MS from IUPUI. Endorsements in reading and learning disabilities were later earned. In 1978, I moved to the Logansport School Corporation at the elementary level and stayed there until retirement. Towards the end of my teaching career, my job became a crosscategorical teacher serving special education students. I taught for 37 years. For the past 11 years I have subbed for the Southeastern School Corporation. My professional activities included: NEA member since August of 1965; Indiana State Teachers Association member since August of 1975; member of dues and summer leadership conference ; special ISTA Taskforce committees; state Govern- ance committee member; representative to ISTA Representative Assembly; Logansport Education Association member since 1975 - serving as corresponding secretary, 1 st and 2 nd Vice President, bldg. representative, coordinator of LEA s Gift Lift Program, and President; Howard-Cass-Carroll- Tipton Political Action Committee since 1975 - serving as co-chairperson and member; and District Council Member. My Gamma Mu activities have included being first vice president, recording secretary, legislative and literacy co-chairperson, member of the legislation and personal growth committee, and president. I have served several positions in the Cass Co. Retired Teachers Association and am now trying to serve as president. Community activities include membership at Redeemer Lutheran Church, volunteering for the Indiana Sports Corporation, Samaritan Caregivers, and the Circle City Sons of Norway club. Other hobbies are reading, golfing, gardening, cross stitching, and traveling. Sharon Harruff Both my Mother and Dad have mentioned these trips [to Norway and Germany] as being their favorite traveling adventures. All Aboard! For a Virtual Train Ride in Northern Norway Want to see Northern Norway by train? For free? Without hassles of airports and luggage? Just chek click on this link and enjoy the ride: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ikwep3f2qnw The Northern Railway: A Journey Across the Arctic Circle
Page 5 Roald Amundsen July 16, 1872- June 18, 1928 A biographical summary by Roy Samuelsen Roald Amundsen was born to a family of ship owners and sea captains in Borge, Ostfold (Norway). He was the fourth son in the family and his mother encouraged him to become a doctor instead of becoming a sailor. He obeyed his mother but quit his medical studies shortly after his mother died and decided to become a sailor and explorer of wilderness places, inspired by the adventures of Fridtjof Nansen whom he admired immensely. Polar Treks: Belgian Antarctic Expedition (1897-1899) He joined this expedition as a first mate on board the Belgian ship, Belgica. Upon entering the Antarctic they promptly became locked in the ice and barely survived the winter by hunting, and thus by eating fresh meat they avoided getting the dreaded scurvy. All in all this Belgian expedition failed because it was ill prepared for such an expedition and this taught Amundsen a valuable lesson for the future. Northwest Passage (1903-1906) In 1903 Amundsen led the first expedition to pass through the Northwest Passage between the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans. He did this in the small ship Gjoa and a crew of six. They spent two winters at King William Island and learned valuable lessons from the Netsilik natives which stood Amundsen well in the future. Among other things he learned that wearing animal skins instead woolen parkas prevented them from freezing even when they were wet. He also learned to use sled dogs for transportation. During this time he also heard that Norway had become independent of Sweden and that King Haakon V11 was now the king, to whom he, by telegraph, reported their success and signed it: Your loyal subject, Roald Amundsen. Gjoa is now on display outside the Fram Museum in Oslo. South Pole Expedition (1910-1911) Amundsen next planned to take an expedition to the North Pole with Fridtjof Nansen s ship Fram (means Forward ) and he was on his way when he heard that Fredrick Cook and Robert Peary had reached the North Pole with two different expeditions. He then made a left turn and headed for the South Pole instead, much to the consternation of Englishman Robert Scott who was also heading to the South Pole at the same time. Six months later on Jan. 14, 1911, he arrived at the Ross Ice Shelf in the Bay of Whales where he established his base camp which he named Framheim (means Forward Home ). From then on he removed his woolen parkas and donned the Inuit style skin parkas. On Sept. 8, 1911 he made his first attempt to climb the high Antarctic Plateau but due to extremely cold weather they had to return to base camp. He again departed base camp on Oct. 19 with four companions and this time managed to climb to the high polar plateau. From then on they made great progress with the four sledges and 52 dogs as well as their skis. They named this plateau King Haakon V11 s plateau and the whole big area Queen Maude s land. On Dec.14, 1911, the team of five, with now 16 dogs arrived at the Pole and there they pitched a small tent with a small Norwegian Flag and called it Poleheim. ( means Home by the Pole ). Scott arrived about 33-34 days later and found the tent with a greeting from Amundsen who by now was almost back at Framheim, their base camp. Amundsen s group was down to 16 dogs because they had eaten and fed some to the other dogs along the way. Scott and his crew perished on the return trip for lack of sup- Roald Amundsen Roald Amundsen and his crew looking at the Norwegian flag at the South Pole, 1911 plies. They were only a few miles from a depot when they died. Northeast Passage (1918-1920) In 1918, Amundsen in the new ship Maude, named after the then Norwegian Queen headed out to go east through the Northeast Passage or the Northern Route. He had planned to freeze Maude in the ice and drift across the North Pole, much like Nansen had tried several years before. The ship did indeed freeze in but eventually broke free of the ice in the Bering Strait without reaching the North Pole. Nansen then left the ship with his mate and returned to Norway. His ship was eventually taken over by his creditors. While frozen in, he also tried to fly across the Pole but did not succeed. (continued on Page 7)
Page 6 TROTSKY IN NORWAY by Oddvark K. Hoidal Reviewed by Gretchen Wiegel Lev Trotsky intellectual, revolutionary, patriot, exile, murderer or visionary probably all of the above, because he inspired strong feelings at all levels of the political spectrum. This book is an historian s study of the short period of time that Trotsky and his wife, Natalia, spent in Norway, June 1935-December 1936. Exiled from Russia because he lost the power struggle with Stalin, they had already spent time in Turkey and France, before being permitted to enter Norway for humanitarian reasons. Both he and Natalia were ill. Their stay began amicably, their health improved and Trotsky published his writing without much fanfare. Then came Stalin s first of several kangaroo courts in which Trotsky was named as one of three who murdered a wellknown Soviet member. Immediately, Trotsky wrote articles defending himself and calling Stalin vicious names. Enter the Norwegian Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister, both of whom were most concerned about their relations with Russia. Newspapers of all political persuasions began a factious marathon of publicity for and against Trotsky and, by extension, the Labor government. He became a major issue in the 1936 election. In all of the turmoil, ideologies changed, especially that of the Labor party. Its members agreed with the Foreign and Prime Ministers to put the Trotskys under house arrest and to severely limit their contact with the outside world. Paramount to Trotsky was his own defense! His multiple efforts were unsuccessful. Instead, he and Natalia were unceremoniously ushered onto a boat headed for Mexico. According to Hoidal, Trotsky is the most important historical figure to reside in Norway during its modern history. Whether or not one agrees with this statement, the events of this era are thought provoking and Trotsky benefits from the proverbial hindsight. La oss lære Norsk (Let s Learn Norwegian) A very extensive website for learning the Norwegian language and culture, and to connect with Norway is Norwegian 101. The web address is: http://www.101languages.net/ Select Norwegian. (If this link does not work, just Google Norwegian 101 or cut/paste this link into your browser). Some of the modules on this site are: Pronunciation Vocabulary games Frequently used phrases Grammar Verb conjugation History Dialects Links to TV, Radio, and News Clickable onscreen keyboard for Norwegian letters The same information is found there for other languages too, as you will see. You won t believe how much information is on the Norwegian 101 website. Classified ads for Norwegian items Do you have a Norwegian item that you would like to sell to a someone who will treasure it? That idea is being considered to publish ads in this newsletter for MEMBERS ONLY. This would help those who may be downsizing by giving them a venue to sell the item at a fair price and to cherish it as a piece of our common heritage. If you have an item that you would like to sell please let Jerry Rud know. Ideally we would like to have a photo of the piece. And please remember we would like it to have a Norwegian connection. (No lawnmowers or used cars!) For Sale: Norwegian Items
Page 7 Amundsen (continued) In spite of not reaching his goal, many valuable scientific observations were made, mostly by scientist Otto Sverdrup who was onboard. After leaving the ship Amundsen also did a lecture tour in the US to raise funds. Reaching the North Pole In 1925, Amundsen along with the American, Lincoln Ellsworth, pilot Hjalmar Riiser-Larsen and three others took two Dornier Flying Boats and managed to reach 87 degrees north before one of the planes broke down. This was the furthest north by plane at thattime. They managed to land both planes and after many days of hard labor were able to clear a landing strip. They all piled in the functioning plane and with Riiser-Larsen at the controls, managed to take off and get back where they received a joyous reception because most had thought them hopelessly lost. (Riiser Larsen later became a notorious underground saboteur during the German occupation.) In 1926, Amundsen and fifteen other men, including Ellsworth, Riiser-Larsen, and the Italian air crew led by Umberto Nobile, made the first crossing of the North Pole in the airship Norge. They left Spitzbergen on May 11, 1926, and landed in Alaska two days later. (My father was one of the fifteen and delighted in telling us about how he had sailed with Amundsen to Spitzbergen. He was a crew member on board the support ship of the expedition). There were three other expeditions laying claim to being the first to reach the North Pole, namely Frederick Cook in 1908, Robert Peary in 1909 and Richard Byrd in 1926 just a few days before Norge, but they are all disputed or accused of outright fraud. Amundsen s claim has never been questioned. Disappearance and Death On June 18, 1928 he and the Norwegian pilot, Leif Dietrichson and a French crew perished as they were on a rescue mission of Nobile s new airship Italia which had crashed while returning from the North Pole. Amundsen and his crew vanished and have never been found. Being buried in the ice seems a fitting resting place for Amundsen. Legacy There is a bronze memorial to Amundsen in the arctic museum in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is told that by rubbing his rather distinctive hooked nose you will have good luck. (The nose on the statue is very shiny from constant rubbing) There is also a good section of Amundsen memorabilia in a museum in Tromso, Norway with a similar statue. There is also a monument in Svalbard. Places named after him include: Amundsen-Scott Pole Station, Amundsen Sea, Amundsen Glacier, Amundsen Bay, Mount Amundsen, Amundsen Gulf all in Antarctica. Also: Amundsen Crater on the moon, Canadian Icebreaker named Amundsen, Norwegian Frigate named Roald Amundsen, German Brig name Roald Amundsen. Further Reading A bibliography includes: Roald Amundsen s Belgica Diary by Hugo Declair, Erskine Press, The Last Place on Earth by Roland Huntford, Roald Amundsen, a Full Biography by Tor Bomann- Larsen. Just off the presses: The Last Viking: The Amundsen monument in Ny- Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway It is told that by rubbing his rather distinctive hooked nose [on a bronze statue of Amundsen in New Zealand] you will have good luck. The nose on the statue is very shiny from constant rubbing. Life of Roald Amundsen by Stephen Brown (Amazon.com) Written June 8, 2014 It has been decided to offer options regarding the number of emails that you receive as a member of our lodge. We have devised various categories and each member can choose which they prefer. Here are you options: Too many emails from Jerry? Newsletter only Newsletter and reminders for sammenkomst and member luncheons All items (newsletter, reminders, and miscellaneous items of Norwegian interest) If you do not choose you will automatically be on the "All Items" mailing list.
Berry Season in Norway Sweet, mouthwatering, vibrant colored berries are so cherished in Norway they are included in nearly every Nordic recipe imaginable. Berry season is upon us and in Norway wild berries can be eaten right off the stem. Picking season starts in June and for some varieties it can last until October when the first frost hits. Norwegian law (Allemannsrett) says that everyone has access to berries picking on public land, however some places restrict picking unripened berries. Blåbær (blueberries), bringebær (raspberries), jordbær (strawberries), and tyttebær (lingonberries) oh my. These are just a handful of the most popular berries found in Norway and the multebær (cloudberry) reigns supreme. This orange-colored, bumpy-looking berry is native to alpine and arctic environments. Picked ripe in late August this small fruit can be found close to the ground in the mountains, valleys and near the sea. The valuable cloudberry is treasured in Norway because it is so hard to get and can cost up to NOK350/kg in the store (about $25/lb), which is why strict rules apply to picking these berries Volume 23 Issue 5 over any other in Norway. Norway s cool summer weather allows the delectable fruit to mature slowly producing a rich, sweetness at prime ripeness in early fall. Norwegians hold their berries to a high standard because they are such a versatile food. Berries are used in a variety of recipes including fruktsuppe (fruit soup) and bløtkake (cream cake). Fresh juices and lingonberry sauces are squeezed from the small berries to cover riskrem (rice pudding), vafler (waffles), and meatballs. In order to not waste a single berry, freezing berries and canning jams are perfect for later use in winter meals. August, September and October are prime times to pick berries in Norway. When going berry picking (plukke bær), it is important to be aware of your natural surroundings. Do not pick on private or fenced-off land, look out for moose, and don t pick until the berries are ripe. Be sure to bring buckets, and wear waterproof hiking boots and a light jacket. Don t forget to go with an empty stomach for plenty of taste testing opportunities. Vanillla Cheesecake with Lingonberries and Cardamom Whipped Cream adapted from http://alittlezaftig.com 2 lbs cream cheese (room temp.) ½ cup unsalted butter (room temp.) 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1½ cup sugar ½ cup less 1 tbsp cornstarch 7 large eggs 2 cups heavy cream ¼ cup lemon juice Berry Topping 1 cup fresh lingonberries ¼ cup sugar Page 8 Cardamom Cream 2 cups heavy cream ¼ cup sugar 1 tbsp vanilla extract 1 tbsp freshly ground cardamom seeds Move rack to upper ⅓ position and preheat oven to 350. Beat cream cheese and butter with electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla and cornstarch and beat well. One at a time add the eggs, beating well between each addition. With the mixer set to low, gradually add the cream and lemon juice. Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan. Place pan in a bain marie (directions below) and bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, increase oven temperature to 375 and rotate cheesecake 180 degrees in the oven. Bake for additional 15 minutes or until the top is a golden brown. Allow cheesecake to cool to room temperature. Carefully run a knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake and invert onto a serving tray. To prepare the topping, sprinkle lingonberries with sugar and stir until sugar dissolves. Allow to rest for 30 minutes. Whip cream, sugar, vanilla and cardamom seeds with electric mixer. Spoon berries and cardamom cream onto each piece of cake and serve. To make a bain marie, fill a pan one size larger than your 9x13 cake pan with boiling water. Do not fill more than ⅓ of the pan. Slowly lower your cake pan into the pan of boiling water, covering the sides of the cheesecake pan half of the way. Add or remove water to reach correct level and place both pans in the oven. The mission of Sons of Norway is to promote and to preserve the heritage and culture of Norway, to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries, and provide quality insurance and financial instruments to its members.