Administrative Information

Creator: Aamot, Sigurda Haug

Collection Nr: t078

Scope and Content Note

This interview was conducted with Sigurda Aamot on August 7, 1981 in Tacoma, Washington. It contains information on family background, emigration, work, marriage, community activities, personal hobbies, and Norwegian heritage. The interview also contains a poem entitled "A Prayer for America" by Sigurda, a song entitled "The Emigrant Women" by Sigurda, and a photograph of Sigurda at Normanna Hall's 17th of May celebration, 1981. The interview was conducted in English with some Norwegian towards the end of the interview. See also Magdalena Haug Krokenes (t234).

Biographical Information

Sigurda Aamot was born on July 16, 1908 in Samnanger, Norway to Ragneel Haug and Magdelee Ranghilda Englesdotter Drogheda. She had two sisters: Magdalena and Marget. Sigurda's father died when she was one year old, and the family moved to Osøyro, where her mother began working at a fish cannery. At the age of thirteen, Sigurda began working at a restaurant, and later worked in a factory. Her first husband was Mr. Nordström, with whom she had her son Robert, but they were divorced prior to Sigurda's emigration to America. Sigurda and Robert left for America in December 1929, and upon arrival to the country, they went to Tacoma, Washington, where Magdalena and her husband lived. During her first six years in Tacoma, Sigurda did housework for various families, but was unhappy with this line of employment as it kept her away from her son. In 1935, she found janitorial work, which provided her with better pay and hours. Soon after that, she met Olaf Amot during a dinner party at her sister's house. Olaf was a logger and had changed his name from the original Norwegian spelling of Aamot to Amot upon arrival to the United States (Sigurda herself later returned to the original spelling). Olaf and Sigurda were married in 1936 and had two children: Lynn and Arthur. In 1962, Sigurda joined the Daughters of Norway, and she also took part in Leikaring dance, which was previously involved with in Norway as well. In Tacoma, Sigurda served as a Leikaring instructor and danced at various Norwegian events, including May 17th and June 23rd. Other activities she enjoyed were oil painting and writing poetry. Sigurda returned to Norway on several occasions and was very proud to be of Viking descent. Nevertheless, she loved America and declared that she would stick with the country under any circumstances, including war with Norway.

Partial Interview Transcription

The partial interview transcription highlights important aspects of the interview. Numbers on the left may be used as guides to important subjects. Two numbers separated by a slash indicate that the first number is for cassette and the second for CD.

023 PERSONAL BACKGROUND: Born in Samnanger, Norway near Bergen, in July 1908. Family name "Haug" means "hill'.

062 PARENTS: Mother, Magdelee Ranghilda Englesdotter Drogheda. Father, Ragneel Johan Haug. Father worked in a butter factory. He died when she was one year old.

090 SISTERS: Marget and Magdalena.

095 Moved to Osøyro, Norway where her mother got a job in a fish-canning factory. They canned King Olaf Sardines.

113 GRANDPARENTS: Paternal grandfather sailed the seven seas. Paternal grandmother, modest, quiet and dressed in black. Maternal grandparents died before she was born. They were wealthy, but poor in the end. They traded a crown for a bolt of cloth.

165 HUSBAND'S NAME: Aamot means river that comes down and goes into a circle like the letter "o".

189 CHILDHOOD: Taught herself to swim at age 7. Swam to an island and back, got a licking when she got home.

227 SCHOOL DAYS: Started at age five. Loved school. Offered a loan to go to college, but her mother turned it down.

255 WORK: Employed at a restaurant at age thirteen. Later factory work paid by how much you could do.

267 MEETING FIRST HUSBAND: Mr. Nordstrom, later divorced. Setting off for America aboard the Bergensfjord. Nice state room. Treated nicely.

301 LEAVING NORWAY: Felt awfully funny. Mother crying all the time.

309 BOAT TRIP: Terrific storm, but loved the trip over. Everybody seasick but her. December 1929.

333 ELLIS ISLAND: Statue of Liberty was beautiful. Like another world. Couldn't understand language. Doctor's exam in Bergen. Had to have $300 before you left Norway. Trip planned 1 1/2 years in advance.

361 ARRIVAL TACOMA: Sister Magdalena was already here. Her husband had come five years before and sent for her.

373 TRAIN TRIP: Wouldn't let a lady hold her baby. Told to hang on to baby, somebody would steal it. Could only say "sandwiches." That's all they ate on the train due to this. She thought peanut butter was goat cheese. Thought Pennsylvania was the most beautiful place ever. Washing felt like Norway.

427 spent first day and night sleeping at her sister's in Tacoma.

436 GROCERY STORE EXPERIENCE: Two apples in Norway cost $1. For $1 in the U.S. you received a bag of apples that you could hardly carry.

446 DEPRESSION: Housework at Scofield's. 18 out of 24 hours in their home. $30 a month, the only way to survive. Duties described.

502 ENGLISH: Could read it long before she could speak it.

527 WORK: Employed at the Weyerhaeuser home in Tacoma for three months. Worked for Dr. Pasco, the worst job she ever had. Had to be away from her baby, but no choice.

552 JANITOR WORK: 1935. Better paying job. Less hours. Later employed at the Washington building.

562 MEETING OLAF AAMOT: Met at her sister's home during a dinner party. Married in 1936. He was employed as a logger.

578 CHILDREN: Robert Nordström works in San Jose, California. Lynn married Joseph Julian who is a sociologist and teaches in Bakersfield, California. She teaches Spanish. Arthur Amot works for the government and lives in Seattle. She has three grandchildren. The children spoke Norwegian at home until a letter came from their teacher asking them to practice speaking English at home.

610 EASIER FOR MEN OR WOMEN: It was Depression time, hardly any jobs. Tough for everybody.

623 America bigger than she thought. Norway narrow-minded. U.S. broad minded.

629 MEDICAL CARE: No parents here to take of you, just too bad. Son had asthma bad. Two children born at St. Joseph's Hospital.

666 Babysat in her home to earn extra money. Lived in her present home since 1938.

SIDE II

006 Mostly Norwegian friends. Loved the social life.

014 SOCIAL LIFE IN NORWAY: Leikaring dance. Acrobatics.

046 DAUGHTERS OF NORWAY: Joined in 1962. Husband was a member of the Sons of Norway, she joined later.

080 LEIKARING TODAY: She is the instructor. Group dances for various gatherings. They meet in Normanna Hall every Monday (reference throughout).

135 HAMBO: Wants to organize another dance group.

154 LEIKARING: Danced at PLU. Very active group. They wear Norway's national clothes.

230 HOBBIES: A lot of painting. Writes poems. Wrote "Immigrant Woman" in conjunction with Prof. Malmin (she recites). Also wrote a poem for America currently in the White House (she recites).

327 CHURCH LIFE: She's not religious. Believes in Creator as the Indians do. Respects everyone's beliefs.

357 TRIPS TO NORWAY: Many things had changed, couldn't believe it. Would love to go back again. Keeps in touch with relatives.

393 Describes her oil paintings.

422 RELATIVES VISIT TO THE U.S.: Some came back last year. Husband became ill shortly after and died.

440 SEVENTEENTH OF MAY: Sings a Norwegian song honoring this day. Daughters of Norway have a big doings on this day.

462 23RD OF JUNE: Big Norwegian day. Dancing around the bonfire.

480 LEIKARING: Lady accompanies them. She sometimes dances inside the ring but prefers the group to dance without her.

498 RECALLS A VIKING STORY: About Eric Blood. Grandfather told her the story, handed down from generation to generation. Story of the Vikings in Denmark.

568 LEIF ERICKSON: Not a nice sweet man. Brutal, warrior of the worst kind, liked to fight. Norwegian explorers famous due to their readiness nature. Recites a story of the original Norwegians. They come from German stock.

596 NORWEGIAN HERITAGE: Very proud to be of Viking blood. Loves this country. Stick with America whatever happens. If we fought with Norway she will be behind the U.S.

607 Says farewell in Norwegian.

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