Annual Membership Meeting
A Time for Fun, Fellowship and More!
Plans are underway for
the Annual Membership Meeting on Saturday, September 27, 2008, at 3:00 pm (Free Admission). The purpose of the meeting is to bring
together all members of the Scandinavian Cultural Center (SCC) in order to
provide them with up-to-date information regarding the SCC, the Scandinavian
Studies Program (SSP), and the Scandinavian Immigrant Experience Collection
(SIEC). Representatives from each program will present a brief overview of the
exciting work they are doing, and how they are working together to preserve the
rich Nordic heritage at Pacific
Lutheran University
and the surrounding communities.
A special component of
the Membership Meeting will be the presentation of the 2008 Outstanding Service
Award (OSA). The purpose of the OSA is to recognize individuals for their
dedicated service and tireless efforts to help advance the mission of the Scandinavian Cultural Center.
Past awards have been presented to: Florence Buck (2001), Joanne Klein (2002),
Hans Bjornen (2003), Inge Miller (2004), Betty Larson (2005), Janet Ruud
(2006), Elene Emerson (2007). The deadline for award nominations is August 1,
2008. Nominees must be current or past members of the SCC Council and may not
be an employee of Pacific
Lutheran University.
For more information about the nomination process, contact Janet Ruud
(<ruudj1norw@aol.com> or 253.564.2832) or Susan Young
(<youngse@plu.edu> or 253.535.7349).
September 27 marks the
date that many of us have been waiting for. As part of the Annual Membership
Meeting, one lucky SCC member will win two round-trip tickets to Scandinavia compliments of Scandinavian Airlines. Over
the past several months, SCC members have had the opportunity to add their
names to the drawing each time they attended an
SCC event—the more events
attended, the more chances to win! SCC members don’t have to be present to win,
but they will want to attend the
Membership Meeting in order to add their names to the drawing one last time! If
you are not a member of the Center and would
like to receive an application form, contact SCC Director Susan Young
(<youngse@plu.edu> or 253.535.7349).
We are pleased to bring
this exciting opportunity to our members and we are grateful to Scandinavian
Airlines for their continued generosity and support. Be sure to mark your calendar for September
27 and plan to attend this outstanding event. We’ll look forward to seeing you
there!
Newest Acquisitions Enhance Scandinavian
Cultural Center
Permanent Artifact Collection
Norwegian Doll Dressed in
Nordland Bunad
A delightful doll dressed
in a Nordland bunad comes to us from Linda Caspersen-Andresen of Gig Harbor, Washington.
The authentic Norwegian doll is just one of many items donated by Linda over
the past several years. The official Nordland bunad can be made in either blue
or green wool. The doll’s bunad is made of blue wool with the traditional
flower embroidery in wool yarn along the hem of the skirt, the front and back
of the bodice, and on the matching hat and purse. The blouse is made of white
linen and a plaid cotton apron covers the front of the skirt. A shawl across
her shoulders is made of the same material as the apron.
Painting by Norwegian
Artist Lise Nicolaisen
The painting shown here
was donated by members of the Sons of Norway, Hovedstad Lodge #02-94, Olympia, Washington.
The artist, Lise Nicolaisen, was born on May 31, 1926, and currently resides in
Oslo, Norway. The painting measures 27” x
23” including the frame. It is a seascape, done in soft blue and gray pastels.
The date next to the artist’s signature in the right lower corner indicates
that it was painted in 1968.
Setesdal Bunad Soon to be
Added to Collection
We are currently in the
process of acquiring an authentic Setesdal bunad from the descendents of Rev.
Bjug Harstad, founder of Pacific
Lutheran University.
The bunad was purchased in Valle, Setesdal, Norway (Rev. Harstad’s birthplace), in the 1940s
by his daughters Lydia
and Louise. More information about this exceptional costume will appear in the
next issue of the Scandinavian Scene.
Scandinavian Studies
Program
(The following information (and more!) can
be found at our website: <www.plu.edu/~scan>)
The Scandinavian Studies
Program at Pacific Lutheran University
distinguishes itself in its emphasis on contemporary Scandinavia
as uniquely Nordic, yet internationally engaged. The courses in the program
involve students in critical inquiry into the Nordic region, offering a
challenging, interdisciplinary study of the depth and breadth of Nordic languages, literatures, and
cultures. Students can get involved in a
diverse number of co-curricular activities, including an immersion weekend,
film evenings and current events roundtable discussions. Norskhuset, the
Norwegian wing at Hong International Hall, offers a dynamic living and learning
experience where Norwegian language becomes part of a student’s daily
experience. Study abroad is encouraged at an approved institution in one of the
Scandinavian countries. Scandinavian Studies and Norwegian majors are
especially encouraged to study a semester at Telemark University
College or at the Oslo
International Summer School. A new J-term course, "Culture, Language and
Identity," is scheduled for January 2009. The course places special focus
on the literary foundations/constructions of culture, national language policy,
debate regarding nynorsk and bokmål, and language in a
multicultural society.
Scandinavian Studies
Faculty
Professor Claudia Berguson
Ph.D. University
of Washington
This is my fifth year of
teaching in Scandinavian Studies at PLU. I teach courses in Norwegian
language and Scandinavian literature. Regardless of the specific topic, the
cultures of the Nordic region are an integral part of discussion in the
classroom. Goals for my teaching in Scandinavian Studies are to support
students in their exploration of Scandinavian cultures, to challenge students
to learn beyond the familiar and the known, to engage students in critical
inquiry into the dynamic Scandinavian societies of today, and to prepare
students with specific and applicable knowledge, skills and perspectives with
which to contribute to a more peaceful global community.
Professor Troy Storfjell
Ph.D. University
of Wisconsin
Scandinavian
Studies is a broad, interdisciplinary field that attempts to understand the
peoples, cultures and societies of the Nordic region from a variety of
perspectives. My own areas of specialization include: literary and cultural
studies; film; ethnic, gendered, and national identity construction;
colonialism and postcolonialism; and globalization. In particular I have
focused on the indigenous Sámi people and the circumpolar arctic, on Nordic
colonialisms, and on contemporary Norwegian literature and Nordic film. I am
especially interested in how we are positioned by prevailing ideologies to
support the power dynamics of the status quo, and in finding ways to expose
this process in the hopes of opening up space for resistance.
2008 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize Awarded at Annual Spring
Banquet
In
2005, upon the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Norway’s peaceful separation from Sweden, the Norwegian-American community of Tacoma initiated the
Greater Tacoma Peace Prize (GTPP).
Committee members were appointed by Norden Lodge #2 - Sons of Norway,
Embla Lodge #2 - Daughters of Norway, the Scandinavian
Cultural Center,
and Pacific Lutheran University.
The purpose of this award is to recognize, honor, and encourage peace building
by members of our community, and to promote peace and understanding in our
community, region, nation, and world. The Scandinavian
Cultural Center
is proud to be a sponsoring organization.
Each year, the GTPP
recipient is given a unique glass artwork (designed by Tacoma’s
Hilltop Artists in Residence) and a trip to Oslo, Norway
(to attend the Nobel Peace Prize activities). The recipient’s name is added to
a perpetual plaque as well. On May 10 at the SCCs annual Spring Banquet, the
2008 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize was awarded to David Corner, founder of The
Gathering Project. Mr. Corner was nominated by Dr. Robert Klein.
The Gathering Project is a humanitarian
organization created in 1998 by Tacoma resident
David Corner after a trip to Africa with the United Methodist Men’s Fellowship
for the Ghana
mission program. Motivated by the poverty he saw there, Corner had the vision
to join the vast amounts of surplus and waste materials destined for landfills
from businesses and hospitals in the Western U.S.
with the people and programs that desperately need them. As a result, The
Gathering Project has gathered and shipped thousands of tons of goods
around the world, and provided support for programs in the Tacoma
area and across North America. By building
trusted relationships with local businesses, hospitals, and schools, The
Gathering Project has removed usable goods from the waste stream. From
hospitals alone, the organization saved an estimated $80-90,000 in landfill
costs, but more importantly provided usable medical supplies and equipment
around the world.
The Gathering Project has shipped about 160
containers of goods to more than 40 countries around the world. After last
year’s magnitude 8.0 earthquake in Peru, a container of relief
supplies was on the scene and in local hands even before the Red Cross arrived.
Domestically, Mr. Corner gathered and shipped 35 trailer loads of household and
relief supplies to areas of need. He supports a wide variety of organizations
with donated goods, including Goodwill Industries, St. Vincent DePaul,
Community Health Care, the Tacoma Seaman’s Center, as well as individuals and
foreign sailors in need. Before he started The Gathering Project, David
Corner was working (in the helicopter landing pad business) and making a good
living. Now retired, most of his income is spent trying to keep the day-to-day
operations going. Civic and church groups often help collect and move the
merchandise, but funding is always an issue.
The GTPP is recognized and endorsed by the Pierce County Council and
the Tacoma City Council. The committee relies on sponsorships and contributions
from local businesses and individuals. To find out how you can help, or for
further information, please visit the GTPP website at www.tacomapeaceprize.org
or contact the committee at tacomapeaceprize@wamail.net.
2008 Greater Tacoma Peace Prize
Committee
Thomas
Heavey (Founding Chair),
Andreas
Udbye (2008 Chair),
Claudia
Berguson, Lisa Ottoson,
Janet
Ruud and Tonia Simpson
Getting to Know Members of the
Scandinavian Cultural Center
Council
The Scandinavian Cultural
Council consists of community volunteers who work with the SCC Director Susan
Young to plan and implement the successful operation of the Center. In this
issue, we would like to introduce Judy Laursen, who currently serves as Chair
of the Kitchen Committee.
Judith
Laursen
Chair, Kitchen Committee
As Chair of the Kitchen
Committee for the past several years, Judy is responsible for monitoring and
overseeing the cleaning and testing of kitchen equipment. Under her direction,
the committee conducts regular inventories of all kitchen equipment and
supplies. Judy works closely with the Chair of the Hospitality Committee to
ensure that supplies are on hand for upcoming receptions.
A native
Tacoman, Judy Laursen lived in Illinois for
thirty years and moved back to Tacoma
six years ago. Her three children and two grandchildren reside in Illinois.
Judy is proud
of her Scandinavian heritage—a combination of Norwegian, Finnish, and Danish.
Her maternal grandfather and grandmother were from Alesund,
Norway, and Jakobstad, Finland,
respectively. Her father was of German descent. Her former husband of
twenty-nine years hailed from Aarhus,
Denmark. As a
result, Judy says, I know a lot about the Danish culture and think of myself as
an adopted Dane!”
To preserve
her rich Nordic heritage, Judy is actively involved in several Scandinavian
organizations, including the Daughters of Norway Lodge 2, the Danish Sisterhood
Lodge 19, the Danish Brotherhood Lodge (past president and currently vice
president), and the Scandinavian Cultural Center.
Calendar
of Events
Exhibits
Scandinavia and the Sea:
A Nautical Exhibit, January 13 through September 1
Dalahäst—Symbol of Sweden, April
12 through September 1
Public Hours—Free Admission
September 1 through May 31—Sundays, 1-4 pm; Tuesdays/Wednesdays, 11 am-3 pm
June 1 through
August 31—Sundays only, 1-4 pm
Major
Event
Membership Meeting, September 27, 3:00 pm
(For more information, contact Lisa Ottoson
<lottoson@hotmail.com> or
Maynard Hedegaard <mlhedegaard@att.net>
Classes
Intermediate Norwegian
Language Classes, Mondays,
6-9 pm
Beginning Norwegian
Language Classes, Tuesdays, 6-9 pm
Contact: Audun Toven 253.536.8392 or <tovenat@plu.edu>
Meetings
Danish Sisterhood, July 2 and August 6, 9:30
am, 253.843.2249
Danish Sangaften, July 20, 6:00 pm, 253.984.6700
Executive Board, July 8, August 12, 4:45 pm, UC 212
SCC Council, 5:30 pm,
SCC (No meeting in July and August)
Scandinavian Studies Major
Serves as Assistant to SCC
Director
Robin Dickson came on
board as Assistant to SCC Director Susan Young in May 2008. Robin is a junior
at Pacific Lutheran University
where she is working on completing her Scandinavian Studies and Anthropology
majors. This January, she will be taking advantage of PLUs outstanding study
away program that provides unique opportunities for experiential learning. She
and several other students will travel to Norway
and Iceland where they will
learn about culture, language, and identity within Scandinavia.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to learn more about Scandinavia
and my own Nordic heritage. I am so excited!” says Robin.
Robin’s grandmother and
great grandmother along with the rest of their family moved to America from Northern
Norway. “Together they have
placed a love for all things Scandinavian within my heart. I am so blessed to
work and study in a place where I am surrounded by others who share an interest
in Scandinavian culture,” says Robin.
Lisa Ottoson to Serve as 2008-09
SCC President
We are pleased to
announce that Lisa M. Ottoson will be serving as SCC Council President for
fiscal year 2008-09. Lisa received her bachelor’s degree in Business
Administration from Pacific
Lutheran University
in 1987. She currently serves on the PLU Board of Regents, the Alumni Board,
the School of Business’ PLUS Business Board, and
participates in the PLU mentorship program. For eight years, she was a seventh
grade pre-algebra tutor at McIlvaigh
Middle School while
concurrently volunteering for the Special Olympics, Girl Scouts, and as a
corporate mentor for United Way Agencies. She is a member of Congressman Adam
Smith’s Technology Council, a member of Northwest Computer Support’s Advisory
Board, and participates in the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce Technology
Consortium. Prior to opening her own business (Ottoson Professional Consulting)
in 2007, Lisa served as a relationship manager at The Threshold Group in Gig Harbor,
overseeing and coordinating client services for specific high net worth family
clients.
News and Notes
Welcome New SCC Members! Kristi Anderson (Fox Island, WA), Todd and
Mariam Anderson (Tacoma, WA), Nordic Exposure (Olympia, WA), David Johnson
(Orange, CA), Elsie Kristoffersen (Lakewood, WA) and Ines Ottoson (Seattle,
WA).
Grieg
Festival/Conference, Jan. 9-10. Sponsored by Rollins
College and the International Grieg
Society in Bergen Norway,
the event focuses on lesser-known but significant works of Edvard Grieg and
will include presentations, master classes, concerts, an exhibit of copies of
Grieg manuscripts and documents from the Bergen Public Library in Norway, and a
young artist competition. <www.griegfestivalinflorida.com>.
25th Annual FinnFest! Under the theme “Sharing the Sprit of Finland,” the
event will honor Finnish culture and heritage through dance performances,
concerts, lectures, art exhibitions, and tours. “FinnFest 2008” takes place
July 23-27, in Duluth, Minnesota. Contact: Ira Turunen
218.213.6080.or <iraturunen@finnfest2008.com>.
