Swedish Ensemble to Perform Re-enactment of
Greatest Swedish-American Entertainer
Enjoy a reenactment of the greatest
Swedish-American entertainer, Olle i Skratthult, in the Scandinavian Cultural Center,
on Sunday, September 9, at 7:00 pm.
Admission: $10 (General), $8 (SCC Members), PLU Students Free. Reservations are
not required.
Singer and musician Ove “Clapson” Carlsson
heads up the multi-talented Olle i Skratthult ensemble. The group also
includes actor/director Carina Ekman, accordionist Robert Lunde, fiddler Peter
de Maré, and guitarist Peter Ingmarsson.
The ensemble will tell the story about the
mason from Munkfors, Sweden,
whose real name was Hjalmar Pettersson, who became one of the greatest Swedish
entertainers in North America in the early
20th century. Their performance brings back memories of Olle i Skratthult and
his greatest hits. The show is a wonderful mix of Swedish-American comedy and
music, and will include songs from “the old days,” such as “Nicolina,” “Barndomshemmet,”
and “Hälsa dom därhemma.”
Annual Banquet Set for September 29 – 6:30 p.m.
Due to the renovation of the University Center, we were unable to host our
Spring Banquet in May, so we are combining the Spring Banquet and Fall
Membership Meeting into one memorable evening on Saturday, September 29. You
will receive a copy of the Center’s 2006-07 annual report, meet members of the
Council and Executive Board, and enjoy a
delicious meal and superb entertainment. The
doors open at 6:00 pm. and dinner
will be served at 6:30 pm.
The menu we’ve selected is roasted tenderloin filet with herb crust, craisin
almond salad, fresh seasonal vegetables, and for dessert, rustic pear almond
tart. (Vegetarian option available upon request.) Tickets: $20 (SCC Members), $25 (General).
Reservations are required. Attire: Semi-formal.
Two annual awards will be presented at the
banquet. The SCC Council is pleased to announce that long-time SCC member and
volunteer Elene Emerson will receive the 2007 Outstanding Service Award. Also,
the Greater Tacoma Peace Prize Committee will honor this year's laureate Pastor
Ron Vignec. Please join us in honoring these outstanding individuals for their
many years of dedicated service to the SCC and the community.
SCC to Host Celebrated Greenland Choir
The SCC will present the Greenland Choir
on Saturday, October 6, 7:00 pm.
The renowned 20-member community choir sang at the unveiling of the replica of Seattle’s statue of Leif Erikson in Brattahlid, Greenland, in 2000. The Leif Erikson International
Foundation gave partial funding for a 10-foot replica of Seattle's statue at Brattahlid, the historic
home of Erik the Red and his son Leif Erikson. The gift was made in 2000, on
the anniversary of Leif's voyage as the first recorded European to set foot on
American shores. Queen Margrethe of Denmark,
and Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, president of Iceland, were in attendance.
Admission fees for the October 6 concert: $10 (General), $8 (SCC Members), PLU
Students Free. Refreshments will follow
the performance.
Danish Ensemble Wood ‘N’ Flutes to
Perform in October
On Tuesday, October 23, 2007, at 7:00 pm, the Danish ensemble, Wood ‘N’
Flutes, will perform in the Scandinavian
Cultural Center.
The group has delighted audiences with their engaging performances since 1996.
Their eclectic repertoire spans over 800 years, including haunting medieval
melodies, emotion-packed baroque sonatas, and energetic works by contemporary
composers. In concert, the trio creates a seamless experience of aural and
visual beauty by interweaving music with poetry and text. Their creative use of
the performance space involves the listener in unique and untraditional ways.
For example, Fløjteskov (Flute Forest)
calls for the players to stand in three opposite corners of a room to enable
the audience to experience sounds in a forest. Wood ‘N’ Flutes is
composed of three outstanding musicians—Vicki Boeckman, Gertie Johnsson, and
Pia Brinch Jensen. The trio takes great pride in including works by Danish
composers in their repertoire and they have commissioned and premiered several
works to this end. Admission: $10 (General), $8 (SCC Members), PLU Students
Free. Reservations are not required. Reception follows.
Scandinavian
Heritage Festival
October 5-7, 11:00
am — 7:00 pm
Pavilion Hall, Western
Washington Fairgrounds, Puyallup
Entrance—Gold or
Blue Gate, 9th and Meridian
Admission (including Oktoberfest NW):
Friday, 11 am-3
pm, FREE; Friday, 3-7 pm, $8
Saturday, All Day, $8; Sunday, All Day, $4
Children 12 &
Under Free
The annual three-day festival features
Nordic exhibits, demonstrations, arts and crafts, music, food, folk dancing,
and gift items. Two round-trip tickets to Scandinavia
have been donated by SAS and SHF as the grand prize raffle item. Drawing will
be held Sunday, October 7, 5:00 pm.
You do not have to be present to win. Free parking in Gold and Blue lots. RV
parking available for a fee. Contact
information: 425-881-1544 desireeomdal@hotmail.com
<www.oktoberfestnw.com> <www.thefair.com>
What is TUBFRIM? How Can I Help?
Owned by the Norwegian Health Association,
TUBFRIM is a humanitarian organization, established by Postmaster Ditlef
Frantzen in 1928 in Nesbyen,
Norway. The aim
was to collect and sell used stamps and use the proceeds to aid the eradication
of tuberculosis among Norwegian children. The first profit in 1929 was NOK
1.500,-. TUBFRIM has made good progress since. Profits in 1970 were NOK
150.000,- growing to NOK 590.000,- in 2006. The total amount since TUBFRIM was
founded is now more than 16 million kroner, made possible only because
of the many loyal TUBFRIM friends who have been sending their used stamps
through years.
You, too, can help! Never throw away
canceled stamps. Just cut or tear the stamp
s off the envelopes, leaving a
slight margin (approx. 1/2 inch) to keep the perforation intact. Send your
donations to: TUBFRIM, NO-3540 Nesbyen, Norway. You may also send them to
the nearest participating Sons or Daughters of Norway lodge, or to the
Norwegian Seamen's Church in San Francisco or in San Pedro. The Daughters of
Norway, Embla 2, Tacoma, Washington, has been participating in the
TUBFRIM program for many years. You may send your donations to: Elene Emerson, 1707 N Vassault, 5-2, Tacoma, WA
98406. Your
participation, on behalf of TUBFRIM and the children they support, is greatly
appreciated.
UC Renovation Creates New Campus Commons
The University Center
recently underwent its first major renovation since opening in 1970.
Improvements include an expanded dining hall, additional meeting and conference
space, and more student gathering areas. The former bookstore is now home to
conference and meeting spaces. Former meeting spaces gave way to a greatly
expanded dining hall and new convenience store that will provide to-go food
items, personal-care products, and school supplies. The ground floor is hardly
recognizable. The SCC remains with new carpet, new paint, and additional
storage space, but gone are the Lute Lounge, Commuter Lounge, and Coffee Shop. New
office space was added for the SCC Director, while Campus Ministry offices were
demolished, leaving an open space for comfortable seating and exposing the back
staircase. The former Coffee Shop was divided into two large meeting rooms, and
the former lounges were split into an array of office suites for use by
student-oriented offices (e.g., Residential Life, Campus Ministry, and Student
Involvement and Leadership.
You’re invited to attend the re-dedication
celebration on Sunday, October 14, at noon, followed by guided tours of the new
facility.
From the SCC Director . . .
I am very excited to share a few
highlights from my recent trip to London
to witness the sale of “White Night, Buttercups at Jølster” painted by Norwegian artist Nikolai Astrup in 1910. The
painting depicts the landscape of a farm near Astrup’s family home in Jølster. The masterpiece was donated to our
permanent
artifact collection in 1999 by Mr. Neil Anderson (right) of Tacoma. When Neil decided
he needed to find a new home for the painting, his next door neighbors, Dick
and Anita Londgren, suggested that he consider donating it to the Scandinavian Cultural Center
at PLU. Much to our delight, Neil agreed.
About a year and a half ago, we discovered
that the painting may be worth as much as a half a million dollars! After
careful consideration of all our options, the SCC Council and the University
decided it would be best to put the painting up for auction to benefit the 
SCC
Endowment Fund. Mr. Anderson fully supported our decision. Over the next
several months, we entered into contract with Sotheby’s in London to include
the Nicolai Astrup painting in their annual Scandinavian Sale, which took place
on June 27, 2007 (left).
I left for London on June 25th, along with fellow
council member Janet Ruud. We were joined in London by Ed and Betty Larson who
are also
members of the SCC Council (right). On the day of the auction, we waited
breathlessly for the Astrup painting to come up for bid. Right on cue, the
piece was brought out, placed on the easel in front of the hall, and in a blink
of an eye, the bidding began. And, in another blink of an eye, it was over! In
approximately one minute’s time, the painting sold for $526,000 (which includes
the hammer sale price plus the buyer’s premium)!
After leaving London,
the Larsons returned home, and Janet and I traveled to Norway, where we visited the Astrup
farm (Astruptunet) in Jølster.
Nikolai Astrup (1880-1928) lived most of his life in Jølster where his father
worked as a priest. His father wanted Nikolai, the oldest son, to become a
priest as well, but Nikolai was more interested in drawing and painting. He
studied these subjects in Oslo and lived, for a
while, in Paris and in Germany before
returning to Jølster. He married Engel Sunde in 1907, and together they raised
eight children. Nikolai Astrup is often regarded as the artist of Western Norway, as he found virtually all of his motifs
in his home surroundings, which he masterfully portrayed in his works of art.
Astruptunet was the artist’s
home for the last fourteen years of his life. It is exactly as it was when
Astrup lived there, nestled among the steep but fertile slopes on the south
side of Lake Jølstravatnet (left).
The barn was torn down and rebuilt as an
art gallery in the same style as the old barn (below left). The gallery houses a permanent
exhibition of Astrup's work (e.g., paintings, wood cuts, and sketches).
The main house (right) is furnished just
as it was when Nikolai and his family lived there. The easel he used still stands in a
well-lit corner of his studio on the second floor of the house.
Janet and Susan admire the winecabinet.
Located a “safe” distance from the main
house, sits what is lovingly called “the mother-in-law” cabin (below).
This is but a brief glimpse of my trip,
which also included stops in Trondheim,
Byrkjelo, Bergen, Sletta, Molde, Flåm, Oslo, and Trollstigen! All
in all, it was a fantastic experience that will greatly enhance my position as
SCC Director. It was filled with memories that I will cherish the rest of my
life! My sincerest gratitude to Janet Ruud for serving as travel companion and
tour guide! I couldn’t have seen and done so much without her!
~Susan Young
September/October 2007 Calendar of Events
Exhibits
Flashback: Norwegian Landscapes in Retrospect, September
23 through November 21
Public Hours: Sundays, 1-4 pm;
Tuesdays/Wednesdays, 11 am-3 pm — Free Admission
Meetings
Danish Sisterhood, September (No
meeting), October 3, 9:30 am,
253-843-2249
Danish Sangaften, September (No
meeting), October 21, 6:00 pm,
253-984-6700
Norwegian Rosemalers Group, September 26,
October 17, 24, 31, 9:30 am,
253-841-3392
Executive Board, September 11
(future dates to be announced), 4:45 pm,
UC 212
SCC Council, September 11
(future dates to be announced), 5:30 pm, SCC
Classes
Norwegian Cooking Classes, October 9, 20, 25,
10 am—1 pm, $5 per
person per class
Reservations not required. Contact: Kathrina Jaech: 253-584-2690 or
<LydiaJay@hotmail.com>
Intermediate Norwegian Language Classes, Mondays, 6-9 pm
Beginning Norwegian Language Classes, Tuesdays, 6-9 pm
Contact for Language Classes: Audun Toven
(253-536-8392) or <tovenat@plu.edu>
Major Events
Time for Olle i
Skratthult, Sunday, September 9, 7:00 pm.
$10 (General), $8 (SCC Members),
PLU Students Free. Reservations
not required. Contact: 253-582-9360
Exhibit Opening
Reception (Flashback: Norwegian Landscapes in Retrospect),
Sunday, September 23, 2-3 pm.
Admission is free; reservations are not required.
Annual Banquet, Saturday,
September 29, 6:30 pm. $25
(General), $20 (SCC Members)
Reservations required.
Greenland Choir, Saturday, October
6, 7:00 pm. $10 (General), $8 (SCC
Members), PLU Students Free.
Reservations not required.
UC Rededication
Celebration, Sunday, October 14, Noon. Guided tours of new facility
available.
Free Admission. Reservations not required.
Wood ‘N’ Flutes
Concert, Tuesday, October 23, 7:00 pm.
$10 (General), $8 (SCC Members),
PLU Students Free. Reservations not required.
Attention Members and Friends of the SCC
Recently, we have
been experiencing difficulties with the mail delivery of the Scandinavian
Scene. If you do not receive our bi-monthly newsletter by the second week
of January, March, May, July, September, and November, please contact us and we
will see that your copy is mailed to you immediately. Please help us maintain
accurate records by notifying us when you have a change of address, phone, or
email. Contact: <youngse@plu.edu>
(email); 253-535-7349 (phone).
Occasionally, we
have special announcements and information about upcoming events and activities
that were not publicized in the Scandinavian Scene. The most efficient,
equitable, and expeditious way get the information to you is by email. If you
would like to be added to our email list, please send us an email at
<youngse@plu.edu>.
Historic and
Contemporary Photographs Chronicle Changing Norwegian Landscape
The changing Norwegian landscape is the
subject of our next exhibition, Flashback: Norwegian Landscapes in
Retrospect, on display September 23 through November 21. The images are
dramatic illustrations of how human activity impacts landscapes and how nature
steps in when humans turn their backs. The photos reveal the transition from
subsistence economies to modern agricultural methods, then to tourism and
nature conservation. Fishing villages and hamlets grow into resort towns; farms
and pastures re-grow to woodlands.
Flashback: Norwegian Landscapes in
Retrospect pairs historic and contemporary photographs, taken in the same
locations up to 125 years apart and chronicles the changing Norwegian
landscape.
The images, on loan from the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute, are
dramatic illustrations of human impact on the land.
According to Arne Bardalen, Director General Norwegian
Forest and Landscape Institute, “the
intention with this exhibition is to stimulate debate about landscape changes
in Norway.
The landscape is an important part of the nation’s identity and holds aesthetic,
biological and cultural qualities. The landscape is also of value in both
traditional and new businesses. By visualizing landscape changes over a period
of 125 years, we hope that those who influence landscape development will
become more conscious of the consequences of their actions and choices.”
The
images are dramatic illustrations of how human activity impacts landscapes and
how nature steps in when humans turn their backs.
You’re Invited to
the
Opening Reception
Sunday, September
23, 2:00-3:00 pm
Free Admission
