Swedish composer Karin Rehnqvist will be at
Karin Rehnqvist is one of
OCTOBER 11
3:00 pm
- Lagerquist Concert Hall
The Lyric Brass Quintet will perform
Karin Rehnqvist’s “Valv-Vaults”
for Brass Quintet
OCTOBER 13
8:00 pm
- Lagerquist Concert Hall
PLU’s University Symphony Orchestra and
conductor Jeffrey Bell-Hanson will perform Karin Rehnqvist’s
“Arktis-Arktis!”
in an all-Nordic program.
NOVEMBER 10
8:00 pm
- Lagerquist Concert Hall
PLU’s University Symphony Orchestra and
faculty flutist Jennifer Rhyne will perform
Egil Hovland’s “Concerto for Piccolo and
Orchestra.” Also on the program is a world premiere performance of “Glaciers”
by James Romig, conducted by Jeffrey Bell-Hanson.
FOR TICKETS AND INFORMATION, VISIT www.plu.edu/music
Reservations required—Call now to reserve your seat
Have you ever wondered how large our
membership is? How SCC events and exhibits are arranged? How much money is in
the SCC general and endowment funds? What the SCC Council, Executive Board, and
the Director do? These questions like these will be answered at the Annual
Meeting on Saturday, 
September 26, at 3:00 pm,
in the
An important aspect of the meeting is the
presentation of the annual Outstanding Service Award. This year’s award goes to
Maynard Hedegaard whose list of accomplishments over the past decade include
serving as Council Vice President and President, Council Secretary, and Chair
of the Endowment and Fundraising Committees. Maynard and his lovely wife Lise
are of Danish descent and currently reside in
We hope you will be able to attend this
informative and entertaining event. Reservations are required by September 22.
Please call 253-535-7322 or email <youngse@plu.edu> to reserve your seat.
Admission is free.
From the Director . . .It has been a long and difficult year for
me and my family. While away in
Over the past twelve months, twenty-four
names have been added to our membership rolls. Welcome to: Brandon Benson,
Collin Brown, Karla and Mark Bryant, Erica Ellersick, Diane Floyd, Katharine
Granum, Kelsey Hodge, Karin and Tom Huelsbeck, Thelma and Ralf Kalms, Karen and
Randall Kunkle, Loren Liden, Penelope and David Magelssen, Christina McDonald,
Laura Nanstad, Betty and Robert Newgard, Juanita and Harvey Stalwick, and
Vesterdalen Sons of
As I write this, the Norwegian
parliamentary and Sámi parliamentary elections are only a matter of days 
away,
and the country’s populist, anti-immigration Progress Party (Fremskritspartiet)
looks poised to do extremely well, quite possibly entering into (or even
dominating) the government. In part this certainly owes to the neoliberalizing
and privatizing trends in Scandinavian public life that I discussed in the last
issue of the Scene, but the party’s strong prospects also owe
significantly to a fear of non-western immigrants that has been growing in
Immigration and the phobic
reactions to it are important issues globally, and contemporary large-scale
migrations of people are among the phenomena collectively referred to as
“globalization.” The issues involved are complicated, and emotions run high
whenever the topic is broached. Unfortunately immigration tends to be a topic
on which many people have weak understandings but strong opinions, making it an
important area for scholarly investigation and education to counteract
misinformation, prejudice and misconception.
The Scandinavian Area Studies
Program here focuses a good deal of attention on this topic, helping students
to understand not only the Scandinavian and Nordic particulars, but also the
broader issues of immigration, xenophobia, identity, diversity, and
multiculturalism. Professor Claudia Berguson will be teaching a literature
topics course this semester on Immigrant Literature, examining commonalities
and differences between literature by Scandinavian immigrants in
It is our hope that our
students will learn to understand the major subtleties and complexities of
immigration, xenophobia and identity formation among the key elements of their
studies with us. A sophisticated knowledge of these things is not only crucial
for understanding contemporary
By Karen Giguere, Garfield
Book Company
The Scandinavian Book Club meets the first Monday
of the month at 6:30 pm in the
Fireside Lounge at the Garfield Book Company. We cordially invite you to join
us. Our next reading is entitled, The Girl Who Played with Fire, a novel
by Stieg Larsson. This novel is the second in the trilogy that began with The
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. If you
enjoyed the first book, the second will surprise and delight you. You will meet many of the same characters you
encountered in the first novel but with a twist that will shock and amaze you.
“The best thriller I’ve read
in ages… If you want a book to take on your lifetime trip on the trans-Siberian
Railway, The Girl who Played with Fire is the one.” —Evening Herald (
“Addictive . . . We are in the
hands of a master . . . Salander and Blomkvist [are] the finest and strangest
partnership in crime fiction since Holmes and Watson . . . Stunningly
memorable.” —
by Susan Young
Have you ever walked through an antique
store and caught sight of items just like the ones you grew up with? Items that
at the time seemed insignificant and were more often than not discarded after a
period of time? Well, we are thankful that many Scandinavian-Americans in our
area were wise enough to hold onto the objects that were handed down from
generation to generation by their ancestors who immigrated from the old
country. Many of these items have since found a home with the
The SCC Artifact Collection has
experienced a significant growth spurt with the addition of nearly 130 pieces
over the past twelve months. Coming from several individual donors, the latest
acquisitions include tapestries, hand painted bowls, wood carved serving
spoons, jewelry, artwork, pewter, porcelain, and costumes. A significant number
of the pieces are over a century old.
The newly-acquired objects are included in
the current exhibit entitled “Facing the Future with Pieces from the Past,”
which runs from September 13 through November 22. The pieces on display provide
us with a glimpse into the lives of the Scandinavian immigrants who brought
them from the old country. They came with trunks and bundles full of objects
unique to their own experience and history—family photographs, heirlooms, a
gift from a friend, or something made with their own hands—the things they cherished
as well as the things would need to make a new home in
The immigrant experience was one of severe
hardship from beginning to end. After boarding the ships, they were often
confined to the steerage section which could hold up to two thousand people.
Because space was limited, the amount of “luggage” the immigrants were allowed
to bring on board was also limited. Things that made the trip were functional
and practical, a mainstay of Scandinavian culture. Linens often served two
important purposes: as bedding for a new home, and as a way of packing one's
items for the long journey. Immigrant families spent several weeks at sea with
minimal protection from the weather. It was common for clothing to be worn in
layers to guard against changing weather conditions. Some voyages did not offer
“food service” on board ship. That meant that food and cooking utensils had to
packed for the trip. Pots and pans would probably be made of cast iron, or some
other heavy, durable metal. Kitchen utensils and household items were often
made of wood, limiting the danger of breakage. We are pleased and honored that
many of these objects are now at home in the
The SCC Artifact Collection is a treasure trove of beautiful objects,
but more than that it is a unique educational and historical resource for
learning about the Scandinavian cultures. The current exhibit provides us with
the opportunity to share a large portion of the collection with the public. The
carefully-selected items represent a cross-section of the entire collection.
The Center is open three days a week for public hours—see the calendar on page
6 for more details.
We are grateful to the many donors
who over the years have graciously
passed on a part of their family histories for future generations to enjoy.
Thanks to our most recent donors:
Grace Harstad,
Lori Kase,
Mercedes Lickfelt,
Barbara MacKenzie,
Nancy Oblanas,
Karen Servey,
Donna Jean Smith, Kalispell, MT (spinning wheel, jewelry,
Rosemaled bowls, wood carved spoons, woven tapestries—115 pieces in all—many
over 100 years old)
Evelyn Reynolds,
Joining Oktoberfest NW
October 9, 10, 11, 2009—Pavilion Hall
Friday-Saturday 11am–7pm, Sunday
11am–6pm
Oktoberfest open till
midnight Friday-Saturday
Daily programs
of Scandinavian music and dance,
arts and crafts,
food, demonstrations
Three or Four
Day Cruise for Two, R/T
on Celebrity
Cruise Line, or $500 cash
Donated by Desiree of
Admission
Friday 11am–3pm FREE
Friday 3pm–7pm and
Saturday $8
Sunday $4, Children 12 and
under FREE
Free Parking in Gold or
Blue Lots—RV Parking Available
For more information:
425.881.1544 or e-mail
<desireeomdal@hotmail.com>
www.oktoberfestnw.com/SHF.html
If you would like to join
others who have the “best job on campus,” you will want to attend the Docent
Orientation meeting on Tuesday, October 13, at 1:00 pm, in the SCC. Committee Chair Joanne McDonald and SCC
Director Susan Young will be on hand to answer questions and explain the duties
and benefits of being a docent. Docents normally volunteer for one shift per
month and are on hand to greet visitors, answer questions about the Center, and
provide information about the current exhibit. If you are interested in serving
as a docent or substitute and would like to attend the orientation meeting,
please contact Joanne McDonald at 253.383.4535. Tasty refreshments will be served and there will be lots of time to visit.
Joannne McDonald, Committee Chair
Exhibits
«Facing the Future with Pieces from the Past—September 13—October 15
Public Hours—Free Admission
Sundays, 1:00-4:00
pm; Tuesdays/Wednesdays, 11:00 am-3:00 pm
There will be no Public Hours on October 4 and October 6
Major
Events
«Annual Meeting, Saturday, September
26, 3:00 pm«
SCC Council presents a
detailed review of the last fiscal year and reveals our plans for what lies
ahead. The 2009 Outstanding Service Award will be presented.
«Scandinavian Heritage
Fest, Friday/Saturday/Sunday, October 9-11
Contact: Desiree Omdal, 425.881.1544 or
<desireeomdal@hotmail.com> (See p. 5 for more info.)
A lecture by filmmaker-director Solvi Barber based
on her documentary “The Dance of Life” depicting the life of Edvard Munch.
Reception follows. $8 (General), $7 (SCC Members/Seniors), PLU Students free
with ID. (See p. 7 for more info.)
A
lecture by Lars Nordström. Reception
follows. $8 (General), $7 (SCC Members/Seniors), PLU Students free with ID.
(See p. 7 for more info.)
Classes
Scandinavian Cooking
Classes, 10:00 am-1:00 pm,
$5 Per Class
Danish—Saturday,
October 24
Norwegian—Saturday, October 17, Tuesday, October
20, and Thursday, October 29
Contact: Kathrina Jaech, 253.584.2690 or
<LydiaJay@hotmail.com>
Advanced Norwegian
Language Classes, Mondays beginning
September 21, 6:30 pm
Intermediate Norwegian
Language Classes, Thursdays
beginning September 24, 6:30 pm
Contact: Audun Toven 253.536.8392 or
<tovenat@plu.edu>
Meetings
Danish Sisterhood, September (No meeting in SCC), October 7, 9:30 am, 253.843.2249
Danish Brotherhood, September 12 and October 10, 9:30 am
Danish Sangaften, September 20 and October 18, 6:00 pm, 253.984.6700
Docent Orientation, October 13, 1:00 pm, 253.535-7349
Executive Board and
Council, Dates and times to be announced
On Wednesday, October 7, at
7:00 pm, filmmaker-director Sølvi
Lindseth Barber will present insights into her documentary film, “The Dance of
Life,” which explores the life of 
Ms. Barber studied at
Edvard Munch, (1863-1944) Self Portrait
Using selected clips from
the film, Ms. Barber shares how she, as the director, chose to portray the life
of the painter and how his life translated into his art. She also explores the
way in which the film is telling the story. Is there such a thing as a Nordic
film story—a singularly Nordic way to tell a story? Ms. Barber answers this and
other probing questions in what promises to be an outstanding lecture—one you
will not want to miss.
On Wednesday, October 21, 7:00 pm, author Lars Nordström will give a
multimedia presentation about his latest book, “Swedish Oregon.” His lecture
recounts the experiences of the Swedes in the state of 
Lars Nordström was born in 1954 in
