"NORDIC FESTIVAL" Makes its Debut This Weekend

Do you love lefse, crave krumkake, have a hankering for herring, or long for a longboat? Would you recognize a Hardanger fiddle, or Hardanger embroidery? Rosemaling? Do you like the taste of cardamom, lingon berries, butter and strong coffee? If you happen to be a descendant of any of the thousands of Scandinavian immigrants who settled in the Pacific Northwest starting in the 19th century, you probably know these symbols of Norse culture, along with many more. Even if you lack a singe drop of Scandinavian blood, you can still learn about all of this on Saturday, October 15, 2011, when Tacoma's own Embla Lodge No. 2 of Daughters of Norway presents:

 NORDIC FESTIVAL -- A CELEBRATION OF OUR CULTURAL HERITAGE

FREE ADMISSION AND  FREE PARKING

TRADITIONAL MUSIC BY NORDIC EXPOSURE AND THE NORMANNA MALE CHORUS PLUS TRADITIONAL DANCING BY THE EMBLA LODGE LEIKARRING DANCERS.

Members of the lodge began working on this event only a few months ago, but thanks to their great teamwork, they put together what will prove to be a delightful day, one you won't want to miss. And they want to stress that this festival celebrates SCANDINAVIAN culture, not just Norwegian.

Vice President Mardy Fairchild offered plenty of good reasons to attend:

"We will have 19 vendors selling a wonderful variety of arts and crafts including artwork, Scandinavian designed wrapping paper, knitted items, wheat weaving, Scandinavian antiques, books, clothing cookbooks,and rosemaling. We will also have food items to choose from including Julekake, Danish Pastries, Lefse, Norwegian cookies, Swedish Meatballs, and Split Pea Soup."

The enthusiastic vendors each donated an item from their inventory to add to the many prizes being awarded throughout the day, which runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For a map, click here.

photo credit Daughters of Norway website

Now, a little history . . .

Here in the Pacific Northwest, Scandinavian pride has always been strong. The hard working fishermen, shipbuilders, teachers, carpenters, loggers, farmers and other tradesmen and professionals who made this area their home helped to create civilization in the wilderness. Most importantly, they brought their rugged determination, admirable skills and values, and fine personal qualities (to say nothing of great pastry) and contributed all of these to our regional character. But lest you picture only a bunch of hearty men, let me remind you of the equally hard working, proud, and determined WOMEN who came with them.  Among those were the visionaries who formed the first of three independent lodges that joined to create the Grand Lodge of the Daughters of Norway a century ago, on February 20, 1908.

The first of these was Valkyrien #1, in Seattle, started in 1905, chartered by the Norwegian men’s Lief Eriksen Lodge #1. The men originally voted to charter the women’s lodge subordinate to their own, but those strong pioneer ladies would have none of that. They wanted, and got, their own organization. Two years later Embla #2 in Tacoma, which is now the largest D.O.N. lodge in the country, was chartered by the local Sons of Norway lodge, and in the same year this was repeated in Spokane with the formation of the Freya #3 lodge.

The aims of the organization are the same now as in the beginning:

"To unite into a sisterhood, women who wish to preserve Norwegian heritage,
to maintain among members a knowledge of the history, culture, and language of Norway, and to build a strong support system and bond of friendship within the sisterhood"

Nordic Heritage Museum
Scandinavian Cultural Center at PLU
Sons of Norway
Cyndi's List (Research your Scandinavian roots)

PLEASE COME ENJOY THE  NORDIC FESTIVAL