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Let’s Get Our Skates On
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February 2021 Vol 92:01 $9.95
01 2021
Tour Skating Interview with Gold Medalist Pernilla Wiberg Åre Sweden
Welcome to Vancouver!
We’re open for business. Not business as usual, but business with the usual COVID-19 rules.
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Cook-A-Long with Amy von Sydow Green
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Swedish Press is the world’s leading magazine on all good things Swedish. An authority on design, business, culture and travel since 1929, Swedish Press delivers insightful news and commentary in a visually striking format. With a nod to the past, and a peek to the future, Swedish Press is your go-to source for updates and inspiration from Sweden. SWEDISH PRESS (ISSN 0839-2323) is published ten times per year by Swedish Press Inc, 1801 Ford Street, Ogdensburg, NY 13669. Periodical postage paid at Ogdensburg, NY 13669 (No. USPS 005544). US POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Swedish Press, PO Box 1568 Ogdensburg, NY 13669 OFFICE: 1-402 O’Connor Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1W3, Canada US MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 1568 Ogdensburg, NY 13669 WEBSITE www.swedishpress.com E-MAIL info@swedishpress.com TEL +1 360 450 5858 TOLL FREE +1 866 882 0088 PUBLISHER and EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kajsa Norman Kajsa@swedishpress.com EDITOR Peter Berlin Peter@swedishpress.com ART DIRECTOR Joan Law Joan@swedishpress.com REPRESENTATIVES Calgary: Carin Pihl +1 403 931 0370 Edmonton: Ruth E. Sjoberg +1 780 237 6730 Thunder Bay: Elinor Barr +1 807 344 8355 Winnipeg: Nancy Drews +1 204-668-7262 Los Angeles: Birgitta von Knipe +1 310 201 0079 ADVISORY COMMITTEE Björn Bayley, Peter Ladner, Brian Antonson, Christer Garell, Anders & Hamida Neumuller SUBSCRIPTION rates per year $59, 2 years $99, 1 year abroad $185. Digital edition $39. Subscribe Toll Free at 1 866 882 0088 or at www.swedishpress.com. ADVERTISING visit www.swedishpress.com/advertise-us for advertising rates. Call +1 866 882 0088 SweMail TRANSLATIONS to English of the Swedish parts of Swedish Press are available free of charge every month. Visit http://biolson.atspace.cc/swemail/ © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent of Swedish Press is strictly prohibited. Unsolicited material is welcome, but never the publisher’s responsibility. Enclose stamped self-addressed envelope for return. Statements and opinions expressed by the writers and claims in the advertising are their own and do not necessarily represent Swedish Press.
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CONTENTS ( February 2021 ) 4 Letters to the Editor 5 From the Publisher’s Desk Swedish Headlines 6 Headline News 7 Swedes in the News 8 Landskapsnyheterna Business 9 Business News 10 Company File: Åre Sweden 11
Heritage An Insider’s Look at Swedish Culture: Var min resa till Åre den mest förbjudna resan jag någonsin har gjort?
Feature 12 Tour Skating: Winter exploration of coastlines, archipelagos, lakes, canals and more Interview 14 Lina Korsgren – När skidorna och föret måste samsas Global Swedes 16 Pernilla Wiberg – Famous Olympic gold medalist in alpine skiing Lifestyle 18 Top Sju 19 Books: Åsa tar vikingar till USA and Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings
Heritage 20 Swedish from the Olden Days Road to 2045 21 With the United States Back in the Fold, 2021 will be a Pivotal Year for the Climate 22 Svenska Skidförbundet har talan 23 When Greta Thunberg became Editor-in-Chief – briefly Hemma Hos 24 Design: Experience the 31st Icehotel From Your Living Room 25 Treats à la Karen Gale Swedish Press Connects 26 ASTRA – Swedish at the University of Washington 27 SVIV – The Swedish diaspora in Hong Kong: an update In the Loop 28 Calendar and Events 29 Ads and Info 30 Sista Ordet The Art of Denial
Cover image: Ice skating in the Stockholm archipelago. Photo: Henrik Trygg/Visit Stockholm | Below: Skating on Stora Värtan between Djursholm and Bogesundslandet. Photo courtesy: Leif Lundquist
CANADIAN PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT No. 40010214 Return Undeliverable Canadian addresses to Swedish Press, 1-402 O'Connor Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1W3 Canada.
PRINTED IN CANADA NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 10, 2020
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Swedish Press | February 2021 3
Letters to the Editor Enjoy reading Swedish Press? Email us your pictures along with your name and comments to info@swedishpress.com and we’ll be happy to publish them. Dear Peter and Joan, Today in the mail I received my physical copies of the November issue of Swedish Press which included my article about my Swedish social distancing picnic last August. What fun to actually hold a magazine and feel the reality of being a published international author and photographer! Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine I would open a magazine and see my photo on the opposite page of an article about Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburg and both articles being positive. Thank you for the privilege and fun writing the article and taking photos of our Swedish picnic for the Swedish Press. Earlier this month, I sent my sister, Deborah, my digital copy of the November issue for her to see the article. She read the magazine cover to cover and said how refreshing it was to read interesting and unusual articles and see such beautiful photos during the time of Covid and the US Elections. Her birthday is this month, so I just went onto your website and bought her a digital two year subscription as a birthday surprise. I look forward to reading future editions of the Swedish Press! Sharon Franklin Driscoll Peoria, Illinois I read the Swedish Press at the Swedish Club in Seattle. Enclosed is a contribution. I think your new look and contents are great. A very informative and interesting publication. Thank you. Berit Lehner Seattle, Washington
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Peter, I have to comment on the absolutely fright I encounter with family and friends while visiting Sweden when politics is brought up. Finally did my own research and learned that the PC climate in Sweden has exceeded Global Warming predictions. The population appears to be so afraid of being called out as not PC enough. I am told that – as if a virus has inculcated private life and private business – one can lose one’s job and job prospects if one is seen to embrace views that are in conflict with the prevailing PC culture, especially when it concerns immigration. Meanwhile, it seems, the major [Swedish] parties just appear to bury their heads in the sand, and pretend that the Sweden Democrats don’t exist even when their poll and election numbers continue to climb. As for America, the following quote is from a viewer of the YouTube Unherd in which Suzanne Moore is interviewed regarding her recent resignation from The Guardian over “safe-space” by the Trans community: In the Gulag Archipelago, Solzhenitsyn tells that the people who had the toughest time of anyone were those who were true believers in the [Soviet Communist] party and couldn’t believe that they had been sent there. Surely it must have been some mistake. As you can see, I love a good political debate and the opportunity to challenge Sweden’s parliamentary form of government with a single house (and no checks and balances). Finally, my subscription renewal is on its way as I love the revitalized Swedish Press and wholeheartedly want to support it. Robert L. Johnson Chicago, Illinois
Thanks for inviting me to write the “Treats” article. I enjoyed being a part of the magazine. I must admit I love receiving the Swedish Press; your team does a stellar job! Every edition is as crisp, clean, and enlightening as a winter’s walk after a fresh snow. Best wishes, Judi Lifton Cleveland, Ohio Seasons greetings from Rose and Ernie Poignant! Hope you have all managed OK during this challenging year. Mom and dad send best wishes to family and friends from Menno Home in Abbotsford. Both are doing well and say they are blessed they are able to be close together. Attached is a card that dad created to reflect on his memory of a childhood Christmas at the original Matsqui Baptist Church. (God Jul and Gott Nytt År is Swedish for Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Dad was born Feb. 4, 1919, in the Swedish community of Ridgedale, located in what is now north Abbotsford.) Gary and Linda Poignant Sherwood Park, Alberta
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from the Publisher’s Desk
Another Milestone for Swedish Press We need your support!
Swedish Press strives to create a high quality magazine for you, but the costs are considerable and ever-increasing. Please consider making a generous donation to help keep your publication, and Swedish heritage, alive. You’ll find a form on page 29 and 31, the inside back cover. Tack!
Whether your Swedish is fluent or rusty, we hone your language skills by publishing some articles in Swedish. But never despair: you will find English translations online thanks to our valiant team of volunteer translators. Simply go to http://biolson. atspace.cc/swemail/ and you will find translations of all Swedish articles going as far back as to August 2007.
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ere at Swedish Press we begin the year with an exciting update. After eight years and eighty issues of Swedish Press, we are delighted to have found new owners who will take the helm in publishing this 91-year-old magazine from early 2021. Joan and I are honoured and proud to have been the publishers of this culturally rich magazine for the past eight years. I remember that taking over Swedish Press eight years ago was much more than a business decision. It was about heritage, culture, language and keeping the connection to my Swedish roots and my family “back home”. It was about encouraging the next generation to embrace and connect with its Swedish heritage. We enjoyed creating the themes, meticulously designing every page and working with various contributors and artists over the years. We are grateful for the editorial contribution from many wonderful writers, especially Kristi Robinson (on the team from day one), Sofie Kinnefors and, in particular, our dedicated editor Peter Berlin. They have made creating this multifaceted cultural magazine a real joy. The new owners are a Swedish-Canadian family based in Ottawa, Ontario. Incoming Publisher and Editor-in-Chief Kajsa Norman is a Swedish-born journalist and non-fiction author with a passion for preserving and enhancing Swedish culture. Her husband and co-publisher Matthew is a Canadian-born energy and tech entrepreneur whose grandfather, Robert Saarukka, emigrated to Canada from Swedish-speaking Finland in the early 1900s to work as a pianist on the paddlewheelers plying Kootenay Lake. Joining them to attract the next generation of young Scandinavian expats and descendants is their 14-year-old daughter and youth fiction author Noelle. We thank all our partners among the Swedish clubs, organizations and museums in North America who share the same passion as we do in promoting all good things Swedish. Last, but not least, we thank our wonderful loyal subscribers who year after year continue to send their encouragements and subscription renewals. As we pass the Swedish Press torch to Kajsa, Matthew and Noelle, we wish them lots of joy, success and fulfillment on this rewarding and at times challenging journey. With warmest thanks,
Claes Fredriksson Publisher Claes@Swedishpress.com February 2021
Photo Courtesy: Family Fredriksson
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COVID-19: Not Even Sweden is Spared
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By Peter Berlin ince the onset of Covid-19 in March, Sweden’s lenient approach to fighting the pandemic has backfired badly. Shops, restaurants, bars, schools and gyms have largely remained open and social distancing and wearing masks has been voluntary. Following the rise of the second wave, the rate of coronarelated deaths has risen sharply, and hospitals in some regions are having to postpone elective procedures in order to accommodate an influx of critically ill patients.
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It’s alright for some
oliticians and senior civil servants never cease to surprise. Our Canadian readers will have heard about a recent slew of resignations within the Canadian federal and provincial governments. People in leadership positions have been taken to task after enjoying vacations abroad during the Christmas holiday period – and this in spite of their own governments’ admonitions against non-essential travel while COVID-19 is rife. Dan Eliasson, Director General of the Swedish Civil Contingency Service, is stepping down from his position for similar reasons. During the past five months he has travelled – not once but twice – to the Canary Islands on holiday despite official advice against unnecessary travel. He had also omitted to inform his boss, Interior Minister Mikael Damberg about his planned trips. When returning to Stockholm at Christmastime following his latest journey, news reporters were waiting for him at the airport.
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On January 8, the Swedish government imposed new and stricter rules of behaviour in order to curb the spread of the virus. The number of people allowed to attend stores, gyms, pools and public as well as private
events is limited. Only one customer is allowed in stores per 10 square meters of store floorspace. The new rules are legally binding, and violators can be fined – although the level of fines has yet to be determined.
Daily New Cases as of January 13
Novel Coronavirus Daily Cases
From Recommendations to Rules
Daily new cases in Sweden. Source: www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/country/sweden/
To avoid their scrutiny, he arranged to be escorted out of the airport through a VIP exit at a cost of SEK 8,000 which he passed on to the Service. Eliasson’s actions are particularly eye-watering since his Service is in charge of Sweden’s crisis preparedness operations. He has been made to resign from his current position and take up another job within the Ministry (while retaining his current salary).
he current surge in the number of COVID-19 victims has caused the general public in Sweden to lose faith
in their government. The search is on for scapegoats. A prime candidate is the Health Minister Lena Hallengren who is facing increasingly frequent calls to resign. Another potential target is Johan Carlson, Director of the Public Health Agency, except that he is scheduled to retire anyway in a few months’ time. Lastly, there is State Epidemiologist Anders Tegnell who has been a central player in defining and defending Sweden’s unorthodox coronavirus policies. But playing the blame game does not come naturally to Swedes, which may explain the scattergun approach taken by political opposition leaders and news media.
Dan Eliasson, Director General of the Swedish Civil Contingency Service
Johan Carlson, Director General, Public Health Agency of Sweden
More resignations in the pipeline?
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Lena Hallengren, Minister for Health and Social Affairs. Photo: Kristian Pohl
Anders Tegnell, State epidemiologist, Public Health Agency of Sweden
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Swedes in the News
Swedish Women on the Ascent Princess Sofia is Pregnant
Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia. Photo: Linda Broström/The Royal Court of Sweden
Swedish Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia are expecting their third child at the turn of the month March-April 2021. The Princess is reportedly feeling fine in her pregnancy despite her recent Covid-19 infection. Both Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia caught the virus in late November after having attended the funeral of Queen Silvia’s brother Walther Sommerlath. They went into isolation along with their children and were fully recovered a couple of weeks later. First Female Chair of IMFC Minister for Finance Magdalena Andersson has been selected as the new Chair of the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC). She will be the first woman ever to hold the position and the first Swede in 50 years. She started her three-year term on January 18, 2021, succeeding Lesetja Kganyago,
Governor of the South African Reserve Bank, who has chaired the IMFC since 2018. Andersson is the first woman to be Minister of Finance in a Swedish Social Democratic government, a position she has held since October 2014. Her previous positions include Deputy Director-General at the Swedish Tax Agency, State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, and Political Advisor at the Prime Minister’s Office.
Grammy-winning recording engineer Bruce Swedien. Photo courtesy Roberta Swedien
Diana Ross, and many others. Swedien was born in Minnesota in 1934, but his grandparents came from Stöde in Medelpad and Bruce was very proud of his Swedish heritage. He studied Swedish for a few years at school and visited as often as he could. Linde New OSCE Chair
Minister of Finance Magdalena Andersson. Photo: Kristian Pohl/ Government Offices of Sweden
Bruce Swedien Dies at 86 Studio engineer Bruce Swedien, or “Bruce the Viking” as he was sometimes called, recently passed away at 86 years of age in Gainsville, Florida. A 5-time Grammy winner and legend in the music industry for more than half a century, Swedien pioneered a recording technique called the Acusonic Recording Process. He was known for his work with Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Mick Jagger, Paul McCartney,
Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde. Photo: Kristian Pohl/The Government Offices of Sweden
Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs Ann Linde recently assumed her position as Chairperson-inOffice of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), a position she will hold throughout 2021. The OSCE is the world’s largest regional
security organization with 57 participating States. Activities include military arms control, human rights, rule of law and democracy. “As Chair of the OSCE, Sweden will continue to work to restore respect for the principles upon which the European security order rests,” says Linde. Meir to the Moon?
NASA astronaut Jessica Meir Photo: NASA
Swedish-American astronaut Jessica Meir could be the first woman on the moon. She is already the second Swedish citizen and the first Swedish woman ever in space. A few weeks ago, Meir was selected to join NASA’s Artemis Team, a group of nine men and nine women, who will work on NASA’s first manned moon mission since 1972. Meir was born in Maine, but her mother Ulla-Britt is from Västerås, Sweden. On October 18, 2019, Meir and Christina Koch conducted the first allfemale spacewalk which lasted seven hours and 17 minutes.
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[Landskapsnyheterna] NORRBOTTEN Under det senaste årtiondet har Pajala välkomnat allt fler utländska turister som velat uppleva riktig vinter. De flesta kommer från Storbritannien och många av dem är på väg till Santa Park i finska Rovaniemi för att träffa tomten. Men kapaciteten för att ta emot dessa resenärer har varit begränsad på Pajalas lilla flygplats. Därför satsar kommunen nu på en dubblering av flygplatsens storlek i syfte att göra plats för 300 resenärer i terminalen samtidigt, jämfört med nuvarande 150. År 2020 har förstås präglats av pandemin med färre besökare, men flygplatschefen Thomas Scherman vill ta tillfället i akt och planera för en bättre framtid. – Nästa vinter kanske vi kan ha 20-25 flygmaskiner och sedan öka allt eftersom, säger Scherman till Sveriges Television. UPPLAND Uppsala universitet har fått i uppdrag av Sveriges regering att inrätta ett nytt nationellt kunskapscentrum för forskning om kärnvapennedrustning. Med forskning inom bland annat fred och konflikt, kärnfysik, artificiell intelligens (AI) och statsvetenskap är målet att bidra till en säkrare värld för hela mänskligheten. – Komplicerade frågor som den här behöver många olika perspektiv, säger Tora Holmberg, vicerektor för vetenskapsområdet för humaniora och samhällsvetenskap, vid Uppsala universitet. Centret ska uppkallas efter Uppsalabon Alva Myrdal som studerade vid Uppsala universitet och fick Nobels fredspris 1982 för sina insatser i samband med stormakternas nedrustningsförhandlingar under 1960- och 1970-talen. – Vi kommer att ta fram kunskap om vad som kan få stater att minska eller helt avstå från att anskaffa och
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LAPPLAND NORRBOTTEN
Målet för nya Alva Myrdal-centrum är att bidra till mer kunskap om kärnvapennedrustning.
använda kärnvapen. Vi vill hitta metoder för att till exempel kunna upptäcka om de som säger att de har förstört sina kärnvapen verkligen har det, säger Erik Melander, professor och prefekt vid institutionen för fredsoch konfliktforskning. BLEKINGE Under 2020 har det startats fler nya företag i Blekinge än under föregående år, trots Covid-pandemin. – Det är glädjande att nyregistreringarna ökar, eftersom Sverige behöver fler välmående företag. Samtidigt måste de bolag som redan finns få bästa möjliga förutsättningar för att fortsätta utvecklas, särskilt nu när många kämpar för sin överlevnad, säger Boo Gunnarson, företagarexpert på Visma Spcs till tidningen Sydöstran. En ny undersökning från opinionsundersökningsföretaget Sifo visar att var tredje svensk drömmer om att starta eget.
VÄSTERBOTTEN
JÄMTLAND
HÄRJEDALEN
ÅNGERMANLAND
MEDELPAD HÄLSINGLAND
DALARNA GÄSTRIKLAND VÄSTMANLAND VÄRMLAND DALSLAND BOHUSLÄN Göteborg
UPPLAND
SÖDERMANNÄRKE LAND
Stockholm
ÖSTERGÖTLAND
VÄSTERGÖTLAND
GOTLAND SMÅLAND
HALLAND
ÖLAND SKÅNE
BLEKINGE
Malmö
ursprungligen av åtta stenar, men på 1700-talet försvann hela monumentet mystiskt. Några av stenarna återfanns på 1800-talet och finns nu på Kulturen i Lund, men sten nummer sex har förblivit saknad, tills nu.
SKÅNE För några veckor sedan återfanns en viktig runsten från vikingatiden i samband med en avloppsgrävning utanför Ystad. Stenen, som varit försvunnen sedan 1700-talet, är en del av det mer än tusen år gamla Hunnestadsmonumentet. – Ett fantastiskt roligt fynd, som man inte trodde skulle inträffa. Den här stenen har varit borta så pass länge att vi trodde den var förstörd, säger Magnus Källström, runolog på Riksantikvarieämbetet. Hunnestadsmonumentet bestod
Summary in English: An airport in Norrbotten is being expanded to accommodate an everincreasing number of foreign tourists in transit to Santa Claus’ home town Rovaniemi in Finland. Uppsala University is establishing a new centre devoted to nuclear disarmament research. Despite the Covid pandemic, 2020 has seen more companies being set up in Blekinge compared to 2019. An important runestone that went missing in the 18th century has been found during excavations in Skåne. The stone formed part of a set of eight belonging to a 1000-year-old Viking monument.
[Business] News Ecology at Work in Mining and Banking Swedish Steel Production Goes Green By Peter Berlin
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train line above the Scandinavian Arctic Circle is used to convey iron ore from one of the world’s largest iron mines to the ocean for onward shipment to steel works in faraway countries. The mine is in Kiruna in Sweden, and the seaport is in Narvik on the scenic Norwegian coast. A highway runs parallel with the train track. If you stop your car and walk up to the track, you will find the rail bed covered with little iron ore pellets that have fallen off freight trains over many decades. Pelletizing
Aerial view of Narvik. Photo: Fredric Alm/LKAB
iron ore facilitates transport, and the pellets are used as raw material for blast furnaces. They typically contain around 70 percent of pure iron, to which various materials have been added in order to adjust their chemical composition and metallurgic properties. The pellets are fabricated at various plants of the Swedish state-owned
Swedish banks and government at odds
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s COVID-19 is overwhelming countries in North America and Europe, consumers are discovering that their cash is often shunned by merchants in favour of credit or debit cards. Well, now we are all getting a foretaste of what shopping in Sweden has been like for some time. Swedish banks have been successful in their effort to wean their customers away from the habit of using “dirty” cash for everyday purchases. Instead, people have been encouraged to use credit or debit cards for payments, as well as smartphone apps to both send and receive funds. Few banks offer cash withdrawals over the counter, and cash machines are becoming scarce. Banks incur a significant overhead cost when handling cash, and even more so when processing cheques. To save money and increase profits, they have turned Sweden into the
world’s ultimate cashless society. However, the government has been unhappy about this development. They consider that deciding monetary policy should be the prerogative of Riksbanken (the Central Bank of Sweden) rather than commercial banks. Now it looks as if Riksbanken will take revenge on high street banks by introducing the so-called e-krona – a virtual, electronic version of the real thing – thereby depriving the banks of their source of funds in the form of customer deposits. This is so because the holder of an e-krona will have
mining company LKAB which, for 130 years, has been extracting iron ore from mines in Kiruna and its surroundings. It is a “dirty” business, with LKAB currently contributing four percent of all industrial greenhouse emissions in Sweden. However, this is about to change. A massive investment in sustainable mining processes amounting to 400 billion Swedish kronor ($47 billion) will achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2045. The initiative involves using green energy, such as hydrogen, to produce processed iron ore known as “sponge iron”. Like iron ore pellets, sponge iron is not useful by itself, but can be processed to create wrought iron or steel. Sponge iron will replace pellets, greatly reducing emissions during the steel-making process.
a direct claim on the Central Bank, effectively bypassing commercial banks. Central banks don’t go bankrupt even during the worst of financial crises. Compared to commercial banks, Riksbanken would be a safer haven for savings, and the interest rates would be more favourable for both savings and loans. A decision is expected by November 2022 on whether to pursue the e-krona project.
Composite picture of Swedish banknotes and coins. Photo: Sveriges Riksbank
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Company File
Åre, The Alpine Heart of Scandinavia By Peter Berlin
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s one might expect, Sweden has many world-class ski resorts, most of them located along the slopes of the Fennoscandia mountain range bordering on Norway – Sälen, Vemdalen, Branäs, Riksgränsen, Kläppen, Funäsfjällen, Idre Fjäll, and Åre, to name a few. So what will skiing be like during the current 2020/2021 winter season, considering the social constraints imposed in Sweden and elsewhere by COVID-19? Will ski resorts even welcome visitors? Both the resorts and public health officials believe skiers can safely hit the Swedish slopes this winter even as the number of new daily Covid-19 cases remains high. Resorts have spent the past months adjusting their operations to be in line with health guidelines. The general consensus is that the risk of infection would lie in how skiers like to gather in bars, restaurants and shops, not in the sport itself.
Photo: Anette Andersson/Åre Destination
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The best known ski resort is probably Åre, considered to be Northern Europe’s largest and most diverse alpine sports venue for all skill levels, especially advanced skiers. There are 103 runs, 40 lifts, a gondola lift, children’s slopes, night skiing, snowmobile safaris, dog sleigh tours, ice climbing, and the opportunity to stay in igloos. The resort also offers top class cuisine, including take-away introduced because of the coronavirus. There are several local beer breweries, many activities related to ski touring and very nice areas for cross-country skiing. Despite COVID-19, the Åre resort is definitely open for business. The village of Åre and the local companies that make up the resort are closely following the developments and guidelines from authorities concerning the coronavirus. Ski lifts, restaurants, shops and places to visit are taking the necessary precautions to ensure that guests, residents and employees stay safe. This extends to how helmets are cleaned at ski rentals, and how an injured skier would be taken care of by emergency personnel.
The resort’s website www. aresweden.com/en lists specific examples of measures being taken throughout Åre to mitigate the risk of someone falling ill with the virus. However, all these measures do not obviate the need for visitors to take personal responsibility, as recommended by the Swedish Public Health Agency. There will be no nightclub or après-ski activities this winter, but bars and restaurants will be open, and food and beverages will be served to seated guests according to the restrictions that apply – so there can still be a relaxing end to one’s day on the slopes. It is worth noting that Åre is not just a ski resort but offers yearround attractions, including impressive waterfalls and local handicrafts. Interestingly, the permanent population of Åre has experienced significant growth in recent years – mostly because of people seeking an escape from urban life without necessarily being involved in the tourism sector. Business activity is intense by national standards; success is based on a high degree of mutual dependence and has led to the formation of a close-knit and welcoming community.
H E RI TAG E
An Insider’s Look at Swedish Culture Var min resa till Åre den mest förbjudna resan jag någonsin har gjort? Av Yvonne “Svea” Gossner
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a, så kändes det i alla fall när jag och min familj satte oss på nattåget från ett regnigt Skåne till ett snörikt Jämtland, trots att det inte var reseförbud inom Sverige på grund av COVID-19. Vi hade inte vågat berätta för nära och kära att vi skulle åka till Åre, för vi visste nämligen att kritikernas röster skulle bli starka. Väl på plats i nattkupén, som var fylld med våra längdskidor, vinterkläder och förväntningar, kändes det ändå rätt att resa eftersom vi nästan hela december isolerat oss. Att ta natttåget kändes tryggt, då vi inte behövde ha kontakt med en enda människa förrän vi kom fram till Åre. Väl framme fick vi uppleva soluppgången mot den gnistrande snön med de vackra trähusen, byggda med sann snickarglädje, i bakgrunden. Vi hade Corona-anpassat vår resa väl genom att fokusera på längdskidåkning eftersom hela familjen är anmäld till årets Vasalopp. Min man och jag var dessutom väldigt nöjda med beslutet att inte köpa
liftkort gällande flera dagar utan endast för en dag, då vår begränsade budget passar längdskidåkning mycket bättre än utförsåkning. När vi skulle bege oss upp i bergen för utförsåkning så bestämde vi oss för att ta första tiden med bergbanan på Nyårsdagen då de flesta andra turister låg och sov och fyrverkeriernas rester låg utspridda i snön. Det visade sig vara rätt strategi, emedan vi var ensamma på berget och inga köer alls. Den tomma värmestugan välkomnade oss varmt och livet kändes helt plötsligt som tiden före Corona. En aktivitet som svenskarna glatt har visat upp på alla sociala medier och som blivit omåttligt populär under Corona är att vinterbada, och då helst utan bastu varken före eller efter doppet. Nere i Skåne är det alltid ont om isvakar, men väl i Åre hade vi utsikt mot Åresjön och där fanns en isvak. På min födelsedag denna kalla januarimorgon bestämde jag mig för att göra mitt livs första isvaksbad. Sagt och gjort: efter ett par minuter stående i minus 10 grader vid isvaken med förfärlig tvekan, så tänkte jag att det var i alla fall inte lika många minusgrader i vattnet som i luften,
och därmed borde det kännas “varmare” nere i vaken. Det var med enorm stolthet jag lyckades rulla mig ner i vattnet, varefter min make fick dra mig upp från vaken. Det hela blev förevigat på sociala medier och min 44:e födelsedag lär aldrig bli glömd. Var min resa till Åre så förbjuden som den tillsynes verkar? Med facit i hand träffade vi färre personer i Jämtland än vad vi skulle umgåtts med under samma tid i Skåne. Allt i livet handlar om att göra smarta val, oavsett om det är att åka längdskidor eller att bada isvak!
Summary in English: Yvonne “Svea” Gossner was filled with trepidation before undertaking the journey by night train with her family from Skåne to the Åre ski resort in Jämtland. Would her friends and relatives criticize her afterwards for travelling during the Corona pandemic, even though journeys within Sweden were still formally permitted? She decided to go ahead while observing social distancing both on the train and at the resort. The family spent a splendid week in picturesque Åre, enjoying good cross-country skiing and even venturing out on a lake for a breath-taking dip through a hole in the ice. Footnote: Yvonne “Svea” Gossner är en f.d universitetsadjunkt och Swedish influencer, numera ägare av Learn Swedish Culture AB. www.learnswedishculture.com
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Swedish Press | February 2021 11
Tour Skating:
Winter exploration of coastlines, archipelagos, lakes, canals and more
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head of me stretches a wide expanse of endless smooth black ice. Helped by a light wind from behind, I am gliding along swiftly, passing islands and inlets. The sky is clear and the late winter sun warms my face. Today I am the leader, and following behind me is a line of skating buddies, each one synchronizing his or her movements with the one ahead. We minimize our effort by working together creating a harmonious rocking movement of the whole group as we push along in step. The ice sings, and the tone tells us about the condition. I stamp my foot like a rabbit now and then to hear the tone better. A high pitch is a warning about thin ice. I also use my sharppointed skating poles to probe the ice. I am describing a perfect moment, but it is not always like this. Tour skating is very much dependent on ice and weather conditions. On a perfect day it is magic! Historians tell us that humans have been skating for thousands of years – according to some perhaps as far back as 20,000 years ago. There is a lot of evidence that people skated on ice about 4,000 years ago. Most of us have seen pictures by Dutch painters showing people skating in Holland in the 17th century. Today, långfärdsskridskoåkning (long distance or “tour” skating) on
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Swedish Press | February 2021 12
By Leif Lundquist
On Kyrkfjärden, 14 km from Stockholms center as the crow flies. Photo: Jurgen König, DLS
natural ice is very popular in the Nordic countries. In Sweden it is practiced all over the country, but Stockholm is the nexus of the tour skating movement due to its location on the Baltic Sea. There is an abundance of lakes and also the coastal Baltic archipelago with around 25,000 islands. The local weather conditions
and the size of the population are ideal. The largest and most influential club, Stockholms SkridskoSeglarKlubb (SSSK), has over 10,000 members and more than 200 leaders. It also has the longest name in English, “The Stockholm Ice Skate Sailing and Touring Club.” In addition, there are over 100 more clubs around the country, mostly with memberships in the hundreds but some reaching a thousand or more members. Ice conditions change fast. After a cold spell you may be able to find a lake or a bay with a large area of hard and smooth ice, but by the following night it may have snowed heavily, and that stretch of frozen water is no longer useful as a skating destination. To plan tours you need access to the latest ice information, and the majority of tour skating clubs have joined forces to exchange information on the web under the name “Skridskonätet” (https://skridsko.net/). During the winter season, reports on ice conditions and tours are constantly being filed at this site for others to use in their planning. This is also a place to see great pictures from past tours, and it is not unusual to find reports from other countries. These include some very exotic destinations, such as the Baikal Lake in Siberia or even the Antarctic. “Don’t you die if you go through the ice?” That is the first question
asked by novices. “Yes you could, but not if you’re prepared for the eventuality” is the answer. Ice conditions change and there may be weak spots here and there due to undercurrents, wind and several other causes. If you follow a few simple rules, tour skating is as safe as any other sport. Sällskap (company), Kunskap (knowledge), and Redskap (equipment) is the mantra, and all skating clubs organize safety courses with practicing sessions. Don’t ever skate alone. Go to the introduction courses, learn the rules, and bring the proper safety gear. A backpack with a change of clothes in a watertight bag helps you stay afloat in the water if you do go through. A safety line can be thrown to help you out, and ice claws allow you to get a better grip on slippery ice. There is more, but knowledge and practice take a lot of the drama out of a simple dip in the water. Going through thin ice is a serious event, but statistically you will be out of the water in less than a minute. By the way, on a leader-led tour it is the leader that goes through, so stay back a bit, be ready to throw your line and help him or her to get out. While we are on the topic of hazards, the greatest danger is a fall. If you wonder why tour skaters
Ice skating around Stockholm City Hall. Photo: Jann Lipka/imagebank.sweden.se
wear knee and elbow pads as well as helmets, remember that ice is very hard, and heads and joints are very difficult to repair. Poles are a great help for balance and also for testing the ice thickness. Why do we go through all of this just to skate? Well, the feeling of almost flying over ice that is smooth as glass, gliding along shores, exploring little inlets and going around islands is fantastic. The same is true for going along an edge of the ice with open water a few meters away (the lapping water makes the ice thicker at the edge). After a few hours of skating, the group rests in the sun on the shore. We open our backpacks and have lunch. Not a bad way to spend a winter day. In addition to coastlines, there are lakes and canals suitable for skating, some of them in cities. Lake Mälaren in Stockholm often freezes over, and then you will see several groups out skating near the City Hall and around the city islands. Some years you can
step off the ice at the Old Town and take the subway home. When the Göta Kanal freezes, skaters make pilgrimage tours along the parts that have not been drained for the winter. In North America, Tour Skating is often called Nordic or Wild Skating. There are pockets of enthusiasts but no organized clubs as far as I know. The conditions are quite good in many places, and Lake Champlain in Vermont/New York stands out. On the site http://lakeice.squarespace.com/ there is a comprehensive description of ice activities with an emphasis on skating. There is also Nordic Skating on lakes in New England, New York State, Alaska and Montana, to name a few. In Canada, ice hockey rules, but there are Nordic Skating enthusiasts to be found – see for instance http:// www.dermott.ca/ski/skating.html. Many municipalities plow skating courses; the most famous is the Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa, with warm refreshments being on offer along the 7.8 km track. Not very wild, but very civilized. Footnote: Leif Lundquist has been skating for over 30 years. He is a founding member of Danderyds LångfärdSkrinnare (DLS) near Stockholm and was a tour leader for many years. Ice skating in the city of Stockholm. Photo: Helena Wahlman/imagebank. sweden.se
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Swedish Press | February 2021 13
E X K L U S I V
I N T E R V J U
När skidorna och föret måste samsas
Team Ramudden – Lina Korsgren. Foto: Magnus Östh, Visma Ski Classics
Lina Korsgren är professionell elitskidåkare med inriktning på långlopp. Åren 2018 och 2020 uppfyllde hon ett av sina stora mål när hon vann det 90 km långa Vasaloppet där cirka 14 000 tävlande deltog. Dessförinnan, år 2016, kom hon först i det ännu mer krävande, 200 km långa Nordenskiöldsloppet i Jokkmokk, dit 330 tävlande från 17 länder infunnit sig. Lina Korsgren har uppnått Vasaloppets bästa damplacering genom tiderna. Utöver skidåkning trivs Lina bäst med matlagning och inredning.
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Swedish Press | February 2021 14
M E D
L I N A
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ina är född i Falun i en liten förort som heter Hosjö. Det pågick mycket idrott i närheten – skidklubbar och orienteringsklubbar bara några hundra meter från där hon bodde. – Både min syster och min mamma och pappa deltog aktivt och tjänstgjorde som förebild när jag var ganska liten – kanske 5 eller 6 år, berättar Lina. Då blev det både skidor och orientering, fast orienteringen var en väldigt kortvarig period i mitt liv. Men skidorna fortsatte jag med. Sedan blev det även gymnastik på ganska hög nivå, så jag alternerade mellan gymnastiken och skidåkningen. Jag började på skidgymnasium när jag var 16 år i Torsby i Värmland. Lina är nu 32 år gammal. – När jag var 20 hade jag inget mål eller någon dröm om att vinna Vasaloppet. Sedan började jag gå in mer och mer på långloppsåkningen. Då insåg jag hur stort det skulle vara att göra bra ifrån mig under Vasaloppet, och jag har alltid sett upp till dem som segrat. Fast det där har ju kommit de senaste åren. Efter första vasaloppssegern fick jag en bekräftelse på att ha gjort något stort. Lina ligger på 57:e plats totalt i Vasaloppets historia – den bästa damplaceringen någonsin. Hon förklarar: – Det är ju en stor bekräftelse på att damlångloppet har tagit enorma steg
Lina kom först i Nordenskiödsloppet i Jokkmokk 2016. Foto: Red Bull Nordenskiödsloppet
K O R S G R E N
de senaste åren, och jag har fått vara med på att utveckla den här styrkan som tjejerna har. Det var ju inte så länge sedan som damer inte ens fick delta i Vasaloppet. Jag tror att nästa kvinna återfinns på 72:a plats. Lina berättare vidare om hur hon upplevde stressen – både fysiskt och mentalt – under Vasaloppet 2018 till 2020, och även under Nordenskiöldsloppet 2016. – Man har fått lära sig att åka långlopp är som en berg- och dalbana. Iblad går det uppför och ibland går det utför. Jag har lärt mig att man måste fokusera sig mentalt på att övervinna sin trötthet under korta perioder och bevara sin energi. Men jag känner mig numera väldigt trygg. Efter att ha deltagit i Vasaloppet sex gånger så har jag skaffat mig den nödvändiga erfarenheten och känner väl till förberedelserna. Visserligen upplever man mycket nervositet på tävlingsmorgonen, för alla vill ju lyckas just den dagen. Jag vill inte påstå att jag är lugn inför tävlingen, men tack vare min erfarenhet så har jag ett självförtroende och en trygghet i vetskapen om att jag har varit med och lyckats förut. Vad man hoppas när man står där på startlinjen är att man har bra skidor och att föret är bra. Kvalitén på snön från ett Vasalopp till nästa gör en stor skillnad på tävlingsresultaten. Därför kan man aldrig jämföra tiderna i mål från år till år, för det beror helt på parametrar som dagstemperatur och luftfuktighet. Vasaloppet i mars 2021 kommer att se annorlunda ut på grund av coronaviruset, inte minst vad gäller antalet deltagare och publikens storlek, liksom de normalt åtföljande festligheterna. Lina har för avsikt att deltaga, och så här ser hon på utsikterna. – Man kommer att köra Vasaloppet för elitåkare – cirka femtio
E X K L U S I V
I N T E R V J U
damer och kanske tvåhundra herrar, till skillnad från de tusentals deltagare som vanligtvis infinner sig. Det kommer att bli ett annorlunda Vasalopp. Vi damer kommer undantagsvis att få starta 20 minuter före herrarna. Ofta gör man så på andra tävlingar, men inte Vasaloppet. Det kommer att kännas lite tomt, för det kommer inte att finnas lika mycket publik och funktionärer. Vi frågar Lina hur hon tror att klimatändringarna kommer att påverka skidåkning i framtiden. – Tyvärr kommer det att påverka längdåkningssporten. Vi ser ju framför allt här i Sverige att föret blir sämre och sämre. Men man har kommit väldigt långt med tekniken att spara snö från föregående vinter. Man lägger snön i en väldig hög och sprider sågspån på ytan för att snön inte ska smälta under sommaren. På det viset kan man öppna skidanläggningar mycket tidigare än förr genom att pytsa ut sparad snö med grävskopa redan i oktober. Jag hoppas i alla fall att villkoren inte ändras alltför mycket så länge jag håller på med det här, men jag tror absolut att det kommer att ske en förändring på lång sikt.
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L I N A
Lina Korsgren vinnare av Vasaloppet 2020 här med kransmasen Daniel Duhlbo. Foto: Henrik Hansson/Vasaloppet
Sverige är ett litet land. Man kan fråga sig vad är det hos den svenska kulturen och mentaliteten som har gjort att Sverige har uppnått sina internationella framgångar inom sport. Så här svarar Lina: – Just längdåkningen tror jag är djupt rotad i Sveriges historia. Vi var ju duktiga i vintersport väldigt tidigt. Det blev till en folkrörelse, och just skidåkning har blivit en folksport genom generationerna, även om det finns relativt få elitutövare. Skidåkning var förr främst ett fortskaffningsmedel, varvid exempelvis barnen på landet åkte till skolan på skidor. Att åka skidor ligger i vårt DNA. Avslutningsvis berättar Lina om sina planer inför framtiden.
K O R S G R E N
– Förhoppningsvis kan jag köra Vasaloppet ytterligare en vinter eller två. Jag är inbokad på den här säsongen, och likaså nästa säsong. Sedan får vi se om jag har kvar motivationen. Jag omger mig med ett eget team på fem skidåkare. Den dagen då jag lägger av, kan jag kanske arbeta som coach åt ungdomar som är tio år yngre och verkligen har framtiden framför sig. Ännu så länge älskar jag min roll som idrottare. Sedan kommer jag nog att ägna mig mer åt matlagning – en favoritsysselsättning som det kanske går att göra något av yrkesmässigt. Såsom egen företagare inom idrotten, skulle jag vilja fortsätta inom ramen av ett eget företag. Intervjuad av Peter Berlin Summary in English: Swedish skiing athlete Lina Korsgren has won the world-renowned 90 km Vasaloppet twice, and the gruelling 200 km Nordenskiöldsloppet once. In this interview she talks about her upbringing, what kindled her interest in competitive skiing, and the physical as well as mental stress associated with competing. She reflects on the near-term and long-term detrimental effects that COVID-19 and climate change will have on skiing. She nevertheless hopes to compete for another couple of seasons before contemplating retirement.
Foto: Red Bull Nordenskiödsloppet
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Swedish Press | February 2021 15
[
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Putting Sweden on the Map At Home
“Climate change is something...
Global
Pernilla Wiberg – Famous Olympic gold medalist in alpine skiing
Photos courtesy of Pernilla Wiberg
Meet Pernilla Wiberg, the famous Swedish former alpine ski racer and present businesswoman. She competed on the World Cup circuit between 1990 and 2002, where she became one of the few allevent winners. Having won two Olympic gold medals, four World Championships and one World Cup overall title, she is one of the most successful alpine ski racers of the 1990s. Please tell us where you were born and about your upbringing. I was born in Norrköping in October 1970, and I am the middle child. I have one older sister and one younger brother. Our parents were teachers in middle and high school, which meant we were all together
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Swedish Press | February 2021 16
during school holidays. In winter time we went skiing, and in the summer we went sailing. Sport was a big part of my upbringing, as my father was a very good 100 metres runner and tennis player. My mother was the school champion in athletics. When my sister beat me running 60 metres – I was 7 and she was 9 – I decided that I was going to be the best in the world in some sport in the future, so that not even my sister could beat me! If interested, read about my ancestry tree here: http://blogg.slaktingar.se/dubblaos-segraren-pernilla-wibergsforfader/ Of all winter sports, what made you particularly passionate about skiing? Alpine skiing has been part of my life from the age of 4. Living in Norrköping, which is in the south where there are no mountains whatsoever, it is a choice which may seem surprising. However, when I grew up in Norrköping we always had good winters, and the little garbage hill, Yxbacken, offered good training possibilities. Being 400 metres long with a vertical drop of 115 metres, it was challenging enough – or at least until I turned 16. Then I moved up north to attend the Ski Academy in Malung, Dalarna. Sweden had two great sport stars when I grew up. One was tennis player Björn Borg and the other one was skier Ingemar Stenmark. Of
course, Ingemar played a big part in my desire to embark on alpine skiing. Later in life, his legacy made me widen my skiing skills to include downhill and super-G, not only slalom and giant slalom. I wanted to achieve something he never did: winning a world cup race in the speed disciplines and particularly downhill, which I later did and became the first Swede to do so. Please describe the moments in your career that still give you the greatest satisfaction and pride. My two Olympic Gold medals, Albertville 1992 and Lillehammer 1994, will always have a special place in my memory, but it is actually an Olympic silver medal which I appreciate the most. That is because I won it in the Formula 1 discipline, downhill, in Nagano 1998. In the course of your skiing career, you have suffered some serious injuries. Have you recovered completely? Elite sports in general, and alpine skiing particularly, is not something you do to stay “healthy”. Most elite sports people have suffered injuries during a long career. I have had more than 12 knee surgeries, and I do believe I have to have a final one soon – a total knee replacement!
Swedes
What were the circumstances that dictated the timing of your retirement from competitive skiing? When doing the Olympic Games in Nagano, 1998, I decided that I would continue another four years and stop after the Olympic Games 2002 in Salt Lake City. I would then be 31 years old, by which time I would wish to start a family and do things other than travelling around the world and living out of a suitcase. You and your family now share your time between your home in Monte Carlo and your summer house in Sweden. Does your present lifestyle still offer opportunities for recreational skiing? All four of us in our family love winter sport and particularly alpine skiing. When I stopped my skiing career in 2002, I immediately jumped into another career. In December 2003 “my” hotel in Idre Fjäll was inaugurated. It is called Pernilla Wiberg Hotel (www.idrefjall.se www.pernillawiberghotel.se). As a matter of fact, we have just been there celebrating New Year, as we do every year. It is a small, very cosy, hotel with 44 double rooms. In the lobby I keep all my nicest prizes from my career.
... I am very concerned about.” How do you think climate change will affect alpine skiing? Climate change is something I, particularly as an alpine skier, am very concerned about. The temperature is getting warmer, and my hometown ski slope is suffering. They have not opened up the slope yet because there is no natural snow, and the temperature is too warm to make artificial snow. The last 10 years have been particularly challenging. Please tell us how you met your Norwegian husband and where your children feel most at home. I met my Norwegian husband in the basement of one of the ski lodges in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada. I think it was in November 1995. We then became a couple as from the summer 1996. He was the physical coach of the Norwegian women’s national team. Sweden and Norway always worked together at that time, especially when having downhill and super-G competitions. He moved to Monaco in 1998. Our first child, Axel, was born in 2003, and in 2007 Sofia joined the family. In 2009 we were married in the church in Idre. Our children always say that they have three homes – Monaco, Stockholm and the hotel in Idre Fjäll! Tell us about your business engagements. Since I stopped my skiing career I have worked as an alpine expert commentator for the Swedish
Television, SVT (https://www. svt.se/sport/alpint/wiberg-langesedan-jag-sag-en-svenska-akasahar-bra). I love that job because it keeps me close to the sport that has given me so much. Now it is my turn to give back to all the Swedish viewers. Maybe I can even convince some new viewers that this sport is the best. My work with the ski station Idre Fjäll started already in 2000. When the hotel was inaugurated in December 2003 no one was prouder than I. After spending more than 200 days a year travelling for so many years, it was an honour to be able to use this experience to build the hotel. Many of our guests notice the difference with other ski lodges and hotels. What plans do you have for the future? Continue working in television and developing the ski station Idre Fjäll. Support our children so that they will be able to follow their dreams, in the same way that my parents supported me. Interviewed by Peter Berlin
Pernilla Wiberg winning the World Champion in Slalom and Alpine Combined 1996. Photo Courtesy: Pernilla Wiberg
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Swedish Press | February 2021 17
[Lifestyle]
Top Sju
6.18 Last year, SwedishAmerican athlete Armand Duplantis broke the world record for pole vault by propelling himself into the air to an astonishing 6.18 meter height. Now a metal monument of the same height has been built for him beside the world’s largest Dala Horse, located in Skogsbo, Dalarna, near where Duplantis’ mother grew up. The metal monument features his name and caused Duplantis to break down in tears when he first saw it.
Semlan’s Day is on February 16 in 2021. Photo: Phafan Wangthaphan/123rf
whose animals often fall prey to wolves, and those wishing to protect the wolf in Swedish forests. On Wolves’ Day, Swedes who support enhanced protection and preservation of current wolf populations are encouraged to light a candle.
40,000,000 4 In Sweden, the fourth of February is National Wolves’ Day, or Vargens Dag, an initiative started by animal protection groups working to preserve wolves in Sweden. The wolf is Sweden’s most controversial animal due to the heated debate it sparks between Sami people (as well as other hunters and farmers)
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Swedish Press | February 2021 18
Every year, Swedes consume 40 million semlor, 6 million of which are consumed on the national Semlan’s Day, celebrated on the first Tuesday after Lent. Semlor, which is plural for semla, are delightful Swedish treats that consist of a cream bun, with a filling similar to marzipan, whipped cream, and dusted powdered sugar. This tradition dates back to the 18th century when the buns were eaten at a last celebratory feast before the Christian fasting period of Lent. But be careful – semlor are dangerously
tasty. In 1771, Swedish King Adolf Frederick died after finishing off a large meal with 14 servings of semlor.
6 Since 1992, the sixth of February is Sami National Day, inspired by the first Sami congress on the sixth of February in 1917. On this day, Sami art, music, and other cultural achievements are celebrated. The Sami people are an indigenous group that inhabit the northern parts of Sweden as well as parts of Finland, Russia, and Norway. The Sami language is one of Sweden’s five officially recognized minority languages.
1,000,000 Sweden is not known for being home to many influencers. However, young Swedish influencers like Therése Lindgren are
changing that. Lindgren recently reached one million followers on Instagram and her fanbase is growing by the day. She has founded a company called Indy Beauty Sweden, and she manages a popular Swedish Youtube channel. Lindgren is known for her body positivity and interest in fashion, as well as drawing attention to animal rights and mental illness.
286 million Spotify has 286 million active monthly listeners and is worth billions of dollars. However, the music platform had humble beginnings as a small start-up in Stockholm in 2006. It was founded by Daniel Ek as a response to the growing piracy problem in the music industry.
1,078,354 P3 Dokumentär is the most popular podcast in all of Sweden with over a million listeners. The podcast, started by Kristofer Hansson and Fredrik Johnsson, discusses different historical events that have shaped contemporary Swedish society and culture. Check out the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or the Sveriges Radio app.
[Lifestyle] Books Åsa tar vikingar till USA
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Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings
Av Lars Sönnergren ikingarna tar sig fortfarande till Nordamerika – nu via svenskan Asa Maria Bradleys romaner. Asa är född i Malmö i Sverige 1971. Hon växte upp i Genarp och hette då Åsa Maria Larsson. Som 17-åring kom hon till en skola i Texas. Blev senare kvar i Amerika. Studerade ytterligare. Blev verksam inom IT. Träffade så småningom engelsmannen dataingenjören Mike.
Nu bor paret i skogen norr om Spokane i delstaten Washington. Inne i stan undervisar Asa i fysik i en skola. Hemma sitter hon och skriver framgångsrikt vikingaböcker. Det har blivit tre hittills. Visserligen känner Asa att hon har nytta av sin uppväxt i historierika Skåne med dess vikingaminnen, men hon har flyttat sina vikingar till modern tid. Gudarna Freja och Oden sänder vikingar och valkyrior från Valhalla till vår tid. De har fått kunskap om att den onde Loke i vår nutid skapar monster – hybrider av människor och järvar. Nu måste vikingagudarna och vikingakrigarna ingripa. Freja och Oden stannar i Asgård och över-
By Neil Price, published by Basic Books, New York 2020. ISBN 978-0-465-09698-5.
‘The Norwegians Landing in Iceland in 872’ by Oscar A. Wergeland. Credits: National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
vakar striden. Vår nutid måste räddas från Ragnarök, dvs undergång. – Det är mycket action i Asas böcker, skriver en amerikansk recensent. De tre böcker hon hittills gett ut heter Viking Warrior Rising, Viking Warrior Rebel och Loki Ascending. Den genre hon valt heter Paranormal Romance. På svenska blir det kanske “övernaturlig romantik”; någon officiell översättning finns ännu inte. – Naturen kring Spokane påminner om Sverige med mycket skogar och sjöar, säger Asa. Amerikanska journalister anser att naturen i hennes böcker påminner om landskapet kring Spokane. Asa Maria Bradley har vunnit priser i Holt Medallion och Booksellers’ Best Award. Hon har varit finalist i Romance Writers of Americas RITA-pris. Det är ett pris som har beskrivits som romantikförfattarnas Oscar.
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he Viking Age – from 750 to 1050 – saw an unprecedented expansion of the Scandinavian peoples into the wider world. As traders and raiders, explorers and colonists, they ranged from eastern North America to the Asian steppe. For centuries, the Vikings have been seen through the eyes of others, distorted to suit the tastes of medieval clerics and Elizabethan playwrights, Victorian imperialists, Nazis, and more. None of these appropriations capture the real Vikings, or the richness and sophistication of their culture. In this 600-page tome, Neil Price has produced a comprehensive and highly readable history of the Vikings. The author is distinguished professor and chair of archaeology at Uppsala University in Sweden. He has been researching, teaching and writing on the Vikings for nearly thirty-five years and is the author of several books on the subject.
Summary in English: Author Asa Maria Bradley was born in Sweden, went to school in Texas as a 17-year-old, and then moved to America for good. So far, she has had three novels published, in which the Norse gods Freja and Odin transplant Viking warriors to modern times in order to fight Loki – another Norse god with evil designs on modern society. The novels fall into the category Paranormal Romance and have won several literary prizes.
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Swedish Press | February 2021 19
H E RITAG E
‘Bondepraktikan was Used as a Rule Book ...’ Swedish from the Olden Days By Maria Elffors McCann
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y grandmother often told me that language was the most important thing I possessed. If I could express myself and use the language in a variety of ways, I would be alright. I often think back to what she said. Now that the Swedish language is influenced by other languages and cultures, I often reflect on how many of the expressions we use today relate back to the olden days. Not the days when I was a child (which for my own children seems like a lifetime ago) but the time when Bondepraktikan was used. Bondepraktikan (“Old Farmer’s Almanac” in English) was used as a rule book and guideline for farmers, telling them when to plant the seeds and harvest their crop. The book was a connection between the weather, the seasons and the farmers’ work, based on superstition and folklore. The first Swedish edition of the Bondepraktikan was published in 1662, and an additional part was added in 1773. Bondepraktikan was one of the books that the emigrants brought with them when when they left for America.
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Swedish Press | February 2021 20
Today it is an important part of the Swedish heritage both in Sweden and for Swedes abroad. I have a clear memory of Swedish lessons in school when we were learning Swedish proverbs as a tool to debate, comment and explain a specific occurrence. The proverbs were often taken from Bondepraktikan. The use of these expressions was, and is, a way to extend and vary the Swedish language. Kvällsrodnad vacker natt, morgonrodnad slask i hatt, or Aftonrodnad bådar fager natt, men morgon rött, kvällsblött are proverbs with the English equivalent Red sky at night, shepherds’ delight; red sky in the morning, shepherds’ warning. As in English, the Swedish version refers to weather conditions. The proverbs from Bondepraktikan often predicted the harvest for the coming months and year from the weather on a specific day. Each day in the modern Swedish calendar has a man’s or a woman’s name attached to it – the so-called namnsdag. For example, the name
attached to November 30 is Anders. Anders braskar och julen slaskar – if it is so cold and snowy on November 30 that you can hear the snow crackle under your feet, it will rain at Christmas and vice versa. The calendar week of July 18 – 24 is filled with female names, each connected to weather predictions. The saying is that this is a very rainy week and if it rains on the 20th of July, the worms will destroy the harvest. So, do I myself use expressions such as Anders braskar och julen slaskar, and do I associate a month in July with rain? Well, actually I do, and the funny thing is that these expressions are instilled in me from my school days and used in the exact same way as in the olden days. However, my own children just look at me and wonder what I mean. Is my generation the last to have learnt proverbs, expressions and statements that can be traced back 300 years? If so, it is a great responsibility to carry this part of the cultural and linguistic heritage on to future generations.
A Farm – Paintings from a Bygone Age by Carl Larsson. The paintings in this book depict the farm of Spadarvet in Sundborn, in the west of Sweden, which Carl Larsson bought in 1897.
Footnote: Maria Elffors McCann is the founder of the Online Language School Marilingo which offers Swedish and English lessons. www.marilingo.com
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Road to 2045
Road to 2045 With the United States Back in the Fold, 2021 will be a Pivotal Year for the Climate By Jakob Lagercrantz
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e are at the moment focusing on a very visible and hard-hitting pandemic, hoping for a light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime, the climate crisis is ongoing, albeit less visible to most. The consequences will be painful and costly. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates in a report that climate change will claim 250,000 lives annually from 2030. Luckily, the interests of governments and enterprises in curtailing climate change are starting to grow. When the United Nations global climate meeting COP 21 in Paris in 2015 arrived at the far-reaching Paris Agreement, many were surprised. The Paris Agreement is an international treaty on climate change signed by 196 countries, including China, the US and Russia. The US decided to leave the agreement under President Trump, but the new administration has announced that it will rejoin as soon as possible. President Biden has not only launched a $2 billion Green Deal that will accelerate sustainable development in the US, but he has also invited global leaders to a climate summit during the first 100 days of his administration. This is indeed a 180-degree turnaround. What is needed now is to have a united front among the major countries in the world fighting global warming. In December 2020, the EU adopted a binding climate law aiming at a 55 percent reduction of carbon dioxide by 2030 compared to 1990
levels. This is a more ambitious undertaking than the former target and will demand that most climate or energy related legislation is rewritten in the coming six months. Few think the EU will be able to move so rapidly, but it is probably the fastest climate turnaround in EU history. On the corporate side, the same is happening. From apparently empty “green” promises in the early 2000’s, we see more and more companies adopting specific and even ambitious goals. Microsoft is a great example. Just one year ago they announced that they will be climate neutral by 2030, and by 2050 will have made up for all the company’s carbon emissions since it was founded in 1975. When business is taking the climate challenge seriously, we will see more products on the market with less impact on the environment, and we won’t even notice the difference. Many of us still remember going by car to video stores to rent a video, and sometimes even a portable video player. Today we stream music and films with much less climate impact. Digital meetings have become the new norm; they are often more efficient,
less time consuming, and with only a small portion of the climate impact of travelling to and from meetings. That said – we do need to meet from time to time, so the post-pandemic meeting culture in the future will be a mixture of virtual and on-site conferences. Next car you buy could very well be an electric vehicle – a better car than what we used to have, with very low climate impact (depending on how the electricity is produced). Currently more than 30 per cent of all new cars in Sweden are electric, and California has become a global cluster for electric vehicle development. Tesla, a company founded only 20 years ago, is worth more than Toyota, Disney or Coke, and the company’s founder, Elon Musk, has become the worlds’ richest person. These examples show the strength of corporate green ambitions. As consumers we have to make sure that we support companies with strong sustainability platforms and turn our backs on those companies that trail behind. The Swedish 2030-secretariat was formed to support the decarbonization of the transport sector in Sweden. The secretariat is independent from political parties and technical solutions.
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Swedish Press | February 2021 21
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Road to 2045
Road to 2045
Svenska Skidförbundet har talan Av Peter Berlin
Skidåkare reser mycket, ofta till glaciärer och skidorter. På sina resor märker de att små väder- och temperaturskillnader får stor effekt på de miljöer de rör sig i. Snön är vår livsnerv och en förutsättning för att vi ska kunna utöva de idrotter vi älskar. Svenska Skidförbundet företräder dessa idrotter och har till uppgift att leda för att följa den svenska idrottsrörelsens verksamhetsidé.
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e senaste åren har världen börjat se effekterna av vårt överutnyttjande av naturresurser och ekosystem. Vi står alla inför samma utmaning: vi måste minska användningen av jordens resurser, framförallt fossila bränslen. Världens länder har förbundit sig till 17 globala mål. De balanserar perspektiven ekonomi, socialt och miljö för att vi tillsammans ska kunna uppnå en mer hållbar värld: lösa klimatkrisen, avskaffa fattigdom och minska ojämlikheter. Riktningen vi ska gå är tydlig. Nu måste vi ta stegen.
Estelle Alphand Foto Klas Rockber
Inom Svenska Skidförbundet har vi bestämt oss att börja utvärdera vår verksamhet ur ett hållbarhetsperspektiv. Det känns självklart. Förutom att hålla på med idrott och sport är det viktigt för oss att vara förebilder och en god kraft i samhället. Det krävs ingen djuplodande analys för att se att vår verksamhet lämnar ett avtryck. Likt många idrottsförbund reser vi ofta. Under hösten 2017 fattade det alpina landslaget ett beslut om att undersöka vad ett miljöarbete skulle innebära. Kunde vi behålla fokus och samtidigt bli mer klimatsmarta? Hjälpen fanns på nära håll. Tillsammans med Svenska Skidförbundets huvudsponsor Vattenfall började vi analysera verksamheten utifrån ett klimatperspektiv. Med hjälp av våra övriga partners tog vi fram en handlingsplan för att minska våra utsläpp inom områdena transporter, resor, mat,
hotell och kontor, med ett mål om att halvera våra utsläpp fram till 2022. Flera steg har även tagits inom de övriga idrotterna. Glädjande nog har våra steg mot ökad hållbarhet inte minskat vår prestation, snarare tvärtom. Den största positiva skillnaden gör Svenska Skidförbundet inom det sociala området. Glädje, gemenskap, hälsa, personlig utveckling, jämställdhet, bredd och demokrati är frågor som vi jobbar med i vår verksamhet – varje dag. Vi har också satt ett särskilt fokus på dessa genom vårt idéprogram Skidor Vill och jämställdhetssatsningen SkiEquality. Det mycket positiva samarbetet med Vattenfall har lett till fler samarbeten kring hållbarhet med andra partners. Och kanske är det här vi kan hitta nästa stora bidrag inom hållbarhetsområdet; vårt samarbete med nationella och internationella partners kan hjälpa oss att nå ännu längre och påverka ännu fler. Våra skid- och snowboardstjärnor är stora förebilder för många och vi har goda förhoppningar om att deras lyskraft tillsammans med våra globala samarbeten kommer hjälpa oss sprida inspiration och öka kunskapen genom den hållbarhetsresa vi har framför oss. Foto: Svenska Skidförbundet|www.skidor.com
Summary in English: Skiers travel a great deal and notice that even small changers in temperature and weather have a noticeable effect on their sports environment. The Swedish Ski Association has set a goal for itself to halve the greenhouse emissions due to its transportation, travel, food, accommodation, and office activities by 2022. Interestingly, the quest for sustainability has not reduced the athletic performance of the Association’s adherents, but rather the opposite. Other important initiatives of the Association aim to achieve happiness, a sense of community, good health, personal development, equality, and democracy within the sport.
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Road to 2045
Road to 2045 When Greta Thunberg became Editor-in-Chief – briefly By Peter Berlin
“H
anding over the responsibility for Sweden’s largest daily newspaper to an uneducated teenage activist is sheer madness, were it not for the fact that we live in an existential crisis which is still being ignored in our society.” Thus read the stark opening lines in the December 6 editorial of the mainstream newspaper Dagens Nyheter, and the words were those of famous climate activist Greta Thunberg. The newspaper had decided to throw its weight behind the sustainability agenda and invited her to be its Editor-inChief for a day. In her editorial, Greta went on to insist that, to save our climate, the task of stemming greenhouse gas emissions has to begin today, not in 2025 or 2030. More action and less talk is
Greta Thunberg at the European Parliament on 4 March 2020.
needed, she insists. Only if the general public is made sufficiently aware of the crisis situation will they exert the necessary pressure on industry and governments to act, and it is up to the news media to instil this awareness. So let’s get our skates on! Climate change doubters point out that the global climate has fluctuated between hot and cold over centuries and millenia. It is a natural phenomenon and has nothing to do with human activities – or so they say. However, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to examine satellite images and realize that the Arctic and Antarctic ice caps are melting at an unprecedented rate; nor does it require a geophysicist to conclude that receding coastlines are the result of rising ocean water levels. The scientific observation of climate change is quite recent. In 1988, the World Health Organisation (WMO) set up the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) dedicated to “providing the world with objective, scientific information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of the risk of human-induced climate change, its natural, political, and economic impacts and risks, and
possible response options.” Its first chairman was the Swedish meteorologist Bertil Bolin. It is interesting to follow the IPCC’s conclusions since its inception. In 1990, the first Assessment Report stated that the observed global warming is of the same magnitude as natural climate variability. The unequivocal detection of the enhanced greenhouse effect is not likely for a decade or more. So far, the doubters were vindicated. However, the tone in the subsequent IPCC reports issued in 1996, 2001 and 2007 became more and more alarmist.
Dagens Nyheter invited Greta Thunberg to be its Editor-in Chief for a day. Photo: DN.se
The latest published report is dated 2014 and spells out the causes and effects of global warming in no uncertain terms: Warming of the climate system is unequivocal. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide have increased to levels unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years. It is extremely likely (95-100% probability) that human influence was the dominant cause of global warming between 1951 and 2010. The next report will be released in 2022. The trend seems clear. Greta Thunberg – who was nominated for the 2019 and 2020 Nobel Peace Prize – may have work to do for years to come. And so do the news media, as long as Greta has a say in the matter.
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Swedish Press | February 2021 23
Hemma hos
Experience the 31st Icehotel From Your Living Room
[Design]
By Kristi Robinson
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or thirty-one winters now, the ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi has taken shape from ice harvested from the Torne River. Each year the hotel is different from the last, attracting artists from all over the world with their unique vision. Run as an annual competition,
‘Sauna’ by Luca Roncoroni for the Icehotel 365
the artists vie to create a themed room. However, the pandemic brought a change to everyone’s bestlaid plans, and the Icehotel made the decision to cancel the international design competition in 2020. To make things run smoothly, they opted to invite local artists who had previous experience working on the Icehotel. In Creative Director Luca Roncoroni’s words: “The pandemic forced us to think differently, but the result is a stunning homage to Sweden.” He went on to express what a success this year has been: “The twenty-four Swedish-based artists created concepts that will mesmerize our guests, giving them a much needed escape from the reality of this year.”
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‘Paradice Lost’ by Kalle Ekeroth & Christian Strömqvist
The Icehotel really stepped out of the box this time around to give guests and hotel enthusiasts an interactive experience. For those who are able to visit the hotel, each suite has a QR code that can be scanned to hear an audio guide tell the story behind its design. Given that travel isn’t possible for most, we can hear these stories on the Icehotel website and take a look at the new 360 degree photos. Without a doubt, the coolest new feature is the Icehotel’s augmented reality (AR) experience that lets you step inside the art suites. For those who haven’t tried AR before, your mobile device acts like a viewfinder into another 3D world that blends with your surroundings. The Icehotel website links you to Instagram where you can explore the hotel.
‘Toybox’ by Wouter Biegelaar & Viktor Tsarski
From your warm living room, take a trip into ‘Paradice Lost’ by Kalle Ekeroth and Christian Strömqvist.
‘The dreamy suite weaves the tale of an abandoned Swedish hotdog stand, where good old fast food faire speaks of a past history and a future to come. Behind the kiosk you’ll find a bed nestled in overgrown roots, inviting you in for a slumber. Undergo ice bubble therapy in Lena Kriström and Nina Hedman’s suite ‘A Break’. The sculptors have created a bubble therapy corner where you can go inside an ice bubble. Exiting the bubble is a metaphor for breaking through limitations.
‘A Break’ by Lena Kriström & Nina Hedman
At the Icehotel 365, the year-round counterpart to the Icehotel Winter, you can unwind in Luca Roncoroni’s ‘Sauna’, complete with two ovens, a tub big enough to hold 631 liters of imaginary water, and even plush towels and a bathrobe. The artist hopes you’ll use your imagination to relax in what he describes as probably the coldest sauna in the world. Also new to the Icehotel 365 is ‘Toybox’, a whimsical suite by Wouter Biegelaar and Viktor Tsarski. Inspired by their own children, Toybox brings your inner child to life in a room full of frozen toys. To see Icehotel 365 photos, listen to the audio guide, or have the AR experience, go to Icehotel.com. All photos © Asaf Kliger/ © Icehotel
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wedish was often spoken by both sets of grandparents, usually when my cousins, sisters and I weren’t supposed to know what was said. My paternal grandparents, Gust and Emma, were first generation immigrants to the U.S. Emma came in 1913 and Gust in 1911. Gust was born in the village of Lillarmsjö about 38 miles west of the city of Umeå on the northeast coast of Sweden. His name was Jonas August and he changed it to Gust when he came to America. Emma Johannsdotter was born in the rural area of Veinge in the south-west of Sweden. My maternal grandparents (Grandma and Grandpa Franklin) were second and third generation Swedish immigrants. Most of my favorite Swedish memories are of the Swedish food served. My Grandma Emma served heart-healthy food with carrots or raisins mixed into it but no sugar or butter was allowed. “Ät nu!” (eat now!) she said to encourage me to eat. (My Grandma F served lots of sweet butter-filled food.) However, I survived my Grandma Emma’s cooking and learned about a different Scandinavian food. When I was young, a Norwegian neighbor brought our family some lefse. That was the last time I ate lefse until many years later, when a friend and I took classes on how to make lefse. I have since taught my daughtersin-law, Beth and Nancy. They now have their own griddles, sticks for turning, rolling pins and pastry boards. Beth has had more than one open house for friends to learn how to prepare lefse, and my granddaughter Emily has been making
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Treats
Hemma hos
à la Karen Gale
lefse every Christmas since she was five. My second recipe is ostkaka. This recipe is from my Grandma Franklin’s side of the family. I’ve added some of my own changes to make it easier. In the old way you had to use rennet but I use ricotta cheese. It tastes the same and I love it … hope you do too. When my husband Robert, of British and Scot descent, was alive, these two dishes were his favorites. Since his recent death these are given to you in honor of him. Enjoy! By Karen Gale
Ostkaka Ingredients: • 15 oz of ricotta cheese • 4 whole eggs • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 cup white sugar • 1 tsp vanilla • 1 pint whipping cream.
Karen Gale and her granddaughter. Photo courtesy Karen Gale
Preparation: Beat eggs. Add sugar, salt, vanilla, and cream. Then add cheese. Mix lightly. Dust with nutmeg. Bake in buttered 8 or 9 inch pan at 325 degrees F for about 1½ hours (after it puffs and the middle doesn't jiggle). Goes well with raspberries, strawberries, lingonberries or cloudberries.
Lefse Ingredients: • 8 cups of Hungry Jack Potato Flakes put in large bowl Boil: • 5 cups of water • 2 Tbs of sugar • 1 Tbs salt • 1/2 cup butter Add to flakes and mix. Then add: • 1 cup of half-and half cream • 1 cup of whole milk.
Preparation: Mix all together. Chill covered overnight (or 3 – 4 hours). To roll out: Use 2 cups of potato mixture to 1/2 cup of flour. Can use hands to mix. Form a ball the size of large golf ball or very small tennis ball and roll out. Makes about 30 lefse. To freeze, lay 3 stacked lefse flat and place in a gallon size freezer ziplock bag.
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Swedish Press Connects
Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers in America
Swedish at the University of Washington By Kim Kraft and Amanda Doxtater
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n 1909, the activism of three Swedish-Americans resulted in the state legislature passing a law establishing the Department of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Washington. What began as a department consisting of a single faculty member and a handful of students has since grown into one of North America’s largest independent Scandinavian Studies programs offering undergraduate and graduate degrees. A faculty of seven full-time professors and four lecturers research and teach Scandinavian literature, cultural and gender studies, drama and performance studies, film studies, critical race studies, history, politics, and folklore, with language instruction in the Nordic and Baltic languages. Courses highlighting the diversity of the region such as Vikings in Pop Culture and Sexuality in Scandinavia draw over 500 undergraduate students from across campus each quarter, and roughly ten percent earn a major or a minor from the department. Swedish is the most common language that Scandinavian majors choose to study at the UW. The backbone of the Swedish program at the UW is the Barbro Osher Endowed Chair of Swedish Studies. First held by Ann-Charlotte Gavel Adams and currently by Amanda Doxtater, the program continues a strong tradition of research, building on the work of such prominent scholars as Walter Johnson and Birgitta Steene. Students can study Swedish at levels from beginning to advanced, including courses taught in Swedish on topics such as children’s literature, contemporary fiction, and cinema. The department also offers
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Swedish Press | February 2021 26
Students Kylie Knowles, Justin Chen, and Alicia Moore on a study abroad program in Stockholm. Photo: University of Washington
courses in English on topics such as Swedish Film, Family, The Welfare State, and even IKEA. UW students study Swedish for many reasons, whether to become closer with Swedish friends, enrich their own heritage, or simply discover their own personal connection to Swedish language and culture. For example, Justin Chen’s curiosity about IKEA and Nordic design inspired him to sign up for first-year Swedish, and he went on to pursue a Swedish minor. As he describes it, “I was introduced to this culture so different from my Asian heritage. Then, my study abroad in Sweden gave me a more native experience of the culture which inspired me to take second year Swedish. I thought the best way to learn a culture was to learn the language.” Many students appreciate being part of a small departmental community while also being able to enjoy the resources of a large university experience. Senior Alissa Acheson explains: “I wanted a smaller community at the UW and Swedish was a good step towards that. I felt valued and encouraged in the SCAND department! I was also fascinated and interested in learning about the culture, partly because of a family connection, but it blossomed into a genuine interest and curiosity about a culture.” Students and alumni often express that they feel a sense of belonging in the department that lasts even after graduation. Even in the midst of a pandemic, the UW Department of Scandinavian Studies is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, where our students and faculty appreciate that they’re a part of something larger.
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Swedish Press Connects
‘Many locals now put their hope in the Year of the Oxen’
The Swedish diaspora in Hong Kong: an update By Ingrid Reinli
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he people of Hong Kong are resilient and admirable, having lived through many tough periods in recent decades. Recall SARS 2003; the umbrella protests in 2015; protests against the extradition bill in 2019; the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic; and the most brutal attack yet on the very concept of Hong Kong – the new security law introduced on 30th of June 2020. The gradual end to One Country, Two Systems, and the conviction that Hong Kong will never be as it once was when things go back to normal post Covid-19, is a reality that more and more people are starting to accept. As of now, most people in the Swedish diaspora are doing fine; the Swedes follow The skyline of Hong Kong. All photos: Hong Kong Tourism Board the changing Covid-19 rules with their ups and downs. Currently, restaurants close at 6pm, only take-away is possible until 10pm, and table seating is only allowed for 2 people. Most establishments use hard plastic dividers between the tables. Bars, gyms, beaches, Delicious dim sum can be found in museums, cinemas, public many restaurants in Hong Kong. BBQ areas, etc, have remained closed for some time. Mask wearing in public areas is mandatory, and any breach can result in a fine of 5,000 HKD (approx 650 USD). One of the few activities that expats as well as locals enjoy now during the cold season is hiking. Hong Kong has many accessible and family friendly country parks to enjoy. The possibility to roam through nature is necessary for mental survival to endure living in small flats. Some expats have already relocated, as their company’s regional headquarters have moved to Singapore. Others
have decided to leave Hong Kong for other reasons. Many Swedes in Hong Kong take the wait-and-see approach. Most expats are concerned for the future of Hong Kong. There have been numerous arrests recently, and many consider the new security law arbitrary and unpredictable. Suspension of face-to-face classes for most schools continues into February and will not open until earliest after Chinese Lunar New Year, the holiday which begins on February 16th 2021. Many locals now put their hope in the Year of the Oxen, as the Year of the Rat proved to be disastrous in many ways. Online schooling involves a tough change in the every-day life of expat spouses, as children need to be supervised and supported at home during school hours. Play time with friends is also limited to one friend at a time. Fewer people are arriving in Hong Kong on expat contracts, and most exchange students have disappeared. Only people with Hong Kong offers trails aplenty for resident ID cards are all levels of hikers. allowed to enter Hong Kong now, and a 3-week hotel quarantine stay is mandatory. These strict rules force expat workers to conduct their jobs without travelling, instead managing their work online with the help of digital tools and online communication methods. Sham Shui Po is a busy shopping The tighter security area in Kowloon, Hong Kong. has had the result that the protests have largely disappeared. Law and order is back which is something many people do appreciate. When it comes to the Covid-19 pandemic, Hong Kong is in a much better situation than many other places around the world. At the time of writing this article, the total number of cases in Hong Kong is 9,152, of which 8,307 have already recovered and 155 have died – this in a population of 7,3 million people living in an extremely densely populated area.
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CHICAGO Swedish American Museum 5211 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60640 Tel: 773-728 8111 | info@samac.org www.swedishamericanmuseum.org Feb 4-6 – Jokkmokk’s Market Online: The world famous Sami market held every February in the small town of Jokkmokk in the north of Sweden is a huge tourist attraction. This year the market has been moved online and can be enjoyed by everyone around the world. More information can be found as it becomes available on their website https://www.jokkmokksmarknad.se/en/ MINNEAPOLIS American Swedish Institute 2600 Park Ave. Minneapolis, MN 55407 Tel: 612-871 4907 | www.asimn.org ASI has reopened to the public since September 11. Feb 27 – Thurs-Sat 10am to 4pm: Virtual Midwinter Folk Festival – A full weekend of workshops for strings, nyckelharpa and song, with guest musicians including Anders and Maria Larsson, Eva Tjörnebo and more! PHILADEPHIA American Swedish Historical Museum 1900 Pattison Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19145 | Tel: 215-389 1776 | info@americanswedish.org | www.americanswedish.org Reopened to visitors since July 3 with normal operating hours. Ongoing through May 2021 – Around the World: The Global Curiosities of Carl Otto Lindberg! This exhibition explores the life of a Swedish-American mining engineer. Ongoing through Mar 2021 – From Fairy Tale to Fantasy: The Art of Gustaf Tenggren – This exhibit charts Tenggren’s career in the United States – from his early successes in New York to his time at Walt Disney Studios and eventual retirement in Maine. Feb 13 – Sat 11am: Semlor To-Go & A Movie at Home – This year the Auxiliary will continue the tradition with advanced semlor order and pick-up and a link to a live viewing of a Swedish film you can watch at home. Semlor are $6 each and orders are due by February 10th. 8
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PORTLAND Nordic Northwest Nordia House, 8800 SW Oleson Rd., Portland, OR 97223 | Tel: 503-977 0275 www.nordicnorthwest.org Feb 5 – Fri 7:30pm: Friday Night Lecture Series – Beauty Secrets of the Gods. Join storyteller Barbara Fankhauser for another evening of tales of Gods and Goddesses – tricksters and ice giants. Doors open at 7:15 PM at Nordia House. SEATTLE Swedish Cultural Center 1920 Dexter Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 Tel: 206-283 1090 | www.swedishclubnw.org info@swedishculturalcenter.org Feb 5 – Fridays: Wonderful Winter Magic Film Series. The four-week film series begins with The Snow Queen. Family film full of traditions and charm of days of old. 5:30 p.m. $5 donation. (Dinner served while you watch if purchased in advance.) Feb 7 – Sun: Swedish Pancakes to Go. We’ve said that Swedish pancake breakfasts will be one of the last events we add back in, due to the crowding in the kitchen and around tables. That doesn’t stop us from trying Swedish pancakes to go, though! Mark your calendars and watch our news for how to pre-order, pricing, timing, etc. National Nordic Museum 2655 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107 Tel: 206-789 5707 | nordic@nordicmuseum.org www.nordicmuseum.org Feb 6, 13 and 20 – Saturdays: 11am to 12 noon: Introduction to Papercutting with Anna Brones. Papercutting is an art that spans history and cultures, from simple silhouettes to intricate designs. Join artist Anna Brones to learn the basics of papercutting and how to create your very own papercuts. WASHINGTON, DC Embassy of Sweden 2900 K Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20007 Tel: 202-467 2600 | www.swedenabroad.com ambassaden.washington@gov.se The Embassy will remain in a modified telework arrangement, offering limited 18
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consular services by appointment only. Phone hours are: Mon-Fri 9 am to 4 pm (closed for lunch 12 to 1 pm), 202-467 2600. OTTAWA Embassy of Sweden Ottawa 377 Dalhousie Street, Suite 305, Ottawa ON K1N 9NB Tel: 613-241 2277 www.swedishembassy.ca The Government has extended the ban of entry to the EU via Sweden until 31 March 2021. VANCOUVER Scandinavian Community Centre 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC V5B 4P9 Tel: 604-294 2777 | info@scancentre.org www.scancentre.org Due to COVID-19, the Scandinavian Community Centre is opened only to booking and hosting small scale events, activities and rentals. Please call 604-294 2777 or e-mail info@scancentre.org. Visit www.scancentre.org. for further updates.
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WINNIPEG Swedish Cultural Assoc of Manitoba Scandinavian Cultural Centre 764 Erin St, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2W4 Tel: 204-774 8047 | www.scandinaviancentre.ca/sweden | Registration by email at svenskclub17@gmail.com Brunches and Dinners To-Go – The Scandinavian Centre and Bonne Cuisine by Michael have joined together in offering delicious meals to-go, prepared fresh at the Centre. Contact sccreservations@ shaw.ca or bonnecuisine@mts.net for more information and to place an order. Nordic Book Club –Features reading a book from a different Nordic country each month. Members are invited to join a Zoom meeting to have a discussion. For more information, please register with Marilyn at old_soul_art@hotmail.com Swedish Movie Nights – Swedish movie nights are continuing for the winter season on a virtual basis. Participants watch the movies on-line from the comfort of their homes, then join the Zoom meeting to review and socialize together. For more information, please register with Marilyn at old_soul_art@hotmail.com 28
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[Ads] and Info Swedish Press Classified BC Organizations Scandinavian Business Club Monthly meetings feature business speakers. Guests and new members welcome. Call SBC: 604-484-8238. Visit us at www.sbc-bc.ca Scandinavian Community Centre Scandinavian Community Centre Beautiful setting for weddings, parties, birthdays, meetings and seminars. 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC info@scancentre.org Tel: 604-294-2777 www. scancentre.org Svenska Kulturföreningen Ordförande Ellen Petersson 604-970 8708. Kassör är Linda Olofsson, 604-418 7703 www.swedishculturalsociety.ca. Email: swedishculturalsociety.ca @gmail.com Swedish Canadian Village Beautiful Assisted Living Residence & Senior Subsidized Apartment Buildings Located in Burnaby, BC. Tel: 604-420 1124 Fax# 604-420 1175 www.swedishcanadian.ca
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Swedish Heritage in BC 1812 Duthie Ave. Burnaby BC. Laila Axen Tel: 604-526 7464. Visit us at www. swedishheritageinbc.org. E-mail: swedishheritagebc@gmail.com Sweden House Society President: Rebecca Keckman Vice President: Dorothy Carlson Treasurer: Carole Walkinshaw, Email: swedenhousechair@gmail.com Swedish Club of Victoria Dinners, Events and Meetings, for information contact Annabelle Beresford @ 250-656 9586 or Swedish Club of Victoria Facebook. Washington Organizations Nordic Museum has moved to a beautiful, brand-new building! In Seattle, 2655 N.W. Market St., Ballard; 206-789 5707. Swedish Club 1920 Dexter Ave. N, Seattle, WA 98109; Tel: 206-283 1090. Open Wednesday evenings for supper and games, Friday for lunch and dinner. Pancake breakfasts on
first Sundays of the month. Rental venue for meeting, parties, etc. www.swedishclubnw.org Classified Advertising Sales Reps wanted Swedish Press is looking for full or part-time advertising sales representatives. E-mail info@swedishpress.com for more information. Swedish Press Classified Ad Rate is as low as 50 cents per word (minimum $10). Send your ad to advertise @swedishpress.com
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Sweden’s New Paradigm: Making Fuel from Renewable Electricity
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Electro-fuel Interview with Scania CEO Rjukan Heavy Water Liquid Wind
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Sista ordet
‘Denialism is the rejection of basic facts ...’ The Art of Denial By Peter Berlin
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s it really true that humans are the cause of global warming by allowing factories and power stations to spew carbon dioxide into the atmosphere? One could just as well argue that all vegetation needs CO2 to grow. Surely, we should therefore increase rather than decrease the emission of carbon dioxide. Such is the reasoning among many deniers of climate change. Take the Holocaust, Srebernica, moon landing, climate change, AIDS, COVID-19 … did they really happen, or are they just myths? Everybody has the right to question widely held truths, at least in countries that treasure freedom of expression. Skepticism is considered obligatory among scientists and historians, in the sense that every scientific theory or experiment is questioned over and over again before it is finally either accepted or discarded. But there is a difference between skepticism and denial. According to a 2010 article by M. Scudellari in Natural Medicine, “denialism is the rejection of basic facts and concepts that are undisputed, well-supported parts of the scientific consensus on a subject, in favour of radical and controversial ideas.” These controversial ideas are rarely submitted to the scientific community where they would risk being instantly dismissed; instead, they are conveyed to the general public on social platforms using cherry-picked facts and statistics as arguments. Psychologists have studied the reasons why some people question widely held truths based on science or historical facts. One psychological
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Global warming and sea-ice loss will contribute to the decline of polar bears. Photo: iStock
explanation for denialism is that deniers shun uncomfortable truths by seeking refuge in alternative realities. For example, some deniers reject the existence of COVID-19. They say that the authorities, for reasons of their own, wish to restrict people’s freedom of movement and basic human rights. As for genocides such as those that took place in Srebernica, in Rwanda and during the Holocaust, deniers attempt to refute or minimize the scale and severity of these events, perhaps because they reflect negatively on the person’s self-image or nationality. Many deniers cling to conspiracy theories. For example, they believe the widely reported but mostly unproven infringement of Soviet submarines in Swedish territorial waters in the 1980s was a myth, a conspiracy by high-ranking Swedish Navy officers to justify their demand for a budget
increase. Similar conspiracy theories accuse narrow interest groups of exaggerating the threat of phenomena like climate change, AIDS or COVID19 for their own political or economic gain. There are still hundreds of people who deny that the Earth is a sphere. Their home is the Internet and various Flat Earth societies. Any evidence available from space exploration, such as satellite images of the Earth, is dismissed as fake. Buzz Aldrin, who together with Neil Armstrong was the first human being to step onto the Moon, was once approached by a reporter who demanded that Aldrin confess to the whole Apollo 11 mission having been a hoax, a conspiracy, an elaborate simulation intended to deceive the general public. Aldrin tried to walk away from the reporter who followed him and pestered him with repeated insinuations. Finally, Aldrin lost his temper and punched the reporter in the nose … but that’s another story. A new Galileo biography draws parallels to today’s science denialism. Galileo Galilei (15641642) before members of the Holy Office in the Vatican in 1633. Painting by Joseph-Nicolas Robert-Fleury 1847.
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