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October 2020 Vol 91:08 $5.95
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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 (Feb, Mar, Apr, May, June, July/Aug, Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec/Jan) by Swedish Press Inc, 862 Peace Portal Drive, Suite #101, Blaine WA 98230 for $45 per year. Periodical postage paid at Blaine, WA 98230-9998 (No. USPS 005544). US POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Swedish Press, PO Box 420404, San Diego, CA 92142-0404 OFFICE: 9040 Shaughnessy Street, Vancouver, BC V6P 6E5 Canada US MAILING ADDRESS: PO Box 420404, San Diego, CA 92142-0404 WEBSITE www.swedishpress.com E-MAIL info@swedishpress.com TEL +1 360 450 5858 TOLL FREE +1 866 882 0088 PUBLISHER Claes Fredriksson Claes@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 Toronto: Gunilla Sjölin +1 905 751 5297 Winnipeg: Nancy Drews +1 204-668-7262 Los Angeles: Birgitta von Knipe +1 310 201 0079 New York: Timothy Lyons +1 732 685 3747 San Diego: Sue Eidson +1 858 541 0207
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4 Letters to the Editor 5 From the Editor’s Desk Swedish Headlines 6 Headline News 7 Swedes in the News 8 Landskapsnyheterna Business 9 Business News 10 Company File: Bonne Cuisine by Michael 11
Heritage An Insider’s Look at Swedish Culture: Selma Lagerlöf – en bortglömd kvinnlig förebild?
Feature 12 The Swedish Community of Winnipeg
PRINTED IN CANADA NEXT ISSUE DEADLINE: OCTOBER 10, 2020
Hemma Hos 22 Design: Swed ish Artist lands Manitoba filmed TV series with his brilliant Sci-Fi art 24 Treats à Marilyn Ekelund Road to 2045 25 How something really simple can be so complex Swedish Press Connects 26 ASTRA –Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers in America 27 SVIV – Svenskar i Världen
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CONTENTS ( October 2020 )
ADVISORY COMMITTEE Björn Bayley, Peter Ladner, Brian Antonson, Christer Garell, Anders & Hamida Neumuller
SweMail TRANSLATIONS to English of the Swedish parts of Swedish Press are available free of charge every month. Visit http://biolson.atspace.cc/swemail/
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Swedish Press
Skyline of Winnipeg.
Interview 14 Sonja Lundström – When Coming Together Adds to The Fun Global Swedes 16 Diana King – Swedish and Norwegian Honorary Consul in Winnipeg Heritage 18 The First Swedes in Manitoba 19 Manitoba – Where Swedish Roots Run Deep
30 Sista Ordet Charles Holmes Revisited Cover images: 1. Skyline of Winnipeg. 2. Children’s Museum. 1 Photo: Tyler Walsh/ 4 5 Tourism Winnipeg 3. Polar bears at Assiniboine Park 7 6 Conservancy. Photo: Tourism Winnipeg 4. Youth Ambassadors at Folklorama. Photo SCA | 5. West End Mural Walking Tour. Photo: Mike Peters/Tourism Winnipeg | 6. Mural in Winnipeg by Clandestinos BrunoSmoky & ShalakAttack 2016 | 7. Esplanade Riel and The Canadian Museum For Human Rights. Photo: Zyron Paul Felix/Tourism Winnipeg
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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, Happy September 1st! I just picked up my issue of the Swedish Press and of course it looks magnificent! I perused the issue but haven’t finished reading it, although I did read your comical article on the herring and the more serious presentation of allemansrätten. I must admit, the experience of dealing with you and Joan has been a delight. It felt like I was at a family reunion and reuniting with the cousins I enjoy. Enjoy these last days of summer and don’t forget to send me an audio if you and your wife do the sugar cube experiment. Thanks again, Judi Lifton North Kingsville, Ohio Hi Peter, Just thought I’d drop a few lines what I remember about Matt Lindfors – he was quite a fellow, really promoted anything that was Swedish. He had his office up in the Ray Building, 144 West Hastings. We visited him from Matsqui, and Vancouver’s 50th anniversary parade passed by right below Swedish Press office. The Swedes owned property on Seymour Creek where it comes through now. He had in 1936 also a children’s camp there with a good-sized hall for everybody to sleep. Some of us older young people helped with the smaller children. We took a good photo, but I don’t know where it is now. On December 10, 2018 I fell in the bathroom of the assisted living for
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Ernie Poignant signing copies of his latest book “Welcome to the Past!” Below: Cartoon by Ernie
seniors with my walker on top of me. Eventually an ambulance took me to Abbotsford Hospital where I was out of it for 4 days. I really felt down. Then one day our son Gary arrived from Edmonton with a drawing pad, two pencils and an eraser. Just two days later I was transferred to Acute Care for Elders. During the daytime I was at the nurses’ station drawing my initial cartoon. That really got me going. Now back to my beautiful Rose: she fell a lot when we lived at Primrose Garden, and on November 19, 2018 she was transferred to Menno Home [a residential care home in Abbotsford,
BC]. By January 1 I was learning to walk again and left the hospital on January 18, 2019. After three weeks I was transferred to none other than my honey at Menno Hospital on February 8, 2019. What a miracle to be together in a care home – one of the best in all of Canada! Must say that Swedish Press launched me on my wonderful career that one could ever wish for. My beautiful Rose and I had been married for 66 years on May 29, 2020. Rose is 88. I am 101. We have our daughter Valerie and son Gary and three grandchildren – Kris, Ryan and Carrie – and 10 great-grandchildren. Hope you could stay to the end. Like I say, the pen is quicker than my brain! Ernie Poignant Abbotsford, British Columbia Editor’s note: Ernie Poignant drew cartoons for Swedish Press for two years in the late 1940s. He celebrated his 101st birthday on February 4, 2020 in Abbotsford by signing copies of his latest book “Welcome to the Past!” Read the full story about Ernie Poignant on page 10 of the July/ August 2019 issue of Swedish Press. Ernie’s mention of Matt Lindfors refers to William Mattson Lindfors who was a former Editor of Swedish Press and who passed away on March 20, 2020.
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from the Editor’s Desk
Winnipeg – A Jewel in the Prairies 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 2 as well as page 29. 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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s they say in remote communities: “When entertainment is hard to come by, you create your own.” Winnipeg, the capital of Manitoba, is a case in point. With a population of less than one million, it is a multicultural jewel in the sparsely populated Canadian Prairies. The climate is harsh, with short, hot summers and long, cold winters, so the possibilities for tourism are limited. Against these odds, the city’s cultural and entertainment sectors are thriving, as is its economic activity. These are just two of the reasons why we have chosen Winnipeg as the main theme in the October issue of Swedish Press. Another reason for focussing on Winnipeg is that since the early 1800s Swedish immigrants have settled in and around the city. We present the first Swede in Manitoba, Jacob Fahlström, a blacksmith from Stockholm who married a Metis woman, sired 9 children, and converted from Lutheranism to become a Methodist missionary (page 18). Swedish roots continue to run deep in Manitoba, as exemplified in the interview with Alvin Goranson (page 19). Up until 1940, Winnipeg was called the “Swedish Capital of Canada” due to the number of residents who claimed Swedish heritage. To this day, Winnipeg has a very active Swedish-Canadian community. Often they join forces with community members from the other Nordic countries to be creative and have some serious fun. We include exclusive interviews with Diana King, Sweden’s Honorary Consul in Winnipeg (page 16), and also with Sonja Lundström, President of the Swedish Cultural Association of Manitoba (page 14). Nancy Drews from the same Association is contributing the Main Feature article on Winnipeg (page 12), and Association member Marilyn Ekelund describes her Swedish background and provides two delectable Swedish-inspired recipes under “Treats” (page 24). This month our “Company File” takes a break from high technology in favour of haute cuisine. Bonne Cuisine by Michael is a catering firm in Winnipeg that frequently enriches events at the Swedish Cultural Association with mouth-watering delectables. Owner/chef Michael Wilson has no Nordic roots, but at the Association he is viewed as an “honorary Scandinavian” (page 10). Speaking of which: in Swedish Press we often commit the linguistic sin of using the words “Scandinavia” and “the Nordic countries” interchangeably – and so does the general public, for that matter. Purists point out that there is a difference, for while Scandinavia is Sweden, Norway and Denmark, the Nordic countries are Scandinavia plus Finland, Iceland, Greenland and a few islands here and there. But let’s not be pedantic. Despite the frequent bantering and bickering, deep down we are cut from the same cloth. Enjoy what is left of the summer, and plan on giving your friends and relatives a subscription to Swedish Press for Christmas! Peter Berlin Editor Peter@Swedishpress.com October 2020
Photo: Mike Pe
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Carbon, Climate and Covid Demystified Preem in the spotlight
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By Peter Berlin eople who grew up in Sweden before 1996 will remember the ubiquitous chain of gas stations called OK. That year the brand was renamed Preem and the company has since grown to become Sweden’s biggest producer of petroleum products. The company owns two refineries of crude oil (both in Sweden) and supplies a network of 570 gas stations with diesel and gasoline. The refineries also produce fuels for shipping and aviation. Sweden has set an ambitious target of making the Swedish transport sector carbon neutral by 2045. As Preem wants to continue to supply the Swedish
Preem’s refinery in Lysekil. Photo: Preem
market, they need to develop new fuels that are carbon neutral on a “well-towheel” basis. Preem is trying to do so by gradually blending carbon neutral fuel into the normal fossil-based fuel. In order to produce the cleaner fuels in sufficient quantities, Preem plans to expand the production capacity at its refinery in the port city of Lysekil. Increased production
will, in turn, lead to a drastic increase in harmful CO2 emissions, making Preem the biggest emitter in Sweden. Despite Preem’s stated intent to achieve carbon neutrality, devout ecologists are mounting a strong protest against the expansion during September. The protest will take the form of dozens of boats and kayaks lining up along the shoreline near the construction site. Greenpeace has sent its vessel Rainbow Warrior III to support the protest, and Sweden’s Green Party is urging the government to block Preem’s expansion plans once and for all. Feelings are running exceptionally high among the protesters, to the point where Preem has sought assurances from the police that the demonstration will be kept peaceful. COVID-19 update: Sweden
-year-old Greta Thunberg is arguably the world’s most famous Swede for the moment, having caused an almighty stir among the top ranks of politicians, industrialists and economists with her warnings about climate change. She also has her share of detractors who accuse her of being in the employ of big corporations with ulterior motives. Certain heads of government have called her mentally ill, alluding to her Asperger’s syndrome. A few far-right critics have gone so far as issuing death threats. Some of the myths surrounding Greta and her motivations have been dispelled in a film documentary titled I Am Greta which is having its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival from September 2 to 12. The movie is the work of Swedish film director and cinematographer Nathan Grossman. In 2018 Greta first began to play hookey from school on Fridays
As of September 10, the number of new daily COVID-19 cases in Sweden remains relatively constant at around 250 cases per day, and the number of related deaths is down to less than a handful per day. As for the total number of deaths per 1 million inhabitants since the outbreak, at 578 deaths Sweden has dropped from 5th to 11th place behind Peru (929), Belgium (856), Spain (636), Bolivia (627), Chile (624), Brazil (619), Equador (616), UK (613), USA (599), and Italy (589). Not that it is a contest, but it gives some idea how well Sweden’s balancing act between personal health and economic recovery is working out.
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to take her climate change message to the front steps of Swedish Parliament. On day one she was approached by Grossman, and she agreed that he could accompany her for a year with his film camera. I Am Greta follows her vertiginous rise from obscurity to world fame. We discover some unexpected personality traits, such as breaking into dance to relieve stress, and displaying a wonderfully quirky sense of humour.
Novel Coronavirus Daily Deaths
Greta Thunberg demystified
Daily New Deaths in Sweden
No daily deaths above 5 per day since July 25
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Swedes in the News
People Making a Mark Lövin steps down
Happy Birthday Prince Gabriel
Isabella Lövin. Photo: Kristian Pohl/Regeringskansliet
Left: Prince Gabriel. Right: Prince Carl Philip, Prince Gabriel and Princess Sofia. Photo: Kungahuset/Instagram
Isabella Lövin (MP) is resigning from her roles as The Green Party’s (Miljöpartiets) spokesperson, Minister for the Environment (Miljö- och klimatminister) and Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden once a successor has been appointed. Lövin, who is reportedly leaving politics altogether, has a background as a journalist and has released a book about overfishing called “Tyst hav” (Silent Ocean). Lövin said she is tempted to return to writing and wants to spend more time with her family.
Prince Gabriel, Duke of Dalarna and youngest son of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden and Princess Sofia, recently celebrated his third birthday with his immediate family during a garden party featuring a very special cake shaped like a dinosaur. To document the sweet celebration, Prince Gabriel’s parents published a photo of the smiling birthday boy on their Instagram account. Prince Gabriel is 6th in succession to the Swedish throne.
Lo joins ”Utvandrarna” Swedish pop sensation Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson (aka “Tove Lo”) is taking on one of the roles in Wilhelm Moberg’s classic Utvandrarna (“The Emigrants”), which is being made into a new film adaptation. Lo has been cast as Ulrika in Västergöhl. It’s the same role that Swedish singer Monica Zetterlund played in Jan Troell’s Oscar-nominated
Björn’s new book
Tove Lo. Photo: Daniel Åhs Karlsson
film from 1971. Actors Lisa Carlehed and Gustaf Skarsgård have been given the lead roles of Kristina and Karl-Oskar in the new adaptation directed by Norwegian film director Erik Poppe. Filming is scheduled to begin in the province of Västergötland this fall. Lo said it was an honor to portray Ulrika and work with such a fantastic director, actors and team.
Beloved Swedish entertainer Björn Skifs’ memoir “Mitt liv som scengångare” is being released on October 14, 2020. In his memoir, Skifs tells the story of his impressive career as a singer/songwriter, actor and screenwriter in Sweden and abroad. He describes his childhood in Dalarna, pop/rock stardom with
Björn Skifs. Photo: Peter Knutson
bands Slam Creepers and Blåblus, as well as his international breakthrough with the US number one hit Hooked on a Feeling. Skifs shares his thoughts on participating in Melodifestivalen, successful shows, musicals and films. He also writes candidly about his private life. Alice aims high
Alice Magnell-Millán. Photo: Deca Text&Bild
The future bodes well for Swedish womens’ track & field. Recently, Alice Magnell-Millán, 15, won the 800 meters in 2 min 7.58 s, which was a new personal record. Her appearance and victory in Finnkampen (the 2020 Finland-Sweden Athletics International) was significant as she became Sweden’s youngest participant in the competition in 49 years. Finnkampen was founded in 1925 as a competition between Sweden and Finland. Asked what her future goals were, Magnell-Millán said her biggest goals were to win a gold medal in the Olympics and World Cup.
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[Landskapsnyheterna] SKÅNE Familjen Johansson Nilsson fick nyligen oväntat besök. Fyrtio storkar hade till familjens stora förvåning slagit sig ner på familjens gård Annehill utanför Skurup i Skåne. Det var sent på kvällen när Kristofer Nilsson upptäckte något som fladdrade förbi familjens vardagsrumsfönster. – Vi reste oss och tittade ut och då såg vi att hela taket var fullt av storkar, sa Eva Johansson Nilsson. Familjen Johansson Nilsson satte sig tillrätta i sin trädgård för att fotografera storkarna som skulle komma att övernatta på gårdstaken. – Vi gick ut hela familjen. Vi satt där ett par timmar och tittade på dem, det var en riktig wow-upplevelse, sa Eva Johansson Nilsson. Nästa morgon gav sig storkarna av. – Man ska ha tur om man ser en enda stork, men vi fick ju se 40. Det var jättefräckt, sa Eva Johansson Nilsson.
Foto: Johansson Nilsson
SMÅLAND När 10-åriga Heidi Carlsson Grensjö från Växjö i Småland upptäckte att igelkottarna i hennes familjs trädgård fått ungar fick hon en idé. För att igelkottarna kring huset säkrare skulle kunna korsa vägarna i villaområdet tillverkade hon en varningsskylt. – De var ute både på dagen och på kvällen. Jag tänkte att det är farligt för igelkottarna att korsa vägen. Med varningsskylten, som tillverkats av virke och utomhusfärg, hoppades Heidi att bilarna skulle sakta ner på farten. Heidi tycker att skylten har funkat bra. – Vi har i alla fall inte sett några
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överkörda igelkottar här så den verkar fungera, sa Heidi Carlsson Grensjö. Omgivningens reaktioner har också varit positiva. – Nej det är ingen som har klagat. Det är många som sagt saker men alla har varit glada och tycker att skylten är fin. När det blir dags för igelkottarna att gå i dvala, planerar Heidi att förvara sin skylt i ett förråd. – Men vi tar nog fram den nästa år igen, den har fungerat bra.
LAPPLAND NORRBOTTEN
VÄSTERBOTTEN
JÄMTLAND
HÄRJEDALEN
BOHUSLÄN Frank Stenholm på Tjörn ställde till med 70-årsfest trots Coronaepidemin. Jubilaren fick dock fundera en hel del på hur han skulle förhålla sig till gästernas säkerhet. Antalet inbjudna begränsades till 40 – de flesta var vänner och bekanta från området. För att gästerna skulle kunna hålla det rekommenderade avståndet delade Frank och hans sambo ut badringar. – Vi hittade ringar som var tillräckligt stora för att passa vuxna. Alla blev så förvånade när de kom. Vi satte ribban för hela kvällen direkt. Om man har en badring på sig så tänker man noga på avståndet hela tiden. Vi minglade i en och en halv timme och ingen tog av sig sin badring under hela tiden, sa Frank Stenholm. Även middagen planerades i detalj. – Vi hade dukat så att alla satt med sina respektive och med avstånd till nästa bord. Det blev en hellyckad kväll med många goda skratt, sa Frank Stenholm. Ingen av gästerna har insjuknat. – Nej. Vi har varit i kontakt med samtliga gäster under den här veckan och ingen har haft några känningar. JÄMTLAND Jämtlands deltidsbrandmän och deras ordinarie arbetsgivare uppmärksammades nyligen på ”Brandmanpå-jobbet-dagen”. För att arbeta som deltidsbrandman krävs det att man har en ordinarie arbetsgivare som
ÅNGERMANLAND
MEDELPAD HÄLSINGLAND
DALARNA GÄSTRIKLAND VÄSTMANLAND VÄRMLAND DALSLAND BOHUSLÄN Göteborg
UPPLAND
SÖDERMANNÄRKE LAND
Stockholm
ÖSTERGÖTLAND
VÄSTERGÖTLAND
GOTLAND SMÅLAND
HALLAND
ÖLAND SKÅNE
BLEKINGE
Malmö
godkänner att man lämnar sin fasta tjänst när ett brandlarm går. Deltidsbrandmännen uppmanades dagen till ära att ta på sig något som visar på att dom jobbar som brandmän. Victor Lindqvist är fastighetsskötare hos Krokomsbostäder och deltidsbrandman i Krokom. – Det är ett viktigt arbete vi har, och den här dagen är bra då folk får se att vi finns på olika arbetsplatser, sa han. Summary in English: A family in Skurup, Skåne, was recently visited by 40 storks. The birds spent the night on the family’s rooftop. A very unusual sight. When Heidi Carlsson Grensjö, 10, from Växjö, Småland noticed an increasing number of hedgehogs in her garden, she decided to make a sign to slow down street traffic in her neighborhood. According to Heidi the sign was a success. Frank Stenholm from Tjörn in Bohuslän handed out inflatable swimming rings on his 70th birthday party in order to keep the recommended social distance between his guests. Jämtland’s part-time firemen were celebrated during a special day called ”Brandman-på-jobbet-dagen” (The Fireman-At-Work Day).
[Business] News Economics to Impress The World Lifvs – an innovative shopping experience
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By Peter Berlin s in many countries, small Swedish villages have lost their local supermarkets due to poor profitability. A Swedish supermarket chain called Lifvs has come up with a new concept that may revolutionize rural shopping in Sweden and abroad. Each store is housed in a container which is placed wherever the local community finds space. It contains around 500 common food products, some fresh, some preserved, and some refrigerated. Interestingly, the stores are unmanned. Customers download an app in their cellphones, tap the screen to open the front door, scan the barcodes of their
chosen products, and pay for their purchases via a link to their bank accounts. The stores are open for business 24/7. Lifvs was founded in 2018 and now has stores in 19 rural locations. The aim is to grow the chain to 300 stores in the coming years. Eventually, one Lifvs staff member will be able to re-
stock and maintain up to five stores. If business proves to be unprofitable in a particular village, the container can simply be moved to a more promising location. One Swedish mayor is considering adopting the unmanned, containerized concept to reinstate local libraries in rural areas. So what is the world waiting for?
Borgströms Blogg: Assar Lindbeck avliden 90 år
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ssar Lindbeck avled den 31 augusti 2020. Han var Sveriges internationellt mest framstående ekonom. Jag intervjuade honom ett flertal gånger i radio och TV på Vetenskapsakademien i Stockholm, framför allt vid offentliggörandet av Riksbankens pris i ekonomi till Alfred Nobels minne. En anledning till att han själv inte fick priset var kanske att han under många år i praktiken utsett pristagaren. Assar lär på 1950-talet ha erbjudits att bli statsminister Tage Erlanders handsekreterare men tackade nej eftersom han hade en tid kvar i militärtjänsten. Tage frågade honom då om han kunde föreslå någon annan. Assar svarade
att Olof Palme, aktiv i den internationella studentrörelsen, kunde passa för jobbet. Tage Erlander svarade: ”Å fan, är Palme socialdemokrat?” Assar bröt ett par decennier senare med Socialdemokraterna på grund av löntagarfonderna. Mest känd för allmänheten blev han när Bildtregeringen bad honom lägga fram ett program för att ta Sverige ur den ekonomiska krisen i början på 1990-talet. Jag brukade ofta fråga honom om hans sista av 113 punkter om bättre utbildade journalister blivit verklighet. Nej, var hans korthuggna svar. Vid vår årliga krockettävling slog Assar mig så sent som vid 88 års ålder. Men sommaren därefter tog vi det lite lugnare och övergick till kubb. Då var vi mer jämbördiga …
Summary in English: Renowned Swedish economist Assar Lindbeck passed away on August 31 aged 90. Even though he might have merited receiving the Nobel Prize in Economics, he did not qualify because he himself sat in the committee that chose the laureates. In the 1950s, the Social Democrat Prime Minister, Tage Erlander, is thought to have offered Lindbeck the post as his personal secretary. Lindbeck declined and suggested Olof Palme instead. Lindbeck later split with the Social Democrats and devised a plan for a subsequent Conservative government to take Sweden out of the economic crisis in the early 1990s. Henric Borgström är mångårig ekonomijournalist i svensk radio, TV och press. Artikeln publicerad i finlands-svenska Hufvudstadsbladet.
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Company File
Culinary Artistry for Modern Vikings By Nancy Drews and Peter Berlin
H
e might not be Swedish, but Chef Michael R. Wilson, founder and owner of the Winnipeg catering firm Bonne Cuisine by Michael, has over 35 years of experience in the gastronomic industry and knows how to tickle Scandinavian pallets. Chef Michael is the chef who caters an abundance of dinners at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre in Winnipeg. He creates delicious Scandinavian style cuisines for several large events held at the Centre. Below is just a sample of some of the events he has catered. Annual Viking Feast. The Centre is transformed into a castle from centuries ago as people arrive in Viking attire complete with Viking helmets, swords and shields. Chef Michael prepares a Viking-style meal – whole roast pig with all the trimmings. Maya Person Memorial Scholarship fund-raiser Dinner and Dance. This is a wonderful event held every year in memory of member
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Chef Michael R. Wilson.. All Photos: Bonne Cuisine by Michael
Maya Person who passed away at the early age of 21. Her mother started this fund-raising event to raise money for scholarships that are awarded every year in memory of Maya. The Centre is beautifully decorated and Chef Michael prepares an exquisite sit-down meal. TGIF dinners. These are held once a month on Fridays with a variety of guest speakers and featuring delicious cuisine by Chef Michael. Sunday Brunches. Held every Sunday, hosted by a different Scandinavian country each time. Chef Michael prepares a variety of dishes to satisfy the discerning Scandinavian appetite. Chef Michael is a Red Seal Chef. He grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is a graduate of the Red River College Culinary Program. His career includes managing a multimillion-dollar resort on Stuart Island, BC. Michael’s time spent working at the world-class resort provided him with valuable knowhow, first as Executive Chef and then with the responsibilities of Director of Operations. He offered fine dining
to corporate groups as small as 30 and as large as 300 guests. His experience also includes organizing and presenting events in a variety of locations – luxury yachts, G-4 private jets, and private mansions in Montana, Palm Desert and Long Beach, as well as The Netherlands and Germany. The management portfolio at the resort not only included the training of chefs and service staff, but Michael was also trusted to independently host drop-in celebrities, affording him the opportunity to cater to and spend time with many interesting guests including Wayne Gretzky, David Foster, Mary Hart, Lee Iacocca, Matthew Perry, Quincy Jones, and several US Senators. Michael returned to his home province of Manitoba in 2004, hoping to bring his talent and culinary delights to the tables of Manitobans who have an appreciation for beautifully flavoured food. In 2007, Michael realized a life-long dream of being chef-owner, founding Bonne Cuisine by Michael with partner Jolyne Jolicoeur. Visit their website on www.bonnecuisinebymichael.ca. Although Chef Michael is not of Scandinavian origin, his presence at the Scandinavian Centre makes him an “honorary Scandinavian.”
H E RI TAG E
An Insider’s Look at Swedish Culture Selma Lagerlöf – en bortglömd kvinnlig förebild? Av Yvonne Gossner
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venska barn och ungdomar känner alla till Astrid Lindgren, Greta Thunberg och Bianca Ingrosso, men vet de vem Selma Lagerlöf (18581940) var? Denna författare har stridit för kvinnors rösträtt i Sverige, belönats med Nobelpriset i litteratur som första kvinna någonsin, samt med stort mod gått sin egen väg i både sitt entreprenörskap och privatliv. Som Swedish Culture Influencer var jag denna sommaren tvungen att övertala min familj att åka till Selma Lagerlöfs hemort Mårbacka i Värmland. Jag hade nämligen hört talas om att även asiater var helt fascinerade av Selma Lagerlöfs mest kända bok “Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige”. Tydligen finns det till och med butiker i Sydkorea där man säljer souvenirer föreställande gestalten Nils Holgersson. Mårbacka kunde inte gå mig förbi, så vi packade
Yvonne Gossner bärande porträtt av Selma Lagerlöf
bilen i Skåne för att åka till de värmländska skogarna. På väg norrut skrek vi oss hesa till Orups låt “Jag blir hellre jagad av vargar” med en förhoppning om att även få se en varg eller två i Värmland. För att uppnå den rätta känslan inför besöket läste jag “Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige” för allra första gången. Uppvuxen i Halland hade jag givetvis hört talas om att Selma Lagerlöf hade uteslutet ett landskap, nämligen just Halland, och därmed blev aldrig verket den geografibok som var tänkt från början. Boken blev som bekant ändå en enorm succé, och jag vet att både min farfar och pappa som var hallänningar läste boken högt i skolan. Idag är den översatt till över 60 språk och anses av många vara en av världens hundra viktigaste böcker. Lagerlöfs herrgård välkomnade oss i den allra finaste blomsterprakt man skulle kunna önska sig. I väntan på vår corona-anpassade guidade tur, mumsade vi i oss kakor på det närliggande caféet. Receptet härstammade från slutet av 1800-
talet och var därmed också Selma Lagerlöfs favoritkakor – allt för att göra stämningen ännu mer levande. Det kändes nästan förbjudet att vandra runt i rum efter rum i Selma Lagerlöfs herrgård tillsammans med den kunniga guiden. Det var här som Selma hade stridit för den kvinnliga rösträtten i Sverige 1919, klippt håret kort i en tid då det ej var brukligt, hjälpt tyska judar att fly till Sverige (däribland den kända författaren Nelly Sachs) och drivit sin herrgård som ett stort företag för att ge fler arbetstillfällen till lokalbefolkningen. En journalist frågade mig en gång vilken känd förebild jag hade. Just då hade jag inget svar och kände mig lite sorgsen över att jag inte kunde namnge en enda person. När jag i somras lämnade Värmland (utan att ha sett till några vargar) visste jag svaret: Selma Lagerlöf är den kvinnliga förebild jag alltid har saknat som entreprenör fram tills dess att jag for till Mårbacka! Summary in English: It is doubtful whether young people today remember Selma Lagerlöf (1858 – 1940), author of the bestseller “Nils Holgersson’s Wonderful Journey Across Sweden” and many other literary classics. Not only was she the first woman ever to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, but she also fought for women’s right to vote, helped German Jews flee to Sweden, and went her own way both privately and as an entrepreneur. Yvonne Gossner describes her journey to Lagerlöf’s mansion-turned-museum in the Province of Värmland, and how the visit inspired her to elect Lagerlöf as her role model. Footnote: Yvonne 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 | October 2020 11
THE SWEDISH COMMUNITY OF
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By Nancy Drews
any refer to Winnipeg as “Winterpeg” due to our challenging winter season, but us proud Winnipeggers know our city is so much more and refer to it as vibrant, artistic and multicultural. Within the downtown radius you will find the bustling high-rises, the early 20th century architecture of the Exchange District, the modern architectural of the Museum of Human Rights, and the historical significance of The Forks – for over 6,000 years a meeting place at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers. This is a city where within a short drive you can surround yourself with beautiful, lush, green countryside filled with pristine lakes, as well as fertile farm fields as far as the eye can see. It is no small wonder that over 100 years ago our Swedish ancestors settled in this area and called it home. Scandinavia monument (2010) Source: Allan Drysdale Swedish immigration to Manitoba began in the 1870s when the Province was founded. The majority of Swedes first settled in the countryside, attracted by the opportunity of owning farmland. The first rural Swedish colony in Canada was the community of Scandinavia, established in 1885 and situated some 250 km northwest of Winnipeg. This became known as Little Sweden. In the 1920s, a large number of Swedes also found their way to Winnipeg from the United States. The city was known as the “Swedish Capital of Canada” up until 1940. After 1945 Swedish immigrants included engineers, businessmen and representatives of Swedish export industries who settled in the city. The Swedish Cultural Association of Manitoba (SCA) or “Svenska Kulturföreningen av Manitoba” is the official name of the Swedish Club and is one of the five Nordic clubs under the umbrella of the Scandinavian Cultural Centre (SCC) in
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Swedish Press | October 2020 12
Winnipeg, incorporated in 1961. This is the home where the Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic, Finnish and Danish ethnic traditions are proudly represented. It is a meeting place where members attend events and embrace the fellowships The Scandinavian Cultural Centre that have developed. They in Winnipeg. Photo: SCA often roll up their sleeves while sharing the common value and purpose – to preserve, promote and celebrate the Scandinavian culture, and provide a venue for all to discover their Nordic heritage. The members of the SCA are actively developing a rapport with communities, organizations and local businesses throughout Winnipeg and Manitoba who share an interest in Swedish culture. In the early 1900s Winnipeg was the main centre for Swedish organizations in North America, such as Vasa Order of America, founded in Canada in 1913. Vasa maintains its proud presence in Winnipeg with its Lodge Strindberg members and has continued to strengthen its partnership with the Swedish Cultural Association. Situated on a beautiful landscape estate, Vasa Lund Park, Lodge Strindberg hosts Carol Simonson Gunvaldsen several Swedish events playing the nyckelharpa. Photo: SCA throughout the year, the most memorable of which is Midsommar. As spring slowly turns to summer, this traditional celebration attracts young and old alike to the park where music, song, dancing around the Maypole and games like Kubb are played. The local IKEA department store and the Swedish Cultural
Association have partnered together to enhance the traditions for our members, as well as for the general public. “It has been such an amazing journey to build a strong bond with the Swedish community in Winnipeg. Your presence at the events has provided an authentic flair and enabled our coworkers to learn more about the Swedish culture,” says Daevid Ramey, Communications & Community Engagement Specialist at IKEA. Throughout the year special occasion buffets are offered at IKEA’s spacious dining hall, festively decorated for the occasion, whether during Easter, Crayfish Feast in August and Julbord in December. Swedes and non- Crayfish feast at IKEA. Photo: SCA Swedes alike flock to enjoy these popular celebrations. Winnipeg is known for its diversity, culture and worldrenowned festivals of all kinds held throughout the year. One festival in Winnipeg that ranks especially high among our Swedish and Scandinavian partners is Folklorama – the largest and longest running multi-cultural festival in the world! This diverse festival was created in 1970 to commemorate Manitoba’s centennial. The Scandinavian Pavilion was not only one of the first pavilions to join, but has continued to support this festival for over 50 years. With time, Folklorama has grown from the initial 21 pavilions and 75,000 attendees to 45 pavilions scattered across the city, and between 400,000 to 450,000 attendees annually. During this two-week cultural extravaganza, the Scandinavian Pavilion, located at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre, is a popular Scandia Fun Folk Dancers. Photo: SCA venue for celebrating the heritage of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and Finland through music, song, dance and of course food, all under one roof. Step inside the Centre to take a trip through Nordic countries as you walk along the colourful cultural displays, sample the mouth-watering authentic cuisines, listen to the music and watch the talented Scandia
Fun Folk Dancers as they pay tribute to these beautiful nations. Our very own chefs work tirelessly in the commercial kitchen at the Scandinavian Centre to bring a delicious assortment of Scandinavian cuisine such as rosemary glazed pork tenderloin, braised red cabbage, open-faced shrimp sandwiches, lefsa, rice pudding, and one of my favourites – stewed rhubarb and strawberries served with a dollop of whipped cream. Is your mouth watering yet? A unique feature at the Scandinavian Pavilion during Folklorama is listening to the beautiful melodies of the Sill-I-Tones, a folk music group that specializes in traditional music from all the Nordic countries. A special treat is listening to the sounds of an ancient Swedish instrument, the nyckelharpa, as played by one of our members. This is a Swedish traditional string instrument that has been played for over 600 years. The Centre’s annual Viking Feast is held in October, where the five competitive Nordic nations strive for top place during the Viking Games, then retreat to enjoy a feast of whole roasted pig. Artisans are given the limelight during our annual Christmas Market and Café in November where unique Scandinavian crafts, intricately designed jewellery, hand woven items and even Viking artifacts are sold. The Café features a delicious assortment of Scandinavian delicacies, while imported Scandinavian foods, candy and home baking are also for sale. During the holiday season the SCC feels it is very important to involve our children in the traditions, and the Children’s Christmas Party fits the bill. Multiple craft stations are set up at the Centre with each Nordic country bringing a unique craft for the children to make. The Swedish Club has demonstrated the making of smällkaramell – Christmas tree ornaments made with tissue paper and filled with candy. On or around December 13th, the children help to celebrate Lucia, the beautiful festival of lights that brings this wonderful Swedish holiday tradition into our hearts. The Swedish community in Winnipeg has developed partnerships that strive to preserve our heritage. The strength lies with the people who give their time and energy towards something they believe in, while having a lot of fun doing it. For that reason, we continue to celebrate our culture and will do so for years to come. www.ScandianvianCentre.ca.
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Swedish Press | October 2020 13
E X C L U S I V E
I N T E R V I E W
When Coming Together Adds to The Fun Interviewed by Peter Berlin
Sonja Lundström in traditional folk costume. Photo courtesy: Sonja Lundström
Sonja Lundström, a retired nurse, is the President of the Swedish Cultural Association of Manitoba. This is the official name of the Swedish Club at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre in Winnipeg. Under Sonja’s leadership, new programming has been introduced which has increased membership and interest in the Association. She is also a member of Lodge Strindberg No. 259 VOA and serves as a Board Member of the Scandinavian Cultural Centre.
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Swedish Press | October 2020 14
W I T H
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L U N D S T R Ö M
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o set the scene, Sonja began our interview by describing her background. “My father was born in Jokkmokk, one of a family of 10. My grandfather was a builder. He helped build the Porjus dam and the church in Jokkmokk. He had to go wherever he could get a job. In 1913 the family of 6 emigrated to Canada. My father was one of them; he was 9 months old at the time and grew up to become a miner. I’ve been back twice to Jokkmokk. The first time was in the summer so I could swim and pick blueberries. I looked in the phone book to see if I had any relatives, and there were three pages of Lundströms. I didn’t know where to begin! For my second visit I chose to go in the winter, because I wanted to see what my family’s life had been like at that time of the year. I also wanted to experience winter, nursing and skiing, and see how other people live and learn about their winter culture. It happened to be at the time of the big Winter Festival in Jokkmokk. I brought everything I learned back here to Winnipeg.” Given her background, Sonja sought to become active in the SwedishCanadian community in Manitoba.
Sonja Lindström (right) and other Snö Queens at the annual Snöfest. Photo SCA
Sonja Lundström and the Dala horse on trailer. Photo: SCA
“My family was always very proud of our Swedish culture. My children had participated in Swedish dancing and had worked at the Scandinavian Centre, so I had developed some contact with its members. My mother was Icelandic, so I had Scandinavian culture from both sides of the family. After I had been to Jokkmokk, the Association’s President asked me to come and speak at a dinner. Then he asked me if I could possibly come to their annual meeting. Guess what happened? But I have been that kind of person since I was born, I’ve always been involved in the community.” The Swedish Cultural Association offers its members a wide range of events and activities. It began as a small club, part of the Scandinavian Centre in the early 60s, and also the Danish, Norwegian, Finnish and Icelandic groups. They created a ‘Folklorama’ pavilion, part of a big city-wide cultural celebration, bringing all the Nordic countries together. Regarding the activities of the Swedish Club, Nancy Drews has written a comprehensive article on page 12. Sonja offers the following overview: “We have regular Fikas, pea soup Thursdays, Semla buns, baking bees and sewing bees. Everything we do
E X C L U S I V E
I N T E R V I E W
brings in what our members know from living the Swedish way and what we learn from reading books and visiting guests from Sweden. It is about getting together, all ages, sharing and getting to know one another: Food, fun and fellowship, along with learning.” Sonja points out that the organizers are all volunteers. There are no paid employees. “That’s pretty major,” she says. “All in all, the Scandinavian Centre is about the passion and purpose we feel for our culture. And that passion is electric – it keeps us connected trying different things. We care about one another, look after each other. I truly think we’re sitting on a goldmine, because everything we touch turns to gold. My father was a gold miner – what better heritage could I possibly offer?” Sonja became President of the Association in 2009, and bit by bit, she has managed to get people onboard as members, seeing their gifts, seeing the gold in them, lighting fires inside them. The membership has grown steadily. The Swedish Cultural Association is housed inside the Scandinavian Cultural Centre. The Board Members of the Centre are representatives of each of the five Nordic countries. Each country has their own room, with the
Gunvor Larson and the young ones in costume. Photo: SCA
W I T H
S O N J A
The Swedish ladies in costumes. Photo: SCA
Swedish room having recently been renovated to look very Swedish. These are five very strong countries with very strong ideas, so it is pretty major that they can get together to do great things. We asked Sonja if the Scandinavian Centre shouldn’t really be called the Nordic Centre? Her answer: “Yes. We are the Nordic countries, and we all bring something special to the table. Since our groups in Manitoba are quite small, we help one another and we welcome others to our different events. For example, we arrange a wonderful Viking school in which we receive over 300 children twice a year. Our whole Centre becomes a Viking village and we all volunteer. We’re proud of all the things we do together.” Some activities are distinctly Swedish. “As a Swedish club we have another perspective, as reflected in the book Swedes in Canada: Invisible Immigrants by Elinor Barr. So, we have started ‘Swedes on Wheels.’ We go wherever there are Swedes. It started because our members wanted to study the history of our immigration and our ancestors. They decided they wanted to go on road trips to explore and celebrate the history of nearby communities. Wherever there are Swedes, there is a music band someplace in the
L U N D S T R Ö M
woodpile too! We take the Swedish bands with us along with the Scandinavian dancers, Dala horse on wheels and a Maypole. We bring our herrings, potatoes, gravlax, meatballs, and we get people of the local area to tell their stories. At the local cemeteries we put up a Swedish flag on every Swedish grave. Get those Swedes together with food, singing and dancing, and we have such a good time!” The members maintain a love for nature and feel a need to be outdoors.
Scandinavian Adult Ambassadors at the Folklorama Inaugural Ceremony, (left to right) Sonja Lundström, Gunvor Larson and Ingrid Tuft. Photo SCA
“In winter we’re out on our crosscountry skis during the day and chasing moonbeams at night, also celebrating the dark and cold of winter with our annual ‘Snöfest dancearama.’ In summer we enjoy a walk among the wild orchids, pick blueberries and mushrooms, often followed by a refreshing swim. Due to COVID-19 restrictions this summer we moved our movie nights out under the stars and made our gardens a dance floor for an ABBA dance night, complete with disco lights. We just keep having fun! It keeps our fire alive”, says Sonja in conclusion. For more information, visit www. ScandianvianCentre.ca.
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Swedish Press | October 2020 15
‘The Honorary Consul –
Global
Diana King – Swedish and Norwegian Honorary Consul in Winnipeg
Photo courtesy: Diana King
Canadian Diana King is the Swedish and Norwegian Honorary Consul in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She is also a lawyer and an Associate with Taylor McCaffrey LLP in Winnipeg. She dedicates her time assisting Swedes and Norwegians living in the province of Manitoba. Current job assignments include offering support to the many Nordic citizens trying to navigate the ongoing pandemic. Swedish Press spoke to her about the Swedish community in Winnipeg, sport engagements and … stay-at-home dads. Tell us about yourself. I have lived in Winnipeg my entire life. The only exception was one year spent working on my Master’s degree at the University of Alberta in Edmonton. Education and sport have always played pivotal roles in my life. I earned my Bachelor of Recreation Management and Community Development degree at
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Swedish Press | October 2020 16
the University of Manitoba, while running competitively and serving as captain of the Varsity track and field team. I later obtained my Master of Arts in Recreation Studies from the University of Manitoba with a focus on sport for development. After graduating, I worked for the Government of Manitoba for a short time before deciding to go back to school to become a lawyer. I graduated with my Juris Doctor degree from Robson Hall at the University of Manitoba and received my call to the bar in Manitoba in 2016. I have practiced law with Taylor McCaffrey LLP in Winnipeg ever since. My primary areas of practice are in real estate, commercial law, and estate planning and administration. When not working, I enjoy spending time with my husband and young son, as well as volunteering with local organizations. Please also tell us about your role as Swedish and Norwegian Honorary Consul in Winnipeg. In my role as Swedish and Norwegian Honorary Consul I serve as a point of contact to assist Swedish and Norwegian citizens who have questions or run into issues while in Manitoba. I also help connect local businesses with counterparts or potential partners in Scandinavia and vice versa. As a result of COVID19, there have been a lot of questions
from Swedish and Norwegian citizens living in Manitoba who want to get back home, or from Manitobans who are going to be studying or working abroad. Naturally, people have been experiencing a lot of uncertainty about making plans for the future. I try to help them navigate new information in that regard. Who and what inspires you in your work as Honorary Consul? In my work as Honorary Consul, I am inspired by my fellow Consuls and the work that they have been able to accomplish during their tenures. I am also inspired to promote many of the Swedish values that I try to incorporate into my daily life with those around me. Being able to share something that I am passionate about with others is very fulfilling. In which areas do you feel Sweden contributes most globally? Sweden contributes significantly to the focus on creating sustainable economies and environmental protection. The early implementation of a carbon tax has helped shift the emphasis away from carbonintensive fuels. It also helps to promote active lifestyles through the development of active transportation networks, the enjoyment of
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Putting Sweden on the Map Abroad
Swedes
nature, and a good worklife balance. There is a strong tech sector in Sweden that contributes to developments around the world. How do you think the image of Sweden is changing and developing internationally (particularly in North America)? For a lot of people in North America, the image of Sweden most likely includes hockey, the Swedish flag flying high above IKEA, and meatballs. Nowadays, however, there has been a lot of press about Saab’s proposal for Canada to purchase its Gripen-E jets as part of the Future Fighter Capability Project. If accepted, this would help strengthen the image of Sweden as a major player in the aerospace industry thanks to its innovative solutions. The strong connection between Sweden and hockey will, however, most likely never change. How do you think Sweden has achieved the success it has despite being such a small country, population-wise? Sweden has been able to achieve its success because of its emphasis on innovation and sustainability. These are attributes that set Swedish businesses apart from many of their competitors.
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... A Rock In The Expat Community.’ What does the Swedish community look like in Winnipeg? Winnipeg has a very active Swedish community through the Swedish Cultural Association of Manitoba (Svenska Kulturföreningen av Manitoba) and the Strindberg Vasa Lodge, which is a fraternal organization with member lodges in Sweden, Canada and the U.S. Another central part of the Swedish community in Winnipeg is the Swedish Canadian Home, a retirement home featuring numerous services and amenities, where many of our Swedish elders reside. A large number of young individuals also travel to Sweden annually to play professional hockey and/or attend university. While they may not be Swedish citizens, they bring back aspects of Swedish culture upon their return which they then share with their families in Manitoba. What aspects of Swedish culture and life are you personally most passionate about promoting? I am very passionate about promoting my love for nature and getting out to explore regardless of the weather. My family and I live close to one of Canada’s largest urban nature parks and enjoy going for hikes through the aspen trees year-round. We also spend a lot of time at our family cottage. We enjoy swimming, picking blueberries and canoeing. These are activities that were passed down to me by my maternal grandmother, who is my familial connection to Norway and Sweden. I also got my
sweet tooth from her, but that’s one aspect of Swedish culture that I try not to promote! When we were in Sweden last year, one of the first things that I noticed was the large number of dads out walking their infants, seemingly at all hours of the day. In today’s society it’s very important for all parents, who are able, to spend time with their young children. I am very fortunate that my husband has been able to play an active role in the day-to-day parenting of our toddler. Sometimes there’s a stigma associated with men taking time off to attend to family responsibilities. I’m hoping that I can help change this perspective. The “Swedish Dads” exhibit – a photograph series with portraits of 45 dads by Johan Bävman, produced by the Swedish Institute – showcases this well and is something that I hope to be able to promote in Manitoba in the near future. Are there any other current or upcoming projects or events that you would like to mention? Unfortunately, most of the Consulate’s upcoming projects and events have had to be postponed due to the pandemic. We hope that we may be able to go ahead with an event to recognize Raoul Wallenberg Day in January 2021 (or more likely 2022) and also to share with Manitobans some of the fantastic exhibits coming out of the Swedish Institute, once concerns about COVID-19 subside. Interviewed by Sofie Kinnefors
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Swedish Press | October 2020 17
H E RITAG E
A Blacksmith Turned Missionary
The First Swede in Manitoba
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onsidered the first Swede in Manitoba, and Minnesota’s first Swede, Jacob Fahlstrom is the only known Swede to immigrate via Hudson Bay, arriving at York Factory in a Hudson’s Bay Company ship in 1811. Born near Stockholm, Sweden on 25 July 1793, he had signed a five-year contract before boarding the ship at Stornoway, Scotland. By 1812 Jacob is listed as living at Playgreen Lake, Manitoba, near the north end of Lake Winnipeg. Following the end of his contract, he was hired by the rival North West Company, leaving their employ at Sault Ste Marie to join the American Fur Company. Jacob’s Territory of Minnesota Declaration of Intention document, dated 2 September 1850, gives his date of birth as 1796 and places his entry into the United States at Mackinaw Island, then Michigan Territory, in 1814. Having developed close cultural ties with the Ojibwa, he became known as “Yellow Head” for the blonde colour of his hair. He married Margaret Bonga in 1823 in Fond du Lac, Minnesota, with whom he had nine children. Margaret was the daughter of an Ojibwa woman and
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Swedish Press | October 2020 18
Jacob Fahlstrom. Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center
Pierre Bonga who worked for the North West Company around 1804 –1814 and then for the American Fur Company. Jacob is mentioned as being in the region of the Minnesota River by 1819 when the U.S. Army arrived to build Fort Snelling at the confluence with the Mississippi River. Jacob worked as a ‘striker’ in the blacksmith shop at Fort Snelling and the associated Indian Agency. His home is recorded as a blacksmith shop on a map of the area made in 1832. He is also said to have supplied the Fort with wood, as well as carrying the mail north to the Lake Superior region, and from Prairie du Chien to St Croix Falls. Although technically illegal for civilians to settle on military land, the Fahlstrom family and others were living in the Coldwater Spring area near Fort Snelling, Minnesota because they were considered useful. With the signing of the Mendota treaty in 1839, civilians were asked to leave. Those who resisted were forcibly evicted. The family moved
across the river, unaware they were still on Fort land. Evicted twice more, Fahlstrom is said to have determined to walk east until the sun set, sure that then he would be well and truly away from the army. This is supposedly why he named his farm Afton (‘afternoon’ or ‘evening’ in Swedish). In 1838 Jacob settled on a farm in Washington County, Minnesota and later converted from Lutheranism to become a Methodist missionary known as Father Jacob. He is said to have carried with him a pocket bible written in Swedish which was a gift from his mother. He died on 29 July 1859 and is buried in a cemetery on the Fahlstrom’s Valley Creek farm in Washington County. Margaret died on 6 February 1880 and is also buried in the family plot on the old homestead. Compiled from various sources, including Elinor Barr’s book “Swedes in Canada: Invisible Immigrants.” Reproduced with permission from the Swedish Cultural Association of Manitoba.
This children’s book written by R. B. Cape is inspired by the life of Jacob Fahlström.
H E RI TAG E
Four Generations of Swedish Immigrants
Manitoba – Where Swedish Roots Run Deep By Noelle Norman
“This is it,” says Alvin Goranson and points to the rows of Swedish tombstones behind him at the Nord cemetery just west of Eriksdale, Manitoba. Cenotaphs and rocks are the only markers left on the land his parents and grandparents once came to Canada to farm.
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mmigration from Sweden to Canada started slowly. However, with the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to Winnipeg in 1881 and British Columbia in 1885, the prairies opened up to homesteaders and Winnipeg became the Nordic gateway to the West. With its rail and retail centre, also known as the “Chicago of the North”, most Swedes passed through the city as part of the immigration process. The Canadian government and the CPR did their best to attract Swedish immigrants to Canada through advertisement and agents in Sweden. In 1885, the government set aside two tracts of land for Scandinavian immigrants. One, located north of Whitewood in Saskatchewan, was called New Stockholm. The other, located northwest of Winnipeg near Minnedosa, was known as New Sweden or Scandinavia. In 1908,
Eriksdale memorial plaque.
the community of Avesta was established. Later, the name was changed to “Erickson”, in honour of the first Postmaster, a Swedish immigrant named Albert Erickson. Of the Swedes who settled in Manitoba, nearly half lived in or around Winnipeg which remained the “Swedish Capital of Canada” until the 1940s when Vancouver took over the title. The rest spread westward to places like Scandinavia, Erickson, Hilltop and Smoland; eastward to the Lac du Bonnet/ Riverland area; or, like Alvin Goranson’s parents, northward to Eriksdale/Lillesve in the Interlake region. Alvin’s father Jonas Göranson arrived in Eriksdale from Jämtland, Sweden, in 1906, making him one of the first settlers in the area. At that time there was no train, so he would have had to walk from Oak Point to his homestead situated about 20 miles to the south. Later, Alvin’s grandparents followed,
claiming a sizable plot of land nearby. Alvin indicates where their house used to be. It has since burnt down, but the tremendous piles of rock they cleared from the soil still stand. The stone-filled soil made the farming here challenging. Many families moved elsewhere as soon as they could, but the Göransons stuck it out. “If there was nothing else to do, we were told to go pick rocks,” Alvin remembers. “There was never an idle moment.” While he doesn’t farm anymore, Alvin and his wife have stayed in the area. So has his son Todd who now works for the Department of Agriculture. But while the pastoral landscape is reminiscent of Sweden, the legacy of the Swedes who once farmed these lands is vanishing. When asked what remains of his Swedish heritage, Todd Goranson replies: “We maintain some of what we would call traditional Swedish foods, mostly at Christmas. We make a Swedish thin bread and eat lutfisk, but the language is gone.” 86-year-old Alvin is the last family member still able to understand and speak Swedish. As for Todd, he only knows one phrase: “Ät och tig!” (shut up and eat!) he laughs.
Alvin Goranson at Nord cemetery.
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Swedish Press | October 2020 19
[Lifestyle]
Top Sju
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Swedish-based IKEA is launching its first clothing collection “Efterträda”. Created by IKEA Japan and IKEA Sweden, the line includes a sweater with hood, T-shirt, textile bag, towel and an umbrella. The shirts have been adorned with a barcode belonging to IKEA’s best-selling item of all time – the Billy bookshelf. However, “Efterträda” is currently only being sold in Japan. The clothing line will reportedly be available worldwide soon. With IKEA’s family member price, an “Efterträda” T-shirt costs approximately $10.
Fotografiska (The Swedish Museum of Photography) in Stockholm is back in business after the Covid-19 pandemic cut public attendance by 98 percent. The fall season opens with an exhibition by Finnish/ American photographer Arno Rafael Minkkinen who, with his exhibition “Two Hundred Seasons,” celebrates 50 years as an artist. Minkkinen will be followed by exhibitions showcasing British artist and fashion photographer Miles Aldridge and New York-based British-Liberian visual artist Lina Iris Viktor.
1950 If you are curious about what IKEA’s very first catalog looked like and what furniture it included, visit the IKEA Museum website. All IKEA catalogs, including the premier issue launched in 1950, are now available online. Readers may be surprised that IKEA initially focused not only on furniture, but also on items such as bags and nylon stockings. Eventually, the Swedish furniture company shifted its focus exclusively to furniture and interior design. But clothing is about
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to return to IKEA’s product line.
1957 Popular chips company Estrella is also launching special holiday flavors. Estrella was founded in 1946 by Swedish business leader Folke Anderson. He started manufacturing potato chips after a visit to New York in 1957 and soon became Sweden’s first chips manufacturer. Estrella’s “Christmas Chips of the Year” (Årets julchips) consists of new flavors: Salted Caramel and Cream Cheese. For those who prefer classic flavors, Estrella has a wide selection of chips, dip mixes, nuts and popcorn.
1960 Christmas candy “Juleskum” is popular with children and adults alike. The soft candy, which tastes of sweet strawberry, was launched by Swedish candy
maker Cloetta in the 1960s and has become highly popular among Swedes during the holidays. In addition to the classic “Juleskum” candy flavor, Cloetta launches a limited edition each year. Blueberry has been selected as the flavor of 2020. A bag of “Juleskum” contains 100 grams of candies and is priced at SEK 11.90.
4 Cinnamon bun lovers take note! Kanelbullens dag (The day of the cinnamon bun) falls on October 4. Created in 1999 by Hembakningsrådet to honor Sweden’s cinnamon bun tradition and increase the sales of flour, sugar, yeast and margarine, Kanelbullens dag is celebrated by cafes, bakeries and grocery stores all over Sweden. In North America the traditional Swedish sweet bun filled with sugar and cinnamon may be hard to find, so your best bet may be to simply bake your very own.
31 Swedish children look forward to Halloween on October 31. Some will follow the American tradition of decorating pumpkins, dressing up in scary costumes and trolling the neighborhood asking for “bus eller godis” (trick or treat). The Swedish celebration of Halloween took off in the 1990s when extensive efforts to launch the holiday tradition were made. Commercial marketing has since added to the tradition’s popularity. Happy Halloween!
[Lifestyle] Book The mother who lost all nine of her children to America – My Father’s House by Mona Gustafson By Peter Berlin
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n the year 1910, at age twenty, Karl Artur Johan Gustafsson leaves Sweden to follow his older siblings to America. Renamed “Carl Arthur Gustafson” at Ellis Island, he begins a new life in Forestville/Bristol Connecticut where he falls in love with and marries Jennie Anderson. Together they build their house, guiding their family through the rapidly changing events of the 20th century. In this multi-layered, multiple-generational story, Mona Gustafson – their third child – takes her readers on a journey through WWI, the Great Depression, WWII, changing technologies, changing roles, and the tumultuous sixties and seventies. Karl was the last of his mother’s 9 children to leave for America. The following quote from Chapter 1 helps set the scene and give a foretaste of the narrative style:
He remembered his sister Anna’s departure thirteen years ago. Music, food, dancing, people gathering him up to swing around in dance rhythm or just to lift him above the sea of moving legs. Something special was happening, but at five years of age he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It seemed so happy/sad because she was leaving for America, that strange faraway place where someone named Per Emil had already gone. His big brother they said. And maybe he had a vague two-year-old’s memory of him, but not really. Then followed Tilda, Gus, and Gerda off to America. Strange seeing his mother smiling with tears in her eyes as her children left home one at a time.
State University, The Alfred Adler Graduate School). She is also a therapist in private practice, although not so much now with COVID-19 limitations. In the preface to “My Father’s House” she writes that she began this project with the desire to honor her father by telling the story of his life. Hence the careful attention to detail. The biography is the truth as she knows it, reading like a novel while supported by fact, testimony, and evidence. With a few exceptions, all named people and places are real; dates are as accurate as she could find them, and so is the historical information and cultural background. Mona Gustafson is the author of “When to Forgive,” “Forgiving One Page at a Time,” and “Figs and Pomegranates and Special Cheeses.” In the works is “It Sucks!”, a tribute to a friend who died too young. “My Father’s House” was published on August 18, 2020, and is available on Amazon.
Author Mona Gustafson is a mother, grandmother, aunt, cousinmany-times-removed, and emeritus professor (Southern Connecticut
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Hemma hos
Swedish Artist lands Manitoba-filmed TV series with his brilliant Sci-Fi art
[Design]
By Kristi Robinson
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he island of Färingsö on Lake Mälaren, not too far from Stockholm, is where digital artist Simon Stålenhag spent his childhood. It is also the setting for his art that paints an alternate reality where the modest Swedish countryside meshes with dystopian elements of broken robots, abandoned machinery, and even dinosaurs. Simon didn’t set out to create sci-fi art. At the core of his work he depicts traditional Swedish landscapes, reminiscent of life and his youth in the late 80’s/early 90’s. It just happens to take on a retro futuristic tone with elements like robots hanging around. Using photographs he has snapped of areas around his hometown for reference, Simon’s illustrations are created to look like oil paintings by using digital media to create lifelike brushstrokes. Though the story was
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always there, he penned it into a narrative book of his illustrations, ‘Tales from the Loop’. In it, the Swedish government ordered the construction of the world’s largest particle accelerator. Built in Mälaröarna, the locals call it ‘Slingan’ (the Loop). Defunct since the mid 90’s, it leaves its mark on a generation. These interactions and technological side effects are what ‘Tales from the Loop’ is about – mainly set in Sweden, but also journeying through Nevada and Siberia. The book caught the attention of writer and producer Nathaniel Halpern, and in April of this year Amazon released the TV series ‘Tales from
the Loop’. Halpern crafted a different version of the story – an underground experimental physics facility accommodates ‘the Loop’, a machine built to unlock and explore the mysteries of the universe. Eight one-hour long episodes in the series explore the happenings of the people who live above the loop. Set in the American Midwest town of Mercer, Ohio, the backdrop for filming was chosen in Manitoba, Canada. The scenes for the town of Mercer were shot in downtown Morden with its brick storefronts and clock tower. Scenes were also filmed in the city of Winnipeg, on the shores of Lake Winnipeg, and in Birds Hill and Buffalo Pound Provincial Parks.
Although Halpern’s made-forscreen storyline differed from the original book version, he didn’t forgo all Swedish sensibilities. The car driven by the main family in the show is a Volvo, and the characters’ wardrobe has a decidedly subtle Scandinavian vibe. Another interesting Swedish-Manitoba connection is that Carla Lamoureaux, who works at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre in Winnipeg, had a large shipping container n her family for almost seventy years that came from Sweden’s oldest bakery in Malmö. Finding a new home for the container, she
Hemma hos
posted an ad for it on the local Kijiji and was contacted by the production crew on the show who took it to be used as a prop. Though Simon wasn’t heavily involved in the making of ‘Tales
from the Loop’, he did consult with the team. Going to Manitoba, he described the oddity of ending up in a place on the other side of the world that was like an image of where he’s from. He says he got on a plane,
travelled 20 hours, and ended up somewhere that looks exactly the same – maybe an alternate reality playing out in real life? All images are artwork from Simon Stålenhag’s ‘Tales from the Loop’. Photos © Simon Stålenhag
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Hemma hos
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Treats
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y name is Marilyn Ekelund. I have two daughters and a grandson, and I work as a nurse in a personal care home here in Winnipeg. I moved to Winnipeg 23 years ago from Alberta with my family and have been involved with the Swedish Club here since I arrived. My father’s parents had come to Canada from Värmland in 1910 as farmers who homesteaded in southern Alberta. Like most Swedes at the time, they did not hold on to many Swedish traditions, so my knowledge of Swedish culture was limited. Since coming to Winnipeg and getting involved with the club here, I have learned so much about Sweden and its traditions. I have studied the language, my daughters participated in the Lucia pageants, and we celebrated Midsommar every year. I have been a board member of the Swedish Club for seven years, often teaching group classes on Swedish crafts, hosting Swedish movie nights at my home, and organizing a Scandinavian book club. It has been really fun to do, as I enjoy being creative. I have been to Sweden three times. In the past few years I have made contact with my second cousins there. This has been an amazing experience, as they have been so wonderful and gracious to me. One of my brothers and I went there in 2018. Our cousin Lars drove us from Stockholm to Värmland, telling us our family’s history from the 1600s up until his grandfather’s time (my grandfather’s brother).
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à la Marilyn Ekelund
We even saw the farmhouse where our grandfather grew up. It was indescribable to stand on the same land more than 100 years after he had left his homeland forever, and to see the same views as he had. I hope to return again soon to explore my roots and see more of Sweden’s natural beauty and historical sites. So although I grew up knowing very little about Sweden, I feel I have enriched my life so much in all
the ways I have connected with the country, the culture and my family and friends, both in Sweden and in the Swedish Club of Winnipeg. By Marilyn Ekelund
Lobster Mushroom Bisque Ingredients: • ¼ cup butter • 2 cup lobster mushroom, sliced • 1 onion, finely chopped • 1 clove minced garlic • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped • 1 can tomato sauce • ¼ cup white wine • 1 cup chicken stock • 3 cup fat free half-n-half
Preparation: Trim the lobster mushrooms and cut into thin slices. Over medium/high heat add the butter in a large pot. When it’s nice and hot, cook the mushroom slices for 3 – 4 minutes until you start to see some color. Add the onions, garlic and celery until the onions are translucent, then stir in the tomato sauce and chicken broth. Mix well. After another 2 minutes of cooking and stirring, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the white wine. Return the pan to the heat and bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer over low heat for 20 – 25 minutes. Carefully add the mushroom & vegetable mixture to a highspeed blender and process until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot and stir in the fat free half-and-half and bring it all to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for another 20 minutes. Check the bisque for seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
Mushroom Pancakes Ingredients: • 2 cups of grated lobster mushrooms • 1 teaspoon of table salt • 1 tablespoon of butter for frying • 2 tablespoons of chopped green onion • 1 beaten egg • 2 – 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
Preparation: Wash and grate mushrooms with a cheese grater into a bowl. Add the salt and let stand about 3 min. Squeeze out the excess water from the mushrooms. Add green onions, egg and enough flour so that it will hold together when formed into pancakes about 3 inches in diameter and ¼ inch thick. Heat butter in a skillet. When hot, add pancakes and fry until golden brown on both sides. Salt and pepper to taste.
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Road to 2045
Road to 2045 How something really simple can be so complex By Jakob Lagercrantz
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hree things come to my mind when I think of Canada: trees, hockey and maple syrup. Two out of the three have the potential of being truly sustainable and could be the green gold of the future. Take maple syrup, harvested for 200 years from the beautiful maple tree. The tree kindly yields up to 40 litres of sap per year, year after year. The sap is then concentrated into maple syrup, tasty and full of minerals. But the largest potential is offered by the forest, with the capacity to give us a large number of key products ranging from timber to medicine, chemicals and energy. The forest coverage in Canada is 40 percent, in Sweden an astonishing 68 percent. A very important aspect of forests has more and more come into focus, namely that the growing of trees absorbs carbon dioxide. Trees act as filters, using the carbon to grow, and
release the oxygen back to nature. The United Nation Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded in a report last year that we will not be able to meet the climate target set in Paris 2015 without sequestering carbon in old oil wells, or by planting trees. It sounds simple – plant trees and we are ok? The potential is huge; planting trees will help us balance the carbon debt. Sweden has had a net growth of forests for the past 40 years, and if we include the carbon absorption by trees, Sweden is already almost carbon neutral. But forestry creates a huge controversy among policy makers. One side maintains that trees should not be cut down when they are fully grown because the carbon is released if they are burned for energy or become paper that is eventually combusted. The other side sees trees as part of a cycle. When a tree is cut down, new trees are planted. Young trees absorb more carbon dioxide than old trees. A well-maintained forest provides both raw materials and carbon absorption. The cycle for a tree is 80 – 150 years, depending on where it grows.
Maple sap collection. Photo: Jonathan Kirn/ Getty Images. Below: Sugar maple trees. Photo: Mike Grandmaison
There are experts and professors on both sides, and a widening gulf between them. The first group focuses on meeting climate targets by 2030 or 2045 and wants to see limited forestry until then. The second group takes a more long-term view on forestry. We should learn from the ancient interaction with the maple tree. We must find a way of working with nature, taxing the surplus without threatening the tree or the biodiversity of the forest. Forest practices have been devastating for nature in the past, with clear-cutting on a large scale without any regard for biodiversity. We still see this both in the Amazon, central Africa and Indonesia. But thanks to pressure from NGOs, many practices have been greatly improved. While we still have a long way to go on many markets, the right approach is pretty apparent. In the end it is up to us, the consumers. Demand eco-labelled forestry products, for instance FCS (Forest Stewardship Council). 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 Connects
Association of Swedish Teachers and Researchers in America
Brigham Young University: A Unique Home for Swedish in the West
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he arid mountain valleys of the Great Basin do not typically come to mind when thinking about the traditional strongholds of Swedish America, but the influence of Swedish immigration on Utah and the Intermountain West has been significant and long-lasting. At the beginning of the twentieth century, Swedish-Americans made up almost five percent of the population. Today, the children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren of those early immigrants still make up roughly the same percentage of the state. The first Swede to migrate to Utah, John Erik Forsgren, came with the first Latter-day Saint (Mormon) pioneer groups in 1847. Three years later, Forsgren travelled to Sweden as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints facing intense religious persecution in his homeland as he preached. He returned to Utah three years later with 297 Scandinavian converts from Denmark and Sweden. Thus began the largest religious migration in the history of Sweden that over subsequent decades saw thousands cross the Atlantic and settle from Southern Alberta down through Utah to Nevada and even California. Brigham Young University (BYU), founded in 1875, was an outgrowth of the pioneers’ deep commitment to education, self-improvement, and keen interest in languages and cultures. Today, the university in Provo, Utah is the
Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah is the largest private university in the United States. Photo by BYU Photo. Used with permission of BYU Photo.
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largest private university in the United States with nationally ranked academic programs and over 33,000 students from all fifty states and 105 countries. One of the distinctive features of the university is its commitment and expertise in foreign languages. Over 130 languages are spoken on campus and sixty-three are taught regularly. Given Utah’s extensive Swedish roots and BYU’s international focus, it is hardly surprising that there is a thriving Swedish program at the university within the Scandinavian Studies Program. Over 200 students per year from across the university take courses in Swedish language and culture, from beginning Swedish through advanced language and literature Natalya Nielson, Scandinavian courses. Studies and English student from Uniquely, more students Portland, Oregon finds a corner to study in front of sculptures donated at BYU study Swedish at to the university by Swedish sculptor the advanced level than Björn Erling Evensen. Photo by Tyler Richardson. Used with permission beginning levels because of BYU Photo. so many have had previous experience in Sweden through voluntary missionary service for the LDS Church. In an attempt to leverage this high proficiency level among many students, the BYU Swedish program has established study abroad and internship opportunities to deepen their experience with the culture and professionalize their language skills. Professor Christopher (Chip) Oscarson, himself the descendent of Swedish immigrants to Utah, has taught Swedish language and culture classes for over fifteen years at BYU. Says Oscarson, “Nowhere else in North America can you find a more academically diverse and advanced group of Swedishspeaking students than at BYU. Not all of our students will have the chance to use their language skills professionally after graduation but, even so, in the process of learning Swedish they have broadened their horizons in important ways and come to see the world through different eyes. This will make them better professionals and citizens no matter where life takes them.”
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Swedish Press Connects
Making Expat Voices Heard Loud and Clear
Utlandssvenskarnas röst intensifieras Svenskar i Världen, SVIV, är organisationen som fångat utrikesministerns genuina intresse. Numera finns därför en dedikerad kontaktperson på UD för att säkerställa att utlandssvenskarnas röst når fram. På organisationens dagordning står frågan om passförnyelse och underlättandet av flytt till Sverige med ens amerikanska partner högt upp. SVIV ser gärna att fler blir medlemmar för att stärka utlandssvenskarnas röst ytterligare.
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början av mars kontaktade utrikesminister Ann Linde organisationen Svenskar i Världen för att få en bättre bild av utlandssvenskarnas situation i ett tidigt läge av Covid-19. På mötet uppmärksammades Linde på organisationens representanter världen över, varpå hon tog initiativet till att kontakten mellan representanterna och ambassaderna skulle stärkas. Ett viktigt steg i det arbetet är den dedikerade kontaktpersonen som Svenskar i Världen numera har på UD, Sophie Tzelidis, kansliråd som bland annat ansvarar för pass- och medborgarskapsfrågor på den konsulära enheten. Att ha utrikesministerns och UD:s öra är viktigt för en organisation som driver utlandssvenskarnas frågor. En konstruktiv och öppen dialog är en förutsättning för att kunna föra fram utlandssvenskars behov och önskemål. Påverkansarbete är en långsiktig process där Svenskar i Världens roll är att ständigt påminna myndigheter och beslutsfattare om utlandssvenskarnas behov och utmaningar och därtill komma med konstruktiva lösningsförslag. Ytterligare ett tillfälle att lyfta utlandssvenskarnas utmaningar var det Livefika som utrikesministern deltog på, arrangerat av Svenskar i Världen. På detta webinar svarade Linde på ett antal frågor som hade skickats in i förväg av medlemmar. Under de tjugo minuter som hennes späckade schema tillät, hann utrikesministern beröra avsaknaden av den mobila passenheten i USA, diskutera valdeltagande, samordningsnummer och vad som gäller för svenskar utomlands om den pågående pandemin kräver nya restriktioner.
Pass- och medföljandeproblematik kvarstår
Två hyperaktuella frågor som Svenskar i Världen driver är att hitta en lösning på det problem som uppstod när
den mobila passenheten togs ur bruk i USA, men också påverka den kommande migrationslagen. Beträffande passfrågan kontaktade organisationen utrikesministern redan i november i fjol för att uppmärksamma henne på de konsekvenser som uppstod för många av de uppskattningsvis 150 000 svenskar som bor i landet. Svenskar i Världen för nu dialoger med olika personer och konstellationer för att kunna hitta en lösning. Under våren har Svenskar i Världen jobbat intensivt med utmaningen för svenska medborgare att flytta hem till Sverige med sina amerikanska partners. Möten har ägt rum hos justitie- och migrationsministerns sakkunniga, och en debattartikel har publicerats i Svenska Dagbladet. Därtill har organisationen tillhandahållit Migrationskommittén den resolution i ämnet som togs fram på Utlandssvenskarnas parlament i fjol, men också försett kommittén med konkreta exempel från verkligheten. Information om medlemskap i Svenskar i Världen finns på www.sviv.se. Där finns även inspelningen av Livefikat med utrikesminister Ann Linde.
Summary in English: SVIV has intensified its dialogue with Foreign Minister Ann Linde, as well as with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Uppermost on the agenda are two long-standing issues: Firstly, the problems resulting from the withdrawal of the mobile passport renewal unit in the United States; and secondly, the difficulties returning Swedish citizens encounter when seeking permanent resident status in Sweden for their American spouses. SVIV would like to see more people joining the Association in order to further strengthen its influence in the Swedish immigration legislative process.
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A guide to fun and interesting Swedish events outside Sweden
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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 The main exhibit, The Dream of America: Swedish Immigration to Chicago, and The Galleries are opened but the Brunk Children’s Museum will remain closed until further notice. Visit the Swedish American Museum website for updates. 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. Oct 17 – Sat 10 am: Kairos Alive! Intergenerational Dance Hall™ on Zoom. Advance registration is required. Register by 8 am on October 17 to receive instructions to join online. Ongoing through Nov 1 – We Are the Story – Quilts Exhibition. 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. Oct 3 – Sat 5:30 pm: Around the World: The Global Curiosities of Carl Otto Lindberg! Exhibit Opening. Oct 11 – Sun 12 to 3:30 pm: Book Fair & Family Fun Day celebrating the newest exhibition highlighting Swedish illustrator Gustav Tenggren. Oct 31 – Sat 1 to 2 pm: Virtual New Sweden History Conference Home on the Delaware: Vernacular Architecture in the Delaware River Valley 1600-1767. PORTLAND Nordic Northwest Nordia House, 8800 SW Oleson Rd., Portland, OR 97223 | Tel: 503-977 0275 www.nordicnorthwest.org Nordia House is now open. Ongoing through November – MIND THE EARTH: Climate Change – Climate Action 8
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– The exhibition uses satellite imagery to share new vantage points about the global climate crisis. SEATTLE Swedish Cultural Center 1920 Dexter Ave. N. Seattle, WA 98109 Tel: 206-283 1090 | www.swedishclubnw.org info@swedishculturalcenter.org Oct 9 – Fri: Viking Dinner prepared by Chef James Bushell. We’ll have both outdoor dining (hey, we’re hardy Vikings, aren’t we?) as well as indoor dining and take-out. Chef James gives his talk on Viking food to the hearty ones outdoors. RSVP to rsvp@ swedishclubnw.org or call 206-283-1090. Oct 11 – Sun: Annual Auction & Gala Dinner – We’ll celebrate and support the Club through a virtual auction! National Nordic Museum 2655 NW Market Street, Seattle, WA 98107 Tel: 206-789 5707 | nordic@nordicmuseum.org www.nordicmuseum.org National Nordic Museum is open in compliance with Washington State’s “Safe Start” protocols. Oct 10-17 – Sat to Sat: The 34th Annual Virtual Northern Lights Auktion – Opening on October 10th, participants can bid on exciting auction lots from the safety of their homes. On the evening of October 17, a live portion will feature special items, a preview of 2021 exhibitions, toasts, and more. 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 consular services by appointment only. Phone hours are: Monday-Friday 9:30 am12:30 pm and 1:00-3:00 pm 202-467-2600. SACC-DC House of Sweden, 2900 K Street NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20007 Tel: 202-536 1570 | www.sacc-dc.org Oct 1 – Thurs: SACC Executive Forum – The Forces of Change – this vitual event will cover the latest developments 18
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in innovation and how revolutionary technologies are creating new ways of doing business. It will broadcast live from the House of Sweden and will include interactive elements. 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 ban until 31 October 2020. VANCOUVER Scandinavian Community Centre 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby, BC V5B 4P9 Tel: 604-294 2777 | info@scancentre.org www.scancentre.org The Scandinavian Community Centre commenced operation with a soft reopening of the Centre since July 6, 2020. The soft re-opening is limited 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. 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 The Scandinavian Centre has reopened effective Aug 15, 2020 with capacity limits as outlined in the Policy for Restoring Safe Services on our website. Oct 7 – Wed 7 pm: Scandinavian Book Club – Sweden's Dark Soul: The Unraveling of a Utopia by Kajsa Norman; Author to join mtg via ZOOM; Register old_soul_ art@hotmail.com. Swedes in Manitoba Heritage stories – In an effort to offer activities during these COVID restricted times, we invite you to our website, www.scandinaviancentre.ca/ sweden, to read heritage stories about the Swedes who immigrated to Manitoba and where they settled; part of Manitoba’s 150th anniversary celebrations in 2020. 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.
dinner. Pancake breakfasts on first Sundays of the month. Rental venue for meeting, parties, etc. www.swedishclubnw.org
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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
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NAMEDAYS Oct 1 Oct 2 Oct 3 Oct 4 Oct 5 Oct 6 Oct 7 Oct 8 Oct 9 Oct 10 Oct 11 Oct 12 Oct 13 Oct 14 Oct 15 Oct 16 Oct 17 Oct 18 Oct 19 Oct 20 Oct 21 Oct 22 Oct 23 Oct 24 Oct 25 Oct 26 Oct 27 Oct 28 Oct 29 Oct 30 Oct 31
Ragnar, Ragna Ludvig, Love Evald, Osvald Frans, Frank Bror Jenny, Jennifer Birgitta, Britta Nils Ingrid, Inger Harry, Harriet Erling, Jarl Valfrid, Manfred Berit, Birgit Stellan Hedvig, Hillevi Finn Antonia, Toini Lukas Tore, Tor Sibylla Ursula, Yrsa Marika, Marita Severin, Sören Evert, Eilert Inga, Ingalill Amanda, Rasmus Sabina Simon, Simone Viola Elsa, Isabella Edit, Edgar
GRATTIS PÅ FÖDELSEDAGEN Oct 12 Everett Neugebauer, 11 år Oct 22 Nova Vilma Lee Sheppard, 13 år
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Swedish Press | October 2020 29
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Sista ordet
‘They try their best everyday ...’ Need a Dala Horse or Tomte? Check out the great selection of Scandinavian gifts, imports and goodies in our catalog or at:
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U.S. Postal Service Statement of Ownership, Management and Circulation 1. Publication Title: Swedish Press 2. Publication Number USPS 005544 and ISSN 0839-2323 3. Filing Date: 9/15/2020 4. Issue Frequency: Monthly 5. No. of Issues Published Annually: 10 6. Annual Subscription Price: $45 7. Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of Publication: 862 Peace Portal Drive, Suite 101, Blaine, WA 98230-4085 8. Complete Mailing Address of the Headquarters or General Business Offices of Publisher: 862 Peace Portal Drive, Suite 101, Blaine, WA 98230-4085 9. Full name and complete mailing address of Publisher, Editor and Managing Editor: Publisher: Claes Fredriksson, 9040 Shaughnessy Street, Vancouver BC V6P 6E5; Editor: Peter Berlin, 6321 Redonda Place, Nanaimo, BC V9V 1S8; Managing Editor: Claes Fredriksson, 9040 Shaughnessy Street, Vancouver BC V6P 6E5 10. Owner: Swedish Press Inc., 862 Peace Portal Drive, Suite 101, Blaine, WA 98230-4085; Claes, Joan, Anton, Alisha and Arkus Fredriksson, 9040 Shaughnessy Street, Vancouver, BC V6P 6E5 Canada 11. Known bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages or other securities: None 12. Tax Status: Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months 13. Publication Title: Swedish Press 14. Issue Date for Circulation Data Below: 9/15/2020 15. Extend and Nature of Circulation: Average No. Copies Each Issue During Preceding 12 Months (No. Copies of Single Issue Published Nearest to Filing Date) b. Paid Circulation (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1) Mailed Outside County Paid Subscriptions Stated on PS Form 3541: 527 (507) c. Total Paid Distribution: 527 (507) d. Free or Nominal Rate Distribution (By Mail and Outside the Mail) (1) Free or Nomina Rate Outside County Copies included on PS Form 3541: 196 (46) e. Total Free or Nominal Rate Distribution: 196 (46) f. Total Distribution: 723 (553) g. Copies not Distributed: 0 (0) h. Total: 723 (553) i. Percent Paid: 72.89% (91.68%) 17. Publication of Statement of Ownership: If the publication is a general publication, publication of this statement is required. Will be printed in the October 2020 issue of this publication. 18. Signature and Title of Editor, Publisher, Business Manager, or Owner: Joan Fredriksson, Title: Owner, Date: 9/15/2020
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Swedish Press | October 2020 30
Charles Holmes Revisited By Peter Berlin
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n the November 2019 issue of Swedish Press (page 30) we introduced SwedishAmerican poet Charles Holmes and two of his poetry collections. Charles has now published another collection: For Those Who Do the Best They Can According to Their Lights. The book’s cover picture is a serene painting by his uncle Miles Emil Holmes who was born in Gothenburg, Sweden in 1885 and passed away in San Francisco in 1952. As a young adult, Charles Holmes felt abandoned at times but found solace in the kindnesses shown by people around him. These early experiences are reflected in many of his poems, a few of which you will find below. The book is available on Amazon.
Surrogate Grandson August 12, 2019
Dropping his grandson off at tennis camp, the grandfather gave to him $5.00 to spend. When picking him up after the day’s session, he asked the 11 year old how he spent the money. He said he bought a little food, and gave a dollar each to three others who had no money.
d The Right People Around
What a blessing to have the right people around! Those who do what they say, help in their own way, adopt a sensible plan, manage it as best they can, wise, kind manner never to stall, in things big and small, real know-how in their work, energy alive, read character well of those who connive, no harm attempted in their stay, they try their best every day.
Nice Questions/No Answers
Are clouds jealous of high mountains? Are oceans bothered by small islands? Are trees annoyed by scurrying squirrels? Does Spring realize its gift? Is Summer patiently waiting for Fall? Does an Autumn leaf feel its beauty? How often is Winter a reminder of hope?
d House Plants
Potted plant flourishing by silent window, knows its place, command of Now, strength in its calm. Varied green, unique art, stays quiet, true to self, gets in touch with people reverently, same to all. Content in apparent idleness, soft stillness speaking simply, treasure for those who live alone, saying much without words.
d Undying Art
Awakening light saying “Hello” and “Go well,” refreshing dawn arousing high-hearted hope, crimson sunset reflecting reverent quiet. How could they not touch a human spirit whose soul wants to smile at dusk? Each experience, thankful joy, captivating, free, a touch of beauty and mystery, rhythmic support in the ritual structure of a blissful day.
Cover painting “Vacation Time” by Miles Emil Holmes c.1930
Welcome to Vancouver – and the Swedish Cultural Society!
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We look forward to serving our members and guests again soon with Swedish food, celebrations, language classes, etc.
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