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Nordfjordlaget In America ............ Established in 1909
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Participants at the Sunberg, MN 1994 Stevne.
Established in 1909, the Nordfjord Lag is a yearly gathering of people with Norwegian ancestry generally from the Nordfjord area on the west central coast of Norway. We get together for fellowship, food and entertainment of a Norwegian flavor. Many who first come to us looking for genealogical connections return for the cultural and personal contacts.
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2010 Stevne Centenial Celebration |
Lag Information | Contacts |
| 2005 Stevne | 2006 Stevne | 2007 Stevne |
| 2008 Stevne | 2009 Stevne | Links |
June 2nd thru 12th, 2005 current and new members of the Lag joined together on a grand tour of Nordfjord. This tour was planned by the people of Nordfjord as a celebration of the 100th anniversary of Norwegian Independence day and as a thank you for their time with us in 2002 . In all a total of 75 Nordfjordings from our Lag, the Wisconsin Lag, and those who joined the tour on their own, went on this wonderful adventure. Many of us stayed on until June 17th touring other parts of Norway.
The people of Nordfjord went all out to not only show us a good time with lots of good food but also to show us the past and current culture of Norway. We were greeted by marching bands, mayors and officials of each community, the best of entertainment, fjord horses, school kids, lots of relatives, and the best of Norwegian hospitality. This was truly a once in a life time trip.
2006 Stevne
Lag participants at the Nordfjordlag Stevne, 2006.
To see photos from the stevne click here.
The 2006 Nordfjordlag Stevne was held on Sunday, September 17 at the Green Lake Bible Camp in Spicer, Minnesota. Entertainment was provided by Dassel Leikarring Scandinavian Folk Dancers, Kjell & Elaine Nordlie - Directors.
The 2007 Nordfjordlag Stevne was held on Sunday, September 16 at the Green Lake Bible Camp in Spicer, Minnesota. Entertainment was provided by Anderson family.
We had a great time at the Nordfjordlag Stevne on September 21, 2008 at the Green Lake Bible Camp in Spicer MN. About 70 members and friends attended.
In 2008 we were pleased to have Christian Skjervold speak to us on the Norwegian Resistance Movement.
On Sunday, September 20, 2009, more than sixty Nordfjordings got together on another beautiful fall day to renew old acquaintances and to meet new friends. We began the day with coffee and rolls in the dinning hall and then moved up to the stave church on the hill across the street for our Sunday morning service. Following the service we returned to the hall with the traditional wedding march led by Hardanger violinist Stephanie Hendrickson of Sacred Heart, MN. The honorary bride and groom were Borghild O. Risendal, and Darwin J. Monson, of Stillwater, MN.
To begin the afternoon program we were treated to the musical presentations of The Nordic-American Psalmodikon Quartet and learned about the history and construction of this uniquely Scandinavian one-stringed instrument. The Psalmodikon was declared as "the approved" instrument for church use by the Norwegian State Church in 1835 and became common place in homes. It traveled to America along with the immigrants where its voice from home could be heard across the barren plains. As times changed and other instruments became more affordable it fell out of use and has only recently been revived.
Later in the afternoon Carlyle and Rita Johnson gave a presentation and slide show on their recent travels to Norway and their search for relatives and family connections on both sides of the Atlantic.
As always the day ended with a banquet including the old Norwegian favorites.
In 2010 we are again planning to meet at the Green Lake Bible Camp in Spicer, MN. The date is Sunday, September 19, 2010 so mark your calender now to save that date.
Although the lag was established in 1909 we have historically held our 25th, 50th, and 75th year anniversary celebrations one year later at the 25th, etc. stevne. Holding to that tradition we will be having our centennial celebration in 2010 to finalize our 100th year as a lag. Work is beginning on that celebration now so stay in touch for more information.
President's Note
Dear Nordfjordlag Members,
Sunday, September 19, 2010 is an important day for our Nordfjord Lag Stevne. It is the Centennial year of the Nordfjord Lag of America and we hope you will all come to this historic event.
In order to have more time for the special program in the afternoon, the business meeting will be in the morning. During the afternoon program Eugene Rodi will present the new banner for our Lag. The Dassel Leikarring Norwegian folk dancers will be with us again and there will be slides or videos of Norway. We have invited a number of Nordfjordings, and we hope some of them will be able to come from Norway to join us for the 100th Stevne.
Hope to see you on September 19.
Ernest Anderson, President
Stevne Schedule
A full day of activities is being planned for the 100th Stevne including:
9:00 - 10:30 Morning coffee hour
10:00 Business meeting during the coffee hour
11:00 Worship service at the Stave Church
12:00 Noon meal, catered
Afternoon Program will include:
Presentation and Dedication of new Banner
Entertainment by Peggy Larson - Norwegian Mountain Herding Calls
Norwegian dances by the Dassel Leikarring
Afternoon coffee/snacks
Slides/video of Norway
Time for visiting and renewing acquaintances
Evening meal: Catered Dinner served at 5:00
(The lag will provide lefse and rommegrot)
Please note that all of the meals will be catered, including the coffee hours/snacks. Advance reservations are required and the cost for the entire day will be $25 per person. The flat rate of $25 covers the entire day, with no reduced rates for events missed. Please send your reservations as early as possible. Note that reservations (or cancellations) must be received by Friday, September 10.
Pastor Irvin Flaten will conduct the worship service and the bridal couple will be Barb and Lowell Torkelson. Anyone who has a bunad is encouraged to wear it to the stevne and follow Barb and Lowell in the bridal procession from the church.
The 100th Stevne will mark the dedication of a new banner to replace our precious and now very fragile banner that has been in use since 1919. The original banner was a gift from the people of Nordfjord and is believed to be the oldest Lag banner still in use today. The original banner will be on display this year for it's final appearance at a Nordfjordlag Stevne. After the dedication of the new banner the original will be donated to the Vesterheim Museum in Decorah, Iowa.
For those that would like to do something special to mark this 100th Stevne and assist in financing the new banner, there is a section on the reservation page for donations.
We look forward to seeing you at the Nordfjordlag Stevne on September 19 and encourage you to invite family and friends to attend also. Reservation forms (see link below) or handwritten information can be sent to Betty Rodi at 9313 North Shore Drive, Spicer, MN 56288.
Everyone is welcome to attend.
Banner
Work has begun on creating a new banner to replace the one we have. As you may know the old banner is showing its age and the lag plans to sent it to Vesterheim Museum in Iowa after the 100th year celebration. To see ideas, comments and the ongoing discussion click here!
Lag Dues
Lag dues are still only $5 per year! So register now to get on the mailing list! You don't have much to loose and so much to gain by joining. We are looking forward to our 100th year as a lag and to the celebration
E-Mail List
Nordfjordlag has started a list of E-mail addresses for those who would like to be kept informed of lag activity during the year. This list is kept secure and only lag relevent information is sent to these addresses. Your address will not be sent to any other site nor will it be displayed so that others can see it. To be added to the list, to change your address or to be removed from this list please send you request to this mail link. Also if you wish to have lag relevent information relayed to the E-Mail list members, please send that information to the same location and I will see that it gets sent out.
Stevne Location
Over the past few years Green Lake Bible Camp has become our stevne home. It is located on the south side of Green Lake, Spicer, MN, just over 1 mile east of Kandiyohi County Road 8. The address is 9916 Lake Avenue South (building on north side of the road) and the Bible Camp Chapel (Stave Church) is located just across Lake Avenue on the south side of the road next to the parking lot.
For more information about Nordfjordlaget see the items listed below:
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Digital Archives!
Copies of published articles from the lag archives, digital photo copies of registration books from 1909 - 1960 and more to come! - An article giving a short history of the Lag
- Pictures from previous Lag stevner.
- Our 1999 stevne was in joint session with the Bygdelag Centennial at Decorah, IA. (See the pictures from Decorah.)
- A greeting from Elmer spoken in Nordfjording (a 236k wav file).
- For links to Lags from other regions of Norway try the Fellesraad home page.
If you are interested in joining our lag or if you would like more information, please contact one or more of the following:
President: Ernest E. Anderson
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Vice President: Gene Rodi
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Membership: Betty Rodi
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Genealogist: Robert O'Neil
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Page created July 20, 1998.
Last update August 17, 2010.
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