Items of Interest
This is where we post news items, essays and articles which relate to Scandinavians - in general, it's the place to discover items of interest!

How are you spending your summer?  It’s August 1st ,halfway over.  The weather in New York has not made it easy to enjoy anything but a room with a well-cranked air conditioner.  But, I suggest this month we look to the heavens.  Saturn and Mars will be visible to the naked eye, as well as the lovely blue-lit Venus. 

In fact “Mars, will be the closest it’s been to the earth in thousands of years, peaking on August 27th when it will appear as big as the moon” or so it said an email that’s been circulating.  After some investigation I found out that this was false.  Why bother?  Because the heavens are still fascinating and people wanted to not only believe in this possibility, but also experience it.  

All this talk about the constellations led me to book a trip, “Celestial Sail,” on the historic 1885 sailboat, the Pioneer at South Street Seaport.  Unfortunately, the vessel had to be repaired due to an unfortunate incident, involving its coming into contact with wood debris.  In place of this we were invited to have the program on The Peking, a 1911 cargo ship built in Hamburg that also served as a home for wayward English boys. 

We got to work with sextants.  They were plastic and lightweight, but not nearly as accurate as the older metal ones.  When one speaks about navigating waterways one can’t help but think about our forefathers and mothers; the Scandinavians, pre-Viking, Viking and post.  They navigated with simple tools, instinct and experience.  Our speaker, Don Chesley, explained how sextants work as you use the stars as a fixed point.  They create an angle, like a protractor.  The angles degrees determine location.  (Please forgive my crude explanation.) He also mentioned the Vikings used an earlier version of a sextant.   

This August we have a unique opportunity to gaze at the heavens and see amazing sights. As you do, I encourage you to romanticize about our ancestors who plummeted into the dark deep seas with only the dark deep heavens to guide them.

Victoria Hofmo
8/1/2010

Viking Fest 2010 – I think this was the best Viking Fest to date.  The weather was amazing.  Two bands form Norway: the Bergen Police Band and Torvikbygd (traditional Hardanger music) performed, as well as pipers, step dancers, Middle Eastern percussionists, etc….  The Norseman Viking replica ship was there with crew and two re-enactment groups giving arms demonstrations and wonderful hands on displays.  One member was reading runes.  And the piece de resistance this year must have been the addition of Bob Carlson – blue, white and red from head to toe as he organized the games for children of all ages and Elsie Willumsen who in the spirit of joviality dressed as the Viking Queen.  I now refer to these two characters, our very dear members as our Barnies (the purple dinosaur) because everyone wanted to take photos with them.  Thanks to all who assisted and came.   

Raffle – Just a reminder. We are currently running our raffle.  Winners will be drawn at our October meeting.  Tickets were sent out in our last mailing.  This is one of our biggest fundraisers.  If you can participate it would be greatly appreciated.  Spread the word and if you need tickets please call Victoria at 718-748-5950 or email her at victoriahofmo@aol.com.

Upcoming Events
The Scandinavian East Coast Museum’s Annual Essay Contest will be held during the month of October in honor of Leif Eriksson Day and is open to children in grades 4 – 6 in the tri-state area.  This year’s theme was chosen to be in conjunction with the theme of the 17th of May Parade in Brooklyn.  It was celebrating Bjornstejerne Bjornson, who wrote the lyrics to Norway’s National Anthem, Jet Vi Elske Dette Landet. (Yes, we love our country).  We ask this year’s writers to choose 5 words that they would include in a National Anthem and to explain why.  The winner will receive Viking memorabilia, including a Viking comic book and will have the opportunity to ride on The Norseman, the replica Viking ship in the next Norwegian Day Parade.  Essays should be no more than 2 typed pages in length.  They can also be hand written if done neatly.  Essays need to be received by November 1, 2010 and can be mailed to SECM/ c/o LES/ 440 Ovington Avenue/ Brooklyn, New York 11209.

Film – On Saturday, September 18th from 2 – 6 PM, at the Danish Athletic Club, we will be showing the extended version of the film, “The Fading Footprints of the American Dream.”  Dinner and dessert will be served.  The cost is $30.00.  Please call Victoria for a reservation at 718-745-3698 or email her at victoriahofmo@aol.com  

The Sorrows of An American:
A Review and Brief Interview by Victoria Hofmo

Siri Hustvedt’s new book’s title is The Sorrow of An American. On the surface it refers to psychiatrist Erik Davidsen whose character serves as the “I” in this novel. However, Davidsen’s empathetic relationship to his sister Inga, recently widowed, as well as to his reoccurring memories of his mid-western Norwegian family’s trials and tribulations leads me to believe that this book could have been entitled The Sorrow of An American Family. Erik’s familial ties, as well as his internal conflicts and how he negotiates them is truly a story about all of us, the pain, the pleasure, the hopes filled and unfulfilled. What makes this book truly intriguing is Hustvedt’s deep delving into the human psyche through Erik.
continued...

Click here to download the entire article