Feed me!!

[Gribouille]

Lots of people with Norwegian forebears live in Minnesota and western side of Wisconsin. There are little shops around, if one looks, with things from Norway and other Scandinavian countries. On the eastern side of Wisconsin, where we live now, are lots of Germans. But still Scandinavians too. Funny thing is, he didn't grow up here. We were both born out west in California and moved to Wisconsin later on. His grandfather emigrated to USA as a young man, and when about aged sixty moved back to Norway. His name was Gunnar Steen. Ken went to see him and had a wonderful Norway trip when he was 17. My late M-I-L loved all things Norwegian and belonged to a lodge called Sons of Norway. A few customs remain at our house, like lefsa and a few phrases, and such. Oh, I'll take a couple pics of something else. SOrry, didn't mean to hijack the thread. He always wanted to go back, but never happened.

it is quite fascinating to see how Americans clung to the old continent even if you've never lived there. Our first landlord was a Norwegian who had lived in Alaska and Seattle most of his life, came back with his old parents when he was over 60 and told about Little Norway and Sons of Norway too.. That's a dimension that is totally foreign to me, although I am an immigrant myself, moved over here when I was 24, but I don't have those feelings you express about my birth country even if all my family is still there. My kids see themselves as Norwegians, they don't refer to my or their father's countries as theirs, and I really don't think their kids will care about us not being born here and having another cultural background.

 

[fashionfobie]

it is quite fascinating to see how Americans clung to the old continent even if you've never lived there.

It depends what you are clinging onto. Cultural diversity isn't a bad thing, sometimes 2nd or 3rd generation people feel detached on the adopted continent. I mean my grandparents spoke Polish, but never allowed us to. I always felt like there was a force trying to stop us from any connection to our history or culture. Then people in my school would tease or joke about Poles. Even though it is a country of many diverse people and some great thinkers. ... So idk sometimes I like finding things about my ancestry to be proud of. Maybe it is more of a shield

 

[Gribouille]

It depends what you are clinging onto. Cultural diversity isn't a bad thing, sometimes 2nd or 3rd generation people feel detached on the adopted continent. I mean my grandparents spoke Polish, but never allowed us to. I always felt like there was a force trying to stop us from any connection to our history or culture. Then people in my school would tease or joke about Poles. Even though it is a country of many diverse people and some great thinkers. ... So idk sometimes I like finding things about my ancestry to be proud of. Maybe it is more of a shield

it is not about being a good or bad thing, but something I noticed more than once in Americans' discourse. I always find it fascinating, very specific of the US, although Canadians can have the same feelings about the origins of their ancestors they don't express it in the same way, and I never saw that in any other part of the world.

 

[Dorcas George]

I wonder why it’s an “American” thing? I was reading and thinking, “And there’s that whole lutefisk thing.” On the western side of Wisconsin there are LOTS of Lutheran churches who have an annual dinner. There are “Swedish meatballs” for those who have no intention of sampling the odiferous fish! (Me!)

 

[Beasley]

When you said your husband is Norwegian, it meant your husband’s family comes from Norway. Your husband is American, not Norwegian; but Americans would say he’s Norwegian, that’s why it’s an American thing. Of x descent doesn’t mean from x country, but here no one says “I’m of Irish descent” we just say “I’m Irish.”

 

[Dorcas George]

When you said your husband is Norwegian, it meant your husband’s family comes from Norway. Your husband is American, not Norwegian; but Americans would say he’s Norwegian, that’s why it’s an American thing. Of x descent doesn’t mean from x country, but here no one says “I’m of Irish descent” we just say “I’m Irish.”

Yep, that’s true, and something I never really thought about. But I meant, “I wonder why Americans are different than others in this regard?” LOL!

 

[Beasley]

Hmm that’s a good question! I think it has to do with heritage and cultural traditions, we have distinctly American things like Black Friday but for our roots we look back to our familial countries of origins.

 

[fashionfobie]

Black Friday has taken over Australia, I think it is a bit weird. From what I looked up about it, the Black Friday shopping mania is sorta new. Starting mid-late 90s. I know there are heaps of people who are into it.. though it isn't my cup of tea.

 

[Beasley]

I think it’s dying down here too but when it was really going in the early 2000s it was pretty crazy. Now that amazon has taken over its less of a big deal.

 

[Gribouille]

I wonder why it’s an “American” thing? I was reading and thinking, “And there’s that whole lutefisk thing.” On the western side of Wisconsin there are LOTS of Lutheran churches who have an annual dinner. There are “Swedish meatballs” for those who have no intention of sampling the odiferous fish! (Me!)

THAT I really don't understand... Norwegian cuisine isn't what you are traveling for, I always thought "OK, they eat those things because it is a tradition from the old time where their grand-parents were poor, not eating meat that often, not having access to fish inland, and it tastes awful which is why they wash it down with akevitt (which tastes as bad)". But that they actually import lutefisk and pinnekjøtt to the US and continue to eat it while they have access to other foods and an excuse to eat something else? That I don't understand!! Swedish are lucky to have the meatballs

Yep, that’s true, and something I never really thought about. But I meant, “I wonder why Americans are different than others in this regard?” LOL!

I have been thinking about that, and came to the conclusion that it may be History. Canadians and Australians are mainly descending from immigrants who traveled from the UK (France in Quebec) so the background is very uniform. While in the US there has been waves of immigrants from the whole Europe, so they probably had the need to keep their identity and feeling of belonging by defining themselves that way? Does it make sense?

 

[Dorcas George]

THAT I really don't understand... Norwegian cuisine isn't what you are traveling for, I always thought "OK, they eat those things because it is a tradition from the old time where their grand-parents were poor, not eating meat that often, not having access to fish inland, and it tastes awful which is why they wash it down with akevitt (which tastes as bad)". But that they actually import lutefisk and pinnekjøtt to the US and continue to eat it while they have access to other foods and an excuse to eat something else? That I don't understand!! Swedish are lucky to have the meatballs



I have been thinking about that, and came to the conclusion that it may be History. Canadians and Australians are mainly descending from immigrants who traveled from the UK (France in Quebec) so the background is very uniform. While in the US there has been waves of immigrants from the whole Europe, so they probably had the need to keep their identity and feeling of belonging by defining themselves that way? Does it make sense?

Yes, it does. If you were from Norway and moved to the US you had very different foods and customs from your neighbors who were Russian Jews or Italians and so on. And on the west coast it was Asians but also Hispanics—very different food, language, customs. America is not really a “melting pot.” It’s a giant bowl of chop!