Seven Lags meet at Luther College
Photo: Anna Oksnevad
From Telemark, Norway, Tone Jorunn Tveito, the Tinndølan Folk Music Group, fiddler Torgeir Straand, and keynote speaker Per Lykke participated in the 7-Lag Stevne program at Luther College.
Anna Oksnevad
Minneapolis, Minn.
This July 20-23, Luther College hosted the Sju-Lag Stevne groups for a weekend of music, dancing, genealogy research, courses, and a youth camp.
The opening session was held Thursday evening at the Center for Faith and Life with music performances by the Luran Singers of Decorah and Tone Jorunn Tveito of Telemark as well as a performance by the Decorah Nordic Dancers. Guest speaker Anette Holt Bratsberg of Skien, Norway, gave a speech titled “Sustain Your Legacy, Write Your Story.” Other speakers included Don Arendt, Mayor of Decorah; Dr. Paula Carlson, President of Luther College; Elaine Hasleton, President of Bygdelagenes Fellesraad; Hayley Jackson of Luther’s Archives; Dr. Andrea Beckendorf of Luther’s Rare Book Collection; and Dr. Kate Elliott, Curator of the Fine Arts Collection.
Photo: Anna Oksnevad
Decorah’s Nordic Dancers and the Tinndølan Folk Music Group teach each other and members of the youth camp various traditional dances from Norway, in this case the famous Halling hat dance.
The program continued Friday with courses, vendors, and research opportunities for participants. The Special General Session held Friday evening included special music by Tone Jorunn Tveito and Torgeir Straand of Telemark, Norway. Tveito grew up in Lårdal and began singing at the age of 12. She has sung for the Norwegian Cabinet, the Prime Minister, and the King of Norway and has won many musical awards. Straand began playing seriously at age eight. He has participated in many fiddling competitions and won several top prizes. Per Lykke of Rjukan, Norway, gave a lecture called “Sustain and Celebrate Our Common Legacy.” The program concluded with dancing from Tinndølan Folk Music Group, a Norwegian folk music and dance group from Tinn in Telemark.
Photo: Anna Oksnevad
Tone Jorunn Tveito and daughter from Telemark, Norway, participate in the Bunad Parade.
Saturday evening included a Bunad Parade and guest speaker David Engen, 2015 winner of Norway’s popular reality show Alt for Norge where participants compete for a chance to meet their relatives still residing in Norway. The program concluded with a worship service in the CFL at Luther College.
This article originally appeared in the Sept. 8, 2017, issue of The Norwegian American. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.
