Rediscovering the Norwegian Tradition in Red Deer, Alberta
Who & When?
Believing that nothing is impossible for a dedicated and united group of volunteers, Betty Wulff called for people of Norwegian birth or descent together in early 1974 to start a "Norwegian ethnic club."
Why?
One of the more urgent reasons for forming such a club was to contribute something unique in the way of foods and crafts to the then "Folk Festival" - the international celebration of different countries' cultures held annually in Red Deer, Alberta on July 1st. The Norwegian Club of Central Alberta was quickly formed at this meeting with the objectives of re-learning the traditional culture of Norway. Another goal was the possibility of contributing a Norwegian building for the proposed "International Village" planned at that time. This was a dream proposed by the then Red Deer International Folk Festival Society, and was to be established somewhere within the City of Red Deer. A special theme park where the various ethnic groups could practice and showcase their culture year round, this would become a world-class tourist attraction which the City has always needed. It would also be a place where youth could find educational employment by acting as interpreters in each building.
Club members liked this plan and found the experiences of working together on these common goals invigorating and exciting. Old things became new again as an almost forgotten culture was re-learned and joyfully shared with anyone interested. Most of the club members had often heard about the difficult hardships and adjustments their Norwegian parents and grandparents had experienced by leaving their families and homeland forever in order to emmigrate to a far away and unknown country..."America"...and then up to Canada!
So as the members of this newly formed club brought the Norwegian culture alive again they also unwittingly paid homage to those ancestors who had put aside many of these old country things to become thoroughly "Canadian". A fitting tribute to those ancestors would be to try to preserve some of what could be kept, celebrated and shared as Canadians with a Norwegian past. At the same time this would instill in Canadians of all ethnic backgrounds an awareness of the great diversity in their cultural heritage. Club members themselves would also see, understand and appreciate their own place in the "flower garden" or "mosaic" of Canadian culture. Throughout the following thirty years these goals have been reached for hundreds of club members and thousands of visitors while at the Laft Hus.
What?
Right from the start this Norwegian Club was very busy! Weekly Norwegian language classes began immediately, Norwegian cooking and baking recipes were practiced and many began the endless research to discover what it means to have Norwegian ancestry - to be a Norwegian-Canadian.
The Club's Very First Project
The initial project undertaken by this club was one of special service to all of central Albertans. A raffle was held to raise funds with which to purchase a much-needed piece of Norwegian-made first aide equipment for the Red Deer Recreation Department's swimming pool. This equipment, the Resusci-Anne, designed and produced in Leardal, Norway was for use by instructors in the teaching of moutn-to-mouth resuscitation (the life-saving method for drowning victims). The raffle prize was unique also. It was a hand-made wooden rocking chair, the last of several made in his lifetime by a central Alberta senior of Norwegian birth, the late John Solberg of nearby Bentley, Alberta. Two of his earlier chairs, rosemaled by another Bentley resident of Norwegian heritage, were later donated to the Laft Hus Society by Mr. Solberg's family members, and are prized artifacts in the Laft Hus collections today.
