Another Rare Recording: Troll Walk Founder Dr. George Knudson

Hope you enjoyed your time at the 2015 Nordic Fest! 

The Nordic Fest Troll Walks run for many years by a passionate group of local volunteers have been an important source of whimsy and natural context regarding the beauty of the Decorah area. The photo above was taken on a 2001 Nordic Fest Troll Walk. 

The Troll Walks were founded by the late Dr. George Knudson, a Luther College professor and dedicated student of the natural and cultural treasures of the Decorah area. You may read more about Dr. Knudson in two previous blog posts:

• Troll Walks Enchanted
• More Nordic Fest Fun

Although George and his wife Shirley were tragically lost in a plane crash just days before the 1978 Nordic Fest, their legacy of educational fun lives on through every smile at Nordic Fest, of which there are many every year. 

Thanks to the kindness of Dr. John Tjostem, also of Luther College, who helped carry George's legacy through his own incredible Troll Walk dedication, the 37 minute recording above offers a chance to hear the voice of Dr. George Knudson practicing his Troll Walk guide skills in 1972. 

Thank you, John for this treasure to kick off the one year countdown to the 50th Nordic Fest! Thank you, George for the legacy of education and smiles you leave us! 

The Lur and the Salmodikon from the 1968 Nordic Fest

The 49th Nordic Fest gets underway in Decorah this week. Wow! 

In 1968, the Norwegian-American Museum, now known as Vesterheim, added tremendous spirit and culture to planned celebration with its first Norwegian-American Folk Music Festival during Nordic Fest. The Folk Music Festival ran for most of the years of Nordic Fest and brought together musicians and music fans from throughout the United States and Norway. 

The rare recording below, courtesy Vesterheim and used with permission was recorded on July 27, 1968 during the second annual Nordic Fest. 

The less than two minute recording you may listen to below features the following:

• Kom kyra (a cow call) played on the Norwegian lur by Rev. George Ulvilden of Decorah
• Na takker alle Gud (Now Thank We All Our God) as performed by Henry Storhoff of Lanesboro, Minnesota on the one-stringed Norwegian instrument the salmodikon, with the audience singing along 

Enjoy these nearly 50 year old yet timeless sounds as once again, authentic cultural celebration is almost underway at the Nordic Fest in Decorah. 

Happy 49th Fest, and thank you Vesterheim for your permission to use this incredible sound treasure! 

Greetings From Governor Robert D. and Billie Ray

Iowa Governor Robert D. Ray, First Lady Billie Ray, 

Luther College First Lady Helen Farwell, Nordic Fest Board President Sue Miller, and Luther College President Dr. Elwin D. Farwell following the 1981 Nordic Fest grand parade

Governor Robert D. Ray was first elected to his role for Iowa in 1968, just one year after the first Nordic Fest. Volunteers from the Fest's early years credit Governor Ray's regular participation in Nordic Fest with lending critical early statewide credibility to the growing event. He is pictured above on one of many visits to Decorah, this one being the same year that Dr. Elwin D.and Helen Farwell were honored as Nordic Fest grand marshals upon their retirement from Luther College. 

Upon learning of the #nordicfest50 plans, Governor Ray's office was kind enough to issue the following statement: 

How exciting to hear that Decorah will be celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Nordic Fest in 2016!  Billie and I have fond memories of riding in the Nordic Fest parade when I was governor.  And we especially recall the warmth and hospitality of this special community.

I am so pleased that Decorah continues to honor its Norwegian heritage in such a wonderful manner.  I wish you much success and many more years of celebration!

Best wishes,

 Robert D. Ray

Governor of Iowa, 1969-1983

Governor, everyone connected to Decorah and Nordic Fest joins in wishing you and Mrs. Ray the best, too! 

Do You Remember the Parade and Lutefisk Connection?

Decorah Mayor David T. Nelson, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad, State Representative Paul Johnson and Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Robert Lounsberry participate in the Nordic Fest Lutefisk Eating Contest. Phone circa early 1980's by Jack Anundsen.

The just-completed U.S. Fourth of July holiday brought the experience brought the experience of elected officials and office candidates in parades to many communities large and small. The Nordic Fest Grand Parade each Saturday morning will inevitably be home to more of the same in just a few weeks. 

Pouring over board meeting minutes for any nonprofit operations may not be the first thing even the most enthusiastic researcher wants to do. The language of such minutes is often clean, lacks critical context and may unintentionally gloss over substance of a meeting in an effort to keep the focus on facts like the outcome of a vote.   

While reviewing available Nordic Fest board meeting minutes certainly had its routine moments, interesting notes were also revealed, especially with regards to a connection between politicians in the parade and the Lutefisk Eating Contest. To revisit Darin Svenson's guest blog on this contest, click here. 

When the Lutefisk Eating Contest started, it was not the public entry event that it is today. Unsure of the response the event would get, organizers kept the contest focused on special Nordic Fest guests. 

Here's where it gets interesting. 

Board meeting minutes note a general acceptance of politicians in parades as a given for any special event, yet a slight distaste for the necessity. There was also a concern about people actually entering the new Lutefisk Eating Contest. For several years, this issue was resolved in a unique way: if an elected official wanted to ride in the Nordic Fest parade, he or she must also enter the Lutefisk Eating contest. This rule may have been responsible for the collection of elected officials pictured above. 

While the political climate 35 years later make it difficult to imagine this rule being successfully enforced, this unique connection between two events remains an interesting part of the rich history of Nordic Fest.