Norwegian Heritage Fair celebrates Scandinavian culture

POST FALLS — As she flipped through the pages of an old-world Scandinavian recipe book, Holly Handeen described how traditional Norwegian baking connects her to her family's past.

"I really love reading through these cookbooks. You get these bits and pieces of the culture,” she said. "Being in the kitchen, I always get such a calming sense there because that’s what my ancestors have done. Every woman that has gone before me has been at some sort of a stove or hearth, with a pot over the fire … I feel like it’s a huge honor to my ancestors if I am doing what they did.”

Handeen, whose great-grandmother came to America from Norway as a child, was one of several members of the Sons of Norway who participated in the Norwegian Heritage Fair in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Lodge in Post Falls on Saturday. She demonstrated how to make "krumkake," a light and crispy traditional Norwegian cookie.

“Not a lot of people know how easy it is to make it," she said. "You just mix the batter up, it’s very similar to pancake batter, but it’s not as runny, and then you just put it on the griddle, just a teaspoon each and you put the griddle down, like a waffle iron, and about a minute later you have this little round disc and you put it in a cone and roll it, kind of like you would an ice cream cone."

The Norwegian Heritage Fair, in its 15th year, included vendors and artisans, traditional folk dancing, displays of ornate Norwegian painting known as "rosemaling" and a Norwegian-themed lunch of soups with fishballs and meatballs, potatoes, cabbage and plum compote as well as lutefisk and lefse.

Sonia Bertsch, president of the Daughters of Norway Freya Lodge No. 50, wore a traditional woman's costume called a "bunad."

"Every region of Norway has their own specific costume depending on where your family is from," she said. "The country of Norway is divided up into over 20 different regions. Mine comes from Møre og Romsdal, and it's divided in half. This one is the 'nordmore,' meaning 'northern end.' These are an heirloom in your family."

She also educated curious fairgoers about the history of the Scandinavian immigration to the Midwest and coastal areas of the U.S.

"They were shipbuilders, fishermen, and they settled a lot in the Seattle area," Bertsch said.

Handeen said it's important to preserve history and pass the knowledge along to younger generations, such as her 7-year-old daughter Lajla, because it is a way of honoring the pioneers and survivors who came before as well as a way to appreciate one's self-identity.

“There’s a blessing that extends through the generations when you honor your ancestors,” she said. “It’s really important to know where you come from, to know what your heritage is and to preserve it.”