Norwegian choir sings to packed house in Hanska

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

HANSKA -- Norway's oldest country choir -- Nes Sangforening -- sang as it walked into a packed Hanska Community Center Friday night.

Established in 1851, the same year the Traverse des Sioux Treaty was signed, the mixed chorus performed 17 Norwegian religious and folk songs, the Norwegian National Anthem and "Just a Closer Walk With Thee" to end its performance.

Hailing from Nes, Norway, an island city of about 4,000 people on a lake, south of Lillehammer, Nes Sangforening was brought to Hanska by Juven Tours of Fargo, N.D.

"We just love having them. What a great choir," Alicia Helling of Hanska said.

Nes Sangforening arrived in Minneapolis July 1. They marched in a parade and sang at St. Peter's Old-Fashioned Fourth of July celebration and saw fireworks. They also toured the state capitol and visited Montevideo yesterday.

"It was a great experience," conductor Nils Rohnbaek said about his first trip to America. "It's very exciting to be in such a beautiful country. The landscape and farms are so big compared to those in Norway. We could tell the difference our forefathers saw when they came here to this huge land. It's very interesting for us."

The choir will visit more parts of Minnesota next week.

Nes is located in southeastern Norway, where one-fourth of Norway's people live in rural areas situated on gently rolling hills suitable for farming.

Many people that live in rural areas fish for a living. Norwegians usually eat four meals a day. Many farm families eat five times a day.

There are incentives for having big families in Norway. All families with more than one child receive a yearly allowance for each youngster under the age of 16, beginning with the second one.

These families may also get financial aid in paying their rent. The government guarantees all employed people an annual four-week vacation with full pay. Large families with middle or low incomes pay little or no national taxes, and their local taxes are reduced.

The National Insurance Act went into effect in 1967. It combined many existing welfare programs. All Norwegians must take part in a combined plan that includes old-age pensions, job retaining and aid for mothers, orphans, widows, widowers and handicapped persons.

After the concert, chairs were cleared away and the choir and Hanska citizens danced in the community center.

Rohnbaek was particularly impressed with and curious about the wooden storehouse, or stabbur, being built in Hanska's park. It will be dedicated by the Norwegian Consulate General at the community's centennial celebration the first weekend of August.

"It's very beautiful. It was done the right way," Rohnbaek said. "It will be an attraction for years."