Denmark in the Heartland

The Danish Sisterhood Society National Convention wasn’t just a wonderful opportunity to connect with other Sisterhood members, but also to learn about a gem located in the Heartland…a little museum with a big mission and even bigger place in the hearts of America’s Danes. I had the opportunity to meet Bruce Bro, Development Director for the Danish Immigrant Museum. We spoke for a few minutes about the museum.

What’s the mission of the museum? The Danish Immigrant Museum is dedicated to preserving and promoting Danish Culture in America. We connect with Danish groups around the U.S. to help in this mission, and seek out those who value their Danish heritage.

Where is the museum? The Danish Immigrant Museum is located in America’s heartland in Elk Horn, Iowa.

In Iowa? Really? That seems like an unusual place for such a museum. I usually don’t associate Iowa with Danish immigration. Founded in 1983, the Museum was located in Elk Horn because so many early Danish immigrants came to Elk Horn and the surrounding area to farm, and to connect with friends and relatives who had previously come to America and settled there. The area saw the formation of many Danish/America institutions including the Danish Brotherhood in America, the Danish Pioneer newspaper, Dana College, and Grandview College. So the history and heritage of earlyDanish/Americans is rich in Elk Horn.

How can I become involved with the Museum if I live in another state? In addition to the good amount of information on Danish immigration, culture and history on our website, we invite you to listen to the weekly radio program (podcasts available) on KJAN Radio, AM 1220. We also have a Facebook page, which can keep you connected.

Bruce also told me about membership opportunities. While I understand this might not be for everyone, but it can help me to feel like I’m doing
something to preserve my Danish heritage and culture. We have to keep the culture alive…and the museum is a wonderful avenue to help us do that. What have you done recently to keep your heritage alive? Maybe it’s as simple as using a recipe from your mom or grandmother…maybe it’s looking up information on Ancestry.com. Whatever is is, be sure to do it. Remember, if we don’t know who we are, we don’t have anything.

Thank you to Bruce and his colleagues at the Danish Heritage Museum for helping to keep my Danish heritage alive and thriving!

It’s starting!

We are women from all over the continent who have come together to celebrate our Danish Heritage. Every
four years we gather for the Danish Sisterhood of America National Convention. Today we officially begin the 25th convention in San Francisco.

We’ll spend the next three days celebrating our heritage, making future plans, and electing officers, not to mention seeing old friends and meeting new ones.

It was especially exciting to see the Convention quilt with squares contributed by numerous Lodges and sewn by one of our sisters.. I have to find out who did all of the beautiful work…it’s amazing.

For now, I’m going to sit back and learn…the woman next to me is Lis, and she does not speak English, only Dansk. She is a lovely lady inside and out, and we’re having fun with much smile!

Need Inspiration? Meet Cody Rooney

If you’re in need of a bit of inspiration, check out this story in Indian Country Today about Cody Rooney, a young Iroquois man who is now on the pow-wow trail. He’s had a tough go of it, dealing with health issues including cerebral palsy. But that hasn’t stopped him. He’s found a true passion and spiritual source in the pow-wow circle. Check out the story and let us know what inspires you….

Never give up. No matter what. Follow your true heart and let the spirit unfold.

So you’re a real Dane?

One of the new friends I met at Danish Days 2005

About five years ago, Locke suggested we take a drive up to Solvang, a quaint Danish town about two hours north of Los Angeles. Having seen a few traditionally German or Swiss towns around the country and knowing that we do live in the place for creating alternate realities, I was very skeptical about the authenticity of the little berg. But, I decided to humor my future husband. We planned our visit to coincide with Danish Days, the annual celebration of Danish culture held the third weekend in September.   

When we arrived in town we stopped first at the Visitors’ Center for some weekend recommendations. Behind the counter was a woman in a traditional Danish dress and a friendly smile. We asked for recommendations for restaurants, but she was hesitant to provide any (I guess the Visitor’s Center must be impartial), until our conversation turned to the fact that my grandfather, Ben, had come to this country from Denmark when he was just nineteen. Then, the recommendations didn’t stop. “Get your breakfast at the Red Viking Restaurant, see the Hans Christian Andersen museum, and be sure to watch the Solvang Village Dancers when they perform tomorrow afternoon.” She even promised to dance with Locke “if you can keep up with me.” 

After settling into our spacious and comfortable room at the Solvang Inn and Cottages, we went toured the small town by foot. The typical Danish architecture took me back to my childhood when my parents, Kurt and I explored similar-looking towns, but in Denmark.  The streets of Solvang  wound around and led us to small shops, fountains and plazas reminiscent of not only Denmark, but also the missions found in southern California. 

Saturday morning of Danish Days began at the Æbleskiver breakfast – with Danish sausage, of course. As Locke and I sat at a picnic table with another couple (whom we did not know) in the middle of Copenhagen Drive, we talked about Grandpa Ben. Why did he come to the U.S.? Where did he grow up? “You know,” I said, “I should really find out from my Danish relatives exactly where Ben came from so I can get a traditional dress from his region.”  Locke nodded and smiled. The woman next to me, in between bites of æbleskiver, overheard my comment and said “Oh, so you’re a real Dane?” 

“Yeah,” I said hesitantly, “I guess I am.” The question hit me in the heart. Wow. A real Dane?  Huh. I had never really thought of it that way before. Interesting.  “Yes,” I said, much more confidently this time. “Yes, I am.” 

And that was it. The way I viewed myself changed.  I always had been ‘in touch’ with my German (Prussian) heritage, but this woman’s question hit me to the core. Yes, Grandpa Ben came from the country with the Little Mermaid, Legoland, Tivoli Gardens, and the place where Kurt and I sang Muppet songs with our cousins Morten and Jesper when I was a kid. Yes, Mom spent a month in Odense when I was a teenager, and came back feeding us herring, open-faced sandwiches and parsley-buttered potatoes.

 But only at that moment, sitting on Copenhagen Drive in Solvang, though, when I was in my late 30’s, did I actually identify with the fact that the 4 million people in that small country were….are….part of me.

I spent the rest of the weekend taking it all in…the food, the dancing, the history, and hearing the language. I made Locke promise that we could come back. ‘You mean to the town you didn’t want to visit?”

“Yeah. To the town of my People.”

Okay, so it’s a huge cliché and quite corny, but it’s exactly how I felt. It was the beginning of my journey. More  stories to come.

Anniversary of Fallen Timbers

October 5, 2009, was the Anniversary of Tecumseh’s battle death. October 5, 1813, at Fallen Timbers near the Thames River in Canada.

American forces led by General William Henry Harrison, and British-Indian forces led by Henry Proctor and Tecumseh fought a decisive battle. Harrison’s 20,000 troops attacked 700 British troops. Almost immediately 600 British troops surrendered and 18 were killed. The Shawnee intertribal coalition led by Tecumseh fought a fierce battle by themselves against 20,000 americans through a swamp. Thirty-three Indians died. None were captured.

Antoine Chene, a Shawnee mixed-blood that scouted for the General William Henry Harrison, identified the body of Tecumseh. But the Shawnee left no bodies behind.

I wonder what Tecumseh would of thought if he had known that as he fought for the British, American and British politicians were negotiating a cease fire that would leave the Shawnee and all Indian Nations to fight by themselves against the judeo-christian americans.

May the Creator of all that is honor the spirit of Tecumseh and truth he stood for.

“We gave them the forest-clad mountains and valleys full of game, and in return  what did they give our warriors and women? Rum, trinkets and a grave.”   -    Tecumseh

On September 12, 2009, Wintertalk won “The Serriously Good movie (short)” in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Winning in Shawnee was important to us for obvious reasons. The competition was quite good and we thought Randy Redroad and others had a good chance.

When I accepted the award I used an old Algonquin quote which when translated means “we become what we dream.”

There was a great film called “Tar Creek” by Matt Meyer, his beautiful wife, Tanya (man, what a great handshake) and his Producer in-laws Ron and Cara Beers. It’s a story about the Quapaw Indians and the superfund cleanup site on which they live. They seem to be considerate people that have the best of the tribe and mother earth at heart. Check them at  www.tarcreekfilm.com.

You’re one of us, bro

When we planned this trip to Oklahoma, we hoped to learn more about Locke’s history as a Shawnee. Little did we know that one of the first people we’d meet would be Mike, an Absentee Shawnee . We saw him when we entered Paul’s Place, a local steak joint here in Shawnee, Oklahoma. “If he’s a Shawnee, who knows, maybe he’s one of your relatives, Locke.” My husband just smiled.

After we’d had our meal (New York Strip for Locke and filet mignon for me – plus green beans, baked sweet potato, and bread pudding for dessert!), Mike stopped by our comfortable booth. He bent down onto one knee (he must be at least six-foot-three, tall like most Woodland Shawnee Indians) and commented on Locke’s silver feather earrings, which  started the conversation. We told him we were from Los Angeles, and the earrings were purchased there from Greg a Roadman (a Holyman from The Native American Church) . Here’s more of the conversation:

Karin: Are you Shawnee?

Mike: Yes, I am.

Karin: (pointing to Locke) So is he.

Mike: You are? Absentee? (referring to one of three Shawnee Tribes – the other two are Shawnee of Kansas and the Shawnee Cherokee of Miami, Oklahoma)

Locke: Yes, my family was part of the band on Chartier’s Creek in Pennsylvania where Pukeshinwau and Methoataaskee lived as children. My family had a homestead there back before 1791.

Mike: Yes, you’re one of us. That’s us – the Shawnee! We never gave up! You’re one of us, Bro!

(I giggled when I heard that, because Locke often tells me that – he people never gave up!)

Locke and Mike continued to talk about the People, and some of the recent changes to the local Shawnee Tribe. Mike also told us of his 3-year old daughter who is a shell dancer (he stood up straighter and told us that like a proud father, committed to teaching his daughter The Ways).

One of the best parts of the conversation came a bit later when Mike said he’d like to show us around this weekend. We’d like that, too. Hopefully he will call us; we were too excited to get his phone number when we handed him our Schoen-Wasler Group card!

oui-shi-ka-to-oui (be strong)
Shawano (Shawnee)

Hoka hey! (stand fast)
Lakota

Creator was truly with us this day.

Southern Winds Film Festival Part 2

Karin was interviewed tonight on Toppie  Lincicome’s show (Blog Talk Radio). What a kind, warm soul. Really interested in Native American culture, history and experience. We talked about the youth and elders interviewed in Wintertalk, and about the idea of finding commonalities among people, stories, etc. Good stuff.  Take a listen here .

We’ll blog from the festival. Getting ready to go back to where it all started! Tomorrow it’s off to the Oklahoma City airport where we met…the next day it will be to the Absentee Shawnee Reservation and Film Festival opening party… Should be a great get-away!

Shared via  AddThis .

Æbleskiver

Wondering what æbleskiver are?

Some people might wonder what these little things are…Well, Scandinavians sometimes argue about the origin of the round pancakes. I like the Danish legend that Vikings made pancakes in their helmets after a long, hard battle on the Atlantic.  The theory (as found on Solvang Restaurant’s website) goes on to say that would mean that these tasty treats were served in North America over a thousand years ago! Can’t help but wonder if Locke’s ancestors ever had any. Well, I realize that’s totally stretching it….but it’s fun to imagine. For more information about æbleskiver, see the LA Times article  from earlier this year.

Bezon. Lenawe nilla.

Hello. I am Shawnee.

My  name is Locke Wasler, I am a Shawnee/Kickapoo mixed blood, and from before the time of 1791, and George Washington, the first President of these United States, the Wasler family lived on their homestead along Chartiers Creek in the Frontiere line of the Western Territory (Southwestern Pennsylvania).

The Wasler Family operated a small gristmill, owned draft horses and were respected teamsters. From their dock on Chartiers Creek supplies from Pittsburg and Philadelphia were offloaded from keelboats. Then they would use their draft horses to pull wagons loaded with those supplies up hill toward Farm County and Bassettown, in Washington borough. Now called the City of Washington.

When you check the history of Southwestern Pennsylvania you will find no mention of the Wasler Family, their teamster business or the gristmill during that period. Neither will you find any information about any non-european land or business owner.  Even though at this time white people were out numbered which is why Pittsburg was considered the jumping off point of the Western Frontier.

But what you will find described by local historians are references to French half-breeds, (but never a scotch-irish or English half-breed) and the “good Indians” they were Christianized by the Moravians, Anglicans, or Catholics. Most references and stories dismiss the possibly that Indian people were capable of anything.

It all started in Oklahoma

Here’s a bit of our story, in case you haven’t already heard it.

Oklahoma City Airport, January 16, 2004.

Really bad January storms. Flights from all over the country, bringing Indigenous and Native Americans together for Wintertalk, an annual conference sponsored by the Episcopal Church. Locke was on his way from Los Angeles with his friend, Rev. Robert Two Bulls, and Karin came from Iowa at the request of her friend, Donald Whipple Fox.

Locke wanted to capture on film the Ways of Indigenous People – and how they are incorporating those ways into contemporary Christan beliefs. He would create a documentary called ‘Wintertalk.’ Karin would facilitate a leadership development session for Native church leaders. 

I (Karin) was in the airport, talking with a small group of Native women. All of a sudden, a tall guy sort of pushed his way into our group, stuck out his hand to me and said ‘Hi, I’m Buz Wasler.’   The feeling in my stomach told me that I was in for a great adventure with this person, known to me now as Locke.  And that feeling was right. Five years later, I know much more about my own Danish and German heritage than ever before, and I am influenced daily by the beauty and strength of Locke’s Shawnee/Kickapoo heritage.

In a few weeks we’ll go back to Oklahoma to attend a screening of Wintertalk at the Southern Winds Film Festival. We’re flying back to where it all started. We’ll fly into that same airport, and probably go back to St. Crispin’s for a walk around the lake, where I’m sure I’ll talk just as much as I did the first time.  Except this time when we go, we’ll travel together, as  a couple and a team.