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The Norwegian-American "bygdelag" is an organization of emigrant descendants from a particular area of Norway, now living in North America. Each "lag" seeks to preserve Norwegian cultural heritage, facilitate genealogical research, and strengthen bonds with its community-of-origin in Norway. There are over 30 bygdelag in America today. The parent organization is Bygdelagenes Fellesraad and has an Internet address of www.fellesraad.com.
These groups usually hold meetings (stevner) once each summer. Stevne programs may feature a variety of Norwegian cultural and educational activities. Displays of Norwegian arts and crafts, consumption of ethnic foods, choral and instrumental music, books and readings, fiddlers and folk dancing, genealogy classes, noted speakers, video tapes, and Norwegian language in signs, songs or speech may be used.
Fun and fellowship-as well as help in tracing your ancestry and re-
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establishing contact with relatives are possible.
An example is Trønderlag (the "lag" for people whose ancestors came from the Trøndelag region in the middle of Norway). The lag offers an on-line "mail list" where members assist others looking for information about their relatives in Norway and elsewhere. People translate documents, and research sources. Jon Satrum found a third cousin in Norway by using the list.
"It is vital in all cultural life to maintain a link between the present and the past. If there is anything that history makes clear it is this, that when a people becomes interested in its past life, seeks to acquire knowledge in order to better understand itself, it always experiences an awakening in life."
Ole Edvart Rølvaag
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