Margy Sather Peterson is both a student and an instructor in our program. She is reinstituting Kvinnekor (Women’s Choir) this fall on Tuesday mornings. We are so excited to have Margy return as the director of this unique choir.
She is also a long-term learner in our program and we wanted to share her story with you. She graciously answered some questions we posed to her recently:
What is your connection to Norway?
My connection to Norway is lifelong and grounded in language study, travel, food, and family history. My dad was a full Norwegian-American, and I remember him singing Kan du Glemme Gamle Norge? (Can you Forget Old Norway?) when I was little. I wish I would have asked him where he learned it! I grew up in an American Lutheran Church (Norwegian) congregation and was surprised to learn that not all families had lefse, lutefisk, meatballs, sandbakkels, and krumkake on Christmas Eve! My dad’s sister made a kransekake for our wedding. My husband has Norwegian roots too, so we included traditional Norwegian foods and traditions each year at Christmas. Lillejulaften with another family has become a real favorite for our three children and their spouses.
Family travel enlivened the connection: I went to Norway and Sweden with my family when I was 8; I visited family farms in Norway with cousins; we took our kids there on a grand adventure in 2004; and finally, my husband and I have been there several times together. Our elder son traveled to Norway with his bride, and they loved it, so my fingers are crossed that the connection continues.
Now I’ve added genealogy study to the connection, but that’s too long of a story.
Describe your journey as a Norwegian learner. How did you get started? What keeps you coming back?
I grew up in Bemidji, near Turtle River where Skogfjorden and other Concordia Languages were built in the 1970’s. I went to Skogfjorden the first year it opened, and for three additional years. I chose St. Olaf in part because it offered Norwegian; although I changed majors often, Norwegian was always in my schedule. Then, as my kids grew up, I started my adult learning voyage at MNCLP. In 2016 I fulfilled a deferred post-college dream of studying at the University of Oslo International Summer School. That was lifechanging.
What keeps me coming back is the the deep joy is brings, cognitive challenge, the people, and the fulfillment of (kind of) being in another culture. It makes the world seem larger and smaller at the same time!
How long have you been taking classes through MNLCP?
My best guess is that I started in 2006 or 2007. I started with a dear friend, and we’ve been in the same class ever since!
What is your favorite part of MNLCP?
Two things: the wonderful instructors and the Board’s support of new classes that focus on culture or offer a new way of language learning. And, of course, it introduces people to Mindekirken!
Just over ten years ago you proposed that MNLCP expand our programming to include Kvinnekor. What was the inspiration behind this concept and what do you envision the next ten years will bring?
In 2014, I had sung with the Cloudberries [at ASI] for 5 years. They sang in Swedish, and we share lots of fond and fun memories. It was kind of hard for me to match vowel shapings or overall pronunciation, though, because I had internalized Norwegian sounds in my early years. I also wanted to arrange and compose, and it’s always easier to get a group to sing your “stuff” if you’re the director! We selected an evening rehearsal time to align with other MNCLP offerings, and to be available to an intergenerational group of singers.
For the next 10 years, I envision many more Jul and Syttende Mai performances, deeper friendships, and great memories! The reality is that evening rehearsals attracted singers who were near or at retirement age... I hope our new Tuesday morning time attracts singers who attend the Tuesday Open House regularly, and vice versa. Kvinnekor singers learn Norwegian, even though they’re focused on making music together, and this year we will emphasize that. Finally, even though our emphasis is performance, we will include other favorites, so they are ready to sing anytime.
What experiences do you have with Norsk, Norge and other Norwegian-American organizations outside of Mindekirken?
My husband and I have been members of Norway House for many years, and I am in my sixth year of being on the Board of Directors there. Through that position, I chaired the wonderful Edvard Grieg Society of Minnesota for 18 months and met some fantastic musicians and Norskophiles. We are members of NAHA. I made my own bunad through the Bunad Butikk in Ely. I wish we were closer to Vesterheim! This year I was honored to be asked to serve on the Mindekirken Foundation Board.
What words of wisdom would you offer to someone who is either just starting or contemplating starting their Norwegian language learning journey? Be eager, curious, and open! Create your own immersive experience by following your passions and mindfully reinforcing language elements.
For starters... Drill yourself on verb declensions and noun articles; a strong foundation pays dividends. Write, but use Google Translate sparingly. Read aloud! Listen to native speakers: watch a familiar movie with Norwegian subtitles; use e-readers and audio platforms (Amazon has a few Norwegian books available for Kindle, and
eBok.no sells digital and audio books (use a Kindle Fire for digital)). Get a subscription to the Norwegian American and read the first two pages, always in Norwegian. Find Norwegian books to share with your S.O., children, and grandchildren, but study the story first so you model correct pronunciation and inflection. Explore NRK (Norwegian television) by getting the app on your phone. Join Norwegian Facebook groups which echo your own interests and challenge your vocabulary.
Your fellow travelers are important! Make friends with people who share your passion in things Norwegian and lean on them if you get discouraged. Invite someone to take a class at Norway House with you or attend worship or a program at Mindekirken. Let yourself try a new teacher if you get stuck or go back to one you’ve had before. I have taken classes from 5 different MNCLP instructors and have learned a lot from each and every one of them.
Finally, join me at Kvinnekor on Tuesday mornings at 9:30 am, or the Mindekirken Choir on Thursday evenings at 7 pm!
