Nineteenth Century Norway

Ninteenth Century Norway

Fashion in Nineteenth Century Norway

A traditional Norwegian costume is called a bunad. It is worn by both men and women. It can either come from established rural traditions or have a more modern design inspired mainly from historical patterns and cuts. Bunads traditionally represent the family home and the area people came from, but now in the modern day where moving from place is a necessity, Norwegians wear the bunad tradition from the place to which they have the strongest attachment. Bunads are passed down many years and are kept for a long perid of time. The fabric of a bunad dress is wool. Men pants where often made from hooden which is wool that has been pressed into shape rather then woven. Traditional shoes were handmade black boots with a buckle on the front. Children often did not wear bunads because they where growing so fast that the clothes would be too expensive. Instead, they usaly wore a red vest with a white shirt, and black pants or a skirt.

Celebrations and Traditions in Norway

Traditional Food

- Because of the coastline, seafood played a big role in the diet of an average Norwegian. (Salmon, cod, and lutefish.)

- Because of the amount of mountains and wilderness, much game is caught and feasted upon in Norway.

- Breakfast was usually coffee, breads, fish, cheese, cold open-faced sandwiches, boiled eggs, and dairy products.

- Aquavit is Norway's national drink. It was the preferred Christmas drink.

- For lunch, open-faced sandwiches are a tradition.

- Dishes for dinner are mostly fish-based, such as Fiskesuppe, Rokt Laks, Sild, and Gravlaks.

- Sugar, flour, eggs, and lots of butter- the four key ingredients to a Norwegian dessert. The desserts also included small portions of berries with intense flavours Some examples include Pannekaker, Krumkake, and kingles.

Treatment of Women & Children/Their Roles

Women were not treated equally by the men. Married women did not work, and those who did work were usually employed in brothels or very low-skilled occupations due to the lack of stable economy in Norway. Couples did not marry out of love; they married for convenience. Women were also not allowed to vote; only men had the right.

As for children, their life was much different compared to the average child today. Children did not have many toys; it was too immature and would be in the way of growing up, at most they would have a ball. Work for the children began as soon as they had strength, by the age of seven, a child would be working for their meal.

*Fact: The daughters of the house would sleep with the cows, and this would supposedly improve the milk. In actuality, however, the daughters would sleep so close to the cows that they got splashed in the night.*

Question of the DAY!

1. In which way(s) does Norway relate to Canada? In which ways does it not? Treatment? Culture? Food ?

And Then....

Snack Time!

2. What do you think of the taste of these desserts? Is there anything different about it? Would you eat it as often as the Norwegians did? Would you eat the typical diet of the average Norwegian?

And So....

And That's Why It's.....

THE END!

Nineteenth Century Norway Fashion images

Traditional woman's clothing

Different variations

Traditional men's cloting

Christmas Traditions

Saint Lucia's Day- December 13th

Christmas Eve- December 24th

The Setting of Norway

• During the time of Christmas, barn doors used to be marked with a cross to keep evil spirits away; the cross was also a decoration on bread, butter, or the ceiling above the dinner table.
• Long before the Christmas tree, mistletoe and holly were used. The Christmas tree was a German tradition that was not introduced to Norway until the beginning of the 1800s.
• In Norway, Santa Claus (known as Julenisse in Norway) would be given Christmas porridge or Cristmas beer and lefse on Christmas eve. Many farmers would create a place to stay for him to stay and sit at a table on Christmas Eve.

• Celebrated in honour of Saint Lucy, who in legend, died a martyr in Sicily. From this night until Christmas, gnomes, trolls, and other mythical creatures were said to roam the Earth.

• The family would go to church at 5 P.M. and then eat a holiday meal at home.
• After dinner, they would listen to Gospel music and the children would await the knock from Julenissen who would ask if any good children were in the house.
• There was singing around the tree and dancing. Many gifts were homemade during this time period, but as this holiday has become more modern, more store gifts are bought.

Homes

Art Cont'd

Another popular artist during this time period in Norway was Edvard Munch. His most popular work being, "The Scream" (as pictured on the right)

In 19th century Norway, the winters were mild and the summers wer cool. The homes were very basic because many Norwegians were poor at this time. Bed bugs were a problem that were soled with the bed-bug board. This was a board full of holes. The bugs wanted the darkness and would enter the holes, in the morning, the Norwegian people would burn the board along with the bed bugs.

Time Period

Art

During this time period, there was

plague and disease in Norway, and most of the world. There was poor transportation, and fishing was a man's main source of income.

In the late 19th century, artist Gerhard Munthe started becoming popular. He was the illustrator for Bukke Bruse which is a story from Asbjørnsen and Moe's fairy tale collection about a troll under a bridge that is being outwitted by the strongest f three goats (the two others having already been consumed by the irratable troll).

Trolls were very popular among Norwegian folklore during the 19th century, in literature and images

By: Taylor Bond, Danny Day, Halie Mackinson, Bailey McLeod, and Sidnee McLeod