3. A day on Herøy and Dønna

Liam Mooney

Today, we set out on another ferry to reach Dønna where we all hopped in a van and cruised off towards the church and museum. The mountainous terrain of Dønna could serve as a playground for rock climbers which made me feel quite eager and restless this morning as we zoomed through the island. As we reached Herøy, the land leveled out and we spent the day exploring the old house and museum, both of which contained a hefty number of artifacts which gave us a glimpse into the lifestyle of the past. I enjoyed exploring the house and coming across typewriters, old clothing, old-fashioned bottles of booze and these sorts of antiques. My imagination ran wild here, just like it had when wandering around Knut Hamsun’s childhood home.

            The pizza we ate was arguably my best meal since our Lofoten feast in Experience of Art, simply because we created it ourselves and it was fired up in a stone-fire grill overlooking the Seven Sister peaks. We then went to check out Dønna church, which was quite interesting with it’s additional features like an opening in the wall that led you upstairs and also the (somewhat spooky) mausoleum. As the sun began to set, we made our way to Artscape Nordland’s “While You Weight” piece, which was great to see after it appeared in one of our previous lectures. Along with this, we visited the Viking grave mounds where I spoke to our guide about Viking traditions as we roamed through these woods. 15 minutes later, we found ourselves at an enclosed phallic rock statue, capping off another typical day of adventure knowledge class. After our guide told us a pretty funny story about a local’s experience with naked ladies dancing around the statue, we headed back to Sandnessjøen while I dug into my 10 kroner pack of nutritious coconut sugar balls.

2. Medieval Period churches in Nordland

Liam Mooney

As the Christian faith first came to Norway in the 9^th century, the polytheistic pagan religion was challenged by the monotheistic beliefs of Christianity and new values such as the concept of sin and the mystical idea of the trinity. The stone churches we visited were built throughout the 11^th and 12^th century, requiring the skills of workers from the south who were handsomely paid. With this in mind, we knew that whenever we saw a stone church, there must have been a large source of wealth nearby that was able to fund such an expensive project at the time. By scouting the architecture of the churches and exploring their interiors, we picked up on how to distinguish the features of both romanesque and gothic styles indicated by the size and shapes of windows, pillars, arches, thickness of walls and such.

The importance of attending church was deeply instilled in these men, women, and children of the past for reasons other than just worshipping god and practicing religion. A prime example of this was at Gildeskål (building of the association), where farmers, fishermen, and members of the outlying communities would unite to trade goods and work together in this central location overlooking the coast and mountains. The evolution of Norway’s trade and economy could largely be due to this historic value of attending church. With no expedited method of communication, families would devote days out on sea to make the journey, relying on the weekly gathering to remain connected to the community – a concept that I feel is easy to overlook as young people in our modern day world with instantaneous global communication.

            The medieval-aged churches of Nordland all serve as sacred locations in the community, characterized by their steeples shooting vertically up towards God and the sky. The design of the interior, specifically the separation between alter and nave, allow for echoes to resonate and create a powerful vibe. Even the ceiling at Herøy Church is painted as the great big sky, linking the members of the church beneath it to the heaven that Christianity worships. Since Norway’s history is only backed by a very little amount of sources, a journey through these churches helps to inspire contemplation of the past.

1. Museums in Nordland

Liam Mooney

             All of the museums we visited provided us with remarkable stories of the past concerning those who walked this land long before us. I think that these recounted stories in history contribute to society today by maintaining the link among modern day citizens and their distant ancestors. If the artifacts and contents of museums weren’t preserved and displayed, it’s likely that the culture of past times may be forgotten which ultimately weakens the present culture of a given society.

            While the old rusted machines of Herøy museum may not be of much use today, they remind us of the innovative minds that created these tools to make life easier for farmers and inhabitants of the time. Even though the Viking age is long gone, the mini replica of the Viking house in Nordlandmuseet provides us with a visual representation of the past that has given rise to the present. By studying the past, we’re able to learn more about our modern day lives. Museums are able to shift our perspective in a number of ways. For instance, in Petter Dass museum, a panel reads how “Nowadays we think of literature mostly as entertainment and pastime. In Petter Dass’ world, the prevailing attitude was quite another. The poet was a teacher who was there to convey a message.” Students who study literature here in 2016 may benefit from these exhibits as their viewpoint of prose are shifted in ways that modern society may neglect.

            It’s now easier than ever to get caught up in the technological allure of smartphones and such. I could google and research the majority of sites we visited throughout our Adventure Knowledge course this semester. However, the role of technology is capable of killing the human urge to go out and experience something first-hand. Imagine viewing a video of our climbing trip up Svartisen Glacier through a big TV while sitting on your couch. You’re unable to feel the senses and emotion involved with an adventure like such which completely deprives you of the essence of the actual experience. The same goes for museums. The influx of information and pictures online can give you a mere idea of an artifact or an exhibit, but you’ll never be fully invested in the cultural moment being displayed until you go and visit for yourself. All of the museums we visited allowed me to feel personally immersed and connected to the subject, causing me to leave with a real and memorable bundle of knowledge.

The Viking ethos and knowledge (continuance of ‘The Viking way’)

Koen de Vette

Why were the Vikings so effective in achieving their objectives? A variety of reasons is crucial to understanding this. The mentality accompanying the war-waging Vikings was that of honour; “Theirs was the heroic Germanic ethos of reciprocal loyalty between group members and their chieftain, even unto death, with utter contempt for cowardice” (Montgomery, 2000). While it does not seem honourable to raid and plunder, the Viking attitude towards that was very different; “In the mind of the Norse people, raiding was very distinct from theft. Theft was repugnant. Raiding, on the other hand, was an honourable challenge to a fight, with the victor retaining all of the spoils.” (Montgomery, 2000) Aside from honour, the faith in destiny was also deeply rooted in the mentality of the Viking, which is perfectly captured in the following quote:

“The father asked his son: ‘How would you act if you were engaged in battle and knew beforehand that you were destined to be killed?’ ‘Why should I then shrink from striking right and left?’ ‘Now suppose someone could tell you for certain that you would not be killed?’ ‘Why should I then refrain from pressing forward to the utmost?’ ‘In every battle where you are present, one of two things will happen: you will either fall or come away alive. Be bold, therefore, for everything is preordained. Nothing can bring a man to his death if his time has not come, and nothing can save one doomed to die. To die in flight is the worst death of all.” (Montgomery, 2000)

This ethos must have been predominant when they were fighting their battles, explaining a large part of their success. However, there were other reasons that proved vital.

Central Europe was vulnerable after the collapse of Rome and the migration of populations following it. The political conflicts divided and weakened European countries, which provided opportunities for the Vikings. At the same time however, (as mentioned by Icelandic sagas) King Harald the Fair-haired tried to unify the Norwegian chieftains, which more or less repelled them from their homes to expand their horizon. (Montgomery, 2000)

The means of initiating this expansion ‘project’ were readily available; They like no other had knowledge of shipbuilding and seafaring. Viking raiders and traders depended on the superiority of their ships. They could land their ships at any place they wanted thanks to the manoeuvrability and shallow draft of the ships. (Montgomery, 2000)

For those familiar with the serie Vikings, enjoy the Floki joke, for those who don't know it, let this be an incentive to start watching ;) (NB this is no adequate representation of a Viking, there were neither bikes nor whining vikings in the Viking age)

References

Montgomery, J.E. (2000). Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 3: Ibn Fadlan and the Rusiyyah. Cambridge.

The Viking way

Koen de Vette

“I came into this world kicking and screaming while covered in someone else’s blood. I have no problem with going out the same way.”

Often when people of the modern age are asked about their view on Vikings, it is these kind of quotes that are identified as the Viking ethic. They are seen as hard, blood-eager people whose primary objective was to raid and plunder. Their faith was heathen, their tongue savage and they were unbound to the European discourse. A vivid account of a raid in 793, written by Symeon of Durham, tells us about the mentality towards Vikings in that time, an image that has survived up to this day:

“they are pagan iconoclasts, they are like stinging hornets and fearful wolves; they pollute the church of God, they dig up the altars and seize the treasures of the holy church, they slaughter some brothers, take others away in fetters, and drown the rest in the sea” (Montgomery, 2000)

With these kind of descriptions, it is not a wonder that many people draw the conclusion that they must have been barbaric and crude, a conclusion that undermines respect which ought to be acknowledged.

First and foremost, the Viking’s appetite for warfare is a result of their need to expand territories when resources ran scarce. There was a large desire for trade, land and political domination. (Montgomery, 2000) Scandinavia, the origin of the Vikings, was in general a barren and hard place to accumulate wealth. Still, the bulk of the population were farmers and artisans. 

The meaning of the word Viking is valuable in the way that it sheds light on the perspective on Vikings at that time: “In the old Norse language, the word vík meant ‘bay’ or ‘inlet’; víking meant piracy; a víkingr was a ‘raider’ or ‘pirate’. To go a-víking was a profession: of piracy, of trade, and of land-taking.” (Viljoen, 2013) The primary objective of these Vikings was to accumulate wealth on their boats as densely as possible to profit from it in their home regions. The success of their raids aided in the establishment of a trade- and warfare-minded society, one that flourished from the spoils the monotheistic countries had to offer. We must however, keep in mind that war is not all they were after. These were industrious people, and saw the benefit in trading. What distinguishes the Vikings from other industrious trading folks of that time, is their indifference towards using violence to reach their goals. This is adequately captured in a quote from Ibn Fadlan: “The crystallization of the two social groups, warriors and merchants, which were very often indivisible, formed a fundamental feature of the Scandinavian social pattern”…“War in the Viking age was nothing but a continuation of foreign trade with the admixture of different means” (Montgomery, 2000). The success of their activities is revealed in their spreading and settlement across the entire European map, from Constantinople in the east to Normandy in the west. Huge areas were frequently raided during the entire Viking age, lasting from 793 until 1066 (Montgomery, 2000). This success is the result of many hardships endured and overcome by the unique ethos of a unique people. The other blog will elaborate on the crucial factors of their triumphs.

References

Montgomery, J.E. (2000). Journal of Arabic and Islamic Studies 3: Ibn Fadlan and the Rusiyyah. Cambridge.
Viljoen, L. (2013). English Academy Percy Baneshik Memorial Lecture: The Vikings and their Legacy: Fable, Fact and Fiction. English Academy Review, 30(1), 141-160.

Museums in Nordland

Koen de Vette

We have visited several museums during the run of the course. Among others were the Peter Dass museum, the Herøy museum and the Vefsn museum. Aside from the various collections that we came to see, our objective was to discuss the matters in which a museum could contribute to the globally changing landscape. Surely it should be that reading the countless descriptions accompanying spears, ancient ornaments and what-have-you displayed there are perpetuating some revelation about the societal relevance of those objects being shown there in that moment. In other words, the collections assembled and explained about in museums should hold value as a part of something bigger than knowledge about those individual objects themselves, as a puzzle that could not be completed without the pieces of understanding that museums have to offer.

What puzzle is it then, that needs completion with the help of museums? In my opinion, it could be any topic that is currently relevant in this globalising world. A lot of problems are being addressed at the moment and this is a major cause for concern about the question where this world is going. One needs only to look at the media of today to find the most significant example: the election of Donald Trump as new president of the USA has stirred and shocked the world. He is often perceived as the result of the growing discontent of the people who do not feel represented by the government anymore, a fact Trump cleverly used in his campaign of pointing fingers and making claims to solve it by direct and aggressive countermeasures (e.g. building a wall, kicking out foreigners, stop investing in sustainability etc.) However much I am inclined to frustrate myself over the abyss the world seems to tumble into, effort to raise awareness about these global issues should never be stopped, which is where museums come in the picture. The museum is the place to spread (objective) information over the population, where science, literature, art etc. can be used as a means to this end.

In the case of the museums we have visited in Nordland, the global issues that I have written about were however not particularly highlighted. These museums where a valuable source of information for the local history and important figures which have shaped the area as it is today. In the Herøy museum, we gained a deepened understanding about how Norwegian life -on a farm- must have been in the past. The Vefsn museum was devoted to inform the public about the history Mosjøen and the Peter Dass museum contained all we needed to know about Peter Dass (duh). We should always be aware of the interest that museums might or might not spark in the public. Therefore, in this age of great and constantly fresh information flows, museums should contemplate on their appeal and consider to engage in this problem-laden world by addressing and elaborating on global issues. Naturally, not every museum is in the position to do this. The Vefsn museum for example is concerned with the history of the local region and can therefore hardly be integrating current global issues. However, opportunity should never be ruled out; it is my belief that every museum can trigger the motivation and imagination of the visitor -concerning the ways of life in some way or another- so that the role of museums is never questioned in terms of societal relevance.