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>> Announcer: PRODUCTION FUNDING
FOR "COMMON GROUND" IS MADE
POSSIBLE BY THE MINNESOTA ARTS
AND CULTURAL HERITAGE FUND.
>> HI, AND WELCOME TO "COMMON
GROUND."
I'M YOUR HOST, ASHLEY HULL.
"COMMON GROUND" CAPTURES THE
CREATIVE PROCESS OF VARIOUS
ARTISTS LIVING THROUGHOUT OUR
REGION.
WE DELVE INTO THE VEILED HISTORY
OF OUR AREA, PLUS WE TAKE YOU
INSIDE THE CULTURAL EVENTS THAT
PUT THE NORTH IN NORTH COUNTRY.
ON THIS WEEK'S EPISODE OF
"COMMON GROUND," NISSWA STÄMMAN
IS A SCANDINAVIAN MUSIC FESTIVAL
THAT CELEBRATES SCANDINAVIAN
CULTURE AND WE'RE STAYING YOU
INSIDE THE EVENT.
DEAN DAVIS OF BEMIDJI MAKES
BIRCH BARK CRAFTS.
PLUS, STROLL THROUGH THE STREETS
OF WALKER FOR A LESSON IN
>>> GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS DAN IKENBERRY, I'M
THE PRESIDENT OF THE HISTORICAL
SOCIETY AND I WANT TO WELCOME
YOU ALL TO OUR HISTORY WALK.
WE'RE GLAD TO HAVE YOU.
HOPE YOU LOOK FORWARD TO
LEARNING A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR
CITY'S PAST HISTORY.
IF YOU'RE READY TO WALK, WE'RE
GOING TO HEAD OVER THERE.
I AM PATRICK McGARRY, BORN IN
STANTON, MICHIGAN, ON JUNE 6th,
1860.
WHILE TRAVELING THROUGH NORTHERN
MINNESOTA, I CAME TO LEECH LAKE
TO SEE MY BROTHER JAMES.
WHEN I SAW THIS AREA, I SAID I
WILL GO NO FURTHER.
THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE
OF ALL.
MY FIRST BUSINESS WAS THE LEECH
LAKELAND COMPANY.
WE PLOTTED THE TOWN SITE FOR
WALKER AND I BECAME THE FIRST
MAYOR OF THE NEW TOWN IN MARCH
OF 1896.
THE VILLAGE OF WALKER WAS
INCORPORATED ON MARCH 10th,
1896, AND BY SEPTEMBER 19th OF
THAT YEAR, AN ORDINANCE FOR FIRE
PROTECTION WAS INTRODUCED AND A
VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT
ORGANIZED.
A HOSE CART, FOUR RUBBER SUITS,
SEVEN HELMETS AND TWO DOZEN
BUCKETS WERE ORDERED AND SEVERAL
LADDERS WERE BUILT.
THE PROJECT WAS IN CHARGE BY
MARSHALL KRAMM WHO SERVE AS THE
CHIEF.
THE OFFICIAL NAME WAS THE WALKER
BUCKET BRIGADE AND EVERY MAN IN
TOWN WAS A LOYAL MEMBER OF THE
BRIGADE.
REFUSAL TO FIGHT A FIRE MOST
TIMES ENDED IN A JAIL TERM.
A FIRE BELL WAS PLACED NEAR THE
CORNER OF 5th AND FRONT STREETS.
IT WAS ALSO USED AS A CURFEW
BELL FOR THE CHILDREN OF WALKER
INTO THE EARLY 1950s.
THE FIRST FIRE IN WALKER
OCCURRED ON MAY 8th, 1897, AT
DUFOOR'S LUNCH COUNTER.
THE BOYS POURED SOME GASOLINE
INTO THE STOVE AND ONE OF THE
BURNERS BEING LIFTED, IT FLUID
IN THE CAN TOOK FIRE.
THE CAN WAS THROWN OVER THE
COUNTER AND IT BURST OPEN AND
THE FLOOR WAS ALL ABLAZE FOR A
MOMENT.
THEY OPEN THE BACK DOOR AND
KICKED THE CAN OUT, THE FIRE
DYING OUT.
THIS BUILDING WAS BUILT BY THE
WPA IN 1937 DURING THE GREAT
DEPRESSION.
AND IT WAS USED AS THE FIRE HALL
AND CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS FOR
MANY YEARS.
>> THE HOTEL WAS THE FIRST HOTEL
TO BE BUILT IN WALKER BY JOHN
BURK.
JOHN KING, A PIONEER SETTLER OF
WALKER CAME HERE IN 1895 FROM
BAY CITY, MICHIGAN, AND OPENED A
CORNER SALOON IN THE SPALDING
HOTEL.
VERY POLITICALLY MINDED, HE WAS
A CASS COUNTY COMMISSIONER FOR
TWO TERMS, WAS AN ASSESSOR OF
WALKER VILLAGE FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS.
HE WAS BORN IN IRELAND AND WAS
73 YEARS OLD WHEN HE DIED ON
APRIL 18th, 1920.
FIRE BETWEEN 4:00 AND 5:00 ON
MARCH 27th IN 1903 DESTROYED HIS
HOTEL AND LOGAN'S RESTAURANT,
AND ALL OF THE CONTENTS OF THE
TWO PLACES.
THE BUILDING WAS ESTIMATED AT
ABOUT $6,000 AND WAS ONLY
PARTIALLY COVERED BY INSURANCE.
THE SALOON HERE WAS RUN BY
ALBERT COLLISON.
HE HAD NO INSURANCE, LOST $500
WORTH OF LIQUOR.
ONLY TWO BARRELS OF WHISKEY WERE
SAVED.
THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS A
MYSTERY.
NO SPECULATION.
>> ON FEBRUARY 25th, 1896, THE
RAILROAD REACHED WALKER.
A ROUND HOUSE WHICH SERVICED THE
ENGINES AND OUR FIRST DEPOT WERE
BUILT HERE EARLY IN 1896 WHILE
THE TRESTLE WASSING BUILD AT THE
ISLAND BY THE BRAINERD AND
NORTHERN MINNESOTA RAILROAD.
WALKER WAS THE END OF THE LINE
UNTIL 1899.
TRAINS CARRIED LOGS AND FREIGHT
IN THOSE DAYS AND PASSENGER
COACHES WERE ADDED SHORTLY
THEREAFTER.
>> I AM CHARMS KINKEL AND MY
WAIVE BEGAN IN GERMANY IN 1859.
SEEING THE POTENTIAL OF THE
LEECH LAKE AREA, I MOVED TO
WALKER IN 1895 AND BEGAN
BUILDING THE LAKESHORE HOTEL,
WHICH HAD 22 ROOMS.
IT WAS FINISHED IN MARCH OF
1896, JUST AFTER THE RAILROAD
HAD ARRIVED.
I WAS THEN ABLE TO BRING MY WIFE
LENA AND OUR THREE CHILDREN FROM
BRAINERD.
FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, I SET UP
TENTS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE
TRACKS OVER HERE FOR THE
OVERNOTICE OF THE HOTEL GUESTS,
ESPECIALLY DURING THE SUMMER.
MY BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED IN
1982 FOR MAKE WAY FOR THIS
PARKING LOT.
I HAD MANY BUSINESSES IN WALKER.
I CONTINUED MY MEAT BUSINESS, I
HAD A BRICKYARD NEAR GLENGARRY
RESORT, A BEER DISTRIBUTORSHIP
AND I WAS A PARTNER IN THE LEECH
LAKE LUMBER COMPANY AND THE
SAWMILL AT CITY PARK.
IN 1914, I ESTABLISHED THE K CAN
INKEL FURNITURE STORE JUST DOWN
THE STREET HERE.
AFTER A FLU EPIDEMIC THAT TOOK
MANY LIVES HERE IN WALKER, I
THOUGHT WE NEEDED A FUNERAL
HOME, SO I HIRED EARL THOMAS AS
AN UNDERTAKER AND RAN THE
BUSINESS OUT OF THE FURNITURE
STORE.
I REMAIN IN THE FURNITURE
BUSINESS UNTIL I DIED IN 1929.
WHEN THE CITY WAS INCORPORATED
IN MARCH OF 1896, I WAS ELECTED
TO THE FIRST CITY COUNCIL AND
LATER THAT YEAR BECAME MAYOR,
SERVING IN THAT POST UNTIL 1915.
DURING THOSE EARLY YEARS, I
HELPED FOUND THE FIRST STATE
BANK AND ST. ING A NECESSARY
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
I ALSO SERVED ON THE SCHOOL
BOARD.
IN THE EARLY 1900s, I PLATTED
LAND I OWNED SOUTH OF THE
COURTHOUSE.
OF THE LOTS CREATED, I GAVE ONE
TO THE SCHOOL AND ONE TO ST.
ST. AGNES.
THE SCHOOL WAS BUILT ON THE LOT
IN 1909 AND ST. AGNES FINISHED
THEIR BUILDING IN 1914.
>> J.J. FROST OPENED THE FIRST
SAMPLE ROOM AND DWELLING PLACE
HERE IN 1896.
IN WALKER'S EARLY DAYS, SALESMEN
DISPLAYED THEIR WARES HERE AND
CUSTOMERS WERE ALSO DRINK AND
SMOKE THEIR CIGARS.
HE ALSO OPERATED A REAL ESTATE
BUSINESS, THE HOMESTEAD LOCATOR,
FROM THE PREMISES.
CARL FREDERICK LEWIS WAS THE SON
OF CARL AND FREDERICA KRUGER AND
WAS BORN IN GERMANY AT 1857.
AT THE AGE OF 25, HE AND HIS
BROTHER GEORGE CAME TO AMERICA
AND ON APRIL 1st OF 1896, THEY
ARRIVED IN WALKER.
THE CITY MEAT MARKET WAS SOLD TO
PETER SPARKS AND LEWIS AND
GEORGE KRUGER IN 1904.
SPARKS SOLD HIS SHARE TO BILBEN
AND TOGETHER BILBEN AND KRUGER
OPERATED THE MARKET UNTIL THE
PARTNERSHIP WAS DISSOLVED AND
THE BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED IN
1910.
>> THE FIRST MEETING OF THIS
POST, THE WILLIAM KAUST SPENCER
AMERICAN LEGION POST NUMBER 134,
WAS HELD ON AUGUST 27th, 1919.
THERE WERE 16 VETERANS AS
CHARTER MEMBERS.
WILLIAM KAUST SPENCER, OR
SPENCE, WAS HE WAS CALLED, WAS
BORN IN ELK RIVER, MINNESOTA, IN
1890.
HE MOVED TO WALKER AS A SMALL
BOY WHEN HIS FATHER BUILT THE
SPENCER HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF
5th AND CLEVELAND BOULEVARD.
SPENCE SPENT HIS CHILDHOOD IN
WALKER AND THEN AS A YOUNG MAN
MOVED WEST TO GO INTO THE
LOGGING BUSINESS WITH HIS
BROTHER WALTER.
HE LATER ENLISTED IN THE ARMY
AND WAS SERVING IN FRANCE WHEN
HE WAS KILLED IN THE ARGONNE
FOREST ON OCTOBER 2nd, 1918.
IT WAS HIS 28th BIRTHDAY.
WILLIAM KAUST SPENCER WAS
WALKER'S ONLY WORLD WAR II
SOLDIER TO MAKE THIS SUPREME
SACRIFICE, SO THE MEMBERS OF THE
LESION POST NUMBER 134 DECIDED
TO HONOR HIM BY NAMING THEIR
>>> MY NAME IS DEAN R. DAVIS,
I'M FROM WHITE EARTH
RESERVATION.
I'M AN ENROLLED MEMBER OVER
THERE.
I'M CURRENTLY IN THE PROCESS OF
GOING BACK TO SCHOOL HERE AT
DSU.
I ENJOY DOING BIRCH MARK AND
WOOD CARVING AND OTHER KIND OF
CARVINGS BECAUSE IT HELPS TO
KEEP MY MIND ACTIVE.
THE MORE CREATIVITY YOU CAN
PRODUCE, THE STRONGER YOU ARE
SPIRITUALLY AND MENTALLY.
I'LL BE MAKING A BIRCH BARK
BASKET, A WASTE BASKET THAT
REQUIRES A LOT OF SEWING AND
PREPARING.
YOU CAN'T JUST GRAB A PIECE OF
BARK AND SLAP IT TOGETHER AND
START SEWING IT, YOU HAVE TO CUT
IT OUT AND MEASURE IT AND FORM
IT TOGETHER.
RIGHT NOW, I JUST TIED OFF THAT
ONE END AND I'M GOING TO TAKE
THE CLIP OFF RIGHT HERE.
AND KINDLY WORK MY WAY AROUND.
I MEAN, IT'S KIND OF A LONG
PROCESS, BUT THEY SAY YOU GOT TO
HAVE PATIENCE IN ORDER TO DO
GOOD CRAFTMANSHIP.
WITHOUT PATIENCE, YOU NEVER MAKE
NOTHING VERY WELL.
THINGS BECOME -- THINGS HAPPEN
WHEN YOU HURRY UP, YOU KNOW.
IT'S ALWAYS -- DON'T SAY, OH, I
GOT TO HAVE THIS DONE TODAY
BECAUSE YOU NEVER KNOW,
SOMETHING MIGHT COME UP WHERE
YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO GET IT DONE
TODAY.
YOU JUST GOT TO TAKE IT ONE STEP
AT A TIME, YOU KNOW, JUST LIKE
ANYTHING ELSE YOU DO IN LIFE.
YOU GET UP IN THE MORNING, YOU
GO TO THE BATHROOM TO BRUSH YOUR
TEETH.
YOU JUST DON'T WALK RIGHT IN
THERE AND START BRUSHING YOUR
TEETH.
YOU GOT TO PUT THE TOOTHPASTE ON
THE BRUSH AND TURN ON THE WATER
AND ALL THE OTHER GOOD STUFF,
AND THEN START, YOU KNOW?
SO THERE'S A PROCESS TO IT, YOU
KNOW?
I MEAN, PEOPLE THINK THAT
ARTISTS ARE JUST, OH, THEY
CAN -- THE FUNNIEST THING THAT
EVER HAD HAPPENED TO ME IS I
MADE AN ART -- A PIECE OF
ARTWORK AND SOMEBODY COME UP AND
SAID, OH, MAN, THAT'S AWESOME,
BEAUTIFUL PIECE OF ARTWORK.
CAN YOU MAKE ME ONE EXACTLY THE
SAME?
THERE'S NO WAY YOU CAN.
I MEAN, THERE'S NOT TWO PIECES
OF WOOD THE SAME, NOT TWO PIECES
OF BARK THE SAME.
JUST LIKE THERE'S NOT TWO
INDIVIDUALS THE SAME, BUT PEOPLE
DON'T SEE IT THAT WAY.
THEY FIGURE, OH, IT'S A MADE
PRODUCT BY A MAN, IT CAN BE
DUPLICATED EASILY.
I MEAN, IT CAN BE SIMULATED, BUT
IT CAN'T BE DUPLICATED, YOU
KNOW.
I'VE BEEN MAKING ART, ALL KINDS
OF DIFFERENT ARTS AND CRAFTS NOW
FOR 30 YEARS, YOU KNOW.
SOME I LEARNED, LIKE, 30 YEARS
AGO AND SOME I'VE LEARNED 20, 15
YEARS AGO.
I MEAN, I DIDN'T LEARN IT ALL AT
ONCE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE YOU
CAN'T LEARN EVERYTHING ALL AT
ONCE, YOU KNOW.
LIKE THAT OLD SAYING GOES, YOU
CAN'T HAVE EVERYTHING, WHERE
WOULD YOU PUT IT?
SO I MEAN -- BUT I'VE LEARN OVER
THE YEARS, I'VE RAN INTO THE
RIGHT PEOPLE THAT ARE WILLING TO
TEACH ME AND I WAS A GOOD
STUDENT AND NOW I ENJOY DOING
IT.
I MEAN, IF I DIDN'T ENJOY DOING
THIS, I WOULDN'T DO IT.
MY BROTHER TAUGHT ME AND I HAD
SOME FRIENDS TEACH ME.
I GUESS MOSTLY FAMILY TAUGHT ME
AND SOME FRIENDS, BUT MOST OF
THE TIME, YOU KNOW, IF I LIKE
DOING SOMETHING, I WILL -- I
WILL PURSUE IT.
I MEAN, I WILL TRY TO LEARN THE
CRAFT OR, YOU KNOW, TRY TO KEEP
IT -- OR, YOU KNOW, I MEAN,
BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS SOMETHING
OUT THERE NEW TO LEARN.
I MEAN, IT AIN'T SOMETHING THAT,
YOU KNOW, JUST -- I MEAN, DON'T
EVER GIVE UP, SAYING I CAN'T
LEARN, BECAUSE THERE'S NO TRUTH
BEHIND THAT.
DOING THIS IS LIKE, YOU KNOW,
REAL NICE AND PEACEFUL AND
QUIET.
IT HELPS YOU TO, YOU KNOW, BE
PEACEFUL WITH YOURSELF AND YOU
CAN SIT OUTSIDE AND DO THIS AND
YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE BIRDS IN
THE BACKGROUND WHISTLING, BUT
NOT TODAY.
BUT I MEAN, THEY'RE USUALLY OUT
IN THE BACK WHISTLING OR SINGING
AND YOU'RE JUST ENJOYING
YOURSELF AND ONCE IN A CATCH A
BIR SONG THAT I LIKE OR BIRD
WHISTLE THAT I LIKE AND I'LL TRY
TO IMITATE IT.
[ WHISTLING ]
NO, I BETTER NOT WIS SELL RIGHT
NOW.
OH --
[ WHISTLING ]
[ WHISTLING ]
DOING THIS STUFF, YOU GOT TO
KIND OF AMUSE YOURSELF BECAUSE
THERE AIN'T NO MUSIC AROUND OR
ANYBODY ELSE TO TALK TO.
YOU JUST GOT TO SIT OUT HERE AND
WHISTLE AND DO WHATEVER YOU CAN
TO, YOU KNOW, KEEP GOING.
IF YOU WANT TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE
TRADITIONAL ART, I'D GO OFFER MY
TOBACCO TO AN ELDER AND ASK HIM
TO TEACH ME, YOU KNOW, TEACH ME
HOW TO DO THIS, YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE IT'S DISRESPECTFUL FOR
PEOPLE TO GO UP TO SOMEBODY AND
SAY, HEY, MAN, YOU WANT TO TEACH
ME HOW TO DO THAT, WITHOUT
GIVING THEM ANYTHING, YOU KNOW.
AND LIKE, WELL, I MEAN, I
WOULDN'T -- I GUESS THEY DO IT
IN THE RIGHT WAY, BECAUSE THIS
IS, YOU KNOW -- THIS IS LIKE
TRADITIONAL ART.
THIS AIN'T SOMETHING THAT YOU
CAN GO, YOU KNOW, GO PUT ON A
BANDSAW AND CARVE IT, CUT IT
OUT.
THIS IS ALL DONE BY HAND.
THERE'S NO MACHINERY OR ANYTHING
DONE WITH IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT SO
BEAUTIFUL, IS IF -- YOU KNOW,
BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS ARE DONE
BY MACHINE NOW A DAYS AND THEY
CALL IT ART.
AND IT'S NOT ART, YOU KNOW.
YOU CAN'T DO IT BY HAND, THEN
IT'S NOT ART.
WHEN YOU'RE GETTING BARK, DON'T
TRY TO BE A GOOCOUS, YOU KNOW, A
PIG.
DON'T SAY I'M GOING TO GET ALL
THESE TREES BECAUSE THEY'RE
RIGHT THERE.
SAY YOU SEE 40 BIRCH BARK TREES
SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU AND YOU
WANT TO PEEL ALL OF THEM TODAY.
NO, YOU DON'T WANT TO DO THAT.
PEEL AS MUCH AS YOU CAN USE
WITHIN THE NEXT COUPLE DAYS.
YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK FOR
OTHER STUFF BECAUSE PEOPLE GET
WASTEFUL THAT WAY AND, YOU KNOW,
END UP THROWING STUFF AWAY THAT
YOU COULD REALLY BE USING.
WHEN YOU'RE POLISHING THIS BARK,
LIKE WHEN YOU'RE HARVESTING, THE
OTHER KIND OF THING FROM NATURE,
YOU KNOW, MAYBE A TREE OR MAYBE
A ROCK OR LEAVES, MAYBE
SOMETHING ELSE, YOU ALWAYS GOT
TO OFFER YOUR TOBACCO, NO MATTER
WHAT IT IS.
JUST TELL THE CREATOR THAT
YOU'RE THANK YOUING HIM FOR
TAKING -- THANKING HIM FOR
TAKING THIS PIECE OF WOOD FROM
HIM AND THAT WOULD BE LIKE
SOMEBODY COMING UP TO YOU AND
TAKING A PIECE OF HAIR OFF YOUR
BODY AND NOT GIVING YOU
ANYTHING, OR YOU'D BE KIND OF
MAD ABOUT THAT, SO THAT'S WHY
YOU HAVE TO GIVE THAT SORT OF
CREATOR RESPECT FOR TAKING THIS
PIECE OF WOOD AND THANKS, YOU
KNOW, FOR ALLOWING YOU TO DO
THIS, YOU KNOW.
SOME PEOPLE JUST TAKE AND NOT
GIVE ANYTHING, SO IT'S IMPORTANT
THAT WE'RE SHOWING THAT WE'RE
BEING RESPECTFUL TO THE CREATOR
AND THAT WE'RE DOING OUR THANKS
FOR ALLOWING US TO TAKE THAT
>>> WHAT WE'VE GOT HERE IS
SOMETHING CALLED NISSWA STÄMMAN,
STÄMMAN AS SWEDISH WORD THAT
ACTUALLY MEANS THE GATHERING OF
FID LERS AND IT'S A SCANDINAVIAN
FOLK MUSIC GET-TOGETHER AND IT
STARTED AS REALLY INFORMAL
PARTIES IN SWEDEN WHERE PEOPLE
WOULD SAY, HEY, LET'S GO TO
WHAT'S HIS NAME'S FARM AND
WE'LL, YOU KNOW, HAVE A LITTLE
BIT OF SOMETHING TO DRINK AND
WE'LL JUST PLAY MUSIC ALL NIGHT,
AND THAT'S HOW THIS KIND OF
EVENT STARTED IN SWEDEN AND IT
STARTED COLLECTING MORE AND MORE
MUSICIANS WHO HEARD ABOUT IT,
AND THEY CAME AND THEN
EVENTUALLY MAYBE NONMUSICIANS OR
PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN
MUSIC ALSO HEARD ABOUT IT AND
THEY STARTED COMING.
SO THESE STÄMMANS BECAME SORT OF
A PUBLIC GATHERING WHERE THE FID
LERS -- FIDDLERS WERE PLAYING
AND PEOPLE WERE COMING AND
ENJOYING I, SO I BASED THIS
FESTIVAL ON THAT IDEA.
IN SWEDEN, IT'S A REAL TRADITION
TO FIDDLE.
HERE WE HAVE KIND OF A MORE
MIXED TRADITION WHERE WE HAVE
OTHER TYPES OF PLAYERS LIKE
ACCORDION PLAYERS AND OTHER
INSTRUMENTS, SO IT'S A GATHERING
OF BASICALLY TRADITIONAL
MUSICIANS.
[ MUSIC PLAYING ]
THIS EVENT ACTUALLY STARTS WITH
AN INSTRUMENTAL AND SINGING
WORKSHOP THAT HAPPENED ON
FRIDAY, SO YOU CAN COME AND FOR
$35, YOU CAN SPEND FOUR HOURS IN
A GROUP WORKSHOP WITH A REALLY
MASTER MUSICIAN, A FID TELL --
FIDDLER FROM SWEDEN, A BAZUKI
PLAYER FROM DENMARK AND
ACCORDION PLAYER FROM FINLAND.
WE HAVE SEVERAL WORKSHOPS GOING
ON DURING THE DAY AND EVERYONE
IS WELCOME TO TAKE.
THIS YEAR WE HAVE NORWEGIAN
TRIO.
ALSO UP AT THE PIONEER VILLAGE,
AND THERE IS NORWEGIANS, A
SWEDISH WORKSHOP FOR SINGING AND
FINNISH ACCORDION WORKSHOP FOR
FIDDLING AND THERE'S ONE MORE
DANISH FIDDLING, SO THERE'S
PROBABLY CLOSE TO 100 PEOPLE
INVOLVE IN TAKING THE WORKSHOPS.
>> WE WENT AND VOLUNTEERED THE
FIRST YEAR THERE TO HAVE
MUSICIANS STAY IN OUR HOUSE
BECAUSE THEY NEEDED HOUSING.
THE FIRST YEAR WE HAD SOME
MUSICIANS FROM SWEDEN.
>> I THINK WORD GETS AROUND IN
EUROPE THAT THE PEOPLE HAVE COME
HERE HAVE HAD A GOOD TIME.
WE TRY OUR BEST TO SEE THAT THEY
DO HAVE A GOOD TIME, BUT THIS
SHOULD BE A VERY ENJOYABLE
EVENT.
IN FACT, THEY SHOULD WANT TO
COME BACK.
>> ON FRIDAY EVENING, THERE'S A
BIG CONCERT AND THAT'S WHAT WE
CALL A SAMPLER CONCERT, SO THERE
ARE SEVERAL MUSICIANS JUST
PLAYING TWO OR THREE TUNES EACH.
SO PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHAT IS
GOING TO HAPPEN HERE ALL DAY ON
SATURDAY, SO THIS IS THE MAIN
DAY AND STARTS WITH A PARADE
GOING DOWN THE MAIN STREET OF
NISSWA WITH ALL THE FIDDLERS AND
THEN JUST ENDS UP HERE AND
THINGS THAT ARE GOING ON HERE AT
THE PIONEER VILLAGE, THIS
ACTIVITY IS EVERYWHERE AND
YOU'VE GOT THE CHILDREN'S TENT
HERE WITH LOTS OF KIDS.
YOU GOT A COUPLE OF STAGES.
WE'VE GOT A DANCE BARN FOR
LEARNING HOW TO DANCE AND THEN
WE HAVE A SMALL LOG CABIN UP
THERE, WHAT WE CALL THE SUMMER
KITCHEN FOR REAL INTIMATE
MUSICAL EXPERIENCES.
>> I'VE BEEN COMING NEARLY EVERY
YEAR.
I THINK MAYBE 10 OUT OF THE 11
YEARS, AND WORKING IN THE
CHILDREN'S ACTIVITY AREA.
SO WE PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR
CHILDREN TO HAVE A GOOD NORDIC
EXPERIENCE, CULTURED LEARNING
THROUGH CRAFTS, AND IT ALSO
MAKES IT POSSIBLE FOR THEIR
PARENTS TO STAY LONGER AT THE
FESTIVAL IF THEIR CHILDREN ARE
ENGAGED AND ENERGIZED AND
EXCITED.
[ SINGING ]
>> YOU KNOW, I'VE BEEN PLAYING
SCANDINAVIAN MUSIC FOR PROBABLY
30 YEARS NOW AND IT'S A PART OF
MY HERITAGE AND A LOT OF PEOPLE
IN MINNESOTA, AND I THINK IT'S
IMPORTANT THAT WE CELEBRATE OUR
HERITAGE AND KEEP IT ALIVE.
NOT THAT IT'S ANY BETTER THAN
ANYONE ELSE'S, BUT SOMETIMES WE
TEND TO IGNORE OUR OWN ROOTS,
YOU KNOW, AND IT'S GOOD TO KEEP
IT GOING AND I THINK THE FACT
THAT THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE THAT
ARE INTERESTED IN DOING THAT
HERE IS KIND OF A TESTAMENT TO
THAT.
>> I'M NOT A MUSICIAN.
I CAN'T PLAY ANYTHING, BUT I CAN
REALLY APPRECIATE THE TALENT
THAT I SEE, THAT OTHER PEOPLE
CAN PLAY INSTRUMENTS AND THEY
CAN PLAY MULTIPLE INSTRUMENTS.
AND I THINK, GEE, I GET TO ENJOY
THIS TALENT AND I THINK WHAT
COMES THROUGH IS THEIR ENJOYMENT
OF PLAYING THESE INSTRUMENTS.
THEY'RE NOT HERE FOR THE
COMMERCIAL ASPECT, GETTING RICH.
THEY'RE HERE BECAUSE THEY LIKE
TO BE HERE.
>> THIS COUNTRY IS UNIQUE IN
THAT IT'S REALLY FILLED FULL OF
IMMIGRANTS, EVEN WAY BACK, THEY
WERE IMMIGRANTS, AND A FESTIVAL
LIKE THIS IS A WAY OF AMERICANS
TO ENJOY OTHER PEOPLE'S
CULTURES.
THIS HAPPENS TO BE PART OF OUR
CULTURE, BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN
THAT YOU HAVE TO BE A
SCANDINAVIAN TO COME AND ENJOY
THE MUSIC AND TO DANCE.
AND SO I THINK IT ENRICHES OUR
COUNTRY TO HAVE FESTIVALS LIKE
THIS FROM DIFFERENT IMMIGRANT
GROUPS AND DIFFERENT TRADITIONS.
>> IT BRINGS MUSICIANS TOGETHER
WITH FOLK PERFORMERS, WITH FOLK
ARTISTS, WITH AN AUDIENCE THAT
IS ON A JOURNEY LEARNING ABOUT
THEIR OWN NORDIC HERITAGE, THEIR
OWN ETHNIC IDENTITY AND ALL OF
US ARE AT DIFFERENT PLACES IN
THAT JOURNEY AND THIS IS ONE WAY
TO LEARN SOMETHING ABOUT THE
MUSIC AND THE FOLK TRADITIONS
AND TO ENHANCE OUR OWN LIVES
THROUGH THAT.
WE LOVE BEING ABLE TO SHARE
NORDIC CONSULT TEMPERATURE AND
HELPING OTHER -- CULTURE AND
HELPING OTHER PEOPLE ON THEIR
STAGE OF THEIR JOURNEY TOWARDS
LEARNING ABOUT THE HERITAGE, SO
PAUL AND COMMITTEE DO A GREAT
JOB OF BRINGING TOGETHER THE
MUSICIANS AND THE PERFORMERS AND
ESTABLISHING ALL THE LOGISTICS
AND THE SET-UP AND EVERYTHING
AND HAVING THE FOOD AND HAVING
THE DANCE.
ALL THESE DIFFERENT WAYS OF
EXPERIENCING THE CULTURE AND
HELPING TO FIGURE OUT, IF I SAY
I'M SWEDISH, WHAT DOES THAT
MEAN?
IF I SAY I'M NORWEGIAN, WHAT
DOES THAT MEAN?
I KNOW SOMETHING MORE ABOUT IT
NOW BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TO NISSWA
STÄMMAN.
>>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US.
WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THE SHOW AND
WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU
NEXT WEEK RIGHT HERE ON "COMMON
GROUND."
IF YOU HAVE A SEGMENT IDEA FOR
"COMMON GROUND," PLEASE CONTACT
US AT LEGACY@LPTV.ORG OR CALL US
>> TO ORDER INDIVIDUAL SEGMENTS
OR COPIES OF "COMMON GROUND,"
PLEASE CALL 218-333-3020.
PRODUCTION FUNDING FOR "COMMON
GROUND" IS MADE POSSIBLE BY THE
MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL
MINNESOTA ARTS AND CULTURAL