Hi

Tomorrow it is May 17th and Norway celebrates the Constitution day. It is a long story but the constitution was written in 1814 even if we had a union with Sweden in the time after that. But tomorrow is a public holiday and the day is celebrated by different parades and arrangements…first of all for the kids. If you have been to Norway on this they you will have noticed that many people wear the bunad – the traditional Norwegian costume. This outfits are not direct copies of old costumes but they are based on outfits that dates back to the beginning of 1800s. Each district has a different outfit and it is more popular amongst the women. But I would love to have a bunad…the only problem is that it is quite expensive. I guess I would have to pay about 15.000 to 20.000 to get a complete bunad (about 2500 US dollars). Below are links to pictures of the male and female bunad from my area Rogaland. The male bunad comes with either a green or a yellow/golden vest. The female version comes in either blue or black with red or green vest.

So now it is your turn...let us see your traditional costumes

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Male bunad: http://www.husfliden.no/husa/FileFee...s_600x1493.jpg

Female bunad: http://www.husfliden.no/husa/FileFee...s_640x1101.jpg

Hi

There seems to be a problem with the link. Here is a picture of the male bunad: http://gfx.dagbladet.no/dinside/2003/04/24/rogaland.jpg

Regards
Gard

And this is a picture of the female bunad: http://www.dbas.no/bunad/images/side_125.jpg

Regards
Gard

I'm sure you would look quite striking in a bunad, Gard! Do very many people make their own bunads?

Gard,

Gratulerer med dagen! (I know I'm early but I won't be here tomorrow).

I have very fond memories of your National Day from four trips on Hurtigruten when we were in the north on the day. The first time all the passengers and crew from MS Harald Jarl marched in the big procession through Hammerfest. And there was always rømmegrøt at lunchtime!

Michael

Hello Gard,

Congratuations on the celebration of your National Day. I have been fortunate to spend May 17 in Norway on three occasions, in Bergen and in Oslo. It is so much fun to see everyone dressed in the traditional costume of their region. It seems it is much more common for the women to own and wear the traditional outfit. I recall watching a friend polish all the silver buckles and buttons on his costume---perhaps the silver accounts for the expense.

My mother-in-law made me a bunad several years ago, but I've never had the occassion to wear it. She made me an "everyday bunad" from the Gudbransdal region. It's quite pretty, but much simpler than many "dress" bunads.

For our wedding my husband wore the vest from the dress bunad from Nordland, where his family is from. It was quite neat. His mother made it as well.

I can't find pictures of either though.

Perhaps I should throw on my bunad and wear it to work tomorrow! Wouldn't my coworkers wonder!?

Hi

Not that many make the bunad themselves anymore. But in the past when people knew how to sow(?) it was more common to participate in the making of the bunad by completing different parts.

Yes, the silver does cost a pretty penny and makes the cost go up. The man is also supposed to have a knife and that also cost a bit. And I guess I would go crazy from having to polish it every year.

I would have worn my bunad (if I had one) to weddings and stuff abroad. I can imagine that it would have been extremly hot to wear it to e.g. a wedding in Kuala Lumpur But I guess people would have been wondering what I was wearing.

If you want to see the variations of the different bunad's check these links:
(Click on "Neste" for the next picture)

Womens: http://www.dagbladet.no//magasinet/2...08/465622.html

Mens: http://www.dagbladet.no/magasinet/20...08/465624.html

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

The town I lived in during high school was founded by Norwegian settlers and the town celebrates Syttende Mai every year (actually the weekend closest to the 17th). There is a big parade Sunday afternoon.

The high school also has a group of students who perform traditional Norwegian folk dances wearing the costumes from different areas of Norway. I've always admired them.

Hi

Is that the town of Soughton in Wisconsin?

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

It is, indeed!

Hi

That is quite a coincidence. Yesterday I didn't know about Soughton until I saw this program on TV about the people of Norwegian heritage in the midwest and they showed the dancers at the high school and the parade. I was quite impressed

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Actually, the name of the town is Stoughton (you were missing the first "T&quot.

The dancers were founded quite a long time ago and were trained by a very dedicated woman, Jean Reek, who passed away a few years ago. She traveled to Norway often to research the folk dances and costumes and the dancers practiced for at least an hour every day before school started. When I was in high school, the dancers traveled to Norway to perform (which everyone considered a great honor).

Happy Syttende Mai!

Hi

Yes, Stoughton is the name. It looks like the celecration is this weekend. Check out this page http://www.stoughtonwi.com/syttendemai.shtml

The high school kids doing Norwegian folk dance even have their own homepage: http://www.stoughtonnorwegiandancers.com/ .

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

Hi

I Just check the price for a bunad for myself. It will cost 5000 $ ...and then I still have to pay extra to buy the shoes and hat.

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures

But Gard, that would be a one-time acquirement, if you don't put on pounds and pounds - and the dress often is inherited thru generations, from mother to daughter to daughter, with sisters and nieces in-between (if from the same area). Seems that more and more men have the bunad too, not only women.

Hello Gard,

My parents visited Norway in 1957, and brought me back a traditional hat/bonnet. It is off-white with a blue and black pattern woven into it. It must have been made on a hand loom. It is the shape of the one in the first photo, but has a turnback of about an inch ot 2cm at the front. Do you have any idea where that style would come from?

Thank you for the photos!

Hi

Yes, it is a once in a life time investment but there are many other things to spend 5000 $ on...like a nice trip to a exotic destination

Suelynne: It is hard to say based on your description. Maybe you can take a picture so that we can have a look

Regards
Gard
http://gardkarlsen.com - trip reports and pictures