[/caption]GHN Ed - Today the news is filled with the bitter political divisions, each political party claiming boisterously that theirs is the way to solving the nation’s economic problems. While much of the news accents these differences, there are areas of shared joy in the US that often go unnoticed and remind us there are unique ways people cross those bitter divides.
One of those ways is through sharing culture within groups and among groups, as one of Portland's intercultural organizations attests. In almost every city and town in the United States there are distinct cultural groups that have interests and backgrounds in common. There are Greek communities, Italian communities, Native American and a whole range of ethnic groupings that form the garden of many towns. Some groups, however, have had less scrutiny, perhaps because they appear less exotic for the news or their assimilation into the greater culture has been so complete that few consider the unique characteristics that make them special too.
A group that shares its culture in the Portland area, without fanfare or special notice, is the Scandinavian lodge located in North East Portland. The Sons of Norway welcome people from a Nordic past, and this includes Swedes as well as Finns; but they open the doors of friendship to other groups as well. The fraternity has been around since 1895, when it was founded in the State of Minnesota Grieg Lodge in Portland boasts a citadel of a building where the group meets regularly, a building that has stood through many decades as a beacon to these Nordic folks that their special culture remains defined in special ways in a community of song, dance, food and language. Social activities range from family fun to special dinners that celebrate the uniqueness of Norway and its neighbors.
A journalist stopped to visit one early evening, with a husband of Swedish descent. There are no identifying physical characteristics among the folks that would make the Norwegian lad look different than the English, yet the welcome mat is out before one is asked one's heritage. Instead, the greeting at the door and the tour of the Norwegian lodge’s “castle” revealed the friendliness of a special group that anyone would enjoy.
[caption id="attachment_6278" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Nordic artificats"]
[/caption]“We are a friendly sort,” our host said, as he took us through the building filled with Nordic artifacts, photos, maps and flags. A library filled with books that chronicle the Scandinavian experience both in Europe and America brings members to study genealogy or just sit and share reminiscences or the reading of a book.
Monthly dances focus on the social life of the group while language lessons give folks an opportunity to either learn or practice the language of their forebears.
“You can join us,” was the invitation, an open, sharing welcome to two strangers who just dropped in, as we were handed a brochure together with an application. “We welcome people from other nationalities as well as our own. But we like to share our common experiences as Nordic people too.” And he smiled and continued a narrative of how particularly special are the Sons of Norway, their neighbors and friends.
Portland shares its multicultural spirit in multiple ways and celebrates those colors, creeds and ethnic groups that make up a city on the move. In Portland's Pioneer Square a display of flowers is assembled to show the countries of the world, and one can hear the folks exclaim how beautiful they are and how combined they form a rainbow of us all.
That Portland message of many beliefs and ways of life is one that speaks a language all its own, one that the news seldom shares but should, that says to others there is more to life than enmity and more to folks than gripes, but a mixed flavor of folks who share a common thread and part of a wonderful world.
[caption id="attachment_6279" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="World in flowers"]
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