“Emma’s Story” at the next Fika meeting

29 09 2025

Next Fika meeting is scheduled Saturday, October 18, 2025, starting at 1:30 PM at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 9235 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee located just east of the Milwaukee Zoo. 

At the meeting the Annual Business meeting will be conducted including presentation of Annual reports by officers and committee leaders. There will be election of two board members. Immediately following the Annual Meeting member Karen Snowberg will present the Program: Emma’s story.

Emma came to this country from Öland, Sweden in1882 at the age of 16. In the great emigration from Sweden to America, a larger percentage of its population left the island of Öland than from any other area of Sweden. Emma would never talk about her family in Sweden or her life there. 50 years after her passing, through extensive research by the Snowbergs in the US and the Snöbergs in Sweden her life in Sweden was fleshed out. Emma was Karen Snowberg’s Grandmother or in Swedish Mormor (Mother’s mother). Come to the meeting and find out about Emma’s life in Sweden, and how the Snowbergs found out.

After the presentation enjoy traditional Fika the Swedish way. If you can, bring a dish to share. Do you have a favorite Swedish recipe you want to share? If so, bring it and we can add it to the website Swedish Food Heritage page.


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SAHSWI 50 Years celebration reminder

8 09 2025

Come and celebrate the history of Swedish Americans in Wisconsin. It started in 1838 when with Carl Friman and his five sons arrived in Genoa City. Three years later Gustaf Unonius with entourage arrived at Pine Lake and established the first Swedish settlement in Wisconsin, naming it New Upsala.

Fifty years ago—in 1975—in concordance with this country’s preparations to celebrate the bicentennial of its founding and to recognize the impact Swedish Americans have had on the development of our State, the Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin was created.

On Saturday, September 13, between 1 PM and 3 PM, The Swedish American Historical Society, will hold its Fifty-Year Celebration at St. Anskar’s Church, N48W31340 Hill Street, (Highway 83), Hartland, WI.

The event will feature:

  • Authentic Swedish food—savory and sweet—prepared by SAHSWI members and by descendants of New Upsala pioneers,
  • Acknowledgements of the founding of SAHSWI and of the Wisconsin Historical Marker “Gustaf Unonius, New Upsala and the Scandinavian Parish,”
  • Performance of Swedish Folk Music by “Goda Vänner” (Good Friends)
  • Participation of many descendants of New Upsala pioneers, Bengt Petterson and George Bergwall, and historical information and artifacts they will share,
  • Acappella Performance of en jägarsång, a Swedish hunting song, that was sung by New Upsala pioneers in a story Unonius tells in his memoir. Singing will be performed by actual descendants of the New Upsala pioneer who hunted and lead the singing in Unonius’s story,
  • And a surprise for all who attend.

Note: As is custom with Fika meetings, if you can bring and share a Swedish dish, it will be greatly appreciated.


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