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 SwedishFood Heritage page.
At the Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin (SAHSWI) 2025 March Fika meeting member and Vasa Order Linde Lodge President Brent Erickson made a presentation about Fäbodar and the practice of Summer Farming that has existed in Sweden and Norway for thousands of years.Fäbodkultur is a UNESCO-Listed Heritage of Traditional Summer Farming.
Summer Farming refers to the practice of moving livestock to outlying lands in late spring. It entails knowledge concerning animal husbandry and herding, dairy production, land management and handicrafts. It also involves herding calls, songs, storytelling and rituals. Summer farms may be private or collectively run, and some organize sustainable tourism and sell dairy products. The practice has inspired literature, performing and visual arts. It is a source of pride, continuity and identity for many Scandinavian societies.
Brent discussed his family ties to this unique culture. He is a descendent of Der Erik Jakobson, (Der referred to the farm named Dergården). Der Erik Jacobssons daughter Sarah was Brent’s father’s Grandmother and she lived on a Fäbod during the summers. Dergården is located in Myrbacka, which is close to Noret where Sarah was born. Brent’s father’s grandfather lived in Järna (also called DalaJärna). All these places are close and located in Dalarna, Sweden. The entire Der Erik Jabobsson family emigrated to Jackson County, Wisconsin in 1883. (Brent has also contributed a story about his ancestor’s emigration available on this website My Swedish Heritage.)
Brent’s presentation included several videos of practices part of the Summer Farming tradition. The Cow Horn (Swedish Kohorn) was used to call the cows home for milking. (This is a link to a YouTube video and may include advertising)
Another method for calling cows is kulning, a herding call and vocal technique practiced by Scandinavian women. (This is a link to a YouTube video)
Scandinavian Summer Farming or Swedish Fäbodskultur was included in UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage list in 2024.
Below is a link to Brent’s whole presentation, including more information, pictures, and videos and also about the Fäbod established by immigrants at Bishop Hill, Illinois
Don’t forget the 2025 first SAHSWI Fika meeting on Saturday January 25, starting at 1:30 PM at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 9235 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee featuring Cookie Anderson presentation about Swedish Authors.January 25 Fika meeting.
Updatesfrom the end of 2024
The end of the year is always a hectic time, we all celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. In addition, we have all important SAHSWI meetings and celebrations, our annual meeting in October, our participation in the Holiday Folk Fair International for 3 days in November, and our beautiful Lucia celebration in December. And, this year we were invited to celebrate the Swedish New Year at Lakefront Brewery. Here are some updates from these events.
Annual Meeting
2024 SAHSWI Annual General meeting was held on October 19, 2024, at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Milwaukee. Congratulations to Janet Taylor,Irene Roberts, and Meg Haag who were elected to each serve a 3-year term on the Board of Directors. Already Board Directors Janet and Irene were re-elected to serve an additional 3-year term. We are very pleased to welcome Meg Haag as a newcomer on the Board. Meg is a member of St. Anskar’s Episcopal Church in Hartland and was together Sarah Hintz project team members on the State Historical Marker project, recognizing Gustaf Unonius, New Upsala, and The Scandinavian Parish. For the last three years Meg and Sarah hosted meetings at the church. Meg provided information and coordination with local area churches and Nashotah House Seminary and arranged the Heritage Tour in 2023 visiting Nashotah House, the Holy Innocents Cemetery, Chenequa Village Hall (the site of New Upsala) and St. Anskar’s Church.
Historical Marker at St. Anskar’s Church. Meg Haag in between Tracy Redman and Martha Bergland
Following the election, Officers and Committee leaders’ annual reports were presented. These reports are available on the SAHSWI website.
The program at the Annual General Meeting was dedicated to Harry H Anderson who sadly passed away in May 2024. For a report on the program please go to
Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin together with Vasa Order of America, Linde Lodge represented Sweden in the Nordic Council of Wisconsin cultural booth at the Folk Fair at Milwaukee State Fair Park held from Friday November 22 to Sunday November 24. The theme for the Folk Fair was “Celebrate the Culture of Traditional Art”. Traditional Art embodies painting, pottery, sculpture, textiles, metalwork, and many others.
Left: SAHSWI members John Engel and Brent Erickson (Linde Lodge President). Right: Lisa, Joseph and Eli Kaltenberg
Items displayed included Table Runners, Pottery, Crystal, Wood Carvings, Gotland Sheep Skin, Children’s Clothing, and Straw Ornaments. Each reviewed in the attached short document.
18 volunteers from Linde Lodge and SAHSWI represented Sweden during the three days, each working a 4-hrs shift. In the list below L=Member of Linde Lodge, S=Member of SAHSWI. Thank you very much to all volunteers.
Left: Arlette Johnson (Sons of Norway), Liza Ekstrand, Elaine Johnson Right: Allen, Linda and Anja Stenmark (Linde Lodge)
In a separate area a display was set up where a traditional dessert dish from each country was presented.
Nordic Council submission of typical desserts for each of the Nordic Countries
Several SAHSWI members participated in a Swedish New Year celebration at Lakefront Brewery. We appreciate this initiative by Lakefront Brewery. It was a sold-out event, and very well received by all who attended. What a great idea to celebrate the New Year at local 5 PM, midnight in Sweden.
More than 50 SAHSWI members and visitors participated in the Fika meeting on Saturday January 27 at Martin Luther Lutheran Church, Milwaukee, where SAHSWI Vice President John Elliott presented the program about the Vikings.
John discussed the definition of the Viking as a member of the Scandinavian seafaring warriors who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the 9th to the 11th century and whose disruptive influence profoundly affected European history. The word Viking entered the modern English language in 1807, at a time of growing nationalism and empire building. In the decades that followed, enduring stereotypes about Vikings developed, such as wearing horned helmets and belonging to a society where only men wielded high status. Vikings were a specific group of traders defined by their mobility, and this did not include the bulk of the Scandinavian population that stayed at home.
Viking crews would frequently lose members and pick up new recruits as they traveled, combining dissident elements from different backgrounds and cultures. Vikings were not a race but an ethnic diverse group. Only 10% of the Scandinavian population today has Viking DNA.
John further explored the unauthorized use of Nordic (Viking) imagery by some less than honorable groups and the impact it has on the overall image of the Vikings. He discussed who the Vikings were and the misunderstandings that prevail today.
The presentation generated a lot of interest and discussion, followed by the traditional Fika with food and baked goods brought by meeting participants.
Swedish American Historical Society of Wisconsin 