Norwegian Boys' Activities



Figure 1.-- This looks like a victory celebration for a town soccer team. There is a long procession with the town band which includes some boys. You can see the players at the back of the procession. Boys are at he front with a sign and trophy. We are notsure towhat exten boys played soccer at this time. It is unlikely there were school sports programs. The photograph is undated, but we would guess was taken about 1900. All we can make out on the sign is 'Sport Mannen' meaning smothing like Sports Men. Unfortunately we can not read the rest of the sign. You can also see the town people watching the procession. Peaked and flat caps seem popular with the boys.

We do not yet know much about Norwegian boys'activities. Our image archive is fairly limited which is our major source of information. Norway was until 1905 part of Sweden so we suspect that there was considerable similarity with Sweden, both being Scandinavian countries. Outdoor activities, especially were surely important, especially skiing. . We are less sure about boating and sailing. There were surely ampel outdoor locations to pursue such activities, but many boys could not have afforded boats. Many boys until the 20th contury worked, but we have do not have much information on that. School became an important activitiy for boys, especially in the 19th century as the public school system developed. Norway like other Scandanavian countries have not required school uniforms. Boys wore their normal clothes so school wear has simply reflected the contemprary Norwegian fashions. Norwegian readers tell HBC that the individuality and importance of personal choice has meant that school uniform has never proven popular in Norway. We notice some boy choirs. We see sport becoming an important activity in the 20th century. Our information is limited. The principal sport was soccer (football), but we are not sure ot what extent boys plated it. Swimming seems another popular activity, at lease we see a loy of Norwegian boys being taught to swim. Given Noth sea water tempertures we can assume that Norwegian boys were a hearty lot. Perhaps we see so many boys learming to swim because fishing and shipping were such an impotrtant part of the economy and of of course it would a good idea to for people working at sea to know how to swim. Presumably sports clubs were formed by young men to sponsor athletic activities. There were also Norwegian youth groups. The most important group was Scouting, but during the German World War II occupation a Norwegian nationalist group was organized.

Boating and Sailing

We are less sure about boating and sailing. There were surely ampel outdoor locations to pursue such activities, but many boys could not have afforded boats. The weather is also a factor. Boating and sailing during the extended winter does not sound like all that much fun.

Choirs

We notice some boy choirs. HBC has very limited information about the choral tradition in Norway. HBC knows of only one Norwegian choir, the Silver Choir, which was foubded in the not very felicitius year of 1940. (I'm not sure whrtyher this was before or after the German invasion. As with many Scandinavian choirs, the boys wear sailor suits.

Holidays

We do noy yet know much about Norwegian holidays. Christmas is a very important holiday as it is throughout Scandanavia. We note Norwegian refugees in Sweeden during World War II celebrating Constitution Day (May 17).

Play

Norway was part of Sweden for many years. Thus children's play activities are similar to those of Sweden. We note a lot of traditional games that seem variants of the games played througout Euope and America. Two favorites are Gjemsel (hide and seek) and Tikken (tag). Stiff Witch is the Norwegian version if freeze taf. , is a game of freeze tag It is difficult to tell the origins of these games. One game, Bro, bro, brille (bridge, bridge, glasses) is similar to London bridge is falling down, but has such old roots in Norway that it prsumably did not comne from Britain. Norwegian toys were the same poular toys we see throughout Europe. There are popular card games with children, important in a country with such extended winters. Outside play is limited by the weather, although skiiing and skating is popular, there is only so much time yhjt children cn spend playing outside in the snow. Popular card games include gris, mattis, and gnav. Brio is a wooden toy company founded in Sweden and thus widely available in Norway. Legos which came from neigboring Denmark are also popular in Norway, mostly with boys. Dolls were traditiinlly popular with gurls. And of course today it is video games that the children want, especially the boys.

School

School became an important activitiy for boys, especially in the 19th century as the public school system developed. Norway like other Scandanavian countries have not required school uniforms. Boys wore their normal clothes so school wear has simply reflected the contemprary Norwegian fashions. Norwegian readers tell HBC that the individuality and importance of personal choice has meant that the idea of school uniforms has never proven popular in Norway.

Sports

We see sport becoming an important activity in the 20th century. Our information is limited. The principal sport was soccer (football), but we are not sure ot what extent boys plated it. Presumably sports clubs were formed by young men to sponsor athletic activities.

Skiing

Outdoor activities, especially were surely important, especially skiing. Norwegians are some of the world' best skiiers. Few countries have more snow close for more of the year closer to the major cities as Norway.

Swimming

Norway like Chile has ine of the world's largest ratio of coatline to land area. Thus swimming would seem a likely activity. Swimming seems another popular activity, at lease we see a loy of Norwegian boys being taught to swim. Given Noth sea water tempertures we can assume that Norwegian boys were a hearty lot. The water temperatures probably explain why there are few Norwegian swimming Olympians. Perhaps we see so many boys learming to swim because fishing and shipping were such an impotrtant part of the economy and of of course it would a good idea to for people working at sea to know how to swim. Modern children have heated indoor pools, but this is afairly recent innovation. We are not sure when organized swimming lessons began. The earliest examples we see are from the turn-of-the 20th century.

Work

Many boys until the 20th countury worked, but we have do not have much information on that and child labor laws.

Youth Groups

The principal youth groups in Norway are Scouts and Guides. HBU does not know of any uniformed boys' youth groups, except the Boy Scouts, in Norway before the NAZI invasion (April 1940). The Norwegian Government in fact had banned the wearing of political uniforms (1935) so political parties could not organize uniformed youth units. This changed almost over night after the German invasion when a a virtual riot of adult uniforms appeared. This was especially the case after Hitler officially asppointed Vidkun Quisling "Minister President". The Quisling and the NAZI occupation authorities organized a youth group and tried to recruit older boys for the war effort. Scouting was banned. Few Norwegian boys, but in 1941 Scouting and other youth groups were banned and all Norwegian boys had to join the Nasjonal Samling youth movement, the Umghird. Older boyswere funned into the Waffen-SS and few syrvived the War. After the War, Scouting was reestablished. There are also a number of small groups. Buekorps ("Bow Corps" or "Archery Brigade") are traditional marching neighborhood youth organizations in Bergen. Natur og Ungdom (NU) which translates Nature and Youth, also known in English as Friends of the Earth Youth Norway is a recently organized Norwegian youth environment protecting organisation.








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Created: 10:21 PM 7/11/2014
Last updated: 10:18 AM 11/23/2018