Indigenous Peoples Day

Seattle Mayor declares ‘ Indigenous People’s Day’.

We have just celebrated Columbus Day, but now this very same day has another function!

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  A day  to reflect on the history of those inhabitants who were uprooted and mistreated through history by others wishing to take control.Although unofficial, the second Monday in October  in Seattle is now Indigenous Peoples’ Day. as Mayor Ed Murray has decreed. 

Native American youth on drums opening the ceremony

The event was a result of local Native American’ efforts for an annual reminder of the harm inflicted on Native Americans by European newcomers such as the explorer Christopher Columbus

Who knew?

 We have celebrated Columbus Day for years, however others have questioned the traditionally known happenings in history and have read of the treatment meted out by “the discoverers” that has not been beneficial to the ‘indigenous  people’. Slowly, the truth has becomes known and the victims recognized. However, the question remains, who really were these ‘original people’ and where did they come from? Columbus thought he was on the edge of India, hence the name ‘Indians’. However, these early ‘Indians’ might have arrived from the far north. 

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The Ice Age found  humans scrambling for food as they followed their prey. About 10,000 BC, following the retreat of the great inland ice sheets, the earliest

inhabitants migrated north into the territory which is now Norway. They traveled steadily   northwards along the coastal areas, warmed by the Gulf Stream, where life was more bearable. In order to survive, they fished and hunted reindeer and other prey. Between 5,000 BC and 4,000 BC, the earliest agricultural settlements appeared around the Oslofjord. 

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The Migration Period, also known as the period of  barbarian invasions or as the Völkerwanderung ("migration of peoples" in German), was a period of  human migration in Europe from about 376 to 800 AD . Everyone was moving to survive the weather and their enemies.The migrants who came first were Germanic tribes such as the Goths, Vandals, Franks; they were later

pushed westwards by the Huns, etc.The Hamburg culture (13,500-11,100 BC) was a culture of reindeer hunters in northwestern Europe probably following the reindeer into present Sami

territory.The first people arrived in Norway after 7,000 BC when rising temperatures after the end of the last ice age made the country habitable. These first Norwegians lived by hunting (elk, deer, seal and whales) and by fishing.The modern  ‘Old Norse’ is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and overseas settlements during the Viking Age until about 1300.Today, Old Norse has developed into the modern North Germanic languages (Icelandic, Faroese, Norwegian, Danish and Sweden)

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When ‘discoverers’ found the Bering Strait land bridge, they more than likely followed it westerly and south. Our American Indigenous People might  be descendants from these travelers as they mixed with travelers paddling from the south. The American Melting-Pot had an early beginning

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When American tourists meet Norwegians in trips to Norway, language becomes an issue.Asking “Snakker du engelsk?” to an elder in Norway,  the answer  “Nei, Jeg snakker norsk” might be heard from a native fairly close to those ‘indigenous people’. However, asking the same question to a younger person would probably result in  their answer with a smile “ Of course, how can I help you?” Norwegian young people speak better English than many of us in America! We have many misconceptions of our superiority, wealth and attitude.

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Many believe Norway and Scandinavian neighbors  are wet and cold countries.The average winter temperature in Oslo, Norway is only about minus 4 degrees Celsius (around 23° our Fahrenheit), which is a bit warmer than the winter temperatures of most American and European cities.July is the hottest month in North Cape with an average temperature of 54°F (12°C) and the coldest is January at 27°F (-3°C) . (It gets colder during Wisconsin’s winter!). 

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  The southern and  the most populous regions of Scandinavia have a temperate climate.   Scandinavia extends north of the Arctic Circle, but has relatively mild weather for its latitude due to the Gulf Stream. Geothermal energy is located along the Mid Atlantic ridge - a deep sea mountain range with a high concentration of volcanoes. Specifically, Iceland gets most of its heating and electricity from five power/heating plants that are

located east of Reykjavik in a particularly geothermal energy-rich area and visitors relax in the warm, healthy  spas. Here in America, we enjoy the geothermal energy at Yellowstone National Park, but federal regulations forbid drilling and utilizing the energy.      

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 Mentioning IKEA brings up beliefs of a Swedish Company owned by Sweden.  While most consider Sweden to be the sole “Owner” of this franchise, IKEA stores are located in many countries. Most of IKEA's operations, including the management of the majority of its stores, the design and manufacture of itsproducts are overseen by a private, for-profit Dutch company.  the IKEA trademark and concept is owned by an entirely separate Dutch company Inter IKEA Systems.Since 1982, the IKEA Group has been owned by a foundation in the Netherlands. 

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And Iceland? 

That must be a cold ice-covered place! Who’d want to visit there? Reykjavik, the capitol of Iceland is known for its famous spas and steamy thermal heat. No need to shovel snow off sidewalks. Nature melts it. Geothermal heat originally comes from the Earth's core, where temperatures may reach 4,000-7,000°C. This heat can come to the surface  in the form of  hot water that seeps through fissures, cracks and permeable rock

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 Perhaps, our feeling of superiority is unfounded. While fiction is more interesting than facts, we might learn something from our ‘Indigenous People’ with a bit more respect.

 Hopefully, the observance of ‘Indigenous Peoples Day’ will become the norm and a federal holiday on the second monday in October every year.

Sorry, Chris.

Really?

 Sometimes it is difficult to sort out the facts from fiction. Beliefs and legends sometimes get confusing.

Soon, we will  enjoy a national holiday called “ Columbus Day”. The day  we chose to recognize ’The Discoverer of  America'. We learned in our elementary school days that “Columbus sailed the ocean blue” in his famous three ships named ‘Nina’, ‘Pinta’ and ‘The Santa Maria”.   A catchphrase designed to help cement that fact into our memory.

Christopher Columbus

When Christopher landed, he was greeted by  “Indians”, the local inhabitants who were not happy to learn more about this visitor as time went on. However, Columbus gets the credit for ‘Discovering America’ and the story is repeated every year in October.

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Leif Erikson

Every red-blooded  American-Norwegian knows that Columbus was far from being  the first European to find these shores. That distinction goes to the Vikings, the legendary Norse warriors and explorers who were raiding and settling many parts of the world from the late 8th to mid 11th century. And so it was the Vikings, not Columbus, who first made contact with the ‘Indians’. It is believed that Norse explorer Leif Erikson  reached Canada perhaps 500 years before Columbus was born. We don’t take the day off, but we will quietly celebrate ‘Leif Erikson Day’ October 9th.  Erikson  is a patronymic and not a family name. (he’s literally Erik’s son’). Evidence seems to point to Vikings making contact with American Indians back in the 10th century, as they explored the northeast coast of America, what they called Vineland (or Vinland).

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Every European ‘Discoverer’ was met by the local inhabitants known as ‘Indians”. Research and artifacts  left behind  have been found in both North and South America and dated to 14,000 BP,( present time). Asian nomads are thought to have entered the Americas via the Bering Land Bridge while the water levels were much lower. Beringia, now the Bering Strait was used as travelers continued  along the coast. Even the Vikings were not the first to set foot on the New World.

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Vikings roamed the European coasts  as settlers as well as raiders. Some did not wish to submit to the wishes of their rulers. Many left their land due to the tyrannical reign of Harald Hårfagre, who united all the petty kingdoms under his rule. Many Norwegian chieftains who were wealthy and respected posed a threat to Harald; therefore, they were subjected to much harassment from Harald, prompting them to vacate the land.

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They, in turn, sailed to nearby islands where

various settlements were established. These ‘settlers’ came into contact with the ‘natives’, who for the most part, were routinely dispatched when found. One of these island refuges was a group of  18 islands situated between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately halfway between Norway and Iceland and also close to England. This group of islands became known as The Faroe Islands whose inhabitants were religious and solitary beings thought to be
from England, quietly  living their  anchoritic life , one of the earliest forms of Christian monastic living. Anchorites were supposed to remain in their cells in all eventualities. Their survival in encounters with the wild Viking visitors more than likely resulted in escaping across the Atlantic, perhaps becoming ‘Indians of North America’.

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The Faroe Islands have been a self-governing country within the Danish Realm since 1948.

The Danish name translates as "the islands of sheep". Norse settlement in these Islands can be traced back to sometime between the 9th and 10th centuries CE, with the first Viking to ever set foot on the Faroe Islands around the late 8th century. A Viking longhouse was unearthed during an excavation . Excavations continue, however little evidence of the earlier settlers is likely to be found, but archaeologists believe the anonymous people living in the bleak location in the 4th to 6th centuries AD must have been able to build boats and navigate the surrounding seas.

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The Faroes were the first stepping stone beyond Shetland for the travel of European people across the North Atlantic, continuing on the shores of continental North America in the 11th century AD, about 500 years before Columbus made his famous voyage.

These ‘Anonymous’ people, escaping the harsh treatment of the invading Vikings might have been groups of Europeans who traveled to settle elsewhere.  Early migrants from northeastern Asia could have walked to Alaska with relative ease when a land area now named Beringia was above sea level . This land bridge joined northeast Asia to modern Alaska and formed part of a much larger province called Beringa during the ice age.  20th century  travelers might have found additional
routes by which human beings first reached the Americas, following the southern coastline of Beringia and Alaska, then southward along the coast all the way to the southernmost tip of South America, establishing their new life just in time to greet their Spanish guests, the Italian Columbus and the Scandinavian Leif Erickson . When Columbus landed, he insisted that he was on the western side of "The Indies", so he eventually named the whole island chain "The West Indies". Of course, he called the natives "Indians".

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In this modern age,  in elementary school we still recognize Columbus as an important American
‘discoverer’. By the time we reached high school, we realized he didn’t even reach North America. Researching the event, we even

discovered his ships' names were different. The Santa Maria was known at the time as La Gallega, meaning “The Galician.” The Niña is now believed to be a nickname for a ship originally called the “Santa Clara”, and the Pinta was probably also a nickname, though the ship’s real name isn’t clear. We may have heard that his real name wasn’t even Columbus! Born in Italy, Cristoforo Colombo wanted ships to establish a "round-the-world" route to the wealth of the Indies. He could not get any backing from Italian nobles or merchants, so he went to Spain, and changed his name to Christopher Columbus . The King and Queen reluctantly provided the money and ships, sending  him and his crew sailing to ‘India’ to establish a shorter route to silks, spices and riches. 

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Leif Erickson sights land.

At least, Leif had a good idea where he was going, and the ‘Indians’, however named, were the 'Common Denominator’ in all events, always being the receivers on shore , and always getting ‘the short end of the stick!”

                                 But our history books scarcely recognize Leif Erickson while  Columbus’ journey is highlighted. Columbus even named the inhabitants who greeted the voyagers and the 'Indian' label of the Original Native American has never been changed.

            Happy Cristoforo Colombo Day!

You do the crime..You do the time

“If you do the crime, you do the time, but before you go...”

There might be a short delay.

Incarceration in a US prison or jail is one of the main forms of punishment and rehabilitation of felony crimes and other offenses. The population in US prisons is reported to be the largest in the world and is becoming a growing concern.

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Both, The US and Norway are considering solutions. Their crime rates are increasing and more people are being brought in to the legal systems.Since 2012, the German travel guide ‘Dumont’ now describes the city of Olso, Norway as being unsafe for female tourists. The guide also named Oslo “The Crime capital of Scandinavia”.A large proportion of the crime that is carried out in Norway is committed by criminals from overseas, with 34 percent of the prison population being foreigners. Gangs of thieves target the nation due to the perception that its prisons are relatively comfortable compared to those of other countries. Studies also indicate that this is one of the reasons that criminals from other parts of the world commit crime in Norway.There is no capital punishment and no life in prison.

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Those punishments don’t exist in Norway. For some dangerous prisoners, judges can extend sentences by five-year increments. This is

a country where few killers serve more than 14 years. Norway has much lower rates of violent crime, incarceration and recidivism, or repeaters, than America . The Norwegian goal is rehabilitation, not punishment.

But lately, the increasing rate of “offenders” has created a

Norwegian problem. Norway seems to be a much more benevolent society than the US. There isn’t as much social inequality as in the United States, where there’s a large gap between the rich and the poor.While our US prisoners are there to be punished, in Norway, the standard belief is that people can change and steps are taken to hep the inmate to reenter and be successful in normal society. Many offenders are housed in open housing with minimal guarding or even settling with a fine. When rehabilitation is completed, few returned as repeat-offenders. However, times are changing.

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Convicts in Norway often have to wait for detention capacity to become available, and there are currently 1,300 people queuing up to

serve their sentences. The government is working on a  plan describing the national detention capacity, and the conditions of prison facilities and funds for building new facilities are being sought. The problem: Where to put the new offenders while the new prisons are being built.

Neighboring Sweden doesn’t want them.

Sweden boasts one of the world's lowest incarceration rates - ten times lower than the US. Why do Swedish judges opt to keep convicts out of jail or issue lenient sentences, which one inmate called "a chance to start over"? Swedish judges opt for electronic tagging and other sentences that keep inmate

numbers down, Sweden is closing their prisons. Anyone sentenced to less than six months in jail has the right, since 2005, to request an electronic bracelet rather than incarceration and many judges have embraced the policy.The country's prison population fell by nearly 1,000 inmates over the last decade to about 4,300, reveal figures from the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (Kriminalvården). Swedish courts are also more likely to grant parole after two-thirds of a sentence has been served. Another factor may be large state investments in rehabilitation and recidivism prevention programs.

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So, where do we take these offenders who are anxious to serve their “time” and get back into society?

Norway has 1300 convicts waiting for prison places and as ‘luck would have it’, some people in The Netherlands are going to lose their jobs because eight Netherland prisons have been scheduled for closing due to to ‘lack of criminals’! How can this be?

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The Netherlands is a very safe country in which to live and many people never experience crime of any sort. The rate of violent crime is
low, although tourists are often targeted by thieves. Theft is especially common on trains to

and from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport, where hand luggage and laptop computers are often targeted.Penalties for rule infractions fall into three categories 1..Custodial sentence, or jail time, 2..Fines and 3..Community service which is often imposed for minor offenses. This is unpaid work and can include removing graffiti or cleaning public areas while a large number of crimes in the Netherlands are dealt with on the basis of fixed penalty rates. These include those related to traffic offenses and noise pollution.

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The Netherlands is one of the safest countries in Europe with a very low incidence of crime,Declining crime rates in the Netherlands mean that although the country has the capacity for 14,000 prisoners, there are only 12,000 detainees according to recent reports.“The decrease is expected to continue” states the Dutch Deputy Justice minister Nebahat Albayrak saying “natural redundancy and other measures should counter any forced lay-offs”.

Norway finds a solution in The Netherlands.

Netherland officials have extended a plan to rent vacate cell-space to Norway. Norway’s Minister of Justice and Public Security Anders Anundsen has agreed, saying “To achieve a much-needed expansion of prison capacity in the short term, we’ve started talks with Dutch authorities on renting prison capacity in the Netherlands.” Norwegian rules would have to apply, and a Norwegian governor would preside over the prisoners. This should be of little concern to the newly installed prisoners as Norwegian practices of incarceration are rather mild.

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Norway has plans for building additional prison facilities much like that found on Bastoy Island in Norway. Bastoy is a minimum security site designed to establish respect and human decency enjoyed in Norwegian society.

Private phonebooths for the use of prisioners

Norway’s prisons are designed to rehabilitate There are no cells, bars,
guns, truncheons or CCTV cameras here. Norway is planning on building more prisons utilizing the belief of rehabilitation training over that of punishment. One inmate, when interviewed was asked if he ever thought of escape answered “ This is the first time I serve a sentence and I hope it’ll be the last.” There are three golden rules: No, drugs, no violence and no alcohol. Any inmate attempting to escape would be transferred to a secure prison with far less privileges.

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The waiting list may soon be reduced, thanks to the agreement with Norway regarding the leasing of vacant Dutch prison space while Norway builds.

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The social structure of Norway and other Scandinavian countries is based on equality of all people. Since World War Two, Norway has broadened and heavily subsidized public benefits in the forms of free education, benefits for sickness and disability, and unemployment, based on making benefits available to all. There is no  economic differences such as  "rich or poor."

Recent numbers released by the US Census Bureau show that the gaps between US rich and US poor is widening. In the latest report, the US has the fourth most ‘uneven’ income distribution in the developed world.

Prisoner serving his time in Norway.

 Perhaps we have something to learn from our Scandinavian friends.

 
 

Closed For The Holiday

Monday was "Labor Day".A day designated to honor those members of the "Working Class" who have labored to provide us with the comforts and cultural system we take for granted as well as enjoy.
Labor Day, the first Monday in September,  a creation of the labor movement ,is  dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.

  Peter J. McGuire, general secretary of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners was first to suggest a day to honor common laborers. Others believe that Matthew Maguire, a machinist, not Peter,  proposed the holiday in 1882 while serving as secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. At any rate, Congress declared the first Monday in September to be a federal holiday.  Federal offices are closed, but the common man remains on the job. Labor Day is a day of high labor intensity while shoppers take advantage of sales as school-age children purchase clothes and  "Gotta-haves" for school. Adults are found in the grocery area buying food and refreshments for the last summer grill-out. It's a big business day.

This holiday is a pivotal calendar day, being both an opener and a closer. This day marks the unofficial end of summer and the last day for camping. But, while the campers are enjoying their last family outings, others are loading dad's SUV with the daily necessities needed  of the recent high school graduate as they gather clothes and electronics for their journey to college. Their goal will be to acquire the knowledge and wisdom to later find a worthy job. In time, they will join the work force and enjoy their own future Labor Day.

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To earn a living, everyone  needs  a job unless they are supported by someone else. In an earlier report, the average  full-time employed American man worked 8.4 hours per work day, and the average woman employed full-time worked 7.7 hours per work day.

 A job pays the needed wages.Because of the pressure of working, time is increasingly viewed as a ommodity.Working time may vary from person to person often depending on location, culture, and lifestyle choice. Someone who is supporting children and paying a large mortgage will need to work more hours to meet a basic cost of living than someone without children of the same earning power.

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 But working hours and situations change around the world.
The work week in Samoa is approximately 30 hours, and while the annual Samoan cash income is low, the Samoans standard of living is quite good.
In most European Union countries, working time is gradually decreasing. The European  time directive has set a 48 hour maximum working week that applies to every member state except the United Kingdom.France has a 35-hour week law..

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However, in China,

Most people in China work much more than 44 hours per week, and when they work on weekends or

on national holidays, they typically do not receive any overtime payment.
The average weekly working hours of full-time employees in Hong Kong is 49 hours.
Perhaps the additional work is necessary to fill the  orders for exported products that we have been enjoying!

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In Europe, a different concept is at work.

Norway has a very high standard of living compared with other European countries, however, it is among the most expensive countries in the world. The oil industry is the primary economic engine.
Norway is  one of the most heavily taxed countries in the world.
                                 With all this, how do they do it?

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Taxes comprise the main income for the public in Norway. Taxes support all public services such as healthcare, education, transport and communications. Taxes are designed to contribute to greater equality between Norwegian individuals while providing for most of their needs.They don't  mind paying high taxes when they receive excellent services.

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Here, in the USA, we  receive benefits of paid vacation time to relieve the stress of our labor, but the company's labor goes on. Vacationtime must be individually scheduled. Someone has to be filling the vacant seat. Business would probably suffer if too many people were taking vacation whenever they wished. High hours create high wages and high wages and low taxes are staples of the American economy.

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Norwegians enjoy 25 days "holiday" per year in the large majority of jobs, not including 8-12 additional public holidays.       And they can take their "holidays" anytime they wish!

 Summer-time shutdowns are normal for Europeans, but Norwegians take this to a new level! July is a popular month to take some time-off. While the weather is warm in July, Norwegians take off for the warm beaches and vacation areas.

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 For three weeks in July, most residents go on vacation at the same time! If Norwegian businesses don't stop completely, cities  probably slow to a crawl. This three weeks of work inactivity is known as fellesferie, or "General Staff Holiday". Most businesses
close, policemen are hard to find, even parliament is dismissed. As millions head for the fjords, islands or the Mediterranean, cities such as Oslo must display familiar signs on their entrances. Parking spots are easy to find in the eerie quiet of fellesferie.

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This custom began when fish industries and metal-smelting factories had so many people on holiday that it made more sense just to shut down. Travelling by air can be difficult. SAS canceled 45 of its 600 European flights, stranding 4,000 passengers, because so many  air-crews were on vacation.

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Even Norway's soccer-league take time off for fellesferie, although this causes the season to stretch into cold November. Work takes a "back seat" to relaxation as Norwegians enjoy the summer weather that is too good to waste when one compares it with what's coming!

We celebrate Labor Day. Norwegians  celebrate fellesferie.

Oh, The Games People Play!

Another summer comes to an end and cool winds will bring snow to winter sports fans. Olympic athletes have been training for their events and the 2018 Olympics competition.
                                                             Let the games begin.

Construction begins on the 2018 Ice Revue at PyeongChang, South Korea.

 Three countries France, Germany and South Korea vyed for the honor of hosting the winter games. The winner: South Korea!

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While it may be difficult to be thinking past the colorful season of autumn, the International Olympic  Committee has the task of  searching even farther into the future! Upcoming Winter Games sites are being planned  for the 2022 games! The IOC will announce the host city for the 2022 Olympics on July 31 of 2015 after final detailed bids are submitted in January. The three finalists for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games  will be one of the following: Oslo, Norway; Beijing;, and Almaty, Kazakhstan . Oslo remains in the running at this point,  but its bid may be withdrawn. The Norwegian public has expressed reservations, leaving politicians hesitant to back the bid, and that's in a country where the Winter Olympics are popular with Norway constantly finishing at or near the top of the medal count.

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The latest public opinion poll, conducted by research firm "InFact" for the Tromso newspaper Nordlys, found only three out of 10 Norwegians support the bid.
Opposition is strongest in northern Norway, where 80 per cent are opposed, while in Oslo itself, 50 per cent oppose the bid. The IOC organization has been seen as extravagant and  demanding on Olympic hosts cities, with a report in March calling for IOC members to pay their own costs when attending the Games.
The surging costs of the games ($51 billion in Sochi ) has also been turning many nations off the dream of hosting the Olympics. Apparently, there are  "Fun and Games" at the Olympics.

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Currently, the "Chess Olympiads" are being held in Tromso, Norway.The tournament takes place over two weeks, having begun  August 1st and ending August 15th. The competition involves 2200 players from 170 national federations. That should be a quiet event.

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Agnus Carlesen, World Champion from Norway.

Hou Yifan, reigning Women's Champion from China.

Players who participate at the Olympiad include the reigning World Champion and highest rated player in the world in Norway’s Magnus Carlesen, shown playing on “Board 1” while  Hou Yifan, the reigning Women’s World Champion plays on "board 1" for China. The current champions are Armania in the Open Section and Russia among the Women’s teams.



Who would expect controversy at a chess tournament? But wait, Russia is thinking of suing the IOC!  

Why? Because the Russian Women's team was disqualified .

Katerya Lagnes ,who was transferred from Ukraine to Russsia.

Russia was in the process of transferring a chess-player from the Ukraine Federation to the Russian Federation, apparently to provide more skill and chance for team success. The lengthy process caused them to miss the deadline to apply for competition in the Olympiad and the Russian team was not registered to compete. However, after negotiations, the Russian Women's team was allowed to compete. Nevertheless, the Russians are now suing members of the IOC. The hired lawyers won their contest, but there are costs.
Russian officials have sued the Norwegian organizers of the Chess Olympiad , wanting their Norwegian hosts to cover their extra expenses in legal fees spent fighting the disqualification .
Norway’s TV2 reported that the claim against the Norwegian organizers of the Chess Olympiad is for the equivalent of NOK 1.2 million (around USD $200,000), to cover the team’s cost of hiring lawyers to protest their initial exclusion from the Chess Olympiad . When they missed the deadline, the Norwegian organizers dropped them in accordance with the rules, but later relenting, let them and nine other teams enter the competition despite late applications.

There seems to be games within the games!

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The action around the chess boards in Tromsø continued, meanwhile, with Norway losing its match against Armenia .

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Closer to home, there are more friendly games in the news despite all being wars games! A popular game is

an old Nordic game, which began in Sweden. A friendly competitive outdoors game, "Kubb" ( Coob)  is a lawn game where the object is to knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden batons at them.This game can be somewhat described as a combination of bowling and horseshoes. The final goal is to knock over the King.

 "Kubb förenar människor och skapar fred på jorden".
(Kubb unites people and creates peace on Earth).

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While being a well-known game in Europe, this game is  catching on in the USA. In 2007, Wisconsin hosted the first promoted and official tournament in the U.S. In 2014, there are 24 tournaments in the U.S., 13 of which are in Wisconsin.

Hosted in Eau Claire, WI, the Kubb Capital of North America, the U.S. National Kubb Championship is one of the largest kubb tournaments in the world. It is one of three two-day tournaments in the world, as the final eight teams return.  It is the second largest tournament in the world with painted kubbs and kings.

The game  is played between two teams, which may consist of only one person per team. Locally, Vennskap Sons of Norway members have taken up the challenge of the game. Competition is fierce, but friendly!

Sheboygan-Manitowoc Vennskap kubb players in action. 
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Another popular war-game might have been invented by marauding Vikings as they trained their men in

battle strategy. Again, the King is to be destroyed.

This boardgame was a popular game  in medieval Scandinavia and was mentioned in several of the Norse Sagas. Hnefatafl ( Hef-eh-TAH-full) literally translates to "king’s table."

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All pieces move like the rook in chess-play and pieces are taken by"sandwiching" i.e. moving your piece so that an opponent’s piece is trapped horizontally or vertically between

two of yours. The battle begins as 'The Huns' attack from all four sides as the king of the opposition is found surrounded by his soldiers in the center of the scene.  Atttackers strive to prevent the king from reaching one of his corner castles, and if they trap him-battle over! As for the defenders, their objective is for their king to escape by reaching any of the four corner squares and safety. Their battle will be won.
 

  Everyone can enjoy this game due to the simple rules, but, like a Viking chieftain might have stressed,

 " Try to think like the enemy!".

   In this photo, while not enemies,  the granddaughters contemplate the action and it appears the king has two paths in which  to escape, and the game goes on.