Overview of the Collection
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Repository Name:
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Robert A.L. Mortvedt Library
Scandinavian Immigrant Experience
Collection
Archives and Special
Collections Department
Pacific Lutheran University
Tacoma, WA, 98447
253-535-7586
Email:archives@plu.edu
http://www.plu.edu/archives
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Collection Number:
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t064-065
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Creator:
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Bruflot,
Arnfinn
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Title:
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Arnfinn Bruflot Oral
History Interview
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Dates:
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1981 (inclusive)
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Quantity:
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3 file folders
2 sound cassettes
3 compact discs
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Languages:
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English
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Summary:
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An oral history interview with Arnfinn
Bruflot, a Norwegian immigrant.
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Biographical Note
Arnfinn Bruflot was born on October 19, 1904 in Naustdal, Sunnfjord,
Norway to Lars Henrik Bruflot, a dairy farmer, and Anna Maria Gjengedal.
Arnfinn had five older siblings: Nikolai, Jakob, Reinhart, Andreas, and Albert.
Arnfinn began school at the age of six and went on to high school, middle
school, and college. In 1928, he decided to immigrate to America, where he
settled in Tacoma, WA. There, he was first employed at St. Paul Lumber Mill and
was later employed as a painter. In the 1930s, he obtained an editing job at
the Western Viking, a Norwegian newspaper. In addition to editing, Arnfinn
wrote editorials, did artwork, and supervised. In 1948, Arnfinn married Ingrid
Grolid and had one son, Norris.
Arnfinn had always had an interest in writing, and after he retired,
he began to write more seriously. He has published four poetry books and a
novel, including Juni-baten - 1969, Det Storkna Havet - 1970, Praeriekveld -
1973, Dei Kom til Amerika - 1975, and Inn I America - 1980. His writing is
aimed at social developments and has received good reviews. Arnfinn believes
that Norwegian heritage is very important and a good influence, and he has
participated in the Sons of Norway, Nordlandslaget, and Northlight - Unique
Light of Northern Norway. He has also been a member of the First Presbyterian
Church. Arnfinn feels that America has given a lot to him, and he has no
regrets about immigrating.
Lineage
Full Name: Arnfinn Bruflot. Father: Lars Henrik Bruflot. Mother: Anna
Maria Gjengedal. Paternal Grandfather: Nels Vonen. Paternal Grandmother: Rise
Vonen. Maternal Grandfather: Jakob Gjengedal. Maternal Grandmother: Martha
Gjengedal. Brothers and Sisters: Nikolai Bruflot, Jakob Bruflot, Reinhart
Bruflot, Andreas Bruflot, Albert Bruflot, Spouse: Ingrid Grolid. Children:
Norris Bruflot.
Content Description
This interview was conducted with Arnfinn Bruflot on June 30, 1981 in
Tacoma, Washington. It contains information on family background, emigration,
marriage and family, Arnfinn's writing career, and Norwegian heritage. The
interview also contains two articles on Arnfinn and his writing career. The
interview was conducted in English.
Administrative Information
Custodial History The Oral History collection project was started during an experimental
course on Scandinavian Women in the Pacific Northwest. Students in the course
were encouraged to interview women and learn about their experiences as
immigrants to the United States. The project was continued and expanded with
support from the president's office and by grants from the L.J. Skaggs and Mary
C. Skaggs Foundation, from the Joel E. Ferris Foundation and the Norwegian
Emigration Fund of the Royal Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project
was directed by Dr. Janet E. Rasmussen. The collection was transferred to the
Archives and Special Collections Department.
Processing Note The interview was conducted by Morrene Nesvig using a cassette
recorder. A research copy was also prepared from the original. To further
preserve the content of the interview, it is now being transferred to compact
disc. We deliberately did not transcribe the entire interview because we want
the researchers to listen to the interviewee's own voice. The transcription
index highlights important aspects of the interview and the tape counter
numbers noted on the Partial Interview Transcription are meant as approximate
finding guides and refer to the location of a subject on the cassette/CD. The
recording quality is good
The collection was transcribed by Mary Sue Gee, Julie Peterson and
Becky Husby.
Use of the Collection
Restrictions on Access The oral history collection is open to all users.
Restrictions on Use There are no restrictions on use.
Related Information
Bibliography
Rasmussen, Janet Elaine. New Land New Lives: Scandinavian Immigrants to
the Pacific NorthwestTacoma, WashingtonUniversity of Washington Press1993
Additional Reference Guides
Subjects
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the online
catalog. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons, or
places should search the catalog using these headings.
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| Bruflot,
Arnfinn--Interviews (creator) |
| Bruflot, Lars Henrik |
| Bruflot, Norris |
| Gjengedal, Anna Maria |
| Grolid, Ingrid |
| Bruflot family |
| Gjengedal family |
| Grolid family |
| Nordlandslaget Nordlyset (Tacoma, Wash.) |
| Sons of Norway (U.S.) Norden Lodge No. 2 (Tacoma,
Wash.) |
| St. Paul &Tacoma Lumber Company (Tacoma, Wash.) |
| Western Viking (Tacoma, Wash.) |
| Naustdal, Sunnfjord (Norway) |
| Tacoma
(Wash.) |
| Education--Norway |
| Emigration and
immigration |
| Family--Norway |
| Marriage |
| Norwegian
language |
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Norwegian-Americans--Ethnic identity |
| Norwegian-Americans--Northwest, Pacific--Interviews |
| Norwegian-Americans--Social life and customs |
| Ocean travel |
| Oral histories |
| Authors |
| Farmers |
| Newspaper
editors |
Detailed Description of the Collection
The partial interview transcription highlights important aspects of
the interview. Numbers may be used as guides to important subjects. Two numbers
separated by a slash indicate that the first number is for cassette and the
second for CD.
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Cassette Counter
008/12 :
PERSONAL BACKGROUND
Born October 19, 1904 in Naustdal, Sunnfjord, Norway.
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Cassette Counter
029:
PARENTS
Lars and Anna Maria. Father, a farmer of mainly cows, some sheep,
goats, and horses. Sold dairy products.
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Cassette Counter
067/13:
BROTHERS AND SISTERS
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Cassette Counter
074:
PATERNAL GRANDPARENT
Risa, typical Norwegian grandmother.
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Cassette Counter
095:
NORWEGIAN SCHOOL DAYS
Started age 6, ended age 14. One year later on to high school
(Ungdomsskole or Folkehøgskole).
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Cassette Counter
125/01:
NORDLANDSLAGET
Getting money to send students to Norway's high school.
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Cassette Counter
138:
MIDDLE SCHOOL
Worked hard, shorter period of time, on to college. Depression
came surplus of educators, etc. College was in Nordfjord.
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Cassette Counter
182:
DECIDED TO COME TO AMERICA
Heard stories, had obligations to meet.
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Cassette Counter
209/02:
FAMILY'S REACTION TO EMIGRATION
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Cassette Counter
217:
INTEREST IN WRITING
Started as a hobby. Wrote for local paper. Serious after
retirement.
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Cassette Counter
225:
JAKOB SANDE
Great inspiration to him.
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Cassette Counter
242:
POETRY
Wrote poems, made first page on National newspaper.
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Cassette Counter
249:
FEELINGS ABOUT COMING TO AMERICA
Mixed, open options. August 10, 1928 landed in Quebec, Canada
(see counter I-290).
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Cassette Counter
268/03:
BOAT TRIP
Passengers from same valley. Went from Bergen to Southampton,
England and then to Canada (nine days).
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Cassette Counter
290:
LANDED QUEBEC
Able to talk a little French, knew German better (See counter
I-249).
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Cassette Counter
290:
BLAINE
Immigration station (U.S./Canada border).
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Cassette Counter
314:
JEFFERSON HOTEL (TACOMA)
Stayed upon arrival knew person from valley living now in Kent.
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Cassette Counter
323:
LANGAUGE DIFFICULTIES
Knew a little English, didn't like it in school, knew Latin
better.
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Cassette Counter
344:
IMPRESSIONS OF TACOMA
Very nice, good feeling, different from now.
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Cassette Counter
359/04:
SCANDINAVIAN ORGANIZATIONS
Member of Nordlandslaget, Sons of Norway (see counter I-627,
II-523, and II-576).
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Cassette Counter
388:
SETTLING IN TACOMA
Employed at St. Paul Lumber Mill. Talks of recently published
book dealing with mill. Job descriptions at mill.
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Cassette Counter
459:
Kept journal recollections during life.
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Cassette Counter
466:
EMPLOYED PAINTER
St. Regis. Fit well into occupation. Howard Johnsen as artist
worked there too.
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Cassette Counter
522:
HAWAII
Hired as a painter during the war. Largest convalescent
hospital.
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Cassette Counter
547/06:
CITIZENSHIP
Right after he got married (1948).
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Cassette Counter
583:
SCANDINAVIAN ORGANIZATIONS TODAY
Not real active (see counter I-359, II-523, and II-576). Visits
to Norway.
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Cassette Counter
600:
EMIGRATION DIFFICULTIES
No real difficulties. Best part getting married. Met wife at a
dance. Son attended Pacific Lutheran University.
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Cassette Counter
627:
SCANDINAVIAN TRADITIONS
Wife was young when her mother died so she missed out on learning
the traditions.
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Cassette Counter
001/07:
WESTERN VIKING
Employed in the 1930s. Employed also at St. Regis at the same
time. History of the Western Viking (see counter II-253) Andrew Bjerkeseth (?)
was the editor. Hans Lavik bought the Western Viking later. It was first
located in Tacoma and then in Seattle where it was purchased…
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Cassette Counter
/08:
by Washington Posten, but retained the Western Viking name.
Decorah Posten was the largest paper in the U.S. and Norway in 1920.
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Cassette Counter
72:
Paper served the Norwegian community. Wrote an editorial against
Weyerhaeuser.
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Cassette Counter
125:
POETRY
Published in Riksmaal - Bokmaal. Goes into detail regarding the
Norwegian languages including Nynorsk.
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Cassette Counter
253/09:
WESTERN VIKING
One of the three Norwegian newspaper today. Most have merged (see
counter I-011). Scandinavian papers are The Western Viking of Seattle; Nordisk
Tidende of Brooklyn, New York; Vinland of Chicago, and Nyverd which was started
by Norman Black in New York.
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Cassette Counter
286:
PURPOSE OF ETHNIC NEWSPAPERS
Kept up ethnic culture. Losing cause since people from the "Old
Country" are dying out.
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Cassette Counter
345/10:
ETHNIC INTEREST
Fine, beautiful, always take pride. Language unifies a nation.
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Cassette Counter
359:
PUBLISHED WRITER IN NORWAY
Four poetry books, one novel. Receives good reviews.
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Cassette Counter
402/11:
PHILOSOPHY OF WRITING
Aimed at social developments.
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Cassette Counter
438:
RETURN VISITS TO NORWAY
Lots of changes. Industrial country (lots of pollution).
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Cassette Counter
455:
KEEPING CORRESPONDENCE
At least every Christmas.
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Cassette Counter
479:
RELATIVES VISIT
Cousins, not immediate family.
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Cassette Counter
482:
IMPORTANCE OF NORWEGIAN HERITAGE
Very important, good influence.
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Cassette Counter
496/12:
CHURCH LIFE
Member of First Presbyterian Church (19 years).
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Cassette Counter
523:
Active in Nordlandslaget, Northlight - unique light of Northern
Norway (see counter I-359).
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Cassette Counter
576:
SONS OF NORWAY
Not as active today, busy writing (see counter I-359).
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Cassette Counter
590/13:
WRITING CONTACTS
U.S. and Norway. Member of Tacoma Writers Club.
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Cassette Counter
605/01:
DESCRIBES HIS POETRY BOOKS
1969 - "Juni-baaten", 1970 - "Det Storkna Havet", 1973 -
"Praeriekveld", 1975 - "Dei Kom til Amerika", 1980 - "Inn I Amerika".
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Cassette Counter
645:
Recites Norwegian poem from "Dei Kom til Amerika." Reads a second
poem called "Bygdefolket."
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Cassette Counter
005/02:
TRANSLATES FROM TAPE 65
Whoever was able to cope made it. Dreams in their hearts.
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Cassette Counter
040/03:
Recites a poem on the social scene regarding smog and
pollution.
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Cassette Counter
073:
FAVORITE NORWEGIAN AUTHORS
Current and past. Fire and Flame by Kjartan Floegtas who won the
Nordic prize in literature. Tarjei Vesaas, Halldis Moren Vesaas.
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Cassette Counter
109:
PUBLISHING HOUSE
Third largest in Norway. Had to be persistent. Name is Norge
Samlaget.
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Cassette Counter
125:
125 His work describes what it means to be an immigrant. People in
Norway read his work and that gives him a good feeling. Another successful
American-Norwegian author is Ole Roelvagg who wrote "Giants of the Earth."
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Cassette Counter
143/04:
No further trips to Norway, would like to travel in the USA.
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Cassette Counter
157:
CLOSING STATEMENT
Immigration - beautiful experience, no regrets. The "Old Country"
is fine too. New country has given him a lot. Many have given some and gotten
some.
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