Comments on: Bunad – Norwegian Traditional Costumes

By: Karina

Karina — Mon, 21 May 2012 14:55:39 +0000

This is a great blog! Really helpful in my project on Norwegians in America, Im from Norway, and I think you know more than me about the Bunad..

By: Marcin Retecki

Marcin Retecki — Sun, 20 May 2012 09:41:15 +0000

Very interesting and helpful blog. I linked to this article from my last post because it beautifully explains the bunader and their origin. If you'd like to read about my experience from the recent national day in Oslo, here's the link: The Day When Fashion Meets Tradition. I will be grateful for your comment.

By: Jade

Jade — Sun, 13 May 2012 09:44:49 +0000

Thank you. I shall do some further research on the dance you suggest, and cakes are on hold until I find some wheat flour! x

By: Jade

Jade — Fri, 11 May 2012 15:40:09 +0000

I have spent all afternoon on your site researching traditions I should expect to see on 17th May in Norway (and being side-tracked by your cakes…) I am living in the Lofoten Islands for three months; struggling with the language as I started learning Bokmal (English keyboard…) before my arrival and finding that the language is a little different here. Anyway, I’m looking forward to seeing these costumes next week. However when I`ve asked people on the island about the festival, they’ve said there is absolutely no dancing and that it`ll be a very formal occasion with a church service and procession only. As a folk dancer from the UK, I was really looking forward to seeing some dancing. Is the celebration different in each area? I will be glued to this blog I think – it`s already solved the problem of the “potato starch” boxes found in the cupboard when I`ve been looking for flour! Can I use it in the amounts that I`d use plain flour? I’d like to bake some cakes Jade xxx

____________________
from L-Jay:

Only some places in Norway have traditional dances. In Oslo on 17th may they usually have Norwegian folk dancing at the university square on Karl Johans gate. You might want to look at Halling – it is THE ‘national dance’, if Norway had one.

I’m not sure what you mean about the potato starch but don’t use it for a flour substitute.

By: Lorraine Shepard

Lorraine Shepard — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:52:36 +0000

I have made a full bunad for my daughter. I was lucky enough to have my Mother-In-Law’s one, that she made, to copy. The hardest thing was the beading on the bodice and belt. As her bunad was from the Hardanger region it took some time but was well worth the effort. My daughter has worn these outfits to school (17th May) and parties. I did some research and copied the design. My M-I-L and her family hand made all of their bunads and I am just carrying on the family tradition. All of our family and friends in Norge have applauded my efforts. No-one, including the ‘Husfliden’, the original dress makers in Norway, has ever said I should not copy the Hardanger design for myself or my daughter. I visit the shop on a regular basis. I live in the UK and we have a home in the South of Norway. I would like to add that this is a great site and have added it to my favourites. Thanks for all the hard work guys. x