In this final episode of Vågespel we ask: How can the stories of Norwegian emigrant women expand our understanding of migration in our own time? In the previous episodes we have heard about Norwegian women from the 19th century who dared to cross an ocean, borne by hope and the determination to forge new lives in a new land. Migrants today, in the 21st century, are also searching and hoping for a better life in a distant country and they face many of the same challenges: language barriers and cultures whose custums and norms can be difficult to comprehend and navigate.

The womens’ letters, diaries and stories in Vågespel have sometimes spanned decades, allowing us to see how the migrant’s identity takes shape in the tension between her roots and all the change she must adapt to. And we ask: Can history help us find greater understanding and empathy for those who today set out on their own journeys across borders?

Written by: Inger-Kristine Riber and Reidun Horvei

Co-editor: Katherine Jane Hanson

Narrators: Reidun Horvei and Ragnhild Gudbrandsen

Sound design: Inger-Kristine Riber

Supported by: Fritt Ord

In this episode, we take a look at what the women built. We meet again women from earlier episodes—Gjertrud Rumohr Haug, Lina Svåi, Rakel Tonette Atlaksdatter. Women whose strong and steady hands nurtured everyday life in the Norwegian-American communities – through spinning, baking, sewing, and song.

Through vivid stories, letters, and memories, we gain an intimate glimpse into the women’s communities that grew in homes, church halls, and women’s associations – spaces that embraced both daily life and faith. We hear how they passed on culture, language, and tradition – from hand to hand, from mother to daughter, from a cabin on the prairie to a church in the city.

Script: Inger-Kristine Riber and Reidun Horvei

Co-editor: Katherine Jane Hanson

Narrators: Reidun Horvei and Ragnhild Gudbrandsen

Sound design: Inger-Kristine Riber

Supported by: Fritt Ord

In this episode we see how expectations, love and the freedom to make choices became determining factors in the lives of Norwegian immigrant women. For some the next step was suggested in a letter—a picture, a promise, a hope. We hear about Lina Svåi’s simple praerie wedding and Inga Brekke’s marriage to a prosperous Scottish shopkeeper in Sioux Falls.

Through the stories of these women we see how marriage could be both a shelter and a burden, and the difficulties they faced navigating the opposing pulls of Norwegian duty and America freedom. At the center stands Oline Muus—a woman who challenged both husband and church in court, paving the way for Norwegian women’s rights in America.

Written by: Inger-Kristine Riber and Reidun Horvei

Co-editor: Katherine Jane Hanson

Narrators: Reidun Horvei and Ragnhild Gudbrandsen

ound design: Inger-Kristine Riber

Supported by: Fritt Ord