The Norsk Høstfest: A Celebration of Ethnic Food and Ethnic Identity

This study focuses on Norwegian-American foodways and related food traditions that have been retained among Scandinavians who have lived in the Upper Midwestern United States for generations.It examines why certain foodways were maintained, whereas others were not, and what the overall signifigance of foodways is among Norwegian Americans.This study analyzes the prominent role that ethnic food plays in the context of Norwegian-American culture in the Upper Midwest through a holistic analysis of the Norsk Høstfest celebration. The festival is the largest Scandinavian-American folk event in North America and is held each October in Minot, North Dakota. In examining this festival, major emphasis has been placed on the impact that globalization has on Norwegian-American culture in the Upper Midwest. More specifically, it is the collision of the forces of globalization and localization within the Norsk Høstfest that are assessed. In the study of cultural dynamics, it is increasingly apparent that the examination of major events, such as the Norsk Høstfest, can be a particularly effective means for understanding the culture of the ethnic groups to which such events belong. Festivals are an excellent setting for the celebration and performance of cultural identity through the use of symbols. With a careful analysis of the Norsk Høstfest through use of the semiotic method, the intended meanings and messages of the festival can be ascertained. A close examination of these meanings and messages offers a profound glimpse into what it means to be Norwegian American.