Six Elements of Norwegian Culture Chynna Chan & Catherine Demos

5 Examples of Enculturation Dressing Norwegian children in traditional clothes: elaborate skirts, stockings, shoes w/ silver pins. Engaging in various outdoor Norwegian activities like skiing, hiking, & boating. Arranging furniture closely in homes to encourage conversation amongst family. Norwegians regularly eating a brown cheese that is thinly sliced with a cheese plane and eaten on bread. Children taught that they are equal with every other citizen- that they are no better than anyone else. (Norwegian value of egalitarianism.)

Languages Spoken Norwegian is the most widely spoken Language in Norway followed by: Bokmal: written language of 80-90% of the population Nynorsk: rural spoken Norwegian rather than cultured

Religious & Non- Religious Belief System Evangelical Lutheran with 76.1% of the population officially belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway The Roman Catholic Church is the next largest religion Non Religious Norwegians are expected to be thoughtful and kind and by tradition, they will help you in anyway that they can Visitors of Norway quickly notice that in public places, sitting on the bus or train, Norwegians do not normally greet strangers or start conversation, yet they are not impolite

Values Norwegian society today values democracy and freedom of expression Equality among genders and all people Freedom of expression and freedom to practice one’s faith Tolerance and respect Economic and Social inequality Active participation in organizations and the society as a large

Attitudes Value an honest and caring personality Art and culture driven Strong love for outdoor and recreational activities Welcoming Excellent time managers Modest thinking Refuse to criticize each other They do not flaunt their wealth or financial achievements and look down on people that do

Manners Do not give wreaths, even at Christmas Do not give even number of flowers Invitations are generally given verbally Most food, including sandwiches are eaten with utensils Do not begin eating until the host of the dinner starts Women must put their glasses down first after a toast Business meetings are typically informal Prefer little small talk, in order to get to the business discussion quickly

Customs Norwegians celebrate their National Day on May 17, dedicated to the Constitution of Norway Many people wear traditional costumes called “bunad” Traditional Norwegian St. Hansbal (midsummer) bonfire Common Christian holidays are also celebrated, the most being Christmas

Communication Shake hands and say good bye individually when arriving or departing Greetings are casual, with a firm handshake, direct eye contact and smile Often introduce themselves with first name only Shake hands with people on a first come first serve basis