MAI OH MAI. Coats of arms of Norway and its regions are displayed at the annual Syttende Mai banquet.

On the 17th of May about 200 years ago in Eidsvold, Norway, 112 elected men approved a constitution. Article 2 proclaimed, “This Constitution shall ensure democracy, a state based on the rule of law and human rights.”

You could say the proclamation was a bit premature. It wasn’t until 1905 that Norwegians would live in an “independent constitutional monarchy,” no longer tied to Denmark or Sweden. For more than a century since then, Norwegians in the homeland and in newly adopted countries around the world have been celebrating Syttende Mai.

Traditionally, the event has featured parades of school children waving the Norwegian flag while marching to the tunes of local bands. The event also marks a seasonal change. Winter is fading, and it’s time for hot dogs, ice cream, bright colors, and even such things as “Viking” canoe races.

In Eau Claire this year, the annual Syttende Mai banquet at the Best Western Plus will feature a Norwegian menu and a program by Marilyn McGriff. She plays the nyckelharpa, a violin-like instrument with a 600-year history and what some call a “hurdy gurdy” sound. While playing Scandinavian folk tunes and relating the history and mechanics of the nyckelharpa, she will occasionally lapse into stories and jokes. Any similarity to the late Danish performer, Victor Borge, is purely intentional.

Added to the traditional festivities of the banquet, this year, also on May 17, the Ager Association is offering a special celebration, at 12:30pm at the Waldemar Ager Museum, 514 W. Madison St. The event will begin with children from the nearby Chippewa Valley Montessori Charter School who will be carrying handmade Norwegian flags. At the flagpole on the front lawn the children will sing the anthem most Norwegians sing at special occasions: “Ja, vi elsker dette landet.” The public is invited to join the fun, hear a bit about Syttende Mai from Chris Pederson, a UW-Eau Claire graduate student in history, and then step into the house for some ice cream.

If you haven’t heard of Waldemar Ager, here is a quick summary. He was born in Norway in 1869, emigrated in 1885, stayed first in Chicago, then moved to Eau Claire in 1892 where he started work as a printer for the Reform, a Norwegian language weekly newspaper with a mission to prohibit the sale of alcohol. About a decade later, Ager became the editor and publisher of the newspaper, roles he continued until his death in 1941. In addition to running the newspaper, Ager produced several novels and collections of stories and gave lectures on various topics here and abroad. It is hard to imagine a local man more celebrated in his day.

As Ager so often did, a current member of the Ager Association is adding still another program of interest on May 17. Norwegian-born Jan Hansen – a UW-Eau Claire professor emeritus in economics – will offer some interesting perspectives on life in Norway during World War II: “The Nazi Occupation of Norway: Seldom Told Stories.” Hansen’s presentations (one in the morning, one in the afternoon) are sponsored by Chippewa Valley Learning in Retirement. Call coordinator Michael O’Halloran at (715) 835-2388 for information about registration for the event.

Want to learn more about the Ager Museum? Visit agerhouse.org, or stop by on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, including May 13 and 27. However, because of the Syttende Mai festivities, the regularly scheduled open house on May 17 has been canceled.

SYTTENDE MAI CELEBRATION

Wednesday, May 17 • Best Western Plus, 3340 Mondovi Road, Eau Claire • 5:30pm social hour, 6:15pm dinner, 7:30pm program • Tickets: $20 adults, $5 children 12 and under. Available at Festival Foods until May 8 • (715) 836-7719 • ager2@charter.net