A half hour DVD capturing the history of Maine’s Swedish Colony through the area’s Swedish speakers, will be released in Aroostook County this week.
Photo courtesy of Brenda Nasberg Jepson
Jerry Nelson, who is interviewed in the latest Crown of Maine Productions DVD release “Old Maine’s Swedish Farms,” spent his boyhood in this two-story hand-hewn Swedish log house located on Route 161 in New Sweden. He was born in and spent his entire life on this farm. His mother, Hilma, and sister, Carola, are in the photograph with him. The Larrson/Ostlund House is now a museum.
“Old Maine’s Swedish Farms,” produced by Stockholm-based Crown of Maine Productions, features six residents of Maine’s Swedish Colony telling their tales of growing up on farms in the area while they are left to tell their tales.
In 1870, Swedish settlers flocked to far northern Maine to farm – creating a unique colony where the Swedish language is still spoken in the 21st century, according to producer Brenda Nasberg Jepson. “But the few who speak Swedish are dwindling and the language likely will die out with the 30 or so, mostly older residents, who still speak Swedish today,” Jepson said.
From the April Fool’s Day jokes they played to the sadness they express over the disappearance of their farms, Jepson believes this film captures the lives of the Colony’s Swedish speakers during this fascinating chapter of Maine history.
Introduced in English, the interviews are conducted in Swedish by Maine Swedish Colony’s Scandinavian scholar, Dan Olson. Subtitles for the interviews are provided in English, while “the beauty of the numerous dialects spoken by the last of the Swedish speakers are featured on the sound track,” Jepson said.
Photo courtesy of Brenda Nasberg Jepson
Scandinavian Scholar, Dan Olson, center, interviews Jerry Nelson at the Ostlund House while Brenda Nasberg Jepson operates the camera.
A treasure trove of historic photos, provided by storytellers from the farms where they grew up, brings the old days and old ways of the Maine Swedish farms back to life in this half hour show.
“The DVD is really interesting to watch. The pictures shared in the video are priceless,” said Laurie Muzzy of Greenville, whose father grew up in The County. “Dad is going to love relating his memories of working in the fields when he sees the pictures showing the old machinery.”
For more information, visit crownofmaineproductions.com or call Jepson at 896-3416.
