Words Alone Just Won't Do

I’ve been in Trondheim for six weeks and am acclimating to some of the ways they do things here. But a few customs are so different, so strange, that they must be analyzed before they are understood and accepted. Today I will discuss one Norwegian cultural peculiarity that has been on my mind from the beginning. Norwegians can be, self-admittedly, shy and reserved when meeting new people. This potentially poses a problem when you are one of the biggest universities in the country and must greet approximately 1000 new international students at the start of the school year. So, how does NTNU reach out to foreigners? By singing, of course.

Monday, August 15, 2011, 9:00am. International Student Orientation. The VERY first official interaction between the university and new foreign students was in song form. A musical act took the stage of the auditorium before any “welcome” and without any introduction. A surprising first point of business for the day.

This duo sang Norwegian songs and led us in a silly sing-a-long.

I swear, each event during the orientation week included some sort of song and I have the documentation to prove it. During a BBQ outside the International Office, our attention was called upward to a window where a lovely young employee appeared and serenaded us with “Summertime.” 

Ironic song choice considering the weather, but indeed, this is summertime in Trondheim.

Singing is a bit of a national pastime in Norway and choirs are a big deal. Several of my Norwegian relatives, of all ages, are choir members. And don’t think for a second there are just one or two choirs at the university. No, it seems like every branch of the school has its own singing group. Take for instance, Foetus Ex Ore, the men’s choir at the Faculty (Dept.) of Medicine. Apparently, there were enough musically inclined medical students needing an outlet that they started a choir. Here is Foetus Ex Ore welcoming us with a tune at a master’s orientation meeting:

Girls have special choirs, too. At another orientation event we listened to several songs in Norwegian from this spirited group:

All this music is presented as entertainment, or just a bit of culture, but I don’t buy that. I’ve never listened to so much gratuitous melody in my life or heard tell of it anywhere else in the world.

Here’s my theory:

Norwegians are inherently at least a little awkward. I mean that in the kindest way possible and being part Norwegian myself, I think I’m allowed to say it. That said, Norwegians are also a kind and hospitable people. I believe they use song as a way to bridge the gap between a sincere, welcoming attitude and an honest lack of another way to convey that sincerity. Maybe it didn’t start that way, but song is now a frequently used tool to incorporate outsiders and spice up otherwise mundane introductions. Also, Norwegians tend toward informality, so goofy music first thing in the morning must feel normal for them. There were times I just wanted to get the information or food I came for and not be subjected to another song. But overall, I find it an interesting and endearing practice and I was delighted to listen to their beautiful voices. Delighted, but confused. J