Villagers proudly preserve heritage
Looking Back
The first 10 years were particularly grim and while the settlement survived it was particularly grim for periods towards the end of century when short worldwide depressions threatened their wellbeing. There were many positives:
1. Paid work
2. An established school by 1873,
3. The railway coming through the 1880s meant the beginning of the saw milling, more employment and faster clearing of the land.
4. Dairying for sustainable living. But — it took the best part of 25 years to get to this point. That anniversary was celebrated with great gusto! Norsewood has been proud to celebrate all milestones since then and the 150th will be no exception. We honour our brave immigrants who made huge sacrifices for a new beginning.
Norsewood today
In the mid 1960s the village was split in two and bypassed by Highway 2. Like many villages it could have died.
Heritage Tourism is an important income earner for the community and it is always working on ways to enhance it. The Axe & Wheel symbol was developed to represent our heritage.
It is a focal place for the many tracing their heritage. The cemetery is immaculately kept and a heritage focal point.
In 1965 the locals wishing to highlight the village’s heritage opened the museum with great fanfare and it is still a central point for heritage display. Displays and the area of the museum have expanded over time.
In 1972 Ola Rian came as Norwegian representative to District Centennial celebrations and was encouraged to purchase the dairy company store and expand his knitting business. The businesses evolved from Norsewear are Norsewood Knitwear (still knitting socks and accessories onsite) and New Zealand Natural Clothing Retail and its galleries, owners Phil Grant and Julie Hedley having purchased in 2007.
The dairy factory is now the home to a family who have brought amazing music and regular concerts to the village.
Oystein Andresen, a recent immigrant, was fascinated with immigrant Johannna Christiansen’s story. He produced a historical novel and built a replica village in Norsewood of her life back in Norway. Little Norway (Johanna’s World) is open for visitors.
The community has kept Heritage Tourism alive with Scandi dancing being part of the Norsewood School curriculum since 1965.
The Norwegian Constitution Day (independence) has been celebrated on May 17 for the past 30 years with the Honorary Norwegian Ambassador in regular attendance.
In the past two years the village has been the focus of Viking Culture, with authentic displays and hands-on activities in a Viking Festival. The Bindalsfearing on permanent display on Coronation St is a hand-built Viking vessel.
The village has lost many amenities but still has a hotel, dairy, cafe, school, early childhood learning centre, with many groups catering for community needs.
Over the century farms have grown in size, dairying and support services remaining the largest business.
In the beginning farmers took their whole milk in 100 litre cans by horse and dray to the factory for separating, taking the skim home to rear pigs.
Now whole milk is collected by 30,000 litre tankers and taken to Pahiatua for manufacture into a large range of products. Price in 1892 was 3d per gallon compared with today’s $9+ per kg milk solids!
■ Sources: Norsewood Centennial Story by A L Andersen, Norsewood A Special Settlement by Diane and Terry Kitt, Dannevirke The Early Years by Rob McDonald.