It’s always cool and fun to learn something new about a country’s culture and traditions. May it be the way they greet people or their cuisines, everything about a country excites a person who doesn’t live in it. We even document these facts or new information we got from them.
Like every country in the world, Norway is no exception.
Norway, also known as the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country that’s part of the Scandinavia region. It is known as one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. Moreover, it is well known for its beautiful fjords and outdoorsy people.
In fact, they have these really bizarre facts that will shock you. For one, a penguin named Nils Olav was presented the title of Colonel-in-Chief of the Norwegian King’s Guard by the king and if it weren’t for Norwegians, we wouldn’t have salmon sushi. For being a country with over 5 million inhabitants, Norway is a country full of surprises.
If you’re curious about the everyday life of the people who live in Norway, here are some incredibly fascinating things about them that are worth sharing!
1. Easter Crime
Easter is a Christina holiday commemorating the Resurrection of Jesus. For the people in Norway, Easter is referred to as “Påskekrim” (Easter Crime). During this day, people read crime novels, watch true crime shows, and read special crime-related literary supplements in Norwegian newspapers.
The tradition started when two young Norwegian authors—Nordahl Grieg and Nils Lie—launched an advertising campaign for their crime book on Sunday before Easter. The title of the book was Bergen train looted in the night. Thanks to the successful ad which many people thought there was a real robbery received hundreds of support and attention.
The book became a big success! It was such a successful marketing strategy that it created a new tradition. You may use this strategy too.
2. Frightening polar bears
Unfortunately, there are polar bear threats in Svalbard which is an island 2030 km north of Oslo. So, if you are a tourist, you may need to carry firearms with you. Even the governor ordered anyone traveling outside the settlements “must be equipped with appropriate means of frightening and chasing off polar bears.”
3. They love tacos
Tacos are delicious snacks and Norwegians are crazy about them! The dish was introduced in the ’90s and it quickly became popular among the Norwegians. In fact, it became so popular that even Taco Fridays (tacofredag) were celebrated each week!
4. Friendly prison guards
Have you seen documentaries of prison guards befriending inmates? Well, you can see it here in Norway. In fact, guard in Halden prison is encouraged to interact with inmates by playing sports, eating, and doing other types of activities together. They believe that treating another person with respect will reduce the aggression between both sides and create a sense of family.
Prisoner governor Arne Wilson (also a clinical psychologist), told The Guardian:
“The punishment is that you lose your freedom. If we treat people like animals when they are in prison they are likely to behave like animals. Here we pay attention to you as human beings.”
The prison is of maximum security, but the cells are complete with a toilet and a shower, a flat-screen TV, and fluffy towels.
5. Crazy = Texas
Texas is known as a state in the US. But, in Norway, people use the word “Texas” as slang for “crazy.” It was coined that way due to the cowboy films and literature people watched.
“The genre was extremely popular in Norway, and a lot of it featured Texas, so the word became a symbol of something lawless and without control,” Daniel Gusfre Ims, the head of the advisory service at the Language Council of Norway said BBC.
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