Learn all about Constitution Day
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
| Hello, and welcome to the Culture Class - Holidays in Norway Series at NorwegianClass101.com. In this series, we’re exploring the traditions behind Norwegian holidays and observances. I’m Michael, and you're listening to Season 1, Lesson 5 - Constitution day. In Norwegian, it’s called nasjonaldag. |
| Norway’s Constitution Day is celebrated on May 17 each year, and is an important day for all Norwegians. |
| In this lesson you will learn about how Norwegians celebrate their national day. |
| Now, before we get into more detail, do you know the answer to this question- |
| What do you think the Royal Family do on May 17? |
| If you don't already know, you’ll find out a bit later. Keep listening. |
| On May 17, 1814, the national assembly in Eidsvoll agreed on the Norwegian Constitution. Norway became an independent country on this day. May 17 became a day of celebration, and Norwegians started to hold parades, or parader, on this day to celebrate their independence. |
| Most Norwegians start on the morning of May 17. People will get up early and put on nice clothes, many choosing the Norwegian traditional suit, called bunad. After this, all the children go to the place where the parade will start, and the parents and family stand along the streets to watch the parade that goes by. Children sing Norwegian songs, shout "Hooray," and wave the Norwegian flag. |
| After the May 17 parade is over, most people will listen to the May 17 speech, and then go to a celebration arranged by their local school. During these events, the kids will sing songs, play, and have sack races or sekkeløp and potato races or potetløp in Norwegian. If a family doesn’t have small children, they will often hold a barbecue with family and friends in their yard instead. |
| There are no rules for what one should eat on the national holiday, but most Norwegians associate May 17 with hot dogs, ice cream, and soda. |
| Now it's time to answer our quiz question- |
| What do you think the Royal Family does on May 17? |
| On May 17, the King, Queen, and the rest of the Royal Family stands on the balcony of The Royal Palace and waves to the Norwegian people. The children’s parade in Oslo stops in front of the palace, and many Norwegian children look forward to catching a glimpse of the Royal Family. |
| What did you think of this lesson? Did you learn anything interesting? |
| How do you celebrate the national holiday in your country? |
| Leave us your comments on NorwegianClass101.com, and we'll see you in the next lesson. |
Comments
Hide