New Year’s Day – Celebrating Whenever, Wherever and However

For many Minnesotans, the media, shopping centers, nonprofit fundraisers and tax collectors it’s common knowledge that January 1 marks the first day of the year – Sunday we will wake up in a world in which it’s 2012 – even in Samoa.   Or is it?

Last year, writing about Chinese New Year, I got entranced with our myopic view of the calendar which is based on the narrow premise  that the Gregorian calendar dictates some sort of global order that rules the happenings of humankind.

Still, many Minnesota residents will tell a different and wonderful story of when and how the turn of the calendar is celebrated in their culture.

As one way of expanding my own understanding of the world in which we live, I decided to poke around to capture the barest scraps of information about the advent of the new year around this very large planet.  Though this is far too skimpy a search, a resolution for 2012 (Gregorian calendar) is to pay more attention to the many faces of the new year.

New Year’s Day – A moveable feast.  As the rules dictate, I started with what I know – the Gregorian Calendar, the one that says that New Year’s Day falls on January 1.  My first web hit was the story of how the Brits set the pace for Samoa’s recent calendar realignment when, in 1752, they tweaked the calendar ordered by Pope Gregory XIII in 1582;  it seems they cut out eleven days – days that had accrued when Great Britain stuck with the Julian calendar.  We do the same thing now when, on February 29, 2012, we make our quadrennial effort to align the solar and Gregorian calendars – as it turns out the Gregorian calendar is off by 26 seconds, meaning that there is a full day’s discrepancy between the two every 3,323 years.

Though this doesn’t relate to cultural mores, it’s a fun story in its own right.    Besides, it’s a good reminder that any calendar is a human take on a cosmic reality.

Back to the ways in which we go about acknowledging the calendar shift in wondrously different ways.  The options are myriad and randomly chosen simply because of their different spins on a common theme.

The Gregorian Calendar, and the Julian calendar on which it is based, are basically solar – except when it comes to the calculation of Easter which is related to the moon’s cycle around the earth.

Many calendars are what is known as the “lunisolar” calendar which, as the name suggests, is based on the phases of the moon and the solar year.  One of the characteristics of the lunisolar year is that there are a whole number of months, normally twelve – except of course when there are thirteen.

The lunisolar calendar is the basis for the Hebrew, Buddhist, Hellenic, Hindu lunisolar, Burmese, Tibetan, Chinese, Vietnamese, Mongolian and Korean calendars, as was the Japanese calendar until 1873….wherein lies a tale.

The Islamic calendar is lunar, but not lunisolar because its date is related to the sun, but not the moon.  Since the Islamic year is eleven or twelve days shorter than the Gregorian years the new years do not coincide.  And then there’s the Irish calendar of times gone by – and thereby hands a whole other tale.

Though calendars of different cultures have vastly different histories and customs, virtually all cultures celebrate the passage of time with a significant day or days that mark the end of the old year and beginning of the new – a sort of rite of passage that rids the people of the past and anticipates what is yet to come.

An array of new year’s customs.  Some glimpses of the various calendars and customs around the globe offer a sense of some universal themes that relate more to our common humanity than to the date on the calendar:

Sri Lanka:  New year in Sri Lanka or the Sinhala new year, Aluth Avurudhu usually falls on April 13th or 14th.   According to Sinhalese mythology, the new year begins when the sun moves from Meena Rashiya (the house of Aries) to Mesha Rashiya. It also marks the end of the harvest and coming of spring.   In Sri Lanka, the flowers of spring, meticulous housecleaning,  tributes to elders, new clothes, games, feasting  and honored religious rituals mark the coming of the new year.

Ukraine.  New Year, the only Slavic feast recognized at the state level in Ukraine, has been celebrated on January 1 since Emperor Peter I moved the official date to the Gregorian calendar with the advent of Christianity.  Mummers are essential features of new year’s day along with St. Nicholas and his granddaughter, Snegurochka (Snow Maiden).  Some Ukrainians have it both ways by celebrating Old New Year (January 13) and the post-Peter I new year on January 1.

Japan.  Unlike China, Korea and Vietnam which celebrate the lunar calendar,  the Japanese celebrate new year’s day on January 1.  The rites and rituals are so rich that the new year actually begins well in advance with a festive new year’s eve known as Omisoka.   The stories of new year traditions in Japan are encyclopedic – some of my favorites are these:

- At midnight on December 31 Buddhist temples through the nation toll their bells 108 times to symbolize the human sins in Buddhist belief and to exorcise the 108 worldly desires of sense and feeling to which Japanese are prone.

- Poetry, including haiku (17 syllables) and renga (linked poetry) is also a part of the Japanese tradition.  The poetry custom is particularly rich with ancient traditions, some of which pre-date the nation’s migration to the Gregorian calendar.

- My favorite among the plethora of Japanese new year’s traditions is the performance of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony as a staple of the new year celebrations throughout Japan.  The symphony was introduced to Japan by German prisoners of war during World War I.  Because Germany and Japan were allies the frequent performances of the Ninth Symphony was intended to promote nationalism.

- The Japanese also celebrate the new year by recognizing a host of firsts – first sunrise, first trip to a shrine, first exchange of letters, first tea ceremony, even first shopping sale of the year (who knew WalMart was promoting a Japanese custom!)
Ecuador.   Ecuadoreans celebrate new year’s eve and new year’s day with a unique tradition that focuses on the old year passing.  Dummies representing human figures, stuffed with paper, sawdust, wood – and firecrackers – are publicly displayed before they are set afire.   The dummies represent human figures including politicians, even terrorist s– their destruction represents the end of the old year.

Sweden.  Minnesotans of Swedish heritage  are no doubt empathizing with their relatives back home.  Traditionally, the Swedes celebrate the new year with a grand seafood feast on new year’s eve.  This year’s shortage of shrimp and crayfish means hard times for the Swedes who will have to opt for lobster; anticipating the dearth of shrimp and crayfish Swedish lobstermen wisely netted large quantities of lobster early in the season – the delicacies have been waiting on ice for the propitious moment. One might assume the Swedes will bear up with their legendary strength of character.

Mexico.  Rich traditions, particularly associated with the new year, are endemic to Mexico.  One custom is Mexican pan dulce, a sweet bread in which a coin is baked.  When the pan dulce is served at the bewitching hour the person who finds the coin is deemed to be the luckiest in the new year.

A unique Mexican custom is that on New Year’s Eve everyone has to eat one grape and make a wish at each click of the clock between twelve seconds of midnight.  Each grape signifies good luck for one month of the new year.

Amidst the host of rich family, home, feasting and religious-oriented Mexican rituals is one that captures my attention – it has to do with the underwear chosen by Mexican women.  If a woman wants love, she wears red; for financial success, she wars green; for good health, it’s white.

 

Korea.  In Korea, where new year follows the lunar calendar, Seollal is the most important of the traditional holidays.  It usually falls on the day of the second new moon after winter solstice; in the case of an “intercalary” eleventh or twelfth new year’s day falls on the day of the third new moon after the solstice. This won’t happen until 2033, so not to worry.

Koreans also celebrate Gregorian new year when, in 2012 and probably in the future, North Koreans will reflect on the death of their leader.

Poland.  The Polish nation celebrates new year, also known as St. Sylvester’s Eve, on January 1.  Legend has it that Pope Sylvester I caught a dragon named Leviathan who escaped and set out to demolish earth and heaven alike.  The dragon was re-captured, the earth and heavens survived, and the people celebrate New Year’s Day as St. Sylvester’s Day.  The Polish people carry on traditions such as smudging windows with tar and hiding pots that were left out to symbolize driving out the old and bringing in the new.

Cambodia.  Following Buddhist customs, Khmer new year in Cambodia is celebrated for three days, usually beginning April 13 or 14, the end of the harvest.  This coincides with the solar new year as it is celebrated in India, Thailand and other nations.  The Khmer new year known as Chol Chnam Thmey in the Khmer language is one of Cambodia’s major holidays, a time when the Khmer people of Cambodia and Vietnam can rest from their labors and take time to enjoy three days of celebration.

Rosh Hashanah.  Because of its universality Rosh Hashanah is not a national celebration but a time recognized as the Jewish new year by Jews and Samaritans regardless of geography.

Rosh Hashanah is a time of prayer, reflection and hearing the blasts of the shofar.  Judgment day, when everyone’s deeds are assessed, is at the center of Rosh Hashanah.

Rosh Hashanah occurs 163 days after the first day of Passover, meaning that the feast can fall between September 5 and October 5 on the Gregorian calendar.  In 2012 Rosh Hashanah will occur at sunset September 16 until nightfall on September 18; this is Jewish Year 5773.

Rosh Hashanah is replete with beautiful ritual.  Apples and honey, representing a sweet new year, are the best known foods of custom.  The Rosh Hashanah seder is a feast that features dates, leeks, gourds and other foods mentioned in the Talmud

China.   Because I wrote extensively about Chinese new years customs last year, readers may wish to refer to that post.   In 2012 the Year of the Dragon begins on January 23.  People of Chinese heritage around the world will be celebrating telling and retelling the stories of Nian, the monster that terrorized the people of ancient China and the Jade Emperor of Heaven. Chinese new year is celebrated for fifteen days and is also known as the Spring Festival.

The stories are endless — the year is not.  The universals are clear:

Every culture celebrates the new year with time-honored and meaningful customs;  we all welcome the time to rid ourselves of the old and get on with the new;  hope springs eternal!

Happy 2012!

“The New American Vote” Video on Channel 6 November 3&4

Last month ECHO, Emergency & Community Health Outreach, 125 Charles Avenue in St. Paul, sponsored a challenging panel discussion on “The New American Vote.”  The panel engaged in a lively exchange on the necessity of involving Minnesota’s diverse community and what is at stake for all Minnesotans.

The full discussion was videotaped and will be replayed Thursday, November 3, 2:00 and 8:00 pm and Friday, November 4, 10:30 am on Metro Cable Network (MCN) Channel 6, available on all cable systems in the seven-county metropolitan area.

As a leader in multi-language health, safety, civic engagement and emergency readiness communication, ECHO “bridges the gap for immigrants and refugees in Minnesota.” Through close collaborations with health and safety experts, bilingual community leaders and talented spokespersons, ECHO crafts high quality programming for television and radio broadcast and phone, print, web, DVD and partner relay distribution.

For those who may not be familiar with ECHO’s outreach activities, a review of the website will open possibilities for getting a message out to a broad mix of Minnesota residents for whom language is physical challenge is a barrier to communication.  Check it out!

 

Jazz Vocalist Grazyna Auguscik Graces Twin Cities Polish Festival

Art critic Howard Reich is an ardent and articulate fan of jazz vocalist Grazyna Auguscik who will perform for Minnesota fans at the forthcoming 2011 Twin Cities Polish Festival.

Writing in July 2010 Reich rhapsodized about Ms. Auguscik’s performance of the work of Poland’s national musician, Frederic Chopin:

The music world has been awash with 200^th anniversary celebrations of Frederic Chopin’s birth, but surely none as free-wheeling as Sunday night’s marathon at the Pritzker Pavilion in Millennium Park.  (Chicago Tribune, July 26, 2010, quoted online)

Reich goes on to “hazard a guess” about how the Master might have responded to Auguscik’s jazz interpretation of his work:

Chopin himself might have reveled in these sounds. His piano music, after all, bristles with the spirit of improvisation, as if the composer had sat down at the keyboard and instantaneously invented some of the most enduring works in the piano repertory.  Most of Chopin’s preludes, etudes, and nocturnes unfold in utterly unpredictable ways, changing emotional tone at the drop of a sixteenth note—just like jazz. (Ibid)

To this lay person, Auguscik is becoming a YouTube superstar.  Her several videos are not to be missed!

Auguscik is recipient of countless awards and testimonials for her vocal talents.  Recently she was honored for yet another accomplishment.  Now a Chicago resident who carries her unique talent throughout the nation and the world, Auguscik is the May 2011  recipient of the Polish Promotional Emblem Foundation award.  The prestigious award recognizes “the achievements of Polish-born émigrés in the fields of business, culture, science and personality.”

The Twin Cities Polish Festival 2011 is set for Saturday, August 13 and Sunday, August 14, on the Mississippi Riverfront.  For details on this fun- filled – and free – family event click here.

 

Polish Festival on the Riverfront August 13-14 – Open to All!

The very word  “Festival” conjures thoughts of up-beat music, lively dance, great food, fun in the sun.  The 2011 Twin Cities Polish Festival offers all of this  (well, the sun is always iffy) and much more!  What is magnificent about the Polish Festival is the unbounded celebration of Polish culture — Chopin, Conrad, classic films, ethnic food, modern jazz, polka and more mix with accordion playing, folk dance, vodka tasting, a 5K Run and more in a wondrous mix of fun and exploration of the Polish heritage.

All are welcome to join the festivities on Saturday, August 13, 10-10 and Sunday, August 14, 11 – 6.  Gather on the banks of the Mississippi, across from Riverplace and St. Anthony Main.  This grand celebration of All Things Polish is definitely a community event, not just for Polish folks anymore – not that there is anyone who will admit to total dearth of Polish heritage!

Some highlights offer a glimpse of  what’s happening:

v    Grazyna Auguscik, internationally acclaimed Jazz singer/composer renowned for her progressive jazz vocall, accompanied by a group of jazz notables including Paulinho Garcia, Brazilian singer/guitarist and Polish electric violinist

v    Polka Family Band, the five times Grammy nominated band from Pennsylvania.

v    The Megitza Quartet offering a unique jazz/world fusion/gypsy repertoire

v    Jaroslaw Golembiowski, the distinguished composer and pianist who is the featured performer for the Chopin Celebration Concerts

v    Vodka tasting – new this year

v    The 2011 Minnesota State Amateur Polka Dance Championship

v    The 3^rd annual NaZdrowie! (to your health) 5K race

The Polish FilmFestival, a highlight of the two-day Festival, offers a weeklong program with film showings every evening, August 12-18.   The FilmFestival, co-sponsored by The Film Society, is at the St. Anthony Main Theater.

– Details, updates, a map, bus, NiceRide, parking and more on the Twin Cities Polish Festival website.

Women of the Polanie Club Share the Polish Heritage for Eighty Decades and More

Of the scores of clubs and organizations that have donated their priceless archives to the James K. Hosmer Special Collections at the Minneapolis Central Library none collected and preserved the record more thoroughly than the Polanie Club.  Known well by Polish Americans everywhere and by residents of Northeast Minneapolis in particular, the Polanie Club is mighty force committed to preserving – and sharing – all that is good about Polish culture.

The Polanie Club  became a reality in October 1927 when a dozen young women of Polish descent gathered for a social club and welcome home to a friend who had just returned from Poland, “full of enthusiasm” to share what she had learned.  The young women agreed to a common purpose,  shaped a collective vision and a shared mission: to preserve their Polish heritage – the history, language, art, music and cuisine of their native land.  The fledgling group called themselves the Polanie Club, “polanie” meaning “people of the prairie.”  From the outside the Club served as a resource, providing Polish national clothing, exhibits, recipes, and a library open to the community.  In the   1930’s the Club sponsored Polish language classes at the U of M and at two public high schools.

Nearly a half century after the formation of the Polanie Club the publication  Northeast: A history described the women and the early days of the club they shaped:

Each was beginning her career as wife, mother, teacher, social worker, lawyer, musician or University student.  Even the Depression years, which followed, were gay times at the Club…The group celebrated each other’s birthdays, engagements, graduation, scholarship awards, and new babies, but never lost sight of its main purpose, to enhance understanding of Polish culture.  This was largely due to the influence of Monica Krawczyk.  (from notes found in the Polanie Club file housed at the James K. Hosmer Special Collections, Minneapolis Central Library)

The unidentified author of this article reminds the reader that the Polanie Club grew at a time when many Polish Americans were changing their names by dropping the RZ-SC-CA combination that native Americans found difficult.

Over the years the Polanie Club continued to meet in members’ homes where they enjoyed comraderie and a monthly gourmet dinner.  Though they ardently supported the defense effort, they held firm to their commitment to preserving the Polish culture.  Wartime programs included “The Music of Poland”(1939), Musical Education in Poland”, and “Poland, a Songland of the World from Music and Youth,”  Later programs featured “Polish Folklore” and” “Polish Women Authors” among a long list of serious discussions of Polish culture, talks often presented by noted scholars and artists.

At these monthly meetings, the women reviewed their many projects and pondered how best to promulgate Polish culture in this country.  Focus on writing and publishing, they agreed, was the best way to spread the word.

Their first publishing venture was launched in 1942 with a collection of the lyrics of 110 Polish songs, Piesni Ludowe. On their 15^th anniversary they published Victoria Janda’s collection of poems entitled “Star Hunger”.  That was followed two years later by the poet’s “Walls of Space.”  In 1948 the Polanie Club published its premiere best seller, a cookbook entitled Treasured Polish Recipes for Americans, illustrated by Stanley Legun, a Northeast Minneapolis artist.

The presses were kept busy with Polish publications – poetry, short stories and, in 1957, a compilation of over 300 songs – music and words.  This major work, entitled Treasured Polish Songs with English Translations was illustrated by Maria Werten and translated by Polanie members.

A major event for the Polanie Club came in 1966 when the organization sponsored the Annual Convention of the American Council of Polish Cultural Clubs (now known as the American Council for Polish Culture.)   The conference, held at the University of Minnesota, celebrated the Polish Millennium with a program of distinguished lecturers on the theme, “Poland through a Thousand Years”  The Polanie Club also supported the Polish American Cultural Institute of Minnesota in hosting the 1996 ACPC convention, held in Minneapolis.

The following year, in 1967, the Club celebrated their fortieth anniversary. In that year four members of the great (Josepha Contoski, Cecily Helgesen, Rose Polski Anderson and Marie Sokolowski), received research grants for study in Poland.  Their experiences and the realia with which they returned to the Twin Cities launched Polonie on a more formal exhibition program.  The Club had long supplied Polish costumes and memorabilia for local projects.  Now the Exhibit Committee, armed with the materials brought back by the grant recipients, extended the program of displays – for which they soon began to receive acclamation and awards.

In 1977 members of the Polanie Club celebrated their 50^th anniversary in style with a Red and White Ball at the Holiday Inn on the Nicollet Mall.   They also expanded their publications list.  Treasured Polish Folk Rhymes, Songs and Games was translated into English then published in both languages.

Over the years the list grew.  In 1983 Polanie published Bocheck in Poland: A children’s story about the white stork, the fairytale bird of the old world, by Joseph Contoski.  In the late 1980’s the Club diversified their publications later with a 1989 cassette of Polish Christmas Carols and later a CD of Christmas carols created my piano virtuoso Bonnie Frels.

Let it not be written that Polanie Club members look only to the past – one of the most active programs of today’s Polanie is the scholarship program for post-secondary education.  Minnesotans of Polish-American descent are eligible for stipends to attend the post-secondary institution of their choice.  Since the inception of the program in 2000 tens of thousands of scholarships have been awarded.

When the American Council for Polish Culture met again in Minneapolis in 2003 Polanie  seized the opportunity of the organization’s lifetime when they were called upon to conduct national wide auditions for the Marcella Kochanska Sembrich Vocal Competitions.  The winner performed in concerts at both Hamline and Universities, events that offered hundreds of Twin Citians an opportunity experience the beauty of Polish culture.

A delightful tradition of Polanie is the annual Wigilia celebration, a Polish Christmas tradition kept alive in this community.  Wigilia, meaning “watchful vigil,” is hosted by Polanie during Advent, offering Minnesotans a chance to prepare for the Nativity in a celebratory but reflective gathering feature Polish food, live performances and an altogether “magical evening.”

At this writing, members of the Polanie Club are working feverishly on preparations for the Twin Cities Polish Festival 2011, August 13-14 on the banks of the Mississippi near St. Anthony Main.  The event itself is a celebration of Polish culture featuring a Chopin Celebration, a Polish film festival, an exhibit of the works of Joseph Conrad, Polish jazz and folk music and dance – along with fabulous food and great exhibits where visitors can learn about the Twin Cities Polish community, including the Polanie Club.  Don’t miss it!

Notes:

v    In truth, having lived in Northeast Minneapolis fewer than thirty years, I am a newbie.  Learning about the women of the Polanie Club expands my understanding and appreciation of my neighborhood.  My profound thanks to those who have maintained the record, everyone who kept the minutes, clipped the newspapers, and preserved the reports.

v    It is worthy of note that the files are replete with the individual names of Polanie members and their roles in the Club.  Though I would love to have been able to attribute some of this credit, there were just too many women to name!

v    Most of the publications of Polanie are still available.  Check the Polanie publications on line.  If you don’t find the title you want there, check Amazon.  My google search was successful in finding virtually all of the titles new or used and at reasonable cost.

v    This piece was written for my blog, whimsically, if accurately, known as Poking Around with Mary.  That is what I do, poke around  – around my neighborhood, the city, libraries, parks, coffee shops, and any other sites or gatherings that catch my eye.  I also search online a range of interests, including a current passion to learn about and draw attention to threats to open government.  When I’m not poking around, I write about what I have learned.  If you’re interested you might take time to poke around the blog where you’ll find past posts on related issues including a piece on last year’s Polish Festival and several pieces of what’s happening in Northeast Minneapolis  You will find an easy subscription link online.

Minneapolis – City of Lakes, Learners, Clubs and Their Records

Busy bibliophiles and lifelong learners trying to squeeze in a quick read or a weekly study club take note – you are joining generations of intellectually curious and engaged Minneapolitans who shared the pleasure of a good read or a deep thought with friends and neighbors.

Discovering the Collection:  Consider the scores of boxes that cram the shelves of the Clubs & Organizations Collection in the James K. Hosmer Special Collections at Minneapolis Central Library.  The collection reveals much of the city’s history through the largely unpublished legacy of neighborhood and professional groups that thrived in an earlier day.  Within the hundreds of archival boxes are the scrapbooks, directories, minutes, ledgers, programs, letters and ephemera that tell the story of the city’s social, learning and professional organizations dating from the mid-nineteenth century.

Best of all, library staff and supporters have created a beautifully annotated index of the contents of those boxes.  The indispensable guide provides a thumbnail sketch of each organization and an inventory of the treasures buried in the archives.

Perusing the Online Inventory:  The good news is that the well annotated index is available online where you can learn a good deal about the club before you attack the original files.  The index provides an overview of nearly 200 organizations, their mission, officers, membership, years of operation, what they read and discussed, where they met, and anything else you could have ever wanted to know about the famed study and social groups of an earlier time – the roots of which live on in this city of reading groups, neighborhood councils, ethnic gatherings and just plain clubs of every conceivable stripe.

These snippets from the files what your curiosity to dig deeper:

• The Prospect Park Study Club, founded in the tradition of other Federation of Womens Clubs, discussed current interest and academic topics, with programs presented by club members.  The five (huge) boxes cover the Study Club’s doings from 1896 to 2001.

• Or consider the Ramblers, folks who liked to travel and to discuss the “topography, art, literature, and music of different cultures.  Those files cover 1896 to 1949.

• No surprise, the Saturday Lunch Club, 1927-1952, was an all-male upscale club founded by Stiles P. Jones (1862-1920), a prominent Twin Cities newsman.  The five boxes of club records list the membership which includes many familiar names while the list of speakers includes some of the nation’s most prominent leaders – W.E.B.DuBois, Clarence Darrow, William Jennings Bryan, Louis D.  Is it any wonder the city created a reputation for engagement and big picture thinking?

Active Minneapolitans didn’t think deep thoughts all the time, though – The collection includes the files of the Kennel Club, the Apollo Club (1895), the first male chorus, the Hostesses, founded in 1898 to make arrangements for a Ball, with the idea of making them a permanent social event each winter, and then there is the Lake Harriet Yacht Club, founded “to promote the physical and mental culture and the social interests of members.”

On a personal note, one issue that strikes me at first blush is that the majority of the files reflect the stories of women’s clubs – the question in my mind is whether there were more women who wanted to read good literature, discuss history, world affairs or social concerns — or did these women just keep their files in better order?

You can bury yourself for untold hours in the online inventory online – I know from experience.  If you don’t have a home computer, your neighborhood library offers a good option.  You’ll laugh, you’ll learn, and you’ll develop a keen appreciation of intellectual and social vitality that shaped today’s cultural, social, political, and recreational profile.

Exploring the Collection:  When you’ve focused on clubs that call out for further study, you’ll pine to dig into those file boxes and folders.  The James K. Hosmer Special Collection is housed in elegant and temperature controlled splendor at the Minneapolis Central Library, 4^th floor, behind the ornate carved arched entryway. (the archway was transported originally from the late lamented Library at 10^th Hennepin from whence it has migrated over time to its present site in this ultra-21^st Century setting.)

And then the fun begins!

• First and always, call ahead  (612 657-8200)  to give staff time to pull the files you seek – it seems like magic but in fact it’s the result of a skilled and extraordinarily committed staff that runs miles to gather the files from their secure location.

• Assuming you called ahead, you’ll find materials waiting for you – in this case, archival boxes filled with files maintained by the club in their day or a sheaf of envelopes filled with carefully dated clippings and photos – always a delightful surprise.

• Then marinate your mind in the stories that leap from the often hand-written notes, membership lists, minutes, and other treasures that divulge the stories of the club about which you want to learn more.

• If you need a coffee break (1^st floor) or have to leave the Library, tell staff and your materials will be waiting for you next trip (assuming it’s soon.)

• If you need photocopies, you’ll find a low cost and efficient copier that takes coins and even gives change.  If you want to scan something, talk with staff.  Tip:  you will need to copy anything you want to take with you – nothing in the Special Collections Library circulates.

• Suggestion:  Leave yourself time to browse the stacks.  Though what’s on the open stacks is a smidgeon of the archives’ holdings there are unexpected finds.  If you’re interested in Minneapolis clubs you’ll want to peruse the shelves of the Minneapolis Collection.

My personal hopes:

1) That this small snippet whets your mental appetite to learn more about the history of this city – the neighborhood leaders,  special interest proponents, ethnic groups,  readers and writers, politicians and good government advocates, education supporters and others who took time and made the effort to think big thoughts about their era and about the future.

2) That I can and do make time to plumb the depths of many of these energetic organizations.  My plan is to start with learning all I can about the Polanie Club, a social club founded in 1927 and still going strong today.  The Club was established by twelve young women who wanted to learn more about, share and preserve their Polish culture.  Polanie, meaning ‘people of the plains, aptly describes their interest in the Polish language, literature, music, food, history, art, folklore and more.  The Polanie Club has played a significant role in preserving the Polish legacy which is so much a part of my adopted Northeast neighborhood.  I can’t wait to learn more and to visit the incredible Twin Cities Polish Festival again this year – it’s August 13-14 on the Mississippi Riverfront!

3) That readers will focus on a club that peaks their fancy, check the online inventory, explore the files, interpret and employ 21^st Century tools to share the stories with 21^st Century Minneapolitans.

 

 

 

ECHO Shares Shutdown Information in Multi-languages, Multi-formats

Once again the staff at Emergency & Community Health Outreach (ECHO) are meeting the challenge of inform and engage the broad community in the mainstream of events and happenings that affect daily life for all Minnesotans.  Though the state shutdown may be grinding to an unsteady halt, questions remain about the shutdown itself and the long-term impact on delivery of services.

In record time – and with generous collaboration on behalf of a team of volunteers and partner organizations — ECHO has produced a video “MN Government Shutdown and You” about the implications of the state shutdown and post-shutdown are available.  The video is circulated, accompanied by messages being carried now on community radio, online media and through PSA’s, printed fliers and social media announcements.  All are accessible in four languages: English, Spanish, Hmong and Somali.

Most immediately, “MN Government Shutdown and You” will air on tpt Channel 17 on Sunday, July 17 (English at 6:30 p.m., Spanish at 7:00 p.m., Hmong at 7:20 p.m. and Somali at 7:40.  For those who miss the broadcast DVD copies will be available; email olson@echominnesota.org.  The video is also streamed on the ECHO website.

The finished program about the shutdown is being captioned and will be circulated widely throughout the state.  In a note about the new program the ECHO Team writes:  “We are so appreciative of our multi-lingual teams, guests, tpt, and SPNN (St Paul Neighborhood Network) who worked diligently to produce 4 TV shows, 4 PSAs, web/social media, promotions and media plan plus outreach through our partner agency, the Minnesota Literacy Council.”

Thank you, too, from those of us who only stand and write.

 

 

 

 

Welcome to Minneapolis’ Sister Cities July 17 at Nicollet Island

International music and dance,  a festive day on Nicollet Island, ice cream, dignitaries – and new friends from ten Sister Cities!  The Fourth Annual Sister Cities Day is a free family event set for Sunday,  July 17, 1:00-5:00 p.m.

The Minneapolis Sister Cities program began a half century ago with the signing of the first Sister City agreement between Minneapolis and Santiago, Chile.  Since then the family of Sister Cities has grown to include Cuernavaca, Mexico; Eldoret, Kenya; Harbin, China; Ibaraki City, Japan; Kuopio, Finland; Novosibirsk, Russia; Tours, France; and Uppsala, Sweden.  The newest Sister relationship was established in 2010 with Najaf, Iraq.

Twirl the globe, wander through the web, create a fun family (or personal) learning adventure to explore our Sister Cities.  Then hear the music, enjoy the dance and the stories, possibly visit with folks who grew up, studied, or traveled in and know about our Sister Cities around the world.

Walk, Bike and Learn with Preserve Minneapolis Tours

For weeks I have grieved over the devastation that the recent tornado wrought in North Minneapolis.  It seemed that everything I was hearing about the Northside was sad, lacking context either past or future.  This persisted until I came across a printout I had produced weeks ago that gave me hope and a sense of how to approach learning more about the great stories that long flourished in the diverse, creative  and vibrant community that is North Minneapolis.

The printout of 2011 Minneapolis Summer Walking and Biking Tours produced by Preserve Minneapolis opened new possibilities – why just read about history when walking (for me) and biking (for those with fewer years and more energy) can bring it all to life.  The opportunity to absorb the wisdom of those who know the stories is compelling.

At first my thoughts were focused on North Minneapolis and the stories of my neighbors and neighborhood just across the bridge – stories I frankly admit I do not know.  Though the listing of walking and biking tours sponsored by Preserve Minneapolis is far more inclusive my particular interest starts closer to home but gives a flavor of what’s available throughout the city.

• On Saturday, July 16, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. there’s a walking tour of Old Highland, starting at Ascension Church, 1723 Bryant Avenue North, a unique chance to earn about the neighborhood that features many Victorian homes from the 1880’s and 1890’s.  Two homes and the former North Branch Library are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  The area also features a mix of 1920’s bungalows and early examples of urban renewal development.  Tour guides are Brian Bushay and Tammy Lindberg.  ($5)

• Sunday, August 7, offers a rare and wondrous opportunity to learn about North Side Synagogues and Neighborhood.  It’s a two-part program led by Robert Roscoe and Iric Nathanson and co-sponsored by the Jewish Historical Society of the Upper Midwest.

• The first session (10:30-12:30) will focus on three neighborhood synagogues, the Emmanuel Cohen Community Center, and the Jewish Shelter Home for Children.
• The second session (1:30-3:30) highlights the architecture of some of the gathering places of the North Minneapolis Jewish community in the early and mid-20^th century.  ($5/session) Both sessions meet at the Mikro Kodesh Synagogue, 1000 Oliver Avenue North.

• Cross the Mississippi into Northeast for a September 8 (5:30-6:30)  tour the Grain Belt Brewery,1220 Marshall St Northeast.  This is a limited participation tour led by Jerry Mayberg.  It’s a grand story that begins with John Orth, the city’s first German brewer in 1893 and leading up to today’s revival of the building as a magnificent arts center and city landmark.  ($5)   (Personal note:  My recent piece re. John Orth and Grain Belt appeared in The Northeaster last month – I had a great time learning about the thriving brewery industry in the Mill City – all that grain and all that water!)

• On Thursday, September 15, you’re invited to learn more about the only inhabitated on the Mississippi.   Nicollet Island, tucked on the river near the Hennepin Avenue Bridge, is described as one of the city’s “oldest and quaintest neighborhoods.”  Chris Stellar who will lead the tour (6:00-7:30) will highlight the industrial, commercial and residential uses of this small plot of land, including descriptions of the many well-preserved 19^th Century residents on the island’s North end.

These are just the North and Northeast possibilities.  The list of walking and biking tours sponsored by Preserve Minneapolis is truly amazing.  Visit the Warehouse District, the Theaters on Hennepin Avenue, the Como-Harriet trolley line, the stately residences around the lakes, Prospect Park, Loring Park and one that particularly calls my name, a “Walk with Maud”- Maud, as girls and women of every age know, is Maud Hart Lovelace who ventured beyond her Mankato roots to explore life in The City.  Kathy Kullberg will lead a tour of the very street where Betsy, Tacy and Tib planned Betsy’s Wedding.   It’s  Tuesday, August 23, 5:30-7:00 ($5)

These are all of the Preserve Minneapolis tours are described in detail in the wonderfully informative catalog published by the nonprofit.   Preserve Minneapolis is a nonprofit organization established in 2003 to preserve and tell the story of the architecture and other historic treasures of the city.  Contact Preserve Minneapolis at admin@preserveminneapolis.org.

 

John Orth, Grainbelt Beer and Architecture that Defines Northeast Minndapolis

As Northeasters express their opinions about the future of the Grain Belt building, it’s time to reflect on just one of the founding fathers of the mighty brewing empire that once filled the several buildings that comprised the Grain Belt complex.

John Orth, the second brewer in the Minneapolis/St Anthony area, was born in Rott, Alsace, in France on May 20, 1821.  Alsace was a region in France when Orth left in 1840; it later became a part of Germany after the 1870 war between France and what became Germany.  Though he originally identified himself as French Orth followed his native land and listed himself as a German immigrant – the German roots helped sales of his very German product.

In fact, Orth learned beer making in Rott and honed his skills in Germany, Italy and Spain before immigrating to Erie, Pennsylvania in 1849.  In 1849 Orth married Mary C. Weinell, a woman of Prussian heritage. The Orths moved to Galena, Illinois and then to St. Anthony in July 1850.  The Orth family were said to be the first German immigrants to settle in Minneapolis, then St. Anthony

Orth wasted no time applying the skills he had learned in Germany to open Minnesota’s second brewery located at 1228 Marshall Street NE:  Orth was confident that his was a worthy product: “I am now ready to supply the citizens of this Territory with Ale and Beer which will be found equal -  yes, superior – to what is brought from below.  I am now demonstrating that malt liquors of the very best quality can be manufactured in Minnesota.  Try my Ale and Beer and you will be convinced of the fact.”  Apparently, locals took heed. (quoted from the John Orth and Family Collection at Hennepin County Library/Central Library/Special Collections)

By 1860 the John Orth Brewing Company had reached capacity of 1000 barrels, increasing to 7000 by the late 1870’s.  Cold storage was first a beer cave on Nicollet Island and later an ice cellar which Orth was one of the first to use for lagering beer.  In 1880 Orth Brewing moved to 1215 Marshall NE.

Meanwhile, Orth was engaged in politics.  He was elected to the St. Anthony City Council in 1855, a matter of some concern to local temperance activists.  The Minnesota Republican was concerned that the Council would not support temperance and urged Council members to make “the sale of poisonous beverages a crime” and to condemn the “vile saloons and drunken street displays which disgrace the town.”  Interesting to note, Orth was himself an abolitionist.  Once a Republican he switched to the Democratic party as the Minnesota Republicans take on the prohibitionist cause.

John and Mary Orth had six children, all but one of whom lived to adulthood.  The sons (John W,  Edward and Alfred) worked in the brewery and, in time, took on management of the enterprise.

 

In 1887 John and Mary Orth traveled to Europe and Africa where fell ill and died in transit. The John Orth Brewery, operated by the three sons,  continued as an independent brewer for three years after John Sr’s death.

A major expansion occurred in 1890 when Orth’s brewery merged with the Germania Brewing Association, F.D. Noerenberg Brewery and Heinreich Brewing Association to become the Minneapolis Brewing and Malting Company.  For a time the new company operated out of John Orth’s facility, the largest of the four companies.

In 1891 construction began on the current Grain Belt Brewery on the original Orth site.  The unique architecture features four distinctly different architectural styles to represent the four founding companies.  In 2007, Larry Millett. writing in the AIA Guide to the Twin Cities.  describes the building as “Northeast’s great architectural monument – a Victorian storybook of a building that erupts at the roofline into a dance of towers, domes, and cupolas.”

The new brewery opened in 1892 when Golden Grain Belt Old Lager, later shortened to Grainbelt,  became the conglomerate’s trademark beer.

Soon after the merger the Orth brothers left the business to focus on real estate, an enterprise that still bears their mark. The brewing business was left to Mathias J. Bofferding, husband of Virginia Ann Orth, who became president.  Change was swift.  Minneapolis Brewing was restructured and stock was offered to the public.  A new 150,000 barrel brewery was built at 1215 Marshall Avenue.  Unfortunately Bofferding, who was a cashier at the Bank of Minneapolis, committed suicide just three years into his tenure; the suicide was attributed problems at the Bank, not the brewery.

In the 20^th Century Minneapolis Brewing became Grain Belt Brewery which grew by leaps and bounds.  By 1910 the brewery was the state’s second largest brewery, second only to Hamm’s in St. Paul.   Then came National Prohibition in 1920.  While many US breweries were forced out of the business,  Minneapolis Brewing Company continued in business by selling near beer, malted drinks and pop under the name Golden Grain Juice Company.  Minneapolis Brewing Company reentered the alcoholic beverage business in the mid-1930’s after the 1933 repeal of Prohibition.

Through thick and thin Minneapolis Brewing Company remained  independent until the company and the label were sold;  the brewery closed on Christmas Day 1975.  Decades later the buildings echo with the memories of the John Orth family, their legacy as German immigrants, brewers, and the political and economic life of Northeast Minneapolis.

The Grain Belt Brewery Complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990:  National Register #900000988 6/21/1990.  Northeast neighbors know well the past years of development at Grain Belt – Art-A-Whirl or a visit to the Bottineau Library provide opportunities to visit, explore, learn more of the stories that resonate.