Our 14 year old son decided to join the choir this year. Tonight was his debut singing in German for a Germans from Russia Heritage Collection tour that came to town. He wasn’t particularly proud of performing because he was looking at the music and others knew the words. But Miss E and I attended and we loved the evening. You can watch the two videos to truly get a flavor of what our small school choir director teaches the kids. It keeps the Germans from Russia heritage and culture alive through the generations on the North Dakota prairie. While I make jokes of living in the most elderly county per capita in the country, I am intensely proud to see the youngest generation we have carrying on old traditions and learning the unique culture.
Take a listen…Hunter is the tall boy in the back middle wearing a gray shirt.
Did you just learn a little old German from Russia dialect? I couldn’t make this up if I tried. The Germans from Russia culture is alive and well on the North Dakota prairie. But when I walked into the event, I looked over at the choir director, Mrs. Wolff and said, “Jeg snakker litt Norsk.” I speak a little Norwegian. But I am so proud to see our son is singing in German on the prairie. Life is good.
My great-grandparents were Germans from Russia that emigrated and were potato farmers for awhile in Nebraska, I believe. Lots of Germans here in Wisconsin, but not a lot of Germans from Russia, I don’t think. Great to see your son and his school getting involved in culture preserving activities.
This is classic, Katie!! Love the accordion players…and the very enthusiastic music teacher!! 🙂
R and “boys”
I love the German singing! Your son did well. My grandparents and parents also speak some German but it’s a different dialect – it’s called low German. And you speak some Norwegian. At the conference I was at last week I met a Norwegian girl who studied at UND in Grand Forks for two years. Small world. And she said she loved it in North Dakota! I’ve visited one of my good friends in Sweden (we met while living in the U.S.) and I loved Sweden. I hope to visit all the Scandinavian countries soon.