Ingvild and the Midnight sun

What aspects of your cultural heritage are you most proud of or interested in?

Yes, one of my names is Ingvild and this is significant to the answer to this prompt. My name is Norse origin and means similar to ‘ancestors struggle’ from ‘Ing’ a Norse mythology fertility god called ‘Freyr’ or ‘Yngvi’ and ‘hildr’ meaning battle or struggle. I’m proud of our cultural features in my family, we are a mix of different ethnicities and regions. Some include Sámi and Kven origins and also ethnic Northern Norwegian, Southern Swedish, Southern Norwegian, Finnish and also Reisende and Romani Traveller roots. I especially like the many different languages and features like sauna, boat culture and modern variant of traditional food and clothing.

I also have these two pair of boots:

These are called Sami and they are from Topaz. They are inspired from Sámi shoes and Arctic.

These are called Amundsen and they are also from Topaz brand. They are Arctic indigenous inspired.

I want to learn Finnish and North Sámi language as well, I’m Norwegian speaking and didn’t learn the languages of my ancestors from home partly because my ancestors were target of the policy of Norwegianization/Fornorskning and the WWII destructive effects on far-Northern heritage like cultural buildings and traditional clothing within the buildings. I know some Finnish, Kven and also North Sámi language from own experience hearing on news and media plus great language courses I joined and enjoy learning.

Other features I like and respect are the spiritual roots and the culture around the unique natural phenomenon of Midnight sun and polar nights. The Light changes from different seasons, from the all-day twilight and Darkness of December to the all-day light of June. We also have the eight seasons system in Sámi roots related to reindeer and natural environments.

On my Southern Scandinavian side there is a strong boat culture and very conservative Lutheran Christian faith, both Norwegian and Reisende share this feature. My Swedish roots are strong political left ideology and we are most of us still at least left-leaning or like me quite libertarian socialist/anarchist by political themes.

Here are two different versions of me, they are AI generated and loosely based on my real traits.

And I want people to know I appreciate the many different immigrant influences to our culture. Most of my childhood friends were either European immigrants or non-European origins refugees from Asian and African countries. My favourite part is the food and diversity in these new generation Norwegians. I like food like for example reindeer kebab and I love Asian food of different types.

I’m really quite interested in different cultural roots and my ancestors struggle as is the true meaning of my given name Ingvild. I hope it was good to read about the features of my roots and my love for other cultures.

Giitu go lohket ❤ hyviä aikoja toivottaen!