https://www.dugnadseksperten.no/
Dugnadseksperten assists sporting teams and schools around Norway with organizing fundraising activities. This concept is called Dugnad. We have written an extensive article with all you require to know.
The Norwegian Dugnad-- What is this vital communal event?
Spend time looking into and reading about any kind of culture, and there will constantly be oddities that turn up from time to time. Every nation has its own culture and history, and this will involve many moments where things, frankly, seem a little strange. To an outsider, these cultural events can seem out of place or ill-fitting due to not fitting in with their own national structure.
If you intend to locate an example of a nationwide communal event that really helps to describe the national spirit, though, you should look no further than the Dugnad. For Norwegians, this community event is an incredible example of their spirit and their community.
What is Dugnad?
Dugnad is a term used in Norway to describe a period of voluntary job that is carried out alongside others. It is a vital type of community work and togetherness, bringing people together to help make things much better in their own constituency. For many Norwegians, this is a core part of their identity; the Dugnad is something to be celebrated, to be excited for.
Undoubtedly, it was voted the Norwegian word of the year as far back as 2004 by popular Norwegian television platform Typisk Norsk. Those who take part in Dugnad are helping to make their own community, and by extension the wider nation, a better place. Essentially, it is the bringing together of the community to work together for the betterment of all.
At the end of Dugnad, it prevails for those that take part to enjoy a meal together. The meal is often made-up of dishes that are brought to the event by the different Dugnad participants. As such, the meal itself fits the communal message and theme of the event itself.
How did Dugnad come to be?
The event itself can be traced back all the way back to the era of the Vikings. Being a seafaring group, the Vikings would return home in embattled ships and communities would certainly work together to correct concerns. The communities knew that without the ships they could not enjoy the plenty that they had. Therefore, everyone worked together to ensure that ships were strong and capable of withstanding the elements further.
The exact same effort was taken into building homes for each and every Viking, building the Great Halls of the era, and for building various other parts of the community. The tradition, then, expanded from that into the centuries to come. The tough winters and harsh weather of Norway additionally figure in, with communities having to work together to ensure that all might survive the harsh weather conditions.
Today, the event still holds the exact same spirit and ethics of its past. Community-led activities and working together for the betterment of the whole community have actually remained a key part of Norwegian life since.
When does Dugnad take place?
Most of the time, Dugnad will be something that happens throughout the changing of the season. This is most common as we move from autumn to prepare for winter, and as we prepare to move from spring to summer. Winter is a time when Norwegians need to ensure their homes and communities are ready to face off against the winter. By contrast, though, the summer is a time when people spend missed time outdoors and thus wish to spend time in vibrant, fresh, and clean communities.
The most common time for Dugnad to take place would certainly be Might 17th, which is the National Day of Norway itself. This is the anniversary of the signing of the Norwegian constitution, which took place in 1814. Various other days in the autumn, though, do tend to pop up though there is possibly a less uniform arrangement as to when it should take place.
As we move from one key season to the following, it makes sense to take pride in our community and prepare for the months in advance. The reality that Dugnad is a communal event means that it can take place on a smaller sized scale throughout the year, though; if something needs to be done, that community spirit will often see that it is taken care of as soon as is possible.
Lot of times, a Dugnad event will take place twice per year. This can help to keep the place fresh, and there will often be a planning board that looks to try and prepare a list of priorities for each community. For instance, maybe something as simple as getting the bushes trimmed and the leaves removed after a busy autumn. Or it could be painting the winter-impacted properties and community areas in fresh, summer-suitable color schemes.
Does everyone take part in Dugnad?
More or less! If you are a Norwegian or a resident of Norway, you will be expected to chip in and do your component. This is a time of year when everyone lifts a little of the load to make sure that a community can make huge changes. It really has to do with making sure that you can be familiar with those around you, and that you can do your bit to make the nation an extra appealing place.
People that live in Norway take immense pride in the high quality of the nation. Therefore, everyone that exists will take part in this event. Even the rich and the famous will, when in Norway, take part in these events. This is an event where everyone mores than happy to oblige and assist, from star soccer players to the average individual on the street. It is a humbling experience, and given everyone's benefits, it would be hard to refuse time and effort to take part in the Dugnad.
There is one means to sum up Dugnad that makes sense: duty. Norway is a nation that has actually seen considerable immigration in recent years. This is a net positive for the nation, bringing new concepts and cultures to the nation. That being said, there belong to Norwegian social living that everyone, despite nationality, is expected to take part in. For many, the symbol of a true Norwegian-- ethnic or otherwise-- is their dedication to taking part in Dugnad.
There is a "community contract" within Norway which the Dugnad epitomizes in the most effective method.
Are you spent for Dugnad?
No, there is no financial benefit to taking part in Dugnad. However, there is something even more useful than money in your pocket: pride. Pride in where you live, and pride in the people whom you live there alongside. Pride in the need and the ability to assist where you can. Pride in making sure that the community you reside in is taken care of, and remains in a good enough condition for future generations.
By working together, we can conquer the need to spend for everything. In many other countries, there is a culture of merely buying what we require. This creates a more individualistic approach, though, which is often a negative for communities in the long term. Though only a bi-annual event most years, the Dugnad does a fine job of making sure that people offset 'losing' time without being paid by gaining a community.
You will meet people, you will improve where you live, and you will see first-hand the absolutely immense power of a community collaborating as one. In the long-term, that is far more beneficial than any type of sum of money that you could be given.
Earning money is one thing, however the entire concept of Dugnad has to do with gaining greater than on your own. You are earning for the community, for the right to live in a safe place where there is treatment and consideration for all. Many nations have actually lost the importance of knowing one another and becoming part of a wider community, such is the rapid pace and the transitional nature of modern living. For many, though, the Dugnad is the best antidote to this.
In many nations, the activities and events carried out throughout Dugnad are left to council workers and state-sponsored programs. Instead of waiting on another person to do the job, though, Dugnad merely asks: why can not we solve the issue as a community instead?
Do you need to be a professional to take part in Dugnad?
Given that most of the tasks that take part in Dugnad are manual labor jobs, some worry they may not be cut out for the task. Physical fitness, disabilities, and so forth make it hard for everyone to seem like they can contribute. Yet, all you need to do is grab a paintbrush, clean up some litter, get rid of some graffiti, trim some bushes, and so on-- there is absolutely nothing that you will be doing that would certainly be expected to be of a professional standard.
Really, Dugnad is built around the type of tasks that we would certainly have no qualms regarding performing in our own homes. We do not constantly expect a professional painter to help us paint our homes. Nor do we call in a landscape garden enthusiast every time we require to trim some bushes or manage a bush. Because of that, many individuals see Dugnad as an opportunity to merely do their finest. If you try your hardest and you put in an effort as high as you can, nobody expects perfection!
The charm of Dugnad is likewise that if you do make a mistake, somebody will be along to help. You all work together to handle each task as a wider whole; you are not expected to hit a job-level fulfillment with every task you take on. You are, though, expected to do as long as you can to make your community a better place.
Does Dugnad differ in city areas?
You may not be surprised to find out that the manner in which Dugnad works in rural and metropolitan areas can differ somewhat. In the much more urban parts of Norway, Dugnad often contains people working together in a bit of spring cleaning. This can include things like managing the local area, helping to beautify the local area, and removing things like particles, graffiti, and various other eye sores.
It is common for maintenance and painting to take place throughout this period too, brightening up everything from community areas and facilities to people's homes and gardens. In even more rural areas, though, the Dugnad tends to be built around the concept of working together on their homes. Many will assist with things like building or improving homes and garages.
Typically, schools also have a common yearly dugnader event whereby they function to make the school and its surrounding areas even nicer. This prevails, and many Dugnad events are really arranged and organized by a school or local community.
So, while there are some differences in what will be done depending upon geography, the spirit of Dugnad lives on regardless of whether you live in a major city or a rural small town.
Dugnad in the era of COVID
Naturally, the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 (and beyond) had a huge impact on communities. Many people brought themselves together to much better comprehend the importance of looking out for those around us in all times. For that reason, it should come as no surprise that the Dugnad became a lot more important throughout the COVID pandemic.
It was in fact made use of in a different way, though; Dugnad was used to help unite people and keep up morale and spirits from afar. However, it was actually primarily used to shut down activities and to quit events taking place that can possibly create a spike in COVID infections. While many associate Dugnad with productivity and community-led improvement, this was one more example of a community keeping an eye out for itself. It may not have included the same togetherness of productivity, yet there was a clear spirit of keeping an eye out for one another and maintaining infection prices as low as could be.
The Dugnad spirit played a huge role in helping communities to come together and keep an eye out for every other without needing to be directly present. Therefore, Dugnad was vital to Norwegians seeing out the pandemic.
So, throughout the centuries, Norway has actually maintained the idea of making sure that everyone works together for the betterment of society. There is no 'I' during Dugnad; there is only 'we.' Whether you are from Norway, you are on holiday there, or you have actually moved there as a naturalized citizen, you will take part in Dugnad. And while it might sound like busywork, the experience is something that, once you take part, you will be unlikely to forget anytime soon!
...
