To enjoy, preserve, and promote our Norwegian heritage …
Supporting our members in the Dallas & suburban cities in North Texas.
There are at least 90,000 reasons* why YOU should Belong, Participate, Serve & Enjoy and you may be one of them!
That’s the 2000 Census count of Texans who claim Norway as their native land or said they were of “Scandinavian” decent. NST is the only statewide organization for Norwegian Texans. Since its founding on March 8, 1975, NST has lived up to the objective “To Enjoy, Preserve and Promote Our Norwegian Heritage”. Nearly everyone is part Viking. But it’s okay if you decline the Norse label we ask only that you TAKE A LIKING TO A VIKING! Even if you are just interested in Norway and can express an idea in an acceptable Norwegian dialect, such as “UFF DA”, “Mange Takk”, or “Ha det bra”, you can become a part of it all.
The Viking Chapter of the Norwegian Society of Texas covers North Texas except for Arlington and Fort Worth whose areas are covered by separate chapters.
Originally, it constituted the Norwegian Society of Texas (The Society) when it was established in Dallas, Texas in 1975. Later, when local areas of the Society required their own chapters so that members could gather more frequently and support the various functions which became part of the Society’s goals and objectives, separate charters were issued for local organizations in eight major areas of Texas, the Viking Chapter was organized as such in 1980.
The goals and objectives of the Viking Chapter is the same as for all chapters and are set forth in By-Laws of the Society:
“Vi Skal Holde Ved Like Vaar Norske Arv.” (We shall maintain our Norwegian heritage.)
The overall purpose of the Chapter is to promote the interest of the Society within its area and to cooperate with and assist the state organization (The Althing) and its officers in their work, both with respect to social activities and organization work. The chapter is run by a group of officers who are elected and who organize and plan activities for its members.
The Chapter must organize and carry out four special events, in addition to special events which the chapter may carry out based on specific interests of its members:
Syttende Mai (May 17) Norway’s Constitution Day
Sankthansaften (Midsummer’s Eve)
Leif Eiriksson Day (Usually October 9 of each year)
Jultrefest (Christmas event)
The Viking Chapter publishes a newsletter monthly “The Viking Posten”. This is the medium used to keep members in touch with programs, plans, activities and information about matters of interest to the membership.
Who may become a member of the Society? – Any person of good character interested in the objectives of the Society and having direct or indirect ties to Norway shall be deemed eligible for membership, upon making the prescribed donation and completion of an application for membership and acceptance by the chapter.
Over the years the Chapter has carried out many activities including participation in the State Fair of Texas, the annual downtown parade with its Viking Ship, banquets with speakers from the Norwegian Embassy and the Consul General in Houston.
The Viking Chapter and its seven sister chapters meet twice a year in a meeting of the statewide organization named the Althing to plan and organize events. The Althing is run by a president and additional officers to keep all chapters working together on matters of concern to all. It publishes a semiannual newsletter called the Nyheter, and a biennial Medlemsbok (membership book listing all members and activities)
In 1982, the Chapter was primarily responsible for inviting and hosting then King Olav V during a weeklong visit to Texas which included his visit to the State Fair, a banquet in Dallas and a visit to Clifton and Norse in Bosque County later declared the Norwegian Capitol of Texas.
Since the Society is affiliated with Nordmanns Forbundet, the Norse Federation headquartered in Oslo, Norway, guest speakers from that organization have frequented events at the Chapter including a onetime president, General Wilhelm Moore, Senator Paul Thynnes, and others. This program is part of the Society’s aim of fostering cultural and friendly ties to the Old Country Norway.
Our local Chapter has a meeting each month except for July and August when many members are traveling back to Norway. These meetings provide fellowship and Norwegian-oriented programs. There are state-wide meetings twice a year for our governing body, the Althing. Participation in international events with other ethnic groups is widespread. There are frequent demonstrations on cooking and eating Norwegian specialties. Our “ekte norske” ladies group likes to get together for sewing activities,”god mat” and an opportunity to speak Norwegian.
Join us for folk dancing with the Leikarring, arts and crafts including rosemaling and embroidery, preservation of historical sites, genealogical research, language classes, modeling bunads, rekefest, college and adult scholarships. We currently have members from Oslo, Sarpsborg, Bodø, Tromsø, Bergen, Tønsberg, Stavanger, Trondheim, Sanvika-Bærum, Fetsund, and Madrid, Spain. Then of course there are the Americans with Norwegian ancestry from Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, North & South Dakota, Kansas, Illinois, and other states. Naturally, there are many members with a Texas address.