Norsewood celebrations salute early pioneers from Scandinavia

Celebration: The Norwegian flag leads the march from the Norsewood Cemetery on Ngamoko Rd on Sunday during Constitution Day celebrations on Sunday. At left Beate Gabrielsen, the first secretary from from the Norwegian Embassy in Canberra. Photo / Christine McKay

They came to Norsewood, making their way through dense bush and mud to arrive in a distressed state, but the heritage of those pioneering families has endured and was celebrated as part of Norway Day on Sunday.

While the day commemorates Norway adopting its liberal constitution on May 17, 1814, in Norsewood it's a day to celebrate all things Scandinavian, especially those hardy pioneers who carved the settlement from the forest and bush after arriving on the Hovding and Ballarat into Napier in the early 1870s.

People from around New Zealand joined locals and special guests Beate Gabrielsen, the first secretary from the Norwegian Embassy in Canberra and her family, husband Thomas and children Jasper and Amalie and Graeme Mitchell, the honorary consul-general for Norway, based in Wellington and his wife Judi at the event. They heard poignant stories of pioneering families, shared a taste of Scandinavian cooking and finished the day-long celebrations at a concert at the Old Dairy Factory.

For many, although they no longer live in Norsewood, with generations of their descendants buried there they admitted a piece of their heart remains in the village.

The day was special for descendants of original Norsewood pioneers Engbert and Ellen Engerbretsen, with many of the cousins sharing an emotional first-time meeting at the cemetery.

"Those early pioneers made the 108-day journey from Norway to arrive in Napier and then had to encounter arduous and extreme conditions as they pushed their way through bush so dense they couldn't see the sky to make their way to settle Norsewood," Rose Waterworth told visitors.

"That journey from Napier in October 1872 took three days with women carrying their possessions through the mud while caring for their children. In the following years those women had to show huge resilience and the pioneers showed courage to lay down the foundations of Norsewood."

After gathering at the Norsewood Cemetery, visitors walked to the historic oak tree which was planted on September 20, 1897 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Norsewood's settlement.

First secretary Gabrielsen laid flowers on the memorial under the oak tree which remains a silent witness to the courage of those who came and conquered the forests around Norsewood.

"I've always wanted to visit little Norway in Norsewood and this is a day to remember our forefathers," she said.

Honorary consul-general Mitchell said ambassadors in the past have favourably compared Norway Day celebrations in Norsewood with those in Norway.

"It's been very impressive, a wonderful day," he said.

Tararua District mayor Tracey Collis said Norsewood has a strong, rich heritage which makes it unique and suggested there were opportunities to enhance our natural heritage relationships with the village in the future.