Viking Magazine - October 2015 - 9

AN ICY PLANET NOT SO FAR, FAR AWAY
As " Star Wars " fans gear up to see the
release of the seventh installment of the
series, " The Force Awakens, " due out
in December, now is the time to
reminisce on the not-so-far-away
locations where the series was shot.
The small town of Finse, Norway, got
in on the " Star Wars " action back in
1980 when " The Empire Strikes Back "
introduced fans to the ice planet of Hoth.
The Hardangerjøkulen Glacier served as the
backdrop for the fi ctional planet.
For Harrison Ford, it was a last-minute decision to shoot his
scenes on location in Norway, rather than on stage. During
fi lming, Finse experienced a blizzard, and Ford has said that the
Han Solo costume wasn't made for real snow. " The conditions
were so severe that they put the camera in the back door of
the hotel we were staying at and shot out the door, " Ford had
remarked at a St. Jude Children's Research Hospital charity
event, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the fi lm. " So we were
12 feet from the hotel, out in the blizzard. " However, a little snow
won't keep out the true " Star Wars " fanatics, as visiting these
locations is considered " galactic backpacking. " May the force be
with them.
Black Book Remedies
My great-grandmother brought a folk remedy for
upset stomach with her from Norway . . . " wrote
Terry Graedon in an online guide to digestive
disorders. The simple cure involved cider vinegar, honey
and water. For some, remedies were sought from a book of
magic known as Svartebøka or Black Book.
Less than 200 Black Books exist today in archives,
libraries and individual collections. Two such books
were found in an old dusty attic on the North Rustad
family farm in Norway, by author Mary S. Rustad. Her
translation research and eventual publication of " The
Black Books of Elverum " (1999) contained numerous
incantations and spells for such
maladies as fever, sleeplessness, lice,
bleeding and boils. Such gems in the
book include:
To make yourself strong: Take a
swallow. There is a stone in its head.
"
BY JEFF M. SAUVE
Take earth from a graveyard and two shillings worth of
mercury and carry these ingredients with you.
For a toothache: Write the following words on paper
money. Then place it on the bad tooth. " Ageron, Jegerom
Negerom Sipia. " The word " Sipia " is thrown to a dog.
Black Books seldom accompanied Norwegian-American
immigrants because many believed that if they died with
a book in their possession, their soul would go to hell,
according to Kathleen Stokker, Professor Emeritus of
Scandinavian Studies at Luther College, Decorah, Iowa.
Although not as rare as the original Black Books,
Rustad's book, " The Black Books of Elverum " is found
for sale on various online sites. In addition, around 11
prominent libraries include the book in their catalogs,
including the Princeton University Library, the Los Angeles
Public Library and the British Library.
Jeff M. Sauve serves as an archivist for the Norwegian-American
Historical Association in Northfi eld, Minn.
sonsofnorway.com VIKING OCTOBER 2015 9
PHOTO (RIGHT): COURTESY OF NORWEGIAN-AMERICAN HISTORICAL ASSOC., NORTHFIELD, MINN.
PHOTOS (RIGHT): ©LUCASFILM LTD. / COURTESY EVERETT / EVERETT COLLECTION, ©20THCENTFOX / COURTESY EVERETT COLLECTION,

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Viking Magazine - October 2015

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