The history of child wanderings in Norway
mandag 18. februar 2008 22:52
Child wanderings in Southern Norway 1800 - 1910
The film is based on the real life experiences of children who were sent out to "wander" in search of work during the 1800's and early 1900's in Southern Norway.
In the beginning of April each year, children left their families small farms in Konsmo, Hægebostad, Kvås, and Kvinesdal and met at the church in Konsmo. From there, they traveled together from the impoverished interior villages of West Agder to the richer farms in East Agder.
Often, children had to travel 150 - 200 Kilometers (100 - 125 miles) by foot, cutting across valleys. The landscape was completely different then it is today. The routes the child wanderers followed still exist, even though many have been lost to roads, rail road tracks, and fields.
On the richer farms, the children cleaned stalls, prepared meals, stacked hay, carpentered, and took care of the animals. Wolves and bears were common threats. The children had to protect the livestock and also make sure that the animals did not stray and damage the crops.
The children were given food and lodging, and maybe a pair of new shoes or 50 crowns (7 dollars) at the end of a season of work. The work was hard for children between 7 and 15 years of age. Some came to good families and were treated well, while others experienced pure slavery.
Many of the children emigrated to the US, often as soon as they were confirmed at 15 or 16 years of age. The movie is based on true stories told to Grete and Odd Hynnekleiv by two previous child wanderers who had emigrated to the US. They were at that time in 1991, 99 and 100 years old.
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