Northern Norway has been the center for northern tourism for a long time--the land of the Northern Lights and Midnight Sun, of the endless fjords and natural beauty--and it has magically remained Norwegian.
But, of course, there are touches of globalization like anywhere else in the world. First and foremost, Tromso's population is much more diverse than its geographic situation would make you think it is. Or maybe because of it? Tromso is a city of 70,000 inhabitants plus about 10,000 students who are not counted as residents since they come usually from elsewhere in Norway and the world. Of the 70,000 residents there is a large number of Russians--since Norway borders Russia in its far north, there is quite a lot of a mix of populations and, consequently, of collaborations in art and music.
Tromso is home to about 1,000 Muslims from the Middle East and North Africa and thus the site of the northernmost mosque in the world with about 450 members. Imagine being a Muslim so far up north--the rules of Ramadan hold that the faithful may not eat or drink until the sun goes down. What happens when the sun never goes down and Ramadan occurs? What are the rules when there is no dawn during Ramadan? Ultimately it became too painful for Tromso's Muslims so they asked Dr. Abdullah Bin Abd al_Asis al Muslih, a Saudi sheik who has never been to Tromso. Ultimately the community were given the choice between 1) adopting the fasting schedule used in Mecca, 2) adopting the fasting schedule of the nearest city where the sun actually sets or rises, or 3) establishing their own schedule binding every Muslim in Tromso. The Tromso Muslims opted for the first option. (Betzholz, D. (July 25, 2014).The Muslims of Tromso- Ramadan in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Spiegel online International http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/challenges-of-celebrating-ramadan-in-places-where-sun-never-sets-a-982101.html).
Even in Norway we find the presence of Europe's poorest minority, the Roma or Romani (formerly referred to as gypsies). Due to the European Economic Area agreements, EU residents can live in any EU or 'Schengenland'* country for three months but they are not entitled to benefit payments. Some Roma dot the streetscape; even in the middle of winter several of them sit on the pavement begging. I was told that few if any of them speak Norwegian or English which limits their ability to find work in the country so the only resource is to beg. In some municipalities begging is now banned but poor migrants can seek help from religious institutions.
* [Schengenland country refers to the borderless area in Europe which includes all EU states as well as some non-EU states such as Norway and Switzerland.]
Other signs of globalization would be the fact that Tromso is home to the world's northernmost Burger King which I frequented because it seemed to be a cheap way to find a bathroom (!).
I discovered a local adaptation, stimulus diffusion in geographic terms, to the familiar fish burger, a fiskeburger on a sign that advertised smoked salmon. Norway claims 400 salmon rivers producing fish of a remarkably high average size which translates into 1) salmon-catching fishery and tourism and 2) fresh, affordable food as advertised here:
'Torsk' as advertised on this poster refers to cod--the fish that has been so overfished in the North American Atlantic that it symbolizes regulatory failure. However, in the Arctic circle there is a thriving cod fishing industry keeping nine fish processing plants busy in Norway alone plus a few in Russia as well. The reason for this surprising fact is a far-sighted collaboration between the Norwegian and Russian fisheries that had its beginnings in the 1950s and sports a Joint Fisheries Commission--first between the Soviet Union and Norway, now between Russia and Norway--which sets harvest control rules.These rules and the outcomes of regular scientific stock assessments result in the total allowable catch of which the two countries share 80% with 20% going to other nations with historical rights to fish in the Barents Sea. It appears that these rules and assessments tend to err on the side of caution giving the fish stock a chance for recovery. (For the cod fishery in Newfoundland check out my blog at exploringnewfoundland.blogspot.com).
European ladies still have a knack for high-heeled shoes, we are talking about 3-4 inch heels, even on those icy conditions in Tromso. I was full of admiration for these ladies' surefootedness and am sorry I didn't get a photo but didn't want to be so intrusive.
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| Tromso Fjord and Harbor |
But, of course, there are touches of globalization like anywhere else in the world. First and foremost, Tromso's population is much more diverse than its geographic situation would make you think it is. Or maybe because of it? Tromso is a city of 70,000 inhabitants plus about 10,000 students who are not counted as residents since they come usually from elsewhere in Norway and the world. Of the 70,000 residents there is a large number of Russians--since Norway borders Russia in its far north, there is quite a lot of a mix of populations and, consequently, of collaborations in art and music.
Tromso is home to about 1,000 Muslims from the Middle East and North Africa and thus the site of the northernmost mosque in the world with about 450 members. Imagine being a Muslim so far up north--the rules of Ramadan hold that the faithful may not eat or drink until the sun goes down. What happens when the sun never goes down and Ramadan occurs? What are the rules when there is no dawn during Ramadan? Ultimately it became too painful for Tromso's Muslims so they asked Dr. Abdullah Bin Abd al_Asis al Muslih, a Saudi sheik who has never been to Tromso. Ultimately the community were given the choice between 1) adopting the fasting schedule used in Mecca, 2) adopting the fasting schedule of the nearest city where the sun actually sets or rises, or 3) establishing their own schedule binding every Muslim in Tromso. The Tromso Muslims opted for the first option. (Betzholz, D. (July 25, 2014).The Muslims of Tromso- Ramadan in the Land of the Midnight Sun. Spiegel online International http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/challenges-of-celebrating-ramadan-in-places-where-sun-never-sets-a-982101.html).
Even in Norway we find the presence of Europe's poorest minority, the Roma or Romani (formerly referred to as gypsies). Due to the European Economic Area agreements, EU residents can live in any EU or 'Schengenland'* country for three months but they are not entitled to benefit payments. Some Roma dot the streetscape; even in the middle of winter several of them sit on the pavement begging. I was told that few if any of them speak Norwegian or English which limits their ability to find work in the country so the only resource is to beg. In some municipalities begging is now banned but poor migrants can seek help from religious institutions.* [Schengenland country refers to the borderless area in Europe which includes all EU states as well as some non-EU states such as Norway and Switzerland.]
Other signs of globalization would be the fact that Tromso is home to the world's northernmost Burger King which I frequented because it seemed to be a cheap way to find a bathroom (!).
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| Waldman, J. (9/2014): How Norway and Russia made a cod fishery live and thrive. Yale-Environment360 -Reporting, Analysis, Opinion & Debate. Retrieved from http://e360.yale.edu/feature/how_norway_and_russia_ made__a_cod_fishery_live_and_thrive/2806/. |
European ladies still have a knack for high-heeled shoes, we are talking about 3-4 inch heels, even on those icy conditions in Tromso. I was full of admiration for these ladies' surefootedness and am sorry I didn't get a photo but didn't want to be so intrusive.
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