Daughters of this and that

[texas*princess]

Originally Posted by Army Wife'79

I think 99% of the population of Minnesota would qualify for membership. That's where all my Norweigan relatives are. (and yes, you betcha, they all talk like the movie "Fargo" dontcha know?)

One of my faaaaavorite colleagues works in our Minnesota office and she is just a sweetheart! And yes, she talks like the movie "Fargo"... dontcha know... hehehe

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by texas*princess

One of my faaaaavorite colleagues works in our Minnesota office and she is just a sweetheart! And yes, she talks like the movie "Fargo"... dontcha know... hehehe

Oh, there's a difference between Minnesota and Fargo accents. I know this because I have a Minnesota accent and I can still hear a Fargo accent in others.

As for why there aren't more Daughters of Norway chapters in MN, I have a couple guesses:

1) Anyone who was born here is probably Norwegian unless they're from St. Paul - then they're Irish.
2) Since everybody here is Norwegian, they don't care as much about associating with other Norwegian people.
3) People in MN tend to care less about what ethnic background you have and more about whether you went to the right pre-school/grade school/hockey league/church/etc. and how long you have BEEN HERE.
3a) If you haven't been here 50 years, you're not really Minnesotan - sorry!

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Far from being more selective than NPC sororities, the fact is that just about anyone can find a historical group for which they qualify for membership if they but try. Open the Society of the Great Unwashed, and see if you don't find dozens of like-minded possible members!

Not true. I checked out that list posted upthread (which seemed awfully comprehensive) and I am eligible for exactly zero of those organizations. I think that part of the reason for the original founding of those organizations was so that the people from "good stock" could have a way to associate together and not have to mix with the ____ (insert random later-influx of immigrants country) immigrants that were sullying their colony/state/commonwealth/whatever. While they don't really serve that function anymore, especially with all of the intermarriage that's gone on, the "Daughters of the Irish Potato Famine" or "Daughters of Nazi Germany Gave My Country to Poland" were a little busy with other things to start a society, like trying to earn a wage so they didn't have to live in a tenement anymore or maybe learn English.

I think that in certain parts of the country (and KappaKittyCat and I are from roughly the same place) these groups just come off as elitist because the few that do exist are WASPy old biddies who "lunch" and whine about how today's youth don't respect their elders blah blah blah wah wah can I have another drink please? I'm sure in other parts of the country they aren't like that, just like how being in a sorority is different depending on where you live.

[SWTXBelle]

Ah, sis, I gotta say - how much genelogy research have you done? When you figure that once you get to great-grandparents you have 8 different lines to pursue, it's hard to say for sure you don't qualify for ANY - plus that list of groups is hardly comprehensive. Most of the time, it just means you need to do more research IF you are really interested in it. And if you aren't interested, that's cool, too. I realize it is a somewhat specialized interest - but thank God there are different interests out there! So we have those who are interested in matters historical, those who are interested in various charities, animal rights, human rights, you name it! - as our mothers said, it takes all kinds to make a world. I don't expect everyone to be interested in genalogical societies, just as I wouldn't expect everyone to be interested in sororities, or the humane society, or any other pursuit.

eta - HEY - I don't get drinks at my meetings - what gives???

[Beryana]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

As for why there aren't more Daughters of Norway chapters in MN, I have a couple guesses:

1) Anyone who was born here is probably Norwegian unless they're from St. Paul - then they're Irish.
2) Since everybody here is Norwegian, they don't care as much about associating with other Norwegian people.
3) People in MN tend to care less about what ethnic background you have and more about whether you went to the right pre-school/grade school/hockey league/church/etc. and how long you have BEEN HERE.
3a) If you haven't been here 50 years, you're not really Minnesotan - sorry!

Actually, Sons of Norway is really big in Minnesota - and Daughters is a west coast response to the orgs early years of not allowing women (according to their site). I also know (at least in my family) that you don't mention the Norwegian part of the family, only the Swedish!

[GeekyPenguin]

Originally Posted by Beryana

Actually, Sons of Norway is really big in Minnesota - and Daughters is a west coast response to the orgs early years of not allowing women (according to their site). I also know (at least in my family) that you don't mention the Norwegian part of the family, only the Swedish!

Well, my Norwegian friends are fond of the "10,000 Swedes ran into the weeds" saying so maybe it's the other way around with them.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Ah, sis, I gotta say - how much genelogy research have you done? When you figure that once you get to great-grandparents you have 8 different lines to pursue, it's hard to say for sure you don't qualify for ANY - plus that list of groups is hardly comprehensive. Most of the time, it just means you need to do more research IF you are really interested in it. And if you aren't interested, that's cool, too. I realize it is a somewhat specialized interest - but thank God there are different interests out there! So we have those who are interested in matters historical, those who are interested in various charities, animal rights, human rights, you name it! - as our mothers said, it takes all kinds to make a world. I don't expect everyone to be interested in genalogical societies, just as I wouldn't expect everyone to be interested in sororities, or the humane society, or any other pursuit.

eta - HEY - I don't get drinks at my meetings - what gives???

I have done a decent amount of research (not a ton) and I know on my dad's side I can trace back to Ireland at the great grandparent level on 3/4 sides. The other side is a lot more muddled so maybe I'd be eligible, but I doubt it based on what our ancestry is. I'm not that worried about it since I'm more interested in genealogy for family history purposes than society-joining purposes anyway, but for more recent immigrants it really does seem like there aren't as many options available.

[honeychile]

^^Believe it or not, my mother, then both of us, worked on our genealogy a good 15-25 years before we even considered any of the lineage societies. My mother was asked to help found the Western PA Genealogical Society, and it wasn't until years later that I quit fighting it and "got the bug".

I have a HUGE list of lineage societies, which does include a lot of "more recent" immigrants' lineages, but it's on my own computer. Once I find it, I'll post it. Barring that, you can check out www.cyndislist.com for dozens of ideas. I find the site somewhat overwhelming, but there's something for everyone.

[aopirose]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

I have done a decent amount of research (not a ton) and I know on my dad's side I can trace back to Ireland at the great grandparent level on 3/4 sides. The other side is a lot more muddled so maybe I'd be eligible, but I doubt it based on what our ancestry is.

Just FYI, Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians - http://www.ladiesaoh.com

[KappaKittyCat]

Originally Posted by GeekyPenguin

While they don't really serve that function anymore, especially with all of the intermarriage that's gone on, the "Daughters of the Irish Potato Famine" or "Daughters of Nazi Germany Gave My Country to Poland" were a little busy with other things to start a society, like trying to earn a wage so they didn't have to live in a tenement anymore or maybe learn English.

Now I'm wishing I were Irish so I could be a Daughter of the Potato Famine. *tear*

[SWTXBelle]

Don't forget that if you are Scottish, odds are you have a clan to which you can claim membership - many of them have American branches that do lots of Scottish type things. Eating haggis and drinking Irn Bru is entirely optional. www.cosca.net
Me? I'm Clan Fraser!

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Eating haggis and drinking Irn Bru is entirely optional.

In Clan McLeod, we'd say that eating haggis -- that "great chieftain o' the puddin-race" -- is a privilege!

As for Irn-Bru, I still prefer Scotland's first national drink.

[SWTXBelle]

But Irn Bru is made with GIRDERS!!!
(and yet, it tastes like liquid baby asprin)


I'll take a glass of Blair Atholl, please!

[honeychile]

Originally Posted by MysticCat

In Clan McLeod, we'd say that eating haggis -- that "great chieftain o' the puddin-race" -- is a privilege!

As for Irn-Bru, I still prefer Scotland's first national drink.

McLeod? I had a professor named MacLeod, and on the first day of class, he wrote his name on the board, and said, "The first person who can say my name correctly gets their grade raised one letter." Everyone guessed, but I came up with the correct way.

This is my clan crest:

[MysticCat]

Originally Posted by honeychile

McLeod? I had a professor named MacLeod, and on the first day of class, he wrote his name on the board, and said, "The first person who can say my name correctly gets their grade raised one letter." Everyone guessed, but I came up with the correct way.

LOL. I would expect nothing less of you.

When we were at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games last summer, I told the kids to be on the lookout for the MacLeod tent, but I wouldn't tell them how to spell it. I wanted to see if either of them could figure it out when they saw it. My son did.

[catiebug]

I am ready.

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Don't forget that if you are Scottish, odds are you have a clan to which you can claim membership - many of them have American branches that do lots of Scottish type things. Eating haggis and drinking Irn Bru is entirely optional. www.cosca.net
Me? I'm Clan Fraser!

[ForeverRoses]

Originally Posted by SWTXBelle

Don't forget that if you are Scottish, odds are you have a clan to which you can claim membership - many of them have American branches that do lots of Scottish type things. Eating haggis and drinking Irn Bru is entirely optional. www.cosca.net
Me? I'm Clan Fraser!

I'm part of Clan Donald. My brother-in-law's family is also very scottish. At my sister's rehersal dinner, they gave out favors of little bottles of my brother-in-law's clan's whisky with clan Donald whisky tied together with a ribbon in the wedding colors.

My dad is a geneologist by hobby and has helped my aunt get into a few of these orgs, so maybe when my kids are a little older I will look into it more.