In the space of a week, two storms have hit Northern Norway – the latest extreme weather “Ingunn”. But despite the fact that the wind has driven boats, hospital roofs and garages on wild roads, and the insurance companies report several hundred material damages, the northerners do not seem to be significantly alarmed. With a laugh and a smile, Tor Andersen told about the unsuccessful attempt to see the boat. Later, it was a particularly calm Svein Hansen who was able to state that they were struggling a bit with the wind after the barn had been turned into stickwood. Are the northerners a bit tougher than others? Yes, some say. Anne Holt is one of those who believe that Northerners are generally tougher than others. Photo: Anton Lier – It must be admitted. It has to. This is how writer and lawyer Anne Holt starts a longer post on Facebook where she points out that Northerners are tough. She points out that northerners have to experience a hurricane that: Tears roofs off houses and bales of men Pulls up entire small forests that fly into the outermost stratosphere … … before it lands and crushes public buildings Sees bridges that sail into the sea and shelters that torn up with foundation concrete from the days of the “German” Anne Holt may be taking it a bit too hard, but Widerøe had to bolt parts of the aircraft park in place in anticipation of better weather on Monday this week. Photo: Petter Strøm / news And on top of all this, Holt pulls out a hurricane that creates wave heights that would destroy the Barcode building complex in Oslo. – It’s actually impressive that they face all this with a resigned smile, stoic calm and light shrugs, writes Anne Holt. – They ARE tougher than us, asserts Holt. Holt points out that they got quite a lot of snow in the south, followed by snowstorms earlier in January. Photo: Rune Lind/news – More used to harsh weather But what do the northerners themselves think? Do they agree with Holt’s conclusion? – We have it like this here every now and then. But we can’t go around complaining all the time. Then we can’t do anything else, says Sture Andreassen. On Thursday, he and his mates sought shelter from the storm at a cafe in Svolvær. The comrades Ragnar Bjørås, Kurt Øyen, Arne Mørch, Anders Holmen and Sture Andreassen believe that northerners are tougher than southerners. But most of all, they are better at preparing. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news The cameraman Anders Holmen is a little less modest. – I think we are much tougher than the southerners, but of course we are also used to it. The two copies show that northerners have listened carefully to the weather report since ancient times. They had to prepare and plan their days according to the weather. – We are used to growing up with much more weather than they have in the south. After all, weather and climate also shape how we experience the days and the world around us. People in Finnmark are even more robust, says Ander Holmen. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news And preparation is key. The five friends think the northerners are better at preparing. That is the reason why the people in the north do not end up in the same snow chaos as the “southerners”. – We also have completely different preparedness up here, says Andreassen. And those who were responsible for the preparedness send the praise back. – I think people have behaved in an exemplary manner. They have followed the advice that has come from both the police, the state administrator and the municipality, says Asgeir Jordbru, county emergency manager in Nordland. In the end, the advice to northerners was to stay inside. People followed that call, according to Jordbru. In addition, he believes they were good at securing both boats and houses. – I think the northerners have done a great job in preparing for this storm. When everyone follows the advice, we get it together, says Asgeir Jordbru, county emergency manager in Nordland. Photo: Petter Strøm / news He believes that the fact that people followed the advice was decisive for there being few injuries. The police and fire service were thus freed up resources to deal with things that happen. But the county emergency manager does not necessarily agree with Anne Holt that the northern lines are tougher. – There are slightly different challenges in Eastern Norway, simply because the population is much larger. This is what makes the consequences of a lot of snow and slippery roads much greater than up here. Vera Andersen in Svolvær thinks northerners and southerners are equally tough. – It is clear that there is more weather here than in the south, but they have had their share as well, and managed very well, she says. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news Sociologist: We-against-the-rest identity Sociologist, Mads Skauge Antonsen at Nord University, has moved to “søring”. He believes that Northerners generally have a feeling of being disregarded, or overlooked by the national national media in several areas – such as mention of storms. The threshold for reports in the national media about storms is lower in the south than in the north. – It gives a collective identity that becomes a bit us-against-the-rest. – There is also something unsophisticated that characterizes the regular northerner, says Mads Henrik Skauge Antonsen, sociologist and associate professor at Nord University. Photo: Jan Erik Andreassen / Nord University – But does that make the northerners tougher than the “southerners”? – Well. At least they are good at saying they are. But in general, northerners are probably a little more “hard-house”, Antonsen believes. – People in the south may stay at home if the weather is bad on the Sunday trip. In the north, you can’t wait for the good weather days. Then there will be so few of them. That is why northerners are out in all kinds of weather. – I think we are much more used to bad weather. This is just good clothes drying. There is a reason why we have stayed up here. We probably have a genetic defect, says Dag Jones, port inspector in Svolvær. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news – Living close to nature affects lifestyle and how you deal with things, the sociologist believes. It provides a different culture of openness than you find in the south. He believes that also makes it easier to live through tough times. – There is always a storm around the next bend. Drawing lines between weather and how you look at life can have something to do with it. Northerners are more positive Svein Halvard Jørgensen is a social anthropologist at Nord University. He believes that it cannot be said that northerners are tougher than people in southern Norway. Svein-Halvard Jørgensen, professor at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Nord University, says it is difficult to say whether the cultural tradition in northern Norway comes from heritage or the environment. Photo: Nord University But he is quite sure of one thing. It is that the northerners are more positive. – We have a cultural tradition that “We stand by him”. We are used to the fact that you can lose most things, but you still have life and health intact and that is the most important thing. An affirmative action survey has been conducted. In other words, words that show that you are listening. The confirmation word on the coast and in the north of the country is “yes”. The confirmation word inland is “no”. – I agree with Anne Holt. We are much tougher. We are not so afraid of little things like storms. I think we cope better, says Odd Kristoffersen in Svolvær. Photo: Sofie Retterstøl Olaisen / news – What does it mean? The anthropologist believes it is about how much one has to lose. In agricultural areas, it is land and property that you are afraid of losing. Northern Norway and coastal areas have been more characterized by seasonal work and resources that are not cultivated, but harvested. – You can say that the language also confirms a different basic attitude on the coast with slightly rough weather. Basically, you have a positive attitude, “we stand by him” and there is always a solution, says Jørgensen.
ttn-69
Are northerners tougher than southerners? Yes, says Anne Holt and social worker. – news Nordland
