 |
| 04/24
- 12
Added new
'Family Branch'
section to top
menu, and
moved 'Pictures'
and 'Culture'
here as well.
More
news |
 |
|
|
| Did you know...
3-7-3 Johan
Christian Hojem
who was a
farmer in South
Africa, has
given name to
the onion variety
"Hojem"?
Read full story
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
Family Culture
|
|
Songs
and poetry |
Pictures
| Literature
|
|
Songs and Poetry
|
| |
 |
|
3-6-2-5 Olaug Oftebro Areklett pleases us with a poem.
Olaug is born in 1937, is married, has 3 children and 10 grandchildren. She lives
in Mandal, Norway. Olaug is educated as a schoolteacher, and has worked in primary schools in Oslo, in Haugesund and at Lindesnes.
Olaug has got comprehensive interests, including literature, the Christian faith, music and athletic sports. The athletic sports
statuette on her mantelpiece bears witness to her taste for physical activity. Still it is her love for singing that has characterized Olaug all the way since
childhood. In her younger days the guitar used to be her loyal companion. She has also been singing in several
choirs, most recently for a number of years in Mandal Kantori.
Every Christmas Olaug sends a self written poem to family and friends. She normally writes in
the Nynorsk language (the lesser used out of the two official Norwegian languages), and
often discusses subjects that cause one to reflect.
Click here to
read the poem “Guilt”
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
A Canadian ”Oftebro
Choir”
Listen to the choir singing in The Lutheran Church in Preeceville, Canada.
Click here for information about the choir.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
"Love isn't
easy" by Markus Due
17 years old, 3-6-2-2-3-3 Markus Due, Mandal, Norway, has been a passionate brass band musician since he was 10 years old. This has led him from a trainee position, via the junior brass band to the A-band where he now plays for his 6th year. Trombone is his instrument.
When Mandal junior high school offered the students organized music teaching, with optional curriculum and instruments, Markus chose guitar and song as his new and extra subjects. So now the guitar follows Markus on excursions with friends. This always creates a good atmosphere.
But Markus also wants to write his own songs, and when his brass band celebrated its 100 years anniversary this year, the boys formed a band that gave Markus’ song. Here we present his “Love isn’t
easy”.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Songs and music by Harald Arne Asheim
The petro-technical professor in the family, 3-2-9-1-1 Harald Arne
Asheim, at University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway, has continued the tradition for poetry in the Asheim clan, from his grandmother Anna Elisabeth (Rom) Asheim. But that was not enough for Harald. He also writes the melodies for his songs, and presents them, backing himself on his
guitar.
Many of us will remember his presentation at the Oftebro family reunion in Lyngdal 2004, of his ballad about our family founder, Villum Christian Oftebro.
Click here for lyrics and note for “Villum's ballad”
Click here for Harald's own homepage where you can also hear him sing the ballad.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Tribute
to Lyngdal
We present 2 songs and one
poem paying tribute to Lyngdal, the Norwegian village where our common
family cradle once was located, from10 Ommund C. Oftebro, from 3-4
Anna Tonette (Oftebro) Johnson and from 3-8 Ole Mathias Oftebro.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Hymn
written by Reidar Oftebro
3-6-2-1 Reidar Oftebro has done the
Oftebro family great services through his thorough work for many years
in completing the family tree. Reidar wrote also through a long life a
great number of songs, mostly songs for use at joyful occasions in the
near family. When he retired he started painting, and he left behind a
considerable number of paintings.
Two years before he passed away in 2007
he wrote the hymn that we present here.
His son in law, (3-6-2-1-4) Odd Arve
Lien has composed the melody for the hymn.
We give a “word by word” translation into English of Reidar’s
hymn.
Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
66.jpg) |
|
Lullaby
When 3-6-2 Tobias Oftebro and his Klara
built their home in 1924 and had their first child, 3-6-2-1 Reidar
Oftebro, Tobias wrote a lullaby in text and melody that later on has
lulled to sleep his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.
The well-known Norwegian church
musician Trond Kverno has harmonized the melody to be played on the
piano.
3-6-2-5 Olaug Sofie (Oftebro) Areklett
has written the English version of Tobias’ lullaby.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Poems
by Anna Elisabeth (Rom) Asheim
3-2-9 Anna Elisabeth (Rom) Asheim was, as
a farmer’s wife at Soma, Sandnes, Norway, very interested in the
role of the farmer’s wife in society. For many years she was a
member of the Høyland Association for Farmers’ Wives, and for 8
years she was the leader of Rogaland Association for Farmers’ wives.
She was a much used lecturer, and she
wrote articles for newspapers, poems and hymns. Her poems show her
strong commitment for religious matters, for the environment and for
everyday life in her native district.
We present here 4 of her poems. The
poems have not been translated into English.
Back to top
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Pictures and Paintings
|
| |
 |
|
Paintings by Reidar Oftebro
3-6-2-1 Reidar Oftebro has done the Oftebro family great services through his work for many years in completing the family tree. Reidar wrote a great number of songs, mostly songs for use at joyful occasions in the near family. He also wrote a hymn, which we have presented elsewhere in the culture column. When Reidar retired, he started painting, and he has left behind a considerable number of paintings. He painted mainly landscapes and still life. He normally used acrylic paint in his
work.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Watercolour paintings by Ivar Oftebro
When 3-6-6-1 Ivar Oftebro retired, he developed further his talent for pictorial art. He mostly uses water paint. Through the years many in his near family circle have had the pleasure of receiving paintings from Ivar’s paintbrush, often received as Christmas greetings.
We present here a selection of Ivar’s watercolours.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Multiartist 3-8-3-1 Nils Ole Oftebro
Actor 3-8-3-1 Nils Ole Oftebro has two strings on his bow. He is well known both for his performances on stage and in movies, and also his work as a TV entertainer has made him very well known to every Norwegian. His talent as a pictorial artist is maybe less known, although he also within this branch of art has reached a large audience, not least through his illustrations in the Norwegian magazine “Farmand” through a couple of decades.
Our column shows 3 of the pictures he presented during the Oftebro family reunion in Lyngdal, Norway 2004, in addition to the interview given to the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten in 2005, in connection with an exhibition of his illustrations.
This newspaper article has not been translated into English. The interview reveals that the exhibition gives 70 portraits of members of the social elite, from Nils Ole’s hand. The drawings and washings have earlier been published as supplement to interviews in books and magazines over the
years.
This article from 2005 also announces that Nils Ole, at that time, was preparing for going to Burkina Faso in Africa together with his family to act in French on the stage there for 5
months, together with local, African stage actors.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
| |
 |
|
Paintings by Caren (Rivara) Vitell
1-1-11-4-2 Caren Vitell, who lives in Oxford, Mississippi, has made painting her
career. She works primarily in oils, painting on stretched canvas. Frequently she builds her own
stretchers. At times she builds stretchers of arched, peaked or rounded shapes that mimic the subjects seen through a
window, f. inst a church window.
She generally paints landscapes, and finds herself drawn to focusing on colour and simple forms. She enjoys experimenting with colour and texture in her
paintings.
Back
to top
|
|
|
|
|
|
Literature
|
| |
 |
|
(3-7-2-1) Frank Edward Streek, Napanee, Ontario, Canada, with business education from South Africa, immigrated together with his wife Deena to Canada in 1978. On their way they stayed for two years in France. In Canada Frank has been engaged in different occupations, from breeding pigs to financial business.
As a pensioner he started writing novels. It has now become 10 of them. Frank writes fiction, often based on his own experiences in life. No wonder that the topics often concern political conditions in South Africa during the apartheid regime, or incidents and characters he recognizes from his extensive war service at several sectors in Africa during World War II.
Click here and
here for access to Napanee Guide’s review of Frank Streek and his authorship.
Back
to top
|
 |
|
)
)
)
)
)
)
'))
'))
'))
<br><i> Watch “The Old Road” from Laudal to town!<br>They finally made it to construct a new one.<br>On this one the traffic runs fast up and down,<br>but “The Old Road” is really better to look on! </i><br>-Ivar Oftebro<br>Retold: T.O.'))
<br><i>You ocean-grey land Wilhelm Kragh once sang<br>bout the Southern Coasts reefs and sea lashes.<br>But in Southern Coast sunshine the sea and the land <br>are ascending in bright colour splashes!<br></i>-Ivar Oftebro<br>Retold: T.O.'))
<br><i>At Oscar- in Vollen, Asker, the place<br>with picturesque huts and with outlook of grace- -<br>you here find your table, order coffee upon-<br>enjoying the fjord view and a crisp napoleon! <br> </i>-Ivar Oftebro<br>Retold: T.O.'))
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
)
