Swedness and Cecilia

Swedness and Cecilia
Video 
12 min (Swedness), 15 min (Cecilia) 
2015

Swedness and Cecilia are two videos about Swedish-American culture, shot on different trips to Minnesota. I investigate how Swedish heritage and culture is perceived and celebrated by Swedish-Americans.

In Swedness, I partake in and document a Midsummer celebration held at a Scandinavian heritage museum in Scandia, Minnesota. I awkwardly “perform” Swedish culture, for example, by dancing around the Maypole and other traditions linked to my culture.

Cecilia is a portrait of one of my American relatives. Cecilia was born to Swedish emigrants in America, and she was keen on keeping contact with relatives in Sweden. In the video we hear American relatives talk about her and her family, and paint a picture of a strong, one-of-a-kind woman, and of a Swedish-American immigrant family’s ways and traditions.

Swedness
5 min excerpt
Password: swedness

Cecilia
5 min excerpt
Password: cecilia