Tivoli
Audubon, Iowa is a Danish community where a lot of the residents have ancestors that come from Denmark. Mark has Danish ancestry reaching back a few generations and as such there is also a few community celebrations surrounding this Danish heritage. Not far from Audubon is a town called Elk Horn which contains a 1848 Danish windmill brought over from Denmark piece by piece and also a Danish Heritage museum. On Saturday 29th May in Elk Horn the community celebrated “Tivoli”. There was a large parade lasting almost an hour – a tradition is to through out to the people watching lots and lots of ‘candy’ (lollies) so the kids and their cousins had fun catching and collecting pockets full!!!
There was special Danish food available: Aebliskever … a Danish round pancake, Frickadiler …. A small meatball and other foods. There was traditional Danish dancing and a Viking display where we could see Vikings fighting, their houses, and blacksmith work. There was a Viking who made pewter coins for the children. The kids liked putting on the Viking hats. We also went down to the large museum where we saw the smallest church which fit 4 people and the pastor. A lot of Danish things where there to see – plates, clothes, pictures, handiwork, even motorbikes made in Denmark.
It was also great to go out to the cemeteries for the children to look up their heritage and discover who their American ancestors are. It is Memorial Day weekend here where the country remembers all those who have died - the cemeteries are all decorated and flags are put up throughout the cemetery. In Audubon 600 large flags on flagpoles are displayed throughout the cemetery. It looks incredible! We have had an amazing weekend also meeting up with lots and lots of Mark’s family – also at church at Mark’s home congregation where he baptised his nephew Noah and also preached. It was a wonderful time for us all …..
We thank God for families, love, Anne