Sköna Maj

On the last evening of April a group of men serenade the populace as they go from street corner to street corner singing the lovely Swedish song Sköna Maj, (Pronounced Whena My, English—Beautiful May).

This year this event was held on the evening of Saturday, 4/29/06, because it was more convenient for former Stanton residents from several states to participate. The Sköna Maj singers met at the Swedish Heritage and Cultural Center for refreshments and a short rehearsal. Then they went from place to place in Stanton, singing at the Stanton Care Center, on street corners, and at Halland Village. After singing at the last street corner, the singers were invited to the home of Jon and Judy Honette for refreshments and exchanging stories about Stanton’s history.

We were welcomed by Mrs. Olson (Virginia Christine).

Refreshments at the History Center as Singers Gather

Rehearsal in the Kirkeberg Room

The Oldest and the Youngest

Donovan Sellergren will celebrate his ninety-first birthday May 25^th.

He started participating in this event in 1933.

First Stop, The Stanton Care Center

Greeting the Residents

Singers at the Intersection of Frankfort Street and Halland Avenue

On Center Street North of Mamrelund Church

Halland Village Stop

Myrna Johnson and Carolyn Lantz serve lunch at Halland Village.

Singing to Halland Village Residents

Singing in the Rain at Thorn Street and Prairie Avenue

John Schultz and Paul Olson at the Honette Food Stop

This is the song that they sing in Swedish:

SKONA MAJ

I marschtakt J. L. Runeberg L. M. Been

Skö-na Maj, väl-kom-men till vår bygd i-gen!
Skö-na Maj, väl-kom-men, vå-ra le kars vän!
Kåns-lans gu-da-flam-ma väck tes vid din ljus ning.
Jord och sky-ar stam-ma kär-lek och för tjus ning.

Sor-gen flyr för vå-ren, glåd-je ler ur tå-ren, tåren.
Nu ur lun-dens skö-te och ur blom-mans knopp

sti-ga dig till mö-te gla-da of-fer opp.
Blott ditt lov de su-sa des-sa ro-sen-häc kar,

till din ä-ra bru-sa vå-ra sil-ver båc kar.
Hör! Med tacksam tung-a tu-sen fåg-lar sjunga lik-som vi,
lik-som vi: Väl-kommen, skö-na Maj, vål-kommen sko na Maj!

Second Part (Harmony)

Kåns-lans gu-da-flam-ma

(Starts on "ma" of "flam-ma" in third line)
Jord och gyll-ne sky-ar stam-ma kär-lek, säll het och
för-tjus-ning, dyst-ra sor-gen flyr för va rån,
(Starts with "Jord", 4th line; ends with "va" of "våren" on

"ren" of 5th line)

Nu ur lun-dens skö-te och ur blom-mans knop-par sti ga dig till
vän-ligt mö-te gla-da of-fer opp. Blott ditt lov de sak ta su sa,
de-sa fris-ka ro-sen-häc kar, till din ä ra mun tert bru sa.
(Starts with "Nu", 6th line; ends with "bru" of "brusa" on "sa"
of "brusa" in 9th line.)

(Courtesy of the Viking Printing Co., Stanton, lowa)

This is the English translation of the first verse:

Beautiful May! Welcome to our countryside again!

Beautiful May, welcome, our playful friend.

Feeling your godly flame, awakening with your light,

Earth and sky shout love and enchantment.

Sorrow flees before spring. Glad smiles rise out of tears.

Now, out of the forest's bosom and out of the flower's bud comes much delight.

The rose hedges whisper only your praises;

To your honor rises our silver creek.

Hear! With thankful tongues a thousand birds sing like us, like us!

"Welcome, beautiful May! Welcome, beautiful May!"

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Maintained by Wayne Donohue @ Stanton@mchsi.com

Edited 12/17/06