Hulda Garborg - Cultural Work

Cultural Work

Garborg was a pioneer in areas as theatre and folk dance, cooking, bunad tradition and women's rights.

She published articles about traditional cooking in the Nynorsk newspaper Den 17de Mai, and these articles were later published in the book Heimestell (1899).

She wrote the play Mødre (1895, performed at the Christiania Theatre), and the comedies Rationelt Fjøsstell (1896, performed both at the Christiania Theatre and in Bergen), Hos Lindelands (1899) and Noahs Ark (1899), and the dramas Sovande sorg (1900), Liti Kersti (1903), Edderkoppen (1904, anonymously; played at Nationaltheatret), Sigmund Bresteson (1908), Under Bodhitræet (1911) and Den store Freden (1919; issued in USA as Hiawatha's Vision, 1927). She founded Det norske spellaget in 1899, with its first performance in Eldorado Teater, and was co-founder of Det Norske Teatret. She edited the song book Norske folkevisor in 1903, and issued the book Song-Dansen i Nord-Landi, also in 1903, and Norske dansevisur (1913). She wrote the book Norsk klædebunad (1903), on the bunad tradition.

She participated in the contemporary debates both as a speaker and article writer. She wrote a series of articles in magazines and newspapers, such as Syn og Segn, Edda, Samtiden, Den 17de Mai, Dagbladet and Verdens Gang. The books Kvinden skabt af Manden (Woman created by Man, 1904) and Fru Evas Dagbog (1905) were contribution to the debate on women's rights.

Her first novel, Et frit forhold, was issued anonymously in 1892. Her novel Eli (1912) was translated into Dutch in 1915, and into Swedish in 1916. Other novels were Mot Solen (1915), Gaaden. Efter Præstedatteren Else Marie Lindes Optegnelser (1916), Mens dansen gaar (1920), I huldreskog (1922), Naar heggen blomstrer (1923), Grågubben (1925), Trollheimen (1927), Helenes historie (1929) and Hildring (1931). She issued the poetry collections Kornmoe (1930) and Symra (1934).

She edited the diaries of her husband Arne Garborg, which were issued after his death. Selected parts from her own diaries were issued in 1962 as Dagbok 1903–1914.

Hulda Garborg also participated in politics, and represented the Liberal Left Party in Asker municipal council. She was appointed Knight, First Class of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1932.