Northern Nature

Photography by Erika Skogg 

The photography series Northern Nature is an intimate portrayal of Scandinavian-American communities by Wisconsin-based, National Geographic Explorer Erika Skogg.

From a glimpse into Finnish-American culture in Michigan’s upper peninsula to scenes of Swedish-American tradition right here in Minnesota, Erika’s images selected for display at ASI capture the essence of Scandinavian-American holiday tradition. Her stunning photographs have been taken during visits to homes and communities across the Upper Midwest, visually preserving Nordic-American culture.

Kajsa Anderson sets the table to host a Swedish–themed Christmas dinner in Sister Bay, Wisconsin. The daughter of a Swedish mother and Swedish-American father, families like the Andersons help keep the active Swedish-American culture alive by inviting the community into their home to help celebrate Swedish holidays throughout the year. 

About Erika

Erika Skogg is a recipient of National Geographic’s Early Career Grant and is actively working on this project of documenting the Scandinavian-American culture of the Midwest. Through this cultural preservation project, Erika also hopes to encourage others to become more interested in their family’s genealogy and immigration stories, fostering an appreciation for the myriad of unique sub-cultures within the U.S. with renewed understanding and respect of the continued immigration stories of today.

Learn more and help support the ongoing research and production of her Scandinavian–America project on Erika’s website.