Originally published in Vestnytt, 11.28.15. Norwegian-English via Google Translate:
In a great world it happens sometimes strange coincidences. Jamie Kallestad did not understand the reaction of the woman on the plane when he said her name.
She began to laugh. She told me she had been married Kallestad and her children called Kallestad, says the American singer-songwriter and artist Jamie Kallestad.
Margunn Kårevik is the woman who accidentally Jamie flopped down next to on the flight from Minneapolis to Reykjavik. She and her partner were heading home to Bergen for a holiday.
"I have a dream of going out to Kallestad outside Bergen, find the sign there and take a picture
Jamie was enthusiastic Førstereis boy, finally heading to find out more about Norway, where he has his roots. The 28 year old was therefore very enthusiastic about ending up next to a Norwegian couple on the plane, and very interested in getting into a conversation with them.
From before he knew very little about his roots. All he had found was his name on google maps.
I have a dream of going out to Kallestad outside Bergen, find the sign there and take a picture, he told her.
Margunn has been married Kallestad but has subsequently taken back girl named Kårevik. All her three children carrying Kallestad name, and several of them live in Sund.
When he presented himself as Jamie Kallestad, I received a very strange feeling, says Bridget.
I explained to him my name, and I wrote down the name of my son. Eventually sank it in with him, and he reacted really. We were very entustiastiske both, she says.
Six weeks later, Jamie Kallestad come to Sotra. His plan to take in at a hotel in Bergen and find a bus that went to Kallestad to take the famous picture, came to nothing. Instead, he is now on a week's visit with his daughter Bridget Siv Kallestad Berge and her husband Jostein Berge, at Berge in Sund.
"It's so incredibly nice to be here. It feels like a reunion, although we have not met before
I'm pretty overwhelmed. It is so incredibly nice to be here. It feels like a reunion, although we have not met before. It feels as if we are family, although we do not really know if we are there. If we related or not, does not mean as much. I feel that we matter is there, he says.
Margunn Kårevik tells something of the same.
It must be some kind of link here another time. He is exactly as us, welcoming and cozy. He fits right in. I am quite sure that we will continue to keep in touch, she smiles.
It was Margunn's children who really were enthusiastic. They got in touch with Jamie by email and established contact.
"I'm really excited. It is a dream for many American artists to play in Europe
Then I realized that Siv Kallestad Berge is also a musician, I was really enthusiastic, says Jamie, who is singer-songwriter. He has toured around the United States in åresvis both as a solo artist and as a member of various bands and has released several albums.
Vips had Siv arranged a concert deal on Glesvær for Jamie. Friday night played the experienced musician's first concert outside the United States, on Glesvær cafe.
I'm really excited. It is a dream for many American artists to play in Europe. I had not thought that I would get to something like this, said Jamie to Vestnytt before the concert.
The audience also got a lot to enjoy this evening. According to one of the employees was full house much of the evening on Glesvær cafe.
People heard much self-produced material from Jamie, and bluegrass and Dylan-influenced songs, says Mattis, who has worked on Glesvær since January.
Through contact with Margunn and family is not just a concert it suddenly has become something of. Together they dig now related the history of the American.
We are in the middle of a mystery, says both Jamie and Margunn.
In the early 1800s drew Jamie his forefather Lars Asbjørn Kallestad to Minnesota.
In 1850 he lived in Minnesota, so he left Norway before that time, says Jamie.
Lars lived in Balestrand, and emigrated from there. As far slektsdektektivene found out, staying there is currently no Kallestad people in Balestrand.
It appears that all emigrated to the United States, says Bridget.
"I'm incredibly happy to be here and over to get to know these people
There may be a possibility that Kallestad peoples moved from Bergen to Balestrand on business, says Jamie. In the Houston area there are two Kallestad sites: In Mountain and on Osterøy.
We'll dig even deeper in this, and see if there is a link to Sotra, says Jamie.
Although he did not find out the mystery around its roots, has Jamie Kallestad in any case found its name siblings and their symbolic Norway family - and family name on a road sign.
I'm really happy to be here and over to get to know these people, he says.
