Behind the Scenes

More on the Hardanger Fiddle

by Lindsay Anderson

This is the story of Hellek Haugland, the maker of the Hardanger Fiddle which was seen at the Saskatoon venue.

Hellek Haugland was born in Telemarken, Norway in the year 1872. In 1900 he, his wife and first born moved to North Dakota and took up a homestead near Ambrose.

It was here in North Dakota that Haugland had his first encounter with the wild, wild west. One morning while traveling between Ambrose and the Haugland homestead, Hellek encountered the outlaw ‘Bloody Knife’, a reputed member of the notorious Sam Kelley gang. Bloody Knife held Helleck up at gun point and fired a shot off between the Norwegian immigrant's legs ordering that he surrender his team of four horses. Haugland did as was requested. Later that day as Hellek made his way to Ambrose, the outlaw Bloody Knife was gunned down by no less than twenty of the townsfolk as he rode out of the local Saloon on horseback. The townsfolk had had enough of Bloody and his ways and took matters into their own hands. Hellek arrived to find a crowd gathered around the lifeless body of Bloody. As for Hellek's horses, in all the commotion they had bolted and managed to find their way back to the Haugland farm. Apparently, this event may have prompted the Hauglands to move and take up a homestead in Saskatchewan.

Haugland and his family took up residence on a homestead some seven miles south of Bromhead, Saskatchewan. According to family members, Helleck was a skilled craftsman who made his own tools for woodworking. With these tools he made beautiful carved corner shelves, trinket boxes and his specialty: the violin.

The violins he made consisted of two types; a four string violin and the Hardanger eight string. The latter he decorated with Mother of Pearl inlay and free-hand drawing done with India ink.

He made his first violin when he was 16 years of age and it has been estimated that he made approximately eighty or so violins over the course of his life.

Hellek passed away on June the 8th 1953 and is buried in the family plot at Bromhead, Saskatchewan.

The Hardanger fiddle is considered to be the National instrument of Norway. Its origin can be traced back to the 17th century in Norway from an area known as Hardanger. Its popularity as an instrument spread to the surrounding areas of Vestland, Telemark, Numedal, Hallingdal, Valdres and Setesdal.

The Hardanger fiddle is a member of the violin family and looks like a highly decorated violin, but this is where the similarities end. The Hardanger fiddle is designed to produce a much different sound than a four string violin as it has an additional set of drone strings usually four to five strings that run under the finger board and the centre of the bridge on the instrument. These drone strings are not played but rather vibrate to the harmonic vibrations of the over strings.

Author’s Note: I have taken the information regarding Hellek Haugland from the Souris Valley RM history book. As well I did look up the Kelley Gang and Bloody Knife. Both did exist and although it is not clear Bloody Knife was a member of that particular gang, it is suggested he had an association with Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Bloody, while drunk and shooting up the town of Ambrose N.D. was gunned down by a citizen. Sam Kelley later retired from his life of crime and moved to Saskatchewan in 1909 where he lived out the rest of his life in relative peace.

-- Lindsay Anderson