The Malady of Emigrants: Homesickness and Longing in the Colony of New Sweden (1638-1655)
(2013) p.165-177- Abstract
- This chapter explores homesickness of the Swedish colonial employees in the settlement of New Sweden and pays attention to the potential role of material culture in instigating feelings of longing.
In the seventeenth century, in the age of wars fought far from home, colonial expansion and transoceanic resettlements, homesickness became a considerable social problem. In 1688, Johannes Hofer, a Swiss student of medicine described it as a psycho-somatic condition caused by inability to adjust to the life after relocation. Homesickness, or nostalgia, was to him “the sad mood originating from the desire for return to one’s native land”. Homesickness was a common malady in colonial America and one of the causes of return migration. It... (More) - This chapter explores homesickness of the Swedish colonial employees in the settlement of New Sweden and pays attention to the potential role of material culture in instigating feelings of longing.
In the seventeenth century, in the age of wars fought far from home, colonial expansion and transoceanic resettlements, homesickness became a considerable social problem. In 1688, Johannes Hofer, a Swiss student of medicine described it as a psycho-somatic condition caused by inability to adjust to the life after relocation. Homesickness, or nostalgia, was to him “the sad mood originating from the desire for return to one’s native land”. Homesickness was a common malady in colonial America and one of the causes of return migration. It did not spare those employed in the colony of New Sweden, including Johan Printz, one of its governors. The governor’s letters and reports sent to Sweden provide insights into dissatisfaction with the life in the colony and desperate longing to return home. In case of governor Printz and his employees, nostalgic feelings might have been instigated by the interactions with objects brought from home. Already Hofer observed that those feeling homesick “are moved by small external objects and nothing creates a stronger impression than the desire recalling the homeland”. These connections between fantasies about home and materials that bring them about are explored and theorized about in this chapter. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/3633864
- author
- Naum, Magdalena LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2013
- type
- Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- New Sweden, homesickness, migration, Johan Printz, material culture
- host publication
- Archaeologies of Mobility and Movement
- editor
- Beaudry, Mary C. and Parno, Travis G.
- pages
- 165 - 177
- publisher
- Springer
- ISSN
- 1574-0439
- ISBN
- 9781461462101
- project
- Sweden in the Delaware valley. Everyday life and identities in the seventeenth century colony of New Sweden
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 4b00d440-f2ae-4bf9-80df-b112f1dc3b62 (old id 3633864)
- date added to LUP
- 2016-04-01 14:08:52
- date last changed
- 2018-11-21 20:23:59
@inbook{4b00d440-f2ae-4bf9-80df-b112f1dc3b62,
abstract = {{This chapter explores homesickness of the Swedish colonial employees in the settlement of New Sweden and pays attention to the potential role of material culture in instigating feelings of longing.<br/><br>
In the seventeenth century, in the age of wars fought far from home, colonial expansion and transoceanic resettlements, homesickness became a considerable social problem. In 1688, Johannes Hofer, a Swiss student of medicine described it as a psycho-somatic condition caused by inability to adjust to the life after relocation. Homesickness, or nostalgia, was to him “the sad mood originating from the desire for return to one’s native land”. Homesickness was a common malady in colonial America and one of the causes of return migration. It did not spare those employed in the colony of New Sweden, including Johan Printz, one of its governors. The governor’s letters and reports sent to Sweden provide insights into dissatisfaction with the life in the colony and desperate longing to return home. In case of governor Printz and his employees, nostalgic feelings might have been instigated by the interactions with objects brought from home. Already Hofer observed that those feeling homesick “are moved by small external objects and nothing creates a stronger impression than the desire recalling the homeland”. These connections between fantasies about home and materials that bring them about are explored and theorized about in this chapter.}},
author = {{Naum, Magdalena}},
booktitle = {{Archaeologies of Mobility and Movement}},
editor = {{Beaudry, Mary C. and Parno, Travis G.}},
isbn = {{9781461462101}},
issn = {{1574-0439}},
keywords = {{New Sweden; homesickness; migration; Johan Printz; material culture}},
language = {{eng}},
pages = {{165--177}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
title = {{The Malady of Emigrants: Homesickness and Longing in the Colony of New Sweden (1638-1655)}},
year = {{2013}},
}