THE STORY OF OLOFF ELLEFSEN A scandinavian who settled in Quebec
In 1885, Oloff Ellefsen, a 25 year old norwegian sailor has been at sea for more than 3 years aboard a scandinavian vessel. The ship, filled with sugar from Cuba, is heading towards Saguenay, Quebec to unload its cargo and reload with lumber to return on its final destination: Norway.
As young Oloff enters the Baie des Ha! Ha! he is so taken by the beauty of the fjords (probably so reminiscent of his homeland), he fills an empty barrel with his belongings and jumps ship. Oloff swims for almost 2 miles, reaches the shore and ends up on the Saint-Alphonse beach behind the Maltais family home.
For two days, Oloff hides in one of the Maltais barns. On the third day he is discovered by one of the Maltais sons who invites him into his home where father, Abel Maltais, welcomes him as one of his own.
Oloff becomes the talk of the town. His is a man of stature, a handsome nordic blond, always kind, charitable and smiling. But he only has eyes for Exotipe, one of the Maltais daughters who he eventually marries. They have twelve children and Oloff never leaves their side. He tries twice to return home to Norway, but both times he cannot leave the dock, the Saguenay and his family for fear that he will miss them too much.
Oloff speaks fluent English, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish but he never manages to master French. He makes himself understood in a broken French which adds to his rustic charm. For forty-four years, Oloff works in Saguenay for many different companies up until his death in 1933. Of his twelve children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren the name Ellefsen is now as well known in the Baie des Ha! Ha! as the Tremblays are in Saguenay. This is the story of my great grandfather, a norwegian who fell in love with a Baie, a Maltais and the québécois people, it's a story very dear to my heart.
Oloff Ellefsen inspired this scandinavian café, a place where all are welcome as was Oloff when he first arrived in Saguenay and where the dishes of his homeland are honoured.
Vær saa god!
As young Oloff enters the Baie des Ha! Ha! he is so taken by the beauty of the fjords (probably so reminiscent of his homeland), he fills an empty barrel with his belongings and jumps ship. Oloff swims for almost 2 miles, reaches the shore and ends up on the Saint-Alphonse beach behind the Maltais family home.
For two days, Oloff hides in one of the Maltais barns. On the third day he is discovered by one of the Maltais sons who invites him into his home where father, Abel Maltais, welcomes him as one of his own.
Oloff becomes the talk of the town. His is a man of stature, a handsome nordic blond, always kind, charitable and smiling. But he only has eyes for Exotipe, one of the Maltais daughters who he eventually marries. They have twelve children and Oloff never leaves their side. He tries twice to return home to Norway, but both times he cannot leave the dock, the Saguenay and his family for fear that he will miss them too much.
Oloff speaks fluent English, Norwegian, Swedish and Danish but he never manages to master French. He makes himself understood in a broken French which adds to his rustic charm. For forty-four years, Oloff works in Saguenay for many different companies up until his death in 1933. Of his twelve children, his grandchildren and his great grandchildren the name Ellefsen is now as well known in the Baie des Ha! Ha! as the Tremblays are in Saguenay. This is the story of my great grandfather, a norwegian who fell in love with a Baie, a Maltais and the québécois people, it's a story very dear to my heart.
Oloff Ellefsen inspired this scandinavian café, a place where all are welcome as was Oloff when he first arrived in Saguenay and where the dishes of his homeland are honoured.
Vær saa god!
