Kirsten and Reidar Bendiksen
The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project
The Working Waterfront Festival Community Documentation Project is an ongoing oral history project documenting the history and culture of the commercial fishing industry and other port trades. The project was begun in 2004 in conjunction with the Working Waterfront Festival, an annual, education celebration of commercial fishing culture which takes place in New Bedford, MA. Interviewees have included a wide range of individuals connected to the commercial fishing industry and/or other aspects of the port through work or familial ties. While the majority of interviewees are from the port of New Bedford, the project has also documented numerous individuals from other ports around the country. Folklorist and Festival Director Laura Orleans and Community Scholar/Associate Director Kirsten Bendiksen are Project Leaders. The original recordings reside at the National Council for the Traditional Arts in Maryland with listening copies housed at the Festival's New Bedford office.
Janice Gadaire Fleuriel
Reidar and Kirsten Bendiksen are a Norwegian couple residing in New Bedford, involved in the gear business, specifically net making and mending. Reidar was born in Norway in 1946 and moved to the United States when he was sixteen. His father was a fisherman who migrated to the US in 1951. Reidar himself held various positions in the fishing industry, including skipper, before transitioning into the gear business. Kirsten, born in New Bedford and raised in Dartmouth, comes from a family with a fishing background. Her father was a fisherman who met her mother on an ocean liner. Her mother was a professional musician and pianist.
Scope and Content Note
The interview with Reidar and Kirsten Bendiksen, conducted by Millie Rahn and transcribed by Janice Gadaire Fleuriel, took place at the New Bedford Harbor Development Commission Office on September 26, 2004. The interview covers a wide range of topics, including Reidar's background in fishing, his transition from skipper to gear business, and the growth of their gear business. Kirsten shares her family background, how her parents met, and their life in New Bedford. The couple also discusses the evolution of fishing technology, regulations, and communications over the years. They share personal anecdotes, such as the birth of their first son, and their experiences and perspectives on the fishing industry. The interview provides valuable insights into the life and work of a fishing family, the evolution of the fishing industry, and the impact of technology and regulations on the industry.
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