Thousands of Lithuanians are building their lives in Norway – a country where their children grow up as locals and where Lithuanian identity becomes a matter of choice rather than inheritance. Anthropologist Darius Daukšas described this as a unique Lithuanian diaspora: one evolving without a deep-rooted historical community, meaning identity is being shaped from the ground up.
A second generation of Lithuanians emerges
It’s estimated there are around 4.5 million Lithuanians worldwide, but fewer than two-thirds reside in Lithuania itself. A significant proportion, therefore, live abroad, often as national minorities. One of the newer but rapidly growing communities has taken root in Norway, which accounted for 10% of all Lithuanian emigrants in 2023.
As Daukšas – a researcher at the Ethnology and Anthropology Department of the Lithuanian Institute of History – told LRT Radio, there were only a handful of Lithuanians in Norway between 1992 and 2000. That number rose to around 10,000 by 2004–2010, and by 2017–2020, estimates suggest there were about 40,000 Lithuanians living in the country.
Norway became an attractive destination after 2004, when Lithuania joined the European Union, which granted its citizens the right to work and live in other EU and European Economic Area (EEA) countries – including Norway, which is part of the EEA despite not being an EU member.
Now, a second generation of Lithuanians is growing up in Norway. According to Daukšas, this community differs significantly from older ones, such as those in the United States.
"On the one hand, it’s very interesting, because we’re observing a community forming from zero – unlike, say, in the US or the UK, where older generations are already established, and divisions can emerge over who is more ‘authentically’ Lithuanian. Here, we are witnessing the process from the very beginning," he explained.
Daukšas first visited Norway in 2008. At the time, there were no second-generation Lithuanians – children born and raised there. That has since changed.
"We spoke to a 24-year-old, and half our conversation was in English. Although he identifies as Lithuanian, he likely sees himself more as part of Norway and relates to Norwegian society. He recognises that his parents are Lithuanian and that their homeland is Lithuania, but he is very much situated in Norway," said the anthropologist.
Still, the picture is far from uniform, and much depends on family background. Some second-generation Lithuanians strongly identify with Lithuania. Daukšas says, Lithuanian identity expresses itself in many ways – through festivals, gatherings, singing the national anthem – but most importantly through self-perception.
"This was especially apparent in the early years. People would tell me how they brought potatoes over from Lithuania, because the ones in Norway had too little starch and didn’t work for making cepelinai [potato dumplings stuffed with ground meat – a national Lithuanian dish]. They didn’t even realise that importing potatoes is probably a serious offence in Norway, punishable by hefty fines – but they took the risk just to make the cepelinai," he recalled.
Different models of integration
Daukšas outlined three broad models of integration among Lithuanians in Norway. Some strive to retain their Lithuanian identity, others take a pragmatic view, and a third group aim to assimilate entirely into Norwegian society. He said much of it comes down to how individuals envision their future.
"If you see yourself as staying in Norway, as becoming part of its society – you learn the language, apply for citizenship. That makes it difficult to remain rooted in Lithuania. Your informational environment shifts. You no longer follow the Lithuanian weather or gas prices – your roots are taking hold in Norway," he explained.
Others take the opposite approach – they can describe changes in Lithuania’s gas prices over the last five years or tell you tomorrow’s weather there, even if they don’t know the forecast in Norway. Their motivation prompts reflection on how they see themselves, Daukšas added.
Those who approach identity pragmatically still identify as Lithuanian but recognise they live in another country and seek integration for the sake of a simpler life.
Daukšas pointed out that Norway is a complex society for foreigners to integrate into. While immigration has increased since the 1970s, the situation differs from countries like the UK, which has a longer history of managing cultural diversity.
“It’s hard to imagine truly becoming Norwegian in a way that you’re accepted as one of their own. Even citizenship doesn’t guarantee that level of belonging – the fact that you’re a Norwegian citizen doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be accepted as Norwegian. There’s a division between those who are considered insiders and those who are outsiders,” he explained.
The anthropologist has observed that Lithuanians in Norway are now prouder of their heritage. He recalls being surprised in 2018 when, during a visit, he saw Lithuanian women dressed in traditional national costume taking part in an Independence Day parade.
"I was surprised, because when I first came in 2008, I had the impression that people were ashamed of being Lithuanian. The media often portrayed Lithuanians as criminals, unwelcome, rough around the edges.
A group of Lithuanians published an article in one of Norway’s major newspapers. They were photographed – scientists and professionals – saying: ‘We’re not just criminals and thugs, we’re normal people too,’" Daukšas recounted.
Though he admitted that there is still some lingering shame, he says it has lessened: "It seems to me that things have significantly improved over the past ten years."
A question of power dynamics
More than a decade ago, a scandal erupted in Lithuania over Norwegian authorities removing children from Lithuanian families. There were several such cases. Daukšas suggested that these issues stemmed from poor integration.
"If you’re not part of the society and don’t understand it, these kinds of misunderstandings will inevitably arise," he said.
He stressed that the issue stemmed from differing views on parenting between Lithuanians and Norwegians.
"For a Lithuanian, [it was] very difficult to accept that you must not smack a child. The attitude was: ‘My child – my property.’ That was the Lithuanian mindset," he said, though he added that this is beginning to change.
Miscommunication is also a result of language barriers, with many parents unable to communicate effectively with authorities. "They close themselves off, can’t explain their side, and it becomes a vicious cycle," Daukšas added.
He noted that majority-minority relationships are a universal dynamic and inherently rest on a power imbalance.
"That’s the nature of it – the majority holds power, and the minority must adapt. But I still view this through the lens of integration. If a person is motivated to become part of the society they live in, these problems don’t arise. They learn the rules naturally," Daukšas said.
The number of Lithuanians in Norway has now stabilised. In recent years, the official figure has hovered around 43,000, not including children born to Lithuanian families in Norway. Altogether, the total is estimated at around 50,000.
