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Ethnic identity is still strong in North Dakota. Next to Hawaii, there are more people here who can trace their ancestors back to the first settlers than any other place in the United States. Because there was little immigration here after that first wave of settlers, you can still find communities that are largely Norwegian or largely Germans from Russia. Today that's changing. There are new groups of pioneers settling in our area. We are again welcoming people from other parts of the United States and from around the world. Some were recruited for their skills; others are refugees from wars in their homelands. Many native North Dakotans see this immigration as a mixed blessing. We need to replace the people leaving our state, but it also makes us nervous. We fear the unfamiliar. But there IS something very familiar about these new settlers. The way they see this area as full of opportunities, the way they work hard to make sure their children have a better life, and how they start businesses on a shoestring, working day and night. They remind us of our ancestors who came here with not much more than the shirts on their backs, but with huge dreams for the future. |
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