"I'm just an old farmer's wife, with no influence in a political and cultural context, but as long as I've lived a Romani family has been a friend of my family.  They have come to stay at our farm from as far back as 1878, as far as I know, when my grandfather and grandmother took over Mellom-Fjeld farm. There was never any trouble, theft or nonsense of any kind. We were friends who helped each other."

"During 1935 to 1936, the ties were particularly strong. Frans Johansen (Lasse Johansen's grandfather) was gravely  ill when he arrived with his Traveller family. He had double-sided pneumonia. They sent for Dr. Løvsgaard. He ordered Frans Johansen to bed and gave him the treatment that was common then. Antibiotics were not yet known, so they used antipyretics, proper drink and rest. Frans did not like to lie in bed with wool blankets, pillow and duvet. He was used to lying on a hard surface."

"He was delirious with fever, wanted to go out, wanted to travel. My parents had to help watch him and keep him still. We had to take care of their kids, which we thought was great. The two oldest boys helped with the forest work; the youngest became our playmates. My mother played the piano, so she played in the evenings and all the kids sang. Perhaps that made them forget their difficult situation for a while. A Romani mother with eight children would have a problem if the husband died. Fortunately, after several weeks he was healthy enough to continue travelling. We have ‘belonged together’ ever since!"