Berte Canutte Aarflot

Berte Canutte Aarflot (3 January 1795 – 29 October 1859) was a Norwegian Christian hymnwriter and author within the Haugean Movement (haugianere).

Personal and early life Berte Canutte Aarflot was born at Årflot, a family farm located in the prestegjeld of Ørsten (now Ørsta Municipality) in Romsdalen county, Norway to Sivert Aarflot (1759–1817) and his wife Gunhild Rasmusdotter Eikrem (1756–1836). The family moved to the village of Ekset in Volda when she was four years old. Berte Canutte gained knowledge of the pietism teachings of Hans Nielsen Hauge as a small child, and around 1800 joined a small circle of Haugeans led by Vebjørn Svendsen in Volda.

Berte Canutte learned writing at home and by maintaining letter correspondence with fellow Haugeans. At the age of twelve, Berte Canutte started writing spiritual hymns. Her father was a newspaper publisher who had set up the first library and printing house in the village. He was impressed by her writings and, in the last years of his life, recommended she publish them for a larger audience.

Later life and death On 7 June 1816, Berte Canutte married Amund Knutsson Hovdenakk (1788-1860), son of farmer Knut Jonsson Hovdenakk (c. 1734–1790) and his wife Mari Eliasdotter Mele (1744–1830).

Legacy The Student Administration Building, with library and auditorium, at Volda University College is named Berte Kanutte Aarflot-bygg in her honour.

Works En gudelskende Siels opbyggelige Sange, 1820 Troens Frugt. En Samling af aandelige Sange; i tvende Dele, 1830 Troens Frugt. En Samling af religiøse Opmuntrings og Opbyggelses-Breve, 1844 Sjælens Morgen- og Aftenoffer. Bønner, Sukke og Sange paa hver Dag i Ugen tilligemed Sange paa de fire Aarets Tider, 1846 Sjælens aandelige Høitidsglæde, indeholdende Bønner og Sange paa de i Aaret indfaldende Høitidsdage, 1853 Leilighedssange, 1853 Religiøse Breve til Opmuntring og Opbyggelse samt Bestyrkelse i Tro, Haab og Kjærlighed, 1853 Smuler til Næring for Livet i Gud. En Samling af Skrifter, 1856–62 Berte Kanutte Siversdatter Aarflots Selvbiografi, indeholdende Optegnelser om hendes aandelige Livsudvikling, tilligemed Sognepræst Wraamanns Tale ved hendes Grav samt nogle Mindesange, 1860 Før ikke udgivne Breve og Sange, utg. ved B. Støylen og H. G. Heggtveit, som del 3 i Berte Kanutte Aarflot. To Livsskildringer, 1893