Tokke

Tokke kommune
Municipality
View of Dalen and Bandak
Flag Coat of arms Vestfold og Telemark within Norway
Tokke within Vestfold og Telemark
Coordinates: 59°25′2″N7°58′43″E / 59.41722°N 7.97861°E / 59.41722; 7.97861 Coordinates: 59°25′2″N7°58′43″E / 59.41722°N 7.97861°E / 59.41722; 7.97861
Country	Norway
County	Vestfold og Telemark
District	Vest-Telemark
Established	1 Jan 1964
• Preceded by	Lårdal and Mo
Administrative centre	Dalen
Government
• Mayor (2015)	Jarand Felland (Sp)
Area
• Total	984.58 km2 (380.15 sq mi)
• Land	904.64 km2 (349.28 sq mi)
• Water	79.94 km2 (30.87 sq mi)  8.1%
• Rank	#117 in Norway
Population  (2022)
• Total	2,140
• Rank	#271 in Norway
• Density	2.4/km2 (6/sq mi)
• Change (10 years)	−6.4%
Demonyms	Daling, Eidsboring, Lårdøl, Skafsåing, Tokkebu [1]
Official language [2]
•  Norwegian form	Nynorsk
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
ISO 3166 code	NO-3824
Website	Official website
Data from Statistics Norway

Tokke is a municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Vest-Telemark. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Dalen. Other villages in Tokke include Åmdals Verk, Eidsborg, Høydalsmo, Lårdal, and Øvre Byrte. The Eidsborg Stave Church is one of Norway's old stave churches and it is located in Eidsborg, just north of Dalen. ^[3]

The 985-square-kilometre (380 sq mi) municipality is the 117th largest by area out of the 356 municipalities in Norway. Tokke is the 271st most populous municipality in Norway with a population of 2,140. The municipality's population density is 2.4 inhabitants per square kilometre (6.2/sq mi) and its population has decreased by 6.4% over the previous 10-year period. ^{[4] [5]}

General information

Dalen Hotel

Eidsborg stave church

During the 1960s, there were many municipal mergers across Norway due to the work of the Schei Committee. On 1 January 1964, the neighboring municipalities of Lårdal (population: 1,929) and Mo (population: 1,658) were merged to form the new municipality of Tokke. ^[6]

Name

The municipality is named after the local river Tokke (Old Norse : Þotka). The name is related to the name of the lake Totak (from which the river originates). The river name is probably derived from the Old Norse word þot meaning "roaring", "rushing", or "howling". ^[3]

Coat of arms

The coat of arms was granted on 6 February 1987. The official blazon is "Or a bear passant sable" (Norwegian : På gulll grunn ein gåande svart bjørn). This means the arms have a field (background) with a tincture of Or which means it is colored yellow most of the time, but if it is made out of metal, then gold is used. The charge is a bear which is displayed with a tincture of sable which means it is black. The bear symbolizes the rich nature in the forests in the municipality. The bear also plays a major role in many local legends and stories. The arms were designed by Stein Davidsen. ^{[7] [8] [9]}

Churches

The Church of Norway has two parishes (sokn) within the municipality of Tokke. It is part of the Øvre Telemark prosti (deanery) in the Diocese of Agder og Telemark.

Churches in Tokke

Parish (sokn)	Church name	Location of the church	Year built
Eidsborg, Mo, og Skafså	Eidsborg Stave Church	Eidsborg	1200s
	Mo Church	Mo	1839
	Skafså Church	Skafså	1839
Høydalsmo og Lårdal	Høydalsmo Church	Høydalsmo	1747
	Lårdal Church	Lårdal	1831

Geography

Tokke Municipality is located in the Vest-Telemark region. It borders the municipalities of Vinje, Kviteseid, Seljord, Fyresdal (in Telemark) and the municipalities of Valle and Bykle (in Agder). The highest peak is Urdenosi which is 1,520 metres (4,990 ft) above sea level. Other mountains in Tokke including Brandsnutene, Gråsteinsnosi, Sæbyggjenuten, Stølsdalsnutane, and Svolhusgreini. The river Tokke and the lakes Bandak, Botnedalsvatn, and Byrtevatn are all located in the municipality as well.

Government

All municipalities in Norway, including Tokke, are responsible for primary education (through 10th grade), outpatient health services, senior citizen services, welfare and other social services, zoning, economic development, and municipal roads and utilities. The municipality is governed by a municipal council of elected representatives, which in turn elect a mayor. ^[10]

Municipal council

The municipal council (Kommunestyre) of Tokke is made up of 21 representatives that are elected to four year terms. The party breakdown of the municipal council is as follows:

Tokke kommunestyre 2020–2023 ^[11]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	8
	Green Party (Miljøpartiet Dei Grøne)	2
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	9
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		21

Tokke kommunestyre 2016–2019 ^{[12] [13]}   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	9
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	11
Total number of members:		21

Tokke kommunestyre 2012–2015 ^[14]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	10
	Progress Party (Framstegspartiet)	1
	Conservative Party (Høgre)	3
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
Total number of members:		21

Tokke kommunestyre 2008–2011 ^[13]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	8
	Progress Party (Framstegspartiet)	1
	Conservative Party (Høgre)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	9
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
Total number of members:		21

Tokke kommunestyre 2004–2007 ^[13]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	7
	Progress Party (Framstegspartiet)	1
	Conservative Party (Høgre)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	9
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
Total number of members:		21

Tokke kommunestyre 2000–2003 ^{[13] [15]}   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	8
	Conservative Party (Høgre)	1
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	1
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	9
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Cross-party local list (Tverrpolitisk bygdeliste)	1
Total number of members:		21

Tokke kommunestyre 1996–1999 ^[16]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	6
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	10
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høgre) and Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	2
	Cross-party local list (Tverrpolitisk Bygdeliste)	2
Total number of members:		21

Tokke kommunestyre 1992–1995 ^[17]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	7
	Conservative Party (Høgre)	2
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	3
	Joint list of the Centre Party (Senterpartiet) and the Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	7
	Cross-party local list (Tverrpolitisk Bygdeliste)	2
Total number of members:		21

Tokke kommunestyre 1988–1991 ^[18]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	11
	Conservative Party (Høgre)	3
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	3
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Cross-party local list (Tverrpolitisk Bygdeliste)	8
Total number of members:		29

Tokke kommunestyre 1984–1987 ^[19]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	14
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	2
	Joint list of the Conservative Party (Høgre), Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti), and Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	13
Total number of members:		29

Tokke kommunestyre 1980–1983 ^[20]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	15
	Conservative Party (Høgre)	4
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	4
	Cross-party list (Tverrpolitisk liste)	3
Total number of members:		29

Tokke kommunestyre 1976–1979 ^[21]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	16
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	4
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist Left Party (Sosialistisk Venstreparti)	1
	Non-party list (Upolitisk Liste)	2
Total number of members:		29

Tokke kommunestyre 1972–1975 ^[22]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	17
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		29

Tokke kommunestyre 1968–1971 ^[23]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	16
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	3
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	7
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		29

Tokke kommunestyre 1964–1967 ^[24]   

Party Name (in Nynorsk)		Number of representatives
	Labour Party (Arbeidarpartiet)	18
	Christian Democratic Party (Kristeleg Folkeparti)	2
	Centre Party (Senterpartiet)	6
	Socialist People's Party (Sosialistisk Folkeparti)	1
	Liberal Party (Venstre)	2
Total number of members:		29

Mayor

The mayors of Tokke:

• 1964-1971: Gunvald Jupskås
• 1972-1979: Olav K. Tho
• 1980-1984: Gunvald Jupskås
• 1984-1987: Marie Sund
• 1988-1989: Geirmund Skaalen (H)
• 1990-2005: Birger Nygård (Sp)
• 2005-2011: Olav Seltveit Urbø (Sp)
• 2011-2015: Hilde Alice Vågslid (Ap)
• 2015–present: Jarand Felland (Sp)

Notable residents

Talleiv Huvestad, 1814

• Talleiv Huvestad (1761 in Skafså – 1847), a teacher, farmer and politician
• Søren Georg Abel (1772 in Mo – 1820), a Norwegian priest and politician
• Jens Matthias Pram Kaurin (1804 in Lårdal – 1863), a theology professor and Lutheran priest
• Marcus Jacob Monrad (1816–1897), a Norwegian philosopher and academic, grew up in Mo
• Vetle Vislie (1858 in Skafså – 1933), a Norwegian educationalist, writer and politician
• Alf Blütecher (1880 in Lårdal – 1959), a Norwegian actor ^[25]
• Thomas Offenberg Backer (1892 in Mo – 1987), a Norwegian engineer
• Andreas Backer (1895 in Mo – 1975), a Norwegian journalist and newspaper editor
• Anne Grimdalen (1899 in Skafså – 1961), a Norwegian sculptor
• Eivind Groven (1901 in Eidsborg – 1977), a microtonal composer and music-theorist
• Arvid Torgeir Lie (1938 in Skafså – 2020), a Norwegian poet, short story writer and translator
• Lene Vågslid (born 1986 in Tokke), a Norwegian teacher and politician

References

1. "Navn på steder og personer: Innbyggjarnamn" (in Norwegian). Språkrådet.
2. "Forskrift om målvedtak i kommunar og fylkeskommunar" (in Norwegian). Lovdata.no.
3. Nilsen, Jan Erik; Mæhlum, Lars; Lundbo, Sten; Helleve, Eirik, eds. (30 June 2022). "Tokke". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 14 January 2023.
4. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "Table: 06913: Population 1 January and population changes during the calendar year (M)" (in Norwegian).
5. Statistisk sentralbyrå. "09280: Area of land and fresh water (km²) (M)" (in Norwegian).
6. Jukvam, Dag (1999). "Historisk oversikt over endringer i kommune- og fylkesinndelingen" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Statistisk sentralbyrå.
7. "Civic heraldry of Norway - Norske Kommunevåpen". Heraldry of the World. 24 July 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
8. "Godkjenning av våpen og flagg". Lovdata.no (in Norwegian). Norges kommunal- og arbeidsdepartementet. 6 February 1987. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
9. "Tokke, Telemark (Norway)". Flags of the World. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
10. Hansen, Tore; Vabo, Signy Irene, eds. (20 September 2022). "kommunestyre". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Kunnskapsforlaget . Retrieved 14 October 2022.
11. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2019 - Vestfold og Telemark". Valg Direktoratet. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
12. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2015 - Telemark". Valg Direktoratet.
13. "Table: 04813: Members of the local councils, by party/electoral list at the Municipal Council election (M)" (in Norwegian). Statistics Norway.
14. "Tall for Norge: Kommunestyrevalg 2011 - Telemark". Valg Direktoratet.
15. Kommunestyrevalget 1999 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 2000. ISBN   8253748531. ISSN   0332-8023.
16. Kommunestyrevalget 1995 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1996. ISBN   8253743351. ISSN   0332-8023.
17. Kommunestyrevalget 1991 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1993. ISBN   8253737939. ISSN   0332-8023.
18. Kommunestyrevalget 1987 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1988. ISBN   8253726325. ISSN   0332-8023.
19. Kommunestyrevalget 1983 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo-Kongsvinger, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1984. ISBN   8253720378. ISSN   0332-8023.
20. Kommunestyrevalget 1979 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1979. ISBN   8253710836. ISSN   0332-8023.
21. Kommunevalgene 1975 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1977. ISBN   8253705646.
22. Kommunevalgene 1972 (PDF) (in Norwegian). Vol. I. Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1973. ISBN   8253701144.
23. "Kommunevalgene 1967" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1967.
24. "Kommunevalgene 1963" (PDF) (in Norwegian). Oslo, Norge: Statistisk sentralbyrå. 1964.
25. IMDb Database Retrieved 12 November 2020

External links

• Media related to Tokke at Wikimedia Commons
• The dictionary definition of Tokke at Wiktionary
• Telemark travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Municipal fact sheet from Statistics Norway (in Norwegian)
• Description of Tokke