SHELBURNE FALLS — If you see folks wearing “red hats of resistance” at the No Kings Day rally this weekend, there’s a strong chance they were made by members of the Shelburne Arts Cooperative.
Co-op member Nancy Baker said the group was inspired to make and sell red knitted hats locally after seeing yarn stores in Minneapolis sharing patterns and making hats inspired by Norwegian hats called “nisselue.” These were worn in resistance during the Nazi occupation of Norway, and became a symbol of community and warmth during dark times.
Proceeds from the co-op’s hat sales will support the Center for New Americans and the Franklin County People’s Fund, and potentially other organizations such as the LUCE Immigrant Justice Network. Sales will also support efforts to assist immigrant families in western Massachusetts with rental income, groceries and legal fees.
“We thought it would be a great way to raise money for immigrant support organizations,” Baker said. “They need a lot of help.”
“Nisselue” directly translates to “Santa hat,” according to the Large Norwegian Encyclopedia. The hats were first popularized in the late 1700s and became a symbol of the nation. The hat is similar to a beanie, but with a braided tassel at the top.
“It’s kind of funky-looking,” Baker said.
When Nazis later occupied the nation, “knitting and Norwegian patterns became part of self-sufficiency and home production, but also a form of protest and a sense of community. Several people used the hat to mark their resistance,” according to the encyclopedia.
“The red hat as a symbol of resistance came from Norway in the 1940s. When they were occupied by the Nazis, they wore red hats to show their opposition,” Baker explained. “After Minneapolis, yarn stores started sharing the pattern and people have been making these hats as their own form of resistance.”
Following reports of aggressive tactics on the part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers in Minneapolis, including the killing of Renee Good, yarn store owners began sharing patterns for the Norwegian hat. The hat has now taken on a new moniker: “the Melt the ICE hat.”
Dozens of hats have been crafted and donated by Shelburne Arts Cooperative members. They are being sold for a suggested donation of $15, although folks can donate more. Baker estimated that so far, sales have risen to between $200 and $300.
“It’s not a lot, but everything helps,” Baker said.
Baker said the hats have been very popular and are selling quickly. The co-op hopes to see a lot of people wearing the hats at the No Kings Day rally in Greenfield on Saturday, March 28, but they will available afterwards, too.
No Kings Day in Greenfield is scheduled from noon to 2 p.m. The event will begin at Beacon Field and will include a march to the Greenfield Common, where there will be speakers, performances and a rally at 1 p.m.
Co-op volunteers are continuing to make hats to fill the basket in their 26 Bridge St. shop.
“They’ve been going out as fast as we’ve been bringing them in,” Baker said. “It’s our way of saying we’re part of this community and we’re gonna do our part to help people.”