Joralf Gjerstad

Joralf Gjerstad (born 11 April 1926) is a Norwegian self identified psychic and faith healer. He was born in Snåsa and is known as "the man with warm hands", "Snåsamannen" (Snåsa Man) or locally "Snåsakaill’n".

Joralf Gjerstad

Joralf Gjerstad claims that his ability to heal people comes from his Christian faith, and that he is not the only one in his family with psychic powers. A biography about him written by Ingar Sletten Kolloen that was published in 2008 became a bestseller in Norway.[1]

Gjerstad worked as a control assistant at a dairy farm for 25 years and for the Snåsa church for 16 years. He has written several local history books together with many biographies. He has also worked as a local politician and served as the deputy mayor for the Labor Party in Snåsa.

He is one of the main founders of “Marthe and Joralf’s help fund”, which funds organizations that arrange outdoor events for people with disabilities in Nord-Trøndelag. Gjerstad has also collected a lot of information on the emigration from Snåsa to America. The connection between Snåsa and St. Olaf College in Minnesota (where one of the founders, Bernt Julius Muus, came from Snåsa) was established through him.

He received the King’s medal of Merit in silver in 2001 and a documentary “Kjenner du varmen?” about his abilities was made by and shown on NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation)[2] in 2006. In honor of his good work, the Gjerstad Foundation decided to renovate his childhood home and it is now turned into a museum. There is also a museum with information about Joralf and his life located at Snåsa Hotel.

He has refused to be tested by ‘scientists and other experts’.[3] Prominent Norwegian scientists and researchers have expressed scepticism over his claims and the uncritical coverage of him in the Norwegian press.[4] Leading sceptic James Randi offered Gjerstad a million dollar prize if he could demonstrate his abilities under controlled conditions.[5]

Literature
  • Joralf Gjerstad: Snåsninger og andre nordmenn i Vesterled, 1998, ISBN 82-994825-1-8
  • Joralf Gjerstad: Det godes vilje: minner fra liv og virke, 2004, ISBN 978-82-92305-07-2
  • Joralf Gjerstad: Å stå i lyset, 2006, ISBN 978-82-92577-17-2
  • Ingar Sletten Kolloen: Snåsamannen, 2008

References
  1. Cathrine Krøger: Seeren fra Snåsa Dagbladet, 20 October, 2008 (in Norwegian)
  2. Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation Archived 2009-01-13 at the Wayback Machine
  3. Article in Trønderavisa. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-16. Retrieved 2010-08-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) (16 August 2010)(In Norwegian only)
  4. Heidi Borud & Marius Dalseg Sætre (13 Mar 2013), Går til kraftig angrep på alternativ medisin, Aftenposten
  5. Skeptiker utfordrer Snåsamannen, NRK, 18 Mar 2011


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