Lögberg-Heimskringla - 08.04.2005, Blaðsíða 6

Lögberg-Heimskringla - 08.04.2005, Blaðsíða 6
6 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • Friday 8 April 2005 The mainly Icelandic community of Mozart, SK is the only place in the world named after the famous composer. Postmistress Jean Halldorson has her own frank, and people from all over the world mail their envelopes to have them postmarked from Mozart. The town of 20 holds an annual First Day of Summer. Vatnabyggð Club keeps busy Joan Eyolfson Cadham Foam Lake, SK The Vatnabyggð Icelandic Club of Saskatchewan Inc. was founded on May 31, 1981. The name, meaning “Lakes Settlement,” was chosen to rep- resent the Quill Lakes, Foam Lake and Fishing Lake. Club members organized an annual þorrablót in the hall in Elfros, celebrated Indepen- dence Day with a picnic and held Icelandic food sales in December. The money raised was saved for one purpose, to erect a memorial honour- ing Icelandic pioneers. There was no such marker anywhere in Saskatchewan. The dream came true on July 11, 1998, when the statue and history board were officially unveiled. Þorrablót outgrew the Elf- ros hall and moved to the Wyn- yard Civic Centre. In 2002, at the Club’s 21 st þorrablót, Vatnabyggð initiated a new policy of altemating þorrablót between Foam Lake and Wyrí- yard, with the June picnic held in Elfros, near the statue. In 1999, the club played host to President Ólafur Rag- nar Grímsson, his daughter, Dalla Ólafsdóttir and an Ice- landic delegation. In 2000, the club celebrated the millennium with a tour by puppeteer Hall- veig Thorlacius who came from Iceland with her story apron, and the Gudridur Saga, Brynja Benediktsdóttir’s one-woman show performed in English by Tristan Gribbin. Svavar Gests- son was the special þorrablót guest, bringing with him 30 sets of presentation Sagas for the club to distribute to schools and libraries. Over the next five years, club members hosted Icelan- dic fashion designer Friður Ólafsdottir, Guitar Islancio accompanied by Richard Gil- lis, whose background is from- Vatnabyggð, mezzo soprano Ingveldur Ýr Jónsdóttir accom- panied by pianist Guðríður St. Sigurðardóttir, and the choir Skagfirska söngsveitin í Reyk- javík. By now, the non-lcelan- dic community in Vatnabyggð realized that the Icelandic events were worth attending. Club members spread the word that “you don’t have to be Icelandic to have fun with us.” This is most notice- able at the soon-to-be-famous Vatnabyggð Annual Golf Toumament, held first in 1998 on the weekend of the statue unveiling. The toumament has become one of the most popu- lar golfing events in the area. Meanwhile, the club pro- file was raised by providing a winning float in Foam Lake’s 75th anniversary parade and, in 2003, by winning the first ever Quill Plains Regional Recreation Association heri- tage award, for the pioneer memorial. Club members distribute Saga sets to communities with Icelandic links, careful to en- sure press coverage. They supply artifacts, food samples and personnel fór displays in schools and libraries across Vatnabyggð and as far away as Regina. The Vatnabyggð Icelan- dic choir, under the direction of Gunni Goodman, who also translates songs for the group, performs at þorrablót and oth- er events. The Vatnabyggð Ice- landic dancers have regrouped and are performing again. The local teller of Icelandic leg- ends and fables performs in schools and libraries. Shirley- Ann Laxdal and Yolanda Gis- lason provided the Icelandic square for “Invitation — the Quilt of Belonging,” a project that includes a square repre- senting every ethnic group in Canada. The quilt is hanging in the Museum of Man in Ot- tawa. Now that the club has the pioneer memorial completed, with a set of three murals by lo- cal artist Kevin Meers, graphi- cally depicting the move from Iceland to Vatnabyggð, the Club does not have an immedi- ate major project. However, as members of the Multicultural Council of Saskatchewan, Club members are dedicated to working to promote the impor- tance and advantages of a tol- erant and understanding multi- racial society. Visit us on the web at http://www.lh-inc.ca

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