Lögberg-Heimskringla - 07.07.1989, Blaðsíða 4

4-FOSTUDAGUR 7. JULI 1989
Hecla and Gimli
Gimli harbour, yacht, marina.
We in Manitoba think that every-
one is familiar with Hecla Island,
Gimli and the íslendingadagurinn
(Icelandic Festival). That is not neces-
sarily true. Recently, Lögberg-
Heimskringla has received many in-
quiries about the íslendingadagurinn
from people throughout the country
who wish to attend, but do not have
adequate information. Perhaps the
publication of this article may be of
some assistance.
An Icelandic isle on Lake
Winnipeg
By Helga Loverseed
Ever since the day of the Vikings,
Icelanders have been known for their
love of exploring and for their abili-
ty to survive in wild, remote places.
The Icelandic-born son of Erik the
Red, Leif Eriksson, is said to have
sailed to North America where he
founded a settlement, at l'Anse Aux
Meadows, in Newfoundland. But
even he would have been daunted by
the gruelling journey undertaken by
Icelandic pioneers in 1875. In that
year, 285 settlers left Iceland for the
hinterland of Manitoba — a trip that
made a long ship crossing of the At-
lantic seem easy by comparison.
The Icelandic settlers were no
strangers to hardship. They had been
forced from their homeland by the
eruption of Mount Hekla. The vol-
cano had spewed molten lava eight
centimetres thick, over a huge area
— 6475 square kilometres — burying
villages and driving people from the
land. To make matters worse, fish
stocks had declined and disease had
ravaged the Icelanders' meagre
flocks of sheep. Those factors, cou-
pled with growing discontent with
rule from Denmark, sent farmers and
fishermen searching for a land where
they could start all over again.
These Icelanders were used to
roughing it, but even they were
cowed by the harsh wilderness they
had to cross to get to their chosen
country. Their destination was a
place they would call Gimli on the
western shore of Lake Winnipeg.
They had to travel from Quebec, by
lake and by river and it took them
weeks to get there. Unsanitary con-
ditions on crowded steamboats
almost finished them off. Many of
the settlers became ill. More than 30
died, most of them infants.
Given that they had to endure such
a daunting journey, it's a wonder any
of them wanted to stay. It's odd too,
that they named their new settlement
Gimli. In Icelandic, Gimli means
''Home of the Gods" (a statue of a
Viking, embellished with that slogan,
was erected on the corner of Second
Avenue and First Street South during
centennial year).
But to people who came from an
even harsher land, with a merciless
climate and sparse, unyielding soil,
Gimli must indeed have seemed a
paradise. The settlers found a lake
teeming with fish, abundant wildlife,
rich, fertile earth and forests full of
lumber — a plentiful supply of every-
thing a fledgling colony required.
Gimli was set up as a self-
governing community, the only one
of its kind in Canada. The govern-
ment had given Icelanders a huge
tract of land that inclued Mikley Is-
land (later called Hecla) and for 12
years, New Iceland, as it was called,
had its own constitution.
The fiercely independent
Icelanders gradually carved a living
out of the wilderness, but they
quarelled among themselves (that
Viking blood again) and many fami-
lies moved farther afield to North
Dakota and other parts of Manitoba.
The dream of an independent Iceland
died. By 1881, the colony was assimi-
lated with the rest of the province.
Gimli today still treasures its
Icelandic past. Although it's home to
only 2000 people, it’s the largest com-
munity of Icelanders outside Iceland.
The Icelandic flag (a red, white and
blue banner that looks like the Nor-
wegian flag in reverse) flies from
several homes and shops, and busi-
nesses are run by families whose
names are Magnusson, Karvaldsson
and Sigurgeirsson. Many of the locals
speak Icelandic, a language similar to
Old Norse. One shopkeeper told me
that his student son was honing his
linguistic skills by spending summer
in Reyjavík.
Every summer, during the long Au-
gust weekend (Aug. 5 to 7), residents
celebrate their heritage with íslendin-
gadagurinn — the Icelandic Festival.
People in traditional dress, presided
over by the Fjallkona (Maid of the
Mountain) stage plays, poetry read-
ings and concerts. Boat races, dances
and carnival rides are also part of the
celebrations. Visitors can sample
such Icelandic food as pönnukökur
Continued on Page 5
Icelandic Festival Art Exhibit
It is with pleasure again that we invite you to submit your art works
to the 21st Annual Juried Art Exhibition to be held at Gimli, Manitoba
on August 5, 6, 7, 1989 (3 days).
Awards will be made for outstanding works from various art forms,
paintings, pottery, ceramics and sculpture, etc. We acknowledge In-
vestors Syndicate Limited for their contribution to help make these
awards possible.
1
Artists must
descent.
be of Icelandic
6. Paintings must be suitably
framed, ready for hanging,
with wire kept back one inch
from top of frame.
7. No work will be removed from
the show before 6:00 p.m.,
Monday, August 7.
8. There will be a 15% Commis-
sion charged on any works sold
at the Festival.
9. This entry form must be filled
in and returned to the follow-
ing address not later than July
30, 1989.
Icelandic Festival Art Show
24 Mossdale Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R2K 0H3
We are hosting the Art Show this year at the George Johnson School
Gymnasium, Third Avenue, Gimli, Manitoba.
Value for
No. Title of Work Medium Price Insur, Purposes
2. All work submitted must be the
original and unaided work of
the artist, not previously ex-
hibited at íslendingadagurinn.
3. Participants may submit three
works.
4. All works must be delivered to
Tergesen's General Store, Box
1818, Gimli, MB R0C 1B0, no
later than 4:00 p.m., Thurs-
day, August 3, 1989.
5. A label with name, address, ti-
tle must be attached.
1.
Artist's Name (Surname First)_
Address _____________________________
Phone No.
Postal Code_
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