Lögberg-Heimskringla - 02.07.1999, Blaðsíða 1

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1 1 l : Heimskringla rhe lcelandic Weekly .ögberg Stofnaö 14. januar 1888 Heimskringla Stofnaö 9. september 1886 ^
Inside this week:
10Oth lcelandic Celebration
in Mounatain, ND 2
Memoirs of Guðmundur Jónsson
from Húsey 4
Rescue from Grampa Woo 5
Children’s Corner 6
The lcelanders of Kinmount 7
Calendar of Events 8
“The oldest ethnic periodical still publishing in Canada”
113. Árgangur Canadian Publications Agreement no. 1402161 Föstudagur 2. júli 1999 Númer 24
113th year Publications Mail registration no. 08000 Friday 2 July 1999 Number 24
Manitobans celebrate Iceland’s Independence Day
As the statue of President Jón looms in the background, Lieutenant Governor Peter M. Liba (left), Minister ofHealth Eric
Stefanson, and Consul Svavar Gestsson prepare for the June 17 ceremony.________________________phow: Jón Einars. Gustafsson
G. Isfeld
The somber, dignified ceremony
at the Jón Sigurðsson statue at
the Manitoba Legislative
grounds has'become an annual event.
This time marked the fifty-fifth anniver-
sary of Iceland’s Independence Day.
This is a very meaningful celebration to
Icelanders bom in Iceland as well as
Canadians of Icelandic descent. This
time we enjoyed exceptionally good
weather with temperature in the mid
twenties and a light breeze blowing.
At 7:00 p.m., the procession of dig-
nitaries and visitors walked from the
Legislative Building, led by the
Honourable Peter M. Liba, Lieutenant
Govemor of Manitoba, the Fjallkona,
Helga Anderson, her attendants, and
flag-bearers. The group gathered at the
Jón Sigurðsson statue where addresses
were given and greetings brought by the
Honourable Peter M. Liba, Lieutentant
General of Manitoba; the Honourable
Eric Stefansson, Minister of Health,
Government of Manitoba; John
Harvard, Member of Parliament,
Charleswood-Assiniboine; Svavar
Gestsson, Consul General of Iceland in
Canada, and Special Envoy for
Millennium Affairs; Lillian Thomas,
Deputy Mayor, City of Winnipeg; Neil
Bardal, Honorary Consul General of
Iceland in Gimli, who acted as Master
of Ceremonies; Lorna Cowan,
President, Provincial Chapter of
Manitoba IODE; and Shirley
McCreedy, Regent, Jón Sigurðsson
Chapter IODE.
Mr. Neil Bardal introduced repre-
sentatives of Icelandic organizations in
Manitoba and this was followed by the
laying of a wreath at the Jón Sigurðsson
statue by the Fjallkona, Helga
Anderson, and her attendants Lara
Amason and Jennifer Rebillard.
The ceremony at the statue was fol-
lowed by a reception and program at the
Nordic House of Canada on Erin Street.
The reception was well attended with
the lower auditorium of the Nordic
House nearly filled to capacity. Their
honours, Peter M. Liba and Mrs.
Shirley Liba, and the Fjallkona, Helga
Anderson, were honoured guests.
Speeches were given by David
Gislason, Chairman of the Millennium
125 Commission, who gave an
overview and progress report of millen-
nium events sponsored by the commis-
sion; Harley Jonasson, Vice President
of the lcelandic Festival of Manitoba;
Sigrid Johnson, First Vice President,
Icelandic National League; and Dr. Ken
Thorlakson, Chairman, VIP
Millennium Committee.
The Frón women served refresh-
ments and the evening ended with a
sing-song of Icelandic and Canadian
songs.
Please see also Enduring on page 3
lcelandic News
Keiko free
in late summer
KEIKO STILL HAS MUCII TO LEARN
when it comes to fending for him-
self ín the pen at Klettsvík, Westman
Islands. His trainers have had to change
their methods in order to wean him off
the luxury life he is used to. Hallur
Hallsson, a spokesman for the Keiko
Foundation in Iceland said in an inter-
view with Morgunblaöið that the aim is
to stretch a net from Klettsvík to
Heimaey in late sumnter and free Keiko
from his pen.
The Sunday Times reports that
Keiko's trainers had decided last month
to discipline Keiko. His interaclions
with people will be scaled down until
he has shown that he can fend for him-
self. Keiko has now spent about seven
months in the pen at Klettsvík where he
is being prepared to live free in the sea;
bnt the Keiko Foundation plans to let
him loose from the pen.
“Keiko is leaving the hunian world.
He has been a pet for twenty years.
Through that time he has leamed to
behave more like a killer whale and has
staycd longer below the surface. His
interactions with his trainers have been
scaled down," said Haliur.
The Sunday Times reported that
Robin Friday, one of Keiko's trainers,
had said that freedom for Keiko does
not seem realistic as he has had too
much human attention. The paper
reported that Keiko’s trainers will dis-
continue rubbing his skin and they have
been advised to avoid looking him in
the eyes or rewarding him for perform-
ing tricks.
Keiko now receives his food
through pipes, pumped into the pen.
Earlier Keiko had shown little interest
in hunting for his food when 200
salmon were let loose in his pen. The
paper quoted whale specialist Mark
Cawardine, saying that there were no
examples of successfully training a
lcelandic News continúes on page 2
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