Heimskringla - 03.08.1955, Page 3

WINNIPEG, 3. ÁGÚST 1955
HEIMSXRIHGLA
3. SÍÐA
was sent out first. When one of
íhem fell, (he withdrew from the
contest, but the victor stood his
ground, taking on each succeed-
ing man from the opposing side
until he himself was thrown.
This form of wrestling, which
continued until one side was
entirely vanquished, was called
bændaglíma.
Nor was the glíma restricted
to adults. Shepherd boys from
neigihboring farms, meeting
while tending their sheep, stop-
ped to exchange news and
stories, to erect shepherd’s huts,
to play with leg and knuckle
bones, or to stage a glíma match.
For a good part of the day they
would test eaoh other’s skill or
practise some special ibragð
which they had seen their elders
perform after church or at some
other public gathering. Thus t?he
glíma flourished among the Ice-
landic people from age to age
and was passed on to fihe present
generatiop. It is as much a part
of our heritage as is our history
and our language.
Up to comparatively modern
times, the glíma was kept secret
from foreigners. The first time
an outsider was allowed to
witness it was in 1874, when it
was displayed before King
Christian IX of Denmark at
Þingvellir, the Plains of
Parliament. The turn of the
present century brought morg
activity in promoting the glíma
in an offiicial way.Clubs and
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young men’s societies were form
ed throughout the land, and a
silver belt was offered for the
best wrestler in Iceland. When
the Icelanders emigrated to
America, they brought the glíma
with them. It flourished for a
time in Manitoba, but as the
second generation grew older
the belts were laid away and the
glíma declined. Almost twenty
years ihave elapsed since the
glímabelti, symbolic of the Can-
adian championship, was last
competed for at our annual Ice-
landic Celebration.
Now we are trying to r'evive
the sport, although at the pres-
ent time my group is the only
glíma club on this side of the
Atlantic. At various times, three
men have taught the art to the
boys: Jón Jóhannsson, from
Reykjavík, Iceland; Benedikt
Ólafsson, a champion of some
thirty years ago; and Jens Elías-
son, another old-time champion.
It is through the instruction of
these three men that the boys
have acquired such skill as they
now possess, and I wish they
could be here today to share with
us the hospitality and pleasure
that the people of Spanish Fork
have so generously given.
Youth is often intolerant of
relics from the past, but it has
oft been said that in the remem-
brance of a glorious past both
men and nations find their
noblest inspiration. Each of the
many ethnic groups that make
up the North American con-
tinent has brought special con
tributions from abroad that can
enrich our newer culture. We
should share them. Sport knows
no boundaries; nor do the at-
triibutes of character and manli-
ness which it aspires to promote
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