Lögberg-Heimskringla - 10.09.1977, Síða 2

2
LOGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, LAUGARDAGINN 10. SEPTEMBER 1977
A CENTURY OF ICELANDIC-CANADIAN
NEWSPAPER PUBLICATION
In the wake of the memorable celebrations marking the
centennial of Icelandic settlement in Manitoba comes another
significant anniversary in Icelandic-Canadian history. On
September lOth, 1977, one hundred years will have elapsed
since Framfari, the first Icelandic newspaper in North
America, and one of the first newspapers in fhe Canadian
West, began publication. This year will see Icelandic-Canadian
newspaper publication reach its centennial.
Framfari, Leifur, Heimskringla and Lögberg; these are
the major newspapers whose publication spans this century.
Others, such as Gimlungur, Öldin, Voröld and Baldur, also
made brief appearances. The story of these publications is one
of great vision and ambition, of perseverance and personal
sacrifice, and of co-operation and conflict — political, religious
and personal. It is the story of a century of Icelandic settle-
ment in North America.
The Story Begins with Framfari
The founding of Prentfélag Nýja íslands, the Printing
Company of New Iceland, for the purpose of publishing
Framfari rates among the highest achievements of the Ice-
landic community on this continent. Less than two years after
the beginnings of the fledgling Icelandic reserve on the shore
of Lake Winnipeg, Framfari rolled off the press in a log cabin,
at “Lundi” on the bush clad banks of the Icelandic River. Still
in its initial stages of settlement and reeling from the blow
dealt by the smallpox epidemic of 1876, New Iceland hardly
presented ideal conditions for such a development.
One of the major concerns of those who emigrated from
Iceland to Ameríka, was that they would lose their language
and culture, even their very identity in the North American
milieu. Two things were felt to be necessary in order to
prevént this from happening — a major Icelandic settlement
must be found and an Icelandic language newspaper must be
established. On obtaining exclusive rights to the west shore
of Lake Winnipeg for an Icelandic settlement and with the
arrival of hundreds of immigrants from Iceland, plans for the
newspaper proceeded despite dire poverty and primitive con-
ditions among the settlers. ^
Making the dream of an Icelandic paper a reality under
the circumstances required no small measure of vision and
conviction. It also required a substantial financial outlay. The
bulk of all three came from 25-year-old Sigtryggur Jónasson,
whose natural leadership qualities and untiring efforts on
behalf of the reserve have earned him the title “Father of New
Iceland.” Two other key figures and major shareholders in
Prentfélag Nýja íslands were Jóhann Briem and Friðjón
Friðriksson.
O'nce the major hurdle of raising sufficient capital to
launch the vénture had been cleared, other problems remained
to be solved. A print shop had to be constructed. The printing
press, ordered through séra Jón Bjarnason in Minneapolis, had
to be transported to the remote townsite of “Lundi.” Obtaining
the Icelandic letters, which proved too few on delivery, was
an added chore and expense which caused the publishers delay.
Fortunatly, there was a skilled printer available. Jónas
Jónasson, Sigtryggur’s brother, had learned the trade at
Akureyri before coming to Canada in 1875; Jónas settled at
Fagravík on Hecla Island but moved to Icelandic River in the
spring of 1877 to serve as printer for Prentfélag Nýja íslands.
His assistant was 16-year-old Bergvin Jónsson. The print shop
was located within the newly surveyed townsite of “Lundi,”
now Riverton’s East Side.
The first issue of Framfari is dated September lOth, 1877.
Despite crude conditions and lack of proper facilitiés, the
paper was extremely well printed with hardly so much as a
typographical error, setting a high standard not always met
by successors, even those provided with modern amenities.
Pending Halldór Briem’s arrival as Framfari’s editor,
Sigtryggur Jónasson served in this capacity for the first eight
issues. In addition to comprehensive coverage of national and
world events, Framfari carried news from Iceland and New
Iceland. It also included information to aid the settlers in
adjusting to their new environment as well as discussion of
current issues within the reserve. Much of what is now known
about New Iceland’s early years has been gleaned from the
few surviving volumes of Framfari which are now of inesti-
mable historical value.
I n orcler to keep
the people inl'orined
on (juestions and
events of
the day, he l'ounded
and edited a weekly
newspaper, Framfari.
A þessari mynd sést
minnisvarði um
Sigrtrygrfí Jónasson,
Framfari, however, faced serious problems from the
beginning. The extreme poverty in the settlement was in itself
enough to seal the fate of the venture. Most of the immigrants
simply could not afford the subscription fee of $1.75. As a
result, Framfari was soon operating in the red. That which
proved fatal to the venture, however, and almost to the entire
settlement, was the so-called religious controversy which soon
arose in New Iceland. This issue intesified to the point where
the settlers divided into two hostile factions led by their re-
spective pastors, séra Jón Bjarnason and séra Páll Thorláksson.
Such rifts were to prove characteristic of the Icelandic com-
/munity in years to come. With Framfari supporting séra Jón
Bjarnason and defending New Iceland, séra Páll’s followers
withdrew any support to the paper and initiated an exodus
from the reserve. The last issue of Framfari came out on April
lOth, 1880, published at the expense of Sigtryggur Jónasson.
Leif the Unlucky
Following Framfari’s unfortunate end in 1880, the Ice-
landic immigrants in North America were again without a
newspaper. Not for long, however; that same year saw a
movement underway to establish an Icelandic paper in Win-
nipeg, the booming prairie town soon to becom° the Icélandic
“capital” of North Ámerica. A committee of the Icelandic
community’s leading businessmen formed to make the ar-
rangements and hire an editor. When negotiations with the
prospective editor failed, however, it was decided to postpone
the venture until conditions were more favourable.
One of those involved in these plans was Helgi Jónsson
from Sandfell in Eastern Iceland. Undaunted by Framfari’s
financial failure and the decision of the others to wait, this
young businessman, his pockets lined with boom-town money,
forged ahead on his own and established a newspaper at his
own expense. He named it Leifur, in honour of Leifur Eiríks-
son “the Lucky.”
The first issue of Leifur appeared on May 5th, 1833. It was
a four-page weekly, comparable. in size to Framfari, and cost
$2.00 per year. Public reaction was mixed. Despite the general
enthusiasm is generated, Leifur also met with pessimism and
negative criticism which persisted and intensified until the
paper was forced to fold just over three years later.
Leifur’s shortcomings were recognized not only by Helgi
Jónsson’s quick-to-react opponents, who, because of Leifur’s
unpolished written style and poor typographical appearance,
labeled the publication a discredit to the Icelandic community,
but also by the venture’s supporters, who at the same time
recognized that the paper did, after all, serve its purpose.
Perhaps most conscious of these shortcomings was Helgi
Jónsson himself, who, as editor and publisher, keenly felt his
own lack of education and experience. Negotiations for an
editor and Framfari’s printers had failed, however, and if the
paper was to be published at all, it would have to begin some-
where. Leifur begged the indulgence of the public and
promised improvements.
With the dogged determination and financial backing of
Helgi Jónsson, Leifur might well have proven a success had
it not been for the antagonism of opponents and Helgi’s
handling of their criticism. Embittered by the abuse showered
on Leifur, Helgi reacted by publishing scathing, arrogant per-
sonal attacks on his critics. Such demoralizing personal con-
troversy in the paper’s columns only served to tarnish Leifur’s
name, dampening the general public’s enthusiasm and
strengthening opposition,
Eventually Leifur met with the same fate as Framfari.
Faced with financial ruination, Helgi Jónsson was forced to
call a halt to publication after weathering three turbulent
years. The last issue of Leifur is dated June 4th, 1886.
Despite what can be said about Leifur’s literary and
typographical quality, this publication is invaluable as exactly
what it was intended to be, a newspaper, a record of the
contemporary Icelandic community. Leifur carried many
informative articles and newsletters from the various settle-
ments as well as original poetic contributions and biographical
material.
Helgi Jónsson demonstrated vision and strength of con-
viction in founding and financing Leifur in the face of past
failure, present opposition and future uncertainty. Without
Leifur, the gap between Framfari and the next publication,
Heimskringla, would be unbridged.
Heimskringla — the Orb of the World
Despite the financial failures of Framfari and Leifur, it
was not long before the Icelandic community once again had
a newspaper. Heimskringla, still published in Winnipeg today,