Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.08.1978, Blaðsíða 12

LOGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, IIATIÐARBLAÐ AGUST 1978
12
lcelandic Centenniaf
We are pleased to print below excerpts from two speeches
made recently in connection with the celebration of two Icelandic
events: the Centennial of Icelandic settlement at Mountain, North
Dakota, held June 30 to July 2 and the celebration in Seattle of
Iceland’s National Day on June 17.
Rev. Harald S. Sigmar spoke to the almost 5,000 members of
the audience during the Centennial program at Mountain on July 1.
Detailing the growth of the Icelandic settlements in the area and
the events of the 50th anniversary celebrations in 1928, Rev. Sigmar
went on to discuss more fully the reason behind this year’s Cen-
tennial celebration.
Rev. Sigmar’s wife, Ethel, was the Fjallkona at the special
June 17 program sponsored by the Icelandic Club of Greater
Seattle. Her toast to Iceland’s independence was very well received
by those attending the program.
CELEBRATION
“Fifty years ago a letter was
read to a similar gathering here in
Mountain. It was written by one of
the pioneer children of the area
who was unable to attend, but
wanted to share his well wishes
with the Jubilee gathering. I quote:
“ . . . because of the march of time
and the process of fusion of racial
elements unceasingly at work in
this country, a gathering similar to
this one can never take place
again. Because not only will all of
the pioneers be gone in another
fifty years, but our descendants
will probably by that time have
lost interest in their racial origin.”
Practical and logical as was his
reasoning, and accurate as were
some of his assumptions, it is ob-
vious that his prophecy did not
transpire.
“America has been a haven for
a multiplicity of colonies from all
over the world — a new land of
transplanted nationalities and cul-
tures. It has also been a “melting
pot,” blending many of the ele-
ments that compose her population
into a new and vital nation. But
since it takes time for a rich and
deep culture to evolve, it is fortu-
nate that America has also been a
mosaic of a wide variety of ethnic
groups, each contributing richly to
the fabric of the entire society,
without having to diminish the
uniqueness of e a c h component
part.
“I thank God that unity and in-
dividuality are not mutually ex-
clusive.
“I am deeply grateful for this
opportunity to affirm my heritage
and join with this great gathering
to enjoy this occasion. I pray that
we may be thus encouraged to face
the unknown future with the faith
and fortitude that characterized
the pioneers and their successors
whom we honour today . . .
“It is indeed appropriate that the
Lutheran Parish is sponsoring this
Centennial since the founding of
this Icelandic settlement was a pil-
grimage and an act of faith. While
the immediate motivation was sur-
vival, the underlying conviction
was that “man cannot live by
bread alone, but by the Word of
God.” For mere existence does not
vindicate struggle and suffering
such as the pioneers knew . . .
&..................................
SPEECHES
“During the entire history of this
area its finest product has been a
crop of good people. Some have
remained here for their entire life-
time, devoting themselves to the
world’s primary occupation. Agri-
culture, which has always been of
basic importance to humanity, has
gained unprecedented recognition
in our growing, hungry world. The
very future of the human enter-
prise rests heavily upon the science
and industry of food production.. .
“The pioneers who founded this
and other parts of our nation had
their eye on the future and the
well being of posterity because of
the hopeless poverty of their pres-
ent. We are the ones that they
lived and died for. But we, on the
other hand, seem to be locked in
to a false prosperity that mort-
gages the future of our grandchil-
dren and sells their birthright of
freedom and security for a materi-
alistic “mess of pottage.”
“Our “here and now” generation
has tended to lose its interest in
history. In forfeiting the past, we
have excluded the future dimen-
sion from our experience. It is out
of such a sense of being disinherit-
ed that the current interest in an-
tiques, nostalgia and a frantic
searching for our roots is motivat-
ed. The need to rediscover our past
points to the rootlessness that
plagues our present.
“Nostalgia only appears to be a
longing to relive the “good old
days.” But who really wants to go
back to pioneer privation or the
imprisonment of depression? Nos-
talgia is actually a longing for the
hopes and dreams of a day gone
by-
“We gather herevtoday frpm di-
verse directions and a multitude of
perspectives. This pilgrimage into
the past has brought us together
once again. For many of us, Moun-
tain is “home” now, only in the
sense in which the pioneers refer-
red to the land of their dreams
(draumalandið) as back home in
Iceland (heima á íslandi). But
there is authentic feeling in such
expressions, for home is where the
heart is, not confined to one
locality ...
“We have assembled to express
our thanks to the Icelandic Pio-
neers who broke this ground and
cultivated a homeland here; with-
out their struggles unto death, we
0
would not be able to celebrate life.
We have come here to rediscover
our past and thus regain our sight-
ings for the present. We have gath-
ered together to renew our com-
mon inheritance along with ties
of family and friendship, to be
strengthened in spirit so that we
can better find and fulfill our des-
tiny. We have responded with the
faith of our fathers and mothers to
the calling of the Christian Church
through this Lutheran parish, to
celebrate with those who have al-
ready gone beyond us in that con-
tinuing procession to which we all
belong. We have met to welcome
the future and those of our com-
pany who are yet to arrive. And
having been refreshed through this
experience with the “Communion
of Saints,” our pioneer parents and
their children, we shall return to
whatever place and task to which
we now belong daring to dream
once more.”
EXCERPT FROM ETHEL SIGMAR'S ADDRESS
JUNE 17, SEATTLE
“I greet you the people of my
land. I welcome you in the spirit
of hospitality that is part of your
experience. The children of Ice-
landic heritage share the traditions
of your roots with those of other
cultures who have enriched your
lives. They have entered your cir-
cle of friendship through marriage,
through birth or adoption. As a
symbol of Iceland, I also extend to
you a welcome and an invitation
to join in the celebration of our
freedom.
“Tonight you celebrate Iceland’s
freedom. The American dream is
based on the desire for freedom •
that brought people to this country
over three centuries ago. The chil-
dren of your country sought liber-
ation when they sailed from Nor-
way’s fjords, setting out in un-
charted waters. These sea roving
Vikings h a d an unquenchable
thirst for freedom. But they did
not discover the longed for liberty
until they settled down to develop
community life.
“It was upon a frosty, fiery vol-
canic island that touches Arctic
waters that my children started
building a homeland over eleven
hundred years ago. Out of the fires
of struggle and suffering, they
forged a spiritual freedom that
made them a truly independent
people. Liberty without limitation
is an illusion. Only in community
can freedom be generated and sus-
tained.
“In family and friendship groups
you honour the tradition of free-
dom and community. You have
carried the spirit of your ancestors
through your history into your
present . . .
“Tonight you are gathered to-
gether to relish the food of your
forefathers, to enjoy the beautiful
music of your culture, to affirm
your history and tradition and to
rejoice in the uniqueness of your
heritage.
“As children of a rich inherit-
ance you honour and respect the
K
past, you will carry the richness of
that past into your future and to-
night you celebrate your freedom
to enjoy liberty, loyalty and love.
“Your past is rooted in a land
noted for its poetry. Much good
verse has been written in appre-
ciation of nature. On your small
island you were isolated from the
rest of the world for centuries and
had to depend on your ingenuity
in battling a harsh nature for your
survival, for your seas are rough,
your summers are short and your
land not conducive to growing
many crops. In earlier days sur-
vival was difficult.
“The joy of my people in spring
and summer is in contrast to the
more difficult days of “Skandegi,”
namely the short, dark days of
winter. In the spring freedom is
celebrated anew — freedom from
darkness, freedom to plant, free-
dom to enjoy the mountains and
rivers, and freedom to celebrate.
“ . . . may we celebrate each
other’s presence and mother na-
ture’s gifts which bless you. The
basic truth you will hear if you
listen deeply to nature and to cre-
ation is that you are meant to be
fulfilled and free — as nations, as
communities and as persons.”