Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.08.1980, Síða 3

LÖGBERG-HEIMSKRINGLA, HÁTÍÐARBLAÐ 1980
Einar Arnason
Picnics and Coffee
When our people came
from Iceland to settle on
homestead lands, their
immediate concern was to
establish security of basic
essentials, namely food,
clothing and shelter. Having
achieved their objective of
immediate security, they
quickly began to organize
social gatherings.
Now that summer is here
there are still a number of
us that can recall the
picnics in the Icelandic
settlements in the Lundar
area. Here the Icelandic
language was spoken on all
homestead land without
compensation or legal
niceties but a word of mouth
agreement of an honourable
man in agreement with an
equally honest community.
The events that interested
me and in which I par-
ticipated were mainly two.
First there was a race for
children that were not
mature enough to un-
derstand that it was
competitive. They ran in all
directions, to the frustration
of proud mothers, for which
they received a bag of
candy; the largest single
Horse races, July lst, 1932.
occasions, except in school
rooms or in conversation
with friends from neigh-
bouring non-Icelandic
areas.
Recollections dim with the
passing of time but these
were very pleasant oc-
casions that never fade from
memory. One of the earliest
was a picnic at Markland
Hall. The outing took place
in the open area overlooking
Shoal Lake. The hall itself
nestled in the shelter of the
forward fringe of an ex-
tensive poplar bush. The
scene towards the lake, with
open grassland, gradually
becoming lower until water
gave a silver-like tone rising
again into grassland. The
scene is an area that could
remind one of Hvita in the
Borgafjord area of Iceland,
especially if your gaze
tended towards Borganess,
accepting that the vision of
mountains had been left in
Iceland.
Markland Hall stood on
the land of Bjorn Thor-
steinsson who had come
from the Borgafjord. He
seemed to have a close
affinity to this open area
where he grazed his sheep
and cattle. This was the
scene that probably gave
him the inner satisfaction of
a closeness to his beloved
heritage, Iceland. Only he
would have known that but
his actions spoke for him.
It was his generosity that
allowed the community to
take up space on his
allotment ever experienced
to be stuffed into the mouth
and consumed before a
concerned mother con-
fiscated ■ the lot for future
consumption . and sharing
with sisters, brothers, or
still worse some unknown
kid that happened to be
hanging around.
The other important event
took place at the stand in the
shade of trees, where
chocolate bars, candy, gum,
ice cream and soft drinks
were sold. The ice cream
was made on the spot under
supervision of the women’s
organization, with human
power supplied by men who
turned the container in a tub
of ice liberally strewn with
rock salt. The flavor was
good, and if you stayed with
it time would reward you
with a goodly portion of
these delectable items. Who
can resist a dirty-faced kid
with sticky goo during the
heat of a sunny day at a
country picnic?
In the background was a
brass band, that provided
much appreciated music
that was seldom heard
before the advent of radio or
reasonably reproduced
music on sound recordings
operated by a spring motor
cranked up by hand. The
band members were mainly
of the first Canadian-born
generation. They had a full
range of instruments. Credit
must be given to them as
they overcame the
remoteness of the area
away from musical
guidance. The efforts in
mastering the instruments
must have been con-
siderable.
Other events were field
and track with baseball.
Coffee and baked goodies
were well supplied. These
did not interest the writer,
who had managed to cir-
cumvent close parental
supervision and acquire a
bloated stomach with pains
that could only disappear
with sleep.
Early Manitoba picnic.
darkness with blending of
evening into night. Stars
appeared brighter than
jewels decorating the dome-
like sky above. The peace of
night would be interrupted
by the wagon wheels that
clattered over boulders or
when the horses snorted to
unfamiliar shadows. Home
loomed up late that night
faithfully awaiting our
arrival. A haven of security,
isolated on open ground that
had been cleared out of the
bush by the labour of our
family friend Rev. Albert
Kristjansson. This was his
homestead.

A two passenger Model T Ford Runabout ideal for young
men with matrimonial aspirations during the early 20’s.
As the day came to an
end, we wended our way
home through the bush and
along prairie trails. Our
world was engulfed in

Going to a picnic
On Sundays informal
gatherings would take place
at preferred homes. The
reasons were the warm
hospitality of individual
families that attracted
neighbours without in-
vitation. Usually they were
lively, happy people that
loved the company of neigh-
bours and friends.
During the period of
original settlement no roads
existed not even trails.
Movement was by oxen and
later by horses through
communities that led to well
worn trails which followed
higher ground irrespective
of farmland boundaries. It is
interesting that where the
trails intersected, informal
gatherings took placé. The
warm hospitality seemed to
be a magnet that attracted
neighbours and travellers
with all trails leading to the
favoured farm. On these
occasions local news would
be exchanged, wordly
matters discussed while
young men pitted their
physipal strength against
one another in friendly
competition. It was at these
farms that no neighbour or
traveller regardless of
ethnic background ever
passed by without coffee
includihg baked goodies, or
a meal, or even overnight
accommodation for which
payment was politely
refused. One such place
was the home of Ingiborg
Johnson who was not only
generous but enjoyed lively
discussion on opinions
political, economical or
philosophical, taking on all
and sundry regardless of
sex, stature or position in
life. These were always
friendly but energetic verbal
banters that attracted
visitors from widely scat-
tered sections of the
community.
World War I had ended.
“The Falcons” a hockey
team of fame were exciting
the Icelandic communitiea*
as their prowess led. to
world success and
recognition. They were
Icelanders and that ac-
counted for the joyous
satisfaction their success
brought to our people.
My parents had decided
to move to Hove, 12 miles
east of Oak Point. If you
study the map you will find
the village of Oak Point on
the east shore of Lake
Manitoba, but Hove is no
longer included by the map
makers.
The Hove area organized
itself into having regular
Sunday gatherings during
summer. Tennis was
popular using old fish nets,
regulation nets were
considered too expensive.
Other games were croquet,
horse shoes and scrub
baseball. Coffee, lemonade,
home-made ice cream with
delectables made the day.
Eventually the Sunday
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