Lögberg-Heimskringla - 24.05.1985, Page 2

2-WINNIPEG, FÖSTUDAGUR 24. MAÍ 1985
Tales My Amma Told Me
By Indiana Sigurdson as told to
Thora (Jakobson) Dclaguis.
THE CLIFF
There was a little boy who had lost
his mother. His father and he lived
alone in a shack. The father had a
few sheep and he sent the boy to get
the sheep into the pen at night to save
them from the foxes. The foxes go
after the new lambs especially
because they are very tender.
Once when he was trying to get the
sheep in, he heard a lamb crying like
a baby and the ewe bleating and cry-
ing. The lamb had fallen off a cliff.
He soon forgot everything but to get
to that lamb. He went very slowly
across a narrow range in the moun-
tains. When he finally got the lamb
Western Icelanders
by Kristiana Magnusson
Professor Solli Sigurdson's article
on Communications certainly provid-
ed a great deal of food for thought.
We should be communicating, in our
writing or speaking, as Western
Icelanders. We do have a unique
identity as such, borne out by the fact
that, at one time, our forefathers in
Canada had a republic with their
own government for a while; that
they were able to pubiish a paper
"Framfari," not long after their ar-
rival in Canada; and that the Western
Icelanders have a weekly paper
Heimskringla (now Lögberg-Heim-
skringla) which has been in publi-
cation for 99 years. All these factors
show that Western Icelanders have
already developed historical back-
ground material for the written word
or song.
The restoration of the Stephanson
Home at Markerville (by the Alberta
Government) as a heritage site; the
fine museum in Gimli and the
translation of Framfari; these are all
steps in the right direction in
developing and maintaining Western
Icelandic culture.
I have had the opportunity of trans-
lating several stories, memoirs and
diaries, written by early Western Ice-
landers and these have all served to
make me realize the wealth of
information that could be available
through translation.
The Icelandic Canadian Club of
B.C. has promoted many cultural
events of interest to Western Ice-
landers. A monthly Newsletter keeps
us informed of coming events as well
as providing informative articles per-
taining to Western Icelandic culture.
Solskin Society of Vancouver is now
in the process of acquiring books on
Icelandic communities in Canada, for
the Icelandic Care Home in Van-
couver. In this way we are enhanc-
ing the library at Hofn, with
literature pertaining to western
Icelandic culture.
Communication is all important in
keeping alive a culture and a
heritage. The importance of the writ-
ten word, through Lögberg-Heim-
skringla and the Icelandic Canadian
magazine, in promoting Western
Icelandic culture, cannot be stressed
enough. They provide the vital links
in the chain that binds all Western
Icelandic groups. As such they are
worthy of our full support.
Líf & List
he realized that he couldn’t turn
around as the cliff was too narrow to
move on — just like a wall. There
was no point in calling as no one
could hear him. He prayed that
something would happen to save
him.
Then he heard a voice say, "Gun-
ni, give me the lamb." He looked up
and saw a beautiful girl. Her eyes
were lovely and understanding. He
passed the lamb up and she stretch-
ed out her hand to take it. Then he
stretched out his hand and she
helped him up step by step. He look-
ed up for a moment to check on the
lamb while he was enjoying some
nice, fresh milk. When he looked
back, the girl was gone. He looked
everywhere but couldn't find her
again.
When he got home he told his
father what had happened. His father
didn't believe it as he certainly would
have been killed if he had been in
that spot. He said that the boy must
take him there in the morning and
show him the place. When they went
there the father said that only an
angel from God could have saved
him from that. He believed that he
had been saved by an angel and he
never saw again such beautiful eyes
on any woman or man.
Two or three years later . . .
Barnsburður og bardagi
Helga Kress skrifar
hugieiðingar um
k vennamcnningu og
Islcndingasögur. Siðari grein.
Þegar kvennamenningu og
karlamenningu lýstur saman í
Islendingasögunum má oft sjá, að
átökin varða jafnframt líf og dauða.
í stórum dráttum má segja, að þetta
komi strax fram í sjálfu sjónarhorni
sagnanna, sem beinist að hetjúdáðum
kalmanna, bardögum þeirra og
drápum, en gefur siður gaum að
heimi kvenna og því lífi sem þær
fæða af sér, viðhalda og vernda.
Bardagi sem stefnir að eyðingu lífs er
með öðrum orðum merkilegri og þess
vegna sögulegri, en barnsburður sem
er upphaf þess. En þessi átök milli
menningar kvenna og karla, lífs og
dauða, koma einnig fram í frásögnum
af einstökum atburðum, og þá einna
skýrast í þeim bardagalýsingum, þar
sem konur koma á einlivern hátt við
sögu.
Einn er sá þáttur kvennamenningar
sem er órjúfanlega tengdur því
Minnist
CBETEL
i •rfðaskróm yðar
Question of
the Week
Do you think Icelandic
organizations in North America
can have a stronger relationship
with Iceland than they already
do?______________________________
Mr. Ted Arnason, Gimli: "Yes, I
think they can. We know that
Icelanders on both sides of the Atlan-
tic write letters in lesser degree
nowadays than they did several
decades ago. But there are other
means of communication which can
and should be used. Once we in-
crease communication our relation-
ship will improve."
Baldur Hafstað, Reykjavík,
Iceland: "Yes, definitely. It is unfor-
tunately true, but we here in Iceland
are somewhat guilty of neglecting our
friends and relatives in America for
many years. This appears to be
changing so let us keep up the good
work, and take another step forward.
I hear that Magnús Magnússon is on
his way to Canada which is a very
positive sign and the Icelandic Chair
at the University of Manitoba has in-
vited some excellent scholars, poets,
etc. through the years. This has been
of tremendous help."
Witticism
Just be glad you're not
getting all the govern-
ments you're paying
for.
hlutverki kvenna frá örófi alda að
vernda líf og ala upp börn, og það er
andúð á styrjöldum og öðrum
hernaðarumsvifum. I báðum
heimsstyrjöldum þessarar aldar voru
það konumar sem unnu að friðar-og
liknamálum, meðan karlarr.ir létu
hafa sig í það að berjast, þótt þeim
hafi að sjálfsögðu ekki verið það
öllum ljúft. Og voldugustu
friðarhreyfingar álfunnar hafa orðið
Framh. á bls. 4
The Eriksdale
Creamery
&
Locker Co.
(1984) Ltd.
First Grade butter —
Top quality meats.
Wholesale — Retail
We specialize in freezer
orders, meats, curing
and smoking.
Kent L. Björnsson
739-2104
r
Up-Coming Events
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May 24 — 7 p.m. Icelandic National League meeting. Evergreen
Regional Library, Gimli, Manitoba.
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