Lögberg-Heimskringla - 24.05.1985, Page 7

WINNIPEG, FÖSTUDAGUR 24. MAÍ 1985-7
1925 - 1985
Twin Cities Hekla Club
by Frances Gunlaugson
Iva Magnuson
In reviewing the 60 year history of
the Hekla Club, we find that the
members have been a very indus-
trious, active, and varied group ac-
complishing a great many things,
considering that their membership
has numbered between 50 and 70 on-
ly in recent years.
The first recorded minutes of the
Hekla Club are for January 30, 1925.
At that meeting, the 17 women pre-
sent became charter members. How-
ever, there were meetings of Icelan-
dic women in the Twin City area
prior to 1925, but no records of their
meetings exist. In 1975 after the 50th
anniversary of the Club, it was voted
by the membership, to donate the
Hekla Club records to the Minnesota
Historical Society for preservation;
they can be seen there at any time.
The Club was named by the Charter
members at their first meeting after
Iceland's unpredictable volcano,
Hekla. It was organized as a social
and cultural group for members to
keep in touch with one another, and
to welcome new Icelanders to our
area.
The purposes of the Hekla Club
have changed little from the beginn-
ing, that of offering cheer and help
to ill, aged, and needy people of Ice-
landic ancestry, and to make the
members aware of their cultural heri-
tage. Throughout the years, the Club
has given money, time and effort to
many Icelandic organizations and to
community groups.
There are early recollections of
some of our first members traveling
by streetcar to take sweet soup, fish
and other foods, as w«_ll as quilts and
clothing, to individuals and families.
We know they literally reared a fami-
ly of four small motherless Icelandic
children who were in dire need. This
certainly represented concern for
fellow Icelanders.
Dues had been set at ten cents per
meeting, at the outset; by today's
standards we would consider their
funds to be very limited. Over the
years, the dues have been raised to
the present $5.00 per year. In addi-
tion, a donation is made by each
member for refreshments at our
monthly meetings. We continue to
visit, and to send plants, cards,
flowers, and memorials, to members
and families. Our Sunshine Com-
mittee is one of our most active com-
mittees. In addition to dues, various
means have been used to raise
money; in 1934 a quilt raffle brought
$37.27, quite a sum in a depression
year, and card parties were some-
what profitable.
Samkomas have been held annual-
ly over the 60 years, to provide an op-
portunity for fellowship among
Icelanders. These have been success-
ful social gatherings with an atten-
dance of 125-150 people; however
our attendance in 1980 was 220.
Icelandic foods of a wide variety
have been served at the Samkomas,
always topped off with vinaterta and
kleinur. On a number of occasions
Icelandic foods have been flown over
from Iceland. Funds raised by means
of the Samkomas have been used to
promote varied Club activities.
The past 60-year minutes reveal
much interesting information con-
cerning some outstanding and
unusual programs and activities
which have either been planned by
the Hekla Club in its entirety or by
individual members, all in the in-
terest of our Icelandic heritage.
In 1937 the Samkoma was held in
the Fire Hall at 35th & Chicago; one
member recalls waiting in line to
sample the assorted Icelandic deli-
cacies, then dancing to a three-piece
orchestra with Hector Marcotte of
Marshall calling square dances. In
the early years, the Samkomas were
held in the old International Institute
in St. Paul, a historical building
where citizenship classes and other
activities were held.
Our Minutes reveal information of
outstanding and unusual programs.
Movies of Iceland have been well ac-
cepted and first-hand accounts of
people who have visited Iceland,
have been very educational. The
movies showing the island of Surtsey
which surfaced near Iceland, and
those of the Hemay Volcano with its
destructive eruption, were especially
interesting and informative.
In 1958 our speaker was Iceland's
Ambassador to the United States,
Thor Thors; he and his wife came to
Minneapolis that year for the Minne-
sota State Centennial. We've had
other excellent speakers: In 1975 Dr.
Paul Thorlakson and in 1977 Dr.
Kristjan Kristjanson, both of Canada;
and in 1964 Dr. Richard Beck of the
University of North Dakota.
In 1978 we honored our Honorary
Consul, Bjorn Bjornson; both Bjorn
and Valdimar Bjornson have so many
times given good addresses at our
Samkomas, as also did their father,
G.B. Bjornson. Newspaper and
magazine articles written by them
and by our own members have been
very helpful to us.
We've had some excellent musical
programs: soloist Ole Kardahl, our
talented Minnesota friend, Bill Holm
— and a couple years ago Hreinn Lin-
dal of the Minnesota Opera. In 1980
a program named "A Musical
Journey to Iceland" drew our largest-
ever crowd of 220; it was presented
by Iceland’s leading composer, Sigfus
Halldorsson and tenor soloist, Gud-
mundur Gudjonsson, with Bill Holm
as M.C. In 1981, our Samkoma was
held at the Minneapolis Art Institute
at the time of the Viking Exhibit of
Scandinavian Art; included were
many artifacts from Iceland.
These are highlights of past
Samkoma programs, but we feel the
most outstanding in our minds are
those when our good member, Chris-
tine Gunlaugson, entertained us with
her beautiful renditions of Icelandic
songs, accompanied by her sister,
Frances.
Outside of our Samkomas, the
Hekla Club has taken an active part
in many community activities. One
is the Festival of Nations, a huge joint
effort of many ethnics, where our
members (always dressed in their
Icelandic costumes), sold rolled thin
pancakes, vinaterta and kleinur in
our booth; also arranged displays of
Icelandic books, jewelry, crafts, etc.
Donations have been made to the
University of Minnesota as follows:
To the Dept. of Scandinavian
Studies: 31 Recordings purchased in
Iceland of representative Icelandic
composers and performers, and 20
Books of, the Fortnite Series.
To the Theatre Arts Dept: $200
when the Icelandic play "The Golden
Gate'' wás presented.
To the Kerlan Collection: 285
Children's books in Icelandic. Some
were translations from other
languages, but majority were by Ice-
landic authors. The Kerlan Collection
is an internationally renowned
research librdrý* ‘of children's
literature.
Money has been donated to: Jon
Bjarnason Academy in Winnipeg;
The Borg Home for the Aged, Moun-
tain, N.D. Gimli Manitoba-Icelandic
Celebration; Icelandic Chair — Uni-
versity of Manitoba; Luther College,
Decorah, Iowa — Scholarships for
visiting Icelandic teachers, Vil-
jahlmur Steffanson Memorial, Univ.
Iowa — American Scandinavian
Foundation, N.Y. Thor Thors Foun-
dation, N.Y. — Hallveigarstadir,
Reykjavík — Kvennaskolin — Reyk-
javík. The Hekla Club was instru-
mental in the collection of $4,050
which was donated to the Icelandic
Volcano Relief Fund at the time of
the Hemay Volcano eruption.
Through our many community ac-
tivities, the Hekla Club members
have met and entertained many in-
teresting and distinguished guests..
They have:
Paid tribute to Prince Frederick
and Crown Princes Ingrid of Den-
mark in 1939; the Icelandic Ladies
Chorus participated by singing Ihe
Icelandic National Anthem for the
Danish visitors.
Entertained the famous men's
chorus, the Icelandic Karlakor, at
three different times.
Entertained the Bishop of Iceland,
Ausmundur Gudmundsson and
other visitors at the time of the
Lutheran World Federation Meeting
in Minneapolis in 1957.
Entertained Ambassador and Mrs.
Thor Thors in 1958 at the time of the
Minnesota State Centennial.
The Ludrasveit Reykjavíkur (their
Mathildur Bjornson with her
brother-in-law Björn Björnson.
Municipal Band) — the Itíelandic
Kiwanians — Icelandic Teachers, Ex-
change Students, and many tour
groups of Icelandic visitors.
Perhaps our greatest and most
rewarding experience was to par-
ticipate in the 1982-83 year-long
celebration of the "Year of the Scan-
dinavian" during which President
Vigdis Finnbogadottir visited this
area and played such a magnificent
role in the celebration. President
Vigdis and the Icelandic Male Chorus
made us very proud of our heritage
by their splendid performance at the
opening ceremonies at the Guthrie
Theatre and the Metrodome. Our
own special luncheon and party at
the Women's Club for President
Vigdis gave us a special opportunitý
to meet her personally.
It was also during the "Year of the
Scandinavian" that our members
once again ntanned booths in the
Minneapolis Downtown area and
sold Icelandic delicacies, and
displayed artifacts. A lot of work was
put into the project but we were hap-
py to be a participant with other
Scandinavian nationalities.
And then in 1984 another challenge
presented itself. We were invited to
participate in the Norwegian Syt-
tende Mai Celebration. So; not to be
outdone by other Scandinavians, we
hired a flat bottom truck float. On the
rear, we had a large backdrop of a
mountain scene, and on the float
proudly waving Icelandic flags, rode
some of our members with their
children and grandchildren. Rather
fortunately, it was a very cold
blustery day, and those people on the
float were so appropriately dressed in
Icelandic sweaters, caps and scarves,
a few covered with lap robes. It was
simple, but extremely effective, and
we were overjoyed to win first prize
for the best float in the parade while
competing with so many larger
groups.
These are some of the highlights of
the past 60 years of the Hekla Club.
We doubt that the original seventeen
women would have thought that the
Hekla Club would encounter so
many challenges, nor accomplish so
much. We are a closely knit group;
inspired and dedicated to carrying on
the traditions and heritage of the
Icelandic people. One of our goals
now is to stimulate interest among
younger women in the area so that
they may continue with our
endeavors.
Narrated by Iva Magnuson, April 13,
1985 at tbe annual Samkoma — Sons
of Norway Hall.