Lögberg-Heimskringla - 19.07.1985, Blaðsíða 3

WINNIPEG, FOSTUDAGUR 19. JULI 1985-3
Fálkinn, the Icelandic
Canadian Club of
Western Manitoba
Do you recognize any of them?
Icelandic Jólasveinar
You undoubtedly find the headline
above rather odd for this time of
year; there are still six months before
Christmas. According to old Icelandic
folktales, Jólasveinar won't be seen
until just before Christmas but at
Ziggy’s store in Gimli, Manitoba, you
will find replicas of the thirteen jólas-
veinar and their parents Grýla and
Leppalúði. Gunnvör Asmundson has
imported these beautiful, hand-made
statues (ranging from 10-30 cm in
height) from Iceland and has them on
sale.
As all Icelanders know, each jólas-
veinn had a certain function and they
are explained on the boxes in which
each jólasveinn comes. But what is
their story?
The jólasveinar (Santa) are known
in many countries and in various
forms. In Iceland they are mentioned
in Grýlukvæði in the seventeenth
century. In the poem, Grýla and Lep-
palúði, her husband, are said to be
their parents. They came to the farms
and took naughty children to their
lair.
Children were told stories of the
jólasveinar in order to make them be-
have better and it's easy to imagine
the effect of these stories on the
children's mind. Their behaviour
must have been quite good, knowing
that the jólasveinar were waiting in
the dark, ready to grab anyone who
was disobedient.
Later on, the nature of the jólas-
veinar changed. They stopped terri-
fying children and began teasing
people.in various ways. They are told
to be thirteen and their names are
based on their activities. One would
steal meat (Kjötkrókur), another
would peek through windows
(Gluggagæir) and so on. It is said that
they came from the mountains thir-
teen days before Christmas, one
every day.
These statues at Ziggy's are hand-
made by Sigríður J. Bjarnadóttir and
she has done a marvellous job. She
makes them as they look like accord-
ing to old folktales.
The price of one jólasveinn is
$39.00 plus tax and $44.00 by mail
order, tax and postage included.
On June 18, 1985, in Room B8, Pro-
vincial Government Building, at 7:30
p.m., the Fálki in acted as host to all
the other multi-cultural organizations
within the Westman area, with over
a hundred individuals in attendance.
Elaborate displays of Icelandic handi-
crafts — woolens, ceramics,
brooches, pins and masterpieces of
the loom — greeted the eye. Rare old
books, housed in a glass case, elicit-
ed many an admiring comment. Jean-
nette Hóhn and Sólrune Gillis had
worked long and tirelessly not to
overlook a minute detail. Assisting
them with the manual aspects of this
exhibition were Russell Bedford,
Lloyd Einarson, Albert Hólm, Paul
and Greg Sigurdson.
Highlighting the evening, by virtue
of his being a guest, just then, of the
Icelandic National League of North
America and touring the pioneer Ice-
landic communities of western
Canada was Dr. Magnús Magnússon,
author, archaeologist, journalist and
television personality, direct from
Glasgow, Scotland. Like Julius
Caesar of Roman fame, he could
boast Veni! Vidi! Vici! He came, he
saw, and he conquered, using both
creative and visual arts to record his
love of history and culture, the
essence of life itself, in his beloved
Iceland, his birthplace. During his il-
lustrated lecture, Iceland Saga, one
was acutely aware of the rapt atten-
tion. Never a cough, ne'er a sneeze!
The prolonged applause greeting the
conclusion of his seemingly-short
eighty-minute presentation spoke
volumes of praise and admiration. A
short question-and-answer period
proved very informative.
Following his opening remarks of
welcome, Prof. Harold Vidal, presi-
dent of the Fálkinn, called upon Dr.
J. Aidrun, President of the Westman
Multicultural Society and His Wor-
ship, Ken Burgess, Mayor of the City
of Brandon, for a few words of greet-
ing. Thereupon Elín Hood, resplen-
dent in her Icelandic costume, gave
a most informative history of the Ice-
landic Canadian Club in Brandon
from its inception.
To give the many ethnic visitors a
taste of Icelandic refreshments, such
dainties as ástarbollur, kleinur,
pönnukökur, rúllu-pylsa,
vínarterta and Icelandic brown
bread buttered with mysuost grac-
ed two serving areas. Everyone, un-
doubtedly pleased with his evening
outing, seemed content to linger and
to chat.
H. V. Vidal
JOIN
ICELANDIC
CANADIAN FRÓN
Send membership fee of
$5.00 single or $10.00 family
to
Scandinavian Centre
764 Erin Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3G 2W4
Telephone: 774 8047
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
mmm.
mm
Bergen ■ Oslo ■ Copenhagen ■ Gothenburg ■ Stockholm
— From —
New York ■ Chicago ■ Detroit ■ Baltimore/Washington
This season, Icelandair goes to Scandinavia like never before! With improved direct schedules from New York to
Copenhagen on quick same-plane service via Iceland. With flights to Oslo’s close-in Fomebu Airport, most
convenient to the city. With the only transatlantic service from the U.S. to Bergen. With special options that permit
you to fly to one city and retum from another or from Luxembourg, our chief continental gateway, at no extra cost.
Wrth no lower scheduled fares.
THE BEST PART OF YOUfí TRIP T0 SCANDINAVIA COULD BE A FREE
ST0P0VERINICELAND.
Fly Icelandair roundtrip to Scandinavia and you’U enjoy a free 48-hour stopover in Reykjavik. Package includes
roundtrip transfers between airport and hotel, 2 nights accommodations at first-class Hotel Loftleidir or Hotel Esja,
continental breakfast daily and a guided city sightseeing tour! We also offer a free 24-hour stopover to
passengers traveling only one way. For information, restrictions and reservations for aU of Icelandair’s low fares,
caU Icelandair toU-free at 1-800-223-5500. In New York City 757-8585. Subject to change.
ICELANDAIR
N0W M0RE THAN EVER Y0UR BE5T VALUE T0 EUR0PE