Lögberg-Heimskringla - 22.04.1988, Blaðsíða 4

4-LÖGBERG CENTENNIAL YEAR, FÖSTUDAGUR 22. APRÍL 1988
Editorial
The old Icelandic heritage seems
to be stirring. All around us there
seems to be new life in our organi-
zations. People are stirring and or-
ganizations are looking to the future
with ambitious programs, already
we are experiencing a new life in
what were dying legacies of frater-
nal goodwill associations very
Icelandic in their make-up.
Look back at the Icelandic Na-
tional League. At a low point their
convention attracted only 20 souls
to a luncheon at a one and a half day
conference. Eighty people at a
League dinner and dance at the
Winnipeg Winter Club was consi-
dered good attendance. At the Innis-
fail Thorrablot dinner and dance,
the attendance was almost 200. The
record book of voluntary signatures
had 198 names, this is in central Al-
berta to which delegates travelled
up to a thousand miles. A few years
back only the hardy would come
from 60 to 80 miles away and in the
city many did not even bother to
drive across the City of Winnipeg.
Nów the convention has become a
highly organized conference with
all details planned from travel and
accommodation to discussion
groups, including outside resource
personnel to lead the discussions.
The Icelandic Festival Committee
is stirring by kicking off with a Gala
Dinner and Dance at the best hotel
in town. They are not playing chick-
en when they tell you to dig deep
into your pocket if you want to join
them in this affair. It is either cough
up or stay home. The interesting part
is they appear to have assessed the
situation correctly and will proba-
bly end up with a good chunk of
dough with which to kick off their
intentions of building up a fund, to
bring future financial stability to
their annual three-day festival.
Perhaps the day of living from hand
to mouth each festival year is about
to become a thing of the past.
The H.I.P. Committee has suc-
cessfully raised money for the
Icelandic Chair at the University of
Manitoba. While they have not
reached their ultimate objective
their efforts are commendable and
is another success story after lying
in limbo from the time of the origi-
nal campaign which installed the
chair many years ago.
While Icelandic Canadian Fron
was organized from former associ-
ation remnants, it reached an atten-
dance figure of over 300 guests at
their Thorrablots a few years ago.
Contrast that with a Fron annual
meeting in the basement of the
Lutheran Church on Victor St. with
some eight people in attendance.
While Icelandic Canadian Fron is
disappointed and experiencing a
low point the potential is there and
there is every reason to believe it
wili experience a come-back.
Ænd then there is Lögberg-
Heimskringla which some ten years
ago had reached a point where not
only did the Government of Iceland
give an annual grant of $8,000 but
supplied an editor from Iceland,
paying all travel expenses and sa-
lary directly to the editor from their
embassy in Washington. The sub-
scription rate had not been raised
for years, advertising rates had re-
mained the same, the phone was
ringing off the hook as creditors
clamoured for their money. While
around 1400 subscribers were on
the mailing list, only about 800 paid
their subscriptions. A large number
of complimentary copies were be-
ing sent out. These had accumulat-
ed over the years and once on the
freebee list they were never cut off.
They were on for perpetuity.
It was Steini Kristjansson who
took over the reins and turned the
operation around, from one of ac-
tual bankruptcy until today it is
meeting its financial obligations.
The paid-up subscribers total
around 1500, and the cash flow
keeps us in a liquid situation. It is
many years since we commenced
paying the editor's salary out of our
own funds.
While the financial situation is li-
quid the cash flow leaves us depen-
dent on bank financing for certain
times of the year. Building up a cash
surplus to secure the paper will
hopefully be reached in the future.
Steini Kristjansson is also head of
the H.I.P. Committee which has
been successful under his
stewardship. .
Looking further afield, there are
three active chapters of the League
in Alberta, and the Icelandic Club
in B.C. with some 500 members,
and another of similar size in Seat-
tle, and an active independent
Icelandic Club in Toronto of 500
members.
Things are moving as never before
and will become greater if we ac-
cept the premise, "You don't have
to be an Icelander to enjoy the
Icelandic Heritage.''
Markerville centennial 1888-1988
By Bernice Andersen
One hundred years ago in May of
1888 a group of 50 Icelandic men and
women left Pembina County, North
Dakota. Travelling by horsedrawn
wagon, to the northwest, intent to
settle the area now known as Mar-
kerville. Upon reaching Winnipeg,
they continued on to Calgary by
train. Once again it was horse drawn
wagon north to the Red Deer River.
The last leg of their journey took six
days and they saw only five houses
along the way. They were plagued by
heavy rains and found fording the
Red Deer River another great
challenge.
Why did they choose the Marker-
ville area? The group had sent a scout
ahead. Sigurdur Bjornson had
travelled to the west coast, across to
Vancouver Island in search of a suita-
ble area. Sigurdur had made no deci-
sion when he stopped to visit a friend
at Calgary. Together they travelled
north to the Red Deer River. Sigur-
dur was impressed with what he saw
and decided to recommend it to his
people.
The next year (1889) more Icelan-
dic people came to the area ío
homestead. Among this group was
the famous poet Stephen G.
Stephansson.
That year also saw the arrival of
my forefathers to this area. Sigtrygger
Johannson (my grandfather) and his
four brothers immigrated from
Iceland to Argyle (Baldur) Manitoba
in 1888 and then to Markerville the
following year. My great grandfather
(Kristjan Jonsson) left Myranonu-
mum, Iceland in 1873, first settling
in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, then
North Dakota and finally to Solhei-
ma in 1899, which is just east of the
Markerville area.
MarkerviUe became the focal point
of the ^elandic settlement, mainly
because of the creamery, which was
started in 1899. In 1902 a new
creamery was built to replace the
original one, which was covered with
a sod roof. The original company was
called, Tindastoll Butter and Cheese
Manufacturing Assoc. There were 36
stock holders, all Icelanders except
Dan Morkerberg, who was hired to
operate the creamery. He had
learned the trade in his native Den-
mark. Later his son Carl took over
this job. In the words of Carl Morker-
berg, "Life in an Icelandic settlement
has to me been a very rewarding ex-
perience. Not that I became rich, but
the good neighbors and friends over
the years are something that money
cannot buy."
The Dominion government had
purchased two small cheese factories
for Markerville. Through their oper-
ation they financed the construction
of the new creamery. The man
responsible for this was C. P. Marker,
the N.W.T. dairy commissioner. The
community was named Markerville
in his honor.
During the winter of 1901-02 a
bridge was erected across the Medi-
cine River at Markerville and also
across the Red Deer River west of In-
nisfail. This opened up the west
country to many more settlers.
In the early days Icelandic was the
language most often heard spoken in
the hotel, general store, livery stable,
library, 2 cheese factories, post office,
2 churches, meat market, blacksmith
shop and of course, the creamery.
The Fensala hall was built in 1902
and in 19^ the Alberta Icelandic
Lutheran Church was built for the
congregation at Markerville, Tin-
dastoll, Solheima, Burnt Lake, and
Red Deer.
Over the past 100 years Marker-
ville has seen little growth but many
changes. What the early pioneers
started they have passed on to those
who followed them. What started as
a predominantly Icelandic communi-
ty has now expanded and many peo-
ple from other ethnic backgrounds
also call Markerville home. We owe
the first settlers, from all back-
grounds, a great deal for preparing
the way for us. "They did so much
with so little." These words will be
inscribed on a Centennial Monu-
ment, built to commemorate the ef-
forts of the pioneers. It will be offi-
ciaUy dedicated during our centenni-
al celebrations.
Events planned for the long
weekend include, registration and in-
formal musical evening on July 29.
Saturday, July 30th will begin with a
giant parade. Fred Johannson, our pa-
rade marshall, says this parade will
be better than our 1980 homecoming
parade and as grand as our 1967
Canadian Confederation Centennial.
Fireworks will finish off the day in
style. Monday, August 1 will include
a period costume fashion show and
culture displays. There will also be
children's entertainment, hot-air bal-
loons, the Snow Birds and all of you
to help us celebrate 100 years.
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