Lögberg-Heimskringla - 11.12.1992, Blaðsíða 3

Lögberg-Heimskringla . Föstudagur 11. desember 1992 • 3
| read with some interest Nelson
Gerard’s article about the people
■ of Icelandic descent in North
America and their use of symbols or
what those symbols should be.
Everything Nelson writes has the
scholarly mark of a well researched
document and he is truly the resident
scribe for the community. I would like
to add these thoughts to his disserta-
tion and to extend the discussion on
this interesting topic.
Suffering, survival, succeeding and
self reliance are some of the alliterative
qualities we can safely attribute to the
hardy people from the island in the
Atlantic. Centuries of being tested by
fire have toughened the hide and soul
of the descendants of Snorri Sturluson
and have produced a race of people
Unique in the world.
It is that heritage that has enabled
those who travelled to these shores to
make a contribution to the fabric of
North American life far greater than
their numbers would normally have
deemed possible. It is their singular
viewpoint, prescience and daring that
have propelled the descendants of
these pioneers into the top echelons of
every segment of North American soci-
ety; from astronauts to the discoverer
of canoia; from exceptional explorers
to leading politicians. The tiny group
lead by Sigtryggur Jónasson displayed
Upcaming Events
□ □ □
Sat., Dec. 19 Book Launching — Sarah-No-Hair — Gillian K. Johnson will
Gimli read from her children’s book at H.P. Tergesen Store, 2 p.m.
Molakaffi will be served.
□ □ □
Sun., Dec. 20 Family Christmas Party, 1-4 p.m. at Roald Amundsen Centre
Bumaby 6540 Thomas St. (off Kensington Ave.) Register with Linda
Birch 984-7494 or Irene Finnson 294-0799. $5. fee per child.
□ □ □
Sun., Dec. 20 Sunday School Christmas Concert at First Lutheran Church
Winnipeg 7:00 p.m., 580 Victor Street. Everyone welcome!
□ □ □
Sun., Dec. 20 Christmas Party, 2-5 p.m. at McKernan Community League
Edmonton 114 Street & 78 Avenue
□ □ □
Thurs., Dec. 24 Candlelight Service at First Lutheran Church
Winnipeg 7:00 p.m., 580 Victor Street. Everyone welcome!
□ □ □
Sun., Dec. 27 Annual Jóla Messa, Service at 3 p.m. Celebrate the spirit of
Seattle Christmas at Calvary Lutheran Church, 7002 23rd NW.
□ □ □
Dec. 31 New Year’s Eve Party 8:00 p.m. at Anthony’s Home Port, 6135
Seattle Seaview, Ballard, along Shilshole waterfront. RSVP. $25. per
person/$40 per couple or $30. per person at door. Semi formal
Call Benni 206 - 783-4954 or Sonna 206 - 283-3325.
□ □ □
Sun., Jan. 17 Seasonal Party, just for the seniors at Iceland House, 939 6th
B.C. St., New Westminster. Come and meet friends, enjoy
Icelandic treats, hot kaffi sopa and the warmth of the compa-
ny of good friends.
□ □ □
Sat., Feb. 13 Þorrablót, at the Langford Hotel in Winter Park. Advance
Florida price $30 per person for mcmbers $35. for non-members.
Iccland’s most famous opera singer, Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir —
Diddú - and Reynir Jónasson, thc ever popular accordian
player, will be entertaining. Great food and more surprises!
Special room rates for Þorrablót guests. Phone Anna & Atli
for Þorrablót reservations - 407- 957-3599.
□ □ □
Sat., Feb. 20 Þorrablót, at Club Mocombo, St. Albert. Annual dinner and
Edmonton dance by Norðurljos Club. Everyone welcome!
□ □ □
Sat., Feb. 27 Þorrablót 1993, at Scandinavian Club, Arlington Heights
By NoH Bardal
Arriving from lceland in Eastern Canada
uncommon ingenuity, imagination and
intelligence.
The generation immediately before
mine, which was closer knit, closer in
ties to Iceland and bilingual, addressed
one another as Landi and named their
association Frón. They had no trouble
with their place in the sun as
Canadians of Icelandic ancestry. They
marchcd to war for king and country,
— if they had no doubts why should we.
and did their part in the development
of their country Canada, with the
added attribute of being blessed (sorry
Alva) with an inheritance given only to
them; a thousand years of character
forged by fire and ice. The weak
among them having
been culled from
their numbers early
in time.
That heritage be-
longs only to us.
Whatever we call
ourselves or whatever
we use as a rallying
symbol, there will be an affinity, bond
and kinship by those possessing this
heritage.
We presently gather under the
banner of the INL, commu-
nicate through the offices of
Lögberg-Heimskringla and celebrate
at Þorroblót, June 17 and íslendin-
gadagurinn. The maple leaf or stars
and stripes flutter high above and
demand our allegiance, which is freely
given, but our heritage comes from the
family forced from their homeland by
fire, pestilence and famine, and mak-
ing their way to a safe shore and there
establishing a cultural base founded
on the trials and tribulations of a thou-
sand years.
The Icelander, by any other name,
would recognize his own anywhere by
the mystic attraction that binds us ali
as a special and chosen people.
An Ad-Hoc Committee for Ice-
landic Instruction in Manitoba
Public Schools was formed in
May 1992. The committee, with the
support of the Department of Ice-
landic Languages and Literature at
the University of Manitoba, feel that
students accrue great benefits from
the study of heritage, languages, liter-
ature and histoiy. To date, Ukrainian,
Spanish and Filipino languages are
included in the elementary curricu-
lum of a few schools in Winnipeg.
From promotions at íslendingadag-
urinn, Folklorama and other social
events, the response is positive.
The committee has planned two
pilot projects for 1993-94. 1- an un-
allocated credit course at Grade 9
level: available to all grades 9-12,
including any interested adults. 2 -
an elementary course in the St. Vital
area. The committee requires confir-
mation of registration of at least 12-
20 students for each course.
The high school credit course cur-
riculum, based on Einar Pálsson’s
"Icelandic in Easy Stages” No. 1,
accompanying workbook and transla-
tion of the Saga of Gisli, was submit-
ted to the Curriculum Branch of the
Department of Education. Once
approved the course will be taught at
the Scandinavian Centre on Thursday
evenings in conjunction with the
other Icelandic classes.
A parent group in Hastings Ele-
mentary School, St. Vital, plans to in-
troduce an extra curricular Icelandic
Elementaiy course for 1993-94, time
& length of classes to be determined.
A qualified teacher has been ap-
proached and is available. Eventually
the committee aims at including the
course in the regular curriculum.
This type of commitment to an
educational and cultural program fos-
ters kinship, enriches the soul árid.
puts you in touch with your “roots".
Parents can contribute a variety of
skills, experience and lots of “Viking"
pride. The achievements to date have
been impressive, much work
remains. Parent support is vital.
Join the committee. Start a parent
group. Sign up today! Contact:
Kendra Jonasson, c/o Scandinavian
Cultural Centre, 764 Erin Street,
Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3G 2W4
I am interested in (check one or
more choices)
□ 1) commíttee work and/or
participation
□ 2) starting a parent group
□ 3) registering for high school
course
□ 4) registering for elementary
course
Name:_____________________
Address:
Phone:
Children’s names & ages:.
Birth and Choice
By Voma Butler
My thanks to Nelson Gerrard
for his exccllent article
“Who Are We Anyway?” I
appreciate Mr. Gerrard’s distinction
between the cultural and the political.
I grew up in a time when my parents
and all their close fricnds spoke
Icelandic as their first language and
referred to themselves as Icelanders,
as culturally they were.
Nevertheless they were fiercely
Canadian in their political views and
actions. Our cultural heritage is some-
thing we are born irito. Our politics
. WQhppsc, ,