Lögberg-Heimskringla - 05.02.1993, Side 3

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 5. febrúar 1993 • 3
The Tragedy of Hecla
Continued from page 1
f that happens, it will be a fitting
epitaph. The park has never
worked very well, which is why
it keeps cropping up in the news.
Many ideas have been put forward,
including one that would open the
land to private ownership again,
even, perhaps, giving the former
landowners the first right to buy
their former homes, although the
bureaucrats don’t seem to like that
idea much. The latest suggestion is
that the federal government should
take it over as a national park. The
province says that would save it
about $800,000 a year. Ottawa does
not appear to be wildly enthusiastic
about the idea, and environmental-
ists oppose it because, they say,
Hecla is already too developed to be
a natural habitat — in effect, it has
too much history. That history
belongs to us, everyone in North
America who is of Icelandic descent.
Most particularly, however, it
belongs to the people who were dri-
ven away from it.
Hecla is a spectacular location, a
combination of bleakness and beauty
that is, in a way, not unlike Iceland
itself. Turning it into a national park
instead of a provincial one might
solve some bureaucratic problems. It
will do nothing to right the injustice
that was perpetrated on the people of
Hecla in the first place because
someone in government decided they
didn’t fit in. There is an old Woody
Guthrie song that says:
As through this world l've rambled,
l've seen lots of funny men;
Some will rob you with a six-gun,
Some with a fountain pen.
As through this world I ramble,
As through this world I roam,
l've never seen an outlaw
Drive a family from their home.
I would give a lot to have seen
Hecla as it was before governments
blessed it with their attention. I
would give more to see it today as it
should be, a thriving “authentic
Icelandic village,” if you’ll pardon
the expression. I suspect that
President Vigdís would as well; and I
suspect that neither of us ever will.
There is a great sadness in that
though.
Every Thurs.
Winnipeg
Sat, Feb. 6
NewYork
Starting Feb. 13
New York
Sat., Feb. 13
Florida
Sat., Feb. 20
Saskatoon
Sat., Feb. 20
Edmonton
Sat., Feb. 27
Winnipeg
Sat., Feb. 27
Chicago
Sat., March 6
Washington
Thurs., Mar. 11
New York
April 23 - 25
Gimli
Upcoming Events
Icelandic Classes, 7 p.m. Registration and first class at the
Scandinavian Centre, 764 Erin St. For more info call Steve
Hjalmarsson 1-467-8398 or Hallthor Bjornson 955-9806.
□ □ ö
Þonablót at the St. Moritz on the park, 50 Central Park S.
(59th Street & 6th Ave.) $55 per person for members & $70 per
person for non-members. Dinner by Icelandic chef, Mrs. Audur
Lekay with food from Kjötbuðin Borg. Music by the well known
and veiy popular band from Iceland Hálft ÍHvoru.
□ □ ö
Icelandic tenor Kristján Jóhannsson will sing at the Metropol-
itan Opera. II Trovatore on Feb. 13, 16 & 20. Cavalleria
Rusticana on March 13, 17, 20 & 25. Tickets: (212) 362-6000.
□ □ □
Þorrablót, at the Langford Hotel in Winter Park. Advance
price $30 per person for members $35 for non-members.
Iceland’s most famous opera singer, Sigrún Hjálmtýsdóttir -
Diddú — and Reynir Jónasson, the 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.
□ □ □
Icelandic Dinner Theatre & Dance, by Saskatoon Scandinav-
ian Club. Limited number of tickets -$13.50 for non-members
reserve by phoning Inga Skaftfeld at 306-374-6260. Dinner,
(marineruð sild, hanging kjöt and skyr with brennivín toasts)
followed by the premiére of Peter Eyvindson’s A Feast for the
Backward Brothers (adapted for stage by Pat Paulson), danc-
ing to the music of the Ray Dahlen orchestra, midnight coffee
with pönnukökur með peyttum rjóma and vínarterta.
□ □ □
Þorrablót, at Club Mocombo, St. Albert. Annual dinner and
dance by Norðurljós Club. Everyone welcome!
□ □ □
Þorrablót 1993, at Scandinavian Centre, 764 Erin Street
For tickets contact Hallthor Bjornson at 955-9806.
□ □ □
Þorrablót 1993, at Scandinavian Club, Arlington Heights
Everyone welcome!
□
□ □
Þorrablót, Join in the fun.
Everyone welcome!
□ □
□
Icelandic Film Festival, at the Angelika Film Center, contin-
uing March 18, 25 & April 1. Show times 6:10 and 8:10 p.m.
Comer of Houston & Mercer Sts., 1 block west of Broadway.
□ □ □
74™ ANNUAL CONVENTION
of the Icelandic National League
Pleasant Dreams
By Bragi Magnússon
Good night, sleep tight
Gone is the light
From setting sun
But way up high
Stars in the sky
Shine in unison
The Northern Lights
And Milky Way
Brighten the sights
The end of day
Good night, sleep tight
Dream well tonight
PELL-MELL
By Bragi Magnússon
He thought it swell to ring the bell
But down the stairwell headlong fell
Over the knell you could not tell
If he would yell, or all was well
Errant Arrow
By Bragi Magnússon
I saw a little sparrow
Sitting on a hill
And then a streaking arrow
That nigh did him kill
He only lost a feather
But lay very still
This was getting serious
Pardon if you will
Then I saw a little boy
Dashing from the mill
He was crying all the while
Trembling in the chill
This had always been a game
Just another drill
Yet, an errant missile has
Potential to kill
Obituary:
Egos Amuck
By Bragi Magnússon
Consider a boundless poem
Defýing print and pen
Expanding in all directions
Beyond the minds of men
I
II
I I I
1111
I I 11
II I
11
I
It started with one small letter
With a strong EGO bend
Which then took to multiplying
Without apparent end
Some say it was wrought by Satan
To counterplot the Lord
Convinced by aides that poetry
Is stronger than the sword
Drauma Reitur
Eftir Braga Magnússon
Hafðu í hugar-skoti
og hjartarótum nær
skjól fyrir fagra drauma
sem fölna yli fjær
þrátt fyrir þrautir dagsins
þreytta limi og lund
þá geta góðar vonir
glatt sig þar um stund
Lífið er autt án vona
óskir lifanda bál!
en þær þurfa hlé og hlýju
er þráir sérhver sál
Gudrun “Runa” Garrett
On Saturday, January 9, 1993
at the Lion’s Prairie Manor,
Portage la Prairie, Mrs.
Gudrun “Runa” Garrett, widow of
the late Mr. George Garrett, passed
away at the age of 96 years.
Runa was born in Siglunes,
Manitoba, September 24, 1896. She
attended High School and Success
Business College in Winnipeg. In
1914 she returned to Langruth to
work as a telephone operator until
her marriage in 1917 to George
Garrett from London, Ontario. Mr.
Garrett taught school in Benito and
Sifton before taking the position of
school principal in Glenboro,
Melita and Killarney. Following this
Mr. Garrett accepted the position of
principal of the Portage la Prairie
Collegiate.
During their years in Portage la
Prairie, Runa was in charge of the
Red Cross rooms in the Bailey
Block during World War Two. For
her efforts she was named “Woman
of the Year” for Portage la Prairie.
She was an active member and Past
Matron of the Eastern Star. She
actively participated with the
Dorcas providing Christmas ham-
pers for those in need. When she
was in her eighties she helped deliv-
er Meals on Wheels.
She was a resident of the Lion’s
Prairie Manor for the past five
years.
Mrs. Garrett was predeceased by
her husband George in 1977 and by
her only son Alex in 1989. She is
survived by her daughter-in-law,
Peggy (Garrett) Chalu, her grand-
daughter, Jocelyn and her husband
George Neis and their daughters,
Reagan and Kristin; and two grand-
sons, Gordon and Guy Garren, all
living in Alberta.
Interment took place on
Wednesday, January 13, 1993 at
11:00 a.m. in the family plot at the
Langruth Cemetery.
A Service of Remembrance fol-
lowed at the Portage Funeral
Chapel on Wednesday, January 13,
1993 at 2:00 p.m. with Rev. Phyllis
Thordarson officiating.
The congregational hymns were,
In The Garden, and Onward
Christian Soldiers, with Mr. Philip
Thordarson presiding at the organ.
Attending in a group were
Members of the Order of the
Eastern Star, Electa #2, of Portage
la Prairie, and staff of Lion’s Prairie
Manor.
If friends so desire contributions
in remembrance may be made to the
Lion’s Prairie Manor, 24 9th St.
S.E., Portage la Prairie, Manitoba,
RIN 3V4.
The service terminated at the
Chapel.
Arrangements were entrusted to
the Portage Funeral Chapel.