Lögberg-Heimskringla - 18.02.1994, Blaðsíða 3

Lögberg-Heimskringla
Föstudagur 18. febrúar 1994 • 3
Einar Benediktsson
Letter to the Editor:
A dream fulfilled
Although Icelanders
travel a great deal
these days far too few
of us seem to have the occa-
sion to visit Manitoba and
New Iceland. I speak with cer-
tainty, however, when I say
that all of us have the definite
desire to have closer ties with
our cousins the Western
Icelanders. It was therefore the
fulfillment of an old dream to
be able to come to Winnipeg
on January 20 immediately fol-
lowing the presentation of cre-
dentials in Ottawa to the
Governor-General, John
Ramon Hnatyshyn, as
Ambassador of Iceland to
Canada. It was my further
pleasure to convey the
Governor-General’s best wish-
es to the Icelandic Canadians.
The time spent in Winnipeg
and Manitoba was a mere
three days which was, of
course all together too short.
However, with the help of
Manitoba’s Chief of Protocol,
Kathleen Brown, and the inde-
fatigable Neil Bardal, this visit
included calls on the provin-
cial and municipal authorities
as well as an unforgettable
excursion in New Iceland and
Gimli.
In short, it turned out to be
extremely productive by way of
contacts and friendships made.
A great highlight of the stay
was the awarding of the
Icelandic Order of the Falcon
to George Johnson, the
Province’s former Lieutenant-
Governor. I am therefore writ-
ing to Lögberg-Heimskringla, a
time-honored publication of
which we all must be proud, to
ask that these words of heart-
felt thanks be put in print. We
here at the Embassy in
Washington will certainly
make every effort to remain in
close contact with the
Icelandic-Canadians we so
much admire.
Einar Benediktsson
Ambassador
Seafaring by our predeces
It was a hazardous occupation but
there was little or no alternative
for our ancestors who lived during
the era of emigration except to leave
for Canada and the United States.
Pishing in open row boats off the coast
around Iceland, presented dangers we
in this modern age never experience
nor understand. We can perhaps glean
a feeling of their apprehension
through reading the prayers they recit-
ed as they cast off in open boats and
faced the open sea, around Iceland.
The following translation hopefully
can impart a feeling of the dangers
faced by our forefathers belonging to
those generations which chose to
leave for America and from whom we
are descended in part or totally.
The crews consisted of a foreman
and generallv six or eight crew mem-
bers each of whom manned an oar.
The propulsion energy could be the
wind of nature or the muscles of the
crew, regardless it was strenuous, dan-
gerous and rewarding, barely above a
starvation level. Their feeling of securi-
ty was through prayer as they
launched their vessel on the mighty
windswept ocean surrounding the
rugged island country of Iceland, the
source of life blood flowing through
our veins.
The following is a translated prayer
which hopefully will convey a feeling
of their apprehension in facing the ele-
ments of nature in their severest form.
After launching their vessel and
rowing out to sea beyond the reefs and
other hazards the movement of the
vessel was reduced and everybody
removed their headgear. This was the
signal to commence prayer with tlie
Foreman uttering, “We all ask
Almighty God to be with us.” Then
everybody removed their head gear,
and repeated his own prayer.
The following is a prayer used on
the South Coast of Iceland:
Almighty God and Father.
According to the command ofour
Saviour Jesus Christ,
Congratulationsf/
— Hamingjuóskir!!
Daniel Gislason & Anne Dubouloz
Aaron Gislason & Kathryn Freeth
Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Gisla-
son, of Keystone Graphics,
are pleased to announce
the engagement of their son Daniel
to Anne Dubouloz of Marseilles,
France. The wedding will be held in
Winnipeg this summer, July 9,1994,
with a second reception to be held in
Marseilles in early August.
The proud parents are also very
happy to announce the engagement
of their son Aaron to Kathryn Freeth
of Winnipeg. Wedding plans to be
arranged at a later date.
We wish these two young couples
much happiness and joy for their
future.
Dan and Aaron are the grandsons
of Ólafur Hjartarson of Steep Rock,
and of the late Rúnólfur Gíslason
and the late Maiy Hjartarson of
Steep Rock, Manitoba.
By Einar
Arnason
We head for the ocean
depths to seek sus-
tenance,
and ask you willingly for
all good things,
Which satisfies the
hunger of the birds
in the sky,
And all living creatures.
Graced byyour blessing give us,
Your unworthy Earthly children,
A portion ofyour uncountable fish popu-
lation,
With which you have filled the ocean
depths.
To save the human population.
Hear our prayer heavenly father,
Be generous towards us and merciful,
Hold your protecting hand over us
and decisions we make,
Strengthen every oar, each plank and
rib,
Then ive will always be safe,
Whether it be calm or stormy
With this trust we depart from land,
In Jesus name.
Note: Translated from Icelandic, original
written by Jon Hjalmarsson based on a
personal interview with an old fisherman
on the South Coast of Iceland.
MESSUBOÐ
Fyrsta Lúterska
Kirkja
Pastor Ingthor I. Isfeld
1030 a.m. The Service followed by
Sunday School & Coffee hour.
First Lutheran Church
S80 Victor St., Winnipeg, MB
R3G 1R2 Ph. 772-7444