Lögberg-Heimskringla - 17.03.1995, Side 17

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 17. mars 1995 • 17
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tion by Sigtryggur Jónasson, Chairman
of the Colony Council, saying the
reports were not complete enough and
he wanted explanations.
Now we come to the Gimli
Chapter’s involvement with Framfari.
A number of years ago people in
Iceland, headed by Arni Bjarnarsson
of Akureyri, gathered all the issues of
Framfari, had them copied and put
into book form. Two hundred books
were printed and at least some of these
were bound in leather. Presentations
were made to the Icelandic Chair in
Winnipeg and to a few others in the
area. This is where our own story
starts.
One day over a cup of coffee,
Professor Bessason and Ted and
Marge Arnason bemoaned the fact
that because of the language barrier,
this wonderful part of history was not
accessible to our English speaking
population. Could it not be translat-
ed?
The upshot was that our Chapter
agreed to sponsor the project.
Professor Bessasson enlisted the ser-
vices of Dr. George Houser as transla-
tor. Dr. Houser was born in
Pennsylvania in 1916. He served in
the counter intelligence corps of the
United States Army in North Africa
and Italy, and then worked in New
York as an insurance investigator
before emigrating to Canada and
becoming a Canadian citizen. He
received his BA from Sir George
Williams University (Montreal) and
his MA from McGill University
(Montreal). In 1967 he was awarded a
scholarship to study Scandinavian
folklore, culture and literature in
Sweden. In 1978 he obtained his PhD
from the University of Iceland
(Reykjavík) for his work on veterinary
traditions in Iceland.
. Dr. Houser authored the book,
Pioneer Icelandic Pastor: the life of
the Reverend Paul Thorlaksson. He
was the recipient of several scholar-
ships and grants for his scholarly
research and publications on Swedish
and Icelandic subjects in Canada. In
the years 1979-1982 he was part-time
lecturer at the University of Manitoba
in the Department of Icelandic
Language and Literature; and for our
Chapter, he translated into English
the entire body of Framfari. Dr.
Houser was fluent in six languages
and could read six others. He died in
Winnipeg in July 1988.
To Joiu the
Gimli Chapter
ofm
Celebrating over 50 years
New Members
Welcome
Contact us for your
copy of the Framfari
caii 642-5812
or 642-8406
As well as obtaining a translator,
Professor Bessason obtained a $4,000
gfant from the University of Manitoba
to kick off the project. The transla-
tion cost $15,000 and took two years
to complete. Meanwhile the Gimli
Chapter worked to raise and solicit
funds. It then breathed a sigh of relief
when the translation was completed
and paid for. We knew that, some-
time in the far, far distant future, we
would likely go into publication. But
for the next four to five years we tried
to stave off the inevitable.
However, during that time we used
every opportunity to make money. At
one point we had six term deposits
going; this was at a time when inter-
est rates were high so we can thank
the banks for their contributions. The
day of reckoning did come. With the
R.M. of Gimli Centennial pending in
1987, late in the winter of 1986 the
decision was made to go into print.
Now the Gimli Chapter really became
a hive of willing workers. Grant
applications, meetings with various
printers and always soliciting for
funds. Some Chapters and individu-
als responded whether with prepaid
orders or, as in the case of the Esjan
Chapter, an outright donation. The
decision was made to hire Friesen
Printers, Altona, and the cost was
based on the page count arrived at by
another printer and the error, an
additional 160 pages, was not discov-
ered until the printing was half done.
This cost another $8,000 which
brought the cost up to $44,000, plus
the $15,000 translation cost. 1,000
copies had been ordered but an
unfortunate over-run on the number
increased both the cost and the num-
ber.
A delivery deadline for December
01/86 had been set but Friesen’s were
behind schedule. Therefore when it
came to proofreading by our mem-
bers, a time limit also was in effect.
Ten sets of two people proof read the
entire volume once, and then two
people rechecked the final galleys.
Included in the initial costs were
1,000 brochure-order forms which
were promptly mailed or distributed.
A book obtained from the local
library listed all libraries across
Canada; therefore,.any library, librari-
an or locality revealing an Icelandic
connection was sent a brochure. '
Universities across North America
with a Scandinavian Department
received brochures as-did Icelandic
consuls. The response, though mini-
mal, was worth the expense and effort
and brought a few interesting con-
tacts as well. By now we had to order
a further 1,000 brochures.
The first three copies off the press
were bound into special presentation
cases by Friesens. It was fitting that
Arni Bjarnarsson, Akureyri, who
started the process, should receive
one. One of our INL members
promptly acquired another; at enor-
mous cost, we. might add. The last
one we were privileged to present to
President Vigdís Finnboggadóttir on
the occasion of her state visit to
Canada in 1989. On receipt of the
books we were required to send from
two to six copies to those government
departments from whom we had
received grants. As well copies were
given to the local high school, library,
etc. Since then the Gimli Chapter has
made it a practice to honour visiting
Icelanders and guest speakers with a
copy.
We have been delighted to grant
permission to those wishing to use
excerpts or information from Framfari
in various ways. In his book, The
New Icelanders, David Arnason
quoted entire passages. At a presti-
gious Icelandic Festival function,
Glen Sigurdson quoted from
Framfari. A club in Toronto received
permission to use recipes from
Framfari in their cookbook. At the
time of writing this article, we have
réceived a request for written permis-
sion from True North Productions.
They are assembling Educational CD-
ROMS for use in schools across
Canada. These deal with immigration
to Canada by ten different cultures,
one of which will be the Icelanders.
This winter through co-operation
with Lögberg-Heimskringla we have
attempted to apprise you, the reader,
not only of its value, but of the plea-
sure that reading Framfari will bring
to you. The offer remains the same:
$15.00 per copy, plus $5.00 mailing
within Canada, $10.00 outside
Canada. For those wanting larger
quantities, the cost is ten volumes for
$100.00 plus mailing costs.
Gimli Chapter, INL,
P.O. Box 1979,
Gimli, Man.
ROC 1B0
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