Lögberg-Heimskringla - 14.04.1995, Page 3

Lögbferg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur 14. apríl 1995 • 3
“lceland: Coastal IVings” to be previewed at INL Conference
by Gail Einarson-McCleery
Toronto Falkinn Editor
Anew TV documentary exploring
the rugged and dramatic coast
of Iceland, which is home to an
incredible multitude of seabirds, will
be featured at the opening reception
for the INL Conference on May 5th in
Toronto.
Wildlife cinematographer John
Wilson and his wife, naturalist Denice
Wilkins will be present to share with
us their experiences while filming this
program and another on the Mývatn
district.
To film the coastal show, Denice
and John travelled Iceland’s ring road
several times in order to reach as many
of the amazing comers of this country
as possible during the breeding season.
They filmed in seven major locations,
each selected for the different species of
seabird that nesis there and for the
breathtaking backdrop scenery. In each
location Denice and John are nature’s
hosts, taking viewers along on their
wildlife filming adventure and using
their enthusiasm, warmth and sense of
wonder to introduce the audience to
this magnificent land.
Denice and John plan to return to
Iceland this spring to capture yet more
footage, specifically the gathering of
down from the eider ducks, collection
of eggs for food and the renewal of life
on the farm with lambing and foaling.
They will then be combining all of this
footage into a 90 minute film for show-
ing on the Audubon wildlife circuit.
On the Friday evening, in addition
to John and Denice’s filrn, we are also
going to be treated to folk dancing by a
Danish group. This group started as a
golden age group at the Danish
Lutheran Church in North York in
1985.
Members come from many different
communities in Ontario including
mmfmmmmmœmmmmmmmmwmmmMmmm
John Wilson and Denice Wilklns in Mývatn
Shelbume, Peterborough, Georgetown,
Oakville, West Hill and Richmond Hill.
They have danced at the opening of the
SkyDome (yes, they did get soaked dur-
ing the rainstorm!), the Royal Botanical
Gardens in Hamilton, and in Montreal.
They also travelled to Denmark in July
1991 to participate in a dance festival,
Denmark Nordlek, where 9000 folk-
dancers gathered from Iceland,
Greenland, Finland, Norway, Denmark
and the Faroe Islands. One of the
dancers, Mrs. Dahl, now in her eighties,
started dancing at 6 years of age!
On Saturday night, along with the
Þorrablót banquet we will have read-
ings from the sagas by George
Johnston. In addition to the two
Icelandic sagas from the Flat Island
Book contained in Thrand of Götu,
George also translated the Saga of Gisli
(1963); The Faroe Islanders Saga
(1975) and The Greenlanders’ Saga
(1976) from Old Icelandic. From
Modem Icelandic, Johnston has trans-
lated Pastor Böðvar’s Letter by Ólafur
Jóhann Sigurðsson (1985).
On Saturday night we’ll also be treat-
ed to some Icelandic-Canadian roots in
the form of the story of the failed
Kinmount settlement. Guy Scott, author
Danish Folkdancers
There may be gold in those old
papers in the family trunk
by Richard Johnson,
Winnipeg
At a recent auction of stamps and
philatelic materials, a simple
pre-printed postcard cancelled
Gimli on April 19, 1883 was estimated
to bring $500 and actually sold for
$750! The price reflected the rarity of
the circular date stamp which identified
the source as Gimli “KEE” for Keewatin
Territory. (The card was addressed to a
Mr. Jon Sveinsson in Holland.) The
careful reader will have noted that this
was after the district of New Iceland
was incorporated into the Province of
Manitoba.
A summary of events is as follows.
The post office located at Gimli was
opened December 1, 1877 with Friðjón
Friðriksson as postmaster. When he left
for Icelandic River in 1881, he took the
post office with him. So the cancelling
“hammer” which carried ‘Gimli KEE’
was actually used to cancel stamps on
items posted at Icelandic River. The
card in the auction described above was
one of those items. On May 1, 1886 a
Post Office was once again opened at
Gimli, Manitoba with Petur (Pjetur)
Pálsson as postmaster and has been
operating there ever since. The post
office at Icelandic River was cjoge.d. op,
June 1, 1924 when the office at Riverton
was opened in its place.
When the provincial boundaries of
Manitoba were expanded for the first
time in 1881, the post offices became
part of the province but there was a
delay in transferring the operation of
services from the territorial authorities
to those of the province. One such
delay was clearly in the issuing of new
cancellers for the post office. So the
KEE carried on for some years, appar-
ently until at least April 19, 1883 by the
evidence of the card described above.
The only other canceller bearing the
KEE from the area is HOOSAVICK
(sic) KEE from July 1, 1878, closed
February 28, 1881 (later re-opening as
Husavik (Man) on December 1, 1890).
The other post offices that opened in
the last century as Manitoba offices
were Ames (Jan. 1, 1887), Hecla (Oct.
1, 1889) and Hnausa and Husavik
(both on Dec. 1, 1890), Isafold -
(October 1, 1893) and Sandy Bay (Feb.
1, 1899).
So, have a close look at all those old
papers and postcards. Although those
dating from 1875 through the 1880s are
probably the most valuable, any dating
from close to the opening date of the
post office may attract considerable
.interest. You may strike some gold.
These are just a few of the
reasons to book now for
the INL convention May
5, 6 and 7. Due to catering
requirements, bookings and
cheques ($50 for whole con-
vention) must be received by
April 19th. Make your cheque
out to ICCT and send to: Bill
Hurst, 29 Farmcote Road, Don
Mills, Ont. M3B 2Z6. If you
need a hotel room, book direct-
ly with the Roehampton Hotel
at 808 Pleasant Rd. Toronto
M4P 2L2; 1-800-387-8899 (INL
Rate of $69).
of A History of Kinmount will be on
hand to serve them up. Kinmount was
the first landing place of the “large
group” most of whom subsequently
went on to homestead in the Interlake
area of Manitoba. Guy graduated from
Carleton University in Ottawa with an
Honours B.A. in history (1979) and
from the University of Ottawa with a
Bachelor of Education degree (1980).
Although his first interests lay in world
histoiy, he realized a terrible void exist-
ed in published local history. As a result
he researched his home town history
Above:
George
Johnston
kight:
Guy Scott
and is now the leading expert in the
Kinmount era of our settlement story.
And of course, in recounting all the
delights of the entertainment side of the
convention, we must mention again
that Brenda Bjamason will be present-
ing her Banana Skins line of colourful
clothing at lunch time in a fashion
show designed for young and young at
heart. (See article in March 10 issue).
Tues., Apr. 18
Toronto
Thurs., Apr. 20
Winnípeg
Thurs., Apr. 20
Brandon
Sat., Apr. 22
Wínnipeg
Sun., Apr. 23
Edmonton
May 5-7
Sat., May 6
Vancouver
Thurs., May 11
Winnipeg
I.C.C.T. Meeting - "Organíc Iceland" - 8pm - Donna Messer, State of
Illinois Dept. of Agriculture will talk about something new coming to
Iceland - by the year 2000 the production of food will be exclusively
organic - at Pleasant View Library, 575 Van Home Ave., N. York.
□ □ □
Sumardagurinn Fyrsti - 6:45 pm. Help Frón and the Scandinavian
Choir welcome in summer at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre,
764 Erin St.
□ □ □
Sumardagurinn Fyrsti - 7:30pm — Selkirk Brúin, Lutheran Hall,
Manitoba Street. Everyone welcome — no admission.
□ □ □
Luncheon & Whíte Elephant Sale - 11 am - 1:30 pm First Lutheran
Church Women will provide lunch, home baking, handicrafts, door
prizes. Tickets $5. adults, $2. children — 580 Victor Street.
□ □ □
Sumardagurinn Fyrstí - 2pm at McKeman Hall, 114 St. & 78 Ave.
Further details later. Hope to see you there!
□ □ □
Annual INL Convention & Þorrablót - in Toronto.
□ □ □
Spring Luncheon & Bake Sale - 1 lam - lpm at Oakridge Lutheran
Church, 585 West 41st Ave. by Women's Auxiliary.
□ □ □
Frón Annual General Meetíng - 7 pm. Everyone Welcome. At
the Scandinavian Cultural Centre, 764 Erin St.
What's happeníng in vour area? We want to hear from you before and after the
events... just send us a few lines... or a lot. Please enclose a stamped self-addressed
envelope If material and photos eue to be retumed. Be sure to send your notices to:
Lögberg-Heímskringla, 699 Carter Ave., Wpg., Man., Canada R3M 2C3