Lögberg-Heimskringla - 07.05.1999, Blaðsíða 2

2 » Lögberg-Heimskringla « Friday 7 May 1999
■illlll!
The viewpoint expressed in this column is entirely that of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views ofeditor or staff
of Lögberg-Heimskringla. If you would like to express your view on this or any other topic, we would like to hear from you.
Re: The
Importance of
Being Icelandic
Lillian Vilborg MacPherson
Edmonton, AB
Iam writing, not exactly in response
to Nelson Gerrard’s letter on The
Importance of Being Icelandic
which appeared in a recent issue of
Lögberg-Heimskringla, and not exactly
in defence of the television programme.
However, I did appear in it, and have
some observations I’d like to make.
If the title The Impprtance ofBeing
Icelandic is a play on the title The
Importance of Being Ernest, and if the
television programme was intended to
be a farce in the manner of Oscar
Wilde’s play, then perhaps the picture it
painted of the Icelandic communities,
both in Canada and Iceland, was inten-
tional and meant to be farcical, in which
case, it is an opportunity for us to laugh
at ourselves. Although, of course, some
of us in the film were dead serious! It is
true that there are spots in the film in
which we Canadians look pretty trivial,
and it is true also that Icelanders are
trivialized in it. For instance, in my year
plus there I never saw a Viking helmet
anywhere. The comedian made fun of
Hofsós. Perhaps the filmmaker is ques-
tioning the existence of an Icelandic
identity. Period. Just as the identity of
the elusive Emest is in doubt in the
play.
What I saw and heard in Iceland
when I was there recently was a great
interest in the “Western Icelander” as
they call us. This interest is evidenced
by the novels, published in 1996 and
1997, by Böðvar Guðmundsson, which
have been runaway best sellers, and are
still on waiting lists in the libraries.
Academics are doing research on us and
the school system now has a unit on us.
Helgi Skúli Kjartansson’s thesis is the
basis for his textbook Vesturfarar used
by children at the junior high age level.
Kristín Steinsdóttir’s book Vestur í
bláinn tells the story of a modern
teenager c'atapulting back in time to the
period of emigration and joining a fam-
ily who comes to Nýja ísland.
Gunnhildur Hrólfsdóttir tells a tale for
teenagers of a haunted house in the East
Fjords where the only person who holds
the secret of the place is someone who
has emigrated. Academics write and
give papers, disagreeing with each
other about the fine points of our histo-
ry and culture, as it has developed in
Canada and the United States. A bibli-
ography is being compiled of our writ-
ings, and films are being made about us.
The Canada Iceland Friendship Society
features monthly meetings on some
aspects of our way of life.
It was not always thus. When I
interviewed Guðjón Arngrímsson,
author of Nýja fsland (1997) and Annað
ísland (1998), he told me that when he
was growing up people his age thought
of us much as the comedian in the tele-
vision show expressed it. The word
Guðjón used to describe us is “sveitó,”
which might be translated as “hicks,”
country cousins. He no longer would
describe us that way, and in fact, he has
become fascinated by us and our contri-
butions to both Canada and Iceland. His
books have done much to tell our story
there. The generation older than Guðjón
had much stronger feelings towards us.
I was told by a friend there that it was
very difficult for her mother when
Canadians began coming over looking
for their families in Iceland. Her moth-
er had grown up thinking of us as trai-
tors and deserters, much as Halldór
Laxness describes us in Independent
People. Perhaps it is this sensibility of
distrust and disdain which informs the
television show.
í Lögberg 1
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I have heard negative comments
about the show from others besides
Nelson. They have all been from mem-
bers of the Icealndic community. My
own husband was very offended by the
editing which he felt trivialized not only
me but the other two students as well.
However, I can’t believe how many
people outside the Icelandic community
saw the show, and how many have com-
mented favourably on it. Somehow,
through all the Viking helmets and
sword fights and Shriners they heard
something interesting. I do think there
is much that is controversial in the film,
and that it can be used to spark discus-
sion and conversation. Our identity
within the Canadian mosaic is fragile,
and we need to tend it lovingly and
thoughtfully. If the film has any value, it
will spark a discussion about identity,
which is in such question in this post-
modem era. In my interviews with the
filmmaker, I was attempting to express
my thoughts on our identity as immi-
grants to Canada, and how that identity
is influenced by our history in Iceland. I
personally am not confused about what
it is to be a Canadian—I lived in the
United States for a few years, and my
Canadian-ness became very clear to me
then. But I do still wonder about my
personal cultural and social history
which informs who I am in this
Canadian mosaic.
Besides, you know what, I don’t
think we should give Jón Einars.
Gustafsson the satisfaction of putting
him in the same camp as Halldór
Laxness whom we silenced in the late
1920s with our vociferous objections to
his short story Nýja fsland!! Although I
guess we accomplished our goal with
Laxness—he never wrote about us
again!!
Letters to the editor
We always enjoy reading your com-
ments which our readers write on their
renewal forms. A few times a year we
publish some of these comments, with-
out names. Here are some.
I am enjoying the paper the way it is. I
like to see news ffom the other chapters
of Icelandic National League. I am an
honorary member. I especially enjoy
the historical stories of our older gener-
ation. I just tumed eighty years young.
***
Really enjoy stories about the pioneers.
***
I enjoy your paper very much. Would
like to see a bit more in Icelandic.
***
Less lengthy biographies. More articles
from or about Iceland.
***
The paper is great. More articles such
as on Cartoon Charlie, and of other
Icelaners who have achieved and con-
tributed so much to further our knowl-
edge - A Man Called Intrepid comes to
mind.
***
I enjoy news from Iceland and news of
other groups. Many of the biographies
are interesting and give us an insight
into what life was like then.
I'm interested in information on the
group that moved from Wisconsin to
Markerville in the late 1800s. My
grandparents were Jon and Imba
Johnson and they had four children.
John, Mozart, Laurence and Frances.
Thank you.
***