Lögberg-Heimskringla - 07.05.1999, Blaðsíða 4

4 « Lögberg-Heimskringla » Friday 7 May 1999
ICELANDIC NEWS
Viking ships were
“Internet” in year 1000
Continued from page 1
the other side of the moutains,” the
President’s wife said.
“I was interested to hear that in the
Viking communities women had con-
siderable freedom to do business and to
take an active part in politics in their
communities. We have also been leam-
ing about how Viking explorers tried to
record their history and accomplish-
ments in a new type of literature which
came into being at that time.”
Furthermore the First Lady said
that the Vikings may have been the first
Europeans to see America and that they
had also been the first to establish a leg-
islative assemlby a thousand years ago.
She said that Iceland, the seafarers’
fatherland, had established Alþingi in
the year 1000 where laws were still
being made.
“If you visit Martha’s Vineyard you
can see the remains of Viking settle-
ments,” Hillary Clinton said, but the
First family has often stayed on this
island at Cape Cod (Þorskhöfði) during
their vacations.
Hillary Clinton introduces display at Smithsonian Institute
relations.” Björn said that the
Björn Bjarnason, Iceland’s Minister of Education, with Hillary Clinton.
The show “Vikings—The History of
the North-Atlantic Ocean,” which
will open at the Smithsonian Institute in
Washington next year was introduced at
a ceremony at the Institute in early
April, with American First Lady Hillary
Clinton presiding and delivering a
speech where she touched upon
women’s role in a Viking society. Bjöm
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Bjarnason, Iceland’s Minister of
Education also gave a speech on behalf
of Iceland and the Nordic Minister’s
Council.
The Smithsonian Institue is in
charge of organizing the show in coop-
eration with a White House Millennium
Celebration Committee; but the Nordic
Ministers Council and the Volvo
Company sponsor the show. “The
show will focus on Vikings, their
sailing across the North Atlantic
Ocean, and discovery of America
and there is clearly a great deal of
interest in this subject,” said Bjöm
Bjarnason in an interview with
Morgunblaðið. He said the First
Lady was obviously very interested
in the show as such, and also in
everything connected to the
Vikings. “It was apparent from her
speech and in conversation with her
after the ceremony, that she has
familiarized herself with their histo-
ry,” said the minister.
“She quoted the Icelandic
Sagas, mentioned specifically the
role of women and the importance
of the individual in society and said
that the Icelandic Sagas were an
important source of information on
the role of women in society, which
would be important in evaluating
the past, from which we must leam
lessons for the future. She also men-
tioned that this had been the first
meeting of people from another
continent with the aboriginal people
of America, and talked about their
President’s wife had also emphasized
that people should study the reasons for
the disappearance of the Nordic settle-
ment in Greenland,' which could have
been environmental, as a result of dam-
ages to nature or natural disasters, a
reminder of taking care of the environ-
ment.
Björn Bjamason said the show will
be the main show at the Smithsonian
Institute next year and an important part
of the Millennial Celebrations organized
by the White House. He said the cere-
mony was attended by three to four hun-
dred people, Ambassadors of the Nordic
Countries, representatives of Nordic
Associations and science and research
institutions, as well as Volvo Co., which
is a major sponsor of the show, as well
as the media.
“This show next year will draw
great attention to the Vikings, particu-
larly their sailings. As well the White
House and the First Lady will give it a
special attraction. The show will also
draw attention to our cultural heritage,”
Mr. Bjöm Bjamason said.
The Viking show will open on April
29, 2000 and will be staged in six cities
until the year 2002. Besides being
staged in Washington until the fall of
2000, it will show in New York, Ottawa
in Canada, Los Angeles, Houston and
Chicago. The cost is around three mil-
lion dollars. Besides giving information
on Viking traveis and their land discov-
eries, about two hundred artifacts will
be displayed; including jewellery, wood
carvings, etc., dating from the year 800
to 1050. These artifacts will be gathered
from all the Nordic countries, Canada,
and the U.S.A.
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