Lögberg-Heimskringla - 11.04.2003, Blaðsíða 5

Lögberg-Heimskringla • Föstudagur, 11 Apríl 2003 • page 5
FRÉTTIR • NEWS
Þorrablót a Welcome Harbinger of Spring
This is a traditional
Þorrablót on the prairies in
Canada. What is Þorrablót all
about? It is an evening for talk-
ing, singing, drinking and eat-
ing like we are tonight,” said
the Icelandic Consul General,
Ambassador Kornelíus
Sigmundsson, speaking at the
Vatnabyggð Þorrablót.
“However,” he said, “I must
say this is a special atmos-
phere. ”
“Some people say
‘There’s a taste of my amma in
that food.’ You all know
rúllupylsa and vínarterta”
Ambassador Kornelíus
Sigmundsson said. He
explained that they are rarely
served in Iceland, and pointed
out that the Canadian Þorrablót
does not have the more exotic
foods that are served in Iceland
this time of year - sheep’s head
jelly, rotten shark, ram’s testi-
cles. “Your federal authorities
will not authorize the importa-
tion of ram’s testicles and rot-
ten shark,” he said, explaining
that, in some European coun-
tries, those delicacies are
defined as “food not fit for
human consumption.”
The 23 rd Vatnabyggð
ÞoiTablót attracted 175 people
to Wynyard’s Civic Centre.
The evening included a roast
beef buífet dinner, a program, a
dance, and an Icelandic lunch.
Special guests were
Ambassador Kornelíus and his
wife, Anna Soffía Hauksdóttir,
Honourai'y Consul of Iceland
in Saskatchewan, Jón Örn
Jónsson and his wife, Ulu, and
INL/NA President, Sigrid
Johnson and her son, Matthew.
Ambassador Kornelíus
told the crowd that he might
have been Canadian. His great-
grandfather had intended to
move to Canada with his wife
and nine children. To facilitate
that move, he had given his
children names that would
work in both Iceland and
Canada - Anna, Kornelíus,
Adam. However, when he
attempted to board ship to
make an exploratory trip to
Canada, the authorities sent
him back, believing that he was
trying to flee his wife and nine
children. “So,” said
Ambassador Kornelíus, “he
went back home and made a
success of a career as a print-
er.”
This is the Ambassador’s
second visit to Vatnabyggð. He
was here on April 1, 1989, dur-
ing the INL/NA convention
held in Wynyai'd.
Saskatchewan’s
Honourary Consul of Iceland,
Jón Örn Jónsson, expressed
everyone’s feelings when he
said, “Finally, finally they
arrived in tandem, Þorrablót
and spring. I am sure you are as
ready as I am for the warmth of
spring and the warmth of fel-
lowship at Þorrablót. This year
Þorrablót is truly a most wel-
conie harbinger of spring.”
“Much noteworthy has
happened since the 2001
Þorrablót here in Wynyard,” he
said. “Last year the first ever
Þorrablót in Foarn Lake was a
resounding success. This was
followed by Vatnabyggð’s
splendid hosting last summer
and fall of distinguished and
welcome visitors from Iceland.
Ambassador Hjálmar
Hannesson and his wife Anna
Birgis, and Consul General
Eiður Guðnason his wife Eygló
and the delightful musical duo,
mezzo soprano Ingveldur Ýr
Jónsdóttir and pianist Guðríður
St. Sigurðardóttir. All of them
Iceland/Canada Agreemerit Signed
Deputy Minister of Heritage, Ms. Judith A. LaRocque
(left) and the Ambassador of Iceland to Canada Hjálmar
W. Hannesson sign an Agreement amending the
Audiovisual Co-production Agreement (originally agreed
to October 15, 1997) between the Government of Iceland
and the Government of Canada. The signing took place at
a ceremony at the residence of the Icelandic Ambassador to
Canada in Ottawa on Friday, March 28th.
The amendments refer mostly to joint productions.
The agreement creates interesting possibilities for coopera-
tion between Icelandic and Canadian lilmmakers.
PHOTO GOURTESY OF JOE LAXDAL
Vatnabyggð dancers perform Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
and Icelandic folk dances
PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE LAXDAL
Frorn left: Jón Örn Jónsson, Anna Soffía Hauksdóttir,
Kornelíus Sigmundsson, Joan Eyolfson Cadham, Sigrid
Johnson
were touched by the warmth of
the welcome you extended to
them and impressed by the size
and vitality of the Icelandic
presence in Saskatchewan. As
was President Ólafur when he
visited Vatnabyggð in 1999.
“We are on a roll that will
continue,” hé said. “With Joan
Eyolfson Cadham serving on
the Icelandic National
League’s International
Visitors’ Program, I have no
doubt we will be hosting rnany
more intyresting visitors from
Iceland.”
“I am very pleased and
proud that the INL/NA has
accepted Vatnabyggð’s invita-
tion to hold its 2005 conven-
tion in Saskatchewan, our cen-
tennial year. I know that all of
you will work together to make
the convention the best ever
and a memorable success.”
Sigrid Johnson said that,
when she was a child, she trav-
elled Highway 16 to visit
friends of her parents and
grandparents. From Arborg,
MB, she attended the
University of Albérta and
stopped in the Vatnabyggð area
on trips home.
The Vatnabyggð Þorrablót
program traditionally opens
with the Canadian and
Icelandic anthems. This year,
the Icelandic language class
joined thc Vatnabyggð choir,
their first public opportunity to
publicly use their newly
acquired skills.
The program focused on
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the Icelandie love for music,
story and dance. Pianist Jeff
Bjornson, played an original
composition, as well as “My
Heart Will Go On.”
Generations, the popular trio of
Bina Keyser, Audrey Shepherd
and Frances Blyth, sang in
English and Icelandic. Joan
Eyolfson Cadham provided an
ancient Icelandic legend and
the Vatnabyggð Dancers, just
back frorn a performance in
Saskatoon, performed
Swedish, Danish, Norwegian
and Icelandic folk dances.
Dance music was provid-
ed, gratis, by the Fiddling
Farmers, Bill, Edna, and Ian
Paulson and Blaine Hanson
from Foam Lake, and Steve
Hanchak from Margo.
Eighty-Fourth
icelandic National League
Convention
May 1,2,3 & 4, 2003
West Edmonton Mell
Edmonton • Albertff • Canods
Art. Culturc & Hcritagc Night
Stephan G. Stepbansson
(Icelandic pod) Éxhiblt
Halia's Traveis:
ntusical theatre in a suttcasa
Gata Ntght
wiih suppcr and daoce
to Haila’s Traveis
lcelandic Society of Edmonton
www.icelandicsocietyofedmonton.ab.ca
Creating Community • Sköpum Samfélag