Lögberg-Heimskringla - 04.11.2005, Blaðsíða 1

Publication Mail Agreement No. 40012014, PAP Registration # 8000 119th year /119. Árgangur ISSN 0047-4967
In This Issue
PHOTO: STEHANIE INGALLS
The York boat statue at Selkirk’s Waterfront. The journey begins on page 5
‘Walk to
the Rock’
honours
130 years
Oddsson leaves
public life
Davíð Oddsson, who
served as Iceland’s Prime
Minister for 13 years, retires
from politics / page 2
PHOTO: DAVID JÓN FULLER
Set sail on a
historic ship
Join Shaylene Nordal on
a tour through some of Lake
Winnipeg’s historic vessels at
the Marine Museum of Mani-
toba / pages 8-9
PHOTO: MYKAEL SOPHER
Sigur Rós
electrifies
Join Mykael Sopher for
the unusual musical experi-
ence that is a Sigur Rós con-
cert — caught live in Minne-
apolis, MN / page 13
Tricia Signy McKay
GIMLI, MB — With the
wind behind them, and dull
overcast sky above, approxi-
mately 60 enthusiastic people
followed the sandbags built up
along the shores of Lake Win-
nipeg from the Betel Water-
front Centre to “the Rock” on
Willow Island on October 21.
The walk commemorates
the joumey made by Icelandic
settlers 130 years ago.
In 1875, facing gale force
conditions and seeking safe
harbour, the captain of the
steamship Colville cut the lines
and set the barges carrying 285
settlers adrift. They landed at
Willow Point on October 21.
Near the landing site, settlers’
accounts refer to a large white
rock. Though the original rock
is no longer there, a new rock
was moved there in the 1960s.
The rock was later dedicated to
the memory of the pioneers of
New Iceland.
This year marked the 30th
annual Walk to the Rock. It was
begun by Connie Magnusson,
her mother Sigríður Benedikt-
son and aunt Herdis Einarson,
as a tribute the the Iceland-
ers forced ashore there a cen-
tury earlier. In all of the events
planned for the Centennial cel-
ebrations in 1975, Connie not-
ed that there was nothing taking
place at the location where the
settlers first set foot in the area.
From its beginnings as a
private tribute of the three fam-
ily members (and descendants
those first settlers) it has now
become a well-attended annual
commemoration.
INL meets in Reykjavík
Kent Lárus Björnsson
REYKJAVÍK — The Ice-
landic National League of Ice-
land held its Annual General
Meeting on October 19 at the
Þjóðmenningahús (Cultural
Centre). Many distinguished
guests from Iceland and North
America were in attendance.
Among them were former
President of Iceland Vigdís
Finnbogadóttir, Canada’s Am-
bassador to Iceland Richard
Tétu and lceland’s Minister of
Education Þorgerður Katrín
Gunnarsdóttir.
From North America came
Stefan Stefanson, accompanied
by his son Emest and Claire Gil-
lis, as well as Eric, Kris and Tom
Stefanson. Evelyn Thorvaldson
of Winnipeg gave a presentation
about Lögberg-Heimskringla.
North Dakota was also very
well represented, as Magnus
Olafson was granted Honorary
Membership. He had his cous-
in Richard Holand and friend
PHOTO: KENT LÁRUS BJÖRNSSON
Stefan Stefanson, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir and Magnus Olafson.
Björk Eiríksdóttir as travel com-
panions.
Those in attendance were
welcomed by Almar Grimsson,
Chairman of the INL of Iceland.
He explained some of the activi-
ties the association has been in-
volved with throughout the year
and some of the events that are
planned for the future.
The gathering was also
treated to a sample of a film
that is in development by Sve-
inn Sveinsson about the Path
to Gimli, as well as a short clip
from Icelanders in Dakota.
Following a short speech by
Þorgerður Katrin Gunnarsdóttir
there was an informal recep-
tion.
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