Reykjavík Grapevine - 17.07.2015, Blaðsíða 42

David Koester, a professor of anthropology
at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, has
translated Peerse’s poem into English and gave
us permission to publish it here. As Koester
remarks, the poem “was typical of the travel
poetry of the period in which voyagers sought to
describe distant places and foreign peoples in
an entertaining and memorable form. What was
unusual in this situation was the possibility of
native ethnographic critique. Unlike the peoples
of Africa, America and Asia, who were also the
subject matter of sixteenth-century travelers'
less-than-complimentary descriptions,
Icelanders had access and were able to read
and respond to published accounts.”
Wouldn’t it be great to read poems
instead of Lonely Planet books?
Van Yƒlandt (On Iceland)
by Gories Peerse
There is a land that lies northwest in the sea
As men say, from Germany 400 miles or more,
Iceland is its right name.
5 It is amazing for its cold, rain, wind and snow
in addition, especially for its high mountains. No
grass grows there except in the valleys. There is
a high mountain, Snæfellsjökull that no one has
seen without snow,
10 and men can see it thirty miles away. Also
there is a mountain called Hekelvelle [Hekla].
The farmers believe it is hell. That is because
gushing flames frequently come out of it. The
smoke from it is also continuous.
15 Men hear and see rare wonders there,
and it has happened before comprehending
minds that a huge flame burst out over
Hekelvelde [same Hekla, different spelling]and
it has destroyed grass, men and houses. Strong
earthquakes occur there very often
20 and do great harm as a result, break down
what they have built up. I cannot tell about all
of these things. That which has occurred during
the last few years everyone knows who has
done business on Iceland and been there.
25 And it happened about twelve years ago
that around that time one night a powerful
earthquake occurred. Afterwards men heard
such a huge thundering that it would not have
been possible to create it with guns
30 and at the same time a powerful flame came
out of the earth, huge and terrifying. It was so
powerful and terribly great that it melted cliffs
and boulders. From the flames came steam and
smoke
35 so that men could not recognize the day
and the fire shone clearly against the sky, men
heard a horrifying crackling. And all the people
agree that the fire burned equally in rain and in
sunshine.
40 There are many swamps and cascades.
None are greater than other lands. Sulfurous
mountains burn so much that men see them
at twelve miles distance or more. From various
mountains emanate hot springs,
45 where it would cause great harm to bathe
in them. Though there are other springs that
are not so entirely hot wherein it is possible to
bathe without injury. I have traveled in the south,
north, east and west and it seems to me that to
the south and west
50 the fishing is best. In the north and east they
have better things. There they can produce
good woolen cloth (Wattman, Scottish wadmal)
Because they have enough of sheep, cows and
woolly goats.
55 Iceland is good at all ends, though those who
want to travel there must endure much cold,
hunger and thirst. There are so many lakes and
waterfalls that men cannot count them all.
60 Thus, there is a great danger associated with
traveling there, that I say right and true. If you
want to travel there, you will seldom find a town
or village. If you plan to travel in the highlands,
65 then you should bring with you a shelter or a
tent. You should have provisions with you, and
you will endure tremendous cold there. You
will have to set up and stake down your tents
because sometimes you cannot continue
70 and not travel or ride forward. Rain, snow
and cold will teach you to avoid such journeys,
not one stride in front of you, can you see,
believe me about that. All the roads and paths
are blown over with snow
75 and because you cannot see you cannot
travel. You must have the taller mountains as
markers and strengthen yourself on your food
and drink. Many men freeze to death there, lose
their lives because of hunger and thirst.
80 You will not in Iceland run into any hares, roe
deer, harts or hinds and no wild animals except
white, grey and red foxes and in addition to this
a lot of wild and untamed horses. The foxes kill
a number of sheep.
85 And in the north white bears come on ice
from Greenland. Much ice drifts ashore each
year in the north and it is so massive and thick
that no ship can approach. It is about 20 to 30
fathoms thick and very strong
90 so that it damages ships that run into it.
Around St. Johann's [end of June] or later men
sail easily into harbors in the north because
then the ice is mostly gone, and there they load
sulfur in huge piles.
95 Sulfur is mined from the mountains in the
north and horses must carry it to the sea, up
the mountains and over, large and small so
that they often die from it. Because of the high
mountains, no wagons can be driven here
100 and that is why the horses carry the loads
on their backs. I cannot write anything more
about birds except that geese and ravens fly
there. It is certain that the ravens in Iceland are
bigger than in any other land.
105 In the east and north there are a number of
beautiful falcons, indeed men have a lot of fat
for bait. There are many good white field hens
[ptarmigan] all over the land, though there is no
beer and no bread. I should also write about rye,
wheat and barley,
110 which cannot grow in Iceland because of
the cold. Apples, berries, peas, beans, flax and
poppies cannot grow because of the cold. In
general you will not find any fruits there and you
must take them with you yourself.
115 And nothing grows there that men plant
or sow, and nothing is harvested except grass.
There are good fat rams and sheep there and
the number of them is very great. The sheep
there become fat in four weeks
120 and the goats are not raised better in any
other land. All stallions and mares that are there
are pack horses and sure-footed. Hazelwood,
oak and birch are very expensive there and no
other wood than birch grows there well.
125 They have sod, seaweed, dung and
fishbones from which they make fire. Men pay
a lot for that there. And there are huge whales
around the land. They go near land very often
130 so that no one dares go to sea. The huge
Hakal is eight to nine ells. Hakal is a fish [hákarl,
`shark'] It can eat up everything at once,
because its jaws are so huge that men could sail
a boat up in them.
135 When men see this fish surface they rush
to land. They are one hundred ells or more in
length and nothing except ice keeps them
below the surface. The inhabitants cannot do
anything about this
140 though they use all their strength and
weapons. Sometimes one comes between the
land and ice and is thus trapped there
and loses its life because then it is in the power
of men.
145 They have fearful teeth that are three ells
or more in length. It has scales on its head as if
a shield. Its tail is not trifling, rather huge, it is a
wonder though it is true.
150 This I tell you true and sure. The land is
oblong and not round. It is certainly 100 miles
long. There are many furry dogs and it costs a
high price to buy them.
155 If it is attempted to get one or more of the
small children, they give them away without
cost. Now briefly has been spoken about the
ways and situation of Iceland and I intend now
to tell about the means of the people, what
clothing, food and drinks they use
160 and what other customs they have. First
you should remember and understand well that
they have a community chapel by their houses
and go there daily and pray as soon as they have
gotten out of bed.
165 They do not say a word to anyone before
they have said their prayers. Here is a holy
people. They read Psalms of David daily in Latin,
but the greater part no one understands. Many
clerics and preachers in the country
170 preach no more often in a year than twice,
this is a great disgrace and dangerous. The
people are both large and small. Prostitution
and adultery is very common there and there is
more of it there than other places.
175 The common man does not consider it
sinful when they can thoroughly swindle a
German, and they do not consider it wrong. Both
common and the great wear stylish clothing and
in this extravagance they are proud.
180 When they meet on the byways the one
kisses the other on the mouth. They greet each
other in this manner and show one to another
their warm feelings. There is much gravel, but
little sand
185 and there are many strong people in the
country. They take a ton of raw iron from the
ground onto their backs. In the whole country
there is no more than one bridge. When they
want, they can take up a cask of beer from the
ground and drink from the spout, just as the
farmers drink from a keg.
Native born Icelanders do not think it unclean
when dirty hair pollutes their butter and
occasionally lice; they are a "licey" people. Then
they eat hard, rotten fish, unsalted, and with it
large amounts of unmelted butter with hair.
190 And neither do they salt meat. If it is lean,
they eat tallow with it. They eat Hakal and
fish raw and without salt. Hakal is a fish Skyr
(Schur), curds (drabbel),
oat bread (meelbrey),
black pudding (blomen)
can only be served to
lords. Schur (skyr) is
thick milk [like yogurt].
Drabbel (drafli) is boiled
from fresh milk until it
becomes stiff. Blomen
(blóðmör) is sheep wurst
[actually blood pudding].
195 Without salt and
bread, they think food
is good. They greedily
eat fatty seal blubber,
without salt and bread in
their bowl they eat it as
greedily
200 as if it were chicken
or rabbit steak. A sheep
or a ram, though it has
been dead for a long time, Such food they eat
and gobble up. I saw it happen once that a
man's cow had died.
205 It died around Christmas and was unspoilt
at the beginning of Advent. He found it in the
snow and brought it in and the meat still tasted
like a treat to him. That happened in the south,
210 in the region that is called Arckermisse
(Akranes) Believe me it is right and sure, that
what is written here is not made up. They eat
butter thick, the bread is thin. The fish is dried in
the wind and the sun
215 and they haul it from the sea with their
lives in danger. I tell you this truly. Water and
buttermilk must be in every good drink. And if
beer is brought there by ship,
220 the people drink it enthusiastically while it
lasts. They don't let it last more than eight days;
they fear that it could turn sour. Anyone who
comes there has immediately to drink with them
and may in no way avoid it,
225 and for this reason even the farmers go
where they can sit without paying. And there no
one stands up from the table [lit. dishes] who
needs to pass water, believe me about that. The
lady of the house must pass him the chamber
pot,
230 and she doesn't turn away, and must take
it back from him. They are not ashamed of that.
She must then get rid of it, that is the manner
and custom of this land.
235 They sit and howl like bears and dogs and
when the beer is gone they wipe their mouths.
Then the guests go to their houses, the host
remains behind with his lice. They drink most
readily from bowls, seldom from flasks
240 and they never carry money in their pockets.
The term in parentheses is the Icelandic term
that Peerse rendered in German. They have of
course horseshoe nails and pay with them. They
also drink beer from bull's horn beekers that are
carved skillfully round in stripes. There it is not
shameful to eat and drink without money;
245 it is the custom in this land. The houses
there are set in the ground and it is not possible
to protect oneself from the lice. They go early to
bed in the evening and they get up late in the
morning.
250 They sleep ten or more all together in one
bed and both men and women lie together.
They sleep head to foot snoring and farting
like a group of pigs together under one vaðmál
blanket.
255 They all pass water in one large tub which
they have left for the night and they wash their
mouth and head from it.
They have vaðmál above
and below themselves.
That is their bedding and
nothing else.
260 During the winter
when they get up, they
cannot get out of the
house because of snow.
If they go out they see
nothing other than high
mountains covered with
snow. That is their fun and
happiness. Then they lie
back down in their wadmal
blanket like pigs. Then the
servants or the children
must bring them food and
drink in their bed, and
when they have eaten and
drunk their fill, they are not
willing to do anything other than play checkers
or chess, and they often have it there with them
[in bed]. Then the servants must go out and look
for dead sheep and rotten fish, which they then
eat from their dishes. Those who cannot get
used to these things and who cannot digest this
food, they cannot subsist in Iceland.
265 This I say entirely on my honor, and to those
who do not want or cannot believe this, they
ought to sail there themselves and travel about
as I have done so they can see the reality.
Better Than Any
Modern Travel
Book
A 16th-century German travel
poem about Iceland
A mysterious man visited Iceland sometime between the
years 1554 and 1586, when Hanseatic merchants ruled the
ports and trade in Northern Europe, including those in far-
away islands. Those German voyagers of the seas wrote
travel poetry to describe distant places. One of these poets
was a man called Göris Peerse, who sailed from Hamburg to
Iceland during the aforementioned period. We know almost
nothing about him, but he left behind a wonderfully quirky
poem about Iceland in Middle Low German. It was printed in
Hamburg and seems to have been well received in Hanseatic
circles. In Iceland, however, it was not so received well, and
it led the priest and scholar Arngrímur Jónsson to write a
nationalistic defense and counter-description of Iceland.
Words
Helgi Hrafn Guðmundsson and Göris Peerse
42 The Reykjavík GrapevineIssue 10 — 2015LEMÚRINN
Lemúrinn is an Icelandic web magazine (it's also the Icelandic word for the native
primate of Madagascar). A winner of the 2012 Web Awards, Lemúrinn.is covers
all things strange and interesting. Go check it out at www.lemurinn.is
“When they meet on
the byways the one
kisses the other on the
mouth. They greet each
other in this manner
and show one to anoth-
er their warm feelings.
There is much gravel,
but little sand and there
are many strong people
in the country.”