Reykjavík Grapevine - 16.06.2017, Blaðsíða 66

Modern Day Viking
Meet the man bringing the past to life
Words: Anisha Chandar Photos: Art Bicnick
I never thought I’d get the chance
to meet a king. Although he may
not reign, Gunnar “Viking” Ólafs-
son does have royal blood. Gunnar
is a living, breathing Viking based
here in Reykjavík, and founder of
Einherjar, the city’s only group dedi-
cated to the Old Norse warriors.
In Iceland, the streets are
swimming with plastic relics of
the nation’s mythological past,
and thanks to various TV series
and blockbusters, tourists are on a
crusade to find out more. With his
signature ice-blond hair and pierc-
ing blue eyes, Gunnar is quintes-
sentially Nordic. Sat with a lolli-
pop in one hand, and a Pepsi in the
other, we begin to discuss his royal
ancestry.
“I can trace my lineage back to
632 AD,” says Gunnar. “I’m related
to both Danish and Norwegian
kings. My 31st grandfather was King
Harald ‘Hardrada’ Sigurdsson.”
“Hardrada” is an epithet meaning
“hard ruler.” “He died trying to take
the crown from England in 1066.”
Royal blood
Gunnar is quick to point out that
he is not superficially interested,
but genuinely fascinated by his no-
table connections. “People often
ask me about my royal bloodline,
but I’m not concerned,” he says.
“I’m more interested in my reason
for being. To me, they are just my
grandparents—they’re just people,
so it’s great to know where I am
from.”
Gunnar is a historical reenac-
tor, TV extra and biker who has
dedicated his life to Norse mythol-
ogy. He’s working hard to bring
the past to the present. “Myself
and the group are like time trav-
ellers,” he explains. “We meet in
the Viking hall—a 1940s military
barrack built by the British. We’ve
been there for seven years and have
regular meetings.”
The Einherjar are not to be
messed w ith. They reg ularly
practice with replica spears and
swords. “We have to be skilled
fighters when we are in shows,”
says Gunnar, “and brush up on
our techniques. The Vikings were
actually very peaceful people, but
they needed to know how to fight
by sword to protect themselves,
their families, and their land.”
Vikings on screen
Every year, the group organises the
Reykjavík Viking Festival, where you
can mount a long ship and immerse
yourself in living history. “We even
have a skáld—a Norse storyteller—
coming from the UK, to connect
visitors with stories from the Viking
ages.”
Despite a somewhat bloody past,
Icelanders and Brits have a shared
interest in Vikings. Gunnar and his
army often tour the UK, and indeed
the world to educate and inspire.
“It might sound silly,” says Gunnar,
“but I think a lot of the popular-
ity has come from Hollywood films
like ‘Thor’. People are interested in
Oðinn, Loki, and their origins in
northern Europe.”
Gunnar has even made a name
for himself on the screen. He and his
fellow berserkers are often extras in
TV series and have even picked up
gigs randomly dressed as hippies.
“We were recently chosen to feature
in a documentary film,” he says. “In
the 17th century, Spaniards came to
Iceland and were fishing close to the
land. They became shipwrecked so
stole a sheep. The Icelanders didn't
take a liking to this, so the sheriff
of the Westfjords said they should
all be killed. Sixty souls arrived on
land, and all were killed. I was an
extra in the documentary, alongside
twenty other locals.”
Army of one
It’s not just a fad—Gunnar has been
contacted by a whole host of people
who are desperate to uncover ties to
the past. “More people are becoming
fascinated by history,” he enthuses.
“Many have traced their origins back
to Iceland, especially visitors from
Canada. Even Icelanders are becom-
ing more interested.”
Iceland is proud of its heritage,
and is lucky enough to have genea-
logical records such that you can
easily find out where your grandpar-
ents lived in the 18th, 17th and 16th
centuries. “You can visit the spots
of your ancestors, and connect to
the country—it’s an incredibly pro-
found experience,” Gunnar recalls.
If you’re planning a pilgrimage,
there’s plenty of ways to transform
into a Norseman (or woman). “To
get the full Viking experience,
take advantage of what’s being of-
fered here in Iceland,” says Gunnar.
“Ride the Viking Ship in Reykja-
vík, or ride one of our horses. The
horses have been here since the Vi-
king ages! Hafnarfjördur also has
a great scene. There’s a restaurant,
Fjörukráin, where you can eat and
drink like one of us.”
For those into roleplay, kidnap-
ping is available on request, as
Gunnar and his horde hope to craft
their very own “Viking Expedi-
tions.” “There are locations in Ice-
land where there are still huts and
historic relics,” he says. “We hope to
point people in the right direction
so they can find out more.”
My audience was complete, and
it was time for me to leave. Gunnar
accompanied me to his chariot—
a 4x4 with a kingly personalised
“VIKING” licence plate, no less.
Gunnar Ólafsson, breaker of chains, possible Viking king
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64 The Reykjavík Grapevine
Issue 10 — 2017