Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.03.2007, Side 5
Visit us on the web at http://www.lh-inc.ca
Ringler’s website about Hall-
grímsson (www.library.wisc.
edu/etext/Jonas/Jonas.html),
which enhances the reading of
the book. Those who do not
wish to buy the book and can-
not locate it in a library will
find the website a rich resource
on its own.
I recommend this devoted
work of scholarship to anyone
who is interested in discovering
more about this important Ice-
landic Romantic poet.
Anna Jean Mallinson
West Vancouver, BC
* * *
Dear Editor,
I enjoy reading the Lög-
berg-Heimskringla very much
and especially enjoy the writ-
ings in “The Guest’s Corner.”
The stories often bring back
memories of earlier years. One
story that comes to mind is as
follows:
Years ago, horses were a
familiar sight in Gimli as they
were used to help with many
duties and chores. Basements
were made by horses and scrap-
ers. Road repairs and upkeep
was done with the aid of horses.
Where the Gimli Theatre stands
today, there stood a horse barn.
Gunnar Johnson, the town fore-
man, kept horses there.
One night late in the eve-
ning, my uncle, John Howard-
son, was walking home. As
he was passing by the barn he
saw that a fire was burning in-
side the barn and would soon
turn into an inferno. He quickly
ran inside the barn and untied
all the horses and was able to
lead them all to safety outside.
Quick thinking on his part
saved the animals from perish-
ing in the flames.
Respectfully yours,
Clifford Stevens
Gimli, MB
* * *
Dear Editor:
Thanks for the January 5
article “Bringing more Ice-
landers west.” I wish success
to Vesturheimur and extend a
welcome to all who will come
our way. It is through such
visits that the bond between
Iceland and emigrants and/or
their descendants on this side
of the ocean is ensured. From
my home in Saskatchewan, I
have always been aware of the
strong ties to Iceland.
My thoughts go to those
who emigrated in early settle-
ment years — saying goodbye
to the country of their birth,
their relatives and friends and
everything they had known,
without a dream of ever return-
ing. Their children could at least
dream but lack of finances and
in some cases ill-health exerted
their forces. Only in memory
could they travel back.
I grew up hearing from my
father (Peter Thorsteinson) that
one day when times would be
better, he would go back to Ice-
land for a visit. He never did; he
died in 1957.
In 1988 my daughter Lonna
and I “went back for a visit” —
yes, I had heard that expression
so often, it was a part of me and
I used it as I planned my first
visit. It was a wonderful trip to
a beautiful land; the hospitality
was heartwarming.
During our visit my fa-
ther was never far from my
thoughts, as he was when I read
in the referred-to article that “...
few stood on the docks, wish-
ing them well just before they
sailed.”
My father left this written
account of the family’s depar-
ture from their homeland:
In June 1893 Father (Stein-
grimur Thorsteinson) sold out
and decided to sail to America
with Mother (Petrina Gud-
mundsdottir) and us three boys
(John, Thorstein, Peter) so we
all rode our horses for the last
time to the port of Husavik, a
distance of about 35 miles. I
rode on Father’s saddle horse.
We... sailed with a coal-freighter
around the northernmost point
of Iceland... into a port called
Seydisfjord. There the Allan
Liner Lake Huron was waiting
to take us to America...”
He never wrote about peo-
ple standing on the dock wish-
ing them well. Their goodbyes
had been said and the tears were
shed back in their home district
when they had left their farm in
the Reykjadal Valley.
I grew up in the Icelandic
settlement south of the Quill
Lakes in Saskatchewan, never
hearing a word spoken about
negative feelings held towards
the emigrants by people back
home in Iceland. But of course,
those who remained felt great
loss and would have coped with
it in various ways. Some, I read
(in the aforementioned article)
expressed their feelings with
anger. That was a long time
ago. When I hear it come to the
forefront today, I hope that that
negative will not live on as the
norm.
The ties between the emi-
grants and the island homeland
were kept alive through such
ways as the reading of books
and newspapers, the writing of
letters, the exchange of photos
— also through church con-
nections. The 2nd of August
brought people together in song
and celebration. But it was in
1961 when His Excellency Ás-
geir Ásgeirsson and Her Lady-
ship Dora Þórhallsdóttir vis-
ited the West that within hearts,
the bond of togetherness was
sealed. They came at a time
when a few of the older genera-
tion could exchange old memo-
ries from Iceland, when many
of the descendants of the emi-
grants could also converse in
Icelandic, when many children,
of many ethnic backgrounds,
with enthusiasm waved their
home-made miniature flags of
Iceland and sang. It seemed like
love held everyone together on
that beautiful September day.
That was nearly 50 years ago.
In the days that followed
the visit, many would recall that
President Ásgeirsson, in speak-
ing to a crowd of 2,000, had
said, “... people in the homeland
feel their Canadian relations are
not foreigners when they come
back home and yet know these
people are good Canadian citi-
zens in every way.” (Saskatoon
StarPhoenix.)
With economic times im-
proving, many more people
were able to afford a trip “back
home” to Iceland.
“Blest be the ties that bind”
the hearts of those of Icelandic
heritage in the West with the
hearts of those in Iceland.
Just wanted to share my
views by taking a trip back in
time. Thanks for coming aling.
Sincerely,
Lillian Thorsteinson
Thorlacius
Wynyard, SK
Thanks, Lillian, for sharing
your thoughts. I wonder if other
readers have similar experi-
ences to relate, perhaps some
of our American readership?
The subject of one’s heritage
and one’s citizenship can be
deeply personal for those who
have grown up in one country
but whose roots are in another.
— Ed.
Lögberg-Heimskringla • 15. mars 2007 • 5
Continued from page 4
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