Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.06.2012, Page 4

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4 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • June 1 2012
Editor’s reflection: How do we know who we are?
LögbErg-
HEImSkrINgLa
Published 24 times a year by
Lögberg-Heimskringla, Incorporated
Heimskringla stofnað 9. september 1886
Lögberg stofnað 14. janúar 1888
Sameinuð 1959
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Joan Eyolfson Cadham
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS
PRESIDENT: Grant Stefanson
TREASURER: Dan Snidal
SECRETARY: Elva Jónasson
BOARD MEMBERS
My friend Jewel is for-ever being asked by people she has just
met, “And what country are you
from?” Jewel says she delights
in replying, “The country of
Winnipegosis.”
Canadian-born Jewel was
born and grew up in Winnipeg.
Her DNA includes African
slave, French Canadian fur
trader, Cree, and English spiced
with just a soupçon of Irish.
A mulatto with Cree-given
cheekbones, a British sense of
presence, French Canadian joie
de vivre and the Irish sense of
humour, she joyfully embraces
all parts of her background.
Steven, my adult nephew,
who is very aware of my passion
for all things Viking, asked one
day, “Who am I, aunt Joan?”
Steven is adopted. He had met
his birth mother, something
he felt called to do as an adult
with a son of his own. For
adopted kids, there’s always the
question about surprises lurking
in the DNA. The meeting went
well but, Steven said, while
his birth mother is a perfectly
fine woman, they didn’t have
much in common. I asked
him what culture had marked
his childhood. “We didn’t do
much,” he said, “but what we
did was Icelandic. Mom did
that.” I told him we’d happily
accept him as an Icelander.
That wasn’t much of a
stretch, apparently. A couple of
years later, I mislaid my only
truck key and had to lease a car
so I could pick him up from the
Saskatoon airport. Knowing I’d
be late, I called a friend in the
city, gave her a clear description,
and asked her to collect him for
me. Later, over lunch, Leona
told me that I could have
skipped the details because,
“He’s so much an Eyolfson that
I would have recognized him
anywhere.” We exploded into
noisy laughter, and debated
whether or not we should tell
the truth. We finally relented,
leaving Leona insisting that,
DNA notwithstanding, Steven
really was an Eyolfson.
When I told my friend
Darlene that my Icelandic
cousin, Kristjan Helgi, had
provided me with a detailed
unbroken genealogy back
to 980, she was profoundly
saddened. “I’m Ukrainian,” she
reminded me. “Ukraine lived
through constant wars and
invading armies. Churches were
destroyed, records were burned,
lost, deliberately destroyed.
Most of us have no way to track
our family tree.”
I think of Jewel and Steven
and Darlene whenever I attend
an INL of NA convention,
when I hear the delegates
talking, searching out a new
relative somewhere in the
room, or at least someone who
knows a relative. We seem to
carry a deep yearning to make
connections, to know our roots,
to understand our shared past.
That’s a revival, at least in
parts of Canada where there
was once a certain prejudice
against families who celebrated
their ethnic roots. It’s healthy.
As the Spanish-born American
philosopher and writer, George
Santayana, said, “Those who
cannot remember the past are
condemned to repeat it.” It’s a
little tougher now, when more
of us in Canada and the USA
are one-quarter, one-eighth or
one-sixteenth Icelandic rather
than 100% Icelandic. However,
Jewel set the example – she
could, and did, embrace every
part of her DNA and she has
obviously enjoyed the results.
We are fortunate to have our
clubs, the INL of NA, and L-H
all connecting us to the Icelandic
part of our past and future.
It is exciting to learn that the
Icelandic Club of Greater Seattle
was part of the Norwegian 17th
of May Parade in Ballard, a day
which has been celebrated in the
Seattle area since 1889. After
all, we do share the original
Viking DNA. Why not connect
with it, enthusiastically, any way
we can?
And finally, speaking of
connections, you might have
noticed the new header –
Reflections, rather than Editorial.
An editorial is generally a
serious article conveying a
strong opinion on a topical
issue. While we are connected
by DNA, we recognize that our
readers hold divergent views on
politics, religion, and current
social issues, and we don’t
write traditional editorials.
Reflections better describes what
we do offer. Stay connected and
let us know.
Joan Eyolfson Cadham
Editor
Please send your letters to: editorialcommittee@lh-inc.ca
Partnership works
As co-chairs of the INL of
NA convention in Brandon,
we are extremely pleased with
the attendance and more than
pleased with the feedback we
are receiving. If the participants
left the convention with a
sense of pride and a continued
desire to promote the Icelandic
connection between Iceland,
USA and Canada, then we
feel that our efforts have been
fruitful.
Partnerships really help, and
made a big difference for our
convention. It was an honour
for us to meet and work with
so many quality people. L-H
was a big part of the convention
success. Your eagerness to help
by promoting the convention
made a positive difference. We
would like to acknowledge the
Victoria Inn for allowing us to
serve Icelandic food in their
establishment. The Icelandic
food was such a big part of the
convention. Thank you to the
following Clubs and individuals
who donated the Icelandic
food:
Kleinur: Bruin Chapter,
Selkirk
Pönnukökur: Icelandic
Canadian Frón, Winnipeg
and Gimli Icelandic
Canadian Society, Gimli
Rúllupylsa and rúgbrauð og
flatkökur: Atli Ásmundsson
and Þrúður Helgadóttir
Skyr: Icelandic Canadian
Club of Western Manitoba,
Brandon
Vínarterta: Esjan Chapter,
Arborg and Lundar Chapter,
Lundar
Harold and Norma
Jonasson
Brandon, MB
KOM pleased to share news
briefs
Góðan daginn
I am very pleased to hear
what your readers are saying.
We at KOM are proud to be
able to share news items from
the INB and help strengthening
valuable ties with our Icelandic
extended family and friends
in N-America. We are proud
of this contribution. Thank
you for sending the paper
electronically. Sometimes we
photocopy the INB items and
put them on a wall in the office
for all to see.
Kær kveðja frá sunny
Reykjavík
Jón Hákon Magnusson,
KOM
L-H Deadlines
Editorial SubmiSSion
dEadlinES for

June 15, Issue 12
Wednesday, May 30
final Editorial dEadlinE –
brEaking nEwS only
Monday, June 4
Please advise the editor in advance if you are
sending a submission for the final deadline
advErtiSing dEadlinE
Monday, June 4
Editorial SubmiSSion
dEadlinES for

July 1, Issue 13
Wednesday, June 13
final Editorial dEadlinE –
brEaking nEwS only
Monday, June 18
Please advise the editor in advance if you are
sending a submission for the final deadline
advErtiSing dEadlinE
Monday, June 18
Claire Eckley
Brian Gudmundson
Brent Haymond
Dr. Lyle Hillman
Vi Bjarnason Hilton
J. Peter Johnson
Jón Örn Jónsson
Margaret Kernested
Garry Oddleifson
Oskar Sigvaldason
Brian Tómasson
Judy Wilson
CANADA
Karen Botting Winnipeg MB
Joel Friðfinnsson Geysir MB
Margret Grisdale Calgary AB
Gerri McDonald Vancouver BC
Rosalind Vigfusson Arborg MB
Judy Sólveig Wilson Namaimo BC
USA
Pam Olafson Furstenau Fargo ND
Rob Olason Bellingham WA
Steingrimur Steinolfson Bloomington MN
ICELAND
Almar Grímsson Hafnarfjörður Ísland
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
First Lutheran Church
580 Victor Street
Winnipeg R3G 1R2
204-772-7444
www.mts.net/~flcwin
Worship with us
Sundays 10:30 a.m.
Pastor Michael Kurtz
Correction
Issue 10 May 15 2012
The article “Lögberg-
Heimskringla documentary
to premiere at Núna (now)”
on page 8-9 was written
by Caelum Vatnsdal of
Winnipeg.
Photo cutline on cover
incorrectly had Alma
Gislason listed instead
of Alma Sigurdson,
Photo page 2 should read
Alma Sigurdson not Ima
Sigurdson