Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.06.2012, Page 10

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10 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • June 1 2012
For many years, the August long weekend represented the weekend
where I could engage in my
Icelandic self.
Even with those strong
ties to Iceland and its culture,
and a desire to learn more, it
never occurred to me to join the
Icelandic National League of
North America, let alone attend
a convention. As it turned out,
the INL of NA convention was
to be held in Brandon, MB, in
May. And while I have yet to
take a desperately desired trip to
Iceland, there was little excuse
for me to skip an Icelandic
cultural event within a couple
of kilometres from my house.
Like many of you, my
family’s pilgrimages to
Íslendingadagurinnn in Gimli
are more than just a trip to
the beach. My amma, Runa
Vopni, grilled its importance
into the minds of my two
sisters and me as she would
have cooked pönnukökur on
the iron pan. She was Amma,
not grandmother. Good night
was always góða nótt. She also
displayed a confidence only
vikings could share by having
a funeral home director (family
friend Neil Bardal) MC her 90th
birthday party, always shared
with her identical twin sister
Inga Burgess. Right up to her
death three years ago, she was
proud to share with her sister
the notoriety of being the oldest
identical twins of Icelandic
descent on the planet.
Conversely, the foods from
Amma’s Kitchen, the cultural
displays in the pavilion,
meeting actual Icelanders
and hearing others speak my
ancestors’ mother tongue
are major connections to my
family’s Icelandic past, and
are as important to me as the
Canadian culture my mother’s
family has lived and enjoyed
for four generations. Even our
three-year-old daughter fought
her first viking in the Viking
Village last year (but didn’t
have the heart to “finish” her
opponent with her plastic
sword).
But that was Gimli. What
was an INL of NA convention
like? What did people do? I had
no idea, other than my amma
and afi had both been members
of the INL. I arrived on Thursday
to hear choirs and traditional
Icelandic music; just the kind I
was used to hearing on a festival
Monday and to eat treats like
kleinur. It was familiar.
Then came the sessions
where stories of Icelanders
past and present seemingly
connected everyone with each
other, such as Bill Valgardson’s
discussion about his book,
What the Bear Said. It helped
me understand, more clearly
than I had before, that life was
not all Brennivín and harðfiskur.
Hardscrabble barely scrapes
the surface in describing life
a century ago, both in Iceland
and New Iceland.
The best of the culture and
the sharing of knowledge were
on display as well. Photographic
art, vocal and instrumental
talents were evergreens. Dis-
cussions about the Icelandic
economy and currency debates
between króna and Loonie
educated me, and others, about
how a small country can recover
from the most challenging of
circumstances. Challenges
closer to home were evident
through the Núna Festival play,
Sargent and Victor, as my amma
was a member of First Lutheran
Church, and both Amma and
Afi had lived in that area, then
known as a major Icelandic
settlement.
While Gimli during
festival weekend has more of
a family party atmosphere,
attending the INL of NA
convention allowed me to
better understand Icelandic
life. Everyone there had a
story, connected somewhat
to your own. And in sharing
those stories, you sometimes
learned of relatives you never
knew you had. In short, there
are experiences available to
those willing to get involved
in their local Club. I entered
the convention a free agent,
not tied to any INL chapter.
That will change, as soon as
I pay my dues to the Icelandic
Canadian Club of Western
Manitoba. While listening to
others speak fluent Icelandic
was comforting, I’d also rather
be able to converse with them
in the language my amma
spoke. I hope, one day, that
too will change.
The last words I heard from
the conference? Fittingly, they
were fara heim. I didn’t have far
to go, because after four days of
Icelandic cultural immersion, I
discovered I had never left.
Keith Borkowsky is the
Brandon Sun’s political
affairs reporter
Keith Borkowsky
Brandon, MB
Reflections on a first convention
Not a Viking ship, but during the flood of 2011, Keith’s regular job led him to a boat on the
Assiniboine River near St. Lazare, very near to the forks of the Qu’Appelle River and the
Assiniboine
PHoto: tiM sMitH
In a music festival that will include The Flaming Lips, Matthew Good and Bad
Religion, add Stella Sigrun to
your dance card. June 15 at
The Free Times Café, College
Street, West of Spadina at 11
p.m. Stella Sigrun performs her
North by North East (NXNE)
set. Great bands from around
the world are part of a week,
June 11–17, that is part film
fest, part music and technology
conference and very much
music festival.
One of the big advantages
NXNE has over Canadian
Music Week is the time of year.
CMW is in March and June
in Toronto means a lot more
out-door venues are going be
gatherings with tons of tunage.
For a complete list of NXNE
listings in Toronto this year,
visit nxne.com.
Sigrun Stella released the
full length CD, Crazy Blue in
July of 2011. Since the release
of Crazy Blue, Sigrun has been
featured on IndieCan Radio and
entertained 50 teachers from
Hammrahlið Menntaskol in
Reykjavík who visited Toronto
last October. Sigrun’s new CD
can be bought at most favorite
digital stores including itunes
and you can sample her music
on Facebook or Myspace. A
Sigrun Stella performance
will have its share of haunting
artistic music but Stella’s wry
h u m o u r a n d command
o f a n
audience makes her shows a one
of a kind experience. (http://
itunes.apple.com/us/album/
crazy-blue/id490922881)
PHoto Courtesy of siGrun steLLa
Sigrun Stella
Icelandic Canadian Sigrun Stella added
to NXNE Music Festival line up
J. Helgi Chisholm
Toronto, ON
Various levels of sponsorship will be treated as offerings
to the Norse Gods and support Lögberg-Heimskringla
2012 ICELANDIC OPEN SPONSORSHIP
ÓÐIN
Leader of the Gods!
$3,000.00
• Will receive 4 players and post golf reception
• Company Logo on all printed materials
• Large signs at registration, 1st and 10th Holes and featured
prominently during awards program
• 6 free 1/6 page ads in L-H and website ad
SÓL
Goddess of Sun,
we wish you here!
$2,000.00
• Your offering will receive 2 players and post golf reception
• Recognition in the program
• Sign at registration and featured during awards program
• 4 free 1/8 page ads in L-H and website ad
FREYR
Provides strength, to
play and have fun!
$1,000.00
• This offering will receive player and post golf reception
• Recognition in the program
• Featured during awards program
• 2 free 1/8 page ads in L-H and website ad
Þor
CARTS SPONSOR
Rides his Chariot of Fire!
$1,500.00 (x2)
• Your sacrifice helps provide
for the cart today
• Signage on front and
rear of all carts
• Recognition in program and
during awards program
• 2 free 1/8 page ads in L-H
and website ad
Iðunn
DRINK SPONSOR
Provides eternal youth!
$1,000.00
• At least her 1 complimentary
alcoholic beverage to all might!
• Recognition in program and on
drink ticket
• 2 free 1/8 page ads in L-H
and website ad
Baldur
LUNCH SPONSOR
The giver, provider of lunch!
$1,500.00
• Recognition in program, at
lunch area and on lunch ticket
• 2 free 1/8 page ads in L-H
and website ad
Brad Sveinson, Chair, Idavoll@mts.net
Grant Stefanson, gstefanson@darcydeacon.com
Audrey Kwasnica, audrey@lh-inc.ca or (204) 284-5686
FOR MORE
INFORMATION
CONTACT:
Huldufólk Hole and green sponsors – the ones that matter!
• Signage at teebox or by the green
• Recognition in program$250.00
To register for sponsorship, visit www.lh-inc.ca