Lögberg-Heimskringla - 15.07.2013, Síða 4

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4 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • July 15 2013
LögbErg-
HEImSkrINgLa
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Heimskringla stofnað 9. september 1886
Lögberg stofnað 14. janúar 1888
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CANADA
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ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Why is it that we feel such a connection with other Icelandic
North American people and
with Iceland itself?
At this year’s INL
convention in Seattle, I was
struck very heavily by the sense
of community and belonging.
The theme of the convention
was Heima. Home. I think the
broad consensus was that we
all felt as if we were at home
somehow. It was a time to
refresh old friendships and
make new ones, as we joined
together to celebrate our
Icelandic culture. But what is
it, exactly, that connects us?
Across North America,
Iceland, and even New Zealand,
people of Icelandic descent
gathered recently to celebrate
Icelandic Independence, and
its father Jón Sigurðsson. We
will soon gather in Gimli and
Mountain to celebrate our
two big festivals of the year
– Íslendingadagurinn, The
Icelandic Festival of Manitoba
and the Deuce of August in
Mountain, ND. Over one
hundred years after the main
period of emigration from
Iceland, we still follow and love
the country of our ancestors.
We long to visit it and we
do. For some it has become a
yearly pilgrimage. We love
the history, the horses, the
landscape, and the people. We
re-connect with our families
who remained in Iceland. We
research our genealogy as far
back as we can go.
We love the sagas and the
old beliefs. Many of us wear
Thor’s hammers around our
necks, or brooches representing
the infinite symbol of a serpent
devouring its own tail. My
eldest grandson Jonathan,
19, wears an Óðinn's knot
medallion every day. We love
traditional foods like kleinur
and rúllupylsa. Perhaps we owe
our continuing love of all things
Icelandic to those who have
gone before us. We have always
been a culture where teaching
and story were handed down
from one generation to the next.
Brian Tomasson, Lögberg-
Heimskringla Board member,
is the best natural storyteller I
have ever encountered. How
many of us can remember
hearing stories from our parents
and our grandparents? I am
willing to bet that it is more
than a few.
Poetry has bound us together
for over a thousand years.
Rising from the complicated
structure and clever content
of Viking poets like Egill
Skallagrímsson, the poetic age
of Jónas Hallgrímsson, and the
farmer poets of Iceland and
North America, we have new
poets now, writing their own
forms of poetry that are diverse
and equally beautiful. One of
my favourite poems ends with
the line "The purpose of poetry
is to tell us about life.” Our
poems are about our lives and
the lives of our ancestors. They
have held us together for a very
long time.
We have many writers
among us, in Canada, the USA
and Iceland. Iceland’s own
Halldór Laxness won the Nobel
Prize for Literature in 1955.
His books are stunning and tell
us about times of occupation
and lives lived. The novels of
W.D. Valgardson are known
throughout the world, but hold
a special significance for us.
There are far too many writers
among us to list them here.
Perhaps we can thank our
afis, ammas, parents, cousins,
and friends of the family for
leading us in the direction that
we follow so strongly. Our
own newspaper has existed for
almost 127 years. It's still here.
In my case, I saw both
papers, the Lögberg and the
Heimskringla, on the dining
room table throughout my
childhood. During WWI, my afi
wrote letters back to Lögberg
about his experiences in that
war. He inspires me. It was that
family heritage that caused me
to approach L-H a number of
years ago, to ask if I could write
from time to time. Many of us
have had similar influences.
Peter Johnson, Winnipeg,
became very active in the
Icelandic community because
of a relative, now passed from
this world. That cousin, Neil
Bardal, had inspired him.
L-H editors have tradition-
ally and eagerly devoted their
time and energy to this paper,
and to its forerunners. Baldvin
L. Baldwinsson, editor of
Heimskringla from 1898-
1913, saved the paper from
financial ruin through personal
investment. His devotion to
continuing the legacy of our
history and the communication
between Icelandic immigrants
in North America and in
keeping them in contact with
their homeland, is obvious.
In this issue, Ambassador
Hjálmar Hannesson, Consul
General in Winnipeg, puts it
very well, describing the role
that immigrant families have
played in North America, and
praising their efforts on behalf
of their Icelandic heritage.
A while ago, I listened to a
beautiful version of Ó Guð Vors
Lands, the Icelandic national
anthem, on YouTube. The
Icelandic man who had posted it
said “This video is dedicated to
all of the Icelanders in the world,
whether located in the Republic
or in the outlands.” I felt a keen
and very real rush of pride. I
realized that in many ways I am
an Icelander living abroad.
I can’t explain it completely.
But, I do know that I feel it, and
that I am joined by thousands
of others.
Guest Editorial
Judy Sólveig Richardson
Associate Editor
Nanaimo, BC
Guttormslundur (Guttormur’s Grove) sign and park were unveiled on July 6, 2013 at Víðivellir homestead in Riverton. The park, which is located on Nelson Gerrard’s
property, will pay homage to the life and work of one of the most
renowned Icelandic poets in Manitoba, Guttormur J. Guttormsson.
The unveiling ceremony coincided with a tour of the communities
of Arborg and Riverton by members of Icelandic National League
Chapters from Manitoba and North Dakota.
Guttormslundur is the vision of Nelson Gerrard, and is a small
parcel on Víðivellir enclosed with beautiful groves of trees and the
former site of Guttormur J. Guttormsson’s house. The vision for
interpretive panels and plaques with descriptions of the man and
his work are planned. The name, Guttormslundur is in the tradition
of similar parks in Iceland which are named for poets, such as
Jónasarlundur in Öxnadalur, named for the prolific Icelandic poet,
Jónas Hallgrímsson.
Nelson spoke about the life of Guttormur J. Guttormsson, his
influence on like-minded poets and his positive impact on the
community as a whole. Accounts written by Guttormur of events in
his early life were read by Greg Palsson and Joel Friðfinnsson, and
Svava Simundsson recited Guttormur’s poem “Landnámshjónin”.
The beautiful Icelandic sign that graces this future commemorative
site was unveiled by Nelson Gerrard and Ambassador Hjálmar
Hannesson, Consul General in Winnipeg.
Guttormslundur Park Unveiled
Joel Friðfinnsson
Geysir, MB
L-H DEADLinEs
Editorial SubmiSSion
dEadlinES for
August 15, Issue 16 2013
Monday, July 29
final Editorial dEadlinE –
brEaking nEwS only
Monday, August 12
Please advise the editor in advance if you are
sending a submission for the final deadline
final advErtiSing dEadlinE
Monday, August 12
Editorial SubmiSSion
dEadlinES for
september 1, Issue 17 2013
Monday, August19
final Editorial dEadlinE –
brEaking nEwS only
Monday, August 26
Please advise the editor in advance if you are
sending a submission for the final deadline
final advErtiSing dEadlinE
Monday, August 26
Photo: Joel friðinnSSon
Ambassador Hjálmar Hannesson and Nelson Gerrard
unveiled the sign
Correction
In the July 1 2013 issue, page 1, L-H mispelled Hjálmar
Hanneson's wife's name. It should have read Anna Birgis
Hannesson. Our apologies.