The Icelandic Canadian - 01.06.1963, Side 40

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THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SUMMER 1963
Icelandic Canadian Club Ethnic Display
A highly successful ethnic display
was staged by the Icelandic Canadian
Club, at the First Lutheran Church
Parish Hall, April 22, 1963.
General convener, Mrs. V. J. Thor-
lakson, was interviewd by an Icelandic
Canadian representative.
How did the display come about?
“I was given the responsibility of
convening the April meeting of the
Club and I thought it would be of
interest to hold a display of ethnic art
and craft, old and modern. An idea
or theme had to be evolved. While my
people were among the first who came
to the new land, what of my neigh-
bors, my fellow workers, whence came
they and what of their heritage? We
are Canadians and the heritage of the
different national groups will con-
tribute to the mosaic of Canadian cul-
ture. I endeavoured to combine the
heritage of their costumes, their arts
and crafts. To that end I invited 12
different nationalities to participate.”
What were these?
“Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Den-
mark, Holland, Scotland, Esthonia,
Czechoslovakia, the Ukraine, Yugo-
slavia, Japan; also the Mennonite
people. There were displays from other
countries which were loaned by various
groups.”
How was the response to the invit-
ation?
“They were most co-operative. They
felt, as I did, that perhaps we are for-
getting that only from these resources
will our own lives be enriched, our
own culture become distinctive.”
There was a great deal of material
for the display.
“There is a wealth of material from
which to choose. Our hobbies are
many and varied. Countless hours had
been spent in fashioning each and
every exhibit. Handiwork, pictures by
artists of renown, ceramics, jewelry,
wood carving were on display as well
as active demonstrations. Individuality
was shown in art from our modern
painters in Iceland, including Kjarval’s
stark lava scene. The well-known Ice-
landic Canadian artist, Emile Walters,
was represented by his painting of the
ruins on the site of the Icelandic settle-
ment in Greenland.”
Do you feel the display was a success?
“Unquestionably. The attendance
was very good. At one time as many as
250 to 300 were present. Without
the co-operation of the various com-
mittees and the ethnic groups I would
not have been able to stage the display.
My sincere thanks to them. In looking
over the display it became evident
that our Canadian culture could be-
come a cosmopolitan array adapted
from crafts from several ethnic groups.
Unusual hobbies and crafts made an
interesting kaleidoscope of color and
form. We must try to preserve what
is left of the traditions and heritage
which the pioneers left as a legacy for
future generations.”
Will the display be repeated?
“It may not be repeated, but per-
haps at some future date other facets
of our Canadian way of life may be
shown.”
The Icelandic Canadian Club is to
be congratulated on staging such a
display, which proved to be the event
of the year. —M. H.