The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.1977, Page 27

THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
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Hon. Olafur Johannesson
An association with Canada, Norway,
Denmark and Iceland to promote fish
has resulted in an increase in sales, he
said.
Mr. Johannesson was prime minister
from 1971 until his minority coalition
government was defeated in 1974 gen-
eral elections.
He is now minister of justice and com-
merce.
He was a central figure in the “cod
war” with England over fishing grounds.
Relations with England are now “very
good,” he said.
During his two week stay, Mr. Johan-
nesson is visiting Icelandic settlements
in Manitoba.
—Winnipeg Tribune
July, 1977
The Scandinavian Pavilion:
Winnipeg Folklorama
“The Best Yet!” was the appre-
ciative comment on our visit to the
Scandinavian Pavilion of the Winnipeg
1977 Folklorama, at the St. James Civic
Centre, August 15, where people of
Danish, Finnish, Icelandic, Norwegian,
and Swedish descent, and others, came
together to glimpse ethnic heritages and
to enjoy themselves.
The Centre was packed, the attend-
ance being up 900 from the corres-
ponding time last year.
The colorful and varied displays and
their settings in the stalls included na-
tional flags, national costumes, handi-
crafts and ornaments, and, in their
place, ethnic foods.
Multitudes were seated at the tables
laden with ethnic foods, including the
Icelandic rullupylsa, ponnukokur, and
vinarterta.
The stage program, under the direc-
tion of M.C.’s Ray Vopni and Meros
Leckow, featured melodious folk songs,
solo and ensemble; instruments such
as the harmonica, and folk dances,
Icelandic and Ukrainian, the latter a
spectacular and predominating feature.
The numerous Icelandic folk dances,
performed by a bevy of young ladies in
authentic Icelandic costumes, included
one to the music of ‘Olafur reid med
bjorgum fram’, and one a ‘skottis’.
Both sets of dances, Icelandic and
Ukrainian, were trained and directed
by Meros Leckow. The entire varied pro-
gram was high-class, smooth-flowing,
and entertaining.
“We are proud of our heritage, but
first of all we are Canadian,” said Bob
Goodman, who was prominent on the
program, and the massed assembly on
the platform sang with feeling, ‘This
land is your land; this land is my land’.