The Icelandic Canadian - 01.03.1994, Blaðsíða 38

148
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
SPRING, 1994
dagsklukka, then rang the bell three
times before proceeding to the
platform.
The following excerpts from my
Fjallkona message that day express
some thoughts pertinent to the whole
aspect of being a Fjallkona.
“Gledilega hatid!” A warm welcome
to all present in this place today,
those who have come from far and
near, from various parts of Canada,
the United States and from Iceland.
It is understood that taking on the
image of the Fjallkona allows me the
privilege of giving love and guidance
to you, to draw attention to our an-
cestral origin and the ties that con-
tinue to bind us to the Motherland...
By absorption we still retain the
mould in which we were cast. And,
although this may eventually not be
as easily discerned as it is today, the
strands of the Icelandic cultural
heritage will, no doubt, continue to
reinforce the mosaic fabric of the
Canadian nation.
Today, you in Canada and my
children in Iceland have progressed
far since the turn of the century,
functioning now in the mainstream of
world affairs. When the pioneers came
from Iceland beginning in 1875, not
only did they bring their books of law
and literature, they also brought
something that was more valuable - a
strong faith in Divine Providence.
Their faith sustained them through-
out the early struggles of our people,
both in Canada and in the United
States, the same faith that had
sustained the Icelandic nation
through the tribulations of 1000years
of Icelandic history...
The ‘New Iceland’ republic, founded
upon the laws, literature and liturgy
of their former homeland... continued
to develop the attributes inherent in
the Icelandic culture. Literary
societies, libraries, schools and
churches flourished wherever the
Western Icelanders founded new
settlements...
Today, we still retain a part of our
roots, that of our Icelandic heritage.
Over the last sixty years, beginning
first with the historical millennial
celebration in 1930 of Iceland's first
parliament, voyages and charter
flights have brought many westerners
of Icelandic background in contact
with their relatives in Iceland. Once
you experience a visit to Iceland there
is a bond that is immediately felt.
There is indeed an innate fondness
that the people of Iceland have for the
fslendingar i vesturheimi, and their
warmth and hospitality is an ex-
perience one will always cherish.
There have remained amazing
parallels between our people in
America and those in Iceland... Men
and women alike have gone forth,
many becoming leaders in various
areas of commerce; others successful
in the fields of teaching, medicine,
law, architecture, and so on. Still
others express themselves in the arts
and crafts - there are very fine
musicians, writers of prose and
poetry, artists of all kinds, on both
sides of the Atlantic.
As you reflect on your childhood,
whether you live on this continent or
in Iceland, you become aware of the
culture and characteristics of your
people... their gentleness of spirit,
their courage in facing disasters and
their faith in God brought them
through whatever hardships and
crises that confronted them... Indeed,
Iceland is a microcosm of what
happens on a larger scale world-wide.
Whatever befalls a nation, people
do not give up until they emerge free
and victorious in their own right . . .
The people of every race and creed
need that recurring introspection into
their past, to always take what proved
best in former times, work diligently
at their dreams today, so that