The Icelandic Canadian - 01.09.2008, Qupperneq 37

Vol. 61 #4
THE ICELANDIC CANADIAN
175
costumes was the "hufa’ or “skotthufa.”
This was generally a flat black velvet or
knitted cap, although one book describes it
as a “small round cap with a little turned
back brim like a squashed derby.” From
the centre of the cap hangs a long heavy
black silk tassel, which is worn over the
shoulder. This tassel is bound together near
the top by an etched or engraved cylinder
of gold, silver or brass. One writer says,
“This singular gold tube, strangely enough
seems to be connected with Egypt. When I
was in Cairo I bought several face veils,
which had cylinders very like the Icelandic
ones, except that these were worn over the
nose. The similarity between the Egyptian
and the Icelandic cylinder is far too striking
to be mere coincidence. It occurs to me that
Iceland has always been closely associated
with the Norse. And Vikings ranged far: at
one time they ruled over Sicily and held
islands in the eastern Mediterranean. It is
known too that the Norse had relations
with Egypt.”
The same writer advances the theory
that the flat circular shape of the hufa was
related to the caul, a membrane covering
the face with which some children are
born. Apparently to be born with a caul
was considered in medieval Europe to be a
sign of good luck. In Iceland “it was
believed that the caul brought good fortune
because it contained the child’s spirit. This
spirit was thought to hover near and help
when there was trouble. For this reason the
midwife was careful not to injure the caul.
She buried it beneath the threshold over
which the mother and child had to pass,
thus assuring good fortune to them both.
Later it was taken up, sewn in a bag and
hung around the child’s neck or preserved
in other ways.”
The hufa then in “its size and shape
symbolizes the caul and is worn on the
head to bring the wearer good fortune.” It
would seem then that this part of the tradi-
tional Icelandic costumes has its roots far
back in Icelandic history.
Alternatively, information provided
by the Museum of Man and Nature indi-
cates that the hufa was not worn until the
end of the 18th century and was an adap-
tion of the knitted and tasseled toques that
the men wore.
For riding the sturdy little Icelandic
horses a woman would wear rubber boots,
breeches covered by a skirt with flaps, but-
toned in the back and a linen shirtwaist.
The holiday costume of the nineteenth
century Icelandic women was designed in
1830 as part of the celebrations of the thou-
sand years of Icelandic settlement. It was
adapted from earlier dress and for some
reason, Dutch costume. This costume con-
sisted of a blue or black velvet or silk skirt,
a black bodice open in front over a
coloured blouse and an embroidered silk
apron. The front edges of the bodice were
decorated with gold or silver filigree
embroidery often in an oak or other leaf
design. This extends around the neck and is
usually found on the cuffs as well. The belt
is of silk with gold or silver buckles or
composed entirely of silver links or plates.
In some cases the silver is gold plated.
Metal ornaments are also used for fasteners
on the bodice. This costume is called the
“skautbuningur.”
The headdress in this case is called a
“faldur.” It is a high headdress of stiffened
lawn shaped in a way that is reminiscent of
the prow of the Viking ship. This is cov-
ered with a sheer veil, which falls well past
the shoulders. The shape of the headdress
has evolved over the centuries probably
from the medieval era. The faldur is
trimmed at the front with a gold diadem or
ornament. Occasionally this is replaced
with a silk band and filigree work.
These costumes were widely adopted
in Iceland by 1880 although the women
had a strong interest in fashion modes from
Europe particularly Copenhagen. By the
mid 1900’s “adoption of European clothing
was more satisfactory to most Icelanders”
In fact it was probably more the nationalis-
tic fervor engendered by the two Millennial
Celebrations in 1830 and 1874, that helped
to retain the national costume in the face of
this general interest in “Danish fashion” at
a time when trade was once again opening
up. At the present time few women wear
the national costume on a day-to-day basis.
The skautbuningur is worn by dignitaries
on special occasions.
The wool industry along with the fish