Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.04.2019, Qupperneq 1

Stefan Jonasson
This year’s Þorrablót in
Arborg, Manitoba, was
a cross-country event
with the keynote speaker
coming from Victoria, British
Columbia, and the emcee from
Ottawa, Ontario – but both
were “coming home” to the
Manitoba Interlake along with
countless others who made
their way from neighbouring
communities and Winnipeg to
enjoy this annual late winter
feast held by Esjan, the Arborg
Chapter of the Icelandic
National League. This sense
of homecoming came up a lot
during the evening.
The emcee this year was
Brooke Fridfinnson, who was
introduced by chapter president
Signý McInnis. Before dinner
was served, Brooke stressed
the importance of keeping
traditions like Þorrablót alive
and also spoke briefly about
her own experience of visiting
Iceland. “I met people my age
who were so surprised to hear
that I had an amma and an afi
… and that I grew up on a farm
called Djúpidalur in the Geysir
district beside the Icelandic
River. These are things that I
think are important and they
were as excited to hear them
as I was to tell them.” She
went on to say that, “being
able to visit the farms where
my ancestors stood, and
stand on that soil and look at
the same fjords and the same
physical landscape, where they
made that decision to pick up
their lives and move into the
unknown – I can actually feel
the emotion welling up inside
of me, taking myself back to
those memories – those were
some of the most grounding
and humbling experiences that
I’ve had in my life.”
Brooke kept the evening
running on time, joking, “I’m
only half Icelandic – my other
side is German and Swiss –
and I understand that we have
an agenda and a timetable and
a schedule.”
Consul General Þórður
Bjarni Guðjónsson brought
greetings from Iceland. Noting
that he and his wife, Jórunn
Kristinsdóttir, had now been
in Winnipeg for three years
and that this was their third
Þorrablót in Arborg, he said,
“it’s starting to feel a little bit
like home. We are starting to
see many familiar faces.” He
congratulated Esjan on its 80th
anniversary and acknowledged
the 100th anniversary of the
founding of the Icelandic
National League of North
America. “Looking back at
these 100 years of Icelandic
National League of North
America history, it is indeed
a pleasure to see how deeply
embedded the organization
and all the chapters, as we
so clearly see here tonight,
are in true affection for their
ancestral homeland and the
Icelandic cultural heritage,
which has characterized the
people of Icelandic descent
from the years of the Icelandic
settlement in North America to
this day. … It is important to
maintain this interest and the
great and remarkable cultural
events and activities.”
Author and poet W.D.
Valgardson delivered the
keynote address of the evening.
In beginning his remarks, Bill
quipped, “I fled BC’s winter to
come here because it’s milder.
We’ve had a bad year.” It’s
not often that Manitobans hear
anyone from the West Coast
affirm that they’ve come back
for the weather. He held the
audience in rapt attention for
the duration of his powerful
and moving 15-minute
address, gliding effortlessly
between gentle humour and
deeply serious reflection.
(Bill’s address appears on
pages 8 and 9 of this issue.)
The formal program
was rounded out with a
melodious performance by
Brittney Gallichon, who was
accompanied by Rosalind
Vigfusson on piano. Brittney
opened with the Elvis Presley
classic, “I Can’t Help Falling
in Love with You,” which
she followed with “I Have a
Dream,” a song popularized by
the Swedish pop group ABBA.
She concluded with “Ég er
kominn heim,” the beautiful
anthem Icelandic soccer fans
were heard singing from the
stands when their team made it
to the Euros. Brittney donned
an Icelandic national soccer
team scarf when she sang.
Those attending lingered
long into the evening, chatting
with friends, enjoying a drink or
two, dancing to recorded music,
and checking their silent auction
tickets. We were all at home.
LÖGBERG
HEIMSKRINGLA
The Icelandic Community Newspaper • 1 April 2019 • Number 07 / Númer 07 • 1. apríl 2019
Publication Mail Agreement No. 40012014 ISSN: 0047-4967
VISIT OUR WEBSITE LH-INC.CA
INSIDE
Artifacts from the 7th century
/ pages 6-7
The Vikings
Begin
PHOTO: STEFAN JONASSON
W.D. Valgardson on writing /
pages 8-9
The rules of
storytelling
A melancholy master of verse
/ page 5
Kristján Jónsson
fjallaskáld
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GUSTAVIANUM,
UPPSALA UNIVERSITY MUSEUM
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Cocktails & Dinner at the Johnson Hall (limited seating/tickets available)
August 2, 2019
Links at the Lake Golf Course
Gimli, MB
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For sponsorship or registration contact us :
LH@LH-INC.CA | 204 284 5686
WWW.LHINC.CA
August 2, 2019
Links at the Lake Golf Course
Gimli, MB
Cocktails & Dinner at the Johnson Hall
(additional tickets available)
REGISTER TODAY!
Registration $160
In Support of Lögberg-Heimskringla
For sponsorship or registration contact us :
LH@LH-INC.CA | 204 284 5686
WWW.LHINC.CA
August 2, 2019
Links at the Lake Golf Course
Gimli, MB
Cocktails & Dinner at the Johnson Hall
(additional tickets available)
REGISTER TODAY!
Registration $160
In Support of Lögberg-Heimskringla
PHOTOS: STEFAN JONASSON
The Royal Canadian Legion hall was full and spirits were high. Brittney Gallichon sang
accompanied by Rosalind Vigfusson. Emcee Brooke Fridfinnson, keynote speaker W.D.
Valgardson, and Consul General Þórður Bjarni Guðjónsson sat together at the head table.
COMING HOME TO THE ÞORRABLÓT IN ARBORG
PHOTO: STEFAN JONASSON