Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.12.2019, Qupperneq 4

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4 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • December 1 2019
Sometime in the 1950s,
my grandparents gave my
father a gift subscription
to National Geographic. That
gift was renewed year after year.
As Christmas approached, a
card would arrive, signed “Love,
Mother and Jonas,” announcing
that the magazine would
continue to come every month.
I knew that Dad cherished the
gift because, after reading each
issue, he would place it on the
built-in bookshelves that lined
the wall of the upstairs landing
outside my bedroom. The
current issue was always on
the table next to his easy chair.
Grandpa’s collection, which
lined the walls of his stone
basement at Point Roberts, dated
back to the 1920s. They both
loved National Geographic,
just as I came to love it, and it
introduced me to the vast world
beyond my front door.
I don’t know when Dad took
over his own subscription – or if
he ever did, since he died before
his mother and stepfather – but
I do know that as each of their
children left home, my parents
bought us gift subscriptions
of our own to National
Geographic. The gift survived
Mom’s death by a year, since
she had already paid for the
next year’s subscriptions when
she died in 2011. Both of my
parents valued the work of the
National Geographic Society,
they cherished its magazine, and
they were committed to passing
it on to their children – not by
loaning us their copies to read,
but by giving us subscriptions of
our own.
These are perilous days for
publications – both in print and
online – as their subscription
bases rapidly erode. People
don’t subscribe to newspapers
and magazines like they
once did and advertisers are
shifting their emphasis to other
media. Every year, community
newspapers and ethnic
publications close their doors
when their subscriber rolls fall
below critical thresholds.
We know that Lögberg-
Heimskringla is a high-quality
publication that is widely
shared with friends and family
after it arrives in the mail. We
need more people to enjoy
subscriptions of their own –
several hundred more people if
the operation is to remain viable.
But subscriptions don’t come in
several hundred at a time; they
arrive one by one. That’s where
you come in.
People often ask me
how they can help Lögberg-
Heimskringla survive. I’d
like to ask people to help it
thrive, not just survive. And
as important as donations and
advertising may be – and they
are vitally important – the single
most valuable thing people can
do is subscribe – and to buy gift
subscriptions for those whose
lives would be enriched by
reading Lögberg-Heimskringla,
whether in print or online.
Most of you will be racing
between shopping malls
this month searching for a
distinctive gift to give someone
you love. Many of you will
settle for something – perhaps
anything – to check off a name
on your Christmas list. Some
you, unable to get out to the
store, will hunt for gifts from
online merchants. Why not
consider sending someone a
gift subscription to Lögberg-
Heimskringla? You’ll enjoy the
peace of mind and someone you
care about will enjoy 24 issues
of a splendid publication that
will deepen their knowledge
and appreciation of our rich
heritage and culture, stir their
thoughts, and carry them to
Iceland without leaving their
easy chairs.
I first subscribed to Lögberg-
Heimskringla as a young adult
and, while I haven’t saved
every issue like my father saved
National Geographic, I’ve
clipped and kept many articles
and I’ve always enjoyed reading
the paper. Long before I ever
imagined becoming its editor, it
was enriching my life, expanding
my horizons, and connecting me
with things Icelandic. It matters
to me – so much so that I give
gift subscriptions to the people I
love the most, those who I hope
will stay in touch with Iceland
and its rich culture throughout
their lives. I’d like to encourage
you to join me.
Lögberg-
Heimskringla
Published 24 times a year by
Lögberg-Heimskringla, Incorporated
Heimskringla stofnað 9. september 1886
Lögberg stofnað 14. janúar 1888
Sameinuð 1959
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CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER
Audrey Juve Kwasnica
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EDITOR
Stefan Jonasson
204.284.5686 Ext. 102 • stefan@lh-inc.ca
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LAYOUT and DESIGN EDITOR
Catherine McConnell
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Jodi Dunlop
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support of the Government of Iceland.
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addresses to: 835 Marion Street
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Archived issues spanning 1886-2005
may be viewed at www.timarit.is
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PRESIDENT: Alicyn Goodman
VICE PRESIDENT: Gunnvör Asmundsson
TREASURER: Shawn Bjornsson
BOARD MEMBERS
Margaret Amirault
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CANADA
Karen Botting Winnipeg MB
Joel Friðfinnsson Geysir MB
Stuart Houston Saskatoon SK
Signý McInnis Arborg MB
Paul Park Ottawa ON
USA
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Rob Olason Bellingham WA
Steingrimur Steinolfson Bloomington MN
ICELAND
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NEWS CONTRIBUTORS
Stefan’s Saga Giving a gift of culture and heritage
Stefan Jonasson
Editor
L-H DEADLINES
EDITORIAL SUBMISSION
DEADLINES FOR
DECEMBER 15, ISSUE 24
Monday November 18
FINAL EDITORIAL DEADLINE –
BREAKING NEWS ONLY
Friday November 29
Please advise the editor in advance if you are
sending a submission for the final deadline
FINAL ADVERTISING DEADLINE
Monday December 2
EDITORIAL SUBMISSION
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JANUARY 1, ISSUE 01
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Tuesday December 10
VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
LÖGBERG
HEIMSKRINGLA
The Icelandic Community Newspaper • 1 November 2019 • Number 21 / Númer 21 • 1. nóvember 2019
Publication Mail Agreement No. 40012014 ISSN: 0047-4967
VISIT OUR WEBSITE LH-INC.CA
INSIDE
page 2
Wayward
Heroes
PHOTO: ICELANDIC FILM CENTRE
page 8
Following the
Fjallkona
page 7
Stylometry and
the sagas
PHOTO: W.D. VALGARDSON
PHOTO: STEFAN JONASSON
R
The New Iceland
Settlement and Sigtryggur Jonasson.
Virtual Currencies and Beyond: Initial Considerations
Prepared by Stefan Jonasson from information supplied by the
University of Winnipeg Alumni Association, Manitoba Historical
Society, archives, and other media sources.
Ross Leckow receives Distinguished Alumni Award
PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG
Distinguished Alumnus Ross Leckow with Ruth Dickinson, President of the
University of Winnipeg Alumni Association. Below: Ross Leckow with his
wife, Margaux Polanski, and their daughter at the University of Winnipeg’s
Convocation Dinner.
LÖGBERG
HEIMSKRINGLA
The Icelandic Community Newspaper • 15 November 2019 • Number 22 / Númer 22 • 15. nóvember 2019
Publication Mail Agreement No. 40012014 ISSN: 0047-4967
VISIT OUR WEBSITE LH-INC.CA
INSIDE
W.D. Valgardson remembers
his grandfather / page 5
Why do I wear
a poppy?
PHOTO COURTESY OF W.D. VALGARSON
The story of an RCAF pilot
from Gimli / page 11
Oscar
Solmundson
webinar / page 7
Eliza Reid onlinePHOTO COURTESY OF INLUS
Stefan Jonasson
Haustfagnaður, a celebration of
autumn, has taken its place as an
annual tradition in Winnipeg’s
celebration marked an important
milestone: the tenth anniversary of the
Fjallaskáld,
who died 150 years ago this summer. There
aren’t many poems celebrating autumn in
autumn
autumn, haust, is more commonly used
the middle of the 19th century, autumn
where the seasons were divided into winter
use of haust, especially as a metaphor, grew
largely after the wave of immigration that
national anthem, Ó Guð vors lands, the
Sólskríkjan, based on a poem by Þorsteinn
Ísland ögrum skorið
carved), a poem by Eggert Ólafsson set to
Erla,
was transformed into a popular lullaby by
Hjá lygnri móðu
Blíðasti
blær (Gentle breezes), a popular song from
with a rollicking version of Ríðum, Ríðum
(formally known as Á Sprengisandi).
about 160 years ago and there are now about
300 choirs in the country. He applauded
their initiative in organizing the choir and
choir’s director during its entire decade-
are things which require a great deal of
nurturing,” he said. (The consul general’s
remarks are reprinted in full on page 6.)
each offering a solo before being joined by
their father, Darryl, for a lovely piece for
performed several solos and then David
Gislason recited two poems, including one
that was composed especially to celebrate
the choir’s tenth anniversary. (David’s
poems can be found on page 15.)
shawls to the choir. (The choir’s name,
derives from an adaptable bird that we
know as the snow bunting.) After joking a
few times about being the only person on
forward between sets to drape a knitted
back when the concert was over.
The choir then returned for its second
set, which featured songs that the choir
associates with four of the individuals
who have encouraged them along the
way. This set opened with Afmælisdiktur
(Anniversary writing), a poem by
play, The Prodigy, which was set to music
Nú sefur
jörðin
known to the choir as “Þrúður’s song” in
(The little bird), a poem by
to her this year. The concert concluded
with Maístjarnan (The May star), a poem
Following a sing-along, those
attending Haustfagnaður lingered over
Centre, which hosted this year’s concert
as it has done in the past
Haustfagnaður marks 10 years of Sólskríkjan Kór
PHOTOS: KAREN BOTTING
Sólskríkjan Kór, David Gislason seated in centre, Stefan Jonasson and Consul General Þórður Bjarni Guðjónsson at right.
Below: Gunnur Isfeld with Jórunn Kristinsdóttir.
The Perfect Gift
to all readers of
Lögberg-Heimskringla
gleðileg jól!
Friends of Iceland, Ottawa
gleðileg jól
we wish everyone good health and happiness
throughout Christmas and the New Year
The Icelandic Canadian Frón
FLYING OFFICER OSCAR
SOLMUNDSON (1912-1945)
Since the last issue was
published, we have learned that
the portrait of Oscar Solmundson
appearing on page 11 was painted
by Oscar’s nephew, Terry Tergesen,
when Terry was just 13 years old.
(See “Oscar Solmundson – an RCAF
pilot from Gimli lost over the North
Atlantic,” November 15.) Prior to
the war, Oscar was an admired
teacher at Gimli Public School. His
nephew, Terry (1934-2013), put his
creative gifts to good use during his
distinguished career as an architect,
designing hospitals, seniors’ homes,
and apartment buildings.