38th Year, Number 4
STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM
/ VISIT TO ICELAND
FEBRUARY 10, 1998
This double-barrelled
event starts with Steven Cronshaw, a professor from the University of Guelph,
who will tell us all about how the Iceland-Guelph Exchange Program works.
The second
half of the evening features video and personal experiences of those who
have visited Iceland recently, including Chris Morden, who will tell us
more about hiking in Iceland as well as the Immersion program he participated
in.
The exchange
program has served as a bridge for cultural understanding between Canadian
and Icelandic students, faculty and staff, and has provided a means to
pursue common educational and research goals. It formalizes and extends
a longstanding relationship between the University of Guelph and institutions
of higher education in Iceland (the agricultural colleges at Hólar
and Hvanneyri and the universities at Reykjavik and Akureyri).
To learn
more about the program and to hear and see more information about travelling
in Iceland come out to this presentation.
Location: Unitarian Hall, 175 St. Clair Ave. W., Toronto
Thorrablot
is our annual dinner-dance featuring Icelandic
food. Special entertainment this year includes our version of Reykjavik's
"Night Lights" short playlets on Viking themes, plus a silent auction,
dancing to the Steve Koven Trio and an art show.
As anyone who has an Icelandic calendar knows, January 22 is the first day of
Þorri. It was customary to celebrate the coming of Thorri in
order to greet it with proper respect, in the hope that the elements would
be mild and cause no severe hardship. The greetings were followed by a
feast, which is the part of the custom which we seem to have taken a liking
to.
Food!
This year's Þorrablot will feature Icelandic foods which many of us know
and love, and of course some Canadian dishes. A few of the items you will
find are: Sîld (herring), Rúllupylsa (spiced lamb), Lax (salmon),
Hangikjöt (smoked lamb), Harðfisk (dried salted fish), salads
and Flatbrauð. Traditional desserts include Pönnukökur, Kleinur,
Skýr, and, of course....
Vinaterta!!!
new words to the Vinaterta song, written by Kaj Bjarnason
and his mom Brenda will be debuting. Kaj, who has just started piano lessons,
turns 8 on March 4th .
Silent Auction Items:
- Trip for 2 to Iceland from Icelandair
- Blanket box by Ben
Einarson
- Handmade door harp - Pat Odegard's father-in-law
- Lynda Lundström blanket
- Native art print (framed) from Georgina Rayner
- ... and much more!
Chairperson Lorelie
Mitchell (905) 845-1194 is still looking for more help with cooking, organizing,
etc. for Thorrablot.
We've heard that the Washington Thorrablot is a black tie affair that costs
$60. Ours is economical because people contribute to it. We especially need
a Pönnukökur maker to replace Helga Thorsteinsdottir!
ICCT Raffle
Enclosed
with this newsletter you will find a book of tickets for the ICCT Raffle.
First prize is 2 tickets on the INL charter to Iceland (July 28,
donated by the Icelandic National League) and second prize is $300
cash (winner has their choice of prize, airfare is non-refundable).
The draw will be held on April 21, 1998. 8:30 p.m., Unitarian Hall, 175
St. Clair Avenue West.
Proceeds from the raffle will go to the Scholarship Fund.
For additional information or to obtain more tickets, call Garry Oddleifson
(416) 463-1324.
Note: All tickets, sold or unsold, must be returned.
Thorrablot Saturday, March 7
6:00 pm cocktails, 7:00 pm
dinner
(note earlier time)
Location: North York
To book tickets return
enclosed order form or call
John or Ellen Gilmore at
(905) 889-9937
$25 Adults, $15 Kids 7-12
ARTS
Another facet of Thorrablot is a show
of landscape art by Leslie (Einarson) Cochrane. Leslie is an Oakville artist
and she is showing works inspired by the recent cross Canada lecture tour
of Icelandic Landscape Art by Adalsteinn Ingolfsson.
You can read more about the Adalsteinn's
visit in an article written by Gail Einarson-McCleery, which was published
in Logberg-Heimskringla and will be included on the ICCT website.
ENTERTAINMENT
The Steve Koven Trio is a Toronto-based
jazz group which performs spontaneous, animated, and highly energetic renditions
of jazz standards and original material. The trio - Steve Koven on piano,
Rob Glutton on bass, and Harvey Pipher on drums - has been performing both
locally and nationally since 1995, including appearances in the Toronto
Du Maurier Jazz Festival, the Beaches Jazz Festival, and Canadian Musicians
Week. They will also be participating in the Barbados International Jazz
Festival in January 1998, followed by a cross-Canada Summer tour. We can
definitely look forward to their performance at Thorrablot!
And don't forget our Viking Plays!
With Thorsteinn Helf co-ordinating, this is sure to be entertaining !
FEELING COLD?
As we feel the chill
of winter here in Canada, do you find yourself wondering about the temperatures
in other parts of the world?
Three Icelanders
hiking across Antarctica to the South Pole reached their destination on
New Years Day. The members, parliamentarian Olafur Orn Haraldsson, his
son Haraldur Orn Olafsson and psychiatrist Ingthor Bjarnason are the first
Icelanders to finish the trip and the tenth group that has made the difficult
1200 km journey unaided, pulling all their supplies with them on sleighs.
If you have Internet access be sure to check out this website: http://www.vortex.is/sudurpoll/.
ICELAND CHARTER FLIGHT
Winnipeg-Reykjavik-Winnipeg July 28
- August 11, 1998
Sponsored by Icelandic National League,
$877 including taxes. Contact Gordon Thorvaldson or Tammy Axelsson:
Gordon: 19-30 Victor Lewis Drive,
Winnipeg MV R3P 1H5 (204) 488-2160 Tammy: (204) 642-5897, e-mail: axelsson@evergreen.freenet.mb.ca
The Icelandic Canadian Club of Toronto Newsletter
FÁLKINN -THE FALCON
ICCT EXECUTIVE
- President: Gail Einarson-McCleery
- Vice-President: Eric Einarson-McCleery
- Past President/Programs: Garry Oddleifson
- Secretary: Fran Moscall
- Treasurers: John & Ellen (Sigurdson) Gilmore
- INL Ontario Representative: Bill Hurst
DIRECTORS:
- Membership Outreach: Don Gislason
- Membership Records: John Briem
- Librarian: Kathleen McDermott
- Youth Co-ordinator: Leah Salt
- Merchandising: Holly Garrett
- Social Convenors: Irene & Jim Gibson
- Advertising Manager: Larry Sigmundson
- Website: Arthur Wendover
- Mailing Committee: Lorna Woods
- Directors at Large: Vern Austman, Tom Einarson, Lynda Helgason
Membership dues: Single: $20, Family $25, Senior
Couple $20, Senior Single $15.
Reminder
If you haven't already paid your 1998 Membership
dues, a remittance form is enclosed!
1998 Donations
In addition to your membership dues, you may also wish to help out the
club by donating an additional amount to sponsor something specific (see
renewal forms).
Thank you to
the following members for donations:
Bill
& Laufey Hart, Haraldur & Betty Olafson, Dorothy Purchase, Vilborg
Sveinbjarnardottir, Joe & Sally Martin, Sylvia Sanders (nee Spear),
Donald & Norma Young
Welcome to new
members:
Dr. Rick Lindal (Toronto), Valerie Rogers (Oakville), George & Catherine
Blair (Kanata)
Icelandic Classes
We have the capacity to start another Beginner's Class or have people
join our Intermediate Class, the person to call is Katrin Jonsdottir
at 243-7040. Time, date and location will be announced depending on
the wishes of those in the class. We would probably start mid-February.
The Intermediate Class is ongoing every second Tuesday starting January 13th
at 7:30 pm in the downtown area.
Birthdays
- Dawn (Grenke) Crawford of Hamilton turns 70 on -February 16th
- Signy (Petursson) Austen of Burlington turns 50 on February 20th
- Ainslie Watt of Waterloo turns 50 on March 21st
Congratulations
To Joanne and Shawn Hamilton on the birth of their daughter Madeleine
Jonina, a sister for Conor. Madeleine was born on December 10, 1997
at the Sudbury General Hospital and weighed in at 8 pounds. Garry Oddleifson
is the proud Great Uncle.
Another
new arrival is Robert Thor, born November 21, 1997, weighing 7 Ibs.
8 oz. Sister Heather and parents John and Leslie (Johannson) Tuer are
delighted about their new edition to the family.
Condolences
To Lynda and Gunnar Helgason on the passing of Lynda's sister, Sandra
Campbell after a courageous battle against cancer, October 25, 1997.
Kinmount Memorial Project
by: Lillian Bjarnason MacPherson
When
reciting the history of Icelandic settlement in North America,
most people, both here and in Iceland, think of place names like Winnipeg,
Willow Point, Gimli, the Red River and Lake Winnipeg. The year which comes
to mind is 1875. Most of us don't think of "Kinmount" or "1874".
Perhaps we just don't know about it. However, three hundred and fifty people
left Iceland in September 1874, arriving north of Toronto at Kinmount,
Ontario in the cold of October, ending up in communal shanties.
The
Icelandic National League has proposed that a permanent commemoration be
placed in Kinmount, so that the community bears evidence of this period.
It would also serve as a marker for those who perished. Almost 1 in 10
of the settlers died there: shortly after arrival, 15 infants and a girl
of 17 died.
To
this end, our club appointed Don Gislason and Peter Fox to investigate
possibilities, and to make contact with the town. They have done this and
have received approval from the local township Clerk-Treasurer for the
erection of two markers.
Although
no definite proposal for a memorial has yet been formulated, it has been
suggested that a monument or cairn be placed at the old railway station
in the centre of town, which now serves as the Tourist Information Office.
In this way, it would be seen by most people in the community, cottagers,
and tourists alike. Also, that a plaque be placed along the hiking path
at the Kinmount end of the rail trestle, on which the Icelanders worked
while living there.
These
things could be done to commemorate the 125th anniversary of their arrival
(1874) or their departure (1875) with a target unveiling either in 1999
or 2000. Both these years reflect a combination of hope and grief in the
lives of this large group of settlers, who ended up establishing the "Republic
of New Iceland" along the shores of Lake Winnipeg.
If
you have any suggestions about what you would like to see as a Kinmount
memorial, please contact either:
Don Gislason at e-mail: fractal@globalserve.net;
Peter Fox, 2 Faulkner Crescent, North York ON, M9M 2C1, phone (416) 741-6017; or
Lillian MacPherson at e-mail: lillian@rhi.hi.is, Hellusund 6, 101 Reykjavik, Iceland.
Editor's Note: To learn more about the Kinmount experience, visit
our website at: icct.info.
Christmas Party 1997
by Katrin Jonsdottir
The 30th of November, ICCT
held a Christmas party to
celebrate the most special season of the year. The season of giving and
sharing. When it comes to children, everybody is a child deep inside and
Christmas brings out that inner child.
The party started off with
a table full of goodies, and there wasn't a single person who was not tempted.
Meanwhile, Peter, of the Youth Committee played games with the children.
There was also a variety of crafts for the children, so that everyone could
show their creative side. Then storyteller Carol (Karisdottir) McGirr told
the children a story about the 13 Icelandic santa clauses (jolasveinar),
who are very naughty and mischievous, unlike the North American version.
They steal food from people, scare people and slam doors. The children
were impressed and everybody enjoyed the story. It isn't a party until
there's dancing, so children and adults surrounded the bright Christmas
tree, danced and sang songs. Suddenly, in the midst of all the excitement,
Santa appeared out of nowhere. It was heart-warming to see the happy faces
of the children; everyone had a smile on their face.
Then it was time for everybody
to sing Christmas carols together, in Icelandic and English. Katrin's classes
sang an Icelandic Christmas song that they had been practising in class
for this occasion, "Bradum koma blessud jolin." Everybody joined in and
the spirit of Christmas was in the air. All in all, it was a great party
and I am looking forward to the Christmas party, next year. Happy New Year!
Ancestor Man
Strip the earth of a dozen centuries, and there
by fjord waters, in the black of high-noon
you will find Adarn
in search of our Eve
Beastly shanks erupt from hide vestment
Fierce armoured chestplate shielding cold pain
Palm-skin pressed flat on his tin-horny helmet
Inscribed -- crude 'G' in hopes for a 'son'
Heaven keep you dóttirs
With brute strength he carries God's first lump of lava
from the garden of Odin to his home by rough slopes
to invent a fair maiden
blessed roots for his tree
Less darkness than dusk
He's more and he's less than we beseech him to be
'Til the ironical truth of this forbearing story
unveils rib-bones barren
reveals no such Eve
And thus do we dream of his leap from high cliff
and the deafening silence of
lungs filled with sea
(This poem won an award at last year's Íslendingadagurinn)
Ice Storm
As this newsletter is issued,
many of our members (approx. 45 families) are suffering from the results
of the catastrophic ice storms which hit Eastern Ontario and Quebec. Our
hearts go out to them.
Thank you to:
Leah (Gislason) Salt & her committee: Peter Fox, Becka Gunnlaugsdottir, Katrín Jonsdóttir, Sara Laskey and Alfred Tulinius.
