September/October 1998 Fálkinn, the ICCT Newsletter

EDITOR'S CORNER

Well... [deep breath]... It's been a busy summer; I even managed to attend a Jonsson family reunion! However, I'm almost glad to be back to the routine of Fall. Make sure you mark down the ICCT upcoming event dates, because you won't want to miss them! Who knows, you may be in for a whale of a time!

I've been asked to extend greetings to you all from two members of the Hamrahlid choir, Hallur and Asdis, who visited Toronto during the Northern Encounters Festival. They are the proud parents of a beautiful little baby girl who apparently laughs a lot, but rarely cries. In fact, Asdis takes the little one along with her to class "and the kid never makes a single sound while she is in the university," according to Hallur.

IN THE NEWS

Icelanders in Quebec There is now an Icelandic Canadian Club of Quebec. If you know anyone in Quebec who might be interested, they should contact David Franklin.

Famed Hollywood star, Keiko, retired to the Westman Islands in Iceland. Although he was unavailable for comment, according to our sources, Keiko is enjoying his new home and eating like a... well... whale! The five-tonne killer whale was the star of Free Willy. He has been living in captivity since he was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979. His return marks the end of a four-year, $12.5 million US campaign to bring him back to the open sea.

The following websites contain an amazing amount of information on Keiko:
http://keiko.Vestmannaeyjar.is and
http://www.keiko.org

We bid a fond farewell to three members of our Executive:

We will miss them all!

ICELANDIC CLASSES

Good news! Lynn Nicholai has agreed to teach Beginner Icelandic classes, starting around the end of September, in the Yonge-Eglinton area. Cost will be $25 for 6 classes; $30 for non-members. Lynn was born in Iceland and has teaching experience. Intermediate classes will continue with Katrin Jonsdottir in the downtown area.

THESE BOOKS HAVE GONE A WALKIN'

We are missing a few books from our library, and wonder if anyone has borrowed them and forgotten to return them. Take a look in your shelves and see if you can find:

NEWSLETTER MAILING COMMITTEE

We're looking for help with getting the newsletter out. Please call Lorna Woods at if you can give us three hours about six times a year.

CLUB NEWS

Thank you

To Nonna Ackerley, for a marvellous job in organizing the luncheon for former President Vigdis Finnbogadottir and to her parents, Harold and Joyce Oietrich, for giving Vigdis a tour of the countryside around Guelph prior to the luncheon.

Birthdays

Sveina Dahl, Sveinbjorg Jonsdottir will be celebrating her 102^nd birthday October 18, 1998. Sveina has had a full and interesting life - she saw Halley's Comet over Iceland as a teenager, and has seen the change of six monarchs on the English throne, from Queen Victoria to Elizabeth II.

She has seen change come in the form of sailboats, steam engines, diesel, airplanes, cars, electricity, telephones, radio, TV, and microwave ovens.

Sveina was born in Klomer, Iceland. She studied nursing in Denmark and on one of her trips she was on the ship ahead of the King's ship -as he was going to Iceland to return the 'Book of the Althing"

In 1924, she came to Canada and soon found her home in Port Arthur -marrying and raising a family with Anders Dahl there. Her children are Molly, Valdemar, and Jean (Dahl) Moore. As her mother did in Iceland, Sveina carried on the tradition of a warn welcome -there was always a warm coffee pot and kringler in the oven, with Sveina the heart of the community --the nurse, the babysitter, the party-giver, and the shoulder to cry on. Happy Birthday Sveina!

CALENDARS!

KINMOUNT PICNIC

Our annual Fall Picnic was held on Saturday, September Sth in Kinmount, the site of an early Icelandic settlement that will be commemorated as part of our millennium celebrations. The date was timed to coincide with the Kinmount Fall Fair, and we were fortunate to get some prime space within the fairgrounds.

The weather was sunny and warm and those who attended were able to enjoy the atmosphere and activities of a country fall fair- agricultural exhibits, midway and games, live entertainment and an extensive pioneer exhibit - and also get to know the town and some of the local people.

To celebrate and publicize the Icelandic connection with Kinmount, we participated in the Fair parade, which left the downtown area at noon and proceeded to the fairgrounds for the official opening of the Fair. Garry Oddleifson and Adrian Greenwood carried the ICCT banner, followed by a vehicle driven by Eric Einarson-McCleery and carrying President Gail Einarson McCleery, proudly waving the Icelandic flag, and by a car carrying several other ICCT members. Elizabeth and Christopher Greenwood also walked the parade route, distributing copies of an article about the Icelandic settlement in Kinmount. The parade announcer at the fairgrounds grandstand pointed out our participation and that we were planning to erect a permanent memorial to the Icelandic settlers. As a bonus, our entry won 2nd prize in the "Non-commercial Decorated Motor Vehicle" category.

After a potluck lunch, Don Gislason gave a brief talk about the Icelandic presence in Kinmount. We then enjoyed a tour that included the downtown area, a model railway display depicting the rail lines from Kinmount to Haliburton, and potential sites for the memorial. We were .joined on the tour by Guy Scott, a local historian who is very interested in the Icelandic connection. Guy and Don Gislason described how the Icelanders came to be in Kinmount and what life was like for the settlers, and Fran Moscall discussed the proposed memorial and its placement.

The day was not only pleasant and enjoyable, but also educational. ICCT members learned more about their ancestors and the difficulties they endured, and the people of Kinmount learned about an aspect of their local history . Our visibility at the fair resulted in several people approaching ICCT members with questions or comments, which is what we had hoped for when the event was planned.

The success of this event is, as always, due to the efforts of those who volunteer their time and talents. A special thanks to Fran Moscall for all her work, on the day of the picnic and in the entire planning process, to all those who participated in the parade, to our tour guides, Guy Scott and Don Gislason, to our ride co-ordinator and general handyman, Mike Trites, to John and Ellen Gilmore for handling the registration. and to Eric and Gail Einarson-McCleery, for all their efforts in preparing for this day and our participation in the parade.

PAT PEACOCK TAKES ART TO ICELAND

Peacock showed her Nordic-themed paintings at the Emigration Museum at Hofsos in Northern Iceland this summer. Originally from Gimli, Pat has had a lifelong dream of having an art show in Iceland, so was very pleased to be chosen as the first Canadian artist to take part in the INL's International Visits program. She said, "this trip to Hofsos was very significant for me; as I stood on the shore and looked out on the water I thought about my grandparents and wondered what they would think if they could see me standing in the same spot, looking at the same beautiful scenery."

She went on to say, "Hofsos captured my spirit. It is a quaint little seaside village with colourful little homes sitting on a hill. The mountains off in the distance were a beautiful backdrop to this incredible landscape. The lighting kept changing, and I was continually looking and taking in all that I could. The wildflowers and birds danced in the crisp sea breeze." The Emigration Museum at Hofsos is the brainchild of Valgeir Thorvaldsson, and with it he has revitalized the village, making his dream come true with a tremendous amount of hard work, dedication and personal satisfaction. The result is a delightful museum, chronicling the story of those who left Iceland for the shores of North America.

On August 1st this year, Valgeir organized his first Icelandic Celebration. The day started with a procession into town; first came the police escort, sirens wailing, followed by a swoop of costumed riders on Icelandic horses leading the tour bus full of visiting Canadians; they were greeted by Valgeir and all the townsfolk and invited to partake of a brennivin and hakarl (shark) toast. Everyone then moved on to the museum for the official opening of Pat's show, preceded by a soloist and a flute player.

Pat's art work was well received and she had a chance to talk to many interesting people. After the opening there was a banquet and dance; Pat said "the food was wonderfully presented and quite delicious. The dance that followed the dinner was exciting to see. The couples, many in traditional dress, seemed to fly across the dance floor, twirling and spinning!" By the way, in typical Icelandic style, the dance started at midnight.

After leaving Hofsos, Pat had a chance to visit Akureyri, Lake Myvatn and Reykjavik, where she did the rounds of the art galleries. Pat's trip was sponsored by the Icelandic National League, the Canada-Iceland Foundation, Icelandic Canadian clubs in Toronto, Vancouver and Gimli and by Gunnar Thorvaldson of Edmonton.

(Note: Upcoming participants in the International Visits program include Einar Vigfusson, accomplished bird carver from Arborg, Manitoba. who will show his work in Iceland next summer. and Pall Stefansson from "Iceland Review ", who will be touring Canada next fall to show US 'his remarkable photos'. If you would like to help sponsor this program, please contact Gail Einarson-McCleery (416) 762-8627: e-mail 76161.422@compuserve.com)

Pamela McDermott

Ten year old Bryn McDermott, daughter of Pamela (Bonser) and Tony McDermott, from Burlington, Ontario moved to Conyers, Georgia when she was five years old. She is the granddaughter of Sidney Bonser of Lake Forest, Illinois and the late Heida Einarson Bonser, originally from Gimli, Manitoba. Bryn began taking riding lessons at age six from a neighbour and showing at small local shows and then received her horse, "Impress My World" (a.k.a. Slick), a red roan Appaloosa for her eighth birthday. Bryn has been coached for the past 18 months by one of the top coaches in the country and began travelling to regional horse shows throughout the Southeast. She competes in Showmanship, Western Pleasure, Western Equitation, Hunter Under Saddle, and Hunt Seat Equitation. She has won numerous High Point A wards and Circuit Championships.

In late June, Bryn travelled to Oklahoma City for the 51st National Appaloosa Horse Show to compete with Slick against the best riders in the nation in her age division. Bryn placed in the "Top Ten" in Western Equitation and won the 1998 National Hunt Seat Equitation Championship! Bryn will soon enter the fifth grade at Piedmont Academy in Monticello, Georgia where she is on the Headmaster's Honour Roll. She is looking forward to playing the flute in the school band and travelling with her tiding friends to compete in more horse shows.

LETTERS

THE ICELANDERS OF KINMOUNT, ONTARIO

When the St. Patrick passengers arrived in Quebec, Jonasson found many of them suffering from intestinal disorders, with diarrhea and vomiting. The close quarters and sea sickness endured on the trip, as well as the weeks languishing in public housing for a ship that didn't arrive, may have set the stage for what was yet to come...

At midnight on September 23rd, both healthy and sick passengers were herded into four rail cars. This was a strange and unsettling experience for most of them, for trains were unknown in Iceland. As they sped away through the night, strong opinions and concerns were bandied about over this unusual means of transport. Sleep was impossible due to the motion, frequent stops along the way, and noise of wheels clacking over the tracks.

When morning approached, lush countryside with picturesque villages appeared through the windows, but flashed by too quickly to be truly enjoyed. Early in the day, the sight of a long covered rail bridge spanning the river at Montreal was a welcome relief from the discomfort of confined coach space, travel fatigue, illness and crying of infants. Several new cases of gastro-enteritis and retching had developed overnight. Yet, there was delight in what they saw:

They stopped in Montreal for dinner in a large hall, and at three o'clock switched trains for Ontario. After travelling for the rest of the day and a night, they finally reached the Toronto immigration sheds on Friday the 25th. Over two months had passed since the group first gathered in July to emigrate. The second leg of their journey of about 500 miles inland was now completed -under the hopeful supervision of Sigtryggur Jonasson. They were wel1 received in the Toronto sheds. The food was good, but the beef proved too heavy after the meagre fare and convulsions on the ship. This caused considerable upset, especially among the young, and new cases of sickness broke out. Johannes Sigurdsson and his wife Gudrun from Kleif lost two of their four children shortly after arriving; the baby born on the boat and their one year old daughter, Palina, Jonasson later wrote to the Nordanfara newspaper in Iceland:

The plan had been to arrive in time for harvest, so that they could be hired on by farmers in order to become familiar with the land before starting out on their own, possibly the following spring. As the season was too advanced for agriculture, alternative employment had to be struck. Only a few single women from the group were placed into domestic service but nothing was done for the rest.

The Icelanders had landed in the midst of economic uncertainty in Canada. In 1874, the number of people leaving Britain was at a low point due to improved conditions for farm workers there. As well, various newspapers and emigration pamphlets there carried exaggerated reports of "dull trade" in the Dominion. This effectively reduced the number of British willing to leave their homeland. In turn, this created a labour shortage in Ontario, especially along the fringe of the Precambrian Shield -in building transportation systems, clearing the forests, and bringing frontier lands into production. There was a demand for cheap labour in the hinterland and the St. Patrick passengers conveniently fell into that slot.

An interesting English language pamphlet of the times describes what would befall an emigrant upon his arrival in Canada:

Around the time these new immigrants arrived in 1874, the Victoria Railway Co. was preparing to lay a forty mile stretch of track between Lindsay and Kinmount. Even by mid July, a local newspaper had championed the proposed construction of the railway, reflecting general excitement for the future. But, the company was unable to find enough men locally.

Three months later, the Icelanders fell to the task. According to historian Guy Scott:

This need for reliable workers came to the attention of D. D. Hay, General Immigration Agent for Ontario. Consequently, the Icelanders were recruited by the railway company, with government approval, and slated for Kinmount. Although the group was 350 strong, it could only muster up about ninety able bodied men. Interestingly, of all 'assisted' persons landing in September at customs in Quebec City , the St. Patrick Icelanders provided about one half of immigrant labourers for that month.

Kinmount was a straggly little place of about a hundred souls, along the Burnt River in Victoria County, a little over a hundred miles to the north of Toronto. As it was on the edge of the Shield, much of the district was poorly endowed for agriculture. A large part of it consisted of 'rock knob' topography with some good pockets of soil of limited potential. On the average, about half of each 100 acre farm lot was deemed arable, with the remainder in swamp, rocky outcrops, field stones and steep slopes. Nevertheless, within two years the 'iron horse' would kick off a flourish of activity and wealth in the area, stimulating forestry , mineral [iron ore] production and farming.

Despite the railway company's needs, the group was detained in the immigration sheds for two weeks while accommodation was being erected for them at the proposed construction site. The monotony of waiting in Toronto was occasionally broken by evening visits from a few of their countrymen who had arrived in Ontario the previous year [1873]. Among these were twenty-two year old Fridjon Fridriksson and his sixteen year old wife Gudny. The couple first went north to the Muskoka District, but later that year moved to Milwaukee where, due to his knowledge of English, he worked as a translator for a local doctor. As close relatives had arrived on the St. Patrick, they relocated to Toronto in the fall of 1874, where Fridjon worked in a shoe factory. He would later play an important role at Kinmount.

They were also visited by Johannes Arngrimsson (John Anderson), an immigration agent for Nova Scotia. Having assumed that the group would arrive in Halifax, he had waited a long time for them there. When news arrived that their ship had landed at Quebec City instead, where Jonasson had taken charge on behalf of Ontario, he hurried to Toronto with his message:

If you would like to contribute to the memorial or have suggestions. please contact Don Gislason.

Chatters

Bjork Fan Appreciation Night

Bjork is a well-known, very talented musician from Iceland -and we thought we should have a night to recognize her wonderful contributions to the music scene. We will be playing some very special recent concert footage, as well as her videos. and a rarely~1 seen Icelandic tale starring the singer herself! Bring your family & friends this is one night not to be missed! for more information, or to RSVP, please call Leah.

ICCT's Annual Children's Christmas Party

for those of you not familiar with this new location, it is on Bloor, one block east of Yonge, next to the Alliance tower.

Mark this date down on your calendar as it's going to be the best Party in town! This year we will have lots of games, singing of both Icelandic and Canadian Christmas carols, story telling, Christmas crafts, and it's rumoured that even Santa may drop by to give all the good kids a special gift! for more information, please call Leah Salt.

Volunteers Still Needed for the Children's Christmas Party Committee

Yes, we still need volunteers for the Kids Christmas Party this year. If you are good with children, and would like to plan the children's games or like to organize crafts, please DO give us a call! We also need someone who has experienced the traditional Icelandic Christmas to help us make this the most fun Icelandic party ever! Do you play the piano? We could use your help in accompanying the Christmas carols. We also have approximately 10 craft tables to fill too.

Even if you don't have a specific talent, we can certainly find something fun for anyone to do! Have I sparked your interest? If so, please call: Leah Salt, Christmas Party Co-ordinator,

Telephone: (905) 820-2611, or email: oceanroses@yahoo.com

Last call for Ty Beanie Baby contest!

What does your Icelandic Heritage Mean to YOU?

We want to hear from all the Young Vikings from 2-20 years old -Tell us what your Icelandic heritage means to you! Does your family have any Icelandic Traditions that you feel are special? Do you have any cherished memories of past trips to Iceland? How has your Icelandic background enriched your life? You can express your feelings in any way you wish -perhaps you'd like to write a song, or put together a collage, film a video or write a story. The first place winner receives "Rainbow", a Ty Beanie Baby. The contest has been extended to December 1, 1998 and the Viking committee will select the best entry by January 5th. We will publish the winner in the January/February issue of the Falkinn. Please send your entry to:

MY ICELANDIC HERITAGE
C/O The Vikings
2531 Windjammer Road
Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1H7

SCHOLARSHIP:

It's time to get your application in if you would be interested in receiving our $500 scholarship. This is given each year to a deserving student of Icelandic Canadian descent. The deadline for receiving applications is January 31st, and an application form is enclosed. Previous scholarship winners include Kristjan Ahronson, who has now won a scholarship to study Icelandic in Reykjavik, and Ann Helga Denny, who spent the summer working at the historic Stefansson House in Markerville, Alberta, former home of poet Stefan G. Stefansson.

GRAND OPENING!!!

The Vikings website will go live on OCTOBER 1st. Be sure to check out the hottest website in town. You'll want all your friends to see that Icelanders have the strongest men, most beautiful women, and the most fun all around!

Check out: http://welcome.to/vikings and make sure you are on the Vikings e-mail list! Contact Leah for details.