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ICELANDIC CANADIAN CLUB OF EDMONTON
MAY 2015
PRESIDENT’S LETTER
We sure had some exciting events take
place since our last newsletter. Taste of Iceland
was in Edmonton April 9-12. Chef Viktor Örn
Andrésson, head chef at Blue Lagoon’s LAVA
restaurant, served up some fantastic Icelandic food
at Characters Restaurant. Musicians Bjorn
Thorodden, Beebee and the bluebirds and Jon
Hilmar Karason joined Edmonton musicians Kim
Lesaca, Dean Pierno, Bobby Cameron, and Clint
Pelletier at the Starlit Room. The Icelandic Film
Festival played six Icelandic short films and two
Icelandic documentaries at the Garneau Theatre.
On April 23rd Sunna Pam Furstenau
presented an Icelandic Ancestry Workshop in the
Nordic Room. Over 20 members took advantage of
this time to learn how to look up the past.
S UNNA PAM FURSTENAU
At the May board meeting we will be
making the decision on who our 2015 Alberta
Fjallkona will be. Thank you to everyone who sent
in nominations.
Here are a couple of dates that you might
want to mark on your calendar:
June 6 – Spring Strawberry Tea at the Library.
Storyteller Jennie Frost will be the guest speaker.
June 17 – Icelandic National Day, a barbecue with
the crowning of the 2015 Fjallkona. The barbecue
will commence at 5pm, program to begin at 6:30.
June 20 - Markerville Picnic – events begin at 1 pm.
We encourage all members to make their way down
to Markerville to take in this event. They will be
having the Sons of Fenrir entertaining this year.
In regards to the Markerville Picnic, in past
years the Board arranged a bus for members to take
to Markerville so that they, the members, could
participate. The number of members taking
advantage of this opportunity has diminished over
the years. In 2011 when it was ICCE’s turn to crown
our Fjallkona Pat Bond, there were only a few of our
own club members that attended her crowning at
the Markerville Picnic; how heart breaking that
was!! The buses for 2012 & 2013 carried maybe 6
or 7 club members and 6 Board members. This is a
huge expense when the interest is not there. As
you know, the Board did not arrange a bus last year
and will not have a bus going this year. We in no
way are discouraging you not to go, just to find your
own way there.
Now, watch for announcement of the 2015
Fjallkona. Have a great spring!
Skál,
Joedy Englesby, ICCE President
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KEEPING IN TOUCH
A get well card was sent to
Elaine Olson regarding her
son Scott Olson in April.
Marilyn Thorlakson
Keeping in Touch
ICELANDIC LIBRARY
Come On In!! We welcome you to the Danish-Icelandic (Scandinavian) Library located at
15212-117 Avenue in Edmonton! The library is still in winter hours and is open on
Saturdays from 10 am to 1:00 pm. We will be switching to summer hours soon - and at that
time will be open every second and fourth Tuesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. We
continue to add new or gently used books and resources to our library and to get them
prepared for circulation - we have new craft books, novels, children's books and other
resources in English and Icelandic.
Our Spring Strawberry Tea will be held at the library on Saturday, June 6th, 2015 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. We will
be hosting a professional storyteller, Jennie Frost, who will be entertaining us with folktales and stories based
around our Scandinavian heritage. Jennie will be "telling tales" for an hour between 2:30 and 3:30 so we will
also have some time to visit and look at books together. As always, newest additions to the Icelandic section will
be downstairs on the main floor for easy access. All ages are welcome! Please let Diane Robock know if you will
be attending so we can be sure to have enough goodies and space for everyone. There isn't a charge for this
event but a donation to the library is most welcome. If you are interested in helping with the setup, baking,
serving, or cleanup, please let me know in advance. Your assistance is most appreciated!
Returning Books is easy during our Strawberry Tea. If you can't remember whether you have books out
or not, contact Diane at: [email protected] or call 780.461.3801.
Spring Cleaning will be happening at the library on Saturday, May 23rd from 10:00 am until we are done
- or are "done for" and have had enough! Please feel free to drop in anytime to help out for as much or as little
as you are able. Bring your own rubber gloves if you use them. We will be dusting books, cleaning windows,
and doing our best to get rid of some of that winter "muck". If you are interested in organizing books - dusting,
sorting, or listing (especially Icelandic books) - please let Diane know.
Microphone loan needed - If anyone has a system that can be used by our storyteller for the event on
June 6th, please let Diane know.
Diane Robock, Library Chairperson
UPCOMING EVENTS – 2015
May 14-17 – INLNA Convention, Minneapolis
Saturday, June 6 –Spring Strawberry Tea
Wednesday, June 17 – Icelandic National Day
Saturday, June 20 – Markerville Picnic
August 1, 2, & 3 – Heritage Festival
Saturday, September 26 – Leifur Eiriksson Dinner
Saturday, October 17 - Annual General Meeting
Sunday, November 29 – ICCE Christmas Party
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2014-2015 ICCE Executive
From Left to Right: Donna Crozier, Barb Beirnes, Bev Arason-Gaudet, Justin Dechaine, Joedy Englesby,
Diane Robock, Michelle Braakman, Lorraine Ilnicki, Susan Hallett, Solli Sigurdson, Linda Cornell, Eric Oddleifson.
Missing: Shawna-Fay Schroeter, Charles Grant, Tanya Hofforth, Marilyn Thorlakson
SCANDINAVIAN SENIORS GET-TOGETHERS
Scandinavian Seniors continue their afternoons of games and fellowship every Wednesday afternoon at
1:00 pm in the Nordic Room at the Dutch Canadian Centre, 13312 – 142 Street. Snacks and goodies are
provided by the Finns. We usually stop at 2:30 pm to partake of coffee or juice and snacks/goodies. Our
attendance has ranged from 18 to 24 people. We hope that more Scandinavian seniors can take time from their
busy schedules to come. To date we have played Mexican Train Dominoes, Ggly Sticks and Norwegian
Whist. Several years ago Swedes played Svensk Monopol and other games in Swedish. If there are any
questions please call Ken at 780-434-6532 or e-mail at [email protected]. A small monetary donation is
made for the coffee and goodies. Come and enjoy the fellowship. We meet every Wednesday afternoon.
Future INLNA Calendars
What should the topic be for the 2017 calendar???
One suggestion has been: Icelandic Celebrations in North America.
Do you have any other suggestions about an interesting topic for future calendars?
If so, please let the office know.
PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CHECK OUR WEBSITE AT HTTP://ICCEDMONTON.ORG/
FOR MORE NEWS AND UPDATES!
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CONGRATULATIONS
The ICCE board would like to congratulate Samantha Garnett Eyford, of St. Albert
(daughter of Neil Eyford). She is part of this year's Snorri Program. We look forward to
hearing all about your adventures this summer in Iceland!
Tanya Hofforth, Snorri & Bursaries
BIOGRAPHY – STORYTELLER JENNIE FROST
Jennie Frost is a professional storyteller. She tells stories -- folktales, literature, myth, and
history -- to any audience, kindergarten to adult. Because Jennie studied Classics at university, she has a
large repertoire of Greek and Roman stories. She offers workshops in storytelling and writing, and
weaves story into teaching the Greek alphabet and/or word origins in Latin and Greek.
Since 1996, Jennie has performed in festivals, concerts, conferences, libraries, and schools in 61
Canadian communities. She has told at the Sprouts Theatre Festival, Fort Edmonton's Halloween
Spooktacular, the Edmonton Art Gallery, the Edmonton Book Fair, the Children's Fringe, and on the
steps of the Alberta Legislature. She has given workshops to students from gr. 4 - 12, adult beginners,
librarians, and other storytellers and authors. She has taught storytelling courses for the University of
Alberta, Faculty of Extension, and for the Edmonton Lifelong Learners Association. Jennie has
participated with other storytellers in Epic Weekends at Taylor Lake, Ontario; in Vancouver; and in
Markerville, Alberta during which they retold the whole or a substantial part of Homer's Iliad, Ovid's
Metamorphoses, the Indian epic Mahabharata, the Tibetan epic Gesar of Ling, Norse Myth: From
Creation to Ragnarok, and the Icelandic saga Grettir the Strong.
Jennie is a Past President of Storytellers of Canada/Conteurs du Canada and of the Edmonton
Chapter of TALES (The Alberta League Encouraging Storytelling). She is currently Treasurer for TALES
Edmonton. She is a member of the Writers Guild of Alberta, The Edmonton Stroll of Poets, and the
Canadian Authors Association. She has an M.A. in Ancient History and a B.Ed. (Secondary, Latin). She
used to teach Latin full time in Grades 5 - 12 as well as in undergraduate university and adult extension
programs.
COME AND JOIN US - Application deadline May 15/15
Our summer camp was formed to promote and preserve Norwegian heritage through history, crafts, traditional
skills and culture classes. Although the focus is Norwegian, all things Scandinavian are embraced. Applicants do
not have to be of Norwegian or Scandinavian descent or a member of any affiliated groups. The theme of the
camp this year is VIKINGS, so bring your Viking costume along and enjoy a week of making memories.
Camp Date - August 9th to 15th, 2015
For more information and application forms please visit:
http://www.trollhaugenalberta.ca Email Katrina Hansen [email protected]
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Fish Directly from Iceland Available every Thursday
BLOOMSDAY AT
THE DCC
Roll up your sleeves! Flowers
are beautiful!! Assisting in the
general upkeep and
housekeeping of the DCC - by
the Scandinavian membership
is part of our agreement with the DCC. Spring
cleanup makes our Scandinavian home and all of
the DCC premises a nice place to go to.
See you on Sunday, June 7th at 9:00 a.m.
Coffee & lunch served. If you have a spare
flower to plant, please bring that too!
ICCE BURSARIES
We have 10 bursaries per
year to award and each of
these bursaries are worth
$2000 each. The deadline
for applications is August
15. If you, or someone you
know, is attending post-secondary either in Canada
or internationally, please have them contact me or
visit the ICCE website for the application form.
On behalf of the ICCE Board,
Tanya Hofforth, [email protected]
SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE
SOCIETY
OF EDMONTON
Preparations are continuing for this year’s Heritage
Days Festival being held at William Hawrelak Park
August 1, 2 and 3, 2015 and we are in need of
volunteers for the various work bees to prepare the
traditional foods served at the Festival. NO
EXPERIENCE REQUIRED. It is a great way to learn
the preparation of some of our Scandinavian
traditional foods and to meet members of our
Icelandic Society and the other Scandinavian
Heritage Societies. If you can help with any of the
following work bees or at the Heritage Festival in
August please call Lorraine at 780-454-1710. WORK
BEES ARE SCHEDULED TO START AT 9 AM - SOME
WILL FINISH EARLIER THAN OTHERS.
Wednesday May 27– baking the Vínarterta
Tuesday June 9
-cutting and wrapping the Vínarterta
-making Finnish Kinkku Justo Peruna
Pirrakka (Finnish Ham, Cheese, Potato Pie)
Tuesday June 23 - Second making of Finnish Kinkku
Justo Peruna Pirrakka. (Finnish Ham,
Cheese, Potato Pie)
Wednesday July 29 – Making the Riskrem
Friday July 31 – preparing the Riskrem for Heritage
Festival
We look forward to seeing you if you can help at
any of the work bees or at the Heritage Festival
August 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
Lorraine Ilnicki, Heritage Society
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NEWSLETTER DESK
As Joedy mentioned, it has been a busy time
with “Icelandic happenings” in Edmonton this past
month. I was able to take in the Icelandic musicians at
the Starlite room. Our son Ryan snapped this photo of
all the musicians together. There was a lot of talent on
that stage!!
Not just because of the workshop, but because I have
been doing more and more research into my family’s
history, I wanted to share the following story with you.
It was written some time ago by member Bob
Christopherson’s sister Donna Skardal. Last year Bob
and I discovered our family relationship. I was really
touched by this story – and am sure you will be too. It is
only one of thousands of stories our there – please
share yours too!!
Linda Cornell, Newsletter Editor
Sigurveig Sigurdardottir (1814 to 1893)
We also attended the Icelandic Film Festival at
Metro Cinema at the Garneau, and although we did
share the same feelings as some others that the first
half of the afternoon contained films of rather dark
subject matter, the films after intermission were really
enjoyable – more nature related films.
The Ancestry Discovery Workshop put on by
Sunna on April 23rd had an attendance of 21 – a very
manageable group for Sunna to give us some individual
attention. We started to become experts at the
Relationship Calculator in the Icelandic Roots Database,
finding ourselves related to so many people in the
room. What fun! Thanks to everyone who attended
and for everyone who helped set up the equipment and
the refreshments.
Born in Klömbrum Iceland
The life of Sigurveig Sigurdardottir had not been
an easy one. In 1865 on a day when she lay
unconscious and low with typhoid, and her children
were in various stages of recovery from it, a kind
neighbour helped her sons bury their father, Kristoffer
Andresson, who had just died from the disease.
Sigurveig survived it and her 8 children never ceased to
wonder at their mother‘s endurance and courage. She
worked from early morning until late at night, at the
same time training them to help as much as possible, in
order to give them the bare necessities of life. In the
baðstöfa of their turf house, while knitting, mending or
making skör, the Icelandic shoes made from the thin
sheep skins, she taught them to read, write and commit
to memory, prayers and hymns.
Her courage must have faltered a little in 1873
when her son Sigurdur left for America and again 10
years later when another son Hernit and her daughter
Sigurborg decided they too would emigrate. In 1879
her endurance must surely have wavered when her
daughter Kristveig died after giving birth to a baby girl.
Is it any wonder that in 1893 Sigurveig decided
to leave her home, Ytrinesslönd, in Iceland, to emigrate
to Canada? Her remaining 4 children – Sigridur, Lilja,
Pjetur, and Sigurjon, and their families, including
Kristveig’s daughter, who was named for her
grandmother, accompanied her on that brave voyage –
brave because Sigurveig was 80 years old and blind.
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When she arrived with her entourage late in
August of that year there must have been a grand
celebration. It is recorded that she was so happy and
cheerful to be in
Canada and was
delighted when taken
to the garden to feel
the size of the
pumpkins and other
vegetables. She was
interested in
everything, especially
the oak trees that grew
in the bluff at Grund.
Can you picture blind Sigurveig running her hands over
the rough bark of one of them, feeling the girth of the
trunk? It would have been impossible for her to
imagine how tall they were because there were no trees
that tall in Iceland at that time.
She came down with a cold during those first
days, not unusual in Manitoba, but it developed into
pneumonia. Three weeks after her arrival, she died.
Her funeral was held outdoors at Grund. The grounds
were crowded with people, many of them just over
from Iceland and still wearing their Icelandic shawls and
caps.
It seems fitting that her funeral was held
beneath those oak trees where her last days were spent
happily with her beloved children. Today most of the
giant oaks are gone, but there is a large one still at
Grund and perhaps a few more in the area to remind us
of one who was as sturdy as they – Sigurveig
Sigurdardottir.
This story and the sketch were done by Donna Skardal,
sister to ICCE member Bob Christopherson. Sigurveig is
great-great grandmother to Bob as well as myself.
Sigurveig’s son Kristveig had six children, the youngest was
named Sigurveig and she married Jonas Bjornson (my
grandfather). My father was Rurik Hjortur Bjornson; they all
have been buried in Grund Cemetery, a beautiful peaceful
place, not far from the town of Baldur, Manitoba.
Linda Cornell
Found this little tidbit in the Reykjavik Grapevine Online, and found it rather amusing!!
According to ancient Viking elfin Northern Lights tradition, Sumardagurinn fyrsti - Iceland's Official First Day of Summer occurred on Thursday, April 23. According to current weather forecasts, the good people of Reykjavík expected grey
skies, and temperatures peaking at 3°C to accompany their summer celebrations. It'll also be hella windy, but then,
Reykjavík is always hella windy. Those Boy Scout troops planning to march in the traditional "Welcome back, summer!"
parades had better remember to bring their lopapeysa, is all we're saying.
Now. Since we are about to enjoy our Official Last Winter Weekend of 2015, you should make a point of really enjoying
it. Like, really enjoying it. Gorge on fatty goods, drink gallons of hard liquor, burn candles, bundle up, read several
novels, knit sweaters, soak in a hot tub, visit your grandmother, play a game of RISK. Once that yellow meanie starts
burning incessantly at all hours, there will be no time for any of that.
Also, you should make sure to patronize some of your favourite local coffee shops and bakeries this weekend. We hear
Dunkin' Donuts are planning on invading these shores before long, and according to some of our Facebook friends, this
can only mean the imminent destruction of Icelandic coffee culture. Sort of like how we stopped eating whale and horse
meat after McDonalds set up shop back in the '90s.
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News from Thule
By Melanie Adams
Icelanders are still recovering from what has
been one of the longest winters in memory, and we find
ourselves grateful to see the thermometer rise above
freezing – in April! Here in Iceland, people are pretty
fond of their birds, and the arrival of the Lóa (European
Plover) is supposed to herald spring. Due to the difficult
winter, however, we have been noticing the Lóa in
unusual places like urban gardens, and the birds have
been uncharacteristically aggressive and territorial,
fighting, chasing away other birds and being generally
grumpy. Not used to this behaviour, we can only
conclude that other species are as peeved with the cold
weather as we are, and that we should all spend some
time on a sunny beach next winter!
We are counting down the days until Europe’s
annual Eurovision Song Contest, this year hosted in
Vienna, and Icelanders have a bit of a love/hate
relationship with the competition. Although we haven’t
won yet, it’s always a good excuse to have a party,
enjoy some great music as well as some dreadful camp,
and give in to the cheesy pop celebration that seems to
unite all Europeans. ABBA and Celine Dion are notable
artists who have gone on to world domination after
winning the Song Contest. Iceland’s entry Unbroken,
sung by María Ólafsdóttir, will do well, we think, but we
won’t get our hopes too high. Anyone interested in
watching the Eurovision final on May 23rd can do so
online at www.eurovision.tv.
Quite a commotion was caused by the Chilian
artist Marco Evaristti who is returning to Iceland to
meet before a judge, accused of intentionally causing
damage to a natural area. Evaristti poured five litres of
natural red food dye into the geysir Strokkur, of course
causing the columns of water exploding into the air to
turn pink. Evarissti refuses to apologize and denies
doing any harm – according to popular opinion around
here, however, his definition of art leaves something to
be desired.
Gray Line Iceland has announced some exciting
new additions to their list of tours, in particular the
Game of Thrones tour, and the Delicious Golden Circle
tour. The Games of Thrones production team was in
Iceland in 2011, and returned in 2013 to film several
episodes of season four. Þingvellir National Park was
used for different parts of Westeros, and the famous
continental fissure was turned into The Wall. On the
tour, guests can walk the Wildling trail, see the territory
of the White Walkers, and will then visit a settlement
era Viking lodge in Þjórsárdalur that features
prominently in the show. The demand for this kind of
popular literary tourism is very high, and this tour
should be a great experience for fans of the series.
The Delicious Golden Circle tour offers visitors a
chance to enhance their experience of the traditional
golden circle route (Geysir geothermal area, Gullfoss
waterfall and Þingvellir national park) by stopping to
sample traditional and locally grown food at a selection
of family-run farms and businesses. Among the
highlights is the Friðheimar Greenhouse, famous for the
sweetest, tangiest tomatoes known to mankind. The
greenhouse relies on geothermal heat and eco-friendly
horticultural practices to produce amazing veggies.
Íslenski Bærinn Turf House is perhaps the star of the
show, and is one of Iceland’s best preserved turf farms.
Travelers can learn about this distinct form of
architecture, and experience the cultural heritage of
Iceland while enjoying flatkökur and hangikjöt,
harðfiskur, homemade pönnukökur with rhubarb jelly
and whipped cream, wild flower honey, local herbal
teas and mead. Of course, if you really want kleinur,
they have those too. For more info on this great slice of
old-fashioned Iceland, visit
www.islenskibaerinn.is/English.
Editor’s Note - Reykjavík Grapevine published this
photo online of Strokkur.
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2014-2015 ICCE EXECUTIVE
President
Joedy Englesby
Phone 780-905-3000
Email: 45445
Vice President
Donna Crozier
Phone 780-459-9108
Email: [email protected]
Secretary
Shawna-Fay Schroeter
Phone 780-660-0455
Email: [email protected]
Treasurer
Michelle Braakman
Phone: 780-965-3083
[email protected]
Casino
Susan Hallett
Phone 780-471-0082
[email protected]
Heritage Society
Lorraine Ilnicki
Phone 780-454-1710
[email protected]
Library
Diane Robock
Phone 780-461-3801
[email protected]
Social & Events,
Hall Rentals
VACANT
Membership
Charles Grant
Phone 780-434-4469
[email protected]
Newsletter
Linda Cornell
Phone 780-456-6366
[email protected]
Social Media Manager
Justin Dechaine
Phone: 780-222-9820
[email protected]
Phones Coordinator
Barbara Beirnes
Phone 780-424-2690
Keeping in Touch
Marilyn Thorlakson
Phone: 780-467-7204
Email: [email protected]
Snorri & Bursaries
Tanya Hofforth
Email: [email protected]
Director at Large
Solli Sigurdson
Phone: 780-437-2923
Email: [email protected]
Director at Large
Eric Oddeifson
Phone 780-459-7553
Email: [email protected]
Past President
Beverly Arason-Gaudet
Phone: 780-464-2898
[email protected]
Auditors
Bev Arason-Gaudet
Del Sveinsson
Phone: 780-464-2898
Phone: 780-739-4277
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