The Icelandic Canadian Club of British Columbia
NEWSLETTER
XLVII:v
May 2015
Icelandic National League CONVENTION
May 14-17, 2015, Minneapolis, Minnesota
at the
Hilton Minneapolis/St. Paul Airport Mall of America Hotel
www.inlofna.org/minneapolis
The time for the convention is near and you can still attend. Four of our
club members will be there and, as you know, Vigdís Finnbogadóttir is the
guest speaker—the first female president democratically elected in the world and current UNESCO
Goodwill Ambassador.
In addition it is a great place to meet those interested in Icelandic culture including genealogy
and to chat with new friends, meet old ones and to see if you are related to anyone in attendance—it
can be surprising.
Check out: www.inlofna.org/conventions
To book, contact: [email protected]
EUROFEST
May 30 & May 31, 2015, Saturday/Sunday
Swangard Stadium, Burnaby, BC
www.europeanfestival.ca
Ethnic Cuisine—lots of it and varied; Cultural Exhibition—singing,
dancing, and more, Arts Plaza, Beer Garden; a great number of European
countries are participating highlighting the best of European culture and
tradition—Iceland will be one of the countries.
Saturday night and Sunday night bands
Volunteers are needed to help for approximately a four hour period—
you could chose your time and where you help.
Contact: Peggy Friðriksdóttir, email: [email protected]
Do come and enjoy yourselves!
Flea Market and Plant Sale—Sunday, May 3, 11 am—3 pm
Scandinavian Centre, 6540 Thomas Street, Burnaby
Café: hotdogs, donuts, waffles, coffee, tea, pop
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Guðmundur Oddur Magnússon, Professor of Graphic Design at the
Icelandic Academy of the Arts since 2002. As a scholar, he investigates
the heritage of Icelandic imagery and symbol. He hosts regular shows
about culture on Icelandic television. In the summers, he lives in an old
factory in Seyðisfjörður, on the east coast, where old and new friends join
him for the bright summer nights. Goddur is at the heart of alchemy of
the art scene.
Come share an evening with Guðmundur Oddur Magnússon on June 4, 2015
at 7:00 p.m. in the main hall at the Scandinavian Community Centre. He will
give a presentation about the roots of Icelandic visual culture and how
these roots reflect today in vivid contemporary creative fields.
Goddur is a graduate of Emily Carr and an experienced speaker. Let’s welcome him back to Vancouver on
this visit and learn from him. Refreshments served after the presentation.
For further information please contact Gerri at [email protected] or 604-279-0420 or Nina at
604-277-0143.
This year, the Midsummer Festival theme is Nordic Capital Cities.
We want to feature Reykjavík. If you have a favourite photo of Reykjavík you have taken
yourself and would like to share please send a digital copy to us for use in artwork for this
event.
Whether or not you have a photo to share, how about sharing your thoughts on Reykjavík in
just one or two sentences? These too will be made available to share.
Please send these by June 2, 2015 if you would like to contribute. Contact Gerri at
[email protected] or 604-279-0420 or Nina at 604-277-0143.
Scandinavian Seniors & the New Lawnmower
The main objective of the Scandinavian Seniors Club is to entertain, socialize, share humour, and provide
information and support regarding the Scandinavian Centre Society and its activities. Our committee is a
mixture of persons from each of the Houses. We
meet every 2nd Friday of the month at noon, except
in July and August. As it is a Smorgasbord luncheon
we ask people to bring food, to share with others.
The entrance fee is $3 if you bring food to share and
$8 if you don't.
Over the years the Seniors have donated
$46,000 to the Centre, which includes $6,000 this
year towards a new riding lawnmower. Our aim is to
aid the centre with projects that improve the whole
community at our centre, not one group.
Come and join us every second Friday of the
month. See for yourself the fun we have. We average
65 to 75 people but it changes to 125 at our
Christmas lunch.
Tor Olufsen, Seniors' Chairperson
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May 2015
Board of Directors, 2015
As elected at the ICCBC AGM, April 1, 2015
Guðbjartsson, Loren
Eyford, Norman
Eyford, Tammy
Turner, Lois
-
President
Vice-President
Treasurer
Secretary
Directors
Amirault, Margaret—Newsletter
Anderson, Marilyne
Brandson, Wayne
Einarsdóttir, Kristjana
Eiriksson, Leif
Friðriksdóttir, Anna Peggy
Hansson, Gunnar Ólafur—Language Classes
Helgason, Kristjana
Johnson, Linda
Jónsson, Arnar
Kristjansson, Indriði
Langworth, Edda– Language Classes
Lipton, Lee
McDonald, Gerri– Genealogy
Scandinavian Community Centre Board Members
Wayne Brandson
Norman Eyford
Lorne Guðbjartsson
Alternates
Anna Bjarnason
Paul Bjarnason
Leif Eirikson
Norman
Eyford,
for the past year has
been president of the
S c a n d i n a v i a n
Community
Centre.
Every year, one of the
Scandinavian Houses
takes their turn as
president and last
year it was Iceland’s
turn.
As a new member
of the Scandinavian
Community
Centre
Norm said he enjoyed
learning about all the activities and events. He
particularly enjoyed attending the Tuesday Boys, the
Midsummer Festival, the Eurofest and the cultural
events sponsored by the Scandinavian Cultural Society.
For some years the centre has been looking at
building an elevator and during his presidency, the
project progressed and should now be completed by
next year. This means that people with mobility
challenges will be able to access the library and
meeting rooms on the second floor.
Norm says: There was never a dull moment and
the year passed quickly. From the perspective of
Centre members, Norm was a very effective, efficient
and personable president – one of the best!
Language classes are in progress with a total of 32 people registering.
Gunnar Hansson and Edda Langworth are our excellent teachers.
SNORRi West Program
Four young (age 20-30) enthusiastic Icelanders will be here June 14 to June 21. I will be taking them
around Greater Vancouver and one day to Whistler! I am just finalizing the itinerary for them. Some
people have very kindly offered to host a dinner-it would be great to have more families host a dinner!
They are very interested in meeting West Coast Icelanders. If you
would like to be included in their visit in some way, please email me at:
[email protected] or phone me 604-936-8826(H).
They will attend the barbecue on June 17 at the Scandinavian Center
and June 15 we will be touring Granville Island and downtown
Vancouver. If you can join us, let me know!
Marilyne Anderson (Coordinator)
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May 2015
ScanSports invites you and your family to play a friendly game of golf!
May 23, 2015 - 1:00 pm, Mylora Golf Course
9911 Sidaway Rd, Richmond (mylora.ca)
Mylora is an executive length golf course. You can use this as a warm-up for
the Scandinavian Centre Golf Tournament in September (September, Friday
18) or a fun family outing:
Texas Scramble / Best ball game format; Prizes will be awarded in the
clubhouse afterwards.
Join the group for a burger in the clubhouse after your round.
Entry Fee $45 per adult/$22 youth (12-16). Burger $13.
Write Carol Mitchell, Norway House Society, c/o Scandinavian Centre, with
your entry fee or email [email protected] before May 15, 2015
ScanSports, Scandinavian Centre
The Scandinavian Centre Sports Committee is now up and running (literally). It supports sports
and activities for the entire Scandinavian community through the Scandinavian Centre. We have had
monthly meetings and now have a bank account set up as well.
So far, we organized the Scandinavian Centre Sun Run Team, the Sunday run & walk group at
Burnaby Lake, and planned a golf tournament. Also on the horizon are summer hikes, a curling team (or
introductory event), and a rowing club with the Munin Viking Ship. For our Scandinavian Centre field,
we would like to buy some sports equipment and have games on the field on the weekends.
Activities such as ski days, skating days, ski lessons, floorball tournaments, rowing, fitness
classes, etc., are just a few examples of other activities that could be organized.
It would also be great to enter a Scandinavian Centre team into local existing events such as The
Terry Fox Run, 24 Hour Relay, Hockey Night in Canada’s Street Hockey Tournament, Sigge’s
P’ayakentsut (cross country), etc. The sports committee could facilitate group entries and solicit
participation. Entering events such as these would boost the visibility of the Scandinavian Centre,
increase community spirit, and create more opportunities for
socializing and interacting amongst members.
New members are always welcome, anyone can join. Please feel
free to contact me or any member of the ScanSports Committee
with any questions or comments.
Karina Ramsay
[email protected]; [email protected]; or https://
www.facebook.com/ScansportsBurnaby
COMING EVENTS
May 3 (Sun)
May 14-17
May 23 (Sat)
June 4 (Thurs)
June 17 (Wed)
June 20/21 (Sat/Sun)
Flea Market & Plant Sale, 11am-3pm
Icelandic National League Convention
Mylora Golf Course, 1 pm
Guðmundur Oddur Magnússon presentation
Iceland’s Independence Day
Scandinavian Midsummer Festival
Scandinavian Centre
Minneapolis, Minnesota
9911 Sidaway Rd, Richmond
Scandinavian Centre
Scandinavian Centre
Scandinavian Centre
April 2016
Icelandic National League Convention
in VANCOUVER, BC
***
The 2016 Icelandic National League of North America Convention is set in Vancouver, BC
for Friday and Saturday, April 29, 2016, at the River Rock Casino Resort.
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May 2015
Höfn Offering Affordable Housing Units for Seniors
Höfn Icelandic Harbour is converting some of its
assisted living units to affordable housing. This
means that assisted living and affordable housing
will be operating at the same time.
Höfn will start accepting applications for
affordable housing on May 1, 2015 and the
deadline is May 31, 2015. Moving in is expected
to be on or before August 1, 2015. Qualified
applicants will be contacted for interviews.
The application for affordable housing is
different than that of assisted living.
For
assisted living, you can continue to apply to your
local health unit. For affordable housing, you
would first apply directly to Höfn and then to
B.C. Housing.
This is an excellent opportunity for people who
are interested in independent living. Each suite is
approximately 500 sq. ft. with a kitchenette and
bathroom. Höfn Icelandic Harbour comes well
recommended for its cleanliness, friendly staff
and beautiful building.
Because B.C. Housing subsidizes affordable
housing and Höfn is a seniors residence, there
are criteria for qualification.
To apply or if you have any questions:
Please contact Albert Teng
(Executive Director)
Work: 604-321-3812 Ext. 2
Cell: 604-808-6616
Email: [email protected]
Applicants must:
Be age appropriate, preferably age 75 years
and older.
Have assets less than $100,000.
Have annual income less than $40,000.
Höfn Icelandic Harbour
2020 Harrison Drive
Vancouver, BC V5P 0A1
Website: www.icelandicharbour.org
Rent amount:
30% of total gross monthly income.
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May 2015
Nordic Spirit 2015:
Alberta and Norway pavilion staff. Michael
Sjoblum and his local pals dressed in their finest
Viking battle dress, rowed over to the Norway
pavilion and did the deed. Bloodied men (movie
blood paks) fell to the ground attempting to save
their maidens. TV cameramen and photographers
clicked away at the skirmish. The 6:00 pm TV
news that night helped bring out a total of about
4,000 visitors that weekend.
You see below our community members 30
years ago, all in pictures and story at this year’s
display. This festival was the founding event of
our society as we know it today.
R. Asgeirsson
1986 Scandinavian Midsummer
Festival—A 30 Year Anniversary
In 1984, Vancouver’s Centennial Celebrations
promotion department contacted all of our
Scandinavian community and pulled together a
Scandinavian Midsummer Festival committee for
the year 1986. The main planning was done in 1985
-86.
The celebration you experience April 11/12,
2015 is quite similar to the first one held in Vanier
Park. Each country had its own cultural tent and
presented their own local and imported talent on a
main stage. Craft sales and a huge food tent were
well attended.
Funding came from several major sources such
as a $10,000 raffle prize donated by Ikea, and the
installation of the main stage was jointly sponsored
by Chevron and the city, I believe. The city picked
up several other smaller costs like policing.
As a publicity stunt to get free advertising on the
local TV News channels, we devised a Viking raid
on Expo 86 with the cooperation and help of the
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May 2015
From Iceland Review Online– April 2015
Compiled by Iceland Review Editorial Staff
South Iceland Cave Made before
Settlement
Archaeologist Kristján Ahronson has
concluded that Kverkarhellir, a
manmade cave between waterfall
Seljalandsfoss and farm Seljaland in
South Iceland, was partly created
around 800 AD, before the
settlement of Iceland, which,
according to sources, began in 874.
Ahronson presented the results of
his analysis of volcanic ash layers
from around the cave, among other
findings, covered in his book Into the
Ocean, at the University of
Iceland, RÚV reports.
“We are about to identify a large
dump of material that looks like
waste material from construction and
dates to around 800 or so,”
Ahronson explained. “Kverkahellir,
along with Seljalandshellir, is
remarkable as it is part of a number
of cave sites in southern Iceland,
manngerðir hellar [‘manmade
caves’], that are marked by cross
sculpture.” “There is something very
unique … about the material that we
found in these cave sites in southern
Iceland but yet there are clear
arguments that can be made for
some connection to the west
highlands in Ireland and Scotland,
and Britain and Ireland more
generally,” he added. Ahronson
would not state that theories that the
crosses may have been made by
papar, monks from the British Isles
who were said to have lived in
Iceland before the Norse settlers,
may be true. Even though place
names indicate their presence,
archaeological evidence is lacking.
Þórður Tómasson, former director of
the nearby Skógar Folk Museum, is
calling for further research of the
caves.
Traces of Lost Continent Found
beneath Iceland
Scientists at the University of Oslo,
led by geology professor Trond H.
Torsvik, believe to have discovered
traces of a lost continent in the rock
around Öræfajökull, a Vatnajökull
outlet glacier, in Southeast Iceland.
The region may lie on top of the
continent, which used to be part of
Greenland, they reason. “The
Iceland hotspot is widely thought to
be the surface expression of a deep
mantle plume from the core-mantle
boundary that can be traced back in
time at least 62 My. However, some
lavas contain continental material,
which has previously been proposed
to have been recycled through the
plume,” Torsvik and his colleagues
write in the latest issue
of Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
“Here, we argue that the plume split
off a sliver of continent from
Greenland in the Early Eocene. This
sliver is now located beneath
southeast Iceland where it locally
contaminates some of the plumederived magmas,” they continue.
Gulf Stream Slows Down;
Impacting Iceland?
The Gulf Stream, an ocean current
carrying warm and salty seawater to
the coast of Iceland, contributing to
an unusually mild climate for the
island’s latitude and fertile fishing
grounds, is slowing down, according
to a study published in Nature
online. The study, featuring the effect
of climate change on ocean currents
and relating environmental effects,
was carried out by Stefan Rahmstorf
and others. It reveals that excessive
amounts of freshwater in the North
Atlantic Ocean, caused by the
melting of polar ice, have slowed
down the natural flow of the Gulf
Stream. Oceanographer Héðinn
Valdimarsson at the Icelandic Marine
Research Institute, told ruv.is that
the study’s results didn’t come as a
surprise, as they coincide with the
cooling of the ocean temperatures
during the so-called sea ice years of
1965-1971, which are referenced in
the study. The melting of an
unusually large amount of sea ice 40
years ago caused cold and unsalted
water to circulate in the North
Atlantic Ocean. However, the
Icelandic Marine Research Institute’s
specialists haven’t noticed an
7
increased amount of freshwater in
the ocean around Iceland in
consistency with the increased
melting of polar ice in the past two
decades; it’s only in the past two to
three years that cooling and fresher
conditions in the ocean have been
registered, Héðinn stated. Héðinn
pointed out that the Gulf Stream is
also driven by winds.
Denny’s to Open Three
Restaurants in Iceland
A group of Icelandic investors have
made an agreement with U.S.
restaurant chain Denny’s Diner on
opening three restaurants in Iceland
in the next two years; the first in
Europe. The first restaurant is set to
open this year and a suitable location
is being sought. Denny’s is known for
being open around the clock and for
serving a generous breakfast,
including eggs, bacon, sausages and
pancakes, DV reports. Founded in
1953, there are 1,700 Denny’s
restaurants around the world but
none of them are located in Europe.
The chain is planning to enter the
European market and the
restaurants in Iceland will be the first
step. Preparations have been
ongoing for some time.
Dunkin’ Donuts to Open 16
Restaurants in Iceland
U.S. coffeehouse chain Dunkin’
Donuts has made a franchise
contract with Icelandic supermarket
chain 10-11 on opening restaurants
under the company’s brand in 16
locations in the country, as
announced in a joint press release
today. CEO of 10-11 Árni Pétur
Jónsson commented that he is
looking forward to opening the first
Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant in Iceland
later this year and that he is
confident Icelanders will welcome the
novelty, ruv.is reports. Most of the
restaurants will be located in the
Reykjavík metropolitan area. There
are 11,300 Dunkin’ Donuts
restaurants in 36 countries around
the world, 170 of which are located in
Europe.
Continued on page 8
May 2015
Björk Makes Time Magazine’s 100 List
April 22, 2015—Icelandic musician and icon Björk
Guðmundsdóttir has made this year’s Time 100 list of
the world’s most influential people. Interestingly, she is
the only person from the Nordic countries on the 2015
annual list.
From pg 7
SCANDINAVIAN CENTRE
Website: www.scandinaviancentre.org (for more details)
E-mail: [email protected], Telephone: 604-294-2777
May 3 (Sun) 11 am—Plant Sale & Flea Market.
May 8 (Fri) 12 noon—Scandinavian Seniors Lunch
Please call Tor 604-294-0749 or the office.
First Day of Summer Celebrated in Iceland
April 23, 2015—Today is the first day of Harpa, the first
summer month of the old Icelandic calendar, which is
also officially the first day of summer, or
Sumardagurinn fyrsti. The holiday always falls on the
first Thursday after April 18.
May 9 (Sat)—Spring Work Party, 8:30 am to afternoon.
Come out & help keep your Centre beautiful.
Volunteers of all ages welcome.
May 13 (Wed)—Scandinavian Business Club’s Dinner,
7 pm. Email Paul Andreassen at [email protected]. We
welcome both non-members and members to all our
events! Also visit us at www.sbc-bc.
May 16 (Sat) 1 pm—Genealogy meeting.
May 30-May 31 (Sat/Sun)—EuroFest,
Swangard Stadium, Burnaby.
Viking Boat Munin: call Marian Hammond 604-782-0639.
A 40 ft. authentic half-scale replica of the Norwegian
Viking Ship Gokstad. The Munin sails year round and
takes passengers out on weekend mornings or
afternoons.
Icelandic Online Club; email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/
Icelandic Language CDs or Tapes
The 8-page newsletter is published at the beginning of each
month, ten months of the year. A newsletter is not printed in
July or August. Material is gratefully received by the 20th of
each month.
Editor & Publisher:
Margrét Bjarnason Amirault, Tel: 604-688-9082
ICCBC Mail: 6540 Thomas Street
Burnaby, BC V5B 4P9
Email: [email protected]
Distribution:
Labels:
Courier:
www.inlofna.org/ICCBC/Tape_Lessons.htm
Leif & Marlene Eirikson
Norm Eyford
Norm & Sharon Eyford
Oakridge Lutheran Church
585 West 41st Avenue,
Vancouver
ICCBC INFORMATION MESSAGE LINE
9:30 a.m., Sunday Morning Service
Tel: 604-294-2777 (Scandinavian Centre line)
Website:
Get acquainted with the language or brush up on your
pronunciation with lessons 1 & 2, each one hour long. Typed
lessons are included so that you can learn to read Icelandic
as well.
 Canadian Orders: CDs, 2 lesson sets $30 CAD/ USD;
tapes are also available. Postage & handling included.
 US and Foreign Orders: International money order only.
Send your cheque or money order made out to:
Icelandic Canadian Club of B.C.
3776 Arbor Street, Burnaby, BC V5J 1T4
Tel: 604-433-6329
English Joint Services
Coffee served every Sunday
Everyone is welcome!
Icelandic Canadian Club of B.C.
www.inlofna.org/ICCBC/Welcome.html
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Icelandic-
Canadian-Club-of-British-Columbia/190426084338925
LIBRARY & GENEALOGY
Website: Icelandic National League: www.inlofna.org
Icelandic Archives of BC: www.inlofna.org/IABC/Welcome.html
Books written by Icelanders in English or
translation are available in the Scandinavian library
upstairs. The sorting of books in the Sólskin
Library is progressing.
Information regarding the Genealogy Centre can be
obtained from Gerri McDonald at 604-279-0420.
Icelandic Radio (6 stations): www.xnet.is
Morgunblaðið: http://mbl.is
Ströndin Internet Radio: www.inlofna.org/SIR
Honorary Consul General of Iceland for BC & Yukon,
Heather Alda Ireland: [email protected]
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May 2015