See the Calendar for current events.
Click on the link in the calendar for more information
Current Newsletter (March 2009)

Previous Newsletters:

March 2009
September 2008
March 2008
September 2007

Other News

 The Icelandic National League calendar for 2012 is being worked on now and will feature pictures of plants and animals from Iceland.  THE DEADLINE IS OCTOBER 1, 2010!!  Please note that due to the layout of the calendar, horizontal pictures work best. 
 
Attention Photographers: 
 
Project:  We invite you to submit your best images for the 2012 Icelandic National League Calendar.  Submissions under the umbrella of Fauna and Flora of Iceland and the photos should be taken in Iceland:

Fauna: photographs of birds, dogs, horses, sheep, pigs, goats, cats and wild animals.

Flora: photographs of ferns and grasses, flowering plants, shrubs (blueberry, crowberry, bear berry) and trees (willow, birch, poplar, mountain ash)

This special project is open to all the members of the Icelandic National League.

Important Dates:  We will be accepting images now and until October 1, 2010.   
 
Technical Information:  High quality images either scanned from 35 mm slides or high-resolution digital images.  These ideally should be better than 2000 x1500 pixel digital images or the equivalent quality scanner images. In other words, digital photos should be taken (AND SENT) at the highest resolution possible, and photos scanned (AND SENT) at the highest resolution possible.  Your picture will be rejected if it does not conform to publishing quality!!

Slides:  On right hand side have an arrow indicating 'top'.  Please note that slides will not be returned.

Smaller email images may be sent for viewing, but large quality pictures MUST be available. 
 
REQUIRED INFORMATION:

Name of photographer:

Location and date (month and year) that the picture was taken:

Name of the hosting INL Member Club:

Senders name, contact information (phone, e-mail, and website), where you live, and the name of the INL chapter you are representing. 
Send slides and required information to:  
 
Dianne O’Konski,   

17404 Ithaca Lane

Lakeville, MN, USA, 55044

Email digital images and required information to deokonski@charter.net.

Selected Photographers and Chapters will be notified.  
I wish you the best of luck and the Calendar Creators thank you for participating in this

FM Icelandic Klub of Fargo-Moorhead    

We continue to work on plans for the Scandinavian Hjemkomst Festival on June 25, 26. & 27, in Moorhead. Iceland is the country this year. The Drengakor Reykjanikur will be performing at the Festival. Tentative plans are in the works for exhibits of Wayne Gudmundson photography, film work (Sveit) by Kyla Kristjansson Nelson, an Icelandic dinner, style show featuring national costumes from the Scandinavian countries, an Icelandic Heritage Table, and as always, Amma’s Kitchen in the Taste of Scandinavia featuring Icelandic taste treats.

The Department of Icelandic Language & Literature at the University of Manitoba invites you to the Páll Guðmundsson Memorial Presentation:
Celebrating the Memory of Bill Holm (1943-2009)
- David Arnason and W.D. Valgardson - Recordings of Bill Holm’s readings and music
- Readings of Bill Holm’s poetry

Thursday, March 25 at 7:00 p.m.
Icelandic Collection, 3rd Floor Elizabeth Dafoe Library

Free admission, free parking (B Lot)

RSVP by March 23, 2010 to 474-8487 or um_icelandic@umanitoba.ca
Sponsored by: Department of Icelandic Language and Literature, and the Icelandic Collection at the University of Manitoba.

Virtual Museum Gimli, the Evolution of a Community: i.e. Map showing New Iceland (in red) as it was from 1875 to 1881, outside of Manitoba's boundaries. Click here to go to the Virtual Museum site.

Associated Press

REYKJAVIK, Iceland - Blasts of lava and ash shot out of a volcano in southern Iceland on Monday and small tremors rocked the ground, a surge in activity that raised fears of a larger explosion at the nearby Katla volcano. Scientists say history has proven that when the Eyjafjallajokull volcano erupts, Katla follows - the only question is how soon. And Katla, located under the massive Myrdalsjokull icecap, threatens disastrous flooding and explosive blasts when it blows. Saturday's eruption at Eyjafjallajokull - dormant for nearly 200 years - forced at least 500 people to evacuate. Most have returned to their homes, but authorities were waiting for scientific assessments to determine whether they were safe to stay. Residents of 14 farms nearest to the eruption site were told to stay away. Several small tremors were felt early Monday, followed by spurts of lava and steam rocketing into the air. Iceland sits on a large volcanic hot spot in the Atlantic's mid-oceanic ridge. Eruptions, common throughout Iceland's history, are often triggered by seismic activity when the Earth's plates move and when magma from deep underground pushes its way to the surface. Like earthquakes, predicting the timing of volcanic eruptions is an imprecise science. An eruption at the Katla volcano could be disastrous, however - both for Iceland and other nations. Iceland's Laki volcano erupted in 1783, freeing gases that turned into smog. The smog floated across the Jet Stream, changing weather patterns. Many died from gas poisoning in the British Isles. Crop production fell in western Europe. Famine spread. Some even linked the eruption, which helped fuel famine, to the French Revolution. Painters in the 18th century illustrated fiery sunsets in their works. The winter of 1784 was also one of the longest and coldest on record in North America. New England reported a record stretch of below-zero temperatures and New Jersey reported record snow accumulation. The Mississippi River also reportedly froze in New Orleans. "These are Hollywood-sort of scenarios but possible," said Colin Macpherson, a geologist with the University of Durham. "As the melt rises, it's a little like taking a cork out of a champagne bottle." There are three main places where volcanoes normally occur - along strike-slip faults such as California's San Andreas fault line, along areas where plates overlap one another such as in the Philippines and the Pacific Rim, and in areas like Iceland, where two of the Earth's plates are moving apart from each other in a so-called spreading system. Unlike the powerful volcanos along the Pacific Rim where the slow rise of magma gives scientists early seismic warnings that an eruption is imminent, Iceland's volcanos are unique in that many erupt under ice sheets with little warning. Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson, a geologist at the University of Iceland who flew over the site Monday, said the beginning of Saturday's eruption was so indistinct that it initially went undetected by geological instruments. Many of the tremors were below magnitude 2.6. Using thermal cameras and radar to map the lava flow, Gudmundsson and other scientists were able to determine that the lava from Eyjafjallajokull was flowing down a gorge and not moving toward the ice caps - reducing any threat of floods. He said he and other scientists were watching Katla but Monday's trip was meant to assess immediate risk. "A general expectation is that because of the Eyjafjallajokull eruption, the fissure would widen and in that sense, there's a greater risk of extending into or underneath the glaciers and prompting an eruption at Katla," said Andy Russell with Newcastle University's Earth Surface Processes Research Group, who went with a team to Iceland before the eruption. "From records, we know that every time Eyjafjallajokull erupts, Katla has also erupted." Russell said past Katla eruptions have caused floods the size of the Amazon and sent boulders as big as houses tumbling down valleys and roads. The last major eruption took place in 1918. Floods followed in as little as an hour. Those eruptions have posed risks to residents nearby, but most of Iceland's current population of 320,000 live in the capital of Reykjavik on the western part of the island. Southern Iceland is sparely populated but has both glaciers and unstable volcanoes - a destructive combination. The last time there was an eruption near the 100-square-mile (160 square-kilometre) Eyjafjallajokull glacier was in 1821, and that was a "lazy" eruption that lasted slowly and continuously for two years. Iceland is one of the few places in the world where a mid-ocean ridge actually rises above sea level. Many volcanic eruptions along the ocean basin often go undetected because they can't be easily seen. First settled by Vikings in the 9th century, Iceland is known as the land of fire and ice because of its volcanos and glaciers. During the Middle Ages, Icelanders called the Hekla volcano, the country's most active, the "Gateway to Hell," believing that souls were dragged into the fire below. The last major volcanic eruption in Iceland occurred in 2004 with the Grimsvotn volcano.

I am sending this information on the eruption at Fimmvörðuháls to all who receive our electronic Embassy Newsletter.
Press the link below. There are English, German, Swedish and Polish versions of the main info.

So far - this is just what we in Iceland call a small tourist eruption between the glaciers in the south of Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull. No water floods - so-called glacier bursts - jökulhlaup - have therefore accompanied this eruption. There have now been 4 eruptions at Fimmvörðuháls since the settlement of Iceland in 874, the last one was in 1821. Fimmvörðuháls is perhaps the most popular hiking trail in the highlands of Iceland. Thousands walk there each summer and the hike takes approximately 10 hours. An extremely scenic route and challenging.

However, close by looms the infamous Katla under the ice cover of Mýrdalsjökull. Katla has erupted about 20 times since 874 and has been "due" since about 1960 if history is an indication. In other words an eruption there has been expected by geologists for the last 50 years. An eruption in Katla always means huge and dangerous floods, destroying the highway (No. 1) and its bridges to the south of Mýrdalsjökull. Ash can also be a  threat from Katla.
Because the eruption at Fimmvörðuháls started in the night about 500 people living in the vicinity were evacuated according to well rehearsed civil defense plans. All but the families of the 14 farms closest to the eruption have now been allowed back to their homes. Livestock animals are not affected so far, this has mostly been a lava eruption hitherto, but some ash has fallen on the ground and therefore cattle, sheep and horses in some of closest of the farms are being kept inside barns, etc. for safety.

After each of the 4 recorded eruptions in Fimmvörðuháls Katla has erupted - the two seem geologically connected - and therefore all civil defense is in the state of full alert. Minor earthquakes were reported this morning.

The attached  photo was taken ( further South from Gunnarsholt)  Saturday night and the white streak is from the lights from the village Hvolsvöllur
http://www.ruv.is/frett/eldgos-i-fimmvorduhalsi

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8578576.stm An Icelandic volcano, dormant for 200 years, has erupted, ripping a 1km-long fissure in a field of ice. The volcano near Eyjafjallajoekull glacier began to erupt just after midnight, sending lava a hundred metres high. Icelandic airspace has been closed, flights diverted and roads closed. The eruption was about 120km (75 miles) east of the capital, Reykjavik. About 500 people were moved from the area, a civil protection officer said. "We estimate that no-one is in danger in the area, but we have started an evacuation plan and between 500 and 600 people are being evacuated," Sigurgeir Gudmundsson of the Icelandic civil protections department told the Agence France-Presse news agency. The area is sparsely populated, but the knock-on effects from the eruption have been considerable. A state of emergency is in force in southern Iceland and transport connections have been severely disrupted, including the main east-west road. "Ash has already begun to fall in Fljotshlid and people in the surrounding area have reported seeing bright lights emanating from the glacier," RUV public radio said on its website. "It was a bit scary, but still amazing to see," Katrin Moller Eiriksdottir, who lives in Fljotshlid, told the BBC News website. "The ash had started falling and we couldn't leave the car." Three Icelandair flights, bound for Reykjavik from the United States, were ordered to return to Boston, RUV radio reported. Domestic flights were suspended indefinitely, but some international flights were scheduled to depart on Sunday. There had initially been fears that the volcano could cause flooding, as it causes ice to melt on the glacier above it, but that scenario appears to have been avoided. However, it could cause more activity nearby, scientists say. "This was a rather small and peaceful eruption but we are concerned that it could trigger an eruption at the nearby Katla volcano, a vicious volcano that could cause both local and global damage," said Pall Einarsson, a geophysicist at the University of Iceland's Institute of Earth Science, Associated Press news agency reported. As the eruption is taking place in an area that is relatively ice free, there is little chance of a destructive glacier burst like the one that washed away part of the east-west highway four years ago, after an eruption under the vast Vattnajoekull glacier. Iceland lies on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, the highly volatile boundary between the Eurasian and North American continental plates, with quakes and eruptions. The last volcanic eruption in the Eyjafjallajoekull area occurred in 1821.

Credit: BBC news

Ryerson University Filmaking Course in Rekjavík
June 2010

Short Filmaking: Shooting on Location

Course Description/Objective:

Living in our world exposed to constant media sources, the sharing of information informs our reality. In this production class, we are looking at media arts, using the inspriation of art and popular culture. Innovativie approaches to short filmmaking will be the focus of the course. Motion will be explored in a digital environment, using principally After Effects. Combining technical and theoretical components, this unique course will take advantage of various shooting locations and cultural resources available in Reykjavik and surrounding areas, during the season of twenty-four hour light. This 10 day course will include lectures, organized visits, technical workshops in After Effects and critiques of of student work.

For Further Info: 

Contact: James McCrorie

Phone: 416.979.5000 ext 6847

Email: mccrorie@ryerson.ca

Web: http://ce-online.ryerson.ca/ce_2009-2010/ (Listed in the Film Studies program)

Congratulations to the Snorri Participants 2010:

SNORRI  PARTICIPANTS FOR 2010 – as per Asta Sol
NOTE:  Asta is now on maternity leave.
Her replacement is Alexia Bjorg Johannesdottír  (alexia@snorri.is)

Kara Bodvarson  -   Medicine Hat, Alberta
Stephanie Bokenfohr  -   Calgary, Alberta
Holly Long  -   Calgary, Alberta
Autumn Whiteway  -   Calgary, Alberta
Sarah Isbister  -   Chilliwack, British.Columbia
Kristjana Britton  -   Winnipeg, Manitoba
Kathrina Cordingley  -   Carberry, Manitoba
Paulette Taillefer  -   St-Adolphe, Manitoba
Joeseph Bowen  -   Minneapolis, Minnesota
Isaac Leon Muscanto  -   Roseville, Minnesota
Jodi Amy  -   Southampton, Ontario
Jesse Chisholm-Beatson  -   Stratford, Ontario;
Teal Johannson-Knox  -   Hanmer, Ontario
Iléana Eilis Soley Gutnick  -  Outremont, Quebéc
Vanessa Corka  -  Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Tanya Bjornson  -   Ferndale, Washington

You are invited to a Framfari (INL-Winnipeg) Event on Tuesday, March 2nd.  First, you could meet with Nelson Gerrard in the afternoon (by appointment) if you have old portraits of Icelanders in Manitoba to review, ponder or show off. Second, you can enjoy Nelson's presentation at 7:30 PM. Details are listed below. All are welcome! 

Asta Sol Kristjansdottir, who has been Project Manager of the Snorri Program for the past 10 years, is going on maternity leave this week and Alexia Bjorg Johannesdottir has been hired to replace her. She will be taking care of both the Snorri Program and Snorri Plus until September this year.
Feel free to contact her if you have any questions or concerns, alexia@snorri.is

Please note! The Snorri Plus Program is open for applications until March 1, 2010!!!

The IC Fron had an impromtu meeting and we decided to CANCEL our Thorrablot which had been scheduled for this Saturday Feb. 20th. This decision is, of course, made because of the recent loss of our friend Neil Bardal, who has surely meant more to our group than anyone. We also decided to encourage donation to Logberg/Heimskringla in memory of Neil. If you are one of those who purchased a ticket, you will be contacted about a refund or we will ask you if you'll prefer to donate all or part of your ewfund. If you haven't paid for Thorrablot tickets, we encourage you to consider a donation directly to Logberg/Heimskringla in memory of Neil. You will hear from us again when details are known of funeral ceremonies.

The Icelandic Canadian Club of BC invite any of you who will be attending the 2010 Winter Olympics to a celebration for Iceland's Olympic Athletes. Even though the event is free, we need you to register.

A Celebration to honor Iceland’s Olympic Athletes

Sunday, February 21, 2010, 5-8 p.m.

Shrine Auditorium, 3550 Wayburne Street, off Canada Way, Burnaby, BC (behind BCIT)

Iceland’s Athletes are Alpine Skiers competing out of Creekside, Whistler. 

The competitors are:

Björgvin Björgvinsson, Stefán Jón Sigurgeirsson, Árni Þorvaldsson, Íris Guðmundsdóttir

The Icelandic Canadian Club of BC is hosting the event and everyone is invited.

Please register for your free tickets (everyone must register)

We are required to maintain security and we can accommodate just 350 people.

Please phone Iceland House, 604-515-1224 and leave your name, where you are from, and the amount of actual tickets you require.

Music for the event is from the Capilano University Jazz Program.

There will be appetizers, coffee and pop, and a cash bar.

Iceland is sending a competitor for the Para Olympic Games, a skier, Erna Friðriksdóttir. 

A get-together is planned for approximately March 16th, 2010. 

Phone Iceland House for information, 604-515-1224

GOVERNMENT OF ICELAND SCHOLARSHIP

NOTE that Canadian applicants must submit their applications to the INL office by March 19th

ICELANDIC  GOVERNMENT  SCHOLARSHIPS  --  for the academic year  2010 – 2011

We have now received the 2010-11 details for Scholarships in Icelandic Studies for Foreign Students that are available from the Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture.

** The application form and details are attached. **

Application form [pdf]

Information [pdf]

The Icelandic Ministry of Education, Science and Culture annually awards a number of scholarships to foreign students for the study of Icelandic language, literature and history at the University of Iceland, in Reykjavik

The scholarships are intended for students of language and literature.

Preference will, as a rule, be given to a candidate under 35 years of age.

The scholarship covers registration fees at the University and a monthly stipend of ISK 120,000  (approximately $1,060 CDN per month...from Sept. 2010 to April 2011) which should be enough to cover room and board (a room will be available for rent in one of the University dorms).

Canadian Applicants

Submit your application to: Icelandic National League of North America  (INLofNA)
Attention:  Gwen Grattan, Executive Secretary
103 – 94  1st Avenue
Gimli, MB   R0C 1B1

Email:  inl@mts.net     Website: www.inlofna.org 

Note:  -- Applications must be received at the INLofNA office on or before  March 19th, 2010.

-- All Canadian applications will be reviewed by the INLofNA Selection Committee who will submit their selections to the Icelandic Ministry by April 1, 2010 for Iceland’s final selection process.

-- The Icelandic Ministry will make the final selection and notify successful applicants by June, 2010.

United States of America Applicants:

Contact for additional details:     U.S.I.A. Fulbright
U.S. Student Programs
Institute of International Education
809 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY   10017 – 3580

Phone:  202-984-5330    Website:  www.iie.org

Please see the attached January newsletter (Vol. 2 No. 1) from the Embassy of Iceland in Washington, D.C.

As you know, our Annual Icelandic Thorrablot will be held on Saturday, February 6 at 6:30 at the Montgomery Legion Hall.
We hope you will all attend, and bring friends.
Some people have asked about parking.   You will be glad to know that there is a large parking lot on the corner of Kent and Gilmour, just one block south of the Legion Hall, where you can park for $3.00.  As well, there is plenty of on-street parking on both Kent and Somerset Streets which is free on Saturday evenings.
There will be members of the FOI Board waiting for you at the front door of the Legion to help you bring in your food when you arrive.
Someone will be there between 6 and 7 to make sure you can get in easily and have all the help you need.
So that we can plan for the event, would you please RSVP to me, Judith Hoye, at 613-238-8685 or by email at judith.hoye@rogers.com
Again this year, we are looking forward to a wonderful evening of good food (Icelandic or otherwise), great friends, and maybe even a little Icelandic.

The Icelandic Canadian Fron will once again be hosting the Icelandic Heritage Brunch, at the Scandinavian Cultural Centre, 764 Erin St. Winnipeg on Jan. 31st - 11:00am to 1:30pm.
The excellent brunch is $12.00. Hospitality and fellowship are free - and plentiful.
Organizations participating will include Logberg-Heimskringla, Icelandic Canadian magazine, New Iceland Heritage Museum, Icelandic River Heritage Sites, U of MB Icelandic Department, Lestrafelag, and probably more.
We hope you come and join us.
Sjaumst.

Our first fundraiser for Icelandic Camp 2010 will take place Friday Feb. 26th, from 4pm - 10pm.  It is a Bud, Spud and Steak dinner at The Bronze Boot in East Selkirk, MB.  The cost is $12.00 per ticket.  There will only be 150 tickets available as that is what can be accommodated.  If you would like a ticket please feel free to email me and reserve a ticket.  Cash payment can be made at the door or you can send a cheque payable to Icelandic Camp to 207 Sutherland Ave.  Selkirk, MB R1A 0M2. 
I hope to see many of you there.  We will also arrange some prizes as well.
--
Cheers,

Brad Hirst
Icelandic Camp President
204-485-5455

Icelandic Online PLUS*
The University of Iceland distance learning course

On February 1d we will be launching Icelandic Online PLUS. This is an 8-week course which will be run through Icelandic Online with the aid of a tutor. The course is open to all those interested in Icelandic language and culture.

Icelandic Online PLUS is a distance learning course that offers learners an opportunity to work with a teacher and receive individual feedback on exercises and assignments that have been added to the existing course. All communication between students and teacher and between students will take place via the Internet through Icelandic Online. This semester we’re offering both beginners and intermediate level:

*Icelandic Online PLUS I (February 1st – March 26th)*
A beginner level course focusing on basic skills, such as the structure of the language, vocabulary and pragmatics.

*Icelandic Online PLUS II (February 1st – March 26th)*
An intermediate course open to all those who have completed Icelandic Online PLUS I or have basic skills in Icelandic language. The focus is still on the structure of the language, vocabulary and pragmatics.

Both courses will run again in October – November 2010

Registration is open till January 27th

Price: 40.000 ISK (approx. 320$ or 220€. Please note that the course fee will be charged in ISK and the announced prices in US$ and € might vary due to rate changes. For further information on currency please contact your bank. You can also refer to the Central Bank of Iceland)

Registration: www.icelandic.hi.is

Please note that your registration is not valid until the course fee has been paid.
For further information: ems@hi.is
www.icelandic.hi.is

For your information - and delight..............

The book, Passion, by Neil O. Bardal and Fay D. Cassidy will soon be printed. As the first run is limited, contact Fay to reserve your copies.

Fay D. Cassidy   or phone 1-204-651-1281. 

Check for this website when it becomes operational at the end of January. www.bardalcassidy.com 

Iceland was one of the first to deploy a search and rescue team to Haiti, following the earthquake there this week.

CNN covered a successful rescue effort carried out by their emergency team, you can find the clip through this link.

http://edition.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2010/01/15/ac.tuchman.market.rescue.cnn

  Concordia University (Montreal)
Monday January 25, 2010
Screening begins 19h30
Venue: Room H-110, 1455 de Maisonneuve O, Concordia University

Dreamland

for more info:
http://www.cinemapolitica.org/node/1265

Well we now have our new website up and running with our new camp logo.  You can download the 2010 registration and email back to us...there is a link to directions to the camp, links to all our sponsors websites and much more. Check us out at www.icelandiccamp2010.com ! Please spread the word about our camp.

  Mjöll Snæsdóttir: “Archaeology of Viking Age Reykjavík” - Jan. 19 at 7 p.m.

The Department of Icelandic Language & Literature at the University of Manitoba invites you to the Páll Guðmundsson Memorial Presentation: Mjöll Snæsdóttir "Archaeology of Viking Age Reykjavik"
Mjöll Snæsdóttir is an Archaeologist at the Institute of Archaeology in Reykjavik, Iceland Mjöll Snæsdóttir studied archaeology and ethnology at the Universities of Uppsala and Lund in Sweden. She has worked for the Municipal Museum of Reykjavík (1978-1987), the National Museum of Iceland (mainly in 1987-1990, and the Institute of Archaeology (Fornleifastofnun Íslands, FSÍ) in Reykjavík from 1995, including periodic excavations. Mjöll has been involved in a number of archaeological projects, mostly in Iceland, but she has worked on a few urban rescue digs in Sweden and Norway. These projects have mainly involved medieval and post-medieval period sites, including some from the Viking Age. She was the director of a rescue excavation at Stóraborg, southern Iceland 1978-1990 and took part in the excavation of a Viking Age site in central Reykjavík in 2001, and at a number of smaller sites in Reykjavík, as well as the excavation of the bishop’s residence at Skálholt 2002-2007. She has been the Honorary treasurer of the Icelandic Archaeological Society (Hið íslenzka fornleifafélag) from 1988, and was editor of the Yearbook of the Icelandic Archaeological Society from 1993 to 2007.

*Tuesday, January 19 at 7:00 PM.* *Icelandic Collection, 3rd Floor Elizabeth Dafoe Library*
*Free admission, free parking (B Lot)*
Sponsored by: Department of Icelandic Language and Literature, and the Icelandic Collection at the University of Manitoba

Mjöll Snæsdóttir will also be speaking in Calgary -

January 22, 2010   Friday 7:30 p.m.
Mjöll Snæsdóttir
Icelandic Archaeologist
Institute of Archaeology
(Fornleifastofnun Íslands,FSÍ)

Calgary Scandinavian Centre
Viking Hall
739 20th Avenue N.W.
Calgary, Alberta

 Góðan daginn og gleðilegt ár! Happy New Year!

The Snorri Program's deadline has been extended to Monday January 18, 2010. I would especially like to encourage boys to apply.
More information and an application form can be found at www.snorri.is - Please email in all applications.

Best regards,
Asta Sol Kristjansdottir
Project Manager
info@snorri.is

  Modern Icelandic and Culture, International Summer Course
Deadline for Applications 15.02.2010
Reykjavík, Iceland
July 5 -  July 30, 2010

The Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies, in cooperation with the
Faculty of Humanities at the University of Iceland, organizes every year an
International Summer Course in Modern Icelandic and Icelandic Culture. The
course is primarily intended for university students of language and
literature, but anyone interested in Icelandic and Icelandic culture is
welcome to apply.

More information and application form:

www.arnastofnun.is/page/a_inter_summer_course

Best regards,
Rósa Sveinsdóttir
Árni Magnússon Institute for Icelandic Studies

  Here is an excerpt from LSM Newswire.  The full article is available here.
(Darren Miller is the grandson of Alda Kristjanson Westmacott)

This February, Darren Miller, a young Saskatchewan composer, will have a new work premiered by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on February 10, 2010, as part of the Winnipeg New Music Festival as part of his prize for winning the 2010 Emerging Composer Competition of the Canadian Music Centre, Prairie Region. Another part of his prize is a composition residency at the Banff Centre.
The winning composition, for amma, was composed after the recent passing of Alda, his grandmother (amma in Icelandic) and is dedicated to her memory. “In 2001, my amma paid for the first year of my musical studies at the University of Saskatchewan, and she continued to encourage all of the compositional activities that resulted from these studies,” Miller says. “She was a lifelong resident of Gimli and Winnipeg, making the premiere of this work in Winnipeg so soon after her passing an extremely moving experience for me.”

Hello everyone, I am happy to tell you that in collaboration with Iceland Express and UNIGLOBE Geo Travel in Western Canada I have planned guided tours to Iceland next summer. (Itinerary attached) This tour will include return flight to Winnipeg, accommodation,all transportation, breakfast every morning, five day tour around the island (everything included) and guide. The first will start June 12 and we will offer those through,June,July,August and September. NOTE: You can stay additional days if you wish. Further information re prices and bookings will be posted here in early January. But feel free to write jonas.thor1@gmail.com if you want more information. I will conclude by saying that there also will be regular tour from Iceland to Canada next summer.
all the best,
bless, Jonas Thor

Flights to Iceland to start in June
A low-cost carrier plans to begin offering direct flights between Winnipeg and Iceland next summer. Iceland Express plans to offer the new flights on Wednesdays and Saturdays between June 12 and Sept. 4. Ottawa-based tour operator Go Travel Flights, which plans to offer direct flights between Winnipeg and London starting in June, has agreed to sell seats on the Iceland Express flights. According to the company's website (www.icelandexpress.com), its planes (Boeing 757s) will leave Winnipeg at 6:40 p.m. and arrive in Reykjavik at 5:50 a.m. A round-trip ticket will cost US$538, including fees and taxes. "We are very excited to open this route that connects Iceland to the old Icelandic community in Canada," Iceland Express CEO Matthias Imsland said in a written statement. "This has been in our plans for some time, and brings new travelling opportunities to Icelanders on both sides of the Atlantic," he said. "We consider Winnipeg a key part of our North American expansion."... ...Travel Manitoba president and CEO Hugh Mesman said the new direct flights to and from Iceland will be good news for Manitoba's tourism industry. "We are already active in Germany and the United Kingdom," he said, "and this service will offer another European market for our tourism operators."

(NOTE:  I understand that Ottawa-based Go Travel is the revival of the 'Zoom' discount airline that went into bankruptcy in the fall of 2008.  Perhaps it would be wise to talk to your regular travel agent before committing to a ticket.)

Snorri Plus is now offering better prices than ever.
Example: Double occupancy (per person for 2 weeks) with a private bathroom in August 2010: *CAD 2,830* (3,250 CAD 2009).
For more details go to: http://www.snorri.is/info-snorri-plus.htm

Application deadline: January 29, 2010 (early birds, Jan 20, get a discount)

Gleðileg jól everybody! Hope to see you in Iceland next year!
Bestu kveðjur,
Asta Sol Kristjansdottir
Project Manager
info@snorri.is

Newsletter and Season´s Greetings from Embassy of Iceland

Please see the attached  newsletter and Seasons Greeting  (Vol. 1 No. 14) from the Embassy of Iceland in Washington, D.C.

Best regards,
Hjálmar W. Hannesson
Embassy of Iceland
House of Sweden.
2900 K Street, N.W. Suite 509
Washington, D.C. 20007
Tel: +1-202-265-6653
Fax: +1-202-265-6656
Website: http://www.iceland.org/us
E-mail: emb.washington@mfa.is

It is with great Icelandic pride that I announce a wonderful gift from very amazing people.  Dr Ken and Lorna Thorlakson have recently donated $1000.00 towards the 2010 Icelandic Camp.  This gift goes to show Dr. Ken and Lorna's love of preserving our Icelandic heritage within our youth.  These two people are a shining example of generosity that the Icelandic people posses.  A very big thank you goes out to them both.
As well we have received word that the Icelandic Canadian Club of Toronto will be sponsoring a camper for $500.  This is a great opportunity for Icelandic - Canadian youth from in and around that area to travel to Manitoba to experience Icelandic Camp.
Once again a big thank you to all people who are helping Icelandic Camp 2010 continue to grow and prosper.
--
Cheers,

Brad Hirst
Icelandic Camp President
204-485-5455
www.icelandiccamp2010.com

Christmas Greeting (Jólakveðja) 2009 from INL

To all our friends in Canada

May you all enjoy peace and happiness over the holidays and the New Year.
We thank you for making our stay in Canada on of the most rewarding time of our lives
and look forward to sharing more good times with you in the new year.
God bless you.
Thrudur and Atli


p.s. Thrudur shot this wonderful picture of Reykjavik

Exhibit in Winnipeg at the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art that might be of interest to list members:    http://www.plugin.org/exhibits/64    December 12, 2009 to February 21, 2010.

"Ice Fishing in Gimli"

Plug in Gallery
286 McDermot Avenue
Winnipeg, MB   R3B 0T2
Phone 204 942 1043

Icelandic River Roast

A Unique Christmas Gift
  Enjoy Delicious Coffee While Supporting Local Heritage Projects  
 (see attachment)...
Every pound purchased supports the work of Icelandic River Heritage Sites
(project details at: www.icelandicriver.com)
To order, contact: eyrarbakki@hotmail.com or phone 204 378 2758 for special Christmas pricing...

Icelandic National League of North America
91st Annual Convention

Icelanders: Then and Now

April 22 April 25 2010
Toronto, Ontario

Icelandair Announces Winter Schedule

COLUMBIA, MD, June 30, 2009 – This winter, Icelandair will fly from four North American gateway cities (Seattle, Boston, New York & Orlando) to nine destinations throughout Europe.

An average of 35 flights per week will depart from Iceland, October 09 through March 2010, including the recent addition of Seattle to the North American route network.

Icelandair is forecasting a profitable summer and predicts the coming winter to be comparable to last year’s demand, leading the company to implement a 2009-2010 winter schedule similar to that flown in 2008-09.

This winter, Icelandair will fly to Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm, London, Manchester, Glasgow, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and Paris.    Service from Toronto operates now through September 4 with six flights a week, and September 6 through September 20, 2009, with four flights a week.  Service from Halifax operates now through July 9 with two flights a week, July 11 through September 3 with three flights a week and September 7 through October 22, 2009, with two flights a week.

Summer service for 2010 will resume from Toronto May 7, 2010 and Halifax June 3, 2010.  Seasonal summer destinations will include Stavanger, Bergen, Helsinki, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid, and Milan.

More information regarding these schedules can be found on the Icelandair website.  Icelandair offers service to Iceland from Halifax (seasonal), Toronto (seasonal), Boston, New York-JFK, Seattle, Minneapolis/St. Paul (seasonal), and Orlando Sanford (seasonal). Connections through Icelandair’s hub in Reykjavik are available to more 18 destinations in Scandinavia, Great Britain and Continental Europe. Additional information about fares and packages is available at www.icelandair.ca or by calling (877) I-FLY-ICE.

###

Sales Contact:
Robert Keddy
Sales Manager – Canada
(416) 738-4499
rkeddy@icelandair.is

---

Finally after a lot of hard work I have finally gotten together Icelandic Camp information.  Linked as a PDF file.   Attached are sponsorship letters as well as camp letters and camp registration.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at 204-485-5455 (cell) 204-482-9232 (home) or email: bradhirst@hotmail.com .
 
Again I urge all chapters out there to sponsor 2 or more campers to attend this year.  I have some amazing plans and will create an out of this world experience for our future Icelandic leaders.

Brad Hirst

---

 

Christina Sunley is an American author of Icelandic heritage; her novel The Tricking of Freya has just been published in the United States and in Canada. I recently had a chance to speak with Christina regarding her new book and her interest in her Icelandic heritage. Christina was born in New York and brought up on Long Island. Of Icelandic heritage on her mother’s side, Christina heard stories of her mother’s early years in the West End of Winnipeg and of her Icelandic relatives, although she knew none. The story of her grandfather’s experience as a little boy not being able to see his hand in front of his face due to the air blackened with volcanic ash was a very vivid image for young Christina. She would come to learn that even her own destiny was shaped by the power of nature in Iceland. Like many others, the explosion of Askja in 1875 determined her grandfather’s fate. Had that not happened, perhaps he would not have left Iceland. Some of the family tales were hard for Christina to believe, growing up on Long Island without an “Icelandic” presence other than her Mom. By her mid-thirties Christina’s inquisitiveness about her heritage drove her to explore those stories. She discovered her history and the experience of the Icelandic immigrants in the late 1800s.  Equipped with a Masters Degree in English/Creative writing and curiosity about the Icelanders’ stories, Christina was strongly motivated to create a novel out of this immigrant world and the experiences of the descendants. Poets, writers, historians, family history- such a rich trove to uncover. She found an abundance to learn and much to tell.  Her unwavering enthusiasm led her to spend 8 years researching and writing her novel.  Her devotion to the family of characters she created included cashing in her 401K and quitting work to be able to tell their story.  Christina is now able to share her fictitious family and their saga, in the form of The Tricking of Freya, which is not only published in the US and Canada but also has been translated into Icelandic for a fall ’09 publication. The Tricking of Freya has been very well received. Critics and book reviewers have high praise for Christina’s writing and insight.  You can read the first chapter on-line at her website: www.christinasunley.com . Once you do, you’ll want more. Upcoming appearances in Canada:  Christina will be discussing her book at the Aspire Theatre in Gimli on April 30 and at McNally Robinson in Winnipeg on May 4. Click here for more details.

---

Just a note to let you know about the three new blends of 'Icelandic River Roast'...
Pioneer Blend, Nýja Ísland Blend, and Earl of Dufferin Blend - delicious, organic, fair trade coffee. 

This is a fund raiser for Icelandic River Heritage Sites (see: www.icelandicriver.com), and the response to our first blend, 'Tíu Dropar', was so positive that we have added these new varieties, including a dark roast (Earl of Dufferin, in honour of Lord Dufferin, who championed the cause of Icelandic settlement in Canada).

You can contact us directly at 204 378 2758 or at eyrarbakki@hotmail.com - or you can find the coffee at the New Iceland Heritage Museum in Gimli.  Elva and Kendra Jonasson in Winnipeg also have some on hand if you live in Winnipeg, and we can arrange to ship anywhere in North America...

This is great coffee for a great cause...  Please feel free to call with any questions.

Nelson

---

Professor Haraldur Bessason died on April 8 in Toronto. He will be remembered for his work as a scholar and community builder during his tenure as Head of the Icelandic department at the University of Manitoba and as President of the University of Akureyri. Above all Haraldur will be rembered for his generosity of spirit, his humour and his stories. A memorial service will take place in Winnipeg at Neil Bardal.inc, 3030 Notre Dame Ave, on Saturday April 25 at 1 p.m. If desired, donations, in lieu of flowers, can be made to “The Icelandic Chair of the University of Manitoba". Additional services will take place in Toronto in May and Iceland in August.  Please contact the family if you require additional information. Condolences may be sent to: condolences@nbardal.mb.ca

---

Embassy of Iceland in Washington, D.C. - Newsletter July 2009

---

Hello everyone, we have planned another Heritage Tour to Iceland in August. Check www.vesturheimur.com for itinerary.
INL members come first.
Bless, Jonas Thor
HERITAGE TOURS TO ICELAND
Visit the land of Your Ancestors….take advantage of this terrific value …space is limited and pricing is excellent!
GROUP DEPARTURE DATES: August 11-21, 2009
TOUR PRICE:
Toronto-Reykjavik $3295 CDN/person (plus taxes of $245 per person)
Minneapolis-Reykjavik $2780 US/person (plus taxes)
Seattle –Reykjavik $2975 US/person (plus taxes)
TOUR INCLUDES:

• Round Trip airfare (Icelandair)
• 9 Day Iceland Tour
• Hotel accommodation based on double occupancy
• Professional tour guide
• Research assistance in genealogy and locating family homesteads
• Most meals (Breakfasts and dinners and some lunches)

PAYMENT TERMS
-$800 non refundable per person deposit at time of booking required by May 7th, 2009 (Cancellation and health insurance is highly recommended)
-Final payment by June 15th, 2009 (non-refundable)
-Name changes will be allowed until final payment date with no additional charge.
-Single and Triples pricing available.
-Air up-grades available at extra cost
-Longer stays and side-trips to Europe available upon request at additional cost.
Want to stay longer? We offer an additional week - August 20-27 – based on Icelandic culture and connections with the Snorri Plus program in Reykjavik.
Price: 1600.00 CAD / 1310.00 USD (per person based on double occupancy)
Included: accommodation, lunches and dinners (8), reception with relatives and gala dinner, Reykjavík Reykjavík Culture Night, Family tree, Cultural Program, including Icelandic cuisine and an opportunity to meet Icelandic work colleagues.
For more information contact The Snorri Foundation at info@snorri.is or phone 011 354 551 0165
Please visit the web-site for more information: www.vesturheimur.com & www.snorri.is/snorri-plus.htm
FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Jonas Thor at jonas.thor1@gmail.com or Joanne Sigurdson at jsigurdson@geo.ca
FOR REGISTRATION AND PAYMENT contact:
Lisa Gleed
lgleed@geo.ca
Senior Leisure Consultant
North America's Leading Travel Agency
2008 World Travel Awards Winner
Uniglobe Geo Travel
(780)424-8310 ext 869
Fax (780)420-6141
(800)661-2454
www.geo.ca

---

Summer Cources in Iceland

Svartarkot educational and research center offers study abroad courses on Iceland’s unique cultural and physical landscapes. Studying in Iceland has never been more economical

In the spectacular natural setting of Northern Iceland, the educational and research center Svartárkot offers this summer three, 9-day, undergraduate and graduate courses on the intricate and dynamic relationship between Icelandic culture and nature.

The courses are supervised by the Reykjavik Academy in collaboration with the University of Akureyri. They aim to exploit to the utmost the experience of living in the the farm of Svartarkot in N-Iceland, the settlement and the wilderness, as well as showing both the dynamic connection between past and present and the integration of cultural and physical landscapes. The courses are intended for students of the humanities, social and natural sciences and are taught exclusively in English.

All three courses combine lectures, tutorials, discussion groups and active real-life experiences. Lecturers include Professor Margaret Ezell from Texas A&M University, Professor Donald Worster from the University of Kansas and other renowned Icelandic and international scholars. Students go on excursions to spectacular waterfalls and geothermal areas, visit deserted farms in the rugged Icelandic highlands, watch the great whales in Skjalfandafloi Bay and visit the Museum of History and community archives of the beautiful coastal town of Húsavík.

The undergraduate course 'Local Environments - Global Impacts', runs from 20-28 June 2009. It deals with agricultural and environmental history of the Svartárkot area, and compares the interaction between human society and nature, before and after modernization. The graduate course 'Writing Local Cultures' (4-12 July, 2009) gives a brief survey of the Literature of the Icelandic Sagas and the theory of scribal studies. It focuses on the manuscript medium in the age of print and explores the coexistence and correlations of the two media in the early modern and modern era. 'Iceland Geography' (8-16 August 2009) is an undergraduate course in which students examine the human and physical geography of the Svartárkot area with insight from theories and practical examples from landscape studies, with special focus on the blights and blessings of tourism in a remote and fragile environment.

Dr. Chad Staddon, University of West England, Bristol, took part in a pilot course at Svartárkot in the summer of 2007. He said about his experience in Iceland: “It is all there! The physical landscape: the icecap to the south and the moraine landscapes, the lava beds and Lake Myvatn to the east and the coastal town of Husavik to the north. And the cultural landscape too deserves praise: every nook and cranny is filled with Icelandic myths and history!”

There are excellent transportation choices to Iceland from the US and Canada. There are daily non-stop flights to Reykjavik (Keflavik) from Boston, Minneapolis, New York, Orlando, Toronto and Halifax Nova Scotia.   Flight times are as short as 4 1/2 hours. There are daily buses and domestic flights from the capital of Reykjavik to Akureyri in Northern Iceland.

Full descriptions for the courses, on-line registration, tourist information on Iceland and various other information is available on www.svartarkot.is

For further information, please contact:
Axel Kristinsson, Coordinator
Tel. (+354) 892 8709
axel@akademia.is

Eiríkur Sigurðsson
Senior Account Manager
KOM PR

Borgartún 20
105 Reykjavík
Iceland
Tel. +354 540 8810
Mobile +354 845 4727
Fax +354 562 3411

Please visit our website: www.kom.is

---

The Icelandic American Association of Minnesota has posted information on our website about the death of our Icelandic author, Bill Holm  One can visit the INL web site and go to our chapter for more information.

Bill was a big man that made an impression wherever he went.  Everyone knew that he was Icelandic.  His heritage was always referenced in his many writings. 

We encourage people to write their memories of Bill and sending them to me or to IcelandMN@gmail.com.  We will be gathering them and sharing them with Marcy, his wife.

If anyone is interested in sending memorials, there is information on the web site.

Additional questions, please let us know.

---

I’m an American of Icelandic descent – my grandfather came over in 1876 to “New Iceland” in Manitoba, and my grandmother was born to Icelandic parents in North Dakota. I spent eight years working on my first novel, The Tricking of Freya, and I’m eager for it to be read by people who are interested in Iceland. I’d be very grateful if you’d consider forwarding the book announcement below to your members. I will be attending the INL Convention in Gimli, and will be doing a reading in Gimli the evening of April 30. I look forward to meeting some of you there…Thank you so much for passing this along!
Bless bless
Christina Oakland, California

---

Icelandic Language and Culture Camp

 For those of you who do not know yet I have become the new President of the Icelandic Language and Culture Camp.  This year we have many different programs and activities for the campers to enjoy.  We are offering music classes, drama classes, art classes and of course Icelandic language classes.  Under the directorship of Laurie Corden, Camp Director, as well as, Krissy Ejyolofson and myself we plan on taking the Icelandic Camp in
To do this we need the help of the Icelandic community as a whole, not just parts.  That is why I am writing to everyone on the INL list.  Our Icelandic youth need our help.  The camp offers children a chance to connect with their Icelandic roots, to become inspired like we all have by our shared history.  Our goal is to create an excitement about being a Western Icelander and to give the children the tools and knowledge to continue on their lifelong learning of their past.
What we need to accomplish our goal is support from the clubs and their members.  There are a number of different ways to help out:

 Advertising.

 Not only in print but word of mouth advertising. Letting all your clubs and members know that there is an Icelandic camp.  Unfortunate not many people know that there is an Icelandic Camp available to their children, grandchildren or other kids.

Sponsoring a child.

 For a child to attend camp for the week it costs $250 for day campers or $300 for overnight stays.  Many of us may know a child that could benefit from attending this camp but due to lack of funds may not be able to enjoy camp. That is why I ask the clubs to look at helping out financially some of those kids.

Donations.

 Not every donation needs to be in the form of money.  Don’t get me wrong we would greatly appreciate any monetary donations, our camp needs funds to run a quality camp for our youth.  We would also appreciate donations of people’s time.  If you possess a talent that could be shared with our youngsters such as ponnukokkur making, story telling etc. please feel free to contact myself at (204) 485-5455

So as you can see the camp executive is getting prepared for another great year.  Please circulate this letter to everyone that you feel necessary.  You can also check us out on the internet at www.icelandiccamp.net . If anyone would like to reach me please feel free to reach me at (204) 485-5455 (cell) (204) 482-9232 (h) or bradhirst@hotmail.com .

Thank you for your help and support.

Brad Hirst
President, Icelandic Language and Culture Camp

---

At this time, there are no plans for a Calendar (or other project) for 2011.

 

I have prepared this information for Chapters that may consider producing a calendar for the INLofNA.
The INLof NA Calendar Project is a model for working together.  The calendar idea was started in 1991 with many purposes in mind:

• Unite chapters
• Give a common goal
• Fundraise
• Preserve history (culture and the Icelandic Way)
• Raise the profile of our heritage
• Educate the public
• Rekindle interest far and wide.

The Calendar has become a very important part of the INL.  This year Julianna Bjornson and Pat Peacock have head up the making a calendar of artwork done by artists of Icelandic origin.  A saleable calendar for the INL has many requirements:
        - representation from all the areas
        - interesting pictures (in most cases in colour)
        - attractive layout
        - subject covered adequately
        - And also very important is the advertising as this can pay for the printing of the calendar.  I ask everyone to please consider all possible people/ businesses that may advertise.
        - Should reflect its Icelandic base with Icelandic Holidays, accents on Icelandic works and of course correct spelling

When I started working on calendars, I knew nothing about producing a calendar.  But with help from a committee, it proved to be the most enjoyable project that I have been involved with.  The steps we took:
        - Establish the theme; get approved at an INL meeting.
        - Establish how the calendar will be done. E.g. a picture of an Icelandic Food, beautifully prepared, decorations etc. with a description about the origin of the food. Pictures should be high quality and in digital format
        - Call for submissions, e.g. Each Chapter choose a food, prepare the write up, submit pictures etc.
        - Choose which pictures will go in the calendar.  Which month will each represent
        - Find a person to do layout – set up so ready to go to a printer.  Lesley from the L-H office is doing the layout for minimal charge this year.
        - Make the final approval of design.
        - Establish the holidays and information that goes on the calendar. (Ron Goodman has been helping with this.)
        - Proofreading, there are many that are good at this!!
        - The ads have been set up by the Marketing director.
        - We have had good experience with two printers.

I am talking Foods here as that idea was received with acceptance at the last INL AGM meeting.  (Recipes did not receive the same approval but sources of recipes or information should be included with this theme)

A sample of the calendar should be available for viewing at the 2010 (the year before the calendar is to be used) INL Convention. This may not be the complete calendar. 

I am available to help with the project.  No committee will be left on their own.  There is a lot of written data that is excellent resource material.  If you want to have some fun, consider this project.

Bless Gwen Mann
403 – 242 9714
lgmann@shaw.ca

---