Culture

 

 Culture has always been an important link between Iceland and Canada, in particular with the Icelandic Canadians. Written word was the best form of culture in the beginning. Newspapers and periodicals were published in Icelandic in Canada and sent through out North America and over to Iceland. Some examples of these are Framfari, Lögberg, Heimskringla and the Icelandic Canadian Magazine.

Books and other literary works were published and exchanged between the countries. Books by the thousands were also transported with the immigrants to Canada from Iceland. They were able to keep with their tradition of reading even though they were in a foreign country. This helped them keep their language. Letters were also written to families in the other countries. This helped keep people in touch with what was going on. This also kept people informed of cultural activities and other vital information. The literary works showed how some culture was changing in both countries. Iceland was still a part of Denmark so some of the culture was more closely linked with Denmark and other European countries on the continent. In Canada, the literary works began showing an American/ English influence. Probably the best example of this is the

 Winnipeg Icelander by Guttormor Guttormsson.

 

Eg fór on' í Main street með fimm dala cheque
Og forty eight riffil mér kaupti
Og ride út á Country með farmara fékk,
Svo fresh út í brushin eg hlaupti.
En þá sá eg moose, út í marshi það lá,
O my- eina sticku eg brjótti!
Þá fór það á gallop, not good anyhow,
Var gone þegar loksins eg skjótti.

 

Að repeata aftur eg reyndi' ekki at all,
En ran like a dog heim til Watkins.
En þar var þá Nickie með hot alcohol.
Já, hart er að beata Nick Ottins.
Hann startaði singing, sá söngur var queer
Og soundaði funny, I tell you.
Eg tendaði meira hans brandy og beer,-
You bet, Nick er liberal fellow.

 

Og sick á að tracka hann settist við booze,
Be sure, að hann Nickie sig staupti.
Hann hafði' ekki í lukku í mánuð við moose
Af Mathews hann rjúpu því kaupti.
-Í Winnipeg seg'r ann að talsverðan trick
Það taki að fira á rjúpu
Og sportsmann að gagni að gefa 'enni lick,
En God - hún sé stuffið í súpu.

 

Við tókum til Winnipeg trainið-a fly,
Nick treataði always so kindly.
Hann lofði mér rjúpuna' að bera' upp í bæ
Eg borgaði fyrir það, mind ye.
Svo dressaði Nick hana' í dinnerin sinni
Og duglega upp 'ana stoppti,
Bauð Dana McMillan í dinnerinn sinn,
„Eg drepti 'ana,“ „sagði' ann, „á lofti.“

 

Some writers like Stefan G. Stefansson were more interested and successful in keeping their work more purely Icelandic. Stefan G. was actually more famous in his homeland of Iceland than he was in Canada. In Canada he was very community and business minded.

 

  

Cultural Organizations were founded like the Icelandic National League. Chapters were formed all over Canada and the USA. There is also an Icelandic Chapter of the INL. The INL continues to provide an important leading role of exchanges between North America and Iceland. Many artists and muscians have been sponsored by the INL and travelled to Iceland or North America performing The Church also played an important role in preserving and promoting culture in Canada. Even though there was some strife in the church, Icelandic remained a vital link. There were services held in Icelandic until just a few years ago. A good link to Icelandic churches in North America. http://gudmundurvidarsson.tripod.com/

 

 Iceland and Canada also had and continue to introduce many writers and literary figures that don´t have anything to do with the Icelandic connection. One key figure would be Halldor Laxness, Nobel Prize winner in 1955. Canada has also produced many good writers like Margaret Laurence, Carol Shields and Margaret Atwood. Canada has also produced some excellent Icelandic Canadian writers like David Arnason, W. D. Valgardsson and even a childrens author Kathy Arnason. Museums have also been set up and strengthen the cultural links between Canada and Iceland. The establishment of the Emmigration Center, Vesturfarasetrið in Hofsos Iceland and the New Iceland Heritage Museum in Gimli, Canada are good examples of new initiatives in this direction. The Museum in Gimli has developed a web site that is called The Book of Life. It is a ground-work for people to register and access their family history. Iceland has devloped a similar and more comprehensive web site called Islendingabók. It still lackes the information on the Icelanders who left Iceland but gives excellent information about people born and still living in Iceland.

 

 Cultural activities also began in Canada like Islendingadagurinn, the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba. There were also activities happening in Iceland, like in 1930 with the celebration of Alþing´s 1000^th Anniversary. There were many North American Icelanders that were in attendance. 1974, the 1100^th anniversary of the settlement of Iceland was also another good example of a great amount of people traveling across the ocean to attend an important cultural event. And the following year was a big celebration in Gimli to mark the 100^th anniversary of the settlement of New Iceland. There was in excess of 500 people that traveled from Iceland to Canada to attend the festivities. These activities continue to attract people and even new activities are added each year, like The Western Icelanders´ Day that was celebrated for the first time in June 2003 in Reykjavik and Hofsos. Activities like the Year 2000 celebrations; the 1000^th Anniversary of the Vikings´ discovery of North America was a good example of a greater exposure of Iceland in Canadian Society outside of the Icelandic communities.

 

 A Canadian Club of Iceland has been established for former residents and citizens of Canada to get together on a casual basis. They uphold some of the Canadian traditions like Canada Day and Thanksgiving. They also get together at Christmas and other times throughout the year.

 

Choirs and music also provide an important cultural link between countries. There are many choirs that have travelled to North America and are always warmly welcomed by their cousins in North America. July 2003 the New Iceland Youth Choir toured Iceland and was well received.