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ICELANDIC NATIONAL LEAGUE OF NORTH

AMERICA’S 2018 SPRING NEWSLETTER

Departing message from our current INLNA President, Sunna Pam Furstenau

As I reach the end of my days as the president of The Icelandic National League of North America, the “Strong is the Bond” quote continues to be the perfect motto of our endurance.

The past eight years on the INLNA board have been filled with excitement, change, donations, successes, great friends, and also some gridlocks. When I

joined the board in 2010, the future was yet unknown. The mission and focus of the INLNA is so important and I believe in the great work each of us does as individuals, as organizations, and all together through the INLNA. Keeping the connections strong helped immensely when we implemented ZOOM technology for our monthly meetings and we started a quarterly Presidents’ Meeting. With Zoom, we could see each other; share our screens and working documents, and interact in real time was so wonderful. Putting a face with a name and a voice was such an important step to bring our board closer together – plus it saved almost $8,000 per year! Our Social Media presence continues to grow as we educate others about Iceland and the people who live there, in North America, and all over the world.

Through the excellent guidance and friendship of many people in Canada, USA, and Iceland, along with the volunteer spirit of the member clubs, we made some important moves forward. We fulfilled our mission by giving back to other organizations with the Íslendingadagurinn Viking Park memory stone, Snorri Programs, Á Allra Völlum charity in Iceland, and helping the Lögberg-Heimskringla with their moving expenses.

Our conventions have been fun and great successes along with the new chance for young people to apply to have their convention fee paid by the INLNA. We are so excited about the 99th in Edmonton, 100th in Winnipeg, 100th Celebration Tour to Iceland in August 2019, and the 101st Convention in the Interlake! Lots of committee members continue on pushing forward with new ideas such as this wonderful newsletter and many other projects and initiatives. As we strive to fulfill our mission, I firmly believe that deep down, we all want to make the world a little better than the condition it was in when we entered it.

Serving on the board of directors for INLNA has been a valuable experience - especially with the chance to visit almost all the member clubs and get to know do many within our shared community. I have a few left and I hope in the next two years as Past President, I will be able to visit these few remaining clubs. I will be working with Kent Lárus Björnsson to put together the 2019 tour to Iceland, plus hope to continue contributing in a meaningful and productive way.

Thanks to each of you for the work you do and for supporting me and the INLNA Board during these past year. Together, we can achieve more and keep the connections between Icelandic people, our heritage, and our culture strong to survive for another 100 years! The next generation will carry on our work. Let’s work together to keep our story alive. Strong is the Bond! Shine your light,

Sunna

INLNA 2018 Convention in Edmonton

By INLNA 2ND VP, Beverly Arason-Gaudet

The Icelandic Canadian Club of Edmonton invites you to attend the 99th Annual Icelandic National League of North America Convention in Edmonton, Alberta; April 26 - 28, 2018.

Our theme for 2018 is “Accolades.” Join us in celebrating the achievements of today’s Icelanders, and discover what is new and happening in Iceland today.

The venue is the DoubleTree by Hilton; feel welcome the moment you arrive as the friendly staff offer you a freshly baked chocolate

chip cookie. Settle into a contemporary guest room, equipped with thoughtful amenities including: complimentary WiFi, a spacious workstation, a mini-refrigerator, and a 42-inch HDTV.

Dine at Stages Kitchen & Bar, or discover a unique experience at the Mayfield Dinner Theatre – combining Las Vegas style entertainment with an extensive buffet. Work out in the 24-hour fitness centre and refresh with a dip in the indoor pool.

Check our website: iccedm.org for updates, and mark your calendar today, for an exciting experience in Edmonton in 2018!

*Please be advised that:

Due to unforeseen circumstances,  Kristjana Stefánsdóttir and Daniel Helgason are unable to perform at the INLNA Convention or take part in the International Visits Program. Although this is disappointing to many, alternate entertainment is being pursued for the Convention and the IVP program is working on another visitor to tour INLNA Clubs.

The Icelandic Canadian Club of Edmonton apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause for Convention attendees.

Our new INLNA online stores are now open!

https://urstore.ca/inlna & https://urstore.net/inlna

Do you need some warm clothing for the Accolades convention in Edmonton that will show your pride in the INLNA?  Our new INLNA Online store is now open.

Think about a nice Hoodie or toque; or, maybe a bag to carry them in.  They are from the best quality labels like Coal Harbor and Stormtech, and come in sizes from XS to 6 XL. You can choose the colors you wish.  There are frequent sales, so check back often and make your purchase when you see a sale!   

The U.S. version of the store is: https://urstore.net/inlnaThe Canadian version of the store is: https://urstore.ca/inlna

We’re looking forward to seeing some of these in Edmonton at the end of April!

-SOLICITATION OF INTEREST-

Board Member needed for Icelandic National League of North America

The Icelandic National League of North America is currently soliciting names of individuals who are capable of contributing, and willing to serve on our Board of Directors for the 2018 – 2019 year. Individuals who are interested, or are being recommended to us by others for consideration should submit a paragraph ASAP to Holly Ralph at: [email protected]

Serving on the Board of Directors as a Director at Large provides a wonderful opportunity to learn the workings of the organization, take on a project or join others in a project that appeals to you, engage with other like-minded people, and participate in monthly on-line video leadership meetings. We are looking for individuals able to contribute to the health and well-being of our organization, and willing to further our mission.

If you have any questions about the opportunity to serve or about the nomination and election process, please contact the Nominating Committee at the INLNA Office, phone: 204-642-5897 or email: [email protected].

Claire Eckley, Ron Goodman, Judy Bradley, David Johnson, & Holly Ralph.

2019 INLNA Calendar Update

Work on the INLNA 2019 centennial calendar is underway, and the committee needs each club’s input! We want to highlight all the INLNA clubs with photos, stories, and fun facts. An extra four pages are being added to the calendar to document our history in words and photos.

We need your input by March 15th!

Please tell us:

Year the club joined the INLNA A very short story of the club, or a special event that the club

was involved in (and the year)

Photos, with any people in the photo identified and the year taken, if known

Your contact information

Please respond BEFORE March 15th!

Dianne O’Konski, Calendar Chair at: [email protected]

The INLNA Millennial Committee of the INLNA Culture and Youth Committee

By Gail Einarson-McCleery

In order to move ahead and build the strength of our clubs, it is necessary to get more young people involved.  I put together this

committee in order to come up with ideas from some of our already committed young people of millennial age (19 to 35), and we have met last fall and this winter.  We feel we have come up with some very good suggestions.  The next step for the clubs is to find someone in their club (preferably a millennial, or someone young-minded) to bring events of their choice to the Executive of the club for approval, and then to move ahead with organizing events. 

SUGGESTED EVENTS TO ATTRACT MILLENNIALS:

Cooking Classes -Small classes can be organized in someone’s home, or perhaps in the kitchen of a church. Making vinarterta, ponnökukur, or savory Icelandic dishes for instance. An Icelandic woman in Minnesota used to do this in her home; it included casual conversation in Icelandic as well.

Events with Alcohol -There are many possibilities. Arborg has successfully organized beer nights introducing various brands. One event was a challenge to try Hakarl, along with Icelandic alcohol. A little Brennivín is always popular. Some cities, such as Toronto have a number of small craft breweries now; a visit to one of them with tastings could work, wine tasting with an expert could be a possibility, perhaps organize a Nordic Happy Hour; including other Nordic countries, or pick a particular day, such as the last Friday of the month for a regular get together at a particular pub, or bar.

Sports in general -Organize an Icelandic handball or baseball team, get involved in a league and follow it with a visit to a pub.

Board Game Night -Some cities have restaurants specializing in board games. Speak to the proprietors, reserve a section for your club, and invite millennials to come. Is there any Icelandic, or Viking board games to play?

Service Projects or Group Volunteering - Group volunteering, perhaps for the homeless, with a soup kitchen, or perhaps a Charity Run. These activities add to one’s resume and also experience.

June 17 Event geared to Millennials. For instance, maybe a late night party, geared to Millennials.

Icelandic Films -We already have the Donald K. Johnson INL of NA Icelandic Film Screening Program geared to more adult tastes. Perhaps a smaller event in people’s homes could show more contemporary films from Iceland, without having to get the distributor’s permission.

Icelandic Language Classes -Those clubs who have language classes find a lot of millennials are interested. Toronto is currently using an on-line series of classes which are free, and includes books and sound files which can be downloaded. Just google tungamala.torg.is, or islenska fyrir alla.

Quiz Nights -There is a great deal of interest these days in Vikings. You could set up a quiz night with prizes, such as a set of runes, or some food. Add some Icelandic beer, and/or food. Recently the Museum in Gimli had a very successful night where people competed in teams. The theme could be some other aspect of Iceland also, such as playing short clips

of music, etc. Another idea is to take pictures of familiar places from a different location and challenge people to identify the location.

Icelandic Card Games -Introduce people to Icelandic card games, like whist or veiðaman (Go Fish!)

Ask Someone New to Do a Task -For instance, in Arborg Signy recruited someone to make a poster for an event; soon she wanted to join the club. One could ask a millennial to cover an event as a photographer, bartender, etc.

Knitting Classes -Icelandic sweaters, mitts, etc. are very popular, and many young people have become interested in knitting.

Add a Millennial Activity to Regular Events -Think Thorrablot, August the Deuce, etc. For instance, is there a Viking Re-Enactor group nearby who could come with a demo and costumes to try on? Are there outdoor games which could be added, such as those at Íslendingadagurinn, pillow fight over the harbor, and knocking over beer bottles with Frisbees?

Social media -Along the lines of asking someone to do a task, ask them to run the social media page for your club, sharing other Icelandic pages posts, and club’s activities.

Advertising -Word of mouth is the biggest one. Tell your friends and family. Tell anyone that might be interested in checking it out. Use social media. Share, share, share! On personal pages, club pages, INLNA page, community pages, Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter, use them!

Advertising is how you get awareness of an event, but you still have to have a FUN event. The key we are finding is to get a couple of “younger” people to plan something for the younger people, with help from the other members of the club. It takes time, but we are all in this together. For more information contact: [email protected]

NORDIC NIGHTS FILM SERIES

By Gail Einarson-McCleery

Nordic Nights Film Series will return in September.

This series is sponsored by ICCT and the Finnish Consulate.  The origin of the films alternate between Iceland and Finland.  All films are subtitled in English.  Icelandic films in fall and winter 2017-2018 included: SEAGULLS LAUGHTER, SPOOKS AND SPIRITS, and REYKJAVIK.  Ryerson University generously provides the screening theatre. The films are free, although we gratefully accept donations. 

For more information contact: [email protected]

Icelandic Camp 2018

By Brad Hirst

Announcing a Unique Graduate Course in Integrated Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences

In Bárðardalur, northern Iceland, 20-30 August 2018.The Svartárkot Culture-Nature Project offers an intensive

graduate summer course: Human Ecology and Culture at Lake Mývatn 1700-2000:

Dimensions of Environmental and Cultural Change

Co-organized by: The Svartárkot Culture-Nature Project; The Reykjavik Academy; the City University of New York; and the Stefansson Arctic Institute, in cooperation with NABO (The North Atlantic Biocultural Organisation); NIES(The Nordic Network for Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies); GHEA (The Global Human Ecodynamics Alliance); and the Circumpolar Networks

case of IHOPE (The Integrated History and Future of People on Earth), a core project of Future Earth.

An interdisciplinary course is offered in the Environmental Humanities and Social Sciences, located at Bárðardalur, northern Iceland, connecting local communities and issues with global developments, studying the Lake Mývatn area and the Bárðardalur valley on the banks of the glacial Skjálfandafljót River with its magnificent waterfalls. The course encompasses a unique blend of lectures and experiences of cultural histories embedded in landscapes.

Aimed at masters and doctoral-level study, this summer course based at the northern edge of the Icelandic highland wilderness addresses questions of long‐term societal resilience in the face of changing climate and society, natural resources, effects of early globalization and anthropogenic transformation of landscapes and ecosystems. The course also welcomes professors and scholars looking for new insights and inspirations in post-and transdisciplinary methods. 

Course description:

The course involves multiple excursions and lectures in the field and integrates perspectives, theories, case studies and methodologies from the following disciplines:

• Environmental Humanities

• Literary Ecocriticism

• Environmental and Climate History

• Environmental Archaeology and Anthropology

• Historical Ecology

• Manuscript Studies

All course lectures, readings, discussions and writing will be in English.The official course description online includes useful information on application procedures, deadlines, tuition, practical arrangements, and full contact details.http://scn.akademia.is/summer-course2018.html

We welcome you to Bárdardalur this summer for an outstanding opportunity to study environmental change in and among some of Iceland's most intriguing and arresting environments at the edge of the Arctic Circle. 

Sincerely,

-Megan Hicks, Hunter College, City University of New YorkÁrni Daníel Júlíusson, PhD the University of Iceland, the National Museum of Iceland

-Ragnhildur Sigurðardóttir, PhD, the Reykjavík Academy                 -Astrid E.J. Ogilvie, PhD, Stefansson Arctic Institute, Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR) -Viðar Hreinsson, the Reykjavík Academy, Icelandic Museum of Natural History, Stefansson Arctic Institute

2018 is the year to give back to the Icelandic community and get in touch with your roots!

We now have 10 volunteers from Iceland, 10 from the USA, 7 from Canada, and 1 from Australia!  When Icelandic Roots began 4 years ago, there were 512,601 people in the database and it was mostly just names and dates. Since then, our team has expanded the site and here are the latest stats:

630,300 people – Quite a few duplicates have been fixed from the original file + families have been connected. The team has added 118,000 people in 4 years! It has been fabulous to see the growth and we are not slowing down at all.

About half of the people in the database are living, which makes connecting relatives from North America with cousins in Iceland through our 'Cousins Across the Ocean' project very fun!

538,142 Notes – including biographies, obituaries, and stories about these people

29,154 Unique Surnames 63 Custom Events (includes AKA (also known as),

Census, Clergy, Baptism, Residence, Emigration, Obituary, Occupation, Midwife, Military, etc.

10,100 various media

1,125 Cemeteries 1,930 Headstones 1,511 sources of information 600 Passenger Lists

372 Timeline of Events in Iceland 315 Histories 53 Videos Emigration Ports, Farms, Ships, etc Mats Wibe Lund gave us permission to connect his

photos of all the farms. We are in the process of uploading the low resolution photos to each farm in Iceland.

The membership fees and donations go to Snorri Scholarships, Icelandic Language Scholarships, Heritage Projects, Education, and special Icelandic events. We have paid out over $25,000 to the Snorri Program – most of it has helped Canadians, $4,000 for Icelandic Language, and $80,000 for events, education, assistance to Hofsós and Vopnafjörður Emigration Centers, INLNA, and donations for heritage projects, etc. 

We are so thankful for donations such as the 700 books from Washington, money for programs, and especially the

donations of time from people who send in the 'Cousins Across the Ocean' form to the great team of volunteers who have dedicated time and talents to Icelandic Roots. If you

are not in our database yet, click here to submit your information to preserve your family tree and get connected

to your cousins!

INLNA Events Calendar:

ICCT events THORRABLOT     APRIL 7th

Thorrablot is coming up fast.... the date is Saturday April 7th.  The venue is the same as last year, the fabulous Latvian Centre, 4 Credit Union Drive (east of the DVP, runs off Eglinton. Free parking.TTC stop nearby.  Our sponsor is Reyka Vodka!

Appetizers and cash bar at 6.00 pm Dinner at 7.30 pm Enjoy wonderful Icelandic and Canadian food

Musical enterainment by Lindy Linda Lundstrom will be there to entice you to bid on the

Live Auction, she is always entertaining also! Lots of great items in the Silent Auction and in the raffle Fun for the kids  Camaraderie and fun! Book early, we always sell out! Our sponsor this year is Reyka Vodka To order Thorrablot tickets, go to www.icct.info click on

Thorrablot. You can pay by PayPal or credit card, or send a check to Treasurer Peter Norman.

Members: Adults $80, Children 12 & under $25, Students 13-24 $35Non-Members: Adults $125, Children 12 & under $45, Students 13-24 $50

ICELANDIC MUSICIANS COMING TO TORONTO

We are lucky this year that two Icelandic musicians will be in Toronto to perform!

VIKINGUR ÓLAFSSON AT THE TORONTO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA MARCH 3rd at 7.30 pm

Víkingur will be performing music by Icelandic composer Daniel Bjarnason... we have been lucky to have Iceland´s best pianist performF before and look forward to seeing him again.

ÓLAFUR ARNALDS PERFORMS AT LUMINATO FESTIVAL IN TORONTO

Icelandic composer, musician, and producer Ólafur Arnalds transcends being categorized. Fresh off his audio-visual project Island Songs, award-winning composition for the tv show Broadchurch, and a world tour with electronic outfit KIASMOS, Ólafur and his team are back in the lab working on a new live experience.  Concert is June 24th at Toronto´s Luminato Festival.

Iceland Writers Retreat

Registration for the fifth Iceland Writers Retreat (April 11th-15th, 2018) is going very well. Remember that anyone is

welcome to attend the Iceland Writers Retreat, but spots fill on a first come, first served basis. You can register via their website. 

They're pleased to announce that once again their generous alumni and friends have contributed enough to be able to offer at

least two Iceland Writers Retreat Alumni Awards to attend their event next April. You can find out   all the details on who is

eligible and how to apply here . Please remember that competition is fierce for these awards, and

review all of their rules and guidelines carefully. You can apply until October 31. 

They will also be running a writing competition again. They'll open that at the beginning of October and details will be available

at that time. 

They will be offering a new, unique tour during the IWR next April: The Geology, Ecology, and Literary

Inspiration trip begins near geological wonders in the Reykjanes

peninsula, including the spectacular Lake Kleifarvatn (made famous in Arnaldur Indriðason’s novel The Draining Lake) and the

Krýsuvík geothermal area. They’ll also have a reading at the Strandakirkja Church, a visit to the Sólheimar Eco Village, and a stop at the Laugarvatn Fontana Spa to sample some delicious rye

bread baked in the hot geothermal ground.

All IWR participants are able to choose between three all-day, literary-themed tours. Details of the Literary Golden Circle, and

Literary Borgarfjörður, are already   on their website  and the third tour's description will be there soon. All tours are led by a local

author and include a stop and reading at Gljúfrasteinn, the former home of Nobel Prize winning author Halldór Laxness.

IWR will be on the road again this autumn. Co-Founder Eliza Reid will be speaking in New York   (September 30)  and Toronto   (mid- November) as part of the Taste of Iceland festivals. Everyone is welcome to attend these free talks. We'll keep you posted on more

events as they are finalized.

*Spring Newsletter Photo & article content credits: Angel Johnson-Nelson, Beverly Arason-Gaudet, Gail Einarson-McCleery, Sunna Furstenau, and the INLNA Calendar & Club Newsletters.

*If you have an upcoming event, photo, or article you would like to see published in the INLNA Newsletter, email it on, or before the 5th of the month preceding publication to the INLNA office at: [email protected]

INLNA Newsletter is published quarterly. The first of March, June, September, & December.

-The Icelandic National League of North America-

A non-political, cultural organization that preserves and promotes the Icelandic heritage; strengthen the cultural

bonds and kinship ties with the people of Iceland, and the cultural groups in North America.

Website: inlofna.orgFacebook page:

facebook.com/IcelandicNationalLeagueofNorthAmerica

#103 - 94 1st Avenue, Gimli MB R0C 1B1 Canada; Phone 204-642-5897; Fax 204-642-9382