Icelandic Festival of Manitoba

Wednesday, 1 August 2012

Top 10 Icelandic Summer Reads

The University of Manitoba's newspaper of record, The Bulletin, released a summer reading issue which features Birna Bjarnadottir, acting Head and Chair of Icelandic Studies in the Faculty of Arts at the U of M, on her "Top 10" books by Icelandic authors. Let us know if you have read any, and what you thought!

The Swan by Gudbergur Bergsson, transl. Bernard Scudder 2006: A beautiful existential novel, written by a key author of Icelandic literature and a profound European writer.

A Book of Fragments by Birna Bjarnadottir. Kind Publishing, 2010: A collection of poetic fragments, " a roadmap of Icelandic literature," published by the University of Manitoba's Department of Icelandic Language and Literature.

The Young Icelander by Johann Magnus Bjarnason. Formac, 2008: A novel on emigration by a key Icelandic-Canadian author, who left Iceland for Canada in the late nineteenth century.

Angels of the Universe by Einar Mar Gudmundsson, transl. Bernard Scudder. Mal g menning, 2002: Gudmundsson received the Nordic award in Literature in 2012 and this is one of his major novels.

Independent People by Halldor Laxness. Vintage Books, 1997: A novel once placed on the list of the best works of world literature, Laxness received the Noble Prize Award in Literature in 1955.

Dreamland: A Self-Help Manual for a Frightened Nation by Andri Snaer Magnason. Citizen Press, 2008: A fantastic exploration of the paradoxes of the modern Icelandic society within the context of contemporary western culture.

The Greenhouse by Audur Ava Olafsdottir. AmazonCrossing 2011: A beautifully written novel on the task of being human.

Children in Reindeer Woods by Kristin Omarsdottir. Open Letter, 2012: A contemporary novel on the subject of war and peace, written by one of Iceland's key authors.

Njal's Saga, transl. Robert Cook. Penguin Books, 2001: A medieval saga, viewed by many as the master piece of Icelandic sagas.

The Prose Edda by Snorri Sturluson, transl. Jesse Byock. Penguin, 2006: The most important source available on the subject of Norse mythology, written by one of the key interpretors of medieval times.

Wednesday, 4 July 2012

40 Years of Folk

“Islendingadagurinn” was not always a three-day happening. From its
inception in 1890 until 1967 it was held only on the first Monday in
August, mainly for people of Icelandic descent. In 1968, Len and Karen
Vopnfjord were asked to organize a musical offering on the Sunday of
the new three-day “Icelandic Festival of Manitoba” that would appeal to
a broader audience. It began modestly but, forty years ago with Len and
Karen as emcees, the music moved into Gimli Park and the stage was set
for the Gimli Folk Festival.

The Liptonians 2011

The Festival began to attract some of the best folk performers in
Manitoba and beyond including, Len Udow, Kathy Fink and Duck
Donald, Connie Kaldor, Graham Shaw, the Kozubs, Dan Donahue, Dave
McLean, Brent Parkin, Al Simmons, Danny Casavant, Al Simmons,
Don ‘Fiddler’ Zueff, Grant McLean, Gerry and Ziz, and, of course, TomJackson.

Tusia Kozub had told Len and Karen that a 19-year-old First Nations guy
from Saskatchewan had an amazing voice and presence and that they
should invite him to perform. She said that he might be found in the
poolroom at the Royal Albert Arms Hotel in Winnipeg. Len and Karen
left many messages. None were returned. But, on the day of the Folk
Festival, Tom Jackson was driving through Brandon and heard on the
radio that he was to be performing in Gimli that night. “Guess I better
get there”, he said to himself. Got there here did, and went on to
headline for years afterward!

To this day, the Gimli Folk Festival continues to attract the best talent. Over the past 40 years we have been entertained by local, provincial and national talents such as Valdy, D-Rangers, Luke Doucet, Cuff the Duke, Ohbijou, The Good Brothers, John K. Samson, Said The Whale, Scruj McDuhk, Nathan Rogers, Nathan, The Sadies, Moses Mayes,
Vitaminsforyou, Romi Mayes, Andrew Neville and the Poor Choices, Mood
Jga Jga, Greg Macpherson, The Wilderness of Manitoba, The Mountain and
The Trees, Zachary Lucky, Fred Penner, Greg Leskiw and many, many, many
more!!

Join us again this year as we honour the founders of the Gimli Folk
Festival stage, Len and Karen Vopnfjord! Help us welcome performers Del
Barber and his band, Dry Bones; Lindy Vopnfjord, Sweet Alibi, Reverend
Rampage and others. Many of these bands will be playing on our stage for the first time.

Friday, 22 June 2012

2012 Icelandic Festival Music Line-Up

Friday

Cannon Bros.

Little House

The Happy Unfortunate

Saturday

Children's Entertainment

Christopher Cool

Saturday Night Stage

The Noble Thiefs

Mise En Scene

Hey Pilgram

Sunday Folk Festival

Reverand Rampage

The Vopnfjords - Hecla Singers

Wednesday, 2 May 2012

Poetry & Short Story Contest 2012

Poetry & Short Story Contest
Sponsored by the University ofManitoba Icelandic Department

The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba invites you to submit previously unpublished poetry (three entries per person) and/or a short story (one per person).

Prize money will be awarded and successful entries will be published in the festival booklet. Categories are as follows:

POETRY
Junior (12 and under) 1st Place $35.00
Intermediate (13-18) 1st Place $50.00
Open 1st Place $100.00
2nd Place $50.00

SHORT STORY

Open 1st Place $100.00

Submissions which contain material reflecting Icelandic interest or Icelandic culture will be given preference. Entries will not be returned.

Send your material before May 25,2012 to:
FESTIVAL WRITING CONTEST
C/O Helga Malis, Box 2153, Gimli, MB R0C 1B0

Monday, 2 April 2012

More Than Waterfalls And Lava

Arnason/Benson Trip to Iceland – July 2011

Written by Tim Arnason

My childhood is filled with fond memories of family gatherings and it is often that these gatherings would center around the celebration of our Icelandic heritage.

Photo Credit: Leif Norman

For many years, one such gathering was held at my Uncle John and Aunt Lilja’s cottage on the eve of Islendingadagurrinn. Their cottage on 6^th Avenue in Gimli was bordered by my Uncle Joe and Aunt Diddy's house on one side and my Amma’s house on the other. Just down the block was my Uncle Elert and Aunt Anna’s house and “kitty corner” to that was the house that I grew up in – my parents', (Valdi and Chrissie Arnason) home. At these gatherings everybody was welcome. Our family was always so inclusive - there was no divide between the young and the old. As was the tradition at these celebrations, the Icelandic flag was raised and the evenings wound down with the distribution of song sheets and the singing of Icelandic and English songs. These were magical times for me and it was evenings such as these that set the foundation for my personal realization of the importance of my heritage.

Icelandic Festival Coverage - National Post

We received great coverage of the Icelandic Festival via an article in the National Post.

For those liking vikings; Gimli's Icelandic festival has the best rullupylsa this side of Reykjavik

National Post
Sat Aug 27 2011
Page: WP5
Section: Weekend Post
Byline: Shel Zolkewich
Source: Weekend Post

The record books clearly indicate that in 1982, I was in fact queen of the Islendingadunk, one of the premier competitions at the Icelandic Festival in Gimli, Man.
This means that I was victorious in sending my opponent off a telephone pole perched horizontally over the harbour, and into the waters of Lake Winnipeg. Most competitors accomplish this task by whacking their opponents in the side with waterlogged, fat foam bats. I took a slightly different approach.
My opponent in the grand finale was Kara, high school chum and athlete extraordinaire. Luckily, I knew Kara's weakness.

Her Achilles heel was her tendency to crack up on a moment's notice and be hurled into a fit of uncontrollable giggles. So with foam bat held over my head, I gave my hips a little wiggle, pulled a funny face and did my best imitation of the Road Runner call from those Warner Brothers cartoons. Ha-ha-hahaha!
Kara threw her head back in a howling laugh, lost her balance and plunked into the drink. When she came up for air, she was still laughing. Mission accomplished.