ISSUE

3 Midnight Sun V O L U M E 2 5 J u l y 2 0 1 2

Quarterly Magazine for the Scandinavian Club of Regina Theme: Life in

Members’ Matters 2, 3, 6 President’s corner 3 Editorial 3 Facts about Theme articles 1, 4, 5, 7 Scandinavian News 4 Iceland Upcoming Events 3, 8 Capital: Reykjavík Official : Icelandic - a North Roots - at Home in Iceland Germanic Language Government: By Kari M. Frodesen Parliamentary republic It took me nearly sixty years to get there, but I have finally returned home. National Day: 17 June During the past few years I have reclaimed my Icelandic heritage, and it feels (became republic on great! this date in 1944) y mother was Dóra thought she could just barge in after all National Anthem: Haraldsdóttir, daughter of these years? Lofsöngur (Hymn) M Haraldur Björnsson, Iceland’s I need not have worried. They Current President: first professional actor, who married a welcomed me with open Ólafur Ragnar Norwegian naval officer arms, and despite not Grímsson and moved to in having seen them since 1946. Over the years we Legislature: Alþingi we were children, it was only visited Iceland a few really like coming home! Area: 103,001 km2 times, but my mother kept And although I scarcely (39,770 sq mi) in touch with her family all understood a word they Population 1 April her life, by mail and said on this first occasion, 2012 (estimate): telephone and the it was wonderful just to be 320,060 occasional visit by with them – in my relatives on vacation. GDP Per capita: mother’s home town, However, my family USD 43,088 Reykjavík. And I’ve been settings were heavily Norwegian, and back since – after taking a crash growing up my own relationship with course in Icelandic. my Icelandic heritage was virtually non- existent. There is something very calming for a Norwegian to be in Iceland. Coming Therefore I was more than a little from Oslo, a hustling city in very self- excited when I decided to pay them a sufficient and “prosperous” Norway, I visit in 2009. Maybe they would be can feel my pulse settling when I land skeptical to this distant relative who (Continued on page 6)

Members’ Matters more on pp. 3 and 6

Annual General Meeting Midsummer Fest

Two new members of the SCoR From the Board of Directors for 2012-2013 SCoR Board

Interest, Term Deposit, Fund Availability Initiated by a question at the AGM, This matter came up at the Ingrid Van Dusen Greg Swanson May Board meeting, In the treasurer’s report, Mosaic the interest was rolled The most important result of the 2 April into the general AGM was that the members gave the account. John Board of Directors a go-ahead for Edwardson moved that sorting out how the SCoR can we invest in a one year participate in next year’s Mosaic in term redeemable after Regina. 90 days (1.0 %) to keep funds available for Mosiac. This was ”- all the fun of the fair--” seconded by Pearl Baumgartner, and the Syttende Mai 40 adults and 7 children were present, motion was carried. Big turnout for the SCoR celebration of but the local weather forecast probably

Norway’s Constitution Day. The scared quite a few people away. The SCoR Historian weather was perfect, and people morning was beautiful, however, sunny enjoyed the company, the food and the and warm. About 3:00 PM there was a The Board has started very black cloud moving over us and working with plans to entertainment: songs by the Kjersten Hordern Singers and a Norwegian folk we started cooking to beat the storm. It establish a position of turned out to be only about a 30 minute Club Historian to record tale told by storyteller Kevin MacKenzie. Young trumpeter Jenny sprinkle, and people found shelter and maintain SCoR under a few large trees. The sprinkle records. Panchuk lead the parade which was made up of children and adults alike, never slowed the children down as

and they caught the attention of they spent most of their time in the Midnight Sun neighbours and passers-by in the playground. The sun started to shine Cathedral area. Hurra for Syttende again, the food was great, a good time As from this issue, your was had by all. Newsletter is a Mai! Magazine: We want to see every Midnight Sun - Speaker of the one and Quarterly Magazine for Day: Norwegian even more The Scandinavian Club at the Corn of Regina Honorary Consul Roast in late Heather August! Goransson Larry Bristol

2 SCoR Website http://www.scandinavianclubregina.com/ Are you interested in working with the SCoR preparations for MOSAIC 2013? Contact John Edwardson at 584-2246 or Kim Gillis at 531-9794.

President’s Corner Cooking Class! In cooperation with As summer gets into full swing we can look Hillsdale Community forward to our summer activities, but before I get to Association, SCOR that I wanted to thank everyone who came out to will start up the AGM. Having input from club members really helps our planning for the future. I also would like Scandinavian to welcome our two new board members Greg cooking classes this Swanson and Ingrid Van Dusen, it is wonderful to fall! have new people with new ideas on the board. We have been celebrating the annual Midsummer Mondays: Fest, the Corn Roast is coming up in August, and I September 24; encourage everyone to bring a guest or even a October 1, 22, few. This is a great way to show people some of November 5, 26. our family events and in turn possibly increase Time: 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. membership. We have done a great job of Location: Carrefour des bringing new people into the club which is make Mosaic happen for our Plaines, 3850 Hillsdale necessary for the future. We have had many club. If you are interested in Street (Ecole wonderful people give of their time to serve the helping with planning for Monseigneur de Laval) club but we still need people to step up to the plate Mosaic please call John to ensure our club runs smoothly. Edwardson at 584-2246 or Cost of program: $85.00 per person for 5 At the AGM we discussed the possibility of joining myself at 531-9794. We classes (supplies Mosaic in the future, but to do this we need your know joining Mosaic will be a included) help. Mosaic is Regina’s most attended cultural lot of work - but anything event and I think it makes sense that our club is worthwhile is. Registration: there to represent our Scandinavian countries. We Have a great summer. For the best chance to will be sending out a Mosaic newsletter periodically Kim Gillies secure a place in the to let the membership know how we are working to class, register in person on Tuesday 11 Editorial September from 7:00 to 8:00 pm with What’s cooking? Coming up this fall could be able to make more Hillsdale Community we will likely have Scandinavian dishes Scandinavian goods available in Association, cooking on many a Regina stove. Food Regina! McVeetySchool, 38 traditions are among the strongest This new club activity is very welcome Turgeon Cres, in the bearers of culture, and our indeed. Meeting over meals is nice and gym. Scandinavian background caters for social - doing things together creates a Additional Info.: interesting and tasty dishes based on great forum for developing friendship Taught with assistance special (and exotic?) ingredients. One and bringing new generations to our of teachers from the of the more challenging aspects of events. This could also be a good way SCoR, each class will transferring recipes between continents of extending knowledge about highlight dishes from can also be to experiment with Scandinavian culture and increasing one of the five introducing new raw materials into club membership. Scandinavian countries: traditional dishes. Much can already be Denmark, , found in Regina stores, but there is With experience from small scale test Iceland, Norway and always the possibility of bringing new classes, Greg Swanson has made Sweden. merchandise to local stores by arrangements for these regular cooking increasing the demand. Together we classes. Let us fill up the first class this fall! http://www.facebook.com/scandinavianclubregina 3 Growing up in Reykjavík

By Guðrún ( Úlú ) Mjöll Guðbergsdóttir

I was born at Grundarstígur 10 in Reykjavík, Iceland. It is a house with a soul. The house was bought in 1928 by my maternal grandparents and by my mother´s oldest siblings. It was built in 1915 by the governor of Iceland, which was at that time ruled by Denmark. Remembrance Grove was eleven. At that age I felt very strongly that I had to help The first steps support myself, and I took on towards two morning paper routes creating a which I delivered before grove honouring the school. Delivering the papers was the easy part, collecting people who were another story. We had school murdered in Oslo and in the morning, home Utøya on July 22 last economics, swimming and year, were taken in Mid gym in the afternoon. June in Vatnsmýrin near Our street was full of the Nordic House in wonderful friends. We played Reykjavík. A house with a soul all kinds of games, age did not Shortly after the tragedy, matter. We also lived a few the Nordic Association in My mother was the youngest of 13 minutes from the pond, which was Iceland discussed siblings. My amma also brought up two great for skating in the winter time. One grandchildren as their mother died at a creating a memorial for of my aunts worked at a bakery, and I very young age. When I was born my would go there with my friends to the victims. The idea of grandparents were still alive, and four Þ. S. Þorvaldsson, former warm up with hot chocolate and aunts and a cousin lived in the house vínarbrauð, Danish pastry, pretty nice. urban planning director of along with my parents and two Reykjavík, of a memorial older brothers. We were twelve. grove was presented to Plenty of love. the Reykjavík Forestry When I was little I went camping Association. with my parents, while my The plan is to plant large brothers at an early age went to rowans (mountain ashes) farms. My dad did not have a car symbolizing each of the so we took a taxi to Þingvellir, Nordic countries, and 77 the birth place of the Icelandic Parliament in 1930, an hour’s birches for each of the drive from Reykjavík. There were murder victims. A always some cousins that came memorial stone will also with us, so we had three tents. be placed in the grove. We would dress up and eat Siri Marie Sønstelie, supper at hotel Valhöll. Two of Amma and Afi with twelve of their children survivor of the Utøya my aunts on my mother´s side We were by no means wealthy, but we massacre, and her father and one of my mother´s brothers lived lived a very rich life. Entertainment was Erik, were present when on farms so we visited there. theater and concerts and from an early the first trees were My youngest brother was born in 1950 age my mother took us to museums planted. making up the four siblings of three and art shows that were usually free. Fréttablaðið/ boys and a girl. My father died when I was very street wise at an early age. I my youngest brother was four and I (Continued on page 6)

4 My visit to Iceland 2006

By Jónína Einars

A dream came true. Throughout my youth, I wondered about half of my heritage as I visited with my Icelandic cousins in Manitoba, because I felt that I had been deprived of something. A typical youth reaction, I guess.

From my maternal grandmother's homestead at Gunnolfsvik on the Langanes Peninsula in NE Iceland

When I flew into Keflavík, I knew that I where we stayed the night at the was ‘home’ – fields of purple lupines Manse. welcomed us. I felt the connection and The next day, on my birthday, we the feeling that I had been there travelled east to our cousin, Stefan before. My concern was for naught. Bjarnasson’s farm – Thera, near My cousin, Shawn, who was to Akureyri. Old volcanos surround it on graduate from the University of Island, the south side and the Arctic Ocean on came to meet his mother Margie, the north. A piece of heaven – no cousin Einar and me and whisked us wonder they never left for Canada. away to the Icelandic Independence So much to say but there would have Day Celebrations – June 17th. to be instalments. We had a whirlwind visit as Margie only had 10 days of vacation, but it was so It was the most wonderful experience memorable. that I ever had and it was not complete. I want to go back someday and re-visit We drove north (amazing tunnels) to the same places but be better prepared the Snorri Sturluson Centre and to Eric with many questions. I am sure that all the Red and Leif Eiriksson’s of you who went back to your homestead. We also visited Hofs , ós homelands feel the same. 3100 13th Avenue 306 924 5426 the Cultural Centre of Icelandic History,

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(Continued from page 1) Roots... And more is to come. I have already received messages from relatives in on Keflavík airport and go by bus into both Canada and USA, not to mention Reykjavík. From the very first minute I distant cousins living in Norway, cherish the sound of something many the language, the have chosen landscape, the open to do over the years. sky and the way the Being of mixed Icelandic people heritage, you should communicate. Maybe have thought that I it’s just in my head, but would have felt divided they seem to “see” growing up. But the Bottle Drive each other in a way we Icelandic half of me got This year’s SCoR Bottle don’t in Oslo. And somewhat lost in my knowing how Drive didn’t catch quite Norwegian life, and so I independently they the same attention as in didn’t really know that have handled the 2011. Could the reason there was something effects of the financial missing. be the late re- crisis, it makes me very scheduling and the less proud to have Icelandic Regaining my than pleasant weather? blood in my veins! wonderful Icelandic family after so many We made $209.86 - let’s As an amateur years I feel both at least double that next genealogist I have also grateful and privileged time! started digging into my – and not just a little Icelandic ancestry. And proud of my heritage! I as the Icelandic are Picture credits Kari in Icelandic national costume know my mother would very keen on kinship, have been very pleased. this is a perfect place for genealogy. P.1: (Thingvellir, the great My family database is growing by the Home at last! rift; Portrait) hundreds as I include family members If you like, you can find my family K.M.Frodesen; Puffins from the Vedramotætt, the database here: (I.Parker) Hraunkotsætt and the Skutustadaætt. http://www.frodesen.name/ P.2: (Portraits) K.Mitchell; (Child) L.Bristol; (Consul) (Continued from page 4) Growing up... later the owner asked me to take over M.Mitchell the concessions which meant keeping P.3: (Kim Gillies) J.Gillies walked long distances or took the bus track of stocks and ordering the to visit aunts. One of the aunts gave candies. There were three shows, 5, P.4: (House; family) me my first banana, they were not in 7 and 9 with intermission at 10, so courtesy of the stores then. I took one bite with the there was not much free time. I did G.M.Guðbergsdóttir peel on, yuck!!!!, and threw it out into that with school until I graduated from P.5: J.Einars the field as far as I could. Later that commercial college at 20. day I learned how to eat bananas and When I was 16 one of my aunts, or P.6: (Bottles) since then they have been my favorite J.Edwardson; (Portrait) should I say one of my four mothers, fruit. gave me a trip to England to go to K.M.Frodesen We had to learn many : school for the summer to learn P.7: (Family pictures) Icelandic, English and Danish in English. That was a wonderful courtesy of elementary school with French, surprise and experience. G.M.Guðbergsdóttir German and added on in college. I came to North America at 21 years Other: Public domain At the age of 14, I got a new job as an of age with a 3 months old son usher in a movie theatre. Four months Haukur Hávar.

6 get out of the city to the farm. After Geitaskarð I was An Icelander Born in Denmark old enough to earn some money in summer Jón Örn Jónsson, Honorary Consul for Iceland in Saskatchewan jobs such as delivery man, ship yard worker, father went to the university to begin building construction establishing the dental college. and the one I enjoyed the most: the two I am the eldest of five siblings, four summers when I worked boys and a girl 18 years younger than on road construction in I. I had happy and carefree growing up north Iceland. There years. The days of boys in Iceland, were country dances long before today’s computers and every weekend and us internet and iphones, revolved around city boys never lacked playing cowboys and Indians. The for country girls as great favorites were Roy Rogers and dance partners. his trusty steed Trigger and the Lone Ranger and his hi ho Silver. We also In those days in Iceland engaged in sword play with wooden you had to decide at the sabers. We made our own kites and age of 15 whether you Jón Örn at 18 months, surrounded by three spent hours flying them, there was were going the generations of family women. never a shortage of wind. academic route leading to university or through was born in Viborg Denmark in The one activity that boys spent trades training. I chose I March 1938. My father, after endless time on was soccer. the academic stream receiving his medical degree, was At the tender age of 6 I was outsourced and attended the asked by the Icelandic government to to one of the biggest and most Learned School for four specialize in dentistry with the aim of prosperous farms in north Iceland. At years, graduating in establishing a college of dentistry at that time it was common practice to 1958. I received a the University of Iceland. place urban children, more so boys Britingham scholarship He was interning in Copenhagen when than girls, on farms in the summer. The to attend the University the Germans occupied Denmark. To farm I went to, Geitaskarð, Goat’s of Wisconsin in this day no one knows why the Pass, was a mixed farm with hundreds Madison. After three Germans agreed to allow Icelanders in of sheep, a large number of dairy years of continuous stay Denmark to return to Iceland. It is cows, and horses. For a city boy it was I received a BA in speculated that the Germans having a wondrous and adventurous place, economics in 1963 and occupied Norway and Denmark would and for six springs I could not wait to returned home in June. soon occupy Iceland. Fortunately the In September I met British beat them to it. Guðrún Mjöll, better There were 258 Icelanders that took known as Úlú, proposed the ferry from Copenhagen to Malmö in to her on December 1st Sweden, and then by train to Petsamo and we were married on on the northern tip of Finland, which is 22 March 1964 and now part of Russia. There we boarded have one son Haukur a small passenger ship, Esjan, and Hávar. We have lived in arrived in Reykjavík on October 15, Canada since 1970. 1940. My mother and I went straight to Siglufjörður in north Iceland to see her parents, her Norwegian father Ole Family just as Jón Örn (2nd from left) was Tynes and my amma Indíana, while my leaving for USA

7 Life in Sweden Upcoming Events Calling all Swedes! Corn Roast Do you Date and venue: Sunday August 26 in Candy Cane Park have a special story from Time: 2:00 to 5:00 PM. Call Larry Bristol at 586-1799 for more information. growing up in the Old Tickets: Members: $10.00; Members’ guests: $12.50; Children under 12 Country? May be from years: Free. an unforgettable visit? For no. 4 we want your In case of rain at 10:00 AM the day of the function, it will be cancelled. input to our theme series ”Life in...”! Salmon Supper Please observe Date: Sunday October 21 We would like to remind our More information later on SCoR Website and Facebook page. members that guest numbers for catered events are submitted one week in advance. The caterer will Scandinavian Cooking Class order the food and SCoR will be charged accordingly. Register in person with Hillsdale Community Association on If you are unable to attend Tuesday September 11 from 7:00 to 8:00 pm an event after you have been included in the final See detailed information on p. 3 numbers, the club will have to bill you for your meal. Thank you for your Bring family and friends to SCoR events! understanding

Midnight Sun Issue 3, Vol. 25; July 2012 Quarterly Magazine for the Scandinavian Club of Regina 2012-2013 Board of Directors Membership Fees Family membership $ 30 PRESIDENT Kim Gillies 531-9794 Single membership $ 20 VICE PRESIDENT Pearl Baumgartner 761-0678 Membership starts January 1, expires December 31. PAST PRESIDENT John Edwardson 584-2246 TREASURER Fay Johnsen 522-0377 Contact us: SECRETARY Kelly Nelson 584-2562 SCoR contact DIRECTORS Brian Beck 789-0662 Kim Gillies Larry Bristol 586-1799 Phone 531-9794 Greg Swanson 586-9737 Email [email protected] Ingrid Van Dusen 949-6064 Membership contacts Larry Bristol [April to December] Phone 586-1799 Email [email protected]

Kelly Nelson [January to March] Phone 584-2562 Email [email protected]

Midnight Sun editor Kari Mitchell Phone 565-2450 Email [email protected] SCANDINAVIAN CLUB OF REGINA Any views expressed in individual articles do not necessarily P.O.Box 37182, Regina, SK S4S 7K4 reflect the policies of the Scandinavian Club of Regina.