Iceland Days 2013

Iceland Days 1913



Iceland Days 1928

The Icelandic Association of Utah executive committee and directors decided to change the location of Iceland Day events that will be held on Saturday, June 22. 2013. For Iceland Days this year, the Iceland Days Festival will be at the Benjamin Park instead of at the Spanish Fork City Park.

The Benjamin Park is a lovely rural park. It is much quieter than the Spanish Fork City Park. It has a 100-person pavilion, playground, baseball diamond, room for children´s activities and display booths, horseshoe pits, and rest rooms. Because the Association has reserved this two-acre park, we won´t be competing with family gatherings, Lots of room!

The Benjamin Park is just 2 1/2 miles southwest of Spanish Fork, at 7300 South. It is easily accessible from I-15. The May newsletter will have directions about how to get there.

A special treat for Iceland Days 2013--a tour of 40 Icelanders will join us for the Friday evening and Saturday events. We get to rub shoulders with visiting Icelanders!

I was asked why they changed the location of Iceland Days away from Spanish Fork. My answer to that question is I really don’t know, however, this is not the first time that Iceland Days has not been held in Spanish Fork. 

From 1897 through 1914 Iceland Days were held in Spanish Fork by building a bowery next to other buildings. The bowery was built at different locations in Spanish Fork, the first being at the Icelandic Amusement Hall on the property of Goodman Johnson. In 1925 it was reported that about 400 Icelandic people gathered at Castilla, in Spanish Fork Canyon, in honor of the Iceland National Holiday. In 1927 the Icelanders celebrated at Geneva Resort. .  William J. Johnson was chairman of the Iceland National Holiday Celebration at Geneva Resort in 1928 where 600 Icelanders gathered together. In 1930 the attendance was down to 250 attending the Iceland National Holiday celebration at Geneva Resort with Wilford Johnson as general chairman.

Iceland Days for several years in the early 1930’s was held at Geneva Resort west of Provo on the banks of Utah Lake. It was located where the Geneva Steel Plant was later located; in fact the steel plant was given the name Geneva after the resort. It was a nice place and many years the place Iceland Days were held. There was a pavilion, a swimming pool, a store and some cabins for people to stay overnight. A bus went from Spanish Fork to Geneva; it left early in the morning on August 2^nd each year and did not return until near midnight. Most program numbers were from local Icelandic talent, singing, dancing, readings, storytelling and other things. In the late afternoon was a bathing beauty contest. All Icelandic girls participated.

In 1931 there were 300 in attendance at the Iceland National Holiday at Geneva Resort. In 1935 attendance grew to 800 Icelanders in attendance at the Iceland National Holiday celebration at the Geneva Resort. In 1936 there were 1000 in attendance at Iceland Days which was held at Vivian Park in Provo Canyon. Munda Geslison was Chairman. The 1937 celebration was also held at Vivian Park and Munda Geslison was again Chairman. In 1946 and 1947 the Iceland National Holiday wasc elebrated on August 2^nd at Arrowhead Resort in Benjamin. 1948 and 1949 were under General Chairman Ken Runolfson at Arrowhead Resort on August 2^nd. The 1950 celebration was held at Arrowhead Resort. 1954 Iceland Days was held at Saratoga Resort, west of Lehi, Utah. In 1955 the humble beginning of the Icelandic settlement in Utah was reenacted for more than 2000 descendants and friends in a colorful pageant at the Palmyra Stake Center. Iceland Days in 1956 was held at the Payson Park. In 1959 the Icelandic Association of Utah held its annual Iceland Day celebration at the Saratoga Resort south of Lehi. Iceland Days in 1961 was held on Saturday, August 5^th at Saratoga Resort. In 1962 Iceland Days again held at Saratoga on Saturday, August 4^th. Saturday, July 27, 1963 Iceland Day was held at Park Ro-Sha, in Springville. In 1980 the Icelandic Association annual reunion was held at the Canyon View Park, in Spanish Fork.


So… not to worry.

What is important is that you attend Iceland Days.

We have a lot of work ahead to equal the attendance at some of the Iceland Days of the past.

Bring a friend or two and I will to see you at the Benjamin Park on Saturday 22 June 2013.

Who is this a picture of?

Happy Easter

Gleðilega páska

John Chapter 20

Mary Magdalene, Peter, and John find the tomb-The risen Christ appears to Mary Magdalene in the garden-He appears to the disciples and shows His resurrected Body-Thomas feels the wounds in Jesus' hands, feet and side-Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.

Easter is a movable feast, meaning it is not fixed in relation to the civil calendar. The First Council of Nicaea (325) established the date of Easter as the first Sunday after the full moon (the Paschal Full moon) following the March equinox. Ecclesiastically, the equinox is reckoned to be on 21 March (even though the equinox occurs, astronomically speaking, on 20 March in most years), and the "Full Moon" is not necessarily the astronomically correct date. The date of Easter therefore varies between 22 March and 25 April.

 

Þorrablót 2013

Þorrablót (Thorrablot) The ancient Viking month of Thorri, which begins on the first Friday after January 19th (the 13th week of winter), commemorating the Norse god of Thunder. The Vikings celebrated this mid-winter month with plenty of dancing, singing, drinking and merriment, as well as consuming as much of their traditional food as possible. During the month of Thorri, the traditional delicacies, called thorramatur, can once again be found on grocery store shelves, and the majority of the nation partakes at least once in an evening of the special cuisine.

Thorrablot was a sacrificial midwinter festival offered to the gods in pagan Iceland of the past. It was abolished during the Christianization of Iceland, but resurrected in the 19th century as a midwinter celebration that continues to be celebrated to this day.

thorramatur

On this occasion, locals come together to eat, drink and be merry. Customary, the menu consists of unusual culinary delicacies, known as thorramatur. These will include rotten shark’s meat (hákarl), boiled sheep’s head, (svið) and congealed sheep’s blood wrapped in a ram’s stomach (blóðmör)! This is traditionally washed down with some Brennivin - also known as Black Death – a potent schnapps made from potato and caraway.

After the Thorrablot dinner traditional songs, and storytelling takes place. Thorrablot in Utah will not be having the traditional drink known as Black Death.

Thorrablot 2013 sponsored by the Icelandic Association of Utah will be February 23rd, 2013 (last Saturday in February), at the Veterans Memorial Building in Spanish Fork, Utah, beginning at 6:00 p.m. For more information follow the Icelandic Association of Utah on facebook at Icelandic Association of Utah

Snorri Programs

The Snorri Program

Go to www.snorri.is to apply!

The Snorri Program 2013 deadline has been extended to Thursday January 24, 2013 –

The Snorri Program is an opportunity for young people (18-28) of Icelandic origin living in Canada and the United States of America, to discover the country, culture, nature and language of their ancestors, and to create and/or strengthen new bonds with relatives living in Iceland. The Snorri Program offers an exciting six-week adventure starting in mid June every year, until the end of July. The program offers a unique experience of the country, its nation, culture and nature.

The program has been running since 1999 and 182 young individuals have participated successfully. It is a co-operative assignment between the Nordic Association and the Icelandic National League in Iceland.

Would you like to... ·         Travel and learn something new? ·         Experience something completely different? ·         Meet people and make new friends? ·         Stay with Icelandic relatives? ·         Learn about Icelandic culture and language? ·         Travel to some of Iceland’s most exotic spots? ·         Volunteer in an Icelandic community? ·         Prepare yourself for be the biggest adventure of your life!

The Snorri Program 2013 deadline has been extended to Thursday January 24, 2013

Snorri Plus Program

2013 is a great year to travel to Iceland!
We have passion for your heritage and that's why we created Snorri Plus.

The program is both for people (30 and up) who have never been to Iceland and those who have been to Iceland once or more often. It is for individuals, couples or families with focus on your Icelandic roots, although people do not have Icelandic blood running through their veins may apply as well. We meet the needs of everyone. We focus on relatives, culture and nature and do our best to connect people with their Icelandic relatives.

The program consists of the same components as the Snorri Program but in two weeks rather than six. You will not only meet relatives, you will bond with other people from Canada and the United States who share the same background and interest in Iceland. You will also meet your Icelandic 'work colleagues' and/or get help with finding more information about your special interests or hobbies. Our focus is that our participants gain more from Snorri Plus than they would if they came as ordinary tourists.
Anyone living in Canada or the United States can apply for this exciting adventure. As long as you are over 30 (no age limit) and healthy you are eligible to participate. Applications will be accepted in the order they are received. Please note that all our programs are non-profit.

Departure from North America, August 14, 2013 (arrival Aug 15)
Departure from Iceland, August 28, 2013
Almost 100 people have participated in the Snorri Plus Program and they all highly recommend it.
One of Snorri Plus participants, Lin Floyd St. George, Utah, said. "People simply do not understand how fantastic this opportunity is!!" "As a participant in Snorri Plus in August 2011, I can say it fulfilled a lifelong dream of mine as a genealogist for over 50 years to walk on the land where some of my ancestors lived. A special part of the program was getting in touch with Icelandic cousins who shared the same heritage I do. It was like a giant family reunion in Reykjavik and in the Westman Islands. I learned so much of the history and culture of my ancestors plus touring and walking in the diverse landscape helped me to appreciate the land of fire and ice. Meeting and visiting with the President of Iceland was a special treat. I would recommend anyone interested in Iceland to check out Snorri Plus - it's well worth the time and money. Traveling alone from the United States to Iceland as a 71 year old, I became part of another family at Snorri Plus as our small group of participants bonded after spending two weeks together in classes, touring and partying.
It was so fun now I have over 2000 photos of this beautiful land to share with my family here. Thanks for a memorable experience."

Apply Now!

The Snorri Plus deadline is January 31, 2013.
Go to www.snorri.is to apply!

Marilyn Ashby

My sister, Marilyn Ashby, 67, Passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 of natural causes. Marilyn was born November 15, 1945 in Spanish Fork, Utah to Gerald and Phylis Ashby. She lived in Spanish Fork throughout her life and attended Spanish Fork High School.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 29, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Spanish Fork 5th Ward Chapel, 1006 E 200 South, Spanish Fork, Utah Interment will be in the Spanish Fork City Cemetery. Family and friends may call at the Church on Saturday from 9:30-10:45 a.m. prior to the services.

Read her obituary at http://www.walkerspanishfork.com/obit/marilyn-ashby/

fréttir desember 2012

Christmas in Iceland

Christmas in Iceland is in many ways similar to Christmas in the United States. Families get together, enjoy good food and exchange presents. It is Iceland’s longest holiday; everything is closed from noon on Christmas Eve until December 27.
One major difference between Christmas in Iceland and in the U.S. is that Icelanders celebrate on Christmas Eve. The family gets together in the evening and that is when presents are exchanged. During the following two days everyone goes to Christmas parties and meets with grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and friends.
Christmas Eve is the high point of the holiday season in Iceland, and the sumptuous dinner is just the beginning of the night. But what the children have been waiting for so long - the opening of packages - cannot take place until a few details have been attended to: the table has to be cleared and the dishes washed, but there are many willing hands for that.
In centuries past, most people would slaughter a lamb and have ‘kjötsúpa’ for Christmas dinner, a meat broth with bits of meat in it. Kjötsúpa is still common in Iceland, although not as Christmas dinner. Poorer families would have ptarmigan for Christmas.
Nowadays, the most common Christmas dishes in Iceland are ham (hamborgarahryggur), smoked lamb (hangikjöt) and ptarmigan (rjúpa). Ptarmigan is no longer a food for the poor and has become very popular with Icelanders, and the ptarmigan hunting season is one of the most anticipated events of the year for hunters. These dished are lavishly prepared with side dishes including potatoes, prepared in many different ways, peas and beans, gravy, jam etc. The cook usually spends most of the day cooking, with help, of course, from other family members.
Icelanders have not one, but thirteen Santas, or Yule Lads. These lads are not related to Santa Claus in any way. They are descendants of trolls and were originally used to scare children. In the last century, however, they have become a lot friendlier.

Gleðileg jól

http://www.iceland.is/iceland-abroad/us/education-and-culture/curiosities/christmas-in-iceland/

Storytelling Then and Now

The Sagas of the Icelanders are exceptional tales of every life and historic events that were kept alive using the oral tradition for two to three hundred years before they were recorded in written format. The stories found in the Sagas are not typical heroic literature, but rather tales of flesh and blood people burdened with the heroic legacy of the Vikings. Storytellings in the Icelandic Sagas are tales of people deeply rooted in the real world of their day. These stories explore the human problems of love and hate, fate and freedom, crime and punishment, travel and exile. The Sagas of the Icelanders lets us know of the concerns and affairs of the people who lived between 930 and 1030.
I find it fascinating that Todd Hansen great-grandson of Eyjolfur Eiriksson and Jarthrudur Runolfsdottir, immigrants to Utah from Iceland in the 1880s, keeps the storytelling tradition going. Todd hosts BYUTV's "The Story Trek." This show sets out to prove how fascinating so-called ordinary people actually are. Through the random, door-to-door interviews Todd conducts, you meet quirky, serious, intelligent, fun people who make you laugh, smile, cry, and think.

Todd was the Master of Ceremony for the Icelandic Association of Utah’s Sesquicentennial Gala, June 24, 2005.

Emigrant of the Month Dec. 2012

HALLDÓR JÓNSSON

Halldor was born 1 March 1856 at Skurdbaer, Medallandsthing, Vestur Skaftafell. His parents are Jon Jonson, born 24 February 1829 at Audnar, Medallandsthing, Vestur Skaftafell, died 26 April 1858 at sea; and Margret Jonsdottir, born 2 March 1829 at Sydri-Steinsmyri, Medllandsthing, Vestur Skaftafell, died 1 August 1911 at Hafnarfirdi, Gardar a Alptanesi, Gullbringu.
He married Gudrun Jonsdottir in January of 1879. Gudrun was born 4 June 1850 at Grof, Gufunes, Kjosar. In 1880 they joined The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and were baptized by Elder Jon Eyvindsson, 13 November 1880. Halldor and Gudrun, along with their son Johann, left Iceland in 1881 with a company of twenty-two, under the leadership of Elder Jon Eyvindsson and Elder Jacob Jonsson. The company left Reykjavik on the steamer Cameoens, and came by way of Granton, Scotland, Liverpool, England and then to New York, crossing the ocean on the steamship Nevada. They arrived in New York 23 July 1881 and left the same evening for Salt Lake City, arriving in Salt Lake City 7 August 1881. They left Salt Lake City the next day for Spanish Fork, Utah.
Halldor bought a farm in Spanish Fork, but within only a few years he moved to Cleveland, Utah in Emery County. Halldor and Gudrun had seven children: Johann, born in Iceland 2 October 1879, died 17 May 1954 in Washington State; Margret Catherine, born in Spanish Fork 12 August 1882, died 28 February 1957; Barney Andrew, bornin Spanish Fork 12 August 1882, died 4 November 1961. The other four children were born in Cleveland, Utah: Halldor Jacob, born 26 January 1883, died 4 September 1884; Domhildur Sarah, born 20 October 1886, died 31 May 1888; Groa, born 27 December 1890, died 16 September 1924; and Albert, born 18 November1893, died 27 March 1945. Halldor and Gudrun were later divorced.
Halldor returned to Iceland and served two missions, one from 1899 to 1901 and the other in 1910. When he returned from his second mission he brought home with him Jonina Fridsemd Asgrimsdottir, and her son, Engilbert Jonson, and Jonina’s mother, Gudny Hrobjartsdottir. Halldor and Jonina married and had two children. Jonina was born 25 February 1885 at Grimstadir, in Akraneskaupstadur, died 13 February 1967 in Price, Utah.
Halldor was also married to Margret Magnusdottir, 25 March 1885; they later divorced. Margret was born 20 November 1856 at Mosfellsveit, Kjosar, died 15 June 1924 in Cleveland, Utah. Halldor died 11 January 1936 in Cleveland, Utah and is buried in the Cleveland Cemetery.

 

Fréttir Sept. 2012

Skógar Folk Museum

Located along the south coast of Iceland is the Skógar Folk Museum, located near one of Iceland’s most visited and beautiful waterfalls, Skógafoss. This area of Iceland is one of extraordinarily beauty and natural landscapes. This also near where my great-grandfather Eyjólfur Eiríksson was from. He was born at Nýibær, Holt undir Eyjafjollum, Rangarvalla which is just a little west of Skógar.

The museum is the result of one man’s life-long work of collecting of artifacts of the early Icelanders in the area. At 90 plus years old Þórður Tómasson can still be found at the museum delighting visitors with his great knowledge and musical abilities. The museum was opened in 1949 and has been continually updated, adding many new houses and exhibits.

The mission of the Skogar Folk Museum is to preserve the cultural heritage of the south coast of Iceland through tools and equipment used at land and sea, crafts, old buildings, books, manuscripts, and documents. This seems like it may be a perfect fit for the exhibit The Road to Zion.

The exhibit The Road to Zion sheds light on the religious foundations of the Mormons, traces the journey of Þórður Diðriksson (1828 – 1894) over land and sea, and tells of Spanish Fork, Utah, the community that the Icelanders settled in. The exhibit was first presented at Icelandic Emigration Center at Hofsós in 2000 and then in the Culture House in Reykjavík in 2005. The exhibit is now in storage.

Many of the Icelandic emigrants that came to Utah came from the South Coast of Iceland near Skógar making the exhibit The Road to Zion a fital part of the history of the area. The exhibit was created by the Icelandic Emigration Center and the Icelandic Association of Utah. I would encourage these two organizations to work together and get this exhibit out of storage and into a place where it can be viewed and enjoyed by the people of Iceland as it was intended to be.

Iceland - The European Union and The Economy

The debate continues should Iceland join the European Union, many in the junior coalition of Iceland’s government believe that it should. It is believed that over sixty percent of the general population of Iceland would vote against joining the EU. Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson President of Iceland, who was just elected to his fifth term as president of the country, is against joining the EU. He further thinks he needs to be more vocal about if Iceland should join the EU. This debate in Iceland just does not seem to go away.  

Iceland's economy seems to be doing amazingly well for a small country that only four years ago nearly lost it all. Iceland has repaid most of the international loans that kept the country going. Unemployment is around six percent, and continues to go in the right direction. Iceland’s economy is expected to grow by nearly three percent this year.  The people of Iceland are strong and resilient people. It is good to see that the government in Iceland has made sound financial decisions and the economy is on the mend.

Gísli Gíslason Emigrant of the Month September 2012

Gísli Gíslason was born 12 March 1868. His parents are Gisli Bodvarsson, born 3 October 1829, died 9 July 1897; and Elin Jonsdottir, born 30 April 1836, died 18 December 1916. Gisli immigrated to Spanish Fork, Utah in 1892. He married Rannveig Thorarinsdottir, born 22 September. They were married in Provo, Utah 7 April 1893. Gisli and Rannveig moved to Winter Quarters near Scofield, Utah, where Gisli went to work in a coal mine. They took the last name of Budvarson after Gisli’s father, Gisli Bodvarsson. They had nine children: Franklin Gesli, born 27 March 1896, died 8 January 1897; Hannah Mary, born 4 March 1898, died 28 July 1773; Ellen Brindhildur, born 24 March 1900; Gunnar, born 24 March 1902, died 4 April 1949; Leroy, born 16 November 1904, died 31 October 1972; Alice, born 20 September 1906, died 11 April 1974; Arthur, born 4 April 1909, died 10 Dec 1991; Kermit, born 17 Feb 1913, died 7 June 1949; and Ruth Vilatr, born 19 April 1915, died 6 Dec 1985.

Gisli died 18 March 1916 and is buried in the Scofield Cemetery. In Utah, Gisli went by Gisli Budvarson.