Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

Welcome to Fascinating Facts and Tantalizing Trivia

A Hartson Dowd Column

August 15, 2006

ISLENDINGADAGURINN

Welcome to IcelandicFestival.com!

The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba is a celebration of the Icelandic North Americans’ proud tradition and heritage.  Islendingadagurinn, held each year in Gimli, Manitoba, is one of the oldest ethnic festivals in Canada, its origin dating back to 1890.

Many Icelandic settlers emigrated to Canada after their homes in Iceland were destroyed by volcanic eruptions in 1875.  The first festival, in 1890, was the brainchild of Jon Olafsson, editor of the Icelandic newspaper, Logberg, and the current celebration continues to reflect the interest in Icelandic culture.

Events include theatre programs, musical attractions such as the Gimli Folk Festival, a Tweeners’ dance and a community sing-song.  There are also songwriting and poetry competitions.

Typical Icelandic foods such as smoked lamb, skyr (which is like yogurt), rullupylsa,Icelandic brown bread, hangikjot and hardfiskur, an Icelandic treat of dried cod, are served in the park, by participants dressed in Native Icelandic costumes.

Besides the parade on Monday morning, which is filled with clowns, bands, floats and “Vikings” there are also many sporting events including beach vollyball, a ten-mile run, a tug of war, and the Siglavik Canoe Races.  The highlight of the sports events is Islendingadunk, the “Viking Challenge.”  Two contestants sit on a wooden pole stretched across water, and smack each other with pillows until one of them falls in.

The event is attended by Icelandic-Canadians and friends from all across Canada.  Gimli is just 100 Kilometers (60 miles) north of Winnipeg in the Canadian Province of Manitoba – off of Provincial Highways 8 and 9.

?g b?? ykkur a? skemmta ykkur konunglega.
We invite you to enjoy yourselves royally.

Icelandic Recipes

ICELANDIC BROWN BREAD

3 teaspoon sugar

2 packages of yeast

2 cups water

1 cup + 4 cups white flour

? cup brown sugar

1 ? cups water

1 cup fancy molasses

1 tablespoon salt

? cup shortening

2 cups rolled oats

4 cups whole wheat flour (may need more)

Stir yeast and sugar in water and let stand for 10 minutes.

Mix in 1 cup water, brown sugar, molasses, salt, shortening, and rolled oats.

Beat well.  Add the rest of the flours.  Let rise until double in bulk, then punch down.  Shape into 4 loaves; and let rise again.

Bake in oven at 350F for 45 to 55 minutes.

Jo's Icelandic Recipes - http://www.isholf.is/gullis/jo/index.htm

Hartson Sager Dowd

hsdowd@telus.net