Hype for the Future 87H: New Iceland

Introduction

The area around the settlement at Gimli, Manitoba, is typically known as New Iceland and is home to the Icelandic settlement associated with the New World and the largest such settlement overseas. Today, the settlement of Gimli, Manitoba, is home to artifacts of Icelandic culture as a direct result, including a notable Viking statue in the inner settlement.

Connections

Today, the municipality of Gimli, Manitoba, maintains Icelandic connections by way of the Gimli Gilder Museum, the Gimli Art Club, and especially the New Iceland Heritage Museum. The New Iceland Heritage Museum also hosts the Gimli International Film Festival and the Icelandic Festival of Manitoba.

The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba is in direct partnership with the Rural Municipality of Gimli, the Province of Manitoba, the Government of Canada, and the Government of Iceland. Iceland is the source country for Icelandic settlers, of course, and the festival located in Gimli is intended to showcase such settlers.

Hype for the Future 87G: The Icelandic Diaspora

Introduction

Unlike other European source countries, Iceland has primarily represented emigration to Canada, as opposed to the United States, as a majority nation. While many other Nordic countries have primarily settled in the United States, Iceland has primarily been recognized as settling primarily in Canada, particularly in the Winnipeg area and the western shore of Lake Winnipeg in the New Iceland community now known as Gimli. Gimli is located around eighty (80) kilometers north of the City of Winnipeg along the western shore of Lake Winnipeg in the Province of Manitoba in Canada.

Canada vs. the United States

Iceland is relatively unique in that Canada, rather than the United States, was the destination that had represented the majority of emigration. Icelandic Canadians were often associated with Gimli, the Greater Winnipeg area, and the Province of Manitoba in general, while Icelandic Americans were more often associated with the West, the Midwest, and just a few outlying areas in the nation. The majority states for Icelandic Americans are typically recognized as Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota.

Hype for the Future 87F: Nordic Crosses and Cultural Significances

Introduction

The Nordic cross flag design is predominantly associated with the countries and regions of Finland 🇫🇮, Sweden 🇸🇪, Norway 🇳🇴, Denmark 🇩🇰, Iceland 🇮🇸, the Åland Islands 🇦🇽, and the Faroe Islands 🇫🇴. However, Nordic cross flag designs also exist for regional flags such as the Norwegian flag of Trøndelag or the Scottish Counties of Orkney and Shetland.

Nordic Cross Definition

The Nordic cross refers to the cross that symbolizes Christianity in the flag of Denmark and in all flags derived from the Danish flag design. The colors may vary based on the particular nation; however, every nation provides a clear and distinct approach to identical flag designs as appropriate for representing the nations in question.

Nordic Colors, Outer to Inner

• Denmark: Red, white
• Norway: Red, white, blue
• Sweden: Blue, yellow
• Finland: White, blue
• Iceland: Blue, white, red
• Åland Islands: Blue, yellow, red
• Faroe Islands: White, blue, red
• Shetland Islands: Blue, white
• Orkney Islands: Red, yellow, blue

Hype for the Future 86K: Counties of Icelandic Minnesotans

Introduction

Though Icelandic Minnesotans are extremely rare in the modern State of Minnesota, the vast majority of such Icelandic settlers were largely associated with three (3) counties in the State: Lyon, Lincoln, and Yellow Medicine. Each of these counties is south of the Minnesota River, or perhaps more accurately, southwest, broadly along the western line of the State with South Dakota.

Identifying Icelandic Minnesotans

Numerous early Minnesotan church records would have recorded Icelandic origins in the surnames in the region. Following Anglo-American naming practices and conventions, the Icelandic-American population would almost entirely keep the male line as the family name, which the Icelandic population has traditionally never been known for having in a fixed form yet had been forced to develop upon immigration to the United States of America. Therefore, for ancestral and genealogical records largely centered around Lyon, Lincoln, and Yellow Medicine Counties, the most important resources are in the patrilineal ancestry of associated individuals of Icelandic stock.

Hype for the Future 86J: Icelandic Minnesotans

Overview

While Icelandic Minnesotans do not represent a significant share of the Scandinavian or otherwise Nordic population of the modern State of Minnesota, the insular North Atlantic community is highly representative of the cultural divide that has indirectly influenced the culture in the modern Upper Midwest of the United States. Though Minnesota is largely associated with the eastern neighbors of Iceland, particularly Norway and Denmark, Iceland is also of cultural significance in the State of Minnesota, even if to a significantly lesser extent.

Icelandic Minnesotans had not settled Minnesota in large numbers primarily because of the smaller population that had lived in Iceland itself at the time. The reason for the Scandinavian and Nordic settlements in the Upper Midwest was literally because of the overpopulation issues that had largely plagued Sweden and Norway, and because of this exact reason, Icelandic Minnesotans are quite a rarity in comparison.

Hype for the Future 86I: Along Lake Winnipeg

Overview

The community and associated rural municipality of Gimli, Manitoba 🇨🇦 is associated with the largest Icelandic 🇮🇸 diaspora globally, representing the vast majority of the Icelandic community outside Iceland, though select additional settlers would also move on into other provinces in not just Canada, but also south into the states of the United States of America, most prominently North Dakota.

Hype for the Future 86C: “Á Sprengisandi” 🇮🇸

Overview

The most important song associated with the culture of Iceland, “Á Sprengisandi” intends to utilize the land as an antagonist, thus appearing to personality the character. Because land is often hostile throughout much of Iceland, and particularly the interior regions, the tunes are often also tunes of despair and questioning whether life can remain a possibility within the scope of the island.

Hype for the Future 85A: Lexical Engineering in Iceland 🇮🇸

Introduction

The Icelandic language contains numerous terms for gender identity and expression in numerous distinct types of terms, though these terms are rarely associated with the official language proper. Rather than being associated with the language proper, the Icelandic government actually engineers new terms in an effort to preserve the Old Norse roots of the language.

Gender Identity and Expression

Iceland has utilized lexical engineering in the Icelandic language to protect the Old Norse roots and feel of the language. Though the pronunciation has changed somewhat from the era of the sagas, the official text of much of the language has remained relatively consistent from as far back as the ninth century, prior even to the introduction of the Latin-based alphabet to write the Icelandic language.

Even gender and sexuality terms in the Icelandic language can sound like technical terms especially associated with the language, as both require Icelandic roots in the lexical engineering as promoted by the Icelandic government.

Icelandic Naming Committee

When referring to baby names in Iceland, the Icelandic government has an approved list of both male and female baby names that represent Icelandic roots and origins. Though additional names are permitted at the discretion of the Icelandic government, every name must be compatible with conjugation in the Icelandic language. Apart from the Icelandic Naming Committee on forenames, the linguistic conventions also occur with regard to the patronymics (or increasingly matronymics) while the Icelandic population largely lacks family names entirely. Officially, the suffixes that represent sons and daughters have remained relatively consistent from the era of Old Norse; however, a non-binary patronymic suffix has also been available for use since circa 2019.

Officially, the masculine suffix is “-son,” the feminine suffix “-dóttir,” and the neuter suffix “-bur,” each representing references relative to a given parent. Outside Iceland, the patronymic naming conventions have proven difficult, particularly for immigration and customs staff serving countries and regions elsewhere. While many of the other Nordic countries are aware of the Icelandic naming system refusing modernization, most global societies expect children to bear surnames identical to parental surnames, resulting in the aforementioned complications.

Examples of the patronymic naming system relating to “Þór” and “Björn” are as follows:

• Masculine: Þórsson, Björnsson
• Feminine: Þórsdóttir, Björnsdóttir
• Neuter: Þórsbur, Björnsbur

Since the neuter names listed above have not existed in the Icelandic construction prior to circa 2019, the gender-neutral names may result in red lines or other apparent spelling errors given the situation and context.

Hype for the Future 85/284: Iceland 🇮🇸 vs. Vermont (United States)

Introduction

Though Iceland overall is significantly more inclusive and progressive than the United States of America at any point in the history of the latter, the nations also contain relatively similar pockets, especially in the State of Vermont in the United States.

Inclusivity

While the State of Vermont is the American leader of inclusivity in terms of freedom of gender identity and expression, the entire sovereign nation of Iceland has a culture that makes gender seem antiquated as far back as the introduction of the Althing circa 932.

Hype for the Future 84B: Vík and Höfn

Overview

Both located on the southern side of Iceland, the communities of Vík (west) and Höfn (east) each represent distinct stories on Icelandic culture, heritage, and settlement, while also containing many of the tourist features and amenities associated with the entire island, at least for the mainstream. Smaller facilities may be utilized as places to stay elsewhere, such as in the northwestern portion of the island nation containing the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery and Witchcraft.

Hype for the Future 84A: Höfn 🇮🇸

Overview

The community of Höfn is located relatively east along the southern side of Iceland, containing a number of hotels, apartments, and guest homes as would be expected in such a community. Though conventional tourist attractions are, as is usual, not present in such an Icelandic community, the vast majority of the tourist attractions associated with the island nation are purely based on scenic views.

Hype for the Future 84/284: Icelandic Geography

Introduction

The vast majority of the population of Iceland 🇮🇸 is associated with Reykjavík and associated suburban areas on all sides. The immediate communities are home to a number of museums of different types, many of which would likely not be allowed to exist in the immediate vicinity.

Amenities

Today, Icelandic amenities include, but are not limited to, cultural features associated with the scientific nature of the island nation. While a phallological museum exists centrally within Reykjavík, additional associated animal museums may occur throughout the island nation to lesser extents.

Hype for the Future 83E: Is Iceland Immune to Heteronormativity?

Introduction

Though Iceland has traditionally focused on collective survival over private coupledom, the national identity had largely been gendered, as with the vast majority of national identities elsewhere. In the case of the island nation, however, many of the gender markers have largely been reference markers rather than role enforcers, as in the following demonstrations:

Icelandic Names

In Iceland, traditional family names are largely encouraged, and the national registry maintains a particular list of Icelandic names as to ensure the continued survival of the Old Norse variants of names relatively near their original forms without Danish, Norwegian, or other outside interference. Rather than allowing for family customs from elsewhere to be imported, the nation enforces Icelandic names and naming systems, with official prefixes as necessary:

• -son (masculine)
• -dóttir (feminine)
• -bun (neuter)

The eth (ð) and thorn (þ) sounds are represented using the respective characters as listed in parentheses, with the eth being voiced and the thorn voiceless. For example, the following may be translated:

• Þórsson (Thor’s son)
• Þórsdóttir (Thor’s daughter)
• Þórsbun (Thor’s child)

Even though traditional gender markers continue to appear in Icelandic names at large, the official policies throughout the island are generally amongst the most liberating for LGBTQIA+ communities and additional gender identities. While gender markers in contexts elsewhere determine behavioral and social expectations alike, the Icelandic gender roles are generally more attached to purely reference points and factual information.

Hype for the Future 83D: The Progressive Geography of Iceland

Introduction

Overall, the isolated island nation of Iceland is identified as largely associated with settlements on the periphery. Though Iceland 🇮🇸 is largely a coastal nation with high humidity, the east-central interior of the nation is largely associated with more of a cold-desert climate with semi-arid regions associated with the immediate vicinity.

The Desert

The cold-desert region of Iceland has largely determined the name “Iceland” referring largely to the eastern side of the modern nation approaching the North Atlantic Ocean and the Seyðisfjörður area.

Hype for the Future 83B: The Icelandic Language

Introduction

The Icelandic language is an enigmatic language associated with the isolated island nation. Surrounded entirely by the North Atlantic Ocean, the nation is at the convergence of the tectonic plates associated with Europe and North America. Despite the geographical distances between the island nation and the mainland (including Denmark and Norway), the Icelandic language continues to represent the insular Nordic region.

Alphabet

The particular focus on this article about the Icelandic language is about the Icelandic alphabet, containing numerous letters including, but not limited to, the notable letters ö, ð (eth), and þ (thorn). Not to be confused with Old English, the Icelandic characters are largely associated with distinctive pronunciations related to the nation.

Hype for the Future 83A: East Iceland

Introduction

The vast majority of East Icelandic place names are largely determined by the fjord locations by geography, particularly as many of the settled areas are coastal and the inland areas are significantly less populated. The following place names are identified as located within the East Iceland region, including regions with particularly strong Norwegian connections historically (especially related to Stavanger):

Locales

• Bakkafjörður
• Vopnafjörður
• Bakkagerði
• Eiðar
• Egilsstaðir
• Seyðisfjörður
• Mjóifjörður
• Neskaupstaður
• Eskifjörður
• Reyðarfjörður
• Fáskrúðsfjörður
• Stöðvarfjörður
• Breiðdalsvík
• Djúpivogur
• Stafafell
• Nesjahverfi
• Höfn
• Kálfafellsstaður
• Fagurhólsmýri
• Hof
• Vallanes
• Hallormsstaður

Heteronormativity Notice

Each of the listed place names above prioritize the economic, geographical, and cultural features while mostly avoiding gendered constructs in place names throughout the region (and throughout Iceland 🇮🇸 more broadly).

Hype for the Future 83/284: Life beyond Heteronormativity, Iceland 🇮🇸 Edition

Introduction

Though Iceland has largely maintained a relatively plural culture for over a millennium, the term “heteronormativity” as utilized in the modern day has not existed as of yet. However, the Icelandic culture has largely avoided romantic and sexual centralization as with many European cultures elsewhere.

History

Much of what is today Iceland is largely determined by the Viking settlers, largely associated with a region that has traditionally spanned the island, the Faroe Islands, and much of Norway at the very beginning. With Iceland as an isolated area, many of the folk songs associated with the isolated nation have developed relatively conservatively, including bypassing the heteronormative societal expectations that have largely occurred elsewhere.

Hype for the Future 82D: Traditional Norse Music

Introduction

While the most obvious evidence of traditional Viking culture is perhaps the Icelandic and Faroese sagas alike, traditional Norse music has also existed throughout the region either predating the sagas or, more likely, alongside the sagas though serving the Nordic mainland.

Traditional Norse Music — Mainland 🇳🇴 🇸🇪 🇩🇰

The most obvious associations with Nordic culture that have occurred throughout the region include, but are not necessarily limited to, the traditional works that have largely inspired later renditions of the general area. Such traditional Norse songs have included “Eirik Jarl,” “Ved Stanford Brua,” “Í Noreg búðu raskir menn,” and “Håkon Den Gode,” just to name a few.

Traditional Viking Sagas — Faroe Islands (Føroyar) 🇫🇴 and Iceland (Ísland) 🇮🇸

The following list intends to represent the distinctive sagas associated with Nordic culture within the North Atlantic Ocean:

• Føroyar
  • “Ormurin langi”
  • “Sigmundskvæði eldra”
  • “Sigmundskvæði yngra”
  • “Gandkvæði Tróndar”
  • “The Witch at Miðjanesi”
  • “Sigmundsvísa”
  • “Regin smiður”
  • “Brynhildar táttur”
  • “Høgna táttur”
  • “Sjúrðarkvæði”
• Ísland
  • “Á sprengisandi”
• Vinland
  • “Vinland det fagre”

Hype for the Future 81E: Iceland (Ísland) 🇮🇸 (Seyðisfjörður)

Introduction

Iceland is an isolated country, often associated with Scandinavia though physically located far from the Scandinavian mainland. Unlike the mainland Scandinavian Peninsula, Iceland maintains a more conservative Norse identity thanks to contact difficulties between the island and the mainland(s) in any direction. Significant distances are required to identify land that does not belong to Iceland in any direction, whether toward Greenland (not very populated), Scotland (culturally distinct), or Norway (in which Iceland was once associated as part of the Kingdom of Denmark-Norway).

Ferry Access

The East Iceland community of Seyðisfjörður is accessible by MS Norröna ferry service, more commonly renowned for connections to the Faroe Islands including the capital at Tórshavn. The European mainland is also connected by way of the community of Hirtshals in northern Denmark, approaching Norway along the Skaggerak and the Kattegat.

Hype for the Future 73H: Descriptions of Nordic Flags

Introduction

There currently exist five (5) distinct Nordic nations, recognized by their distinctive Nordic cross flag shapes. These countries are Denmark 🇩🇰, Norway 🇳🇴, Sweden 🇸🇪, Iceland 🇮🇸, and Finland 🇫🇮, just to name sovereign states. Outlying territories which also contain the Nordic crosses also include the Faroe Islands 🇫🇴 of Denmark and the Åland Islands 🇦🇽 of Finland.

Flag Descriptions

• Denmark: Bicolor Nordic cross; white on the inside, red on the outside
• Faroe Islands: Tricolor Nordic cross; red on the inside, blue on the outline, white on the outside
• Norway: Tricolor Nordic cross; blue on the inside, white on the outline, red on the outside
• Sweden: Bicolor Nordic cross; yellow on the inside, blue on the outside
• Iceland: Tricolor Nordic cross; red on the inside, white on the outline, blue on the outside
• Finland: Bicolor Nordic cross; blue on the inside, white on the outside
• Åland Islands: Tricolor Nordic cross; red on the inside, yellow on the outline, blue on the outside

Hype for the Future 73G: European Subnational Subdivisions (Part Two, Germanic Nations)

Introduction

Unfortunately, the previous post could not cover the entirety of the different subnational regions, but could only cover the specific regions of the British Isles and the Romance nations. This post is specifically dedicated to the nations of Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Austria, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

National Subdivisions

• Belgium 🇧🇪
  • West Flanders
  • East Flanders
  • Antwerp
  • Flemish Brabant
  • Brussels
  • Walloon Brabant
  • Limburg
  • Liege
  • Hainaut
  • Namur
  • Luxembourg
• Netherlands 🇳🇱
  • Noord-Holland
  • Zuid-Holland
  • Friesland
  • Flevoland
  • Utrecht
  • Gelderland
  • Zeeland
  • Noord-Brabant
  • Limburg
  • Groningen
  • Drenthe
  • Overijssel
• Luxembourg 🇱🇺
  • Esch zur Alzette
  • Capellen
  • Luxembourg
  • Remich
  • Grevenmacher
  • Echternach
  • Mersch
  • Redange
  • Diekirch
  • Wilch
  • Vianden
  • Clervaux
• Germany 🇩🇪
  • Saarland
  • Rheinland-Pfalz
  • Nordrhein-Westfalen
  • Niedersachsen
  • Bremen
  • Hamburg
  • Schleswig-Holstein
  • Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
  • Brandenburg
  • Berlin
  • Sachsen-Anhalt
  • Sachsen
  • Hessen
  • Baden-Württemberg
  • Thüringen
  • Bayern
• Switzerland 🇨🇭
  • Genève
  • Vaud
  • Fribourg
  • Neuchâtel
  • Bern
  • Jura
  • Solothurn
  • Basel-Landschaft
  • Basel-Stadt
  • Lucerne
  • Aargau
  • Obwalden
  • Nidwalden
  • Valais
  • Ticino
  • Graubünden
  • Uri
  • Glarus
  • Schwyz
  • Zug
  • Zürich
  • Schaffhausen
  • Thurgau
  • Sankt Gallen
  • Aupenzell Ausserrhoden
  • Aupenzell Innerrhoden
• Liechtenstein 🇱🇮
• Austria 🇦🇹
  • Vorarlberg
  • Tirol
  • Salzburg
  • Kärnten
  • Steiermark
  • Wien
  • Niederösterreich
  • Oberösterreich
  • Burgenland
• Iceland 🇮🇸
  • Vestfirðir
  • Vesturland
  • Suðurnes
  • Höfuðborgarsvæðið
  • Norðurland vestra
  • Norðurland eystra
  • Suðurland
  • Austurland
• Denmark 🇩🇰
  • Syddanmark
  • Midtjylland
  • Nordjylland
  • Sjælland
  • Hovedstaden
• Norway 🇳🇴
  • Rogaland
  • Agder
  • Telemark
  • Vestfold
  • Buskerud
  • Oslo
  • Østfold
  • Akershus
  • Innlandet
  • Vestland
  • Møre og Romsdal
  • Trøndelag
  • Nordland
  • Troms
  • Finnmark
  • Svalbard
  • Jan Mayen
• Sweden 🇸🇪
  • Skåne
  • Blekinge
  • Kalmar
  • Gotland
  • Halland
  • Kronoberg
  • Jönköping
  • Västra Götaland
  • Värmland
  • Örebro
  • Östergötland
  • Södermanland
  • Västmanland
  • Uppsala
  • Stockholm
  • Dalarna
  • Gävleborg
  • Jämtland
  • Västernorrland
  • Västerbotten
  • Norrbotten

Hype for the Future 73F: The Importance of the Nordic Countries

Introduction

While the Nordic countries are perhaps most notable in the modern world for sharing a common symbol, the Nordic cross, amongst the flags of the associated nations and regional identities, each country also maintains a clear and present national identity of pride, even in spite of surface and historical similarities such as the traditional Kalmar Union of Sweden and Denmark-Norway.

Linguistics

From the Anglosphere, the Nordic countries are of particular interest as often representing the easiest foreign languages to learn, particularly because of shared basic vocabulary and grammar rules, even though the English language is linguistically more similar to the Dutch and German languages than to the languages further north in the European continent. Today, the English language, though often inheriting vocabulary from French and occasionally other Romance languages, continues to represent the Germanic linguistic roots as with the Viking communities, whom were also considered Germanic. Eventually, Old English and Old Norse were effectively identified as slightly different languages, though over a millennium of divergence has resulted in significant deviations between the English and Nordic languages. Even the orthographies are no longer of particular similarities, though Icelandic people are occasionally recorded, perhaps mistakenly, as speaking Old English.

Hype for the Future 73D: L’Anse aux Meadows

Introduction

The Vikings and the associated settlements, though largely identified as having originated within the region now known as Northern Europe and Scandinavia, have since expanded from the modern nations of Norway and Sweden east into Finland and Russia, though only barely so, but more importantly, south and west into Denmark, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland, and, finally, Newfoundland.

Old World or New World?

Prior to 1492, the regions that the Vikings had settled had likely been referred to simply by more local names, such as “Vinland” or “Greenland” in North America. Since the concept of the “New World” had not been established prior to the expeditions of Christopher Columbus, the entirety of the Viking territory would have been considered “Old World” territory, yet the regions had later been redefined as included within the “New World” by way of being transatlantic, even though the regions settled by the Vikings have been surprisingly sequential and not necessarily across the lengthy reaches of the Atlantic.

Today, the definition of the “New World” defines the continents almost entirely by plate tectonics; however, all of Iceland, including the North American side of the island, remains identified as a European power nonetheless, for instance. Even though the closest distance from Norway to Newfoundland may require lengthy Atlantic travel, the Viking journey between the two had likely involved the aforementioned stepping stones of Denmark, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, Iceland, and Greenland prior to the final settlement of Vinland by the northern tip of the island of Newfoundland in present-day Canada. For Scotland, the specific regions to be settled by the Vikings had largely corresponded with the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands, Caithness, Sutherland, and the Inner and Outer Hebrides, including the Uist Islands and the Isles of Skye and Barra.