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Some knowledge from Iceland.
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Subject: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: skarpi Date: 27 Aug 99 - 05:57 PM Some time ago some of the mudcatters was wandering about why Iceland Is called Iceland. Well I took a book and began to look for info, I found something that you want to read . and here it is .. The year is 850 , The age of the settlements. The Faraoese Naddodur lands the east coast and he named the place SNÆLAND (Snowland), before returninng to his original destination likely Faroe Island. The year is 855, the second visitor, a swede named GARÐAR SVAVARSON came in search of Naddodur Snæland, circumnavigated the Island and settled in for the winter at HÚSAVÍK on the north coast. When he left the following spring 3 of his men were left behind, whether they like it or not, and they became the Island first residents. He named the Island GARÐARSHÓLMUR in Scandinavian tradition. The year is 860. The Norwegian FLÓKI VILGERÐARSON uprooted his farm and family and headed for SNÆLAND. He navigated with ravens and after some experiments one of the ravens did not return FLÓKI followed its direction and found the shore of SNÆLAND, His use of ravens gave him the nick name HRAFNA FLÓKI or RAVENS FLÓKI , by whitch he has been known ever since. He sailed to VATNSFJÖRÐUR on the west coast but was far from being impressed by the enviroment. When he saw Icebergs floating in the FJÖRÐ he named the Island ÍSLAND OR ICELAND, probably as much to discourage others from arriving there as anything else. He then returned to Norway but at some point reconsidered his position as he did in fact return to Iceland some years later and settle in SKAGAFJÖRÐUR district on the north coast. The year is 874. Iceland first international settler, INGÓLFUR ARNARSON arrives from Norway , he set up a house at a place he called REYKJAVÍK becouse of the steam from the thermal springs there. Well how do you like Icelandic historys, you now know something about our history and many of you think that we are related to the Norway but also to Ireland. Why Ireland, becouse the Norway vikings took them as slaves from Ireland and took them to Iceland. So we all got mixed together. Well folks if any questions shoot and I will try to answear them all . If you want to see some old Icelandic letters I will try to get it on my computer. The old one is called Rúnir. All the best from me skarpi Iceland.
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Llanfair Date: 27 Aug 99 - 06:14 PM Skarpi, that is fascinating stuff. When I was 11 years old, my mother won a competition run by the News Chronicle and Nestle, and I went to Iceland for four days. My memories are very hazy, but I remember the docks at Reykjavik. and being taken to see some of your country. We swam in the warm swimming pool, and I remember I didn't like the ptarmigan they gave us to eat at one meal, though I did like the rice pudding with almonds in. I still have the photos, and this happened in 1959. Love, Bron. |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: skarpi Date: 27 Aug 99 - 06:30 PM Dear Bron, since 1959 Iceland has changed ana Reykjavík is growing fast and if you remember the pool with all the docks, well there is a big house in the pool now. Sorry you did not like some of our food, I think you might had some of our traditional food there. All the best skarpi Iceland. |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: katlaughing Date: 27 Aug 99 - 06:49 PM That is wonderful, Skarpi! Thank you so much for looking this up and telling us about it. I always love to learn more about other cultures and countries. More! More!:-) Thanks! katlaughingingluttony! |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: annamill Date: 27 Aug 99 - 08:37 PM Thank you Skarpi! Both you and your description of your homeland make me want to come for a visit. I love new adventures and new foods and new peoples. Maybe next summer, or maybe you can tell me the best season or months for a visit to Iceland. Heh, Bill, Max! How about the 10th anniversary of Mudcat in Iceland?? When is it? 2006? (this is originally Bill/Sables idea) Skarpi, who would be the best travel agent or local government agency to write for accomodations? What fun! It would be ok, Skarpi, if your place is not large enough to hold all of Mudcat, we would find places and we could rent a large place to hold it. Let's start a fund. We could open an account that anyone one can add to, but only certain people had access too. We could put the money in an mutual fund for investment. What a bash!! What sports are available? Can we go kayaking?? What's your feelings, everyone?? Or is it too far in the future. Love, annap |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: pj Date: 27 Aug 99 - 08:59 PM annap- What fun! Us 'catter types so often fantasize about all getting together, I can't think of a more beautiful, amazing place to hook up than good ol' SNAELAND! Keep us posted on your scheme. skarpi- Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou! What a great little flying carpet tour of Icelandic history! I'd love to hear you tell about some modern culture there, too. What kind of habits and traditions have survived into daily life or yearly celebration? What bits of culture do you think we would find most unusual when we visit, and what would we find familiar? By the way, we're glad to have you back, glad you survived computer flu season! :*) pj |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Paul G. Date: 27 Aug 99 - 09:15 PM Skarpi... Your descriptions of you country are better than a cool blast from an air conditioner down here in hot, sunny Florida. We're sitting here in the path of Hurricane Dennis this weekend, but sitting under a volcano...that's living an adventure. Your words paint beautiful pictures. Thank you! Paul G. |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Big Mick Date: 27 Aug 99 - 11:06 PM Well, my good friend, you have certainly done well with your story. It was marvelous, and for those of you who are just getting into 'Catting, Skarpi is one of our best. I always look forward to his posts and miss him when he is not here. You can see why from his history posting. Well done, Skarpi. I think a gathering in Iceland would be great, especially if one had a couple of years to save for it. We could make it a festival and concert. I will bet the locals would love it and we could make it an event. Think on it, my friends. Mick |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Helen Date: 27 Aug 99 - 11:07 PM Hi Skarpi, When I was studying the Old English language (Anglo-Saxon) I decided that I would name my house hrefna holt, which means raven's wood. I ended up getting a sign carved out of wood - but it is in English, not Old English. I notice your word for raven is very close hrafna/hrefna. The letterm characters are the same too, i.e. the the two 'th' sounds called 'thorn' and 'eth' in Anglo Saxon, one looks like a 'p' and one looks like a 't' backwards. I want to come to the Iceland anniversary bash too. I'sd have enough time to save up by then. Helen |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: skarpi Date: 28 Aug 99 - 08:04 AM Hello all, I have to answear you all tonight becouse I am going to my brothers wedding today. Holding a mudcat together festival in Iceland wooooooo I like that, but we all have to save some money first. You hear from me tonight. all the best skarpi Iceland. |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: annamill Date: 28 Aug 99 - 11:51 AM refresh |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Amaranth Date: 28 Aug 99 - 01:00 PM Just a further note to the Irish and Icelanders...the Irish slaves were responsible for Icelanders great love of the written word...there would have been no written records of the nordic peoples but for them...they were also responsible for Iceland's relative early conversion to Christianity...but don't hold that against them |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: skarpi Date: 28 Aug 99 - 08:42 PM Hello all, Amaranth thank you for adding this to all of us, you should also know that Iceland is celebrateing 1000 year since Christianity in Iceland in the year 2000.If some of you like to come Iceland conntact Icelandair, and the best time is from middle of julie. About holding mudcat celebration in Iceland, well my house is not big enough, but we can get places to stay in and hold the celebration. I will tell you more about Icelandic history next week, and if someone wants to add some knowledge to the history, do so. Until next time all the best to you all. |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Helgi Iceland Date: 28 Aug 99 - 09:14 PM Halló Skarpi. - Hello Skarpi Ertu viss um að við ættum að ráðast í svona afmælishátíð? Það þarf nú helv..... margar pönnukökur þá! Bara svona smá grín, til þess að vita hvort einhver þarna úti fattar og skilur íslenskt mál. Kveðja. Hljóðmaðurinn - The Soundman |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: skarpi Date: 28 Aug 99 - 09:20 PM Hello all, we have another ICELANDIC on mudcatt. We welcome him to us . His name is helgi and is one of five members of the TAMÓRA band in Iceland. Jæja Helgi minn vertu velkominn á muddan, þú skalt passa þig því ég er búin að kenna nokkrum íslensku á mudcattinu. kveðja - all the best from skarpi Iceland. |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Helgi Iceland Date: 28 Aug 99 - 09:34 PM Hello Skarpi. I am very pleased you introduced me to other members on Mudcat Café, but you have to check out your spelling technics! As you wrote: "His name is helgi", isn't right 'cause my name is Helgi as you know. Dear Skarpi, take a good care of your fingers, spelling words is (to me) same thing as playing instruments, if you play wrong chord the tune will fell apart!!! |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: catspaw49 Date: 28 Aug 99 - 09:48 PM Skarpi my friend, you are as always, a treat to have among us on the 'Cat. This is much the type of thread I asked about when you first came to our "Village" here. Many thanks. And now you've brought us a new member? Welcome to you Helgi. I'm sure that Skarpi can fill you in on the general workings of the 'Cat.......How to use the forum, and so forth. Please join us on any thread at anytime. Go to Iceland-----Hmmmm, It is an idea isn't it? Spaw |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: skarpi Date: 28 Aug 99 - 09:50 PM Well I be damnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn, there must be something wrong with my keyboard. Yes his name is Helgi with a large H. I am so sorry, but I fixed the tune. bless á meðan.slán go foil. skarpi Iceland. |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Amaranth Date: 30 Aug 99 - 08:26 PM Don't think I'll be making it to Iceland anytime soon...but if you are ever in Canada, you should come to Manitoba in August for Islendingadagurinn. We have the largest population of Icelanders outside of Iceland |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: katlaughing Date: 30 Aug 99 - 09:57 PM Welcome to the Mudcat, Helgi and Amaranth (globe amaranths are one of my favourite flowers!) Helgi, Skarpi has been kindly assisting us with small phrases in Icelandic, then translated to English. It has been a lot of fun to learn them and try to use them when posting to him. Now, I will try to do the same with you, but please remember I only know very little and I do not knwo how to get my computer to make the correct marks over certain letters. Gooa not. katlaughing
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Lonesome EJ Date: 31 Aug 99 - 12:38 AM Skarpi- in 1972 I flew Icelandic Airways to Europe, stopping in Reyjavik for only 45 minutes. I remember that the land around the airport had very few trees- are there forests in Iceland? I know that there are many thermal springs and geysers, much like the ones we have in our Yellowstone Park in America. Do you have many earthquakes there? LEJ |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Ewan McVicar Date: 31 Aug 99 - 06:13 AM Skarpi,
Maybe you can help me with what I've been told is an Icelandic song. It was collected in about 1947 from John Stickle of Unst, Shetland, who said it was a rowing song. I sang it at a couple of conferences recently. One Icelander said it was in Icelandic, and translated it on the spot. The other lecturer was less specific.
Starka varna vesta lee Best regards, hope you can help, Ewan McVicar
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Liam's Brother Date: 31 Aug 99 - 07:01 AM Skarpi min! I just got back from Ireland last night to find out you're running an on-line Iceland Tourist Board! Good man! I very much enjoyed reading the discovery information you wrote at the top. I have not read it in such detail before. Thanks. My understanding is that when the Vikings came to Iceland they found that Irish monks were living there already. Can you find any details on that? Mudcatters probably know that the Vikings swooped down to Ireland and Britain frequently and came back with slaves. They may not know that the most prevalent blood type in Iceland is the same as in Ireland - not mainland Scandinavia! Perhaps you can tell the folks about the leprechauns (the faries that live in rocks) as well.
Bless!
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Cara Date: 31 Aug 99 - 09:27 AM Icelandair runs excellent specials from the East Coast all the time. It's not that expensive at all. Isn't Iceland part of that whole midnight sun thing? Meaning, isn't it dark part of the year and light the other part? Or am I geographically ignorant? If so, how does that affect the culture there? |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: skarpi Date: 31 Aug 99 - 04:18 PM Hello all, about the forest. We have many small forest In Iceland and we hope that they will grow bigger in the year to come. Lonesome Ej, Earthquakes, yes we have them the biggest in my area was 5,1 in Richter last November. Now we watching an old valcano called Katla who is maybe waking up from over 80 years of sleep. Katla is about 2 hours away from my home, we also have a valcano called Hekla and she is about same distance as Katla among many many small areas. brrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Ewan Mcvicar, I will try to help you with this song, it might take some time though. I will let you know when I have some info. Dan, the questions you asked will be answeared In a new thread called Some knowledge from Iceland 2. Among the info about the Feries and the Leprechauns. Also I will tell you about the Irish Monks. Dan, I was watching the telev. and I saw some men who had got salmons witch were 24 pounds in Laxá Borgar- firði. Untill next time all the best skarpi Iceland.
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Liam's Brother Date: 31 Aug 99 - 04:39 PM Skarpi min! I had 10 exciting days in Ireland but the most exciting time of all was standing on the bridge over the River Slaney in Bunclody watching the sea trout swimming below me. But it's tough for me to hear about 24-pound salmon in Iceland. My Icelandic fishing friend is opening a shop in Kringlan and has no time for fun. I'm going to miss not fishing in Iceland this year. All the best.
Bless!
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: pétur Date: 01 Sep 99 - 01:29 PM Heill og sæll Skarpi! Pétur hér (PKK),I was just surfing and dropped by here, havn´t been here for a loooong time,I had totally forgotten our conversation about the cd :(. but if you want I can send it to you,but you will have to give me your address again(I have lost the one you gave me last time we talked.) best regards Pétur. |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Liam's Brother Date: 15 Sep 99 - 01:10 PM Hi! I have just put a 28-minute video, ICELAND: A Land For All Seasons, up for aution. 100% to Mudcat. Anyone interested in the Land of Skarpi should be very happy with this film. All the best, Dan Milner |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: murray@mpce.mq.edu.au Date: 16 Sep 99 - 08:35 AM I also was taught that the Irish monks got there under their own steam, When I used to work in Denmark once in a while the Danes (half joking, I suspect) said that the Irish monks named the relatively un-icy place "Iceland" so that nobody else would be tempted to try to take it over but would be tempted by the name to go to (really icy) Greenland instead. Murray |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Art Thieme Date: 16 Sep 99 - 10:17 AM Skarpi, Thanks! This is a wonderful thread---once again. I have a question. In your note to your friend, you used the word "pig". What does that word mean in Iceland? Here, of course, it means: 1) a barnyard animal. 2) it means a person who is not neat---a bore--a glutton. 3) In the 1960s in the USA, a time of turbulance and youthful rebellion, it was a very negative term for the police. Again, thank you. Art Thieme |
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Subject: RE: Some knowledge from Iceland. From: Art Thieme Date: 16 Sep 99 - 10:18 AM Skarpi, Thanks! This is a wonderful thread---once again. I have a question. In your note to your friend, you used the word "pig". What does that word mean in Iceland? Here, of course, it means: 1) a barnyard animal. 2) it means a person who is not neat---a bore--a glutton. 3) In the 1960s in the USA, a time of turbulance and youthful rebellion, it was a very negative term for the police. Again, thank you. Art Thieme |
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