The Hidden Folk of Iceland

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The Hidden Folk of Iceland

21 Sep 99 - 07:34 AM (#116079)
Subject: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: Tony Burns

I came across the following while scanning the news: (there just has to be some great songs about these wee folk).

Tuesday, September 21, 1999
Icelandic road builders know how to keep dwarfs happy
David Wallis
The New York Times
REYKJAVIK, Iceland - In the next few weeks, contractors for the island's road authority will gently move a cracked grey boulder known as Grasteinn, said to be owned by dwarfs, that blocks the expansion of a highway on the outskirts of Reykjavik.
Viktor Ingolfsson, a spokesman for the road agency, defends his department's unorthodox expenditure -- "hundreds, not thousands, of dollars" -- describing it as a reasonable public relations expense.
"When native Americans protest roads being built over ancient burial grounds, the U.S. listens," he explained. "It's the same here. There are people who believe in elves and we don't make fun of them. We try to deal with them."
The widespread acceptance of "hidden folk," such as dwarfs, elves, fairies and goblins, is one of the paradoxes of this seemingly modern island nation.
Every few years, construction crews unwittingly verge on demolishing invisible homes, provoking a real outcry.
The road authority typically responds with sensitivity, routing roads around hallowed boulders or delaying construction long enough to give nonhuman constituents time to find new accommodation.
Magnus Skarphedinsson, self-described headmaster of the Elfschool, which offers half-day seminars on paranormal phenomena, expects the rock relocation to actually save the government money.
"If you ignore the hidden people, the cost of construction doubles or triples," he said. "Everything goes wrong. The workers get sick. The machines don't work."
He was echoing a claim so entrenched in Icelandic lore that it scarcely matters whether it's true.
According to Valdimar Hafsteinn, a folklorist and historian who used to work for the roads administration, the agency in the late-1970s even called in a medium to negotiate with irate elves who had objected to scheduled blasting at a road construction site near the city of Akureyri.
Apparently, the perturbed pixies threatened to sabotage the project.
The medium convened two seances, which led to a compromise: Bureaucrats eschewed explosives and the elves withdrew their opposition.
Erla Stefansdottur, Iceland's most famous "elf-spotter," has helped Reykjavik's planning department and two tourist authorities create maps charting the haunts of hidden folk and their ilk. Though Icelanders often lump these invisible entities together, calling them all hidden folk, the maps detail the differences.
Elves, known for festive clothes and demeanour, nevertheless cherish their privacy. Dwarfs, more moody than elves, are the size of human toddlers. Light-fairies -- think Tinkerbell -- glow and possess flight. Trolls, reportedly not the brightest giants in the otherworld, live like hermits inside mountains and glaciers.
Ms. Stefansdottur says she receives about four calls a month from prospective homeowners, asking her to make sure building lots are spirit-free.

I haven't the time to research more on this right now but a search at Google using iceland hidden folk as the search criteria turned up a lot of promising sites.

21 Sep 99 - 08:12 AM (#116090)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)

We could learn a thing or two from Iceland about sensitivity!

21 Sep 99 - 10:29 AM (#116115)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: Liam's Brother

Great story, Tony! The town of Hafnarfjordur has been built around the stones which contain these leprachauns. The Hafnarfjordur vistors' map shows the rocks and identifies which little creature lives in each.

Although it has no pictures of leprachauns, there is an item at the Mudcat Auction which might be of interest to readers of this thread...

ICELAND - A Land For All Seasons is a 28-minute NTSC (American standard) VHS video filmed in 1991 by Saga Film of Reykjavik. It is a film that "successfully captures the unique beauty of the country, the stillness ansd solitude of the uninhabited interior and the rugged grandeur of the coast where the endless ocean swell crashes on towering cliffs or black volcanic sands." I can only add "see the land of Skarpi in living color." The video is unplayed and probably costs about $35 in Reykjavik.

There are no bids at this time and $21 will get the ball rolling. 100% to benefit Mudcat.

All the best,
Dan Milner

21 Sep 99 - 05:55 PM (#116225)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: katlaughing

Thanks, Tony. Here's to the Little People.

22 Sep 99 - 09:10 AM (#116402)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: alison

on many farms in Ireland you will find Hawthorn trees, also known as the fairy thorn standing alone in the middle of a field...... Crops will be planted around them.... why??? because whoever cuts down a fairy thorn will have nasty tricks played on them by the little people, (usually involving your bed always being filled with thorns........

leave the rock where it is.. or it'll be the worse for you...

slainte

alison

22 Sep 99 - 07:39 PM (#116623)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: paddymac

Wee folk of various kinds are woven throughout the folklore of many peoples around the globe. Among the Muskogee people of the SE US, there are four groups of differently sized folk, all seen as miniature people, but each with distinctive roles to play. Life would be such a bore without the little ones.

23 Sep 99 - 08:42 AM (#116787)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: skarpi Iceland

Hi all, I have been away for some time, but I am back now. I saw this thread and I am glad that you are interested in this matter. Some time ago I was asked are you one of us!. What does that mean.?????? I think I know but I will answear that later. The little peoble is my friend and it is best to leave them alone.So I will add something more to this thread this weekend. bless skarpi Iceland.

23 Sep 99 - 09:07 AM (#116794)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)

Here in New England I know adults who swear they have seen wee folk. My daughter is a true believer; me, I believe that "there are more things in heaven and earth than are dreamt of in our imaginings."
Allison

23 Sep 99 - 12:44 PM (#116899)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: MMario

I'm a firm believer in the "little people" --and would love to hear more about not only the icelandic version - but those four types among the Muskogee

21 Dec 09 - 02:40 PM (#2793729)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: GUEST,India

pls leave them alone. where wil thy go. imagine 2012 niburu story.. where wil we go when niburu attacks? to another planet? same prob for the litle ppl.. thy must be treated as freinds. i belive in them. lot of ppl have seen them. we shudnt disturb them

21 Dec 09 - 03:01 PM (#2793742)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: skarpi

well I here is something more on the way sorry about blue click I always manage to fail doin it .

http://www.icelandicwonders.com/

all the best Skarpi Iceland .

21 Dec 09 - 04:53 PM (#2793827)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: SINSULL

http://www.icelandicwonders.com/

Not SINSULL - a little person.

22 Dec 09 - 11:29 AM (#2794327)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: GUEST,leeneia

In the Midwest, where I live, people are educated and sophisticated and don't believe in elves and leprechauns. Instead we believe in Weather Demons (my term for them), who live in the sky and send storms, ice and tornados.

A Midwesterner would never say something like "I hope the weather is nice for the picnic on Saturday," because then 'they' would hear and know to send a rainstorm. Say something like that, and you will be shushed.

By the way, I have been to Iceland twice. It is a beautiful, beautiful place. I recommend that everyone here visit it.

25 Jun 11 - 06:36 PM (#3176446)
Subject: RE: The Hidden Folk of Iceland
From: GUEST,Colorado, U.S.A.

I believe in the hidden folk with all my heart. I do whatever I can for them but, I never disturb this magical world of creatures-never disturb a single kind of faery!