Aug 28, 2017 Watch the video here Saskatchewan’s settler history is a story of diverse people coming from many parts of the world. What some people may not realize is that Saskatchewan is home to a sizeable population of people of Icelandic descent. Following a volcanic eruption in 1875 and the resulting catastrophic effects on agriculture, many Icelanders emigrated to North America. They settled primarily in the West - throughout Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Alberta, BC, as well as the Dakotas, Minnesota, and Utah. In Saskatchewan, Icelanders primarily settled in what they called the VatnaByggd - the Lake Settlement - which refers to the area Icelanders homesteaded south of Foam Lake, Fishing Lake, Little Quill Lake and Big Quill Lake in eastern Saskatchewan, near the present communities of Wynyard, Mozart, and Elfros. I was first intrigued by the connections between Iceland and Saskatchewan when I visited Iceland last year. In a small town library in northern Iceland, I discovered history books from Manitoba and Saskatchewan towns. I then visited the Icelandic Emigration Centre museum at Hofsós and learned that Icelanders have kept careful genealogical records of their North American relatives, whom they refer to as "Western Icelanders." After returning to Saskatchewan, I learned about the Vatnabyggd settlement. I spoke to Karen Olafson from the Vatnabyggd Icelandic Club, and she invited me to come and make a video during the Snorri West program in June, Snorri West (named for Snorri Þorfinnsson, the first European known to have been born in North America, in what is now Newfoundland, in the 11th century) brings young Icelanders over to North America to connect with relatives and learn about Western Icelandic culture, and vice versa, and the places in which Western Icelanders have put down roots. I spent a couple days with the Vatnabyggd Icelandic Club and their five Icelandic visitors. I interviewed Eric Olafson, who thoughtfully articulated the sentiments of many Saskatchewanians who have family roots elsewhere in the world. This is home, but how our families came to be here is an important part of our identities. After you have enjoyed the video where we hear from Eric Olafson, as well as the five Snorri West participants, please also watch this short interview with Stella Stephanson, a founding member of the Vatnabyggd Icelandic Club. She recalls the process of forming the club and erecting the beautiful Icelandic pioneer memorial in the community of Elfros. Watch that here. For more information about the Snorri West program, visit http://www.snorri.is/snorri-west.html"Is it Nature or Nurture That Makes Us Who We Are?"
