Everything Icelandic
Everything Icelandic is an INLNA initiative to better serve members and friends of the league through online means. It will present monthly presentations or interviews on a variety of topics – travel and tourism, literature and music, history and geography, food and art, cinema and sagas, business and public affairs. We’ll explore all things Icelandic, whether here in North America, over in Iceland, or anywhere else in the world.
Next event
A Conversation with Professor Niigaan Sinclair on
The Indigenous Peoples of the Interlake & the Nýja Íslanders
INLNA Annual Truth & Reconciliation Webinar
Monday, September 21, 2026 at 7 p.m. Central Time
Professor Niigaan Sinclair is an award-winning writer, editor, professor of Indigenous studies at the University of Manitoba, named in 2022 by McClean’s magazine as one of the most influential people in Canada. He has received the ‘Canadian columnist of the Year’ award in 2018 and continues to appear weekly on multiple platforms across Canada, from the pages of the Winnipeg Free Press to TV shows on CBC. In 2019, Dr. Sinclair received the ‘Peace Educator of the Year’ award from the Peace and Justice Studies Association based at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. His book, Wînipêk: Visions of Canada from an Indigenous Centre won Canada’s 2024 Governor General’s Award for Non-Fiction.
Exploring Visions for Truth and Reconciliation – Indigenous Peoples and Nýja Íslanders
At the heart of both Icelandic and Indigenous traditions is a shared love of stories. In Iceland, the sagas are not simply old tales; they are a central part of cultural memory, carrying forward values, histories, struggles, and stories from one generation to the next. The Nýja Íslanders so valued their sagas and literature, the story goes, that they choose to pack books over other necessities when they left their homes for North America.
What we might not appreciate is how much indigenous cultures value storytelling. Professor Niigaan Sinclair, who is Anishinaabe and professor at the University of Manitoba in Indigenous Studies, has written about Anishinaabe 19th writers who wrote in English, about how to navigate a world where they were being invaded and yet maintain a sense and commitment to love and community. Prof. Sinclair uses Indigenous literature and history (such as in his award-winning book Wînipêk) to challenge mainstream colonial narratives and affirm a people and culture rooted in empathy, compassionate caring and community.
Both for the Indigenous communities and Nýja Íslanders, the stories handed down have shaped their understanding of who they are and how to endure difficult times. This connection between our two cultures is also reflected in a shared value of inclusive decision-making. The Indigenous practice of the talking circle, where people gather so that every voice can be heard, echoes the spirit of Iceland’s Althing, one of the world’s oldest parliamentary traditions. Both are grounded in the belief that community decisions must be shaped through an inclusive process of listening, respect, and collective responsibility.
The story of John and Betsy Ramsay, whose generosity toward struggling Icelandic newcomers during the first harsh winters and the sorrow of a smallpox epidemic, remains deeply revered by the descendants of the first Nýja Íslanders. John Ramsay taught newcomers how to hunt and fish, which saved many from starvation, even as he and his family endured the tragedy of smallpox. Ramsay’s kindness reflects the Indigenous values Dr. Sinclair describes as “sharing, caring for the vulnerable, and coming together in a circle of mutual responsibility.” Together these examples of shared values reveal a meaningful bond between Icelandic and Indigenous communities—one built on stories, democracy, generosity, and the enduring power of the human relationship.
Reconciliation is an act that grows out of relationship and discourse. The month of Truth and Reconciliation offers an opportunity for reflection and, as Dr. Sinclair puts it, to ‘double down on commitment to one another – even across differences.”
Past events
Quest for the Lost Vikings
Special guest webinar
Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 11:30 am Central Time
The Icelandic National League of North America (INLNA) is delighted to host Fara Heim team leads, David Collette & Johann Sigurdson, who will give behind-the -scenes insights into their documentary ‘Quest for the Lost Vikings’, an 8-part series first aired on Super Channel in January 2026.
The Fara Heim team have deep family roots in exploration and adventure. Both David Collette and Johann Sigurdson are descendants of Thorfinn Karlsefni and Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir who sailed with Leifur Eiriksson to Vinland. Once thought to be merely a folk tale, archaeological evidence uncovered by Norwegian explorers Helge and Anne Stine Ingstad established the truth of a Viking trading post in North America, one which David and Johann’s ancestors, Thorfinn and Gudrid, would certainly have called upon. But did they sail further into the continent?
Emily Kilgore and “The Christmas Book Flood”
Celebrating the Magic of Jólabókaflóð and the Joy of Reading
SUNDAY, December 14th, 2025 at 3 pm Central Time
The Icelandic National League of North America (INLNA) is delighted to present a special session in our “Everything Icelandic” webinar series. This event will feature creative children’s author Emily Kilgore, who will share her enchanting picture book, The Christmas Book Flood, a story that beautifully brings to life the Icelandic tradition of Jolabokaflod.
Exploring the Dark Heart of Nordic Storytelling
with Professor Gunnar Iversen
Tuesday, November 18, 2025 at 7 pm Central Time
As the days grow shorter and shadows stretch longer, it feels only fitting that we turn our attention to one of Scandinavia’s most distinctive cultural exports — Nordic Noir.
Everything Icelandic is thrilled to host Professor Gunnar Iversen, Professor and Head of Film Studies at Carleton University, for a special talk as part of INLNA Nordic Noir November. Professor Iversen will delve into the origins and evolution of Nordic Noir, exploring its central themes, enduring appeal, and deep connection to the Nordic landscapes.
Often described as bleak, atmospheric, and psychologically complex, Nordic Noir has captivated audiences around the world through novels, television dramas, and films that reflect not only crime and mystery, but also the social and moral undercurrents of the Scandinavian societies. Iceland has become a significant part of the Nordic Noir genre, both through its unique landscapes, its authors and films. Popular Netflix productions, like Trapped and The Valhalla Murders, have topped ratings and authors, like Arnaldur Indriðason, Ragnar Jónasson and Yrsa Sigurðardóttir, have become international best sellers.
Set against the long, dark winters of Iceland, the setting itself becomes a character—its stark beauty and isolation shaping the tone, tension, and humanity of each story. It’s no coincidence that Iceland, where November is both the darkest and bleakest month of the year, hosts its own celebrated Nordic Noir Festival. (See https://icelandnoir.weebly.com/)
Professor Iversen’s presentation will explore:
The history and defining features of Nordic Noir.
Its cultural and political roots in Scandinavian society.
The reasons behind its global popularity.
And perhaps, what this fascination with moral ambiguity and darkness tells us about ourselves.
Join us for what promises to be an illuminating journey into the shadows of Nordic storytelling — where the line between good and evil is never quite clear, and the cold light of day reveals more than we might expect.
About Gunnar Iversen PhD
Professor Gunnar Iversen is head of Film Studies at Carleton University, Ottawa. He is an expert in Nordic Noir literature and film. He has published more than 20 books and over 200 articles in 8 different languages, including co-authoring The Intellect Handbook of Nordic Cinema which provides a comprehensive of cinema in the Nordic countries of Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland and Sápmi (the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sámi people). Other books include Nordic National Cinemas, Historical Dictionary of Scandinavian Cinema, and Beyond the Visual: Sound and Image in Ethnographic and Documentary Film. Most recently, Professor Iversen edited an anthology titled Unwatchable, which explores the complex themes and social impacts movies and images can have on the global visual culture.
Not Alone on the Prairie
How Indigenous Wisdom Helped Icelanders Endure and Thrive
Wednesday, October 1st, 2025
This year, 2025, marks the 150th anniversary of the landing of Icelandic immigrants at Willow Island near Gimli, Manitoba, that left over 60 families on the shores of Lake Winnipeg. The settlers arrived in land that had been ‘given to them’ by the Dominion of Canada to start a new colony and found Nýja Ísland. However, the land already had people living on it. This proved to be fortuitous for the newcomers. The weary Icelanders arrived on October 21st which was very late in the year to be successful in enduring the winter. We know that the local indigenous groups, particularly the Anishinaabe, Cree, and Métis, were key to their survival. In the 150 celebrations in Gimli and Riverton, Manitoba this year, the memory of John Ramsay, who was of the Saulteaux peoples, was honoured. Ramsay, despite the arrival of settlers on land he called home, chose to offer incredible generosity and selfless compassion at a great personal cost. In that first winter, he is credited for saving as many as 75 of the settlers from starving and freezing to death. Ramsay’s beloved wife and four children died of smallpox the following year.
There were many hardships, as we know, but the Icelanders more than survived, they thrived. In those early years, learning from indigenous people how to fish through ice was essential for food, but later it became the basis of an international commercial fishing industry on Lake Manitoba. This is just one story of the success of Icelanders in this country. This year as we celebrate the 150 years of Icelandic heritage in Canada, the INLNA invites us to take a pause on Truth and Reconciliation Day to recognize how the people who were here already helped our ancestors. In a sense we stand on their shoulders – most with names unknown but acts of kindness and generosity to be remembered. Ramsay’s story also reminds us of the cost of colonial encounter—not only in land, but in lives and culture. His generosity did not shield his family from the devastating impact of disease or displacement, yet his actions endure as a model of courage and grace in the face of great challenge and shine like a beacon into the future.
The INLNA is pleased to be joined online a conversation led by distinguished guest Glenn Sigurdson C.M,K.C.
Glenn Sigurdson C.M,K.C , a fifth generation descendent of one of the original Icelandic fishing families on Lake Winnipeg, will tell us stories of how indigenous wisdom was integrated into the fishing industry through the deep and lasting relationships between the Icelanders and local indigenous peoples. The stories he shares are personal, passed down from family members. Glenn also professionally works in reconciliation around environmental and resource land use involving indigenous treaties and rights. Glenn Sigurdson received the 2025 INLNA Joan Inga Eyolfson Cadham Award and the Order of Canada in 2022.
In Conversation with Eliza REID
Joint Presentation of The Icelandic National League of North America (INLNA) and the Icelandic National League of the United States (INLUS)
Wednesday, October 8th, 2025 @ 11 am Central Time Online Webinar
Eliza Reid’s first mystery novel – DEATH ON AN ISLAND – weaves Agatha Christie, Louise Penny and Nordic Noir together to create a suspenseful surprise which will capture the intrigue of avid mystery readers and those new to the genre. It’s a novel you won’t be able to put down!
What compelled Eliza to turn to writing mystery novels? How did she conjure up such a compelling host of characters?
Join us online for an intimate up-close opportunity to chat with our former First Lady of Iceland about this new chapter in her amazing life.
Ryan Eyford
Tuesday, January 21, 2025 8 pm EST (7 CT; 6 MT, 5 PT)
Icelanders love stories, especially ones about journeys. The journey of Icelanders in 1875, to escape the volcanic eruptions and poverty in order to create a new home in North America is a saga to rival all of them. In 2025, we celebrate 150 years since the founding of Nýja Ísland. It is a time to honour the many groups who came in small ships to different harbours and made the long trek across forested wild lands to found settlements from coast to coast. The large group that came to Gimli to found New Iceland in the north-west territories, became a cultural heart for all these disparate communities. They stayed connected through newspapers, letters, visits and resettlements. It was remarkable when you consider 1875 and what travel and communication was like then.
This year the INLNA convention will be held in Gimli, Manitoba. The theme is “Þó Líði Ár og Öld – Though Years and Centuries Pass”. Though the years have passed, we still gather to celebrate our shared and rich cultural heritage.
In this webinar, Professor Eyford will share with us the story and journeys of those original settlers, giving us the beginnings of the saga of Western Icelanders.
Discover Your Icelandic immigration story
with Icelandic Roots
Webinar REplay:
Join in a special webinar which will be jointly hosted by INLUS and INLNA. Dave Jonasson from Icelandic Roots will show us some amazing new features in the Icelandic Roots genealogy database which can help us trace and understand our ancestors and how they emigrated from Iceland to North America.
Icelandic Roots is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Fargo North Dakota and is a member of both INLUS and INLNA. Visit our Icelandic Organizations and Partner Organizations pages for more information.
This event was held on Thursday, October 26th. The conversation will be facilitated by Natalie Guttormsson from INLNA.
Wind, Gravel, & Ice
with Christina Chowaniec
Webinar REplay:
Everything Icelandic presents Christina Chowaniec on Wind, Gravel and Ice, an account of Canadian soldiers in Iceland during World War II.
The result of a 10-year research project, the story focuses on the experiences of Christina’s grandfather, who was stationed at RAF Kaldadarnes from July 1940 to April 1941. Christina herself lived at Laugarvatn while she wrote the book, connecting with Icelandic experts and storytellers. A coming of age story set against the backdrop of Iceland, Wind, Gravel and Ice is told in the first person by Private Claude Hill, a new soldier in a strange land, understanding what it means to wait for war – and what happens when it finds you.
A Little Look at Christmas in Iceland
with Alda Sigmundsdóttir
Webinar REplay:
The Icelandic National League of North America webinar series Everything Icelandic is pleased to have Alda Sigmundsdóttir speak to us directly from Iceland on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.
Alda Sigmundsdóttir is the writer and publisher of the delightfully entertaining "Little Book" series, including The Little Book of the Icelanders at Christmas.
Alda Sigmundsdóttir will be in conversation with INLNA past president Stefan Jonasson, taking us on a journey through Iceland's magical Yuletide festivities, from Advent to New Year's Eve, sharing the history and cultural background to many of the traditions still celebrated today. And, of course, she has favourite traditional recipes, stories of the jólasveinar and much more to share.
Alda Sigmundsdóttir's Little book series is equally informative and entertaining. Many of us have enjoyed The Little Book of Hidden People or smiled in recognition when reading The Little Book of Tourists in Iceland. Alda has also brought her insight and compassion to non-fiction works like Unraveled: Living Inside the Meltdown and Daughter, A Memoir. You can check out Alda's books and publishing company at www.aldasigmunds.com
Ambassador Pétur Ásgeirsson
February 20, 2021
Ambassador Pétur Ásgeirsson was the first guest when the Icelandic National League of North America launched its new webinar series, All Things Icelandic, on Saturday, February 20, 2021.
The ambassador was in conversation with INLNA president Stefan Jonasson. They discussed the relationship between Canada and Iceland, what the two countries have in common and how they differ, how the Nordic embassies in Ottawa collaborate, and even explored the ambassador’s personal background and interests.
Saturday, February 20, 2021 – 1:00 p.m. Eastern / 12:00 p.m. Central / 11:00 a.m. Mountain / 10:00 a.m. Pacific
Ambassador Pétur Ásgeirsson has been Iceland’s representative to Canada since November 1, 2017, when he and his wife, Jóhanna Gunnarsdóttir, a lawyer by profession, arrived in Ottawa. The ambassador joined the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1999 and was previously Consul General in Nuuk, Greenland, which is Iceland’s nearest neighbour.