New Iceland

New Iceland Ísland or Nýja is the name of a region on Lake Winnipeg in today's Canadian province of Manitoba, which was named by settlers from Iceland. These were settled here in 1875.

History

Between about 1870 and 1914 left about 17,000 people Iceland, ie about 15 % of the population to flee from the economic hardship that was exacerbated by the 1875 eruption of Askja volcano. 1874 brought a single ship over 350 Icelanders to Nova Scotia in Canada. Most settled in Markland, where in 1876 a census was conducted.

1875 attracted a large group of Icelanders from Ontario to Manitoba. She left Kinmount on September 25, 1875, to draw to Lake Winnipeg. Apparently they expected there good opportunities for fishing, but proved to the lake as low yields, so they had to switch to other fish species. Added to this was that the first winter, which was particularly hard hit by 1875 to 1876. The Vestur - Íslendingar ( Icelanders in the West) called their settlement Nýja Ísland. Situated around the island Hecla part is now part of the Hecla - Grindstone Provincial Park. There still exist many buildings from the 19th and early 20th century.

In 1875 Gimli was an Icelandic reserve ( reserve, analogous to Indian reserve ), but the area was never independently, even when it came to the Province of Manitoba until 1880. It belonged until then to the District of Keewatin, ie to the Northwest Territories. 1877 sought Lord Dufferin, Vice- Governor and deputy of the English royal house the newly founded city.

Today, about 26,000 people in Manitoba live, have the Icelandic ancestors., And thus about 2.2 % of the population. Conversely, lives a third of Canadians of Icelandic descent in Manitoba.

The culture of the Icelandic ancestors is still recognizable maintained. How to find festivals, such as the Íslendingadagurinn place, and a newspaper, the Lögberg - Heimskringla is published weekly. in Winnipeg.

At the University of Manitoba, there is a department Iceland, are taught at the Icelandic language and literature.