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By Phyllis Smith Icelandic Roots newsletter theme for 2026 is the emigration and settling of American settlements, including those that went to Brazil in the early years. Most people with ancestors who left Iceland have connections with various communities in the USA and Canada. However, a tiny group of Icelanders headed to Brazil in 1863, followed by another small group in 1873. A Reddit thread poster asked for information in the Brazil subreddit regarding the Icelanders in

Book review of The Icelandic Emigration Journey

by Rob Olason The Icelandic Roots 2026 focus is “Exploring and Documenting Local Icelandic Settlements in North America.” In 2025, the focus was on Icelandic art and culture in Iceland and North America. 2024 saw us focusing on the Settlement Era of Iceland around the first millennium. We inaugurated the idea of focusing on a specific topic in 2023 when we explored Icelandic emigration to North America and other continents. The idea of examining a focus topic each year doesn’

By Phyllis Smith   Many of us are immigrants—not personally—but through our ancestors. It is because they left Iceland that we’re here today. By telling their stories, we uncover themes of resilience, determination, strength, and even suffering. Unless we knew our immigrant ancestors personally, we must trace their journeys through records and research. Our family lore can add colour and context, but it may not be enough to answer every question.   I never knew my Icelandic i

by Sunna Olafson Furstenau As Icelanders, we honor and love to share our Sagas and Stories. One of our ancient heroes is Sæmundur the Wise. He outsmarted the devil not once, but twice! This story has been told for nearly a thousand years and is preserved in several ancient texts. It blends history, faith, and just the right amount of mischief. Sæmundur fróði Sigfússon (I136284) lived from 1056 to 1133 in south Iceland. Even though none of his personal writings have survived,

Icelandic Roots - Bridging the Past into the Future

By Gerry Stefanson We present a poem by Gerry Stefanson, a Writers Group member. As Hallowe'en approaches, we can find ourselves drawn to the more macabre or those questionable events that may be easily explained, but sometimes not. Source: Lögberg-Heimskringla, 1996 This poem was inspired by the true tale of two high school chums who rented a garret loft together at 616 Alverstone Avenue in Winnipeg while attending the University of Manitoba. Was it haunted, as another tena

by Doreen Borgford McFarlane This is an excerpt from a yet unpublished book Leirarskotta  by Doreen Borgfjord McFarlane. Author's Note: This book that I wrote tells the story of an Icelandic girl ghost who, according to Icelandic records, lived and followed the Borgfjord family for no less than eight generations. I learned about her quite accidentally around 2015 by reading a lecture on "Icelandic Immigrant Ghosts" that was delivered at the University of Victoria, B.C. in 200

by Anne Brydon Department of Anthropology McGill University, Montreal, Quebec   ** Reprinted from Icelandic Canadian v.48 n.2 Winter...

By Cathy Josephson Cathy volunteers for Icelandic Roots and also at the East Iceland Emigration Center in Vopnafjörður. She also serves...

by Anne Brydon Department of Anthropology McGill University, Montreal, Quebec   ** Reprinted from Icelandic Canadian v.48 n.2 Winter...

by Anne Brydon Department of Anthropology McGill University, Montreal, Quebec   ** Reprinted from Icelandic Canadian v.48 n.2 Winter...

by Jason Doctor, August 2025 Jason Doctor, a volunteer with Icelandic Roots, attended both the Deuce of August festivities in Mountain,...

by Gerry Stefanson Gerry is a member of the Icelandic Roots writing team. He has kindly shared some of his poetry published in his book...

Writers' Group Series "Changes"

Here are ten suggestions on how to do genealogical research. Even experienced genealogists might find these tips worthwhile. Plus, we've...

by Greg McNeill and Shaune Jonasson   It’s summer! That means sun and fun with fairs, parades and festivals. This year, the Viking spirit...

Join Us for the Icelandic Roots mini-conference, Friday Forum, on August 1, 2025 with a fabulous lineup of speakers at the Mountain Community Center.

Collecting Icelandic books.

By Gunnar Birgisson Who is the toughest of all the beings that make a home in Iceland?   I’ll tell you my answer. These black-capped,...