Joan
Eyolfson
Cadham
The Genetic Connection
Anouncement
Truth or Tale
- 13 week series - myths and legends of the prairies, SCN, beginning
September, 2007
*The Genetic Connection
*The Celtic Connection
*The Birthday Song
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Was it the 13th fairy godmother - the one who wasn't invited to the party
and came anyway, carrying a grudge wrapped in silver paper - or was it
one of the other 12, well-meaning but a little short sighted? After all,
what fairy godmother would dare to
provide one girl child with the DNA for writing and oral storytelling,
and top it up with genes from the most adventuresome woman of the 11th
century?
It's all there in the diligently maintained Icelandic genealogy records, from Islendingabok - Einar Sigurdsoon, the priest and poet, the skald, his "well informed and good writer" son, Olafur Einarsson (1573-1651), Gudny Gudmundsdottir, 1660, the Skaldkona, the writer. The great-great aunt, Asdis Olafsdottir, a known storyteller, her relative, Olafur Ragnarsson, a publisher in Reykjavik, who published her stories.
But a writer and/or a storyteller in Canada needs a second set of genes, a good dose of "chuck reality and go for it" DNA. And that's where Gudridur comes in.
Gudridur Thorbjornsdottir (980) was the widow of Lief the Lucky's brother, Thorwald, when she married Thorfinnur "Karlsefni" Thordarson (975). Gudridur joined Karlsefni on a trading expedition to Vinland and their first child, Snorri Thorfinnsson, was born in North America in 1007. He was the first white child born child in the Canada.
When the expedition folded, the family returned to Iceland where Gudridur and Karlsefni had another son, Thorbjorn. It is not known for sure where she and Thorfinnur resided in Skagafjordur. Could have been at Glaumbaer where their son Snorri lived.
The Viking became Christian in 1000 AD. After Gudridur lost her husband, she made her own voyage, across Iceland, across an ocean, through Europe to Rome, to meet the Pope. Rumour has it that she might even have left maps which were later viewed by one Christopher Columbus. When she came back home she stayed with her son Snorri at Glaumbaer and in her last years she became a nun at Reynistadur nunnery.
Gudridur's descendants? Thorbjorn resided at Hof on Hofdastrond in Skagafjordur. In 1083, he is known as a chieftain. There were chieftains and pastors, a law-speaker at the Althing, a knight, a verse-maker, and, in due time, among all the others, were Gudrun Olafsdottir (1832-1910), Maria Oddny Ingibjorg Thomsen (1868-1951), and Olof (Olive) Augusta Johanna Borgford (1899- 1985), my great-grandmother, my grandmother, and my mother, each passing along that strange combination of writing, story-collecting, passion for issues and stubborn willingness to take risks.
I wouldn't have it any other way.
(My gratitude to Gudrun (Ulu) Mjoll Gudbergsdottir and to my newfound
Icelandic relative, Kristjan Helgi Svensson for the genealogical information)
According to research done by third cousin Kristjan Helgi Sveinsson of Blomsturvellir, Akureyri, when the experts conducted DNA tests on the Icelandic people, biological results showed that we are 50% Irish/Scottish, in other words Celtic, and 50% Scandinavian. We have very few examples in the settlements records. One of them is the mother of Helgi "magri" Eyvindsson. She was Princess Rafarta Kjarvalsdottir, wife of Eyvindur "eastman" Bjarnason in Dublin. Her father was King Cearbhal (800-883) of Ossory in Ireland and, during his last eight years, also in Dublin. This, says Kristjan Helgi, is our Irish blood, so strong in Eyjafjordur that music and singing remain as a common trait among us today, and storytelling is there, too
The Irish musical impulses continue. My family gathered to serenade me with an original birthday song. Son Joseph Helgi and his son Jesse - standing and seated on the left - wrote the song and composed the music. Legend has it that this was done in the car on their way to the party.
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Daughters Ruth Anne and Inga Joanne are holding copies of the lyrics
which they are about to perform after perhaps 20 minutes of rehearsal.
They are joined by Ruth's sons, Eli, between Ruth and Inga, Joseph to
Inga's right, and Nathaniel, the other musician, who also had 20 minutes
to prepare.
There are theories that copies of the lyrics exist. However, there is no recording of the melody and the composer, Jesse, is quite incapable of recreating it.
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© Joan Eyolfson Cadham
Joan Eyolfson Cadham
Box 1049 Foam Lake Sask S0A 1A0
phone 306-272-4994
fax 306-272-3796
e-mail jcadh@sasktel.net
please note - no hyphen in
Eyolfson Cadham