Whose Fish is it Anyway?

29 Pages·2007·25.14 MB·English

Whose Fish is it Anyway?
The Reykjavík Grapevine Explores the Quota System • A Guide to Verslunarmannahelgin
A Day in the Westman Islands • Innipúkinn Preview • Sea Kayaking in Stokkseyri
+ info. A Complete City Guide and Listings: Map, Dining, Music, Arts and Events Issue 11 // Jul 27 - Aug 9 2007
0_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 11_YEAR 05_JULY 7_AUGUST 09
Opinions
10 On Karl Marx –Until Eternity Proves Him Wrong The Reykjavík Grapevine
An opinion by Magnús Björn Ólafsson Vesturgata 5, 101 Reykjavík
www.grapevine.is
1 A Peter Parker Conforms: “The Truth Is Out There?”
[email protected]
An opinion by Marvin Lee Dupree www.myspace.com/reykjavikgrapevine
Published by Fröken ehf.
16 MySpace vs. Facebook
An opinion by Helga Þórey Jónsdóttir Editorial: [phone] / [email protected]
Advertising: [phone] / [email protected]
Articles Publisher: [phone] / [email protected]
The Reykjavík Grapevine Staff
06 Controlling the Discourse by Changing the Subject
Publisher: Hilmar Steinn Grétarsson / [email protected]
An Interview with Helgi Seljan Editor: Sveinn Birkir Björnsson / [email protected]
Assistant Editors: Steinunn Jakobsdóttir / [email protected]
08 Gone Fishing
Haukur Magnússon / [email protected]
Exploring the flesh and guts of a day out on a cod fishing boat Editorial Interns: Zoë Robert / [email protected]
Chandler Fredrick / [email protected]
16 Roots Tourism in Hofsós
Valgerður Þóroddsdóttir / [email protected]
The Iceland Emigration Center in Hofsós Marketing Director: Jón Trausti Sigurðarson / [email protected]
Support Manager: Oddur Óskar Kjartansson / [email protected]
18 G! Festival: Like Valhalla’s Own Music Fest
Art Director: Gunnar Þorvaldsson / [email protected]
Photographer: Gunnlaugur Arnar Sigurðsson / [email protected]
Features Contributing writer: Ian Watson / www.ianwatson.org
Sales Director: Aðalsteinn Jörundsson / [email protected]
Distribution: Sæmundur Þ. Helgason / [email protected]
0 Whose Fish is it Anyway?
Proofreader: Jim Rice
Exploring the Quota System
Press releases: [email protected]
Music & Nightlife Submissions inquiries: [email protected]
Subscription inquiries: [phone] / [email protected]
General inquiries: [email protected]
6 Passing the Test
Mínus at Grand Rokk The Reykjavík Grapevine is published 18 times a year by Fröken ltd. Monthly
from November through April, and fortnightly from May til October. Nothing
6 Hopeless Romantics
in this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without the written
My Summer as a Salvation Soldier at 12 Tónar permission of the publishers. Although the magazine has endeavoured to ensure
that all information inside the magazine is correct, prices and details may be
7 Borderline OK
subject to change. The Reykjavík Grapevine can be found in Reykjavík, Akureyri,
Wulfgang, Ten Steps Ahead, & Vafurlogi at Café Amsterdam Egilsstaðir, Selfoss, Keflavík, Ísafjörður, Kárahnjúkar and at key locations around
road #1 and at all major tourist attractions and tourist information centres.
Outside Reykjavík
You may not like it, but at least it's not sponsored. (No articles in the Reykjavík
Grapevine are pay-for articles. The opinions expressed are the writers’ own, not
9 Sea Kayaking at Stokkseyri
the advertisers’).
30 LungA: A Huge Little Festival
Printed by Prentsmiðja Morgunblaðsins printing press in 30.000 copies.
3 The Westman Islands: Puffins Abound
34 A Guide to Verslunarmannahelgi
info.
Cover photo by:
Gulli
B1 Listings Model:
Gunni from EMM
B6 Seabear: Fully-fledged Team Thanks to:
Ellingsen and Sjófiskur
B7 Gallery Crush
B10 Food Reviews
B11 Toys for Tourists
B13 Not the Same Old Jens
Whose Fish is it Anyway?
An Interview with Jens Lekman
TAh Dea Rye iynk tjahveí kW Gesratmpeavnin Iesl aEnxdpslo •r eIsn nthipeú Qkiunont aP Sreyvsiteewm •• SAe aG Kuaidyea ktoin Vge irns lSutnoakrkmseaynrniahelgin
B14 Shopping +info. A Complete City Guide and Listings: Map, Dining, Music, Arts and Events Issue 11 // Jul 27 - Aug 9 2007
From the Editor’s Chair
If you are a newly-arrived visitor to Reykjavík, after a recent decision made by the govern- first hand how bloody and messy life at sea weekend, some locals tend to show their worst
you might have noticed the happy-casual feel ment to cut the cod quota by a whole 63,000 truly is. He even managed to gut his first cod, sides and forget all about the good manners
that has taken over the city centre recently. tons. This is a decision that will surely have a ever, and lived to tell about it. their mothers had once taught them. Bring a
A bunch of people enjoying their drinks and significant impact in the forthcoming months But it’s summer’s prime season, we know, raincoat and loads of tolerance, and you might
cigarettes at outdoor cafés till late in the eve- and mainly affect the number of people who and there needs to be time for something have a blast. Info on all of these holiday activi-
ning is a pretty common sight, that is, until the live in the small fishing villages around the else other than digging into the heavy issues. ties you will find in the pages of this issue of
police come to pull the plug on the party. It’s country and base their livelihood on the fishing August, one of the year’s most happening the Grapevine.
summer. The weather has been amazing. Let’s industry. They are worried, understandably, as months, is around the corner and in the next If you unfortunately miss out on the may-
enjoy life! is the phrase of the day. their future is at stake, and this is something weeks we will see endless celebrations. The hem, or after joining in the annual holiday spirit
But we here at the Grapevine won’t let the we all should think about. I therefore encour- annual traffic-jammed travel mania of the with the locals and you haven’t gotten enough
sun distract us and are in a pretty serious mood. age all you readers, Icelanders, foreigners and year, also known as Verlsunarmannahelgin, of cheerful sing-alongs, crowded street-parties
And what’s more serious to Icelanders than fish. travellers alike, to grab a large cup of coffee, features numerous outdoor festivals across and painted faces, there’s always Gay Pride the
In this issue, Haukur S. Magnússon, with help read the article thoroughly and continue the the country. This annual long-weekend takes weekend after.
from a carefully chosen panel of experts, goes discussion. place the first weekend of August, so if you
to great length to explain the quota system to And there is more cod to learn about. We are planning to stay in the country for a couple Steinunn Jakobsdóttir, Assistant Editor
the majority of us who really understand only a sent our ready-for-anything editorial intern of days, I can honestly say that attending one
small fraction of how the system works. That’s Chandler Fredrick to go fishing on an Icelandic of these outdoor festivals will be something
pretty serious and complicated stuff, especially ‘trylla’ out in Faxaflói bay where he experienced to remember. Only one warning – during this
04_RVK_GV_ISSUE 11_007_LETTERS
Sour Grapes
Say your piece, voice your opinion, send your letters to [email protected].
Re: On Advertisement Leave aside the fact that acts like Sigur Ros weren’t so
When I was 18, I was a communist. I’m not really sure much bringing up an “original sound” as finely carrying
why, the whole thing just kind of resounded with my on-slash-pushing forward a firm tradition of Western
upbringing in Sweden, and I thought Che Guevara T- alternative music (Slowdive? Cocteau Twins? Anyone?).
shirts were really cool. They’re certainly innovators in many respects, as is Bjork
After a long argument with my friend Sindri, who was (of course), but let’s not lose perspective here. Music NATURE IS THE ADVENTURE
very right wing at the time, we both took monumental existed before them, and will continue to do so for as
political shifts; he swung to the left and I to the right. long as people have ears and brains.
At the time I was editing an alternative school paper, What I WOULD like to know is exactly how your
and I was very fond of bringing together all kinds of columnist, Helga Torey Jonsdottir, got the impression that
mean and nasty things and contrasting and comparing the music industry of the nineties, eighties, seventies,
them with people, institutions and ideas that I wasn’t sixties, etc., was some sort of benevolent, originality-ce-
very fond of. lebrating, hippie-dippy lovefest. Oh, back in the eighties,
This is the feeling I’m getting from your opinion when music executives and industry folk alike celebrated
piece “On Advertisement”. I can’t really say that the guy the original sounds of… Madonna? Roxette? U2? The
is lying, as he isn’t really saying much, he’s just talking fabulous nineties, when Creed and Stone Temple Pilots
about advertising, Nazis, climate change, brain washing, reigned supreme? Let’s not forget that from what I read
anti-Semitism and stuff. in your paper, Bubbi Morthens has been the biggest
The author of the piece, young Magnús Björn, asks, selling artist in Iceland for three decades in a row.
“what is to be done”, then states that capitalism is so- The music industry is fucking evil, always was, always
mething or other, throws in a quote from Jack Kerouac, will be.
mentions an Apple ad, and then... nothing. Because This of course has nothing to do with the shape of
the piece doesn’t really seem to be about anything. The music, or its originality. Fortunately, music and the music
only real opinion I can grasp from it is that advertising is industry are two wholly separate things that are for the
bad, and the implication that all advertisements contain most part irrelevant to one another.
lies. That aside, the conditions for making truly original
The thing is, I really like your magazine. I just don’t music – with a modicum of success, even – are bet-
understand why you need to print opinion pieces from ter than ever. What with cheap home recording gear,
eighteen year olds. Most of the stuff In the Grapevine is MySpace, Youtube, the whole fucking internet for that
wonderful, but then you regularly taint your reputation matter, creating some tunes and getting them out is
with juvenile political drivel. certainly easier than understanding the whole point of
You really should get some more grownups to do Jonsdottir’s article. If there even was any.
your Opinion pieces, and maybe get them to write about
grown up issues. Sincerely
Will Johnston
Regards,
Sveinbjörn Dear Will,
(Works in the advertising business) It may sound a bit boring when we say, “the opinions of
the columnists don’t reflect the opinions of The Reykjavík
Dear Sveinbjörn, Grapevine” (as if a magazine could hold an opinion), but
As a free magazine who’s sole source of income is selling nevertheless, it’s very true (that was easy enough!).
ads, we might agree that likening the advertising industry Also, while the music industry may have been evil
to brain-enslaving, climate-changing Nazis is somewhat since the beginning, this very decade has seen a lot of
counterintuitive. Then again, insinuating that the act of established labels go bankrupt or merge with larger
questioning the ad-industry’s actions, methods and ethics conglomerates to the extent that music publishing and
is somehow juvenile is, at best, equally absurd. distribution now rests in the hands of a couple of cor-
It may sound a bit boring when we say, “the opi- porations. And that’s just plain unhealthy. But I digress.
nions of the columnists don’t reflect the opinions of A healthy exchange of opinion is what these crazy “ma-
The Reykjavik Grapevine” (as if a magazine could hold gazines” are all about, and it seems to me that we’ve
an opinion), but nevertheless, it’s very true. We try and just had one. Mission: Accomplished!
solicit a wide range of opinions in our Opinion pieces, HM
and these voices all need to be heard. Besides, it’s always
fun to nibble at the hand that feeds.
HM
“The thing is, I really like your
Hello The Reykjavík Grapevine
magazine. I just don’t under-
I am interested in visiting the Sigur Rós studio in Reykjavik.
Where can I find it? stand why you need to print
Andi opinion pieces from eighteen You could be here!
year olds. Most of the stuff In
Dear Andi,
I am interested in visting your house and/or place of the Grapevine is wonderful, but Arctic Rafting offers rafting trips on the Hvítá River, only 10
work. Would you at all mind if I showed up at a ran-
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dom time? then you regularly taint your
and a variety of combination tours are availble every day.
HM
reputation with juvenile politi-
We can also pick you up from your hotel in Reykjavík.
cal drivel.”
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06_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 11_007_INTERVIEW/MEDIA
“The story concerned pow-
er, and how that power
was potentially misused
by elected officials in fa-
vour of one of their own. It
concerns fair procedure,
and how everyone should
be equal in the eyes of the
law.”
a few individuals have taken that as complete
validation for themselves and harshly attacked
both the Kastljós’s editorial team and myself.
They imply that we had some sort of sinister
motive for broadcasting our report, and that it
was unfounded, yet aggressively avoid saying
anything about the specifics of that very report.
They’d rather discuss my level of education.
But I won’t complain, this frequently happens
and every journalist that takes himself seriously
has to be prepared for that.
Kastljós and yourself heavily refuted the
ethics committee’s verdict…
I don’t have a lot to add to the statement we
released on the day of the verdict. It can’t be
appealed, and the committee isn’t required to
Controlling the Discourse explain their ruling any further. What’s left is
that they neither researched nor disproved any
of our sources, they didn’t seek out information
by Changing the Subject to verify our report, or Bjartmarz’ complaints
for that matter, so I don’t see why their judge-
ment should hold any weight.
Boiled down to its essence, our coverage
Text by Haukur Magnússon Photo by Gulli concerned a particular individual who had ties
to a politician. That individual was granted citi-
zenship on grounds that were completely un-
An entity called “The Journalistic Ethics Com- that foreigners must reside here for seven years age; that it’s really no big deal. They avoid the precedented, and after only a short stay in the
mittee” operates under the aegis of the Ice- before they are eligible to apply for citizenship. subject, as they avoid going after each other country. The ethics committee challenges this
landic Press Council (IPC), of which almost Parliament can only grant citizenship under and contesting each other. Thus, it’s left to and claims there was nothing suspect about
every Icelandic journalist is a member. The “special” circumstances, such as for humani- the press to discuss this thing. Yet they have the bestowal, apparently without conducting
ethics committee counts five members, three tarian or family-related reasons. a duty to, just as we do. any research of their own. Indeed, their claim
representatives of the IPC and one each for We were then presented with evidence that The ones scrutinized in your report, Bjart- isn’t backed by any sources. This de-validates
Icelandic publishers and the University of Ice- confirmed the grounds by which that specific marz and the General Committee MPs, their verdict to such an extent that it can’t be
land Ethics Organisation. Journalistic subjects applicant was granted Icelandic citizenship, i.e. seemed upset that the matter was even taken seriously. But that’s beside the point,
can file complaints to the committee if they to escape “travel constrictions”, as she planned being discussed. what’s really disconcerting about the verdict is
feel that the IPC’s ethical guidelines (an English on studying abroad with her boyfriend, Jónína Yeah, people were angry. It’s important to stay its apparent message to Icelandic journalists.
version of which is available on-line) have been Bjartmarz’s son. We also confirmed that the above water when the politicians start fend- Which is?
faulted in any way by a member of the press. General Committee’s verdict was completely ing off reports, and it’s easy to lose track of The IPC and the members of the ethics commit-
While the committee holds no legal pow- unprecedented, that no applicant had ever what’s important – which is probably exactly tee need to give some serious thought to the
ers and is restricted to simply reprimanding received citizenship so quickly on these grounds what they want. They will place themselves message they are sending out with the verdict.
journalists that they rule to have overstepped – to make it easier for her to study abroad. firmly into trenches, avoiding mentioning the It literally states that journalists should handle
“reasonable ethical boundaries”, it still is a To me, all this sounds extremely newsworthy. specifics of the case and the topics at hand, politicians and matters concerning them differ-
veritable force in shaping Icelandic discourse. When you add to it the fact that the applicant instead opting to move the discourse onto ently in the time leading up to an election. It’s
After all, its purpose is to decide what can be in question had direct ties with a high ranking a personal level. Claiming they’re subject to like they are trying to interpret the journalistic
said, when, and how. Progressive Party Minister – who in fact has political attacks and smear campaigns, that ethics guidelines to say that we can’t cover
Enter Helgi Seljan, investigative reporter for her permanent legal address registered at that their personal lives are being scrutinized rather stories such as this one during election season.
the popular RÚV (Icelandic National Broadcast- Minister’s residence, and is her son’s girlfriend than their actions. That’s a common reaction. It’s almost as if they’re saying that we should
ing Service) TV news show Kastljós (‘Spotlight’). – that is clearly a newsworthy subject. Adding The way the thing blew up, it didn’t come as have waited until after the elections were over
Shortly before last spring’s parliamentary elec- insult to injury, one of her main referents in a surprise, as this is a big story that was bound to uncover the facts of the matter, which is
tions, Seljan presented a series of reports on the application is that Minister’s very mother! to become controversial. an absurd notion; that politicians should be
how the Parliament’s General Committee From the beginning, we [at Kastljós] based our In hindsight, would you have handled “handled with an utmost care” – or not at
had unprecedentedly granted full citizenship reporting on these grounds, and we stand by the story any differently? How do you all – while they’re in the process of running
to then-Minister for the Environment Jónína it. respond to claims that Bjartmarz’s person for office. This is an unbelievable message to
Bjartmarz’s 21-year old daughter-in-law, on The ensuing reports, not only at Kastljós was unfairly attacked? members of the press, and I think the commit-
what must be deemed “shaky” grounds. A but also in newspapers like DV, etc., all but I would have done everything just about the tee should come forward and explain exactly
full on shit-storm ensued, one where Seljan’s confirmed that the whole case smacked same, although I perhaps would have braced what they mean by that. Their verdict can’t be
journalistic integrity was challenged not only of corruption. And nothing in any of the myself for the commotion that followed our understood any differently.
by the minister in question, but also by some reports has been factually contested, save first report. We stand by it 100%. As for Bjart- I also feel that the IPC administration’s
of his colleagues. for some minor nitpicking… marz, the whole thing never had anything to do silent treatment of this matter highly embar-
Bjartmarz promptly filed a complaint to That’s true. While no laws were broken, the with any one person; it didn’t even have to do rassing and not in line with the council’s ac-
100% Pure Wool Sweater,
the journalistic ethics committee, who in turn manner in which citizenship was granted is with the particular applicant in question. The tions in similar cases. By no means do I need
fully lined with Waterproof
decreed that Seljan had gone against the IPC’s suspect at best. Yet no one seems to care out- story concerned power, and how that power for them to redeem me – I do not base my and Breathable lining.
ethical guidelines “in a serious manner”, while side of the press. No MP has officially broached was potentially misused by elected officials in self respect on their opinions. I do, however,
leaving the verity of his reporting relatively the subject, and no claims for reform are being favour of one of their own. It concerns fair want to know if the IPC administration feels
uncontested. Seljan and Kastljós, not happy made for a system that so obviously invites procedure, and how everyone should be equal the ethics committee’s methods and message Price:
with the verdict, immediately contested it, corruption, with a three-member committee in the eyes of the law. in this particular case were professional and, Ikr 9.990 ($ 160,-)
stating it was “completely unfounded”. They making the final decision. This is especially The discourse surrounding this case soon indeed, normal. Does the head of the IPC agree
Tax Free Price:
furthermore claim that the verdict calls for interesting since MPs have up until now spo- took a strange shape, but anyone who’s ob- with his ethics committee that it’s best to hide
members of the press to treat elected officials ken of citizenship as a sort-of holy thing, that served the state of Icelandic political debate certain news away ‘til after election season? Ikr 8.491 ($136,-) since 1972
mildly during election season. Seljan spoke to it should be handled with the utmost care. longer than one second could foresee that. How did RÚV react to the ruling? Are you
the Grapevine about the case in question and They’ve been narrowing the conditions for It’s fairly common for participants to immedi- kept on a shorter leash now?
the resulting verdict. citizenship for a long time. And yet, no one ately focus on matters far removed from the They’ve supported me throughout. Fortunately, ICEWEAR clothes and products are available at the following stores:
says a word. real subject at hand. It wasn’t us who put the most of the media in Iceland is run by people Reykjavík: Rammagerðin, Hafnarstræti 19 - Ullarhúsið, Austurstræti 3, Reykjavik – Thorvaldsenbazar, Austurstræti 4
Could you explain the offending report? What happened in this case is what always applicant, Bjartmarz’s daughter-in-law, in the whose sole interest lies in telling news, rather Islandia, Kringlan Shopping Center - The Viking, Hafnarstræti 3 - Handprjónasambandið, Skólavörðustíg 19, Laugavegi 64
About a month after the fact, I received infor- happens here – not that the phenomenon is spotlight. That was done by MPs who were than pleasing politicians or those in power. I’ve Ull og Gjafavörur, Hótel Sögu, Lækjargötu 2 – Hitt Hornið, Laugavegi 100 – Álafoss Verksmiðjusala, Laugavegi 1–Ísey, Klapparstíg 30
mation that Parliament’s General Committee specific to Iceland – a giant wall of co-insur- trying to change the subject, to make it seem never encountered political pressure from my Other locations: Blue Lagoon, Svartengi – Rammagerðin, Flugstöð Leifs Eiríkssonar – Eden, Hveragerði – Geysir Shops, Haukadal
had granted citizenship to a certain applicant, ance is formed by the MPs, regardless of party like we were attacking a young girl, rather supervisors at RÚV. And no, I am not kept on Byggðasafnið Skógum - The Viking, Akureyri – Mývatnsmarkaður, Mývatn – Mývatn ehf, Skútustöðum, Mývatn
among others, who had been in the country lines. They will protect each other. Usually, they than their own failure to follow due process. a shorter leash. If they did that, I’d just find Tákn Sport og Útivist, Húsavík - Sæferðir, Stykkishólmur - El Grillo, Seyðisfjörður – Álafoss Verksmiðjusala, Álafossvegi 23, Mosfellbæ
for fifteen months on a student visa. This is first try saying that whatever’s being discussed You can see the same thing in the reac- work somewhere else.
newsworthy in and of itself, as the law states isn’t newsworthy, that it doesn’t deserve cover- tions to the ethics committee’s verdict, where Drífa ehf, Sudurhraun 12 C, 210 Gardabaer, Iceland, Tel [phone], Fax [phone], [email protected]
08_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 11_007_ARTICLE/FISHING
Special offer
Gone Fishing
Discounts on day tours
Text by Chandler Fredrick Photo by Gulli
Chapter One: Fish Guts Guðmundur and Frímann, both of them in slice down the middle.” ralph, but I’m too proud of myself.
The first thing that strikes you about working their late 50s, and double my size. We ex- One move of his thumb reveals the fish’s “Hey, I did it!” I shouted
on a fishing boat is the amount of fish gut change very few words aside from a coffee fleeting organ system. I recognize heart, intes- “Great,” Frímann says. “Now gut the
stains. Black, brown and purple spots cover offer as we head out into Faxaflói, the bay that tine, piss-squirting bladder. The fish’s mouth rest.”
the boats’ walls and floors, inside and out. Fish stretches from the hallucinatory Snæfellsness is still moving and I can see that its fins are 5% discount for 1 daytour
guts on the tables, fish guts on the windows. peninsula to Keflavík. I watch Halldór steer the still shaking. Then, in one simple move, Guð- Chapter Four: What a Fisherman Does
Crusty fish guts on the rails and on the bottoms boat using a GPS system with two computer mundur rips the animal’s life system right out What a fisherman does is intense, trying,
of coffee cups. It’s a fact of life for a fisher- screens, one that shows the longitude and of its body and tosses it to the hundreds of and often thankless. It’s about untangling 75
man that no place is safe from the bladders, latitude of the Happasæll, and another that waiting seagulls that have surrounded the nets a day at four different locations, loading 10% discount for 2 daytours
stomachs, and hearts of the sea. You have to gives a 3D view of the ocean floor. Halldór boat. heavy and slimy sea monsters in and out of
wonder if they dream about fish guts. switches one of the monitors to a camera “Your turn,” Guðmundur says, handing containers. It’s about gutting, head-slicing and
It’s the first thing that strikes someone like that surveils the engine. I look up and see me the knife. the most brutal of fish murder techniques.
me, anyways: anyone who knows next to noth- that it is a cloudless day. The sky seems to go “Honestly?” I ask. “Maybe I just need a It’s about what you can stomach. It’s about
15% discount for 3 daytours
ing about fishing – commercial or otherwise. on forever. cigarette first.” market prices and salting cod for Spain and
Fish guts are a shocker when the only thing “We’re going to find our nets,” Hall- Guðmundur laughs and pulls my ass back Portugal. It’s about competition for net space.
you know about cod is that it tastes good dór says, “And then we’re going to get our to the metal bin. “I’m serious”. It’s about net placement – tides, currents,
when you fry it in beer batter and serve it with fish.” I lift the fish up but it immediately flops depths and where the fish will be from one
French fries. That’s exactly how removed I had out of my hands and begins to wriggle on day to the next. It’s about luck.
been from the process. I had never even seen Chapter Three: The Coming of the Cod the floor. I had underestimated the animal’s Imagine doing this in winter, when the Tours must be purchased at Reykjavik Excursions
a picture of a whole Icelandic cod. Happasæll rocks dramatically when the elabo- 40-pound girth. Again I pick it up, but it sun doesn’t give and the North Sea doesn’t
So as I suited up for a day on the trylla rate pulley system reels in the 2 km long net. thrashes itself out of my slippery gloves. The forgive. sales offices: BSI Bus Terminal, Radisson SAS Hotel Saga, Our brochure is available
(Icelandic for small cod fishing boat) Happasæll, Guðmundur stands at the port side, concen- seagulls wait. The pulley roars again. At the end of the day, Guðmundur trans-
fish guts were the last thing I had expected. trating on undoing tangles in the net as a spin- “Look!” I hear Frímann command, “a lates the Icelandic seamen prayers that hang Icelandair Hotel Nordica, Icelandair Hotel Loftleidir. at all major hotels and
I suited up in oversized waders, waterproof ning crane rips it through his gloved hands. demon.” on the walls of the boat. They are about
pants, and a waterproof jacket. All of them He tensely instructs me in busted English to He emerges from behind machinery with humility, god-given strength, and respect for guesthouses.
covered in dry fish guts. I hesitated to put them move to the other side of the boat, where a Rosemary’s freaking baby. “Steinbítur” he the harsh Atlantic.
all on, and before it became too exasperating, knife slides around frantically in a metal bin says. “He eats the rrrrrocks.”
Itc hohema dke ib nferdoe mno fb atrh ebianigtgh cintihtgya. tth mroaudgeh m mey ansohsaem. Iet dw taos i wnoteuKnldnd ievsdhe isft o aarn btdhr ieca k dr.aoyc’ks icnagt cbho. at. My mother rzoounnTtadhleleyd on, uabsta tboyyf giftirsne gwye rfri-nislkihkl eeid st eoeelndtho-m rtmhaaont u fjuas,ct ehw.o iHtrhie- N 35667 01.2007
Fish guts. Fish guts. Fish Guts. of sIe tauwrna taerro uanndd two rsiegeg ltihnagt nine ta tlhoeu dr osparlainsgh dweomoodnenst rhaoteosk iitns bitist ijnagw ps.o Twheerns bhye pthlarociwngs iat Apas ihnet sc huitss f, atchee lfiikseh a b lliototlde KA SIA.IS KY
Chapter Two: Out to Sea. pulley has introduced a huge cod to the boat. into the metal bin where my cod is. The ugly NS
At 6:30 am I show up at Keflavík Harbour. It’s The yellow-green monster nearly does a Kobe Steinbítur (or Ocean Catfish) throbs around girl at a birthday party. ÍSLE
the earliest I have been up in three months Bryant hop into the mound of net on the in the bin before it attaches its jaws to the
without being schnockered at Kaffibarinn. I see table. It is the size of a small child and as it crushed head of a small fish and mauls it. Fish He doesn’t flinch, saying:
the captain of the boat, Halldór Halldórsson, thrashes violently I see its incredible strength. blood is splayed everywhere.
“Then you slice down the
is standing on the Happasæll looking out for Using a small and dull hand-hook to remove Oh, and by the way, all of this smells like
me, the scrawny Grapevine journalist who’s the netting from the creature’s hyperventilat- shit. middle.”
come to work on his boat for a day. Halldór is ing gills, Frímann quickly loosens the cod and The pulley roars again. I lift the cod up
young, maybe 29. At first sight, he seems like effortlessly tosses it to Guðmundur. with a yelp and pull its head back to reveal
the kind of guy you’d expect to see cruising “You see,” Guðmundur instructs, slitting its throat, which I awkwardly saw through.
Laugavegur on Friday night in a blazer, with the animal’s throat like he’s pouring himself a Using the backside of the knife, I exert every
Booking phone: Tel: [phone] www.re.is e-mail: [email protected]
an entourage of beautiful girls. You wouldn’t glass of water. “You cut the throat here, un- bit of my strength to tear the underside of
think that he has been working on fishing derneath the gills.” As he cuts, the fish blood fish in half. It takes a few tugs and tosses, Car provided by Sixt Car Rental
boats since he was 14. paints his face like a little girl at a birthday but my hands successfully get the guts out. Tel.: [phone], www.sixt.is
We shake hands and I am introduced to party. He doesn’t flinch, saying: “Then you The final tear sounds like Velcro. I want to
10_RVK_GV_11_007_OPINION
On Karl Marx “
www.kirkjulistahatid.is
– Until Eternity Proves Him Wrong
d
F E S T I VA L O F S A C R E D A R T S
Text by Magnús Björn Ólafsson
r
Feuerbach’s assertion that materialism – an idea Marx
associated with human needs and interests and hence
o
with conflict and action – should only be ‘interpretive.’
If human activity is not considered ‘objective’ it has to
be considered static, stable and immune to the effect
of the Communist spirit. But just as the words of the
grey monk provoked the theological revolution of the L
reformation, “so it is now the philosopher in whose K I R K J U L I S TA H Á T Í Ð
brain the revolution begins. “
In Concerning Feuerbach, Marx explained the philo- 2 0 0 7
sophical reasons which had induced him to give up
philosophy and dedicate himself to the study of capitalist
social order. He claims that “Feuerbach wants sensu-
ous objects, really distinct from thought objects but e
[Feuerbach] does not conceive human activity itself as
August 11−19th
‘objective’ activity. […] Hence, [he] regards the theoreti-
cal attitude as the only genuinely human attitude, while
practice is conceived and fixed only in its dirty-judicial h
manifestation. Hence he does not grasp the significance
of ‘revolutionary’, of ‘practical-critical’ activity.”
k MESSA Í H-MOLL • JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH • MONIKA
“The philosophers have only ‘interpreted’ the world,
í FRIMMER • GERD TÜRK • PETER KOOIJ • ALÞJÓÐLEGA
in various ways; the point is to ‘change’ it.” In the v
BAROKKSVEITIN Í DEN HAAG • MÓTETTUKÓR HALLGRÍMS- t
Communist Manifesto, Marx therefore makes prophetic a
KIRKJU • HÖRÐUR ÁSKELSSON • KLAUS PAULSEN • SVAVAR A.
All too frequently Marxist enthusiasts argue over a ridicu- philosophically founded predictions in his capacity as a j JÓNSSON • SVAVA BJÖRNSDÓTTIR • LISTAVAKA UNGA
lous question: Was Karl Marx an ordinary ‘philosopher’ revolutionist – not as a philosopher. k FÓLKSINS • NICO MUHLY • BEN FROST • BORGAR MAGNASON
or a divine ‘prophet’? The question itself is defective For Marx, the future is rooted in the past. Just as we y
• ELFA RÚN KRISTINSDÓTTIR • GUÐMUNDUR VIGNIR
because it demands that issue is taken with the terms know that the sun will rise tomorrow because it rose e
KARLSSON • SIGRÍÐUR THORLACIUS • PÉTUR BEN • o
in which it is put and thus suggests a necessary split yesterday, social classes will fight one another just as R
VALGEIR SIGURÐSSON • DJASSTRÍÓIÐ BABAR • DIETRICH
between philosophers and prophets. Could Marx not they have done ever since natural wealth was originally BUXTEHUDE • ROBIN BLAZE • CHRISTOPHER HERRICK
have been both? divided among them. Throughout history “[f]reeman and a
• BJÖRN STEINAR SÓLBERGSSON • VIER MINUTEN
Since this ‘prime-question’ immediately gives birth slave, patrician and plebeian, lord and serf, guild master j
k • JOHANNES BRAHMS • IAIN FARRINGTON • LOUIS VIERNE
to a problem – this ‘necessary split’ – it is important, at and journeyman, in a word, oppressor and oppressed, r • PETR EBEN • MARCEL DUPRÉ • WOLFGANG t
the very beginning, to clarify the connotation which the stood in constant opposition to one another, carried on i AMADEUS MOZART • JOSEPH JONGEN • CARL THEODOR
word ‘prophet’ carries. If a prophet is solely a person an uninterrupted, now hidden, now open fight, a fight k
DREYER • ÍSRAEL Í EGYPTALANDI • GEORGE FRIDERIC
who makes accurate predictions of future events, Marx that each time ended either in a revolutionary reconsti- s n
HANDEL • KIRSTÍN ERNA BLÖNDAL • ELFA MARGRÉT
cannot be crowned a prophet as his ultimate predic- tution of society at large or in the common ruin of the m
INGVADÓTTIR • BENEDIKT INGÓLFSSON • EYJÓLFUR
tion of a stateless global communism has yet to come contending classes.” This historical analysis of constant
í EYJÓLFSSON • HRÓLFUR SÆMUNDSSON • ALEX ASHWORTH
true; although we have witnessed isolated showers of and repetitive class-struggle is Marx’s window to the r • SCHOLA CANTORUM • ÞÓRUNN VALA VALDIMARSDÓTTIR •
perverted Marxist theories applied in individual cases of future; since this conflict has always happened before, g KARL SIGURBJÖRNSSON • JÓN DALBÚ HRÓBJARTSSON u
regional governance, the global force of communism it will continue to happen. Marx’s historical materialism l • BJARNI ÞÓR BJARNASON • ÞORVALDUR KARL HELGASON
has yet to storm the planet. In short: “working men of looks for the causes, developments and changes in hu- l
a • MARÍA ÁGÚSTSDÓTTIR • MAGNEA SVERRISDÓTTIR •
all countries” have not united. man societies in the way in which humans collectively
H DEUX EX CINEMA • JEANNE D’ARC • WILFRIED KAETZ
Since we, Marx’s readers, do not possess the pro- make the means to life, thus giving an emphasis to his-
• SÁLMAFOSS • DRENGJAKÓR REYKJAVÍKUR • FRIÐRIK S.
phetic power of foretelling the future, we must accept tory, economics and politics through empirical analysis.
& KRISTINSSON • KÓR AKUREYRARKIRKJU • EYÞÓR INGI
that the future is largely unknown to us – it is open, But if Marx’s descriptions of social conditions are only
JÓNSSON • HELGI HRAFN JÓNSSON • MARGRÉT
undetermined – and therefore we are not in a position applicable with regards to future circumstances in so far l BJARNADÓTTIR • SAGA SIGURÐARDÓTTIR • g
to denounce Marx as a simple charlatan; his predictions as the basic social-structure of ‘ruler’ and ‘ruled’ does a
‘might’ be proven to be prophecies in the course of his- not change, he can not be called a prophet and his r
tory. assertions must rather be considered sociological than d main events:
Marx’s principal weapon which mediates the “light- prophetic. e
MASS IN B-MINOR n
ning of thought [which strikes] deeply into [the] virgin But according to Marx the class-fight is not lineal h by JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
soil of the people [transforming them] into men,” is the throughout the eternity of time. At a point in history, in
t ISRAEL IN EGYPT
revolutionary and prophetic style of his prose, perhaps the shadow of certain social circumstances “it becomes a by GEORGE FRIDERIC HANDEL
at its most obvious in the Communist Manifesto where evident that the bourgeoisie is unfit any longer to be C
he grasps the pen-pole with both hands as the words the ruling class of society and to impose its conditions i
:
soar from the pages like sparks when a sword is drawn. of existence upon society as an overriding law. It is unfit t also
The power and confidence of the text is twin to the en- to rule because it is incompetent to assure an existence ol SCREENINGS in collaboration with s
couragement of a general’s call of war as he rides before to its slave within his slavery, because it cannot help let-
his army and eggs on his soldiers in the moments before ting him sink into such a state that it has to feed him, h FEAST OF HYMNS
the onset; the industrial armies of the bourgeoisie, i.e. instead of being fed by him.” This is the point when l
the proletarian labour-class, must be mobilised in the the oppressed snatches the power from the hands of á YOUNG ART - music, improvisation, performance, dance
k
echo of Marx’s communist call. his oppressor – the point when Marx makes prophetic ORGAN FIREWORKS
S
The purpose of the Communist Manifesto is to predictions.
orientate the reader towards a certain future. This is But we have to take Marx’s claims about the necessity l
manifested in Marx’s constant use of the tense of ab- of future events with a pinch of salt. Just as forecasts
solute present – in which what is desired is presented as of meteorologists and climatologists are always tested
l
if it were already the case in order that it might become in the ‘open’ future, Marx’s sociological and historical
so; the edge of Marx’s argument would simply become predictions are predictions of times to come. The uni- s t: HALLGRÍMSKIRKJA
blunt and pointless if he were to sheathe it in a scabbard versal reign of communism may be realized tomorrow, ta i
e

of ‘maybes’, infect his manuscript with doubt, render or in a thousand years, and if so, Marx travels from the kd 12 TÓNAR at Skólavörðustígur 14
his radical assertions useless and poison the mind of his platform of a common sociological weather-forecaster cl
io w
followers with confusion and mistrust. The Communist to the divine throne of a prophet. In short – his integrity Ts and online at
Manifesto was written as if its vision of the future is is protected by future eternity and thus we can never
assured, precisely because it is not. allow ourselves the luxury of labelling him a charlatan.
A connection, between Marx’s revolutionary predic- One day objects will fall up instead of down. Prove
tions and his methodology for setting of a communist me wrong!

revolution, has now been unveiled. In order to make
his future predictions accurate, i.e. in order to reach a MENNTAMÁLARÁÐUNEYTIÐ • DÓMS- OG KIRKJUMÁLARÁÐUNEYTIÐ • REYKJAVÍKURPRÓFASTSDÆMI EYSTRA OG VESTRA
utopian communist state, Marx had to arm his proletarian I
MINNINGARSJÓÐUR MARGRÉTAR BJÖRGÓLFSDÓTTUR • KRISTNISJÓÐUR • HOLLENSKA SENDIRÁÐIÐ • ÞÝSKA SENDIRÁÐIÐ
class of labourers with the arsenal to reach this utopia
– and in order to reach it, the proletariat must first be The Communist Manifesto was (cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:6)(cid:3)(cid:7)(cid:8)
(cid:2)(cid:3)(cid:4)(cid:5)(cid:6)(cid:7)(cid:8)(cid:9)(cid:5)(cid:10)(cid:11)(cid:12)(cid:13)(cid:11)(cid:14) „
aware of its possibility – the seed of the communist
written as if its vision of the
vision must be planted in the seedbed of proletarian
understanding before it can bloom. “Clearly the weapon future is assured, precisely be-
of criticism cannot replace the criticism of weapons, and
material force must be overthrown by material force. cause it is not.”
But theory also becomes a material force once it has
gripped the masses.”
In Concerning Feuerbach, Marx was infuriated by
Ad Culture House (AF happy) 255x200 25/05/07 11:54 Page 1
1_RVK_GV_11_007_OPINION d.
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A Peter Parker Conforms: All ri
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“The Truth Is Out There?” N
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Text by Marvin Lee Dupree N U
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days, I fear that more people in Iceland know who 50 7
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Cent is rather than say, Trotsky or Bakunin. 2
©
However, what struck me as being the most ridicu-
lous thing about this affair was that during the whole
HAPPINESS
police charade I noticed a lone figure way up on top of
the police building, like the mysterious lone gun man
(not Oswald) of the JFK assassination. He was taking
photographs of the protesters and, of course by default,
bystanders. While I gazed at this versatile legionnaire
of justice, I was reminded of the simple story of Peter
Parker’s true origin. Stan Lee is not the sole creator of
Spider Man or the Marvel Universe; actually, Jack Kirby
is the true godfather of modern super hero comics. As
luck would go, he is only a fringe figure acknowledged
by geeks and nerds. Facts like this one shed light on how
value systems and truth for some people can never be
relative, and so there is always “the danger” for some
to realise that a preconceived notion of truth is fallible
when challenged by another truth. Alexander Graham
Bell’s invention of the phone is another example of this
textbook fallacy of “established truths”. A person who
clings to these straws of truth, from what they view
as the jaws of death, can be compared to a tight rope
A great philosopher once said in a rather cryptic manner artist who never actually crosses over the rope because
that nothing changes; one could say that our naked, he never sees the point. He is safe, therefore, he is also
tame souls cannot fathom this simple dictum of life, right. I was awestruck by this herd mentality of the
how our reality is merely constructed out of our simple police officer, who was shooting photographs right and
hopes and childish beliefs. Meaning and change are part left, just as if he was being paid $50 a piece by Jonah
of the same illusion, stemming from a lack of ability to Jameson himself. Protesters and all those who dared
realise this uncomplicated truth. There is quite simply no stand by became victims of a “drive by photo shoot”.
single straightforward truth in life. In Buddhism, life is Later, I actually called him out and, like a startled lemur,
simply suffering until the final stage, Nirvana, is reached. he recoiled his camera ever so quickly as if he had just
Fast, reliable worldwide money transfer.
Christianity invokes forgiveness and caritas or brotherly been spotted masturbating in public. After taking a
love. Islam is submission to the one true God head. For few steps away again from the building, I turned my
the neo-liberal it is money, stemming from greed, that back and when I looked back I noticed he had whipped
is the alpha and omega. And for some the force is the his toy back out. With great power there comes great
truth. Others choose their own truth derived from a belief responsibility. But what of responsibility if your moral
system as a cornerstone for their reality, or life, which compass and mental bearing in life can only see black
is only a grain of sand in the whole cosmos. The many and white?
truths of the universe fill it up in a manner that recalls The amazing thing about all of this is the total lack
Archimedes’ famous sand corn experiment. of diverse and divided opinions voiced by most Iceland-
And so, what once was is what still is, never becom- ers. Most actually utter the same clichés. Their writing
ing, since change and truths are illusions. A simple stroll and whining reeks of the genuine mental sloth of those
down the annals of Western history sheds light on this who lack most, if not all, of the cognitive abilities in their
“simple truth”. In ancient times, even in Athens, when grey matter. Dirty hippies, stupid protesters. Those damn
faced with rebellion, the ruling establishment crushed rebels. This is the epitome of lazy thinking. When is it
all resistance. In the Roman Empire, Spartacus was put allowable to protest? Obviously you cannot protest the
to the cross first, then came Jesus. Much later in his- arrival of a mass murderer to Iceland, who is responsible
tory there would not only be causalities but also belief for the death of Chinese students. It is considered rude
systems that were forced down the throats of those to protest the war on terrorism – and the list goes on
who dared challenge the status quo, individuals such ad nauseam. While some Icelanders sit at home launch-
as Bruno, Abelard, Malcolm X and countless others. ing a diatribe at “those hippies,” they are at the same
Last weekend the foot soldiers, Storm Troopers and time teaching their children to be mindless lackeys, fat
lovers of conformism, came forth with their self-righteous off of prostituting the land, obese because of KFC and
indignation at the dirty hippies, or, quite simply, the group McDonald’s and immune to questioning the system. My
Saving Iceland. You see, here in Iceland, the happiest truth might not be right, but at least I would be willing
country in Europe, we do not like those who disagree to stand and die by my convictions. However, the self
with our affluent lifestyle. The truth that heavy industry righteous “good citizens” of “what is right” might flip
is needed is pumped into our belief systems, like our the channel and order Dominos, all along clinging to
own personal crack stash being supplied by level-minded one grain of “truth.”
politicians and business men, both here in Iceland and
abroad. Their truth will guide us poor souls. It doesn’t
really seem to matter that these companies supply the
military or are guilty of foul play in other countries – as
long as some people here can have their payday. “The “The prevailing truth” is that
prevailing truth” is that everybody that has a problem
everybody that has a problem
with heavy industry and shady companies – and takes
action, something that has been done countless times with heavy industry and shady
in history – is now a filthy hippie who doesn’t know any
better. companies – and takes action,
For upholding their natural right and display of civil
something that has been done
disobedience, three members of Saving Iceland were
detained at the police station on Hverfisgata. When I countless times in history – is
arrived at the police station, after the news, I stood by
in awe: Icelanders never challenge the status quo, or at now a filthy hippie who doesn’t
least they have stopped trying. Once there were famous
know any better.
protests such as the Gúttóslagur – and who can forget,
although most Icelanders were not born, the day Iceland
joined NATO. The city was almost torn apart because
different belief systems clashed in Austurvöllur. Nowa-
WWW.GRAPEVINE.IS
Opening hours see www.handknit.is
Fiskislóð Grandagarður 14_RVK_GV_11_007_OPINION
Grandagarður Reykjavík harbor Welcome to the Leifur Eiriksson Air Terminal
HoltsgaÁtan a n a u st ÖldugatMaRýráanrVgaBearásgtratauutgraagtaatMaýrargaÆtgiasgataVesturgataÆTrgyigsggvaagrGaðtauerirsMgiðbaatkkai WnMTeehxt,et mnby baynr HoSyw eflisngpindag tÞ athóherr oencuyeg eJehdó tnth osed vp cóautsrrttiiao.rku es Farenadlam esx pcorfe teshse tb hInetmeor-- orMekpySliepsa,c Ie r ueanlliezsesd a t lhoatt o ffe pwe opproleb hleamds e wnoouugldh boef tfhixeemd .o Inn
selves in the online world of abstract rules. While most a social network system that counts 189 million users,
Seafood of us do not have the skills to make our own websites, it’s hard to have a voice.
others get paid to do just that. Since the Internet became
an open media for the public, many different ways of Spam is death
is our speciality web communication have been born. The IRC was very Spamming has become a huge problem on MySpace. But
popular a few years ago, and blogging has become the bigger problem is that the users of MySpace know
quite the necessity. Not everyone likes to blog though, so little about what they are doing that they don’t do
most people like to stay in touch in a lot less formal anything to prevent it from spreading. Comments filled
way. With a generation of savvy users, the demand for with ringtone ads, Macy’s gift cards and invitations to
A lively seafood restaurant a sophisticated network increased – Friendster gained see who’s clicking on your profile are terrorizing users
a level of notoriety but nothing prepared the world for everywhere. The bulletin board is filled with sex ads
by the Reykjavík harbor.
the imminent web-domination of MySpace. and ringtones. Sometimes users receive these ads in
MySpace catered to the needs of individuals of mod- messages from friends who don’t realize they’ve been
Lunch buffet est computer skills. One could easily register and get a hacked and need to change their passwords so they’ll
SFACHiea eswatahcfol otharho nloyddd f v fbtcaehuhmgefiefpo etdsuetasryi asena dfoisohd soup plaiohYizk oafael egvua o eiyeTHnt ue aweTbrb ’M csyieot l hupLvac.oeerno o Orudpw fttn yi slhhheieinamea. cgt vTi oo litahnharurige egl dcs yitmion tovwedai asusleej i,ont rwm eirdanie tenadtybroono spo tytinahta flhg geenMeear,d rbw yanmauSdneeptambdd raws kticitnh-itehtueiah su putta st r stnl haaehpdetnreei s vgcyhr ehs udeco oailopdpnoguan aoeslr’dlestft- salrdhMeetloiloasfy etu spShptss p eeesuhaseseneec nrtte sdpiog ,l ri a annotssihgoneb ew lw lleor e,mehot shlFiwlpss.ea. en rccUWsceeo ntbrsmh lpfoiaorkpaootfema’ ksm Fn ’tes.a hy vtFcf eheoate noeucbo enbowubbdeosinogteekteo rr e,isrkh nrs M oa viisosesfa ntfsbrhh t’kYlotieis sorZ cfsssuuaaf.yu TccvsNutkletl eyebotdh mret rba ii no detab, n rn otuaglodytft, ÍSLENSKA SIA.IS FLE 38045 06/07
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easily copy codes and move them around the Internet the money men. Not yet.
with good results. The fact that this is possible makes
MySpace charming, but also hard to work with. Profiles Not selling out? Quality goods, tax and duty free prices
with dozens of pictures, videos and/or music players use In return, the users of Facebook find a web community
The shops at Leifur Eiríksson Air Terminal offer a fantastic range of international brand products as well as Icelandic
up a lot of bandwidth and are hard to open in a short with fewer ads, less viruses and spam problems and a
products at tax-free prices. The number of shops in the terminal has increased and the range of products has never been
amount of time. This also puts a strain on the MySpace broader spectrum of users. In May, Zuckerberg opened
greater. An ideal opportunity for passengers to shop while waiting for their flight.
server. Most users have at one time or another been the Facebook system so that other software developers
greeted with the message: “Sorry! an unexpected error could contribute to his system. These applications can
Arrive early - Enjoy tax-free shopping
has occurred. This error has been forwarded to MySpace’s now be added to a Facebook profile if one chooses to
technical group.” do so. Most of the applications modify the profiles to
For maximum comfort, we recommend arriving at the air terminal 2 hours before departure. You'll find further
Technical problems are not the only ones facing show what type of books/music/films the user likes.
information on services at the terminal at www.airport.is
MySpace. The web-community has encountered yet The loud music promotion of MySpace is not to be
another contestant for the love of the everyday surfer. found on Facebook. Most applications don’t even provide
Check-in begins 2 hours before departure!
Facebook has arrived. With standardized layouts and full songs. The colourful sites are not there and the only
Grandagarði 9 · 101 Reykjavík · tel. [phone]
no possibilities of importing HTML or CSS to change thing that makes a site worth seeing is a picture of the
www.sjavarbarinn.com
the appearance of the profiles, Facebook manages owner and the amount of information he or she cares
to keep its customers happy and speedily updated. to share with the world. Privacy is restricted to geogra-
Facebook doesn’t allow its users to control as much phy of networks and anyone can close their profile to
as they could on MySpace and keeps the process of strangers in a similar way MySpace users can.
communication far lighter on its system. In turn, they Whatever the purpose, both sites have their venue
are not only stealing MySpace users, they are also but I find that my friends on Facebook are not quite the
reaching a new crowd. same friends I have on MySpace. Still, I have a feeling
that my Icelandic friend count is growing fast. Get a taste of
Easy does it
Facebook fans aren’t necessarily avid Internet users. Many
the best of Iceland
of them are regular people, some very afraid of comput- ...with a little bit of spanish thrown in!
ers. They’ve been invited to join the community through
one of their daily e-mail joking friends and found it pleas- Comments filled with ringtone
ingly simple. A friend of mine said “I found MySpace
ads, Macy’s gift cards and in- Choose from over 70 courses, ranging from lobster and various
way too hard, I was scared that I would do something
wrong.” Of course I know that MySpace isn’t all that vitations to see who’s clicking types of fish to icelandic lamb in the greatest of atmosphere.
difficult to manage, as I’ve been a user for a while. That
doesn’t mean everyone feels the same way. on your profile are terrorizing A must try is our famous puffin with blueberry and “brennivín” sauce.
The terror of doing something wrong with comput-
users everywhere. The bulletin
ers is very common. Many people I know are terrified of
installing programs or running Ad-Aware. It is a relief board is filled with sex ads and
for them to find a web community that doesn’t rely
on this kind of knowledge in such an obvious way. In ringtones.
my heyday as a MySpace user, I found many problems
without solutions. After reading through their manuals
and sending countless emails only to get standardized
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Strandgata 55 Hafnarfjordur
At the Icelandic Emigration Centre in Hofsós, Nelson Ger- the right in the photo above is Jóhannes Stefansson, the
rard shows me a thick, heavy book that he wrote about older brother of Icelandic-Canadian explorer Vilhjálmur
the lives and descendants of the Icelanders who settled Stefansson. His friend on the left is unidentified.) Ger-
on the shores of Lake Winnipeg in Canada. Gerrard, rard is always looking to add to his collection. Contact
a retired high school history and English teacher from him through his website, www.sagapublications.com,
Manitoba who is Icelandic on his mother’s side, is one if you have photos to give away or share.
of the two staff genealogists at the centre. He is a tall, Entry to the exhibitions costs 400 ISK each, or 900 ISK
strong man who speaks carefully and methodically and for all three. The centre is open daily from 11:00–18:00
gives off a sense of credibility. He carries in his mind an from June through August, and by arrangement the rest
encyclopaedic knowledge of the names and life stories of the year (tel. [phone], further information at www.
of Icelandic emigrants to America. Today he is busy at hofsos.is).
Dining out? the computer answering one query from an Icelandic Hofsós has several guesthouses (which can be booked
Check out our woman, who is going to Canada in a few weeks and through www.hofsos.is), a harbour-side restaurant called
wants to meet cousins her family has lost track of, and Sólvík with 1.500 ISK fish dinners, a cafe and bar called
many food another from a Canadian woman, who is planning a Sigtún which serves burgers, a post office, grocery store,
reviews online! visit to Hofsós this summer. An elderly Icelandic man and gas station. There’s a super view of Þórðarhöfði,
whose parents went to Canada and then came back to Drangey island and the mountains on the other side of
Iceland stops by. He is pleased when Gerrard finds his Skagafjörður. You can also eat or stay a twenty minute
family’s records in the centre’s database. drive away at the agricultural university in Hólar (www.
The Emigration Centre, or Vesturfarasetrið, has done holar.is). As it’s well off Highway 1 and tends to attract
for Hofsós what whale watching did for Húsavík, or more American than European visitors, Hofsós is qui-
saltfish for Grindavík, or what the Settlement Centre eter in summer than the average Icelandic destination.
hopes to do for the old centre of Borgarnes. In Hofsós, Driving time from Reykjavík is four hours, not counting
a town of only about two hundred inhabitants, four old stops. The new road over Þverárfjall from Blönduós to
buildings on either side of the swift stream that flows Sauðárkrókur is not completely paved yet, but is already
into the sea by the harbour have been renovated, the passable, and shortens the trip.
oldest dating from 1777. They’ve been turned into a Besides the Emigration Centre, Icelandic-American
museum and research centre for people interested in essayist and poet Bill Holm spends summers in Hofsós
the experience of the twenty-thousand odd Icelanders and runs one-week writing seminars every May or June
who emigrated to North America in the later years of the (US$3300 per person double occupancy, airfare from the
nineteenth century. The whole thing was the brainchild US included, 20 participants max, see www.billholm.
of Valgeir Þorvaldsson, who is also the man behind the com). He has finished a new book called ‘Windows of
Icelandic flag factory in Hofsós. The idea at Hofsós is Brimnes: An American in Iceland’, which will come out
not unique. Many other Northern European countries in October. About five kilometres north of Hofsós, a
have similar emigration centres, such as the Swedish summer colony for visual artists and architects has just
Emigrant Institute in Växjö. been opened at a farm called Bær, and is accepting
The reason why roots tourists should visit Hofsós applications. Successful candidates come five at a time
is to spend a day among people who are devoted to for a month during the summer and receive free room,
Icelandic genealogy and the Icelandic emigrant experi- board, and working space, but must get themselves to
ence. It’s sensible to do as much family history research Hofsós on their own (more info at www.baer.is).
at home as possible before visiting, but the centre also
has a growing library of Icelandic genealogy books and
a computer database. Let them know you’re coming, as
the staff welcome e-mail and will answer simple queries
for free ([email protected]). You’ll need to pay them to The Emigration Centre has
do any more extensive research.
done for Hofsós what whale
The centre has three museum-style exhibitions, very
professionally put together and fully labelled in English watching did for Húsavík, or
WWW.GRAPEVINE.IS and Icelandic. One focuses on the emigrant experience,
another on life in North America, and the third, called saltfish for Grindavík.
“Silent Flashes,” presents the best images from Nelson
Gerrard’s collection of over ten thousand photographs
News // Culture // Dining // Travelling // Shopping // Articles // Interviews
of Icelandic emigrants to North America. (The man on
18_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 11_007_ARTICLE/MUSIC RVK_GV_11_007_ART_19
Nesjavellir:
Experience Nature The area surrounding the geothermal power
plant at Nesjavellir is a region of spectacular
nature within easy reach of Reykjavik, acces-
at Reykjavik’s sible to hikers and other nature lovers. A visit to the power plant
itself is also a revealing experience.
Reykjavík Energy has put much effort into making the area
Doorstep
accessible to visitors by providing marked paths, information signs, cabins, and
maps. The visitor centre is open this summar on Mondays through Saturdays from
9:00 to 17:00 and on Sundays from 13:00 to 18:00.
ÍSLENSKA SIA.IS ORK 38325 07.2007
Further information on www.or.is www.or.is
G! Festival: Like Valhalla’s Own Music Fest
Text by Ben H. Murray Photos by Ólavur Frederiksen
Bringing Art to the Public
To the untrained mind of your average Europe- by this point, where wondering if this was a three keyboards, they produced epic dance reasoned, would allow us to be as far away
an, Iceland and the Faroe Islands suffer the same giant joke – drinks called Jolly, Squizz, Peru music. As well as being very amiable chaps, from the walking blonde bum note as possible
relationship as Spain and Portugal, England and and dried pilot whale aren’t normally available they also had one of the slickest sets of the without leaving the site. Sadly, the words of
Scotland or Holland and Belgium – they’re the at Glastonbury or other European events but, festival so far despite their lighting system fail- her many mediocre songs could still reach us, Text by Steinunn Jakobsdóttir
same but different. How very wrong they are. for many, this simply added to the feeling of ing in the intense and unexpected sunlight. but, now safely dressed in a one-piece thermal
Thankfully, to the unsuspecting visitor, nothing intrigue and charm that was already building suit with beer in hand, it didn’t seem so bad
polarises these significant cultural differences around the festival. Dr. Spock’s Mayhem as it might have from the beach. ‘Miðbaugur og Kringla: Leisure, Administration and Control’ is the name
more than a festival, in this case G! Festival on Whilst the first day was heavily based Sometimes it was as if the person who pro- Saturday gave no similar reasons to escape of a collaborative exhibition of 11 visual artists that will open in various
the shores of a remote fishing village called around local Faroese bands such as 200, Ge- grammed the festival was trying to confound to the high seas and, once again, the Icelandic spaces in Reykjavík on July 21. The participating group, which consists of
Göta. stir and Kári Svensson, the second day was a us – one minute the stage would be taken by bands provided some of the most unique sets artists from Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, France and Estonia,
Perhaps the only similarity between the two delight of eclectic music programming and a middle-of-the-road troubadour ike Eivør and of the festival. Dr Spock played one of the originally came together in 2005, when chosen to create a grand-scale
island nations is the approach by plane which, bizarre experiences with Pétur Ben providing the next a band like Sic would come on and closing sets and the mayhem they instigated exhibition for a culture festival set to take place in Berlin the following year.
in both cases, is like something out of a disaster the first music display worthy of the glorious you could almost see the salmon housed in was something to behold. They handed out They invaded the Potsdamer Platz train station, smack in the city’s centre,
movie, but without the sticky ending. Iceland surroundings. He played a sensible mix of the off-shore nets making a bid for the beach trademark pink rubber gloves like confetti and and put up installations that grabbed the passenger’s attention beyond all
looks like you’re landing on the moon, albeit a songs from Wine For My Weakness and it was to see what was going on. Sic are the Faroese the whole display, from the music to the spray- expectations.
cold, volcanic version, whilst the approach to clear that most people sitting on the synthetic equivalent of a Slayer tribute band crossed with on lycra outfits, was one of chaotic genius. Working within this crowded intersection inspired the artists to continue
the Faroes could be likened to the mass of green grass had been waiting for his performance. Korn’s less annoying brother, but sadly their Earlier in the day, Sweden’s Loney, Dear played the collaboration and as they all share the same interest in working with
hills and blue water you see when landing in They knew all the words to Do Something hardcore rock image was totally destroyed as for 45 minutes (but would’ve been welcome public spaces, two of Reykjavík’s largest were the obvious targets. The
Hawaii or a lush tropical island. Radical and several other tracks, but the real their lead singer consistently strode around the to play all afternoon) and Hatesphere took up spacious Kringlan shopping mall and the old city centre will experience a WWhhaalleess&&
With the airport behind us and the journey highlight was when Pétur walked off of the site pushing the very middle-class combination the metal baton where Sic had dropped it. four-week transformation when
to Göta completed, I was given a tour around stage. Not because that was the end of his set, of pram and child, with his wife dutifully along- Looking back, the festival brings back many Kringlan’s entrance, hallways, shops and car park, downtown Austurvöllur,
the festival site. The main stage was on the but because everyone knew he couldn’t end side. Ignoring this display for 45 minutes was, happy memories – some of them intentionally Miklabraut traffic street and Miklatún outdoor park, among others, will PPuuffffiinn IIssllaanndd
beach with calm waters lapping up from the his set there and there must be more music however, absolutely possible as their set was brilliant, others brilliant in their strangeness, be used for installations, photo displays and performances during the
fjord and mountainous hills overlooking the saved for the encore. the heaviest thing to appear in the bay since but all smile-inducing and enough to make period.
other three sides of the arena – it was like They were right and the crowd surged last week’s whale visitation, but the result was a the G! Festival an incredible experience, even The exhibition catalogue reads that the group chose these two destinations
Take part in an adventure at sea with an unforgettable 3-hour
being in Valhalla’s own music festival except towards the stage as he re-appeared to play little easier to digest. “So”, we thought, “this is if the music wasn’t quite as spectacular as the because to them they are the most important meeting spots in the capital
tripinto the world of whales and sea birds.
that maybe Valhalla wouldn’t have hosted a his solo version Billie Jean in the early-evening what Faroese counter culture is all about…” as surroundings. and represent in a prominent way what Iceland and Reykjavík are. Although
substantial whale kill the week before which, sun. Without Siggi Baldursson on drums and the entire population of the nation’s metal kids very distinct in size and shape, these spaces both serve as busy shopping Located in Reykjavik's old harbour, only a 5 minute walk from
as it was explained to me in a very matter-of- his laid-back bass player, Pétur was still able danced like a handball pitch had never been destinations as well as favoured hangouts for locals and travellers alike. the city centre.
fact way, was good as all of the blood had now to tease the crowd with his gradual build up danced on before. Sic are a special band but “We are looking at the purpose these areas serve and how people use
A spacious double-deck and a special viewing area on the
washed off of the beach. Another stage was to the chorus and, as those not in the know one that could do with adding some variety to them,” they explain. This will be a wide-ranging project, which hopefully
third deck ensures a spectacular view into the deep blue sea.
placed in a burnt-down fish drying house and realised who wrote the track, a cheer grew the grunted vocals and thrashed guitar solos. [Dr. Spock] handed out will attract the pedestrians who frequent these places. The goal is to
a third on a synthetic handball pitch, which was and hands reached for the baby blue sky in However, they pull off the counter culture icon make the exhibition very visible but also interactive, so the viewer can be 60170 Puffin season
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like James Blunt’s less talented, slightly inbred 50,000 and there can’t be that many metal upon some intriguing art-piece along the way and forget all about your
17:00 17:00 17:00
Faroese Brew and Eclectic Music cousin. The crowd weren’t the only ones who fans to propel such a movement from obscurity the whole display, from former missions.
Two days later the festival sprung into life as the relished the festival, as Siggi revealed after his into the mainstream. The exhibition’s opening will take place at two locations on July 21. At
the music to the spray-on
rocky camping field filled with tents, crates of stint on drums: “I enjoyed it very much, despite It’s rare that the festival goer would have 15:00 the temporary-showroom Kringlan reveals its facelift and at 17:30,
the local Faroese brew and a crowd to whom the horrid hangover!” the opportunity to make a fish-like bid for the lycra outfits, was one of the exhibition inside the Reykjavík City Hall opens to the public. From there,
this event clearly meant a great deal. Whilst Immediately after Teitur’s borefest came ocean when a particular artist is playing, but a walk around the centre will lead to Gallery Dwarf on Grundarstígur, where
veering towards the youthful end of the lo- London’s Metronomy to save us all from turn- the thought of watching Natasha Beddingfield chaotic genius. the opening ceremony concludes at around 20:00. Elding Whale Watching, Reykjavík harbour
cal population, the festival had also attracted ing to alcohol to make the day more interest- on the Friday night inspired us to flag down Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone]
many visitors from Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, ing. They were very impressive in comparison. a small boat to take us to the schooner an- [email protected], www.elding.is
France, Scotland and a few intrepid Brits who, Consisting of three black-clad men behind chored off-shore for an hour or two. This, we