14

'Askur' Icelandic container used for food
1880

15

The Icelanders brought with them precious possessions that they hoped would be useful in their new lives. Some of these possessions include the askur (wooden food bowl) depicted here, as well as books, horsehair ropes, small containers, toys, and other goods such as those depicted on the next several pages.

16

Various items brought by first settlers.
28 November 2005
New Iceland Heritage Museum
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17

Rope from Iceland made of braided horse hair with sheep horn fasteners.
1880

18

Couple in New Iceland. Books were one of the most important posessions of the Icelandic settlers.
1900
Gimli, Manitoba

19

Perhaps the most treasured of the items that the Icelandic settlers brough with them were books. With literacy being a highly valued attribute in the icelandic culture books were an important possession for all of the immigrants with most bringing at least a few books with them. The bookshelf became an important feature in the settlers houses.

20

Examples of Icelandic books
26 January 2006
Gimli, Manitoba

21

In addition to the books brought by early settlers printing presses were soon established and books in the Icelandic language were published in Canada. At one point more books were published in Icelandic in Canada than in Iceland.

22

Icelandic log house exhibit
28 November 2005
Gimli, New Iceland Heritage Museum

23

The first settlers used surplus canvas tents from the Hudson Bay Company for the first several weeks and quickly set about building log cabins such as the one depicted here. With few resources many families shared these small shelters and thus forged many community ties.

24

Gimlungur newspaper published in Gimli by Gisli P. Magnusson
1910
Gimli, Manitoba

25

The publishing of newspapers was also a key feature in this new settlement. A number of competing newspapers were distributed in the early years of settlement including the one pictured here.

26

Ukrainian newspaper attached to the lid of a trunk used by an early settler.
1889
Gimli, Manitoba

27

Settlement of the community continued to come almost entirely from Icelandic immigrants until 1895. In 1895 many other ethnic groups began arriving in and around Gimli. Among the first to arrive in the region were the Ukrainian settlers.

These hardy and industrious people had endured centuries of oppression in their homeland. In 1895, Dr. Josef Oleskow lobbied the Canadian government for information on Canada to explore the possibility of directing a mass migration of Ukrainian farmers to Canada.

A publication entitled, About Free Lands, was put out by a Ukrainian educational society giving favourable accounts of Canada.

When the first Ukrainian settlers began arriving the head of the house would often have to leave his family behind when he came to Canada and work for many years to earn enough money to send for them.