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Showing posts with the label Manitoba

The Last Weeks for Articulation's Exhibit at the New Iceland Heritage Museum, Gimli MB

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Our summer days in Manitoba are treasured. We look forward to that hint of lime in frozen slews in the spring that herald warmer weather and our getting out into the great outdoors. Eventually, the snowbanks recede and the hardiest of perennials make their way to the light. The robins follow and then every natural process miraculously accelerates. It truly seems like we wait forever and before we know it summer is here, then almost gone. Manitoba's Inland Ocean in the Interlake, Lake Winnipeg at Ponemah. Already at the lake, the days are getting shorter and the shadows a little longer. Soon we might even be able to get up for the sunrise without an alarm. Temperatures are increasing their span and mornings are notably cooler. Nothing any Canadian can't handle but definitely, that hint of a changing season is in the air. These lovelies have already turned their faces from the sun, could they be articulating a new definition for sunscreen?   My travels in the Interl

Gimli - a Little Bit of History

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'In 1875 a group of Icelandic immigrants who had arrived in [Canada] moved to the west shore of Lake Manitoba where they had been granted a reserve of land by the Canadian Government...The immigrants formed their own administration based on a centuries-long tradition of democratic government...The Republic of New Iceland was created.' The Rural Municipality of Gimli was established in 1887. 'The early immigrants came full of hope for a new life of opportunities and settled the land made available through homestead rights. The free offer of a 1/4 section (64 acres) to common people, most of whom had never owned land was a major attraction. But there were many difficulties - dense bush, flies, field stones and harsh winters which had to be endured.' Quotes from various historic markers. The Icelanders brought their pagan religion with them and found many parallels and an affinity with the First Nations peoples' beliefs. This Unitarian church, bui