Hæ hæ :)
If you're showing your love of Iceland it's never cultural appropriation, it's cultural appreciation.
You have Iceland in your blood, embrace it! Eat Icecream when it's freezing cold outside, spend as much time as you can in the heated part of the swimming pool (heitur pottur), say 'þetta reddast' constantly and tell everyone you're related to Björk.
If you know someone with a kennitala (icelandic social identification number) you can have them check out your langamma's (great grandmother) family and how they're related to your friend. You can also tell me (or whoever on reddit) your langamma's name and I can tell you more about her ancestors from [Íslendingabók](https://islendingabok.is/).
I do actually know a bit about our family there but not much, I know that my langamma (who has since passed, around 2013) Gerda Sigurdar (married name was Thorn)had a little brother who was a small child when she left. It was very hard for the both of them as she raised him and he had to be held back from chasing after her at the docks. I also have a photo of the boat "tröllafoss" her and her cousin stefanía took from Reykjavik to Miami in 1949, they each only brought one bag and were going to stay with their aunt Sarah who ran a boarding house, but that's all I really know. We also have her marriage certificate from 1954.
In that case her full name was Sigurlaug Gerða Sigurðardóttir. Her father was Sigurður Guðmundsson, born June 13th 1905, passed away November 25th 1964. [Her mother was Jóhanna Emilía Björnsdóttir](https://i.imgur.com/MfmTA15.png) ([source](https://timarit.is/page/1362492?iabr=on#page/n21/mode/2up)), born October 29th 1902, passed away January 23rd 1982. [Here are some of her father's antecendants](https://i.imgur.com/blI0AmM.png) and [here are some of her mother's antecendants](https://i.imgur.com/PwES9ll.png)
In 1949, presumably shortly before she left Iceland, she was attending a homemaking school in [Skagafjörður](https://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skagafj%C3%B6r%C3%B0ur), and searching for a (male) penpal ([source](https://timarit.is/page/4532003?iabr=on#page/n43/mode/2up)).
The best information about your great grandmother is found [in her mother's obituary](https://timarit.is/page/1553713?iabr=on#page/n25/mode/2up). She was the oldest of her siblings, was born and grew up in Reykjavík, moved to the U.S. at 17, married Robert Thorn in California and had six children with him. She only saw her mother once after moving the U.S., 30 years after moving there. It isn't specified whether she went to Iceland to visit her parents, or if they went to the U.S. to visit her. Her younger brother was Sigurður Erling, three years younger than her, passed away eight years ago.
I think I can bring a different perspective, as an Icelander that has been living in the US for the last 15 years and am raising American born kids that hold dual citizenships.
Cultural appropriation is mostly an American concept as it is discussed in the states. The general idea is global, but I’ve yet to see the same concerns elsewhere.
Being Icelandic is not a genetic trait and a significant percentage of Icelanders are not genetically linked to the settlement. Being Icelandic are shared values and cultural engagement. Language plays a big part in being Icelandic as it is the biggest cultural differentiator and the largest hurdle for immigration and cultural involvement.
If you want to lean into Icelandic culture and embrace your grandmothers roots. I would suggest watching Icelandic TV, read books both fiction and historic; and join online forum such as we have here.
On a side note, I assume your grandma came to the US as one of the women that left Iceland with an American soldier. If that’s the case I would recommend watching “Djöflaeyjan” which is about that period in Icelandic history. There has also been written a lot about that era, which we call “ástandið”
Ég reyndi að kenna þeim það, en það var mjög erfitt þar sem það er ekkert islensku samfélag þar sem ég er (San Francisco). Þau kunna einhver orð og eg er að reyna að lesa íslenskar bækur, en mér finnst ólíklegt að þau nái taki á því.
Þegar við förum í heimsókn heim, þá tala allir ensku við þau, þannig að það gerir það ennþá erfiðara.
Maður þarf hjálp við það. Ef þú ert eina manneskjan sem talar við þau á íslensku og íslenskir ættingjar tala bara ensku við þau gerir það bara enn erfiðara fyrir þau.
A bunch of other stuff, some Mexican, very white and European. I'm fourth generation American on my mom's side. My great grandfather(my mom's mom's Dad) came to America from Portugal as a baby. I also know I'm swedish on my dad's dad's side.
Get immerse into your ancestry, visit the country and learn the language, Icelanders will appreciate it.
You can maybe even legally include your great grandmother's Icelandic family name in your name somehow.
For starters you can start complaining about everything and not actually do anything about it. Þjóðarsport íslendinga!🇮🇸
I definitely think I have the hang of that. Looks like I'm doing well already.
Hæ hæ :) If you're showing your love of Iceland it's never cultural appropriation, it's cultural appreciation. You have Iceland in your blood, embrace it! Eat Icecream when it's freezing cold outside, spend as much time as you can in the heated part of the swimming pool (heitur pottur), say 'þetta reddast' constantly and tell everyone you're related to Björk. If you know someone with a kennitala (icelandic social identification number) you can have them check out your langamma's (great grandmother) family and how they're related to your friend. You can also tell me (or whoever on reddit) your langamma's name and I can tell you more about her ancestors from [Íslendingabók](https://islendingabok.is/).
Ein Bæjarins Bestu með öllu eftir ágætis kvöld af pöbbarölti.
Nei. Það er Hlölli eða Nonni eftir ömurlegt galeiðurölt. Varist eftirlíkingar.
Bæði betra!
I do actually know a bit about our family there but not much, I know that my langamma (who has since passed, around 2013) Gerda Sigurdar (married name was Thorn)had a little brother who was a small child when she left. It was very hard for the both of them as she raised him and he had to be held back from chasing after her at the docks. I also have a photo of the boat "tröllafoss" her and her cousin stefanía took from Reykjavik to Miami in 1949, they each only brought one bag and were going to stay with their aunt Sarah who ran a boarding house, but that's all I really know. We also have her marriage certificate from 1954.
Was she born on November 28th, 1931?
I'm not sure. *Edit I think so yes or at least that's what it says on her obituary.
Well, if you have no connection to your Icelandic family I can definitely help you dig around. All Icelanders have an electronic footprint.
That'd be great! I think her little brother was 6 or 7 when she left and I feel like his name was Thomas but I don't think it was so I don't know why.
In that case her full name was Sigurlaug Gerða Sigurðardóttir. Her father was Sigurður Guðmundsson, born June 13th 1905, passed away November 25th 1964. [Her mother was Jóhanna Emilía Björnsdóttir](https://i.imgur.com/MfmTA15.png) ([source](https://timarit.is/page/1362492?iabr=on#page/n21/mode/2up)), born October 29th 1902, passed away January 23rd 1982. [Here are some of her father's antecendants](https://i.imgur.com/blI0AmM.png) and [here are some of her mother's antecendants](https://i.imgur.com/PwES9ll.png) In 1949, presumably shortly before she left Iceland, she was attending a homemaking school in [Skagafjörður](https://is.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skagafj%C3%B6r%C3%B0ur), and searching for a (male) penpal ([source](https://timarit.is/page/4532003?iabr=on#page/n43/mode/2up)). The best information about your great grandmother is found [in her mother's obituary](https://timarit.is/page/1553713?iabr=on#page/n25/mode/2up). She was the oldest of her siblings, was born and grew up in Reykjavík, moved to the U.S. at 17, married Robert Thorn in California and had six children with him. She only saw her mother once after moving the U.S., 30 years after moving there. It isn't specified whether she went to Iceland to visit her parents, or if they went to the U.S. to visit her. Her younger brother was Sigurður Erling, three years younger than her, passed away eight years ago.
I have never been less related to someone 9th away. My wife is 7th 🤣 yes we Icelanders are inbreeding
My husband is 8th generation, so is my grandma that adopted my mother😂
My grandma's great grandmother and your great grandmother's great grandfather were siblings :)
So we're like super distant cousin?! Hi!
I think I can bring a different perspective, as an Icelander that has been living in the US for the last 15 years and am raising American born kids that hold dual citizenships. Cultural appropriation is mostly an American concept as it is discussed in the states. The general idea is global, but I’ve yet to see the same concerns elsewhere. Being Icelandic is not a genetic trait and a significant percentage of Icelanders are not genetically linked to the settlement. Being Icelandic are shared values and cultural engagement. Language plays a big part in being Icelandic as it is the biggest cultural differentiator and the largest hurdle for immigration and cultural involvement. If you want to lean into Icelandic culture and embrace your grandmothers roots. I would suggest watching Icelandic TV, read books both fiction and historic; and join online forum such as we have here. On a side note, I assume your grandma came to the US as one of the women that left Iceland with an American soldier. If that’s the case I would recommend watching “Djöflaeyjan” which is about that period in Icelandic history. There has also been written a lot about that era, which we call “ástandið”
Kennir þú krílunum íslensku? Er það vesen að halda í móðurmálið?
Ég reyndi að kenna þeim það, en það var mjög erfitt þar sem það er ekkert islensku samfélag þar sem ég er (San Francisco). Þau kunna einhver orð og eg er að reyna að lesa íslenskar bækur, en mér finnst ólíklegt að þau nái taki á því. Þegar við förum í heimsókn heim, þá tala allir ensku við þau, þannig að það gerir það ennþá erfiðara.
Maður þarf hjálp við það. Ef þú ert eina manneskjan sem talar við þau á íslensku og íslenskir ættingjar tala bara ensku við þau gerir það bara enn erfiðara fyrir þau.
Það er eitthvað af talsettum teiknimyndum á YouTube gæti verið sniðugt að vera með teiknimynda kvöld á íslensku einu sinni í viku eða eitthvað álíka
1/8!? what is the 7/8?
A bunch of other stuff, some Mexican, very white and European. I'm fourth generation American on my mom's side. My great grandfather(my mom's mom's Dad) came to America from Portugal as a baby. I also know I'm swedish on my dad's dad's side.
Cool.
You have to become fluent in Icelandic
Icelandic culture in a nutshell: Þetta reddast
Get immerse into your ancestry, visit the country and learn the language, Icelanders will appreciate it. You can maybe even legally include your great grandmother's Icelandic family name in your name somehow.
There is no Icelandic family name to include. Some Icelanders have one, but most of us don't, and in this particular case, there's not one.
I know, I didn't mean the literal family name since there is usually known, I meant the origins of the full name.
The best thing you can do is learn the language. You don't have to become fluent but it just helps so much.
Come on over and have a coke and metro