Episodes
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Thursday Feb 08, 2024
Join Curtis Olafson as he sheds light on efforts to raise awareness about a prevalent gene mutation in individuals of Icelandic descent.
The CDKN2A mutation significantly increases the risk of melanoma, pancreatic, and other cancers, present in 10-25% of families with multiple melanoma cases and approximately 1 in 1250 Icelanders without a melanoma diagnosis.
Icelandic descendants face heightened susceptibility to these cancers, with many carrying the inherited CDKN2A mutation.
Curtis has made it his personal mission to bring awareness to these health concerns.
Raised on his Icelandic immigrant grandparents' homestead, Curtis has dedicated more than two decades to preserving Icelandic heritage serving as President of the Icelandic Communities Association.
Additionally, he has been recognized for his community service as a state Senator, twice earning the title of “Legislator of the Year” by the North Dakota Township Officers Association.
Among other Icelandic stories, we also talk about the Deuce of August Icelandic Celebration, North Dakota's longest-running ethnic festival, now in its 125th year!
Read the article here:
https://www.icelandicroots.com/post/icelandic-cancer-related-gene-mutation-information
The Deuce of August:
https://www.thedeuce.org/
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Continue our discussion on the essence of art, podcasting, and poetry with Karen Gummo.
Karen shares her "storytelling affirmation" and her ties to Calgary's Leif Erikson Icelandic Club and more tales from her Icelandic travels; intertwining history, myth & legendary locales.
Special to this Podcast, Karen retells the Icelandic Ghost Story of The Deacon of Myrká (Djákninn á Myrká).
The mystical Myrká of Eyjafjörður where the story is set is west of Akureyri (you can find the locations in this story on Icelandic Roots maps).
Our Podcast concludes with information on the life and times of Stephan G. Stephansson (1853–1927), the most well-known Icelandic-Canadian Poet. Born in Skagafjörður, he emigrated to North America and eventually settled in Markerville, Alberta, where he self-educated, wrote, fathered & farmed.
Rediscover Western Iceland through storytelling & history.
We hope you enjoy this Podcast & checkout our Blog for more: https://www.icelandicroots.com/post/the-deacon-of-myrk%C3%A1-on-christmas-eve
Following the tradition of oral storytelling & practicing the art of active listening & improvisation listen to our other episodes of The Icelandic Roots Podcast.
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Tuesday Jan 23, 2024
Karen Gummo's world of storytelling & history Part 1 of our interview.
We unravel tales from her recent trip to Iceland, where she performed in the grand opening of the Edda building.
Learn the origin story that ignited Karen's fascination with Laura Goodman Salverson (1890–1970), who was a distinguished Icelandic-Canadian author.
(Laura's literary works, deeply rooted in Icelandic heritage, earned her two Governor General's awards for literature. In 1923, Salverson introduced her inaugural novel, "The Viking Heart.")
Moving past conventional boundaries, we dance delicately between the paranormal & the historical; myth & reality; emotion & truth...
"Who am I to tell this story?"
Discover valuable insights on overcoming the fear of becoming a storyteller & journey thru Western Icelandic Heritage, touching diverse landscapes from Markerville & Red Deer to British Columbia & the wandering gypsy spirit of Saskatchewan.
"There's Truth in Every Story... Where is the Truth for you in that story?"
Let this thought resonate as we navigate the Icelandic sagas & folklore, questioning what is fact and what is metaphorically true.
Explore the nuanced perspectives of history, from the written word to oral storytelling, intertwined with emotions & memory.
Bridging the gap between past and present.
Enjoy listening & lookout for Part 2 of our Podcast.
Discover YOUR Icelandic Roots: IcelandicRoots.com
For more about Karen Gummo, visit http://karengummo.com
Learn about Laura Salverson: icelandicroots.com/post/torment-and-triumph-in-the-nineteen-twenties
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Monday Jan 15, 2024
Part 2 with Atli Geir Halldórsson and Julie Summers, co-project managers of the Snorri Programs.
Continuing our exploration of language learning, touching on the influence of technologies like AI language models. We look ahead to the future of genealogy, pondering what the next generation of genealogists might discover within the vast digital archives our society is constructing.
Atli and Julie share valuable insights into Iceland, the Snorri Programs, and the promising paths ahead for our North American-Icelandic communities.
Strong is the Bond.
Cheers to 2024 and the enduring legacies of Snorri and Icelandic Roots!
Samband Íslands og Norður-Ameríku: mál, tækni og framtíð ættfræðinnar.
We're thankful for your continued support of Icelandic Roots!
Follow the Podcast for more conversations like these - and do be sure to checkout IcelandicRoots.com
Icelandic Roots
Icelandic Roots is a non-profit organization based out of the United States with passionate volunteers around the world.
Our mission is to preserve, educate, and promote Icelandic heritage, culture, history, and language.
You can learn more about us by visiting our website www.icelandicroots.com