Culture of Iceland
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2008-07-02T17:18:55Z
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/* Music */ Removed the Jonas Brothers from the music section. They are an AMERICAN band, not an Icelandic one, and therefore should not be included.
{{Life in Iceland}}
The '''culture of [[Iceland]]''' is rich and varied as well as being known for its literary heritage which stems from [[author]]s from the 12th to 14th centuries. Other Icelandic traditional arts include [[weaving]], [[silver crafting]], and [[wood carving]]. The [[Reykjavík]] area has several professional [[theatre]]s, a [[symphony orchestra]], an [[opera]], and a large amount of art galleries, bookstores, cinemas, and [[museum]]s. Iceland's [[List of countries by literacy rate|literacy rate]] is among the highest in the world, and a love of literature, art, chess, and other intellectual pursuits is widespread.
==Attitudes and customs==
[[Image:2004-GayPrideIceland-banner.jpg|225px|left|thumb|A [[gay pride]] parade in [[Reykjavík]].]]
Icelanders generally have a traditional [[liberal]] [[Nordic countries|Nordic]] outlook, similar to other Nordic countries such as [[Norway]] and [[Sweden]]. Yet, an important key to understanding Icelanders and their culture (and which differentiates them from the majority of their contemporary [[Nordic countries|Nordic]] peoples) is the high importance they place on the traits of [[independence]] and [[self-sufficiency]].
In the June 2005 European Commission Eurobarometer public opinion analysis, over 85% of Icelanders found independence to be "very important" contrasted with the EU25 average of 53%, and 47% for the [[Norwegians]], and 49% for the [[Danes]].<ref name="europeancommission">{{cite web|url=http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf| title=European Commission Eurobarometer Social values, Science and Technology analysis June 2005 p.35}}</ref>
Icelanders are proud of their Viking heritage and [[Icelandic language]] and take great care to preserve their traditions and language. Modern Icelandic remains close to the [[Old Norse]] spoken in the [[Viking Age]]. For example, the word for [[computer]] (an introduced object) is ''tölva'' which combines the ancient terms for number and seer.
Until the [[Christianization of Iceland]], many traditional Viking beliefs were strongly held, remnants of which remain today. According to a 2005 New York Times article, the majority of Icelanders either believe in elves or are unwilling to rule out their existence.<ref name="nytimes">[http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/13/international/europe/13elves.html?ex=1278907200&en=5e99759b563f81fe&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss Building in Iceland? Better Clear It With the Elves First - New York Times<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> Even today, roads have been re-routed and building plans redesigned or abandoned to avoid disturbing rocks where elves are said to live.<ref name="nytimes"/>
Icelandic society and culture has a high degree of [[gender equality]], with many women in leadership positions in government and business. Iceland also has a highly progressive [[gay]] rights legislation, with couples having been able to register [[civil unions]] since [[1996]], and adopt since [[2006]]. Women retain their names after marriage, since Icelanders generally do not use [[surname]]s but [[patronym]]s or (in certain cases) [[matronym]]s. See [[Icelandic name]] for further discussion.
Iceland also has the most extensive and progressive child protection law. The new Children's Act, passed in March 2003, and effective as of [[November 1]], [[2003]], not only places Iceland on the list of twenty-five nations that have outlawed [[spanking]], the act also outlaws verbal and emotional abuse and makes child protection a priority. Physical or mental violence is punishable by imprisonment and/or fine, and there is no legal defense.
In 2006, Iceland was ranked as the fourth [[happiness|happiest]] [[nation]] in the world by an independent [[scientific study]].<ref>[http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061113093726.htm Psychologist Produces The First-ever 'World Map Of Happiness'<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
Local and national festivals include the annual [[Icelandic National Day|National Day]], celebrating the country's independence in 1944, [[Sumardagurinn fyrsti]] which celebrates the first day of [[summer]], and [[Sjómannadagurinn]] which is held every June to pay tribute to the country's seafaring past.
==Religion==
{{main|Religion in Iceland}}
Religion in Iceland was initially the [[Viking]] religion that believed in [[Norse mythology]]. Later the nation became half-[[Christian]] and then more fully Christian. This increasing [[Christianization]] culminated in the [[Pietism]] period when non-Christian entertainments were discouraged. At present the population is overwhelmingly, if nominally, [[Lutheran]]. However there are also [[Catholicism|Catholic]]s, [[Jehovah's Witness]]es, [[Mormon]]s, [[Islam|Muslim]]s and others. There are also folk beliefs concerning elves that do not rise to the level of religion, but have gained some note.<ref>http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:ym3PEyj1JKYJ:www.metrowestdailynews.com/travel/view.bg%3Farticleid%3D117772%26format%3Dtext+Icelander+belief+in+elves&hl=en</ref>
==Cuisine==
<!-- Image with unknown copyright status removed: [[Image:P1010018-minni.jpg|thumb|The Icelandic national food, [[Þorramatur]].]] -->
{{main|Cuisine of Iceland}}
Iceland offers wide varieties of traditional cuisine. ''[[Þorramatur]]'' (food of the ''þorri'') is the Icelandic national food. Nowadays ''þorramatur'' is mostly eaten during the ancient [[Nordic countries|Nordic]] month of ''þorri'', in January and February, as a tribute to old culture. ''Þorramatur'' consists of many different types of food. These are mostly [[offal]] dishes like pickled ram's testicles, putrefied shark, singed sheep heads, singed sheep head jam, blood pudding, liver sausage (similar to [[Scotland|Scottish]] [[haggis]]) and dried fish (often [[cod]] or [[haddock]]) with butter.
Much of the [[cuisine]] centres around Iceland's [[fishing industry]]. Traditional dishes include ''Hákarl'' (putrefied [[shark]]), ''graflax'' ([[salmon]] marinated in [[salt]] and [[dill]]), ''hangikjöt'' (smoked [[Lamb and mutton|lamb]]), ''hrútspungar'' (pickled [[ram (animal)|ram]]'s testicles), and ''slátur'' (sausages made from [[sheep]] [[entrail]]s). A popular food is ''[[skyr]]'' made of cultured [[skim milk]], in the summer time it may be served with [[bilberry|bilberries]] as a dessert. ''Brennivin'' is an Icelandic [[liquor]] made from [[potatoes]] and [[caraway]].
==Entertainment==
[[Image:Iceland-Reykjavik-National-Theatre-1.jpg|thumb|225px|The National Theatre, Iceland, [[Reykjavík]].]]
{{seealso|Television in Iceland}}
Iceland is home to Nick Jr's [[LazyTown]] (Latibær), created by [[Magnús Scheving]]. It has become a huge phenomenon with children and adults and is shown in over 98 countries, including the US, Canada, Sweden and Latin America. The LazyTown Studios are located in [[Garðabær]].
Iceland is also the home of the reasonably successful 80s and 90s band [[The Sugar Cubes]] from which very successful singer [[Björk]] hailed from.
===Technology===
Iceland is one of the world's most technologically advanced and digitally-connected countries. It has the highest number of [[broadband]] [[Internet]] connections per capita among [[Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development|OECD countries]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4903776.stm BBC News Stat]</ref>
==Music==
{{main|Music of Iceland}}
Icelandic music is related to [[Nordic music]] forms, and includes vibrant [[folk music|folk]] and [[pop music|pop]] traditions, including medieval music group [[Voces Thules]]. The only folk band whose recordings are available abroad is [[Islandica]].
The [[national anthem]] of Iceland is "[[Lofsöngur]]", written by [[Matthías Jochumsson]], with music by [[Sveinbjörn Sveinbjörnsson]] <ref>{{cite web|title=The Icelandic National Anthem|work=musik og saga|accessmonthday=November 11 |accessyear=2005|url=http://www.musik.is/Lof/E/lofe.html}}</ref>. The song was written in [[1874]], when Iceland celebrated the one thousandth anniversary of settlement on the island. It was in the form of a [[hymn]], first published under the title ''A Hymn in Commemoration of Iceland's Thousand Years''.
==Leisure==
{{seealso|Sport in Iceland}}
[[Image:IcelandicHorseInWinter.jpg|225px|left|thumb|An [[Icelandic horse]] in winter.]]
Though changing in the past years, Icelanders remain a very healthy nation. Children and teenagers participate in various types of leisure activities. Popular sports today are mainly [[soccer]], [[Athletics (track and field)|athletics]], [[handball]] and [[basketball]]. Sports such as [[golf]], [[tennis]], [[swimming]], [[chess]] and [[horseback riding]] on [[Icelandic horse]]s are also popular.
[[Chess]] is a popular type of recreation favored by the Icelanders’ [[Viking]] ancestors. The country's chess clubs have created many chess grandmasters including [[Friðrik Ólafsson]], [[Jóhann Hjartarson]], [[Margeir Pétursson]], and [[Jón Arnason]]. ''[[Glíma]]'' is a form of wrestling that is still played in Iceland, thought to have originated with the Vikings. [[Swimming]] and [[horseback riding]] are popular as well as leisure activities without competition. [[Golf]] is especially common; around 1 in 8 Icelanders play the sport.<ref>{{cite web|title=Golf.is|accessmonthday=August 25 |accessyear=2007|url=http://www.golf.is/index.jsp?ib_page=884&iw_language=is_IS}}</ref> [[Team handball]] is often referred to as a national sport, [[Iceland national handball team|Iceland's team]] is one of the top ranked teams in the world, and Icelandic women are surprisingly good at [[football (soccer)|football]] compared to the size of the country, the national team ranked the eighteenth best by [[FIFA]].
Ice and rock climbing are a favorite among many Icelanders, for example to climb the top of the 4,167-foot (1,270 metre) [[Þumall]] peak in [[Skaftafell National Park]] is a challenge for many adventurous climbers, but mountain climbing is considered to be more suitable for the general public and is a very common type of leisure activity. [[Hvítá]], among many other of the Icelandic glacial rivers, attracts kayakers and river rafterers worldwide.
==Language==
{{seealso|Icelandic language|Linguistic purism in Icelandic}}
The principal language of Iceland is [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]], a highly [[inflection|inflected]] [[North Germanic]] language. [[Danish language|Danish]] and [[English language|English]] are also taught in schools. [[Linguistic purism]] is strongly supported in Iceland in an attempt to prevent [[loanword]]s from entering the language. Instead, [[neologism]]s are coined from Icelandic roots, creating [[compound word]]s to describe new concepts. It is often the case that old words which are no longer used are recycled with a new meaning. It should be noted, however, that some loanwords persist in Icelandic, and many more, the majority [[anglicism]]s, are used in everyday speech.
==Education==
{{main|Education in Iceland}}
The system of education in Iceland is based upon the [[Education in the United States|American system]], and there are four levels: pre-school, compulsory, upper secondary and higher. Education is mandatory for children aged six to sixteen. Most institutions are funded by the state, there are very few [[private school]]s in the country. The Ministry of Education, Science and Culture has the jurisdiction of educational responsibility. Over the years, the educational system has been [[Decentralisation|decentralised]] and responsibility for [[Primary education|primary]] and [[Secondary education|lower secondary]] schools lies with the local authorities. The state runs [[Tertiary education|upper secondary schools]] and [[higher education]] institutions.
==Arts==
[[Image:Einar Jónsson27.jpg|thumb|''Svefn'', a sculpture by [[Einar Jónsson]].]]
The people of Iceland are famous for their [[prose]] and [[poetry]]; in particular the [[saga]]s and [[edda]]s.
===Literature===
{{main|Icelandic literature}}
[[Image:Laxness portrett einar hakonarson 1984.jpg|left|180px|thumb|The writer ''[[Halldór Laxness]]'' by [[Einar Hákonarson]],1984.]]
Iceland has produced many great authors including [[Halldór Laxness]], [[Guðmundur Kamban]], [[Tómas Guðmundsson]], [[Davíð Stefánsson]], [[Jón Thoroddsen]], Steinn Steinarr, [[Guðmundur G. Hagalín]], [[Þórbergur Þórðarson]] and [[Jóhannes úr Kötlum]].
Iceland's best-known classical works of literature are the [[Icelanders' sagas]], prose epics set in Iceland's age of settlement. The most famous of these include ''[[Njáls saga]]'', about an epic blood feud, and ''[[Grœnlendinga saga|Grænlendinga saga]]'' and ''[[Saga of Eric the Red|Eiríks saga]]'', describing the discovery and settlement of [[Greenland]] and [[Vinland]] (modern [[Newfoundland and Labrador|Newfoundland]]). [[Egils saga]], [[Laxdæla saga]], [[Grettis saga]], [[Gísla saga]] and [[Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu]] are also notable and popular [[Icelanders' sagas]].
[[W. H. Auden]] and [[Louis MacNeice]] wrote ''Letters From Iceland'' (1937) to describe their travels through that country.
===Painting and sculpture===
{{main|Art of Iceland}}
The first professional secular [[painter]]s appeared in Iceland in the 19th century. This group of artists included [[Jóhannes Sveinsson Kjarval]] who was famous for his paintings portraying village life in Iceland. [[Ásmundur Sveinsson]], a 20th century sculptor, was also from Iceland. Silver working and its old traditions have been preserved.
[[Einar Hákonarson]] is an [[expressionistic]] and [[figurative]] painter who brought the figure back into Icelandic painting in 1968. He is a pioneer in the Icelandic art scene and art education. He has been called “The crusader of the painting”<ref>[[Morgunbladid]] article ''19.8 2005 http://www.einarhakonarson.com/media/articles-2000-part2.pdf</ref>, due to his involvement in those conflicts many Icelandic painters had with the public fine art centers. He was a driving force in founding The Icelandic Printmaking Association and its first president. <ref>The Icelandic Printmakers Association ''http://www.islenskgrafik.is/page1/page15/page15.html</ref>
===Architecture===
[[Image:SkogarMuseumOutside.jpg|225px|thumb|Traditional turf-roof houses, now the Museum of Skógar.]]
{{main|Architecture of Iceland}}
Icelandic architecture draws from [[Scandinavia]]n influences and, traditionally, was influenced by the lack of native trees on the island. As a result, [[grass]]- and [[turf]]-covered houses were developed. The [[Icelandic turf houses|original grasshouses]] constructed by the original settlers of Iceland were based on [[Viking]] [[longhouse]]s.
==Transport==
{{main|Transport in Iceland}}
There are no [[railway]]s in Iceland. The country has an extensive road network, and a [[ring road]] follows the coast, making it theoretically possible to traverse the entire island. [[Sea]] and [[air]] transport are both popular to connect larger population centers.
==Tourism==
{{main|Tourism in Iceland}}
One of the most popular tourist attractions in Iceland is visiting the [[Geothermal (geology)|geothermal]] [[spa]]s and pools that can be found all around the country, such as ''[[Blue Lagoon (geothermal spa)|Bláa Lónið]]'' (The Blue Lagoon) on the [[Reykjanes|Reykjanes Peninsula]] near the [[Keflavík International Airport]].
{{wide image|Island-005.jpg|1800px|A panorama of [[Selfoss]]}}
==References==
{{reflist|2}}
==See also==
{{Commonscat|Culture of Iceland}}
* [[Architecture of Iceland]]
* [[Cinema of Iceland]]
* [[Cuisine of Iceland]]
* [[Icelandic literature]]
* [[Lopapeysa]]
* [[Music of Iceland]]
* [[Public holidays in Iceland]]
* [[Television in Iceland]]
{{Iceland topics|state=collapsed}}
{{Culture of Europe}}
[[Category:Icelandic culture| ]]
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