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Issue 04
2020
www.gpv.is
EXTREMELY
ONLINE GIG GUIDE × CITY MAP × TRAVEL IDEAS × FOOD
editorial
Published by PUBLISHER grapevine.is COPY EDITOR Rex Beckett editor@grapevine.is FOUNDERS Nothing in this The opinions
Fröken ehf. Hilmar Steinn NEWS/WEB EDITOR Catharine Fulton PHOTOGRAPHERS —» Advertising Hilmar Steinn magazine may expressed are the
Hafnarstræti 15, Grétarsson Andie Sophia INTERNS Hrefna Björg 354 540 3605 Grétarsson, be reproduced in writers’ own, not the
101 Reykjavík hilmar@grapevine.is Fontaine Sam O'Donnell ads@grapevine.is Hörður whole or in part advertisers’).
SALES DIRECTORS
www.grapevine.is +354 540 3601 andie@grapevine.is samuel@grapevine.is —» Distribution Kristbjörnsson, without the written
Aðalsteinn
grapevine@ publisher@ Poppy Askham & Subscriptions Jón Trausti permission of the
CULTURE/LISTINGS Jörundsson
grapevine.is grapevine.is EDITOR poppy@grapevine.is +354 540 3604 Sigurðarson, publishers. You
adalsteinn@
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Hannah Jane Cohen distribution@ Oddur Óskar may not like it,
CONTRIBUTING grapevine.is
Member of the Valur Grettisson hannah@grapevine.is WRITERS grapevine.is Kjartansson, but at least it's
Helgi Þór Harðarson
Icelandic Travel valur@grapevine.is Alexander Jean de —» Press releases Valur Gunnarsson not sponsored
PHOTO EDITOR helgi@grapevine.is
Industry Association Fontenay listings@grapevine.is (no articles in the
ART DIRECTOR Art Bicnick CONTACT US:
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A note from the art director: This is a temporary online-only redesign. As the issue will not be printed,
the fonts are bigger, and we are not saving paper so we can allow ourselves more space, bigger pictures, and as much
experimentation as we like. It's a new frontier! This issue is a bit messy. We pray forgiveness. We're still figuring out the kinks.
Send your complaints to sveinbjorn@grapevine.is. Heart emoji, Sveinbjörn Pálsson, Art Director of The Reykjavík Grapevine.
ter Wallace, Hannah is Pálsson hosts the keeps tell- listening to 1999 and
and other also the cur- is our Art Funkþát- ing himself all kinds of has been
such "intel- rent Drag Director. turinn radio that this is metal, and reporting
lectuals." King of Ice- He's respon- show, or the year he reading. since 2003.
Her vision- land, Hans. sible for the sits at a will begin They were
Hannah Jane ary work is Hannah is design of table in a Samuel pursuing his the first for-
Cohen is known for a Columbia the maga- Laugardalur O'Donnell Master’s. In eign-born
based out expanding alumni. zine and the café, drink- Sam is an his spare member of
of Iceland the defini- cover pho- ing copious English time, he the Icelan-
by way of tions of tography. amounts of major from enjoys play- dic Parlia-
New York. emotion, When he's coffee and The United ing video ment, an
She's known introspec- not work- thinking States. He games, Andie Sophia experience
for her love tion, and ing here, about fonts. has his writing Fontaine has they recom-
of Willa Ford, above all he DJs as Bachelor’s short hor- lived in Ice- mend for
David Fos- else, taste. Sveinbjörn Terrordisco, Degree, and ror stories, land since anyone who
The Reykjavik Grapevine Playlist
Sam Smith- “To Die For (Ólafur Arnalds Remix)” Jean-Philippe Rameau & Víkingur Ólafsson
- “The Arts and the Hours”
Ólafur Arnalds’ remix of Sam Smith’s single serves up
a minimalistic take on the heartbreaking ballad. Slow, The perfect track for these anxiety-inducing times,
instrumental, and stripped of the beginning’s audio Vikingur Olafsson’s virtuoso piano playing will soothe
sample, it sounds like less of a remix than the original. A even the most jangled nerves. Víkingur’s arrangement—
soft piano introduces Smith’s golden vocals. Cellos come transcribed from Rameau’s last opera ‘Les Boréades’—is
in, honing on the tragic undertones while an electronic the enchanting centrepiece on Víkingur’s soon-to-be-
arpeggio plays in the background. It picks up before released album, which will pay homage to two French
falling back to melancholic slowness at the end. SPO greats of the classical world—Rameau and Debussy. PA
GusGus - “Out of Place” Sturla Atlas - “Hvert sem er”
Legends of the Icelandic electronic scene, GusGus are Sturla’s all grown up! 101 Boys’ first breakout star is back
back with a characteristically trancy new single. With with his fifth release and first solo outing since 2017. His
multi-layered synths and smooth dreamy vocals, this nose for pop hooks and his silky smooth voice are still
track has an effortless feel to it. Don’t be surprised if there but the tounge-in-cheek gangsta rap references
you find yourself drifting off at your desk at work whilst are gone, and the trap beat has been replaced with an
listening. PA uptempo electropop beat, reminiscent of The Weeknd’s
recent offerings. Somber but driving full steam ahead,
just like you and me, baby. It’s a bunker banger. SP
The Reykjavik Grapevine Playlist
Words: Grapevine Staff
Photo: Hrefna Björg
Ásta- “Sykurbað” (no video available) Salóme Katrín - “Don’t Take Me So Seriously”
Our regular readers know that we absolutely love Ásta. Post-dreifing starlet Salóme Katrín has an important
Now, the eponymous song from her 2019 debut album is message in her debut single. The acoustic indie ballad is
here with a particularly high production video, starring an easy-going and straight-forward imploration: “Don’t
the singer herself. It’s arguably the best track from the take me so seriously. I’m not being real.” Could this mean
album, featuring a chord progression that spans the that the music she releases forthwith will be sillier? We
fretboard, and Ásta’s distinctly angelic voice. This lady is hope so. SPO
seriously talented. SPO
Velvet Villain
- “I Wanna Know” (no video available)
This is my kind of music. A thick, heavily distorted riff and
a persistent beat on an acoustic drum kit sets the tone
for the whole song, which is warped, frustrated, and
raw. Remember The White Stripes? It’s a lot like The White
Stripes. SPO
ASK A HISTORIAN
"What Is The Legacy Of Iceland’s
Red Stocking Women?"
In the spirit of International was not replaced until 2019.
Women’s Day, we asked The Red Stockings also
Ragnhildur Hólmgeirsdót- campaigned for equal rights
tir from Iceland’s Women’s in the workplace, focusing on
History Archives to fill us in on universal access to kinder-
the legacy of some of Iceland’s garten education and whole-
feistiest feminists. day school attendance. Their
“On May 1st, 1970, the Icelan- vision did not become a real-
dic Red Stocking Women ity until the 1990s and there is
made their first public appear- still progress to be made.
ance, marching through the The Red Stockings had an
streets and carrying a statue artistic, energetic approach
of a woman with the slogan: to their cause and their public
“Human being – not a market- protests frequently caught
ing product.” the press’ attention. In one
The vision of the Red Stock- famous example of this,
ing Movement was radi- they brought a live cow to a
cal and some of their goals 1972 beauty contest. Partly
are still relevant in today’s thanks to this protest, beauty
struggle for equality. One contests were temporarily
of their main goals was the halted in Iceland.
right to abortion. A Red Finally, I must mention the
Stockings member sat on the Women’s Day Off in 1975. This
parliamentary committee mass event was a joint effort
for new legislation concern- by several women’s organiza-
ing abortion and contracep- tions, but the idea first started
tives in 1973. Their proposal circulating in the Red Stock-
sparked a heated debate, ings’ meetings in 1970. The
but was turned down for a Women’s Day Off was most
more conservative law, which recently repeated in 2018.”
Only a deeply twisted mind but I have to admit there’s
could look at an innocuous nothing like the taste of spicy
chocolate-coated liquorice salty ammoniac to make
FOOD OF ICELAND
ball and think you know what you appreciate liquorice. In
Sterkar Djúpur
this needs? Seasoning. Or fact, the sweets’ chocolatey
so I thought. Enter Sterkar liquorice core is so beguiling
Djúpur: the salt-and-pepper- that before you know it you’ve
covered sweet that has proven forgotten the initial unpleas-
unfathomably popular with antness and you find your
Iceland’s candy connoisseurs. hand reaching once again
If you’re unfortunate enough towards the packet, trapped
to be given one of these sweets, in a self-destructive cycle that
perhaps by a seemingly well- can only be broken when your
meaning colleague, first you’ll fingers just find pepper dust
be hit by an unexpected salty and plastic.
tang. The culprit? Ammo- Bizarre as they may seem,
nium Chloride. Apparently Sterkar Djúpur are not the
here in Iceland the compound result of some improbable
isn’t just a cough medicine or culinary accident. They’re
"Only a deeply twisted mind shampoo ingredient, it’s also
been a staple of the candy
Freyja’s (Iceland’s oldest oper-
ating confectioner) answer
could look at an innocuous
aisle since its 1930s popu- to the Tyrkisk Peber craze
larisation. After the initial that has taken Scandinavia’s
ammonia-based surprise has sweetshops by storm in recent
chocolate-coated liquorice worn off, the sourness softens years. Can’t get enough of that
to reveal a peppery kick with distinctive spicy tang? Why
ball and think 'you know subtle smoky undertones that not try some of Reykjavik’s
perhaps fortunately doesn’t other spins on the trend—
what this needs? Seasoning'." quite live up to the sweets’ perhaps ice cream dipped in
flame-covered packaging. molten liquorice and rolled in
In the interest of full disclo- pepper powder or perhaps an
Words: Poppy Askham sure—I’m not a fan of the enticingly grey Tyrkisk Peber
nation’s favourite sweet cheesecake?
(please don’t deport me, ÚTL),
A Little
COMMUNITY
Help
Here!
Smá Hjálp bands
small businesses
together in
the face of
uncertainty
With the COVID-19 situation all but halting the take-away, which is a great option, but this
Icelandic economy, many small independent still means they will have less staff on,” Anna
businesses are in serious jeopardy. In order to explains. “Others are selling gift cards that can
help at-risk institutions, Anna Worthington be used at a different date in the near future.”
De Matos, the founder of the Reykjavík Tool She names vegan cake company Baunin as a
Library, created the website Smá Hjálp, shin- good example of this.
ing a light on local businesses endangered by Some, particularly non-profits, have opened
the crisis. up donation channels. For instance, Kattakaf-
fihúsið is accepting donations to take care of
the cats. Others are thinking more out-of-
Creating a platform the-box. “We at the Tool Library are trying to
“These are “The idea for Smá Hjálp came about when
friends with small independent businesses
figure out a system where people can possibly
pre-book their borrowings,” Anna explains.
tough times started to voice their concerns about what
would happen if we were made to close
“We are working on it.”
for us all
down or reduce services,” she explains. “The
point of the website is to give a platform for People over business
those businesses to communicate directly Aside from do-it-together solutions, what can
and we are to the customer how they can be helped and the government actually do to protect small
supported during this time.” businesses? “Honestly, at this point I am not
all in this to- The coronavirus pandemic, with subse- sure,” Anna answers. “Tax breaks might be a
quent travel restrictions and gathering bans, good idea for the time being, but I am at a loss.
gether, so we has already profoundly changed many local The government should prioritise people over
businesses, particularly those that thrive on business, but I also think they should priori-
will only get person-to-person contact, Anna emphasises. tise small businesses over for-profit corpora-
“What we do at the Tool Library is a circular tions that are going to be fine.”
through it by economy and that means we need to share
things to stay alive,” she says. “This is not a
Most of all, Anna believes that the instant
catastrophic effect COVID-19 had on the
sticking to- really good time for ‘sharing’ unless we are
talking about kindness.”
Icelandic economy should be a wake up call. “If
there was ever a time to start making signifi-
gether and “People are scared and worried about their
financial situations over the next couple of
cant systemic changes to the economy, this is
it,” she says.
supporting months and that will affect their ability to
also support us local small businesses,” she
Current difficulties are sure to pass, but in
the meantime, all the average person can do is
each other.” explains. “It will be a matter of them needing
to save money vs. wanting to help us. These
try to prop each other up, which is the over-
all goal of Smá Hljálp. “If you like a place, like
are very difficult times indeed.” what they stand for and want to help them
keep going, share their posts, pass on their
information, like, comment and, if you can
Out-of-the-box thinking afford to, buy something,” Anna concludes.
Words: Hannah Jane Cohen Businesses are doing their part though, by “These are tough times for us all and we are
Photo: Art Bicnick adapting their services to better cater to all in this together, so we will only get through
customers in the current climate. “Restau- it by sticking together and supporting each
rants and bars are offering delivery and other.”
FANCIES
Fancies Is Our
Compendium Of
Reykjavik Street
Icons
M.R. MYMY IRIDESCENCE
BARK MORPHO 1314 is a
long duration perfor-
mance artist.
Wearing:
• Matriarchy for the next two
thousand years—hail Women
• Higher Consciousness Beaming
through sculls of absent fathers
• Gift wrapped Belfast love of my
life Mint God Highlander Paul Mark
• Hyper Surface Structured
to Serve All Elephants and Niger
rhythm
• Crystallized and vaporized into
Audio bursts in Beats bleeding into
everything that feeds on the music
of the matriarchal being
Describe your style in 5 words:
Björk. Kate. Sade. Tori. Janet.
Favourite stores around Reykjavík:
Invasion of Scandinavian acrylic
uniformity! Where the fuck is the
cool wool store, Reykjavík! NO! NO!
NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! NO!
(12)
Favourite piece you own:
My grandfather Carl Vagn Richardt
Petersen’s (1935-2006) Clann
Mhic Leòid jacket, from the Isle of
Skye. With its round Na Cananaich
cigarette burns and my ultimate
style icon, my grandmother Edel
Petersen’s (1939-2006) meticulous
embroidered repairs.
Something you would never wear:
A logo.
Lusting after:
The “Jellyfish” Ensemble from the
2010 S/S collection ‘Plato’s Atlantis’
by Alexander McQueen (1969-2010),
and wings.
ART IN OUR TIME
Diary Of An Artist In Quarantine
Óttar Norðfjörd journals a creative life in lockdown
Let’s face it. These are strange times. We’re in the midst of a screenplays, I thought fiction would make sense,” he says. But
global pandemic. Most of us are just trying to get by. Amid all every time he sat down to write the novel, he hit a wall. “I failed
of this confusion, Óttar Norðfjörd, novelist and head writer miserably in the first days,” he admits. In the end, he decided
for ‘The Valhalla Murders’ (‘Brot’ in Iceland), has compiled his he was too close to the crisis to write a fictional account of it. “I
thoughts on the epidemic into a journal. Published in Mannlíf need distance. I need time away from this.”
in Icelandic, the journal reveals the artist’s experience surviv- Around the same time, the editor of Mannlíf approached
ing in these chaotic times. Óttar to pen a longread in the form of a diary about the life
of an artist in quarantine. The diary format felt comfortable
to him, and Óttar had a draft ready in half an hour. “I realised
Stress and lockdown there was so much stuff going on in my head about this that
Óttar lives in Spain with his wife and their two year old son. I really needed to get out,” he says. By the time the first draft
They have another baby on the way. While he and his family was finished, he had to restrain himself from writing more. “I
are healthy and safe, the entire country is currently on lock- could have gone longer, but at the moment I feel like I got it out
down, meaning that people must stay inside except for abso- of my system.”
lute essentials.
Some people find this easy to deal with. “I’m a writer. I can
work from home, in a way it’s not different from my everyday Fresh perspective
life,” Óttar says, adding that it’s not as easy for his wife, who is Besides sticking to word count, the biggest challenge for Óttar
a photographer and used to being outside. However, since she was trying to say something new. “There is so much stuff,
is 33 weeks pregnant, they have decided to keep her away from memes, articles and blogs, and it’s endless,” he says, adding
the general public until the baby is born. “She hasn’t left the that he tried to bring some new perspective to the table. Since
house now for twelve days,” he says, “So I go out for food like a he is in Spain—a country on lockdown, with more than 4000
caveman.” dead at the time of writing, and 56,188 infected—perhaps his
account will serve as a warning for the Icelandic government
Catharsis to take the virus and its spread more seriously.
This situation has, naturally, resulted in an increase in stress. “Iceland feels like Spain felt two weeks ago,” Óttar says. “I
Initially, Óttar intended to write about the situation in the form guess Iceland will be in our position in, I dunno, two weeks?”
of a novel as a coping mechanism. “Since I write novels and That’s a chilling idea.
“I have this moment like Nina
in ‘Black Swan,’ where she
does her best show ever… but
without a piece of glass in my
stomach.”PERFECT DAY:
Andrean
Sigurgeirsson
Spectacular, totally unique, completely
not ever been done before...
Andrean Sigurgeirsson is a dancer- the beach to ourselves and go headphones, and just walk very fast
extraordinaire who you can often skinny-dipping in the warm ocean. up the mountain. I tend to hike very
see gracing the stage of the Iceland Then we kiss and hug in the hot tub. fast and people can’t keep up with
Dance Company and performing me. Get those buns of steel, honey!
with Hatari. Here’s how his perfect
day in the city would unfold: Lunch
Evening
First thing in the We go to my favourite place,
morning Coocoo’s Nest, for a late brunch.
I have the eggs florentine, which
Then I’d head to Borgarleikhúsið for
a show, grabbing some salad from
is very cliché, but I freaking love Local on the way. We’d be showing
Since I’m in a long-distance it. My friends are there, and we’re my all-time favourite piece, Black
relationship, I would love to wake up planning a new art project, which is Marrow. It’s packed and I have this
quite early in the morning, with the brilliant, incredible, amazing, show moment like Nina in ‘Black Swan,’
early morning shimmer from the stopping, spectacular, never the where she does her best show ever.
sun, spooning my boyfriend, kissing same, totally unique, completely not The whole artistic team surrounds
him lightly. My whole family would ever been done before—that whole me and are in awe and I say, "I was
be in the kitchen, making breakfast, quote, you know. perfect," but without a piece of
and we’d sit down and talk about a Then, we notice in the news that broken glass in my stomach.
lot of stupid stuff, mostly laughing. the Icelandic government has
Some nice Indonesian jazz plays in stopped the eviction of asylum
the background. seeker children and their families, In the heat
and the solution for the coronavirus
is just devouring a huge vínarbrauð. of the night
Mid-morning At the same time, Bernie Sanders
is elected President of the United After the show, me and my
States. We celebrate with a mimosa. comrades celebrate with some
After breakfast, my boyfriend and champagne. We end up at Röntgen,
I go and take a walk in Öskjuhlíð, my new favourite place, and we
which is one of the few places Afternoon dance the fucking house down.
within Reykjavík with trees. I’m Then, my boyfriend and I sneak
half-Indonesian so I really like to be away—like I always do—and tap
surrounded by trees, but in Iceland I would probably want to be alone into Kiki to get our gay songs on for
they are non-existent. Afterwards, with myself because I’m a huge an hour.
we’d head to Nauthólsvík. It’d be a loner and need time to myself. I love Then we’d go home and have sex
total rom-com situation—we have hiking so I’d go to Esja, put on my until we die.Not Letting Panic Guide Us Chief Medical Officer Alma Möller on how Iceland is dealing with COVID-19
As some countries close their borders, tive to COVID-19; the elderly, and those
screenings and tests are either too with certain pre-existing medical condi-
expensive or impossible to get a hold tions. We want to protect those from Please don’t break
of, and even some world leaders take up infection as best we can. All of these quarantine
science-denying rhetoric, Iceland has responses are to slow down the spread of Up until now, those who have been placed
distinguished itself in its fight against this epidemic, so that we don't get many in quarantine have been advised to stay
the spread of the novel coronavirus. cases in just a few days.” home. They are not kept in isolation—as
This has involved a concerted effort Alma points out the oft-touted “flat- has been said, isolation is for those who
by the Department of Civil Protection tening the curve” approach; that protec- test positive, while quarantine is for those
and Emergency Management, local and tive measures help keep the number of who may have caught the virus but are
national authorities, and the office which people treated within numbers that any still waiting on results. There have been
oversees Iceland’s healthcare system, the given country’s health care system can some dubious reports of people breaking
Directorate of Health. handle. This has been a central theme in quarantine, and at the time of this writ-
As Chief Medical Officer Alma Möller the Icelandic response. ing authorities have just announced that
heads this office, and has been at the they will be doing phone checks to make
front lines in Iceland’s fight against the sure people in quarantine stay home. In
virus from the start. She’s been a part of The deCODE screenings addition to breaking quarantine poten-
the daily press briefings that have kept In mid-March, prior to a shortage of test- tially endangering the general public,
the country informed, the screening and ing pins, deCODE Genetics was taking those who do so may face
quarantine operations that have helped
slow the virus’ spread, and the creation
samples from roughly 1,000 Icelanders
per day. Preliminary results from testing
criminal penalties.
“There have been some
“Our goal
of the information site—covid.is—which
is loaded with helpful resources in both
the general public indicate that the novel
coronavirus is not widespread in the
tips to the police that
someone has broken
is to tell the
Icelandic and English. country, and could be as low as less than
1%. In fact, deCODE CEO Kári Stefáns-
quarantine, and in a very
few cases that has been
truth, and
Iceland’s advantage
son speculates that “it’s likely that those
who have reason to believe they may have
the case,” Alma tells us.
If someone does break we make
Contrary to what you might have heard
elsewhere, the novel coronavirus is not
contracted or come in contact with the
virus are more likely to come to us.”
quarantine, then accord-
ing to Icelandic law on decisions
like the flu; in many ways, it’s worse.
“It's a new virus that we haven't seen
Alma, for her part, remains cautiously
optimistic.
infectious disease, it is
possible to enforce penal based on the
before, and it's always cause for concern “This is a small sample size that law. But thus far we
when a new epidemic arises,” Alma tells deCODE [has collected], but it indicates haven't had to do that, facts that
us. “We know that this virus is more that under 1% of those in the greater as people are in general
contagious than influenza, and we know Reykjavík area are carrying the virus,” doing well and listening we have. It's
that it results in more people becom- Alma says. “It's difficult to comment to orders, as this is some-
ing seriously ill. There isn't any vaccine definitively at this time, but if this thing everyone should very easy to
or cure. We see what's happening in percentage bears out, then it's perhaps do.”
China and what's happening in north- lower than we expected. This also encour- judge after
ern Italy, and this has caused us concern ages us to continue on with the same
“Our goal is to
and prompted us to take more extensive
measures.”
measures we've already been taking.
It shows that they're working; that the
tell the truth” the fact, but
Iceland’s edge in the fight against the
novel coronavirus is a combination of
virus isn't spreading out. So it would be
wise to continue with what we've been
Regardless of Iceland’s
effective approach,
all the de-
both policy choices and its small size.
“What makes Iceland special is that we
doing; screening early, quarantining and
isolating. It's just not known anywhere in
Alma maintains that the
emphasis on personal
cisions we
have this good civic protection system,
and a good emergency response system,”
the world what percentage of the general
population has the virus; we only know
responsibility is not
unique to Iceland.
make are
Alma says. “[Also good are] our small
size, and how easy it is to reach people. It
how many people have gotten very ill. As
it's a new epidemic, it's very important to
“We've maybe acted
sooner in getting these
based on the
might also be good to be a small nation,
as it can make the health care system
get better information.” health guidelines out to
people, but I think this is best knowl-
more extensive and exact. Our response
in Iceland has actually been growing a The criticism
the key component,” she
says. “And I think it's easy edge we have
lot since the end of January, while other
nations have maybe not taken any large-
Alma emphasises that there are as yet
no plans to increase or intensify the
for us to get this infor-
mation to the public, at that given
scale responses. We started by educating measures Icelandic authorities have because we're so few. Our
the general public, and have been doing already taken, saying, “This screening is goal is to tell the truth, time.”
so for a long time now. Then we've been ongoing and we've already done a great and we make decisions based on the facts
trying to test for the virus early, and put deal, and it's working, but we are contin- that we have. It's very easy to judge after
people [who test positive] into isola- uously assessing the situation.” the fact, but all the decisions we make are
tion. We've tracked paths of transmis- Not everyone has been satisfied, based on the best knowledge we have at
sion while having people go into home though. Across social media, armchair that given time.”
quarantine. Isolation is for people who diagnosticians have called for Iceland to She also points out the website, covid.
test positive, and quarantine is for those raise the threat level, take more dras- is, which is a veritable wealth of informa-
who may have had contact with the virus tic measures, or even shut its borders tion on how to stay safe and keep others
without us yet knowing.” entirely. Alma advises that people look safe as well.
“Now we've gone a bit further in our at the situation accurately and not lose There’s no telling how long this situ-
response, by instituting this public gath- their heads. ation may last. Things may get better,
erings ban,” Alma explains, referring to “I think the numbers that we have here and they may get worse. The situation
the ban of gatherings of more than 100 [on rate of infection in the general popu- changes from day to day. At the very least,
people that went into effect on March lation] don't support that criticism,” she however, Icelanders are not kept in the
16th. It has since been amended to limit says. “But of course, we always welcome dark about the current state of things,
gatherings to no more than 20 people, criticism, and continue to assess the situ- they have full access to the country’s
maintaining a two metre distance ation. As things stand now, our measures health services, and all the information
between people at all times “We're also have been working, and no decisions one might need is just a few clicks away.
protecting those who are the most sensi- have been taken in a state of panic.”ICELANDIC SUPERSTITIONS
Bubbi Morthens
And Sadistic Spanking
A journey through the odd
and mystical world of handball
Words: Valur Grettisson Photo: ???
Let’s admit it: Sports are more or tune of choice of this player
less the biggest manifestation is “Háflóð” by Bubbi Morthens.
of modern superstition. You For the foreigners reading,
know, “laces out” and all that. “Háflóð” is a weird Icelandic
Iceland is no exception. In pop song from the 80s. We
2016, scholar Kolbrún Lilja dare you to listen to it and
Arnarsdóttir wrote her thesis tell us how lucky you feel. You
in ethnology about Icelandic probably feel more drunk than
superstitions surrounding ready to run a field.
handball. According to
Kolbrún, there are three main Another professional
categories—with a sadistic handballer said that he always
twist—that characterize vacuumed his apartment on
Icelandic sport superstitions. game day. Productive, yes, but
sounds more like something a
doctor should check out.
Lucky, lucky
To get it out of the way, yes, there
are some cliché superstitions Bleeding butts
about lucky charms. Some players Onto the sadistic stuff—finally!
have them—dressing the same Apparently, it’s required that
way for each game, wearing everyone who begins playing on
the same socks, the same the Icelandic National Handball
sweatband, donning the same Team must be brutally spanked
number on their jersey, and so on. by the whole team after the
But most importantly, athletes first game… in the shower.
that Kolbrún interviewed told her This blatantly violent act has
they always washed their clothes actually resulted in some
in between matches. rookies dealing with a bleeding
ass after the initiation. Some
As far as superstitions go, that took days to recover.
one is BORING!
This BDSM initially might seem
like more of a tradition rather
Bubbi’s the word than a superstition, but hey—
Now, to the odd ones. One Icelandic handball won an
professional handball player Olympic medal. You haven’t
said that she always listened seen any other teams do that.
to the same song before So this superstition has the
a game. Having a lucky Grapevine’s seal of approval.
song is not particularly Keep on spanking, boys.
strange, but theYou can also read
