170 years from the first western tours
This weekend, a large conference in the Westman Islands will take place on the occasion of the 170th anniversary of the western tours, when three Icelanders from the Westman Islands settled in Spanish Fork in Utah. Spencer Cox, Utah Governor, Mayor of Spanish Fork, and US MPs will be in the Islands this weekend for this occasion.
A talk will be held on the beginning of western travels and how pioneers of Western Icelanders weigh in the new world, says Kári Bjarnason, director of the Vestmannaeyja Museum and one organizer of the conference. Kari says it is a great honor that Utah’s governor has seen himself able to attend the conference and get to present him this story.
Religious notes
The reason for the conference is held in the Westman Islands is that a couple from Kirkjubær in the Westman Islands and their friend from Landeyjar headed west and settled in Spanish Fork in Utah 7. 1855. It marked the beginning of the western travel of Icelanders. The descendants of these people, and those who followed, still live a good life in Spanish Fork, according to Kari.
Large Mormon communities are in Utah and Kári says the first west of Icelanders are all related to that belief. He says all those who moved west across the ocean before 1870 have done so because the person in question became Mormon and was fleeing the conditions that were here in Iceland.
They could not live a normal life because of their faith. A total of about 400 Icelanders moved to Spanish Fork and 200 of them from the Westman Islands. Therefore, many western roots have Icelandic roots.
Many descendants in Utah
The Westerners have many descendants in Utah. Kari then says very proud to have these roots and they have maintained a good relationship with each other over the years. They tended to stand together in those days.
Kari says the descendants hold on to these families and takes an example of this strong connection in the comment of one woman he met and said: « I am 1/8 Icelander but I do not know where the rest comes from. »
Kári says many examples of the fact that families from Utah, who should be traced to Iceland, come to visit the country and get to know her origins.
Today there is still a great Icelandic area in Spanish Fork and there is a very powerful job. For example, Kari mentions that the Icelandic days in Utah and June 17 each year are taken with Icelandic flag on the path of every Icelander in the Spanish Fork cemetery.
In addition, they hold on to Icelandic traditions, celebrate Icelandic holidays and read to form a lot of Icelandic books.
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