Iceland Art / Culture Profile

The culture of Iceland is rich and varied inclunding being known for its literary heritage which stems from authors from the 12th to 14th centuries. Other Icelandic traditional arts include weaving, silver crafting, and wood carving. The Reykjavík area has several professional theatres, a symphony orchestra, an opera, and a large amount of art galleries, bookstores, cinemas, and museums. Iceland's literacy rate is part the highest in the world, and a love of literature, art, chess, and other intellectual pursuits is widespread

Attitudes and customs

Icelanders generally have a traditional liberal Nordic outlook, similar to other Nordic nations such as Norway and Sweden. From now on, an significant key to understanding Icelanders and their culture (and which differentiates them from the majority of their contemporary Nordic peoples) is the high importance they place on the traits of independence and self-sufficiency.

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, a lot of 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 policy out their existence. Even today, roads have been re-routed and building plans redesigned or abandoned to avoid disturbing rocks where elves are said to live.

Icelandic society and culture has a high degree of gender equality, with a lot of women in leadership positions in government and business. Iceland as well 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 surnames but patronyms or (in certain cases) matronyms. See Icelandic name for further discussion.

Iceland as well has the majority 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 inventory of twenty nations that have outlawed spanking, the act as well 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.

Local and national festivals include the annual National Day, celebrating the country's independence in 1944, Sumardagurinn fyrsti which celebrates the first day of summer, and Sjómannadagurinn which is held each June to pay tribute to the country's seafaring past.

Religion

Religion in Iceland was initially the Viking religion that believed in Norse mythology. Later the country became half-Christian and then additional fully Christian. This increasing Christianization culminated in the Pietism period when non-Christian entertainments were discouraged. At present the people is overwhelmingly, if nominally, Lutheran. However there are as well Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Muslims and others. There are as well folk beliefs concerning elves that do not rise to the level of religion, but have gained some note.

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