Back in December of 2018, Bára Halldórsdóttir outed herself as the whistleblower of the Klaustur Bar Scandal. During this podcast episode, I sit down with Bára to talk about how the scandal unfolded and how it has affected her life. This scandal involved politicians saying horrible things while drinking together in Klaustur bar. Bára happened to be in that same bar and recorded a lot of what these Icelandic politicians were saying. Bára is a whistleblower, artist, and disability activist. Along with the Klaustur scandal, we talk about a range of fascinating topics.

During the interview, Bára shares why it was important for her to record this conversation and share it with the country. Because she has a chronic illness, the stress brought on by the scandal has deeply impacted her health. The whole conversation was fascinating and eye-opening for me. I think scandals like this one provide insight into the country that is not often seen or heard unless you live here and engage with people about the topic. Also, I’m glad that Bára was interested in sharing her experience as a whistle blower and disabled person in Iceland because those identities are seemingly at odds.

Take us back to that day in  November 2018. What was going through your mind when you heard these MPs in Klaustur bar making such awful comments?

In Friday, December 4th, I’m hosting a free virtual book launch for “The Viking Immigrants: Icelandic North Americans” by LK Bertram. The book examines the multi-sensory side of Icelanders that migrated to North America between 1870 and 1914. I’ve been reading the book and even though it is historical text, LK writes it in a way that is entertaining.  The book examines the past through rare photographs, interviews, artefacts, and early recipes. By revealing the hidden histories behind everyday traditions, The Viking Immigrants maps the transformation of Icelandic North American culture over a century and a half.

The guest of honor at the book launch is the First Lady of Iceland, Eliza Reid. You will be able to hear her speak with LK Bertram and will be able to submit questions for them. The other added bonus is that attendees to the book launch on December 4th at 12:00 PM EST will be entered to win a copy of the book and a vínarterta. There will be several copies given away, so there is a good chance of winning one. Here is the link to register.

Looking for a great gift for yourself or a loved one this holiday season? The All Things Iceland box has a a variety of goodies that will give you a delicious taste of Iceland. Buy one here. Use the code “allthingsiceland” for free shipping. The code is valid until December 15th, 2020.

Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta (og að lesa) og sjáumst fljótlega

Thank you kindly for listening (and reading) and see you soon!