Fjallkona
In 1924, the tradition of selecting a woman to be the Fjallkona began. The Fjallkona (Maid of the Mountain) is Iceland, and the Icelanders are her children. Mrs. Sigrun Lindal became the first Fjallkona of Islendingadagurinn. At the festival, the selected woman sits on her elevated throne, clad in the beautiful and dignified formal Icelandic costume of a white gown, green robe with ermine, golden belt, high-crowned headdress and white veil falling over the shoulders to the waist. Two maids of honour, formerly clad in plain Icelandic costume with tasseled skullcaps, are now dressed in white. In former years, these maids of honour were known as Miss Canada and Miss America.
Download the Fjallkona Nomination Form
Learn more about the Fjallkona Walkway in Viking Park
Tammy Axelsson 2023-2024 Fjallkona
Tammy Axelsson (Sigmundson) was raised in Gimli, Manitoba. Her parents were Daniel and Lillian Sigmundson (Sigurdson)
Tammy worked in the recreation department of Gimli Betel Home from 1983 to 1985 alongside Benna Martin and Anna Stevens. Little did we (they) know then that all three would one day share the honour of being the Fjallkona for Íslendingadagurinn. Many of the residents at that time were of Icelandic descent or had immigrated with their parents. They spoke often of Iceland, the beauty of the countryside and the language and of the indomitable spirit of the people. Several encouraged her to go and discover the country and its people for herself.
In the late fall of 1985, Tammy took their advice and set off on her own to discover Iceland, with the intention of being there for three months long enough to learn Icelandic, or so she thought, and then to continue on to see a bit more of Europe before returning home. Three months became three years, and Iceland became an integral part of Tammy’s life. She studied Icelandic at the University of Iceland for two years, and her life’s path was thereafter defined in many ways by this land of her ancestors.
She met her former husband Jon Gretar Axelsson and they have two children together Daniel Jon Axelsson and Fiona Lillian Axelson. She became a step-mother to Guðmundur Axel and Inga Jóna. Jon Gretar and Tammy have five grandchildren – Anton Levi, Jon Axel, Baltasar, Jaspur and Luna.
After coming back to Canada with her family they lived in British Columbia for a number of years and returned to Gimli in 1995. Tammy served as a volunteer on many committees and boards for multiple organizations over the years including - the Icelandic National League of North America, Gimli Icelandic Canadian Society, Gimli´s 1999 Millennium Celebration, Icelandic Festival of Manitoba, Gimli’s SuperWalk for Parkinson’s, Gimli Film Festival; Gimli Ice Festival, Interlake Tourism Association, the Association of Manitoba Museums, Gimli & District Chamber of Commerce, Gimli Tourism Destination Brand Committee and Co-Chair of Pride Gimli.
Her strong connections with Iceland led her to become actively involved in the development of a new museum presence in Gimli. First as a volunteer on the Planning and Implementation Committee in 1995 and later as the Executive Director of the New Iceland Heritage Museum from 1997 to 2017. Her years working at the museum gave her the opportunity to experience a job that never really felt like work, and that enabled her to develop a network of friends and colleagues throughout Manitoba and in Iceland.
Tammy acknowledges the mentorship of many wise and great individuals along the way to whom she is eternally grateful including, Leo and Larry Kristjanson, Stefan Stefanson, Neil Bardal, Kris and Dennis Stefanson, Atli Asmundson and Hjalmar W. Hannesson and Janis Johnson.
She was appointed and served as Honourary Consul of Iceland in Gimli from 2003 -2006 until being elected mayor of Gimli 2006 -2010. She was appointed Honourary Consul of Gimli once again in 2021 to the present day. She is currently Constituency Assistant for Derek Johnson, MLA for Interlake-Gimli.
Community service has been a long-standing tradition in Tammy´s family.
Her afi Gisli Sigmundson was the Reeve of Bifrost; her father Daniel Sigmundson was mayor of Gimli, her brother Danny Sigmundson and niece Melanie Specula both served on Gimli council and her nephew DJ Sigmundson served as Chief Administrative Officer in three Manitoba communities for 25 years.
She is a recipient of Toastmasters International Communication & Leadership Award, the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Queen Elizabeth ll Platinum Jubilee Medal, both for community service.
Today, Tammy is happiest when spending time with her children, her large extended family and friends, and her partner Ross Romaniuk and his family. She is in her element when creating memories and looking for new adventures great and small, and when aspiring to make our little corner of the world on the shores of Lake Winnipeg a better place to be.
Past Fjallkonur
Creative Memories Exhibit - Pictures and stories of past Fjallkonur.
- 2022 - Janice Arnason
- 2021 - Anna Stevens
- 2020 - Anna Stevens
- 2019 - Margaret Thorlakson Kernested
- 2018 - Wanda Josephson Anderson
- 2017 - Tami Jakobson Schirlie
- 2016 - Karen Borgford Botting
- 2015 - Linda Sigurdson Collette
- 2014 - Hedy Gudrun Bjornson
- 2013 - Maxine Helgason Ingalls
- 2012 - Constance Magnusson Schimnowski
- 2011 - Vi Bjarnason Hilton
- 2010 - Helga Malis
- 2009 - Elva Jonasson
- 2008 - Alma Sigurdson
- 2007 - Rosalind Vigfusson
- 2006 - Erla Helgason Wankling
- 2005 - Benna Martin
- 2004 - Thelma Wilson
- 2003 - Sigrid Johnson
- 2002 - Constance Carol Magnusson
- 2001 - Margaret Wishnowski
- 2000 - Lenore Good
- 1999 - Helga Anderson
- 1998 - Lois Olafson
- 1997 - Lorna Joyce Tergesen
- 1996 - Valgerdur Mae Westdal
- 1995 - Gudrun Gislason
- 1994 - Dilla Sigurlina Narfason
- 1993 - Shirley Norma McCreedy
- 1992 - Gudny Thorunn Cronshaw
- 1991 - Johanna Gudrun Wilson
- 1990 - Sylvia Sigurdson
- 1989 - Lilia Arnason
Past Maids/Attendants
2022
- Hanna Arnason McNeil
- Avery Porteous
2021
- Kelsey Bolter
- Kevin Stevens
2020
- Ainsley Gretchen
- Hailey Jones
2019
- Julia Roberts
- Emily Roberts
2018
- Stephanie Johnson
- Willow Josephson
2017
- Rhys John Welham
- Carly Constance Welham
2016
- Kristín Arnarsdóttir
- Erika Sigurlin Thorsteinson
2015
- Hanna Elizabeth Helga Sigurdson
- Mackenzie Collette
2004
- Thelma Bjork Wilson
- Anjolene Rose Kathryn Hunt
2003
- Meghan Sproule
- Britany Maguet
2002
- Dayna Gudrun Gendron
- Vanessa Bryce Gendron
2001
- Gillian Robinson
- Anna Davidson
2000
- Elin Catherine Sigurdson
- Sonja June Sigurdson
1999
- Jennifer Kristin Rebillard
- Lara Arnason
1998
- Reyna Lois Jenkyns
- Victoria Sparks
1997
- Sigrid Bergen Stefanson
- Lana Leigh Goodman
1996
- Kimberley Westdal
- Kristin Westdal
1995
- Erin Gudmundson
- Lauren Palsson
1994
- Signy Arnason
- Amber Narfason
1993
- Elin Lara Thordarson
- Caitlin Mairi McCreedy Spauls
1992
- Fern Alexandra Cronshaw
- Jenna Lynn Rempel
1991
- Dawn Janine Rothwell
- Dianne Elizabeth Drawbridge
1990
- Julianna Carol Gudbjartson
- Kristin Good
1989
- Sandra Dorothy McEwen
- Michelle Karen Wilcox
1988
- Linda Fay Collette
- Sandra Julia Heidrick
1987
- Deidre Fay Collette
- Elizabeth Sandra Heidrick
1986
- Joanne Lynn Lindal
- Marlene Gladys McGill
1985
- Tami Mia Jakobson
- Tara Maria Jakobson
1984
- Tami Mia Jakobson
- Tara Maria Jakobson
1983
- Bonnie Martin
- Nielle Johnson
1982
- Not available at this time.
1981
- Kristine (Arnason) Becker
- Karen Olson
1980
- Not available at this time.
1979
- Susan Lynne Holm
- Jo-Ann Sigrud Magnusson
1978
- Not available at this time.
1977
- Cheryl Riglin
- Jona Riglin
1976
- Susan Bjarnason
- Ingrid Sigurdson
1975
- Tracy Arnason
- Christy Arnason
1974
- Thora Jakobson
- Irene Jakobson
1973
- Debbie Arnason
- Sharon Stevens
1972
- Pamela Maureen Downey
- Katherine Joyce Young
1971
- Not available at this time.
1970
- Joan Valdina Johnson
- Maureen Lenore Olafson