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Paper short abstract:

The Fjallkona has been a part of Iceland’s national day almost since its beginning in 1944. As a symbol she represents the country and nation, but what about the women who portray her every year? Do they have a say in the matter or are they just a doll of a patriarchic system who chooses them?

Paper long abstract:

The Fjallkona (Woman of the Mountain) as the embodiment of the land and nation, is a well-established part of the celebrations and traditions on Iceland’s national day June 17. In the capital city celebrations, an actress is chosen to embody the Fjallkona and recite a poem written for the occasion. In 2022 the Fjallkona was portrayed, for the first time, by an immigrant, reciting a poem about the Icelandic language with a Polish accent. When the media shared articles about the event, people took to the comment sections where the focus was on the actress and mostly negatively on her accent, but not on the poem she read.

In the paper we will examine what the Fjallkona represents in people's minds and whether she is listened to or only there to please the eye. The presentation builds on interviews, with women who have performed the role, and surveys, on public opinions, from 2021 and 2022. The women were asked about their views towards the role of Fjallkona and then compared to the public's ideas. Many described the Fjallkona as a strong, self-righteous woman, a feminist symbol for the country, but there are also contradictory themes such as objectification and the silencing of the real women who wear the costume. By examining the tradition of Fjallkona in context and via feminist ethnography it becomes clear that neither the woman in the costume nor the Fjallkona as a phenomenon are the feminist symbol many want her to be.