Controversy over a 15-foot-tall Viking statue in Canada has heated up in the town of Gimli, specifically over the horns on his helmet, which some say are unrealistic.
With a battle axe in one hand, a horn in the other and a cloak hanging from his back, the Viking statue is almost entirely realistic, save for one recognizable detail: the horns protruding from the side of the battle warrior’s helmet.
“A horned Viking helmet has never been found,” said Julianna Roberts, executive director of the New Iceland Heritage Museum. CTV News.
The historical accuracy of the horns was called into question and sparked a debate on social media after a Gimli resident asked if there had ever been any discussion about removing them.
A 15-foot Viking in Canada is causing controversy solely because of its horns, with some residents taking to social media to call for an operation to remove the horns.
The statue overlooks the water of Gimli, a town along the shore of Lake Winnipeg.
“It’s a bit embarrassing,” the resident wrote, according to CTV News.
Another native agreed, writing that they expected to be removed when the statue underwent a two-week renovation that cost a total of $60,000 in 2015.
But others seemed to find the debate silly, pointing out that the statue would “feel naked” without them, and that whether it had horns or not didn’t take away from how impressive it was.
The 57-year-old statue was conceptualized by Gissur Eliasson, a respected Canadian painting instructor, whose original sketch omitted the horns.
But the Gimli Chamber of Commerce stepped in: They had already ordered a substantial number of plastic horned helmets and urged the artist to wear them, according to Public delivery.
Julianna Roberts, executive director of the New Iceland Heritage Museum, noted that the horns are not historically accurate.
Built in 1967, Viking was designed to celebrate the country’s centenary and the community’s strong ties to Iceland.
There is no evidence to suggest that horned helmets were worn during armed conflict, contrary to what the Viking toys in the Museum’s gift shop might suggest.
“Certainly the ones with horns sell a lot faster than the ones without horns,” Roberts added.
Like the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Viking statue that rises along the shores of Lake Winnipeg is a staple for those visiting what is known as the “Heart of New Iceland.”
“It’s fantastic! It attracts a lot of people and it’s been here forever!” added another resident, Mark Quberko.
Established in 1967 to celebrate the country’s centenary and the community’s strong ties to Iceland, the attraction welcomes around 200,000 visitors a year.
An annual festival held in the heart of Gimli called the Manitoba Icelandic Festival draws people from all corners of the world for the chance to experience Icelandic culture and heritage.
It wouldn’t be a festival without a Viking battle reenactment, which can be seen at the festival in August, but without horns, of course.
The Viking stands tall and proud as it looks out over the water at its home in Viking Park. Anyone can visit it at any time of day, all year round.
There is even an annual festival centered around the statue, called the Manitoba Icelandic Festival, which draws people from all corners of the world for the chance to experience Icelandic culture and heritage in the heart of Gimli.
It is one of the oldest Icelandic festivals in the world.
Food vendors, crafts, scavenger hunts, live music, rides, fireworks, beverage gardens, sand castle contests and sports tournaments are just some of the activities offered to festival-goers every long weekend in August.
But it wouldn’t be a real Viking festival without battle reenactments… without the horns, of course.
