by Gunnar Birgisson
Icelandic Roots welcomes a new guest writer, Gunnar Birgisson. He offers us his thoughts about an interesting Icelandic word.
Like other travelers to Iceland, you may have heard of the many heated pools throughout the country. If you visit one of the Icelandic swimming pools and want to do some laps, of course in the sleek and efficient freestyle stroke, you might be surprised. The lanes are clogged with Icelanders using bringusund, or the breaststroke. Their pace is slow, and they fill up each lane with their sideways kicking. Sharing a lane with these swimmers while trying to swim the freestyle is frustrating, as the tempo is so different and trying to pass them puts you at risk of an inadvertent kick.
Why is this so? Why do the Icelanders swim with this awkward and cumbersome swim stroke?
The simple reason is because we are taught to do so. As part of the mandatory curriculum in schools, Icelandic schoolchildren are taught to swim. The many swimming pools across the country are at times filled with boisterous children in swimming lessons. Everyone must be able to pass a swim test. There’s no corresponding test for other sports. No one is required to practice free throws, corner kicks, or backward somersaults.
Why is this so? Unlike basketball, lacrosse, golf, and such, swimming can actually save your life. And this is even more the case on an island surrounded by rough seas, dotted with cold lakes and covered with fast-flowing rivers. Drowning is a real concern. Especially since many of us need to go out to sea to catch fish from the ocean.
The baseline stroke everyone learns is the breaststroke. Only serious swimmers eventually turn to freestyle. The breaststroke is the standard for one simple reason: Repeatedly putting your head underwater is an unwise move when the water is barely above freezing. While the true form of the breaststroke does entail dipping your head underwater in each stroke, it is easy to omit that and just keep your head above the water. Whereas the freestyle is hopelessly awkward if you swivel back and forth with your head above water. Plus, keeping your head above water makes it easier for rescuers to spot you and for you to see them.
So, if you’re in trouble in Icelandic waters, just keep your head up. Keep your head up and breaststroke your way to safety. But, of course, it can be annoying when people do that in a pool.
Gunnar is an Icelander currently living in Texas. He was active in the Icelandic Association of Washington, DC and served as president for seven years. While in DC he worked as a lawyer, but is now retired from full-time work and dedicating himself to various writing projects, including co-authoring a graphic novel to be published this year in Iceland.