Controversy over a 15-foot tall Viking statue in Canada has heated up in the town of Gimli – specifically over the horns on its helmet, which some say aren’t realistic. With a battle axe in one hand, a horn in the other and a cape hanging down its back, the Viking statue is almost entirely realistic aside from one recognizable detail – the horns that poke out on the side of the battle warrior’s helmet. ‘There’s never been a Viking helmet found with horns,’ Julianna Roberts, executive director of the New Iceland Heritage Museum, told CTV News. The historical accuracy of the horns was put into question and prompted a debate on social media after a Gimli resident asked if there had ever been a discussion about removing them. ‘It’s kind of embarassing,’ the resident wrote, according to CTV News. Another native agreed, writing that they were hoping they were removed when the statue underwent a two-week refurbishing process that cost a grand total of $60,000 in 2015. But others seemed to find the debate silly, noting that the statue ‘would feel naked’ without them, and whether it had horns or not didn’t take away from how impressive it is. The 57-year-old statue was conceptualized by Gissur Eliasson, a respected Canadian painting instructor, whose original sketch left out the horns. But the Gimli Chamber of Commerce intervened – they had already ordered a substantial amount of plastic helmets with horns, and urged the artist to use them, according to Public Delivery. There is no evidence pointing to the fact that horned helmets were worn during armed conflicts, contrary to how Viking toys in the Museum giftshop may look. ‘Without a doubt, the ones with the horns sell way faster than the ones without the horns,’ Roberts added. Similar to the Statue of Liberty in New York, the Viking statue that towers along the shores of Lake Winnipeg is a staple for those visiting what is known as the ‘Heart of New Iceland’. ‘It’s great! It brings a lot of people and it’s been here forever!’ added another resident, Mark Quberko. Created in 1967 to celebrate the country’s 100 birthday and the community’s strong ties to Iceland, the attraction sees around 200,000 visitors a year. The Viking stands tall and proud while overlooking the water in its home of Viking Park. Anyone is welcome to check it out at any hour of the day, all year round. There’s even an annual festival that centers around the statue called the Icelandic Festival Of Manitoba, which attracts people from all corners of the world for a chance to experience Icelandic culture and heritage at the very heart of Gimli. It’s one of the longest-running Icelandic festivals in the world. Food vendors, crafts, scavenger hunts, live music, rides, fireworks, beverage gardens, sandcastle contests and sport tournaments are just a handful of activities offered to festival-goers every long weekend of August. But it wouldn’t be a true Viking festival without battle re-enactments – without the horns, of course.
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