Mondays in Iceland -#119

Nornabúðin

This is an updated FITK re-post from May 31, 2011


Image: DV

Nornabúðin was a "witch shop" in Reykjavík from 2005 to 2008, specializing in items associated with witchcraft, pagan religion, and natural healing. Amulets, tea, herbs, and various witchcraft related items were sold there. The shop was decorated with gnarled, twisted branches, animal hides and antlers, as well as other artifacts from around the world:



It was owned and operated by Eva Hauksdóttir, a practicing witch (Norn, in Old Norse), social critic and conceptual artist. She offered rune-reading, dispensing practical wisdom along with her wares. The shop had tables for tea and social gatherings:



The outside of the shop had two large windows, which had displays of her goods:



These dolls were especially cute, in their witchy way:



The shop closed in wake of the Icelandic financial meltdown in 2008. Eva was an instrumental figure in leading protests against the standing government, which ultimately resulted in a change of the national leadership.

She was featured in the documentary Guð Blessi Ísland.

UPDATE: Eva is still blogging, albeit in a different form. With Google Translate you can get the gist of what she’s writing about; there’s always something new and provocative.