07/28/2026
2026 Fjallkona - Maria Bear 👑
Born in Gimli into a proud Icelandic family, she has spent much of her life supporting her community through volunteer work, cultural involvement, leadership, and mentorship.
From a young age, she was involved in 4-H, where she spent several years developing and mentoring youth in public speaking, leadership, and conducting meetings.
She served for seventeen years on the board of the Betel Home Foundation and the personal care homes in Gimli and Selkirk, helping support the care and wellbeing of elders in our communities.
Her commitment to Icelandic culture has been especially evident through more than twenty years with the Icelandic National League of North America and the Selkirk Bruin Chapter, where she has served as president.
She played a leading role in the chapter’s annual Sumardagurinn Fyrsti celebration each April and helped sustain our traditions through music, community building, hospitality, cultural events, raffles, and of course Icelandic baking.
She has sung with the Selkirk Bruin choir in both Icelandic and English, supported the Icelandic Language Camp for many years, and continued her own Icelandic language studies throughout her life.
