Join us as we celebrate the Winter Solstice, also known as Yule and explore the intriguing tale of Iceland’s legendary Yulecat and revisit the captivating history of Viking settlements in Iceland on this episode of the world's #1 cat-themed culture, history and science podcast, 6 Degrees of Cats.
In this illuminating discussion, led by renowned Iceland folklore expert Terry Gunnell, Ph.D., discover why the typically cat-loving Icelanders avoid encountering this colossal cat, and gain insights from journalist Haukur S Magnússon on strategies to evade its clutches. Musician Júlía Hermannsdóttir shares her childhood experiences immersed in these captivating folktales.
By the end of this episode, uncover the deeper significance behind this seasonal folklore - it’s a revelation that goes beyond mere storytelling.
Join us as we explore the fascinating world of Icelandic folklore and traditions intertwined with the Winter Solstice and Christmas!
Support the podcast, sign up for The Captain’s Log, the companion podcast newsletter and learn about way$ to help keep this ship afloat for our next season here: linktr.ee/6degreesofcats.
Referenced episodes:
- Did You Know the Vikings had Cats? Magic, Freya and Norse Folklore
- Witches, Whiskers and Whisky: Re-introducing the Original Cat Lady of Halloween!
About the experts:
- Terry Gunnell, Ph.D., is a professor of folkloristics at the University of Iceland. Gunnell is a leading published expert on Norse folklore and history and has served as a consultant for films such as The Northman.
- Júlía Hermannsdóttir is a Reykjavík, Iceland-based musician and health technologist who performs vocals and synthesizers with her indie shoegaze band, Oyama.
- Haukur Sigurbjörn Magnússon is an Icelandic musician and journalist. He was the editor in chief of the magazine Reykjavík Grapevine from 2012-2016 and is the guitarist of the band Reykjavík!
Producer, writer, editor, sound designer, host, basically everything*
- Captain Kitty (Amanda B.)
* with co-executive producers Binky & Snuggles
Animal voices include:
- Binky & Snuggles _^..^_
Music:
- Leathered: "Look Alive" © 2022
- The Captain & Tenille 2: Snuggles: "(Don't) Let it Snow"
- Samples licensed via Loopcloud
- Additional sound effects from Pixabay.com
Logo design:
- Edward Anthony © 2024 (Instagram: @itsmyunzii)
Research used:
- Árnadóttir, N. (2018, February 6). From Iceland - Reykjavík Catwalk: A brief history of cats in Iceland. The Reykjavik Grapevine. https://grapevine.is/mag/articles/2018/02/07/reykjavik-catwalk-a-brief-history-of-cats-in-iceland
- Budrovich, N. (2023, January 3). The Wild Holiday that turned ancient Rome Upside Down. Getty. https://www.getty.edu/news/the-wild-holiday-that-turned-ancient-rome-upside-down/
- Dunn, M. (2023, October 26). Bonfires, feasts, and human sacrifice: How the Vikings celebrated “Christmas.” All That’s Interesting. https://allthatsinteresting.com/yule
- Gunnell, T. (2001). GRÝLA, GRÝLUR, GRØLEKS AND SKEKLERS: Medieval Disguise Traditions in the North Atlantic. In ARV: Nordic Yearbook of folklore 2001 (pp. 33–54). essay, The Royal Gustavus Adolphus Academy.
- Karlsson, Á. G. (2020, December 17). The Yule Cat. Icelandic Folklore. https://icelandicfolklore.is/the-yule-cat/
- Lea, R. (2021, October 26). When is the winter solstice and what happens?. Space.com. https://www.space.com/winter-solstice
- Magnússon, H. S. (2015, January 21). From Iceland - The Christmas Cat. The Reykjavik Grapevine. https://grapevine.is/culture/art/2008/12/10/the-christmas-cat/
- McAfee, S. (2023, January 16). 2 “pagan roots of Christmas” claims you can refute. Catholic Answers. https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/refuting-the-pagan-roots-of-christmas-claim
- McGowan, A. (2023, December 4). How Dece
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage
Rewarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States’ top military decoration. The stories we tell are about the heroes who have distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and courage that have saved lives. From Judith Resnik, the second woman in space, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice, these are stories about those who have done the improbable and unexpected, who have sacrificed something in the name of something much bigger than themselves. Every Wednesday on Medal of Honor, uncover what their experiences tell us about the nature of sacrifice, why people put their lives in danger for others, and what happens after you’ve become a hero. Special thanks to series creator Dan McGinn, to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and Adam Plumpton. Medal of Honor begins on May 28. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear ad-free episodes one week early. Find Pushkin+ on the Medal of Honor show page in Apple or at Pushkin.fm. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com