Icelandic Elf School

Also known as "Álfaskólinn" in Icelandic, The Icelandic Elf School teaches students and visitors about the five different kinds of elves or hidden people in myth that are believed to inhabit the country of Iceland. The school is located in Reykjavík, the country's largest city.

The school is headed by Magnús Skarphéðinsson, brother of the leader of one of Iceland's largest political parties. Magnús has a full curriculum, and certificate programs for visitors that can be earned in as little as half a day. However, the school also publishes texts on hidden people, partly for its own use in the classroom. There is also ongoing research on the elves and hidden people of Iceland.

While only 4% of Americans believe in the existence of hidden people, about 10 percent of Icelanders believe in the existence of a "huldufólk" or a hidden world of elves, dwarfs and spirits with magic powers. Another 10 percent deny them, but the remaining 80 percent on the North Atlantic island nation either have no opinion or refuse to rule out their existence, a survey shows. The more knowledgeable folklore scholars from the school can put their degree to use. Several organizations in Iceland either currently or have employed a full time folklore researcher to determine the impact of construction projects on hidden communities. Most notably, the public works department created this position for a time after a number of unexplained equipment malfunctions and injuries.

Magnús teaches that the hidden people of Iceland are descended from Irish settlers who were living in Iceland when the Vikings arrived. According to Magnús, the Vikings tried to enslave this Irish population, many of whom escaped and lived in hiding.

External links

* [http://www.icelandtouristboard.com/elf.html Iceland's Tourist Board] on elves
* [http://elvesoficelandmovie.com/ The Elves Of Iceland - Movie]