Unquendor

Tolkien Genootschap Unquendor (Tolkien Society Unquendor) is the Tolkien society in the Netherlands.

History

Sharing a birthday with Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, Unquendor was founded on 22 September, 1981. Following the example of the British Tolkien Society, it steadily grew to its current member count of about 225 people from all over the Dutch-speaking world, though Flanders has its own Society, Elanor, and South Africa once had the now-defunct Haradrim. In recent years Unquendor and Elanor have closely collaborated on events. The German Tolkien Society (DTG) has also joined on occasion.

Members of Note

• Jan Boom (a.k.a. Fangorn)
• René van Rossenberg (a.k.a. Parmahosta)
• Renée Vink

Gatherings

Unquendor organises a number of events throughout the Netherlands with attendance from throughout the country (and historically also some members from Flanders):

• The "Joelfeest" (Yule party, December)
• Hobbit Day and Annual General Meeting (historically/statutorily September, now in December)
• "Slotfeest" (Castle/End Feast, June),
• "3-januari-diner" (Tolkien Birthday Dinner, 3 January)
• Tolkien Seminar (irregularly, in collaboration with University Leiden)

These events were discontinued:

• "Tolkien Leesdag" (Tolkien Reading Day, close to 25 March, the last event was in 2017)

Unquendor also offers more regular meetings organised by its members throughout the Netherlands, called Herbergen ("Inns") in analogy of the Tolkien Society's smials. Unquendor's Lay of Leithian is the only inn that is also a Tolkien Society smial. This inn also closely collaborates with a regulars table ("stammtisch") of the German Tolkien Society just across the border. Both groups share a similar regiolect (Low Franconian).

Lustrum

Every five years, Unquendor organizes a weekend event to celebrate an additional 5 years of the society being in existence, with the most recent being 2021. These events are more international in nature and usually include lectures by known Tolkien scholars and artists: Dimitra Fimi (2021), Thomas Honegger / Paul Smith (2016), Cor Blok (2006), Tom Shippey (2011), Rayner Unwin (1997), Arne Zettersten (2006).

Publications

Unquendor also publishes the Dutch language magazine Lembas four to five times a year. The magazine contains the accounts and announcements of Unquendor events. Ardalogical and Tolkienistical essays are also included. These are typically written by members of Unquendor. Unquendor also publishes Lembas Extra (irregularly) in English. Longer length Tolkienological and Ardalogical articles are included therein. Lembas Extra includes articles by members and non-members alike.

Etymology

Unquendor is Neo-Quenya for "Hollow Land", and is a translation of the often perceived etymology of Holland, also "Hollow land". The correct etymology is of Holland, however, is "Wooded land". "Hollow land" does apply to Holland in Lincolnshire, UK.

External links

• Official website
• Official Instagram
• Official Facebook
• Official X