Which direction are you heading? In a world of hyper-specific GPS coordinates and turn-by-turn directions, we take it for granted that the cardinal directions of north, south, east, and west are fixed, scientific, and universal. But language, and place, have a way of making words their own. In Iceland, these terms can convey both their common meaning and a place-based understanding that can result in “north” pointing you south.
![](https://lookingnorth.blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/6EB42D26-F8B3-4F49-9F98-6CAE5CB08C6A-1200x787.jpeg)