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Þeir sakna hefða sinna.

Þeir sakna hefða sinna.
They miss their own traditions.
From Lesson 174:Genitive reflexives (sín, síns)·Icelandic

Questions & Answers about Þeir sakna hefða sinna.

Why do we use sinna here instead of þeirra?
Sinna is the reflexive possessive pronoun meaning "their own". Because the subject (þeir) is missing their own traditions, we must use the reflexive form. If you used þeirra, it would mean they are missing other people's traditions.
Why are the words hefða and sinna in the genitive case?
The verb sakna (to miss) always takes its object in the genitive case. Since the noun being missed (hefða) is forced into the genitive, the pronoun describing it (sinna) must also be in the genitive to agree with it.
Does the form sinna change depending on the gender of the noun?
In the genitive plural, no. The word sinna is the genitive plural form of sinn for all three genders (masculine, feminine, and neuter). It is used here simply to match the plural noun hefða.
What is the dictionary form of hefða?
The base word is hefð, which is a feminine noun meaning "tradition". When a feminine noun ends in a consonant in its dictionary form, its genitive plural usually adds an -a ending, becoming hefða.

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