Völuspá Blog

The anniversary of Teutoburg Forest is quickly approaching; September is a busy month beginning with the Battle of Teutoburg Forest, Battle of Svölder and ending the month is the Battle of Stamford Bridge. Each of these battles were turning points in history resulting in dramatic outcomes that affected not only Germania, Scandinavia and England but the entire world and regions of Europe, Northern Africa and the Middle East.

It is important aspect of Germanic culture, which is a warrior culture to honour the battle slain ancestors and to remember their victories and defeats. There have been attempts over the years to suggest that Germanic culture is not a warrior based culture because it is not inclusive to other members of society. This PCism is a modern infection to dilute the truth and the continued quilt oppression that has been laid upon Germany since the end of the World War One.  Germania and its culture rivals only the state and culture of Greek Sparta; with its ellobrate rituals of war and training. If Germania was not a warrior culture then why is so much emphasis from the very rituals to the Gods and Goddesses of War and Conflict. The very first sky god of the Germanic people being Tiwaz who is a God of War.

We must remember the sacrifice given at Teutoburg, for without this sacrifice our ancestors would have become another clog in the Roman machine, our culture assimilated, our rights removed and forever bound to slavery. The battle that began on September 9th lasted until September 11th was one of the most dramatic battles that changed the course of world history.

So remember during the month of September to honour the fallen ancestors who fought to defend our culture and heritage and to expand the power of culture in the world.

Noil

So while having lunch today I seen a preview for a new movie coming out the end of August. Set in 117 CE, it is about a Roman legion that entered in Scotland and was never seen again. While that is fine in itself for the subject matter of the movie; the issue I have with this movie is that the Celtic writer and producer of the movie is claiming that this was the first time a Roman legion had ever been decimated and the very first time the “environment” had been used against the Romans. Hang on a minute!!!!!

What about Teutoburg Forest in 9 CE???? Oh that is right … that was a GERMANIC battle and therefore in modern revisionist does not count for dirt! And now there are very disturbing trends appearing from people who are very influential.  In particular in a recent podcast Steven McNellan claims there is no difference between Celtic and Germanic cultures. At this point I must strongly disagree with this statement!

It would seem everyone is trying to kill Germanic culture and when anyone stands up to defend it the Nazi chants from the revisionists, Christian and Jewish opponents begin. Standing up for Germanic culture does not make you a Nazi; the only thing that makes you a Nazi is embracing the political aspirations of the National-Socialist Party.

For those wondering what movie this is it is called Centurion, the movie looks ok from the preview but I disagree with their claims of being the 1st! Such revisionism are becoming mainstream and remove people further and further from the truth. It is time for the supporters of Germanic Culture and History to stand up and rally the defense of the culture or it will be decimated from the enemies now at the gate!

Noil

Freyfaxi is now quickly approaching for some, the first harvest of which Freyr, Óðin and Sleipnir are given their share from the harvest. For the Anglo-Saxon’s this would be referred to as Hláfmæst: both Freyfaxi and Hláfmæst are grain harvests. This harvest traditionally occurred at the end of July or at the beginning of August; in modern times it has even been held as late as September combining both harvests into a single harvest.

There is some debate to the actual name of this harvest in a Nordic context; the name Freyfaxi is the name that is given to Freyr’s horse and therefore would seem that the name of the harvest was something other than what it is known as today. During this first harvest it has become modern tradition to acknowledge Sif as there has been a modern notion to connect the tale of Loki cutting Sif’s hair as a harvest of wheat.

It is important to set aside a portion of the harvest to Sleipnir and Óðin first and then an offering to Freyr or the Gods / Goddesses of choice. Typically I like to set aside something to the Landvættir and Þórr for their help; it is really left to the individual to what is offered and to whom.

What is a first harvest? When one grows multiple crops they have different growing seasons: a lot of this is greatly depended upon location. In Nordic countries wheat harvest will be starting soon if growing conditions have been good. The planting and harvesting timetable has been used for thousands of years predating Bronze Age Scandinavia to the end of the Neolithic Age. The course of the sun and the seasons felt have changed little providing a constant in which for ritual and ceremony to develop around.

Also coming up is the Battle of Teutoburg Forest on September 9 – 11th; again I would hope that modern Germanic people take time to remember the battle and reflect upon its importance to us as Germanic people.

There is a common misconception on the amount of time that the Fimbulvetr occurs over. The commonly accepted notion is that it would take a period of three consecutive years in which winter was endured. However what if that is a huge assumption and misconception in the perception the Norse had on time.

Giving the fact that the Norse had but only two seasons, Summer and Winter, and the lore stating that the duration of the Fimbulvetr being three consecutive winters with no summer: it would simply mean that this event could occur over an 18-month time period. With this in mind it is quite like that the Fimbulvetr had occurred during the time of the ancient Norse.

In fact the Fimbulvetr has occurred as recently as 1816 CE: known as the Year without Summer consisted of an 18 month time period in which was winter weather. With geological evidence and modern environmental science it has been determined that the cause of the Year without Summer was triggered when Mount Tambora erupted in 1815 CE which was the largest eruption since the Hatepe eruption in 180 CE. Other volcanic eruptions that could have caused a Fimbulvetr is the eruption of Tianchi in 969-1000 CE and Mount Vesuvius in 1 CE: all of these volcanic eruptions are considered some of the worlds most violent volcanic eruptions; and all would have had some effect on Germanic Culture through indirect environmental influences.

With this information it is quite conceivable that modern interpretations and scholars have completely missed the concept of time the ancient Norse were working by and as such have influenced modern beliefs with inaccurate information.

Eyjafjallajokull 2010

If we are to believe the amount of ash spewed out by Eyjafjallajokull was so large as to cover the whole of Europe and Eastern Russia it could in part bring a Fimbulvetr in 2011. However it remains yet to be seen if the Eyjafjallajokull has concluded for there is still the possibility that Katla will erupt: producing a much larger volcanic ash cloud larger than that of Eyjafjallajokull. With this event unfolding it is possible that a Fimbulvetr event is just around the corner using the more logical and most likely perception of time being 18 months rather than 3 years.

Noil

Midsummer is only days away but what does it mean in a modern society that has long since been disconnected from the land in which it depends upon?

Farmers still rely on the land for their survival for a small portion, many farms have become corporations and thus at the corporate welfare troth to get their fair share. The small farms are still 100% depended upon the land and what they can produce in order to survive, which is a very strong reason to buy local produce and support small farms. The food is 1000% better quality then some pesticide bio-genetic abortion that is passed as food. But I digress from the subject of this post.

Many people living in an urban environment really do not understand the significance of the midsummer point of the year … and why should they? After all they are a slave to the almighty currency and the never ending quest to obtain more of it. Subsequently they are more in-tuned to a different cyclical pattern that is disconnected from nature. This is illustrated well in history; the more obsessed a society becomes with the massing of wealth less the attention is given to the culture and the heritage which is often sacrificed in the pursuit of financial gains. It starts innocent enough with making excuses that one is too busy or can not arrange for time from work. From the “this time only” evolves the cyclical pattern of missing other important events in the same year to multiple years and soon nothing at all is done for it interferes with the pursuit of wealth. What good is all that wealth when one has sacraficed everything including who they are?

With Midsummer here, it is time to take a break from the labour for us who farm to enjoy the coming together of the community to exchange stories, ideas, strengthening the bonds of community and to honour our Gods, Goddesses and Ancestors. It is the time of year where most crops have been planted and now we tend to them encouraging strong and vigorous growth so that when harvest comes we will have a bountiful harvest.

How does this translate to non-agriculture Forn Seðr?

Being agriculturist myself, the best way I see for someone who does not farm or garden is for them to make an assertive effort to go to a real farmer’s market and get the produce for the blót. Some markets also sell meats so it may be a one stop shop for these people.  By bypassing the big grocery store in favour of the farmer’s market you are making yourself part of the agriculture cycle, though be it the last phase of the cycle it is still part of the cycle. Your purchase enables the farmer to begin the cycle again by using the money to buy seeds and supplies so they can replant. In an urban setting that is the best most can hope for. There have been many cities looking at communal gardens, I highly recommend anyone who has the opportunity to get involve with that to do so. In addition to the main garden we have here we have two large communal garden plots in which 1/8th contains crops that are given to the local version of a food bank, which in-turn feeds the homeless and those who are struggling to buy good  fresh food.

Midsummer is however more than just a get together to discuss farming or other things. It is the longest day of the year, which in the north is a huge deal. Because after Midsummer it is a downward slope to darkness. The bonfire helps with the transition from light to dark, in many ways is symbolic of the cycle of the sun: with the dim beginning to the apex of brightness when the fire is burning in full glory to its descent back to dim and eventual darkness with its fuel extinguished. And who doesn’t enjoy a big fire where you gather with friends and others of the community to enjoy the company and watch the midnight sun. Like in days of yore the fire is also used to purify, cleanse and heal the practice of jumping over the bonfire at midsummer also brings luck.

So go out and have a good time this midsummer! And remember mead does not make you fire proof, in fact likely makes you more likely to burn with all that alcohol so if you are too wobbly to stand you probably won’t make that jump over the fire.

Noil

For the last 52 days since the oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, I have said little about my thoughts on the matter.  There are several reasons for this … however it now appears as that the time to say something has arrived.

The clear incompetence of the government being unable to force BP to act and use other oil drilling companies like Shell and Exxon Mobile illustrates clearly the warm cozy relationship the American government has with corporations and special interest groups. Long ago the idea of the “Republic” fell and was crushed under the communistic illusions of not only capitalism but a militaristic fascist attitude that has completely consumed the entirely of the government body on every level.

No longer do your elected representatives care for your well being and the future of your children and grandchildren. Corporate henchmen come first and the weavers of the illusion spin their web of deceit from the “No Child Left Behind” mandate to break the schools and teach the propaganda of the American Empire to the mandated government bailout of banks and corporations. With this oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico for the first time in history, a government is being told how to respond by the corporation who has created the massive disaster on a scale never seen before.

The Federal government prohibited the gulf coast states from taking protective measures to protect the wet lands citing “environmental studies” had to be done in the clear face of utter devastation from heavy crude oil, the Corps of Engineers plays their role in delaying with the proverbial “red tape” and the sand bars are not constructed in time or nearly enough to protect the wet lands. The Governor of Louisiana  Bobby Jindal, although too late did create sand bars will no doubt face repercussions for his actions by his masters in Washington. Yet Tony Hayward the CEO of BP, laughs at the grim future of the gulf coast stating: “it is not that bad”, and he “will be glad to get his life back” so he can do another 18 rounds on the golf course without being heckled by the media.

Meanwhile BP states it is doing everything it can to contain the oil spill and to stop the oil well from gushing. While I believe that they are doing everything they can to stop the oil well from gushing they are falling very short of doing everything they can to clean up the oil slick. BP has special sucker super tankers and barges that are able to suck up the oil and sea water; separate the two and return the sea water clean of oil. These tankers and barges sit off the coast of China full of oil which BP refuses to offload while the price of oil is low because it will affect their profit margin.

That is right …. “it affects the profit margin” … meanwhile back in the Gulf of Mexico the toll on the wildlife is staggering and disgusting and in my opinion the human race should be ashamed of itself for the destruction it has done! This oil spill will drive if not make extinct hundreds of species of animals and plant life, in a region that has been struggling with the expansion of the “death zone” from the mouth of the Mississippi River Delta due to pesticides and high ammonia concentrations that end up in the river from the north and mid west regional farms along the river and it tributaries.  The iconic brown pelican may well not survive this disaster as BP waits to make another Euro / Pound / Dollar, for the oil spill is already inundating the breading and nesting grounds. All the while Tony Hayward makes another illusion of rosy commercials painting a image and message its OK BP will make it good. Tell me this BP how do you plan to bring back the wild life you killed? I really do not care about the loss of profits faced by the humans in the region, while it is unfortunate people will adapt and be compensated beyond their potential earnings by both the Federal government and BP. While their loss of culture, traditions and heritage is equally as damning to BP as the loss of wild life … these things BP can never make right.

I am often asked my opinion on the oil spill and I generally will not comment on it because the anger towards the corporations and government and disappoint at the whole of humanity lacks meaningful or expressive words to demonstrate such emotions and state of mind. This land is not the property of humans, we are mere visitors to it and as such in the last 3000 years have managed to foul it now beyond repair.

What will make Tony Hayward send over the sucker ships? Apparently nothing short of $110 / barrel. If the Federal government in the US had a spine and balls they would seize BP Americas assets until the oil well was sealed and the oil cleaned from every bit of wetland and from the gulf and Atlantic Ocean and subsequent shorelines, which is the next destination for the oil as it makes it way around Florida. Criminal charges should be brought against Tony Hayward and other executives of BP as well as TransOcean who was operating the rig at the time of the explosion.   And finally ALL BP operations should be shut down including the operations in Purdhoe Bay.

The safety record and past performance on environmental destruction can be easily found, it took me less than a minute to find a short list of the atrocities associated with BP. To get back on track with the title of this post …. in the last two years this is the second major black mark against a high profile British citizen. The first being the infamous Gordan Brown declaring Iceland a terrorist state in order to “legalize” the seizing of Iceland’s assets and subsequently economic destruction of Iceland. And now with Tony Hayward’s smug “I’m better than all of you American colonists” attitude and the “Well it is not in my backyard so I am not worried about it” off hand remarks are no less damaging than what Gordan Brown did to Iceland.

The Icelanders raised a Níðstöng and a series of volcanoes erupted and closed the European airspace for weeks. Perhaps it is time that here in North America raise our own Níðstöng for the wild life that can not defend itself from the corporate fascist storm troopers of BP and the incompetent Federal government managers whom are equally to blame for allowing this to continue.

What can we do when it is gloom and doom everywhere? The first step is the boycott of BP products from their fuel to oil and all of their products. Which will be hard as BP’s tentacles are wide spread and cover many products and industries. Second step hold your representative accountable and demand to know the full disclosure of their relationship with corporations and special interests groups. The third step is to raise a Níðstöng against BP and the incompetent executives within government.

Noil

The name appears in three Nordic sources: Hervarar saga, Gesta Danorum and in the Faroese ballads; in addition to the last barer of the name being in the Widsith at line 115 with the name of his father (Heiðrekr), half brother (Hlóð) and his mother (Sifka).

In the first occurance of the name Angantyr; it is used by a berserker. His father was named Arngrim who owned the cursed sword Tyrfing forged by Dvalinn and Durin under the duress of Svafrlami the grandson of Odin who was also king  of Gardariki. Arngrim passed the sword Tyrfing on to Angantyr.

Angantyr was the tallest of Arngrim’s 12 sons; together the brothers brought fear and destruction throughout the north. During a Jól Hjörvard the second oldest of the sons swore that he would win the daughter of king Yngve of Sweden named Ingeborg. However Hjörvard’s advances were refuted by Hjalmar a champion for king Yngve; stating that he deserved Ingeborg more than the berserker Hjörvard. In fear of the 12 brothers king Yngve suggested that Ingeborg should decide for herself who was fit to be her husband. Without much hesitation Ingeborg selected Hjalmar putting Hjörvard into a fit of rage.  Immediately Hjörvard challenges Hjalmar to a holmgang on Samsø; to insure that Hjalmar would show up Hjörvard said Hjalmar would loose his honour if he failed to show up.

On Samsø the brothers worked themselves up into a berserker rage – biting on the edge of their shields, screaming loudly the attacked Hjalmar and Orvar-Odd’s crew cutting them to pieces. However when Hjalmar and Orvar-Odd arrived having seen what had happened to their crewmen – Orvar-Odd slayed 11 of the brothers with a club. When Orvar-Odd went to check on Hjalmar who was fighting Angantyr he found Angantyr dead and Hjalmar fatally wounded by Tyrfing.

Orvar-Odd placed the brothers in a mound with Tyrfing on Samsø; the retrieval of the sword by Angantyr’s daughter Hervor is recorded in the poem ‘The Waking of Angantyr’.

Hervor was the wife of Höfund of Glæsisvellir; the marriage produced two sons: Heidrek and Angantyr. Heidrek had brought so much difficulty to the household that he was banished by Höfund; before leaving Hervor gave Heidrek Tyrfing. Wanting to say farewell to his brother Angantyr followed his brother for awhile; Angantyr interested in the sword asked Heidrek to show it to him. Due to the curse of the sword that can not be unsheathed without killing a man Heidrek killed Angantyr.

Heidrek went on to marry Sifka and become king of the Goths at which time the marriage produced three children  a daughter named Hervor and two sons named Angantyr and Hlöd. Upon Heidrek’s death Angantyr inherited Heidrek’s belongings and holdings; Angantyr refused to give his brother Hlöd his equal share. This forced Hlöd to seek the help of the Hunnish army and with the full might of the army Hlöd attacked Angantyr. During the battle Hlöd was slain and Angantyr would become one of the ancestors of the Swedish House of Munsö.

Noil

Over the next bit I will start to place the next series of articles on the blog and site. This new series will be dealing with Germanic heroes and will be mirrored as articles on the main Völuspá.org site. This is an attempt to preserve the articles from Wikipedia which have in recent time been altered, moved and clearly deleted.

Noil

June 8th marks the anniversary on the raid on Lindisfarne; perhaps the most important event in Medieval History which goes relatively unnoticed in the study of history.  The year is 793 on a summer morning the monks of Lindisfarne were at the beach when on the horizon appeared a vast array of sails … by the end of the day Lindisfarne’s fate would be sealed in the tales of history.

Norse warriors, Jarls, and bondsmen from Norway for the first time combined their forces and resources to amass a large naval fleet with several hundreds of men from various kingdoms that decided to join forces together, before all of Norway was unified under one king Haakon I. With this new unified Norwegian force the first target was Lindisfarne. One may ask why Lindisfarne what was so important about it?

“793. In this year terrible portents appeared over Northumbria, which sorely affrighted the inhabitants: there were exceptional flashes of lightning, and fiery dragons were seen flying through the air. A great famine followed hard upon these signs; and a little later in that same year, on the 8th June, the harrying of the heathen miserably destroyed God’s church by rapine and slaughter. ” – Anglo-Saxon Chronicle

During this time Lindisfarne was the central pillar of Christianity in Anglo-Saxon England. Established in 635 CE, it grew to become the treasure hold where the Gospels of Lindisfarne and relics of St. Cuthbert were stored. The importance of the Lindisfarne Gospels to the Christians were that it was the only gospel which contained Matthew, Mark, Luke and John with a side by side translation in Latin and Anglo-Saxon. In addition to these Christian treasures Lindisfarne had amassed large amount of gold, silver and other commodities of great value.

The events that led up to the raid of Lindisfarne are overlooked by many as unimportant and irrelevant: I disagree with this and think the events that led up to the first major raid of a combined force echoes the sentiment and environment in which the Norse (Norwegians) found themselves in. Christian monks at this time were making attempts to bring Christianity to Norway it would not be until Haakon I of Norway did the Christians succeed in placing the first Christian king in Norway. Another important event that may have greatly influenced the Norse was in 723 when Boniface had Donar’s Oak cut down; it would have been plenty of time for the events of this to reach Norway especially with the amount of trade that occurred between the continental Germanic Tribes and the Norse. Even the trade routes that Scandinavia had established from Asia to Europe and many points in between were now threatened as Christian kings and merchants by the advise of the Pope and Bishops should not trade with any Pagan / Heathen whom will not take on a mark and pledge to not practice Pagan beliefs while they were in the kingdom. This was nothing more than greed by the Pope and Bishops and another tool used to convert the strong Germanic people who withheld and resisted Christianity.  But developing such laws of the mark and oath were not enough holy crusades against Pagans / Heathens to convert them or murder them was the final aspect to set the stage for the beginning of the Viking Age.

In all likelihood the unified force that raided Lindisfarne was a product of Christianity along with the brutal assault and treatment of the monks and inhabitants of Lindisfarne; all whom were Christian. In essence the “vikings” as they became known as were a direct result of the growing tensions between Pagan / Heathen Northern Europe and Christian Southern Europe.

“In the same year the pagans from the northern regions came with a naval force to Britain like stinging hornets and spread on all sides like fearful wolves, robbed, tore and slaughtered not only beasts of burden, sheep and oxen, but even priests and deacons, and companies of monks and nuns. And they came to the church of Lindisfarne, laid everything waste with grievous plundering, trampled the holy places with polluted steps, dug up the altars and seized all the treasures of the holy church. They killed some of the brothers, took some away with them in fetters, many they drove out, naked and loaded with insults, some they drowned in the sea. …” – Simeon of Durham

With the proverbial stage now set; the multiple Norse kingdoms not yet united were about to rise to power in Europe. Raid after raid throughout Scotland, England and Ireland and eventually into central Europe would insure the name “Viking” would never be forgotten in the events of history. The terror the Norse brought to Europe was real unlike the bogey men and monsters of today which are a product psychosis and fear mongering.

“Lo, it is nearly 350 years that we and our fathers have inhabited this most lovely land, and never before has such terror appeared in Britain as we have now suffered from a pagan race, nor was it thought that such an inroad from the sea could be made. Behold, the church of St. Cuthbert spattered with the blood of the priests of God, despoiled of all its ornaments; a place more venerable than all in Britain is given as a prey to pagan peoples.” – Alcuin

While the Norse raided Lindisfarne they unintentionally had martyred the monks they had slain. This is illustrated by the propaganda by Alcuin, who was residing with non other than Charlemagne, the king of possibly Europe’s first theocratic monarch. The number of Pagans / Heathens that Charlemagne killed is unknown, those whom opposed his rule and religion were meet with swords and spears. As Alcuin glorifies Christianity in the same breath he has demonized all Pagans / Heathens. It is also important to note that Alcuin believed the raid of Lindisfarne to be the punishment sent by the Christian god to the Anglo-Saxons for having not living pure and good Christian lives.

What Alcuin seen as punishment was seen by the Norse, Danes and Swedes as an opportunity to expand, gain wealth as the independent kingdoms of Europe were unable to defend against unified Nordic people who coordinated their attacks with great precision and success for hundreds of years. The actual kingdoms of Scandinavia would not be unified into one kingdom until a later time Norway in 872 CE, Sweden unknown, Denmark end of 11th century. Lindisfarne brought the beginning of the Viking Age; a time of prosperity and growth to Scandinavia and a transfer of power from central Europe to Northern Europe.

“A furore Normannorum libera nos, Domine – From the fury of the Northmen deliver us, O Lord”

– A monk from the French islands of Aquitane

By 875 CE Lindisfarne lay in ruin, all but abandoned for the Norse continue to raid the settlement; the continuous raiding forced the monks to move further west. What remained of the artifacts and gospels at Lindisfarne were moved to Chesterle-street in 883 CE where a new monetary was established. The raid of Lindisfarne echoes through history as it was never rebuilt after the initial raid and remains in ruin in the modern age.

For more information on the Lindisfarne Raid see the article on the main Völuspá.org site.

Noil

I’ve completed the Volsunga Saga today, it is now available on the main Völuspá site, the next part to be done will be the Nibelungengenlied; finishing the story of Sigurðr and Brynhild.

Quickly approaching is the Lindisfarne anniversary kicking off the beginning of the Viking Age, so be sure to check back soon for a post on that.

Noil