November 19-20, 2005

The banner and the vei

We gathered together this year at Big South Fork to honor Odin’s fallen heroes who now sit with the Allfather in Valhalla waiting for the call of Heimdall’s horn that will signal the beginning of Ragnarok. As in recent years past, we also chose on this weekend to honor the god Ullr, recognizing that winter must now have its rule in the cycle of seasons.

Saturday was a beautiful Fall day – crisp, yet not too cool. It was spent setting up camp, telling tales around the campfire, and relishing in the magical feeling of frith that was present.

That magical feeling ran on into the evening and fueled a very powerful sumbel where the presence of Bragi was definitely felt in the form of some impromptu skaldcraft from our kinsman, Make:

There were swords, there were shields,
There were ships, there were sails.
To Faroer, to the Shetlands, we rode Aegir's road.
To Island, to Gronland, to Ran's house went some.

I tossed the pillars at the smoky bay,
I raised the pillars and risted the stavs.
Came men in black robes, men of the cross.
They came to silence our words, men of Rome.

But the words of old in the blood of ours,
In sons of the fathers and daughters of the mothers,
In the sea and in the soil,
On the mountains and in the streams
From day to day to day to day,
As I slept I would not forget.

And then sprung from the well the words,
From the wind-swept tree they sang:
Words of wisdom and might I'd hear again,
Awoken, at last, to be free and to be Tru.

Sumbel went on many rounds, each of us speaking our hearts and minds, building the bonds of community. We are, indeed, most lucky to have this kindred, and to have each other as kinsmen and kinswomen.

Following sumbel, we organized the traditional raid against the tins of small fish. The kippers with green chili and kippers in Louisiana hot sauce put up a fight, but were defeated at the rate of one tin per raider. Full, happy, and a bit fishy-smelling, it was time to rest up for Sunday’s events.

Sunday was as beautiful as the day before. Steve, serving as goði, gathered everyone around the vei at 1:00 p.m. to begin the Ullr blót. With many fine words he spoke of the changing of the seasons into winter, the importance of winter’s cold to clear the way for life anew, and how many of our ancestors believed that Ullr sat in Odin’s high seat and ruled during the winter months. Ullr was hailed, and sacrifice was made to the Bow Ase in hopes of a safe and successful winter season.

Following the Ullr blót, as we did last year, we remained in a circle around the vei so that we could pay tribute to the Einherjar. This rite is a sumbel-style rite, with each kindred member raising a horn to honor the fallen warriors in a way personal to them. It, again, proved to be a most powerful experience.

Click here to view some photos from the weekend (requires Flash7)