2011 Workshops (more workshops TBA)
Workshops planned for this year include:
Bragi and the art of skaldic story telling with Ratatask
We will discuss the role of the skald in Norse societies and discuss how to become better skalds ourselves through a lesson in story telling.
Poetry, what you write when words fail you with Laurel Mendes
Why do we have poetry? What is its function? What's all this about rhyme, alliteration and kennings?
Sing-a-long!
Hand-outs with song lyrics will be provided and you are all encouraged to share songs that you know. This is a time for us to learn and have fun practicing songs that we can sing at blots, during holidays, or any time that we get together. Music is a cherished tradition at The Log Cabin Campground and a growing and important Heathen tradition…. And it’s just really a good time!
Horn Carving- the basics of creating drinking horns and other small items
This is an introductory class designed to get people familiar with the process and more comfortable with the tools and working with horn. Denise will discuss the process of preparing, carving, coloring and finishing drinking horns and smaller items made from horn. If you have a rotary power tool, please bring it. Denise will have pieces of horn for people to practice on.
Wire Weaving
Hands-On Viking Glass Beads with Kari
Beads were very important to the Vikings, and they were skilled at making them! Learn the history of bead-making and wearing during the Viking Era and try your hand at producing your own! I will have two torch stations and lots of colored glass set up to use. No kids for the hands-on part, sorry- open flame and hot glass.
More workshops & more info on these workshops to be announced shortly.
If you would like to lead a workshop or class, please contact Ratatask.
2011 Rituals
* Seidh The seidh rite of seeking visions for the
folk was old at the time of Erik Saga. It fell out of favor and
use when Christianity became the dominant religion in Scandinavia.
In 1989, Hrafnar began to work on recreating this rite. Laurel
Mendes was a part of that process.
Today, there exists a wide variety of groups practicing the
recreation of this ancient art, in as many varied ways as there
are goups. Laurel will present one face of this practice in
workshops throughout the weekend, and in a seidh rite Saturday
evening.
** Sumble (Old English Symbel; Old Icelandic sumbl) is one of
the few Norse rituals recognizable in the Lore. In essence, a
Sumbel is simply ritualized rounds of toasts made over a mead or
ale-filled horn or cup. Many modern Heathens incorporate at
least three rounds: the first round honors the Gods (the Aesir
and Vanir); the second round honors the Ancestors (the Alfar and
Disr); and the third round is often open for boasts, toasts, and
oaths.
Words spoken over the Sumbel horn are considered sacred. Not
only are those words woven into the speaker’s Wyrd (similar to
fate), but the Wyrds of all those present are woven together.
One finds examples of Sumbels in great poetic works such as the
Lokesanna (Old Icelandic), Beowulf (Old English), and Heliand
(Old Saxon).
***Blot The word “blot” is generally agreed upon as meaning
“sacrifice.” While it is likely that our Ancestors offered animal
sacrifices, modern Heathens make sacrifices of mead, ale, honey,
or milk, among other things (mead and ale are the most common
offerings).
In its simplest form, a Blot involves dedicating a horn of mead
(or an item) to a God or Gods and then offering it. The offering
may be made my pouring it on the ground, into a bowl, into a
Fire, into a body of water, etc. Blots are performed as a way to
share our bounty with the Gods. Additionally, our Norse
Ancestors understood that a gift demands a gift. We receive much
from Gods, and it is right that as we receive, so should we give.
Each Blot reaffirms and solidifies our connections with the Gods.
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