The Draugr
Part II:
Like the draugr, AI can appear as human. It speaks, appears to use reason, and can even seem quite creatively talented. But it isn’t human. It is neither living, nor dead. It cannot imagine anything new—only string together things it has been trained to repeat. The previous diversity of art and ideas is gradually being reduced to an unremarkable mean which causes all images, writing, and music to appear the same.
I now see some people rushing into reliance upon LLMs to try explaining the depth of the divine connection to our gods, ancestors, and the world around us, as though a machine has any idea of what it means to have the gifts of life. When they go so far as to claim ownership of the “art” generated for them, it sows seeds of distrust about the authenticity of all interactions. Now the people simply repeat what the draugr repeated first, severing themselves from the ecstatic connection which once motivated them to take chances at being vulnerable with self-expression.
We are saturated in an environment where opportunities for sacred connection have become depersonalized and commodified in the name of “content.” This sad affair is only going to increase, so long as we use mass media to communicate.
But in a time where it’s already extremely difficult to form lasting and meaningful relationships with other people, do we really want all of the books, illustrations, and music about our ancestral faith to be made by soulless entities which masquerade as human? How could we even claim a right to these things being our culture if it no longer comes from our own folk—themselves being the dynamic conduit for our ancestors and our gods?
We must fight this while we are still in the early days of this technology. If we want our children to stand above this mediocrity, we must set an example for them to follow. This example must be one of attentiveness, resourcefulness, and self-authorship. As fewer and fewer people think for themselves, our descendants will remember how to truly be children of Midgard, and will not be so easily swayed by placating phrases nor fall victim to the digital draugar which prey upon our folksoul.
So practice your writing skills. Practice drawing. Make your own music. Even if you doubt your own abilities, the crafts from your own hands are of infinitely greater value than ones which require no inspiration or effort. A gift demands a gift, so let your own creativity be what repays the gods!
Shade McCurdy
Lawspeaker, RFU
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
Part II:
Like the draugr, AI can appear as human. It speaks, appears to use reason, and can even seem quite creatively talented. But it isn’t human. It is neither living, nor dead. It cannot imagine anything new—only string together things it has been trained to repeat. The previous diversity of art and ideas is gradually being reduced to an unremarkable mean which causes all images, writing, and music to appear the same.
I now see some people rushing into reliance upon LLMs to try explaining the depth of the divine connection to our gods, ancestors, and the world around us, as though a machine has any idea of what it means to have the gifts of life. When they go so far as to claim ownership of the “art” generated for them, it sows seeds of distrust about the authenticity of all interactions. Now the people simply repeat what the draugr repeated first, severing themselves from the ecstatic connection which once motivated them to take chances at being vulnerable with self-expression.
We are saturated in an environment where opportunities for sacred connection have become depersonalized and commodified in the name of “content.” This sad affair is only going to increase, so long as we use mass media to communicate.
But in a time where it’s already extremely difficult to form lasting and meaningful relationships with other people, do we really want all of the books, illustrations, and music about our ancestral faith to be made by soulless entities which masquerade as human? How could we even claim a right to these things being our culture if it no longer comes from our own folk—themselves being the dynamic conduit for our ancestors and our gods?
We must fight this while we are still in the early days of this technology. If we want our children to stand above this mediocrity, we must set an example for them to follow. This example must be one of attentiveness, resourcefulness, and self-authorship. As fewer and fewer people think for themselves, our descendants will remember how to truly be children of Midgard, and will not be so easily swayed by placating phrases nor fall victim to the digital draugar which prey upon our folksoul.
So practice your writing skills. Practice drawing. Make your own music. Even if you doubt your own abilities, the crafts from your own hands are of infinitely greater value than ones which require no inspiration or effort. A gift demands a gift, so let your own creativity be what repays the gods!
Shade McCurdy
Lawspeaker, RFU
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
❤30👏2
Raven Folk United is a community striving to empower, build and help others within our community. We do this every day by word and deed.
With this in mind, we wanted to share the story of one of our young members recognized by his peers as a true warrior raised from birth, native to our customs and beliefs.
Please take a moment to read, share and contribute if you can. This is a solid young man with a great future ahead of him among our folk.
https://v2.givesendgo.com/support-a-champions-come-back
With this in mind, we wanted to share the story of one of our young members recognized by his peers as a true warrior raised from birth, native to our customs and beliefs.
Please take a moment to read, share and contribute if you can. This is a solid young man with a great future ahead of him among our folk.
https://v2.givesendgo.com/support-a-champions-come-back
Givesendgo
Support a Champions Come Back From Torn ACL | GiveSendGo
We need your help!For eleven years, wrestling hasn’t just been a sport in our house; it’s been a way of life. My son, Balian, stepped onto the mat for the f…
❤🔥13❤6🤝4
Anglo-Saxon and Continental Germanic Identity: Oath, Wyrd, Law, and Social Memory
The identity of the Anglo-Saxon peoples is not an isolated development, but a continuation of the older Germanic world carried across the sea into Britain. When the Angles, Saxons, and related tribes migrated, they brought with them more than language or custom—they carried a living system rooted in kinship, honor, and ancestral memory.
This system, described in part by Tacitus in Germania, reflects a society bound together not by distant institutions, but by oath, shared lineage, and duty to the folk. It is best understood as Folkish (in the sense of community-rooted and place-based)—a structure where identity is inseparable from land, people, and inherited obligation.
Oath as the Foundation of Order:
Among both the continental Germanic tribes and the Anglo-Saxons, the oath was sacred.
An oath bound individuals in ways deeper than law alone. It defined loyalty between warrior and lord, trust within the kin-group, and obligation to the wider community. To break such an oath was not simply dishonorable—it threatened the cohesion of the folk itself.
This tradition carried into Anglo-Saxon England through the comitatus system, where warriors were bound to their leaders in mutual loyalty. In regions such as Mercia, authority rested not on abstract rule, but on networks of sworn allegiance—echoing the earlier tribal systems found along the Danube frontier.
Law as Living Memory:
Germanic law began not as written code, but as living memory—spoken, remembered, and upheld by the community.
Over time, Anglo-Saxon rulers formalized these traditions into written law, such as the codes issued by King Æthelberht of Kent. Yet the essence remained unchanged. Law was not imposed from above; it emerged from the shared understanding of the folk.
Its principles were consistent across both continental and insular worlds:
Justice through compensation (wergild).
Restoration rather than destruction.
Recognition of kinship, status, and intent.
Law preserved harmony. It did not exist to sever the community, but to hold it together.
Protection of the Household:
The household stood at the center of both Germanic and Anglo-Saxon life.
Women and children were essential to the continuity of the folk, and their protection was reinforced through both custom and law. Tacitus noted the respect given to women among the Germanic tribes, and this respect is reflected in Anglo-Saxon legal codes, which imposed penalties for harm against them.
The stability of the household ensured the stability of the wider community. To harm it was to weaken the entire social structure.
Mercia and the Danube - Continuity Across Lands:
The kingdom of Mercia offers a clear example of continuity with earlier Germanic societies.
Like the tribes along the Danube frontier, Mercia functioned as a borderland culture, shaped by interaction with neighboring powers while maintaining internal cohesion. It balanced local authority with broader leadership, and relied on warrior elites bound by oath and kinship.
Under rulers such as King Offa of Mercia, Mercia achieved strength without abandoning its decentralized roots. This reflects the same adaptive resilience seen among continental Germanic tribes facing Roman influence.
Sacred Landscape and Folk Tradition:
Religion among Germanic peoples was inseparable from land and community.
Tacitus describes the worship of Nerthus, whose rites emphasized fertility, peace, and the sacred nature of the earth. This reflects a worldview in which the land itself was alive with meaning.
In Britain, similar patterns continued. Figures such as Nodens illustrate how traditions adapted while retaining their core structure: sacred spaces tied to nature, communal participation, and reverence for ancestral connection.
This was a Folkish spiritual tradition, rooted not in institutions, but in place, people, and continuity.
A.C.
RFU Virginia State Rep
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
The identity of the Anglo-Saxon peoples is not an isolated development, but a continuation of the older Germanic world carried across the sea into Britain. When the Angles, Saxons, and related tribes migrated, they brought with them more than language or custom—they carried a living system rooted in kinship, honor, and ancestral memory.
This system, described in part by Tacitus in Germania, reflects a society bound together not by distant institutions, but by oath, shared lineage, and duty to the folk. It is best understood as Folkish (in the sense of community-rooted and place-based)—a structure where identity is inseparable from land, people, and inherited obligation.
Oath as the Foundation of Order:
Among both the continental Germanic tribes and the Anglo-Saxons, the oath was sacred.
An oath bound individuals in ways deeper than law alone. It defined loyalty between warrior and lord, trust within the kin-group, and obligation to the wider community. To break such an oath was not simply dishonorable—it threatened the cohesion of the folk itself.
This tradition carried into Anglo-Saxon England through the comitatus system, where warriors were bound to their leaders in mutual loyalty. In regions such as Mercia, authority rested not on abstract rule, but on networks of sworn allegiance—echoing the earlier tribal systems found along the Danube frontier.
Law as Living Memory:
Germanic law began not as written code, but as living memory—spoken, remembered, and upheld by the community.
Over time, Anglo-Saxon rulers formalized these traditions into written law, such as the codes issued by King Æthelberht of Kent. Yet the essence remained unchanged. Law was not imposed from above; it emerged from the shared understanding of the folk.
Its principles were consistent across both continental and insular worlds:
Justice through compensation (wergild).
Restoration rather than destruction.
Recognition of kinship, status, and intent.
Law preserved harmony. It did not exist to sever the community, but to hold it together.
Protection of the Household:
The household stood at the center of both Germanic and Anglo-Saxon life.
Women and children were essential to the continuity of the folk, and their protection was reinforced through both custom and law. Tacitus noted the respect given to women among the Germanic tribes, and this respect is reflected in Anglo-Saxon legal codes, which imposed penalties for harm against them.
The stability of the household ensured the stability of the wider community. To harm it was to weaken the entire social structure.
Mercia and the Danube - Continuity Across Lands:
The kingdom of Mercia offers a clear example of continuity with earlier Germanic societies.
Like the tribes along the Danube frontier, Mercia functioned as a borderland culture, shaped by interaction with neighboring powers while maintaining internal cohesion. It balanced local authority with broader leadership, and relied on warrior elites bound by oath and kinship.
Under rulers such as King Offa of Mercia, Mercia achieved strength without abandoning its decentralized roots. This reflects the same adaptive resilience seen among continental Germanic tribes facing Roman influence.
Sacred Landscape and Folk Tradition:
Religion among Germanic peoples was inseparable from land and community.
Tacitus describes the worship of Nerthus, whose rites emphasized fertility, peace, and the sacred nature of the earth. This reflects a worldview in which the land itself was alive with meaning.
In Britain, similar patterns continued. Figures such as Nodens illustrate how traditions adapted while retaining their core structure: sacred spaces tied to nature, communal participation, and reverence for ancestral connection.
This was a Folkish spiritual tradition, rooted not in institutions, but in place, people, and continuity.
A.C.
RFU Virginia State Rep
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
🔥16❤7
From the mist-filled summits to the rushing rivers and streams, in our beautiful home state of Arkansas, the mighty white gods are living. We assembled in the name of Idunna, that beautiful and ancient goddess of fertility. It was a cool, overcast day in the Ozarks, and we had a fantastic festival to celebrate the season. We had fellowship with good folk and delicious food provided by our noble sisters. After eating, the kids had a blast! The patient and wise Mr. Lucky read the story of Idunna’s kidnapping from the Younger Edda to the children then afterwards they did a pagan spin on an easter egg hunt, searching for rune-filled eggs. Towards the end of the day we held an Idunna blot and our gods joined us. It was a fantastic beginning to our year and we appreciate everyone who helped and attended.
~with honor through duty~
Gildwyn Heimdallson
RFU Arkansas State Rep
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
~with honor through duty~
Gildwyn Heimdallson
RFU Arkansas State Rep
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
❤29⚡9
Forwarded from Pagan Revivalism
Media is too big
VIEW IN TELEGRAM
ᚱ Raven Folk Roundtable ᚱ
Join us on Saturday the 25th for a podcast that's never been done before. The many great kindreds of Raven Folk United are sending their Goðar for an interview!
This show will have various experienced irl faith leaders under one banner to discuss a wide array of topics. We will be discussing:
• Their experience with and wisdom surrounding their leadership in Pagan Revivalism.
• Their stances on theological issues within Heathenry.
• Their navigation of their Revival through this modern age.
• Their views and visions for the future of our glorious rebirth, so that we connect with our deep roots and have growing branches once again!
• There will also be a special announcement from Raven Folk United during the show, as well as a live Q&A from you the audience!
Join us live at 12pm eastern standard time, and take a seat beside the leaders of Pagan Revivalism, at the Raven Folk Roundtable show!
Join us on Saturday the 25th for a podcast that's never been done before. The many great kindreds of Raven Folk United are sending their Goðar for an interview!
This show will have various experienced irl faith leaders under one banner to discuss a wide array of topics. We will be discussing:
• Their experience with and wisdom surrounding their leadership in Pagan Revivalism.
• Their stances on theological issues within Heathenry.
• Their navigation of their Revival through this modern age.
• Their views and visions for the future of our glorious rebirth, so that we connect with our deep roots and have growing branches once again!
• There will also be a special announcement from Raven Folk United during the show, as well as a live Q&A from you the audience!
Join us live at 12pm eastern standard time, and take a seat beside the leaders of Pagan Revivalism, at the Raven Folk Roundtable show!
❤10⚡6👏3🔥1
Forwarded from Pagan Revivalism
ᚱ Raven Folk Roundtable ᚱ
Join us tomorrow for a podcast that's never been done before. The many great kindreds of Raven Folk United are sending their Goðar for a roundtable interview & discussion!
This show will have many experienced faith leaders from across the US under one banner to discuss many topics, of which we will be discussing:
• Their experience with and wisdom surrounding their leadership in Pagan Revivalism.
• Their stances on theological issues within Heathenry.
• Their navigation of their Revival through this modern age.
• Their views and visions for the future of our glorious rebirth, so that we connect with our deep roots and have growing branches once again!
• There will also be a special announcement from Raven Folk United during the show, as well as a live Q&A from you the audience!
Join us live at 12pm eastern standard time, and take a seat beside amazing leaders of Pagan Revivalism, at the Raven Folk Roundtable show!
Join us tomorrow for a podcast that's never been done before. The many great kindreds of Raven Folk United are sending their Goðar for a roundtable interview & discussion!
This show will have many experienced faith leaders from across the US under one banner to discuss many topics, of which we will be discussing:
• Their experience with and wisdom surrounding their leadership in Pagan Revivalism.
• Their stances on theological issues within Heathenry.
• Their navigation of their Revival through this modern age.
• Their views and visions for the future of our glorious rebirth, so that we connect with our deep roots and have growing branches once again!
• There will also be a special announcement from Raven Folk United during the show, as well as a live Q&A from you the audience!
Join us live at 12pm eastern standard time, and take a seat beside amazing leaders of Pagan Revivalism, at the Raven Folk Roundtable show!
❤🔥9❤4⚡3
THE HOPE FOR TOMORROW
Raven Folk's push for Tribal Land
Ever since I was a child, I have seen certain truths clearly through modern propaganda. Through countless generations of targeted manipulation, people have slowly been enslaved, one link at a time.
I recall the campfires of youth and the simplicity of family and community; of song and love. This has been and will always be our strength. My reputation precedes me as a man of war. Alas, in such a time as this, our men must be men. But my true heart and my most passionate dream for the future is that of a community of safety, devotion to our Gods, and a community that loves each other.
Outward, we must still have warriors. This is nature and we are wolves, but inward, as we shake free from the shackles of modern times, all egos and illusion can also be lost. Let us once again love one another as we are family. As we set forth to plant our flag in our own soil and declare a capitol for our homeland, let this undertaking resonate with each and everyone of the Raven Folk citizens. This tribal Folk Nation is yours! This campaign is your glory! OUR Kingdom will conquer for the Folk and then we will create a place for future generations to thrive!
The magnitude of what we are trying to accomplish is heavy, and as we begin our push I hope each and everyone of you are excited to help us hoist this banner high!
Hail Raven Folk United!
HAIL OUR MIGHTY GODS!
By Michael Sessumes
Hildingr, RFU
Donate to Hrafnlundr-Raven Grove through RFU’s ᛟ Othala Fund:
https://www.ravenfolkunited.org/support
Raven Folk's push for Tribal Land
Ever since I was a child, I have seen certain truths clearly through modern propaganda. Through countless generations of targeted manipulation, people have slowly been enslaved, one link at a time.
I recall the campfires of youth and the simplicity of family and community; of song and love. This has been and will always be our strength. My reputation precedes me as a man of war. Alas, in such a time as this, our men must be men. But my true heart and my most passionate dream for the future is that of a community of safety, devotion to our Gods, and a community that loves each other.
Outward, we must still have warriors. This is nature and we are wolves, but inward, as we shake free from the shackles of modern times, all egos and illusion can also be lost. Let us once again love one another as we are family. As we set forth to plant our flag in our own soil and declare a capitol for our homeland, let this undertaking resonate with each and everyone of the Raven Folk citizens. This tribal Folk Nation is yours! This campaign is your glory! OUR Kingdom will conquer for the Folk and then we will create a place for future generations to thrive!
The magnitude of what we are trying to accomplish is heavy, and as we begin our push I hope each and everyone of you are excited to help us hoist this banner high!
Hail Raven Folk United!
HAIL OUR MIGHTY GODS!
By Michael Sessumes
Hildingr, RFU
Donate to Hrafnlundr-Raven Grove through RFU’s ᛟ Othala Fund:
https://www.ravenfolkunited.org/support
❤🔥11⚡6🤝3
ᚱ Raven Folk Roundtable ᚱ
In a little over an hour from now, join the faith leaders of the many great kindreds of Raven Folk United live!
We will go over their experiences being faith leaders, theological questions, their thoughts about revival today & their vision for the future!
After the interview, we will be having an open question and answer section for you, the audience, to ask these faith leaders whatever you would like!
Take a seat at the Raven Folk Roundtable, only on Pagan Revivalism channel!
https://t.iss.one/Pagan_Revivalism?livestream
In a little over an hour from now, join the faith leaders of the many great kindreds of Raven Folk United live!
We will go over their experiences being faith leaders, theological questions, their thoughts about revival today & their vision for the future!
After the interview, we will be having an open question and answer section for you, the audience, to ask these faith leaders whatever you would like!
Take a seat at the Raven Folk Roundtable, only on Pagan Revivalism channel!
https://t.iss.one/Pagan_Revivalism?livestream
⚡8❤6💯4👏2
Raven Folk Roundtable
<unknown>
ᚱ Raven Folk Roundtable ᚱ
I want to thank the amazing faith leaders of Raven Folk United, the Pacific Northwest Wolfpack & the Sacred Stew for joining the Pagan Revivalist Show! All of them have amazing insights & information so give them a visit. If you're interested in Raven Folk United, check out their website here, or if you'd like to support their work, go to ravenfolkunited.org/suppot
If you love this show & want more like it, follow us @ t.iss.one/Pagan_Revivalism & listen to our amazing backcatalog for free!
ᚱ Timestamps ᚱ
0:00:00 - Introductions
Chapter 1
0:10:26 - Call to Leadership
0:37:42 - Welcoming Womenfolk
0:46:53 - Building Community
Chapter 2
1:15:43 - Of Fate & Free-will
1:31:09 - Wisdom's Journey
1:45:26 - Baldr Worship
1:50:40 - Sources & Methods
Chapter 3
2:01:12 - Outreach & Healing
2:13:04 - Practical Foundations
Chapter 4
2:36:39 - RFU & PNWWP Union
2:47:42 - On Temples & Groves
2:57:28 - Of Gods & Victory
3:08:45 - RFU Special Announcement
Closing Statements
3:12:18 - Conclusions
I want to thank the amazing faith leaders of Raven Folk United, the Pacific Northwest Wolfpack & the Sacred Stew for joining the Pagan Revivalist Show! All of them have amazing insights & information so give them a visit. If you're interested in Raven Folk United, check out their website here, or if you'd like to support their work, go to ravenfolkunited.org/suppot
If you love this show & want more like it, follow us @ t.iss.one/Pagan_Revivalism & listen to our amazing backcatalog for free!
ᚱ Timestamps ᚱ
0:00:00 - Introductions
Chapter 1
0:10:26 - Call to Leadership
0:37:42 - Welcoming Womenfolk
0:46:53 - Building Community
Chapter 2
1:15:43 - Of Fate & Free-will
1:31:09 - Wisdom's Journey
1:45:26 - Baldr Worship
1:50:40 - Sources & Methods
Chapter 3
2:01:12 - Outreach & Healing
2:13:04 - Practical Foundations
Chapter 4
2:36:39 - RFU & PNWWP Union
2:47:42 - On Temples & Groves
2:57:28 - Of Gods & Victory
3:08:45 - RFU Special Announcement
Closing Statements
3:12:18 - Conclusions
⚡10❤3🔥3❤🔥1
Join us this evening for our monthly All Members Call! This is a chance for all of our folk to gather and share their experiences from the past month’s events, and to get excited for what the next month has in store.
On this call, we’ll be reflecting on the activity of April: from a wedding and a podcast interview with the RFU goðar, to moots, blóts, and a baby boom, it was a productive month! We’ll then look ahead to the coming holidays of Sumarmál, May Day, Mother’s Day, and the Feast of the Einherjar I (Memorial Day). We’ll also honor a renowned Heathen hero, King Guðröðr, and talk a little bit about the runes Nauthiz and Isa.
Catch up with your folk and share your own announcements with us! We all rise when our folk are succeeding!
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
On this call, we’ll be reflecting on the activity of April: from a wedding and a podcast interview with the RFU goðar, to moots, blóts, and a baby boom, it was a productive month! We’ll then look ahead to the coming holidays of Sumarmál, May Day, Mother’s Day, and the Feast of the Einherjar I (Memorial Day). We’ll also honor a renowned Heathen hero, King Guðröðr, and talk a little bit about the runes Nauthiz and Isa.
Catch up with your folk and share your own announcements with us! We all rise when our folk are succeeding!
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
❤12⚡2
Raven Folk DNA program
We are very excited and thankful for our Central Jarl Clay Ainsworth!
His work has allowed our membership to download their DNA and submit it to GEDmatch so that we can find out who among us are related.
We are not just connected by ethnicity—we are also families bound by blood, and we are finding each other in droves.
Contact our Jarl Clay to submit your genetics and participate in this program!
Join Raven Folk United Today!!!!
And find your Folk and Family!!
Join Us | Be a Part of Our Growing Community — Raven Folk United
⚡ ravenfolkunited.org
We are very excited and thankful for our Central Jarl Clay Ainsworth!
His work has allowed our membership to download their DNA and submit it to GEDmatch so that we can find out who among us are related.
We are not just connected by ethnicity—we are also families bound by blood, and we are finding each other in droves.
Contact our Jarl Clay to submit your genetics and participate in this program!
Join Raven Folk United Today!!!!
And find your Folk and Family!!
Join Us | Be a Part of Our Growing Community — Raven Folk United
⚡ ravenfolkunited.org
❤🔥13⚡5❤3
Happy Summer’s Eve!
In the traditional outlook of our Heathen ancestors, the year was divided into two seasonal halves, called “Misseri” by the Norse. First came the winter half. This cold, dark, and challenging time required folks to plan ahead and stay near the homestead, lest they be swept up by the Wild Hunt. Then came the summer half. A vibrant time for work, travel, trading, and raiding.
When reckoning by the phases of the moon, the first day of summer (Sumarmál) begins on the third full lunation after Midwinter. May 1st of this year.
Times of transition are powerful moments in our faith. As winter becomes summer, there is a brief liminal threshold that belongs to neither season. This may be a time where spirits and omens make themselves known to us. This is one reason Summer’s Eve was a remarkable occasion for our Heathen ancestors, who would stay up late into the night, feasting and holding ritual bonfires—partly to celebrate surviving another winter, and partly for protection against any final winter wights on their way out.
In various parts of Germany, ritual effigies were made of wood, straw, and fir branches. In later folklore, these appear to have represented Winter or Death itself, and were carried away from town to be burnt or tossed into bogs or rivers in order to free the village of the powers of that spirit. However, the festivities of this night were not viewed kindly by Christians. An Anglo-Saxon missionary woman named Walpurga travelled to Germany in the 8th Century in an attempt to convert the Heathens there. After she died, the church renamed the Heathen holiday after her, calling it Walpurgisnacht, German for “Walpurga’s Night”. Then the ancient bonfires were used to burn new effigies which represented the pagans and witches that the Christians wanted to be rid of. In Bavaria, this holiday is now known as Hexennacht, or “Witches’ Night.”
The Gaelic people observed a similar holiday called Beltane, which took place at the Cétshamhain, or “first of summer,” and also featured a sacrificial effigy often referred to as the “wicker man.” This effigy was ritualistically burned, sometimes with additional offerings placed inside his straw limbs.
The English preserved the memory of this holiday in May Eve. After shifting away from the lunisolar calendar, they began to observe the first day of summer on May 1st, called May Day. This year, May 1st and the full moon are on the same day, which is auspicious. In Devon, a tradition is still practiced where a figure known as the Earl of Rone is captured from the forest, paraded through town as he rides backwards on a donkey, and is repeatedly killed until he is thrown into the sea until next year.
According to folklorist Jacob Grimm, the ancient Germans may have called the first day of summer Pholstag, “Phol’s Day.” Phol was likely another name for Baldr, as mentioned in the Second Merseburg Charm, and also used in some place names in Germany, such as Westphalia. In Old English, he was called Bældæġ, which could be broken down to mean “Bale/Pyre Day.” A similar figure may be found in the god for whom the Gaelic Beltane bonfires are lit, as well, known as Belenos. All these names do have rough etymological connections to words meaning “bright.” In light of these similarities, an interesting theory arises which suggests that the original identity of the effigies on the bonfires may have represented Baldr himself, or his brother Hoðr, both being gods who were brought to the funeral pyre.
There are many names for this holiday, but they all celebrate the changing of seasons and a time for blessings of protection over new growth.
Hail the Gods!
Hail the Folk!
Happy Summer’s Eve!
Shade McCurdy
Lawspeaker, RFU
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
In the traditional outlook of our Heathen ancestors, the year was divided into two seasonal halves, called “Misseri” by the Norse. First came the winter half. This cold, dark, and challenging time required folks to plan ahead and stay near the homestead, lest they be swept up by the Wild Hunt. Then came the summer half. A vibrant time for work, travel, trading, and raiding.
When reckoning by the phases of the moon, the first day of summer (Sumarmál) begins on the third full lunation after Midwinter. May 1st of this year.
Times of transition are powerful moments in our faith. As winter becomes summer, there is a brief liminal threshold that belongs to neither season. This may be a time where spirits and omens make themselves known to us. This is one reason Summer’s Eve was a remarkable occasion for our Heathen ancestors, who would stay up late into the night, feasting and holding ritual bonfires—partly to celebrate surviving another winter, and partly for protection against any final winter wights on their way out.
In various parts of Germany, ritual effigies were made of wood, straw, and fir branches. In later folklore, these appear to have represented Winter or Death itself, and were carried away from town to be burnt or tossed into bogs or rivers in order to free the village of the powers of that spirit. However, the festivities of this night were not viewed kindly by Christians. An Anglo-Saxon missionary woman named Walpurga travelled to Germany in the 8th Century in an attempt to convert the Heathens there. After she died, the church renamed the Heathen holiday after her, calling it Walpurgisnacht, German for “Walpurga’s Night”. Then the ancient bonfires were used to burn new effigies which represented the pagans and witches that the Christians wanted to be rid of. In Bavaria, this holiday is now known as Hexennacht, or “Witches’ Night.”
The Gaelic people observed a similar holiday called Beltane, which took place at the Cétshamhain, or “first of summer,” and also featured a sacrificial effigy often referred to as the “wicker man.” This effigy was ritualistically burned, sometimes with additional offerings placed inside his straw limbs.
The English preserved the memory of this holiday in May Eve. After shifting away from the lunisolar calendar, they began to observe the first day of summer on May 1st, called May Day. This year, May 1st and the full moon are on the same day, which is auspicious. In Devon, a tradition is still practiced where a figure known as the Earl of Rone is captured from the forest, paraded through town as he rides backwards on a donkey, and is repeatedly killed until he is thrown into the sea until next year.
According to folklorist Jacob Grimm, the ancient Germans may have called the first day of summer Pholstag, “Phol’s Day.” Phol was likely another name for Baldr, as mentioned in the Second Merseburg Charm, and also used in some place names in Germany, such as Westphalia. In Old English, he was called Bældæġ, which could be broken down to mean “Bale/Pyre Day.” A similar figure may be found in the god for whom the Gaelic Beltane bonfires are lit, as well, known as Belenos. All these names do have rough etymological connections to words meaning “bright.” In light of these similarities, an interesting theory arises which suggests that the original identity of the effigies on the bonfires may have represented Baldr himself, or his brother Hoðr, both being gods who were brought to the funeral pyre.
There are many names for this holiday, but they all celebrate the changing of seasons and a time for blessings of protection over new growth.
Hail the Gods!
Hail the Folk!
Happy Summer’s Eve!
Shade McCurdy
Lawspeaker, RFU
⚡️ ravenfolkunited.org
🔥22❤🔥8❤5