Heilsa and Glaed Hallows to all!
During the weekend of 17 Oct. - 20 Oct. 2002 the Niagara Shire of the Normannii Reiks hosted a Hallows Gathering and Blot. The folk gathered at the home of Kevin Fedtha, Micha Kottaren and Galen Cniht on Thursday evening starting with the arrival of Billy Thain and his wife Diane along with Lou Fohten and his wife Ramona. Shortly there after Lord Dan and his Leman, Cynthia arrived as well. The evening was filled with food, drinks and good spirits as we all talked and re-strengthen the ties that bind us together.
John Aescmann and Glenn Dreng joined us on Friday while the tribe held a moot and discussed several issues, and the Witta convened to work on finalizing their decisions. Afterward the tribe banded together to patronize a local watering hole and karaoke establishment. Songs where sung (even one about a certain Celtic unicorn!) and once again a the festivities where joyful.
On Saturday we convened for ThingTide. Projects updates were made and each refscir reported in on the status of their offices. Kevin Fedtha has added two new sagas to the Lore section of the Normannii Reiks web site ( http://www.NormanniiReiks.org ): Saxo Grammaticus and Volsunga Saga. He also shall work to find an Anglo-Saxon font, so that scanning of the Wednesbury Kings School pamphlets can be done. John Aescmann is continuing on with the Dansk Word Hoard as well working with Lou Fohten on the Thraelbok. Yule dates have been finalized as 20 Dec. - 22 Dec. 2002. This will be, as usual, an open event. Each free rooftree in the tribe will be charge a tithe of $20. Goodfolk and other guests will be charge $25/person or $35/family. The Normannii Ladies volunteered to handle the menu, doing their best to adhere to traditional food of our ancestors. An information pack will be worked on by Dan Lord's Yeoman Micha Kottaren.
Micha Kottaren, our treasurer, reported that all members are now current with the tribal dues. The current balance is $801.00. Finally, Lou Fohten covered some details of the Fyrhring equipment needed. Specifically, each member will need: Practice Foam Sword and shield( supplies still being worked on); wood waster; blunt practice steel; Worthy (True) sword - this can wait for about a year.
After Thing, we traveled out to the home of Kevin Fedtha's parents for our Hallows Blot. Micha Kottaren and Dan Lord lead the ritual in a tradition manner, offering yelps and mead to our Gods. The Fyrhring then moved on to our next order of business, the martial ordeal of Lou Fohten. Lou handled himself well and proved his worth, and The Normannii are all the richer for it.
After returning back to the home of Kevin Fedtha and Micha Kottaren a splendid diner was served. Micha, in her usual grandeur, prepared Braised Chicken that was very delicious. Followed by dessert of a homemade blueberry pie prepared that day by Cynthia, Diane and Ramona. Once diner was completed, we convened once again for a continuation of our earlier Thing. It was decided that the Thraelbok project shall be completed in outline and essence by Yule 2002. The traditional changing of the guard was handled by Lord Dan, assigning folk to the necessary offices. William Thain shall continue on as the High Wita along with John Aescmann and Micha Kottaren as the Draught Wita. Kevin Fedtha will maintain the office of High Sheriff while Lou (was fohten) shall take on the office of Steward. Dan Lord has compelled each person to put together a definition for their office and a project of relevance which is to be outlined by Midsummer 2003.
The Evening fell upon us quickly and symble was held. With mead graciously provided by Lord Dan, it was glorious evening. Gaelen Cniht started off, after Lord Dan officially opened symble, a little out of customary order due to a rapidly approaching bed time and a desire to gift each person with a blueberry rock candy stick he purchased while on a school field trip. Boast and Yelps where made to Gods, heros, ancestors and the like. Dan Lord spoke of Göngú Hrölf, his deeds and present day Normans who still remain true to the now vacant office of the Duke of Normandy and John Aescmann shared with us all a bit of Allemanic History and those who died while attending an All-Thing used to trap the last remaining Allemannii fighting for the troth of our Gods. Ever mindful of the tradition of gift giving, Lord Dan started off the third round of symble with may gifts. To Kevin Fedtha he gave a set of Black Smithing Tools(tongs and such) and Micha Kottaren received the book Mission of FolkSoul. Gaelen Cniht, as his page, had earlier in symble received a banner with Lord Dan's charge on it. Similarly, Lord Dan gifted Billy Thain with banners as his High Wita as well as Kevin Crossley-Holland's book The Anglo-Saxon World. Diane was given a Celtic Cross which can be stuck in windows with a suction cup. With the need for his men to be properly equipped for the Fyrhring, he gifted Lou, Billy Thain and John Aescmann with practice steel swords. He then gave to Ramona a necklace and the dreng received a large drinking horn, decorated by Lord Dan. Lord dan then stopped so as to hear the oath of Lou Fohten, rising him up as Aescmann. He then proceeded to gift Lou with his Spear Tip and Butt cap and highted him to Fedtha.
With our gracious lord now finished, we moved on to Cynthia who boasted to Micha Kottaren for her help and work. Billy Thain and Diane gifted Micha and Kevin with a DVD Player/VCR and Gaelen was given a DVD of Lord of the Rings and a Harry Potter T-Shirt. Diane then continued to yelp of her acquiring a drivers license and the hard work she put into completing her Grandmother's Quilt. Kevin Fedtha then gifted Lou Fedtha with a neck knife and Micha Kottaren gave everyone their very own pouch of sunshine in the form of peppermint leaves in a sewn pouch. John Aescmann then took the horn and proudly yelped of his drivers license recently being returned and of his job turned career. Lou Fedtha proudly talked of his recent ordeal and the works fo his newly fond tribe and Ramona was happy to boast to her husband for his accomplishments and the wonderful support she felt from the women of the Normannii. Lou and Ramona then gifted Micha Kottaren with a Gift basket of beer breads mix ,Kevin Fedtha a set of DVD's (The Vikings and First Knight) and Gaelen Cniht a Viking colouring book.
Wrapping up symble, Micha Kottaren took the horn once again and made a boast, that this spring she would host a Seidth workshop as a refresher of the material that was presented at the recent class she attended. It was deemed by the Thyle and Wita that some conditions must be made: The class shall not be held on land owned or used by the Normannii Folk, so as to protect ourselves from folk who may not be as serious or cautious; A shild must be set in case she should fail in fulfilling her boast, this shild will be decided upon and announced BEFORE the next symble held by our folk.
We spent the rest of the evening socializing, drinking and playing chess. The Weekend came to a close on Sunday evening when Billy Thain, Diane, Lou Fedtha and Ramona left for home, but not before a semi-traditional tourist trek out to Niagara Falls and some shopping in the Outlet Mall here in town. Lord Dan and Cynthia headed for home on Monday morning and we all here miss them all already.
-- Kevin Fedtha High Sheriff, Normannii Reiks