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04-IASC-Herald-2012 IASC HERALD – OCTOBRE 2012 Dear reader, Table of contents Finally it is there! The magazine laying in front of you What makes IASC so special? 1 that we baptized IASC Herald back in 2009. Three issues by Haimo Grebenstein – Germany went before this one. Because last International Asatru Summer Camp was different from the one we had Chaos and Confusion 3 three years ago, this magazine will show some by May-Britt Bjørlo Henriksen – Norway differences to the one we made after that camp. But some things have remained the same: it is still full with IASC 2012 in a Polish mirror 4 stories, memories, pictures and anecdotes from by Vrede and Agnieszka – Poland another great, splendid, magnificent and successful summer camp! The auction 5 Thinking back to those days last July and August I really by Todd Chambers – Denmark / USA only can find nice and good memories. I remember many nice and good talks, numerous pleasant passings Seidhr workshop at IASC 2012 7 of horns, interesting excursions, lectures and by Christian Kordas – Germany workshops and a very nice and pleasant stay at a comfortable place with a group of great people. And Utiseta – sitting out for wisdom and ecstasy 8 already the retelling of little anecdotes has begun when by Andre Henriques – UK / Portugal meeting my heathen friends who where there. It is my hope that the contents of this Herald will give you back Friendship, frith and fun: Asatru-Eu 10 a little of the feel of this year's summer camp every by Frigga Asraaf – Netherlands time you go through it's pages and by doing so will keep the spirit of IASC alive. The spinning goddess 12 To keep you no longer from continue reading and diving by Ulrike Pohl – Germany into the memories, I'll keep this introduction short and will finish it by thanking everyone who was there for his A very personal view of IASC 14 or her part in a wonderful week. by Nathalie Cue Gomez – Spain Hail to you, the people who made this IASC! Bronze casting at IASC 2012 16 Hope to see you all and all other readers in three years! Wednesday blot 17 Michiel – Netherlands by Andre Henriques – UK / Portugal My interpretation of Frigg 20 IASC Herald's editorial crew: by Helena Valorinta – Denmark Michiel (NL) – coördinator, layout, translation of Christian's article from German to The actual programm of IASC 2012 24 English Puppet theatre 28 Amanda (UK) – editor Riaan (NL/SA) – editor The excursions 29 Frigga (NL), Helena (DK) and May-Britt (NO) – ideas and mental support Pictures by: Vrede Wyrd, Anika, Annika, May-Britt Bjørlo-Henriksen, Volker Wagner, Miranda Huivenaar and others. IASC HERALD – OCTOBRE 2012 I have been at heathen gatherings The majority of participants both in for more than 11 years now. Every What makes IASC 2009 as well as in 2012 may be year I’ve been at least seven or characterized as being part of one more of them, sometimes more so special? or more of these groups: than ten. I’ve been to gatherings of • They have been active in by Haimo Grebenstein - Germany different types – seasonal celebra- heathenry for quite some time; tions, Althings, educational or • They have been “activists” in workshop type gatherings and just heathenry - may it be they have plain social events. I’ve been at Wow! For the second time: a been or still are holding leading gatherings of many different week that can hardly be positions in their groups or just groups or societies in 5 countries. described by simple words – being the “doers” in a rather Most of them have been remark- a week full of intense informal group – they have able events, with a unique flavor to emotions and feelings of practiced leadership; them. But NOTHING can compare quite varying types – a week • They have managed to make to the two IASC weeks that have heathenry part of their every- happened so far! that will remain in my day-life – call it spiritual or memory forever… religious awareness or whatever While being at IASC 2012 I was you like. I call it a heathen self- already intensely thinking about conception that includes two questions: spiritual/religious aspects as well as communal and • Would 2012 have been as superb environmental aspects and as it was if there had been behavioral patterns; around 200 people, our original • They are able to think and goal? behave in a community-oriented • What is it that makes IASC so manner while keeping up their different from other gatherings? personal individuality simultane- ously; Regarding question one I originally • They take responsibility without tended to answer with “No”, but needing to be urged; after some thinking about question • They are open-minded; two I would rather answer with • They are respectful; “Yes, probably”. • They are self-conscious in the Before I start revealing my thoughts literal meaning. to you I want to make one thing absolutely clear: they are in no way The above descriptions – and intended to differentiate between maybe some more – are the reason “good” and “bad” heathens, no for things happening in a “smooth” offence intended at all. and uncomplicated way at IASC They are a plain effort to Picture by Frigga Asraaf gatherings. There’s no real need to understand the “IASC phenome- explain anything, people know non” – and if my thoughts make already – and if not, questions can you think about yourself in a way be answered without big fuzz. No like “where am I located in this?”, need to fully figure out and explain yourself will be the only person to rituals – they just grow and work. be able and to be legitimate to ask No need to give instructions on this question. I won’t… cleaning up – people just do it. No need to assign and explain tasks – The answer to question 2 is they are just taken over by actually very simple: it’s the someone. participants! So, what about them? 1 IASC HERALD – OCTOBRE 2012 I actually believe that IASC by itself attracts these kinds of persons. It’s simply not “just another heathen gathering”, it’s something special in “They certainly KNOW what they are doing and why itself: most of the participants take they are doing it, and because they do, it is their upon themselves long distances of travel and spend quite some serious intention to make it a “good” week – not only money to be there. They certainly regarding what you usually consider to be “fun”. It is KNOW what they are doing and their serious intention to live a community-oriented why they are doing it, and because they do, it is their serious intention and spiritual week, besides being part of a big party as to make it a “good” week – not well.” only regarding what you usually consider to be “fun”. It is their serious intention to live a community-oriented and spiritual week, besides being part of a big party as well. This makes it different from most other meetings – if you just “go around the corner” to a local or regional meeting, your expecta- tions will be quite lower. And at this point the ends meet: the minority of participants who do not fit the descriptions above and who may not have such high expec- tations, are just “drawn along” by what’s happening, by the spirit that is carried by the event itself – it’s a little bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy or, maybe, a little bit of a perpetuum mobile… Of course, nobody needs to agree to this. I am simply a person that likes to take a look behind things and my answers may be some Picture by Miranda Huivenaar among others… I raise my horn to all of you! May we meet again and again and again… 2 IASC HERALD – OCTOBRE 2012 ISAC 2012 SANDHATTEN: Going to is bad, and there is chaos that people tied their ribbons on the an international asatru event is brings a smile to peoples faces, pole, after the children had tied always connected to a certain making them relaxed and open to theirs. amount of expectation and what is to come. This blot was of excitement. Lots of old friends, the latter kind. Enforcing the male powers, a group new friends to be made and people of men stepped forward to raise you really don't want to get to At the last blot of the ISAC in 2009 the pole. know gathered in the same place in Denmark, part of the ritual was The pole was successfully raised, for a week. to see the pole, erected in the and the ritual went joyfully on with Chaos and confusion by May-Britt Bjørlo Henriksen – Norway The second International Asatru summer camp opened with a spontaneous but beautiful ceremony led by Frigga Asraaf. Getting all those gathered to opening of the blot, unearthed and complete chaos as all the people celebrate blot,well, it might work, cut into nine sticks. Each of the were dancing around the pole with or it might not work at all. participating asatru organizations the rainbow rope, which had been was give the responsibility of one stretched around the circle for all Sunday afternoon became an of the sticks, with a clear message participants to hold on to. example of what really works. The to bringing it to the next summer Frigga, the gydje of the blot, was three groups Verein für Germanisches Heidentum (VfGH), “But there is chaos that is bad, and there is chaos Eldaring and Het Rad who stood responsible for the whole summer that brings a smile to peoples faces, making camp also held the opening blot.
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