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Land Taking Blot
Land Taking
Valley Oak 2006
Adapted from The Troth, Edred Thorsson
Chieftain Hunter lit a pillar candle in a lantern and had a bottle of Bertski’s award winning mead at the Kindred Stalli (stone altar outside) with drinking horn, bottle opener and hammer.
Hunter went to the front door and raised the lantern high, saying: “I am come to take up this land and all dwellings on it in the names of Hunter and Kathlene and in the names of the gods and goddesses of our folk.
Hunter than made the Hammer sign with the lantern and then hammer, saying: “The Hammer of Thunor shall hallow this land and ward it well.”
Taking the lantern, Hunter then walked along the property lines, from the “front” door, along the hillside, down to the creek, along the creek, along the property line of the neighbors, up the driveway, around the house and back to the front door, saying: “By troth well met, this land is taken and guarded. By troth well met, this land is warded.”
Hunter then went to the Stalli and opened the bottle of mead, placing the lantern on the stalli. She took a sip of the mead and then poured an offering on the stalli, saying: “Glad greetings and hail to all you wights who dwell in this stead! We give you honor as in the days and nights of yore. Let there be among us frith and grith, and naught of strife!”
Hunter poured more as offering, saying: “Come ye wights to get the gifts due to you! Bring ye wealth and weal, merry wit and mirth to this home.”
Hunter then returned to the front door, pouring a small bit of mead on the threshold. “This home is guarded.” Then she moved to front gate, repeating, then the sliding glass door, repeating.
Standing at the back door, saying: “The work is ended, may all in this home know naught but good as long as the troth holds within.”
# # #
Original Ritual
In our highly mobile society we find ourselves moving and taking up new abodes quite regularly. This is in many ways similar to the semi-nomadic periods in the history of the folk in the past. We often feel the negative effects of this life-style in the form of alienation. Our ancestors had a ritual way of alleviating this. It was the rite of “land-taking” (Old Norse: landnam). This rite can be used for houses on lots, as well as for apartments. However, it should be done without fail for pieces of property which true folk have actually bought and own.
In the first part of the work and land is marked off and warded by taking fire around the edges of the land or building. Then the wights of the stead are called on to be friendly and to help in keeping the houses in frith and well-being.
The speaker, holding a torch, fire-pot, or lantern, stands before the front door of the house or at the edge of the property and says: “I am come to take up this land and all dwellings on it in the name(s) of (here the names of those owning or living on the property are to be recited) and in the names of the gods and goddesses of our folk.” Then the speaker makes the sign of the hammer, and says: “The Hammer of Thunar shall hallow this land and ward it well.”
Then the speaker begins to walk around the property in a clockwise direction carrying the fire. If more than one person is actually taking the land, a relay can be set up in which the fire is handed to the other person”9s) stationed at intervals around the land. While walking the edge of the land, the words “By troth the land is taken. Well it is warded!”
The speaker, again standing in the stead where he or she began, sets the fire down before the front door or at the gate of the property and says: “Glad greetings and hail to all you wights who dwell in this stead! We give you honor as in the days and nights of yore. Let there be among us frith and grith, and naught of strife!” Here the speaker drinks a sip from a horn of ale and pours the rest onto the ground before the dwelling (or into an auxiliary bowl in the case of an apartment), and says: “Come ye wights to get the gifts due to you! Bring ye wealth and weal, merry wit and mirth to this home!”
The work is ended with the words: “Now the work is wrought, may this home and all who dwell herein know naught but good as long as the troth has abode within!”
Those taking possession of the land should now enter it and live in frith and grith with helpful wights of the dwelling.
Valley Oak 2006
Adapted from The Troth, Edred Thorsson
Chieftain Hunter lit a pillar candle in a lantern and had a bottle of Bertski’s award winning mead at the Kindred Stalli (stone altar outside) with drinking horn, bottle opener and hammer.
Hunter went to the front door and raised the lantern high, saying: “I am come to take up this land and all dwellings on it in the names of Hunter and Kathlene and in the names of the gods and goddesses of our folk.
Hunter than made the Hammer sign with the lantern and then hammer, saying: “The Hammer of Thunor shall hallow this land and ward it well.”
Taking the lantern, Hunter then walked along the property lines, from the “front” door, along the hillside, down to the creek, along the creek, along the property line of the neighbors, up the driveway, around the house and back to the front door, saying: “By troth well met, this land is taken and guarded. By troth well met, this land is warded.”
Hunter then went to the Stalli and opened the bottle of mead, placing the lantern on the stalli. She took a sip of the mead and then poured an offering on the stalli, saying: “Glad greetings and hail to all you wights who dwell in this stead! We give you honor as in the days and nights of yore. Let there be among us frith and grith, and naught of strife!”
Hunter poured more as offering, saying: “Come ye wights to get the gifts due to you! Bring ye wealth and weal, merry wit and mirth to this home.”
Hunter then returned to the front door, pouring a small bit of mead on the threshold. “This home is guarded.” Then she moved to front gate, repeating, then the sliding glass door, repeating.
Standing at the back door, saying: “The work is ended, may all in this home know naught but good as long as the troth holds within.”
# # #
Original Ritual
In our highly mobile society we find ourselves moving and taking up new abodes quite regularly. This is in many ways similar to the semi-nomadic periods in the history of the folk in the past. We often feel the negative effects of this life-style in the form of alienation. Our ancestors had a ritual way of alleviating this. It was the rite of “land-taking” (Old Norse: landnam). This rite can be used for houses on lots, as well as for apartments. However, it should be done without fail for pieces of property which true folk have actually bought and own.
In the first part of the work and land is marked off and warded by taking fire around the edges of the land or building. Then the wights of the stead are called on to be friendly and to help in keeping the houses in frith and well-being.
The speaker, holding a torch, fire-pot, or lantern, stands before the front door of the house or at the edge of the property and says: “I am come to take up this land and all dwellings on it in the name(s) of (here the names of those owning or living on the property are to be recited) and in the names of the gods and goddesses of our folk.” Then the speaker makes the sign of the hammer, and says: “The Hammer of Thunar shall hallow this land and ward it well.”
Then the speaker begins to walk around the property in a clockwise direction carrying the fire. If more than one person is actually taking the land, a relay can be set up in which the fire is handed to the other person”9s) stationed at intervals around the land. While walking the edge of the land, the words “By troth the land is taken. Well it is warded!”
The speaker, again standing in the stead where he or she began, sets the fire down before the front door or at the gate of the property and says: “Glad greetings and hail to all you wights who dwell in this stead! We give you honor as in the days and nights of yore. Let there be among us frith and grith, and naught of strife!” Here the speaker drinks a sip from a horn of ale and pours the rest onto the ground before the dwelling (or into an auxiliary bowl in the case of an apartment), and says: “Come ye wights to get the gifts due to you! Bring ye wealth and weal, merry wit and mirth to this home!”
The work is ended with the words: “Now the work is wrought, may this home and all who dwell herein know naught but good as long as the troth has abode within!”
Those taking possession of the land should now enter it and live in frith and grith with helpful wights of the dwelling.