Today we honor Hermann of the Cherusci . He is one of our greatest heroes from the distant past (approximately 17 bce-19ce). There are a few reasons why we take the time to remember Hermann der Cherusker, whose name is derived from Old High German ‘heri’ and ‘man’ meaning “Man of War.” He was the son of Sigimer, a Prince of the German Nation. He had lived in Rome as a youth where he was held captive but would later be educated and trained as a Roman soldier. Eventually he obtained Roman citizenship as well as a high honor status. Upon this he would be assigned the task of infiltrating Germania in order for Rome to take control of the area. He would ultimately reunite with his true folk, rally up German tribes and keep the Romans from conquering the land for many many years. In this Germania would continue to thrive and keep their traditions and culture from radically changing from foreign influences.
This brief glimpse into the deeds of Hermann is important because the vast majority of us have been virtually held captive by the interests of others who are not sympathetic to our Folk or our traditional values. Most of us are educated and trained in ways that would seek to destroy what had originally shaped us and gave us noble purpose. But, however, if we are able to tap into our true ancestral ways we are more likely to save ourselves from self-destruction. By rallying our Folk together for common purposes we become stronger and better equipped to take on the forces that wish to confuse our efforts of survival, frith and prosperity. To remain estranged from our Folk at this point is to leave our orlog in the hands of those who would have us surrender and deny ourselves for the establishment of a fate that we may never recover from. To unite is our only option if we are to recover from the battles waged against us. When we each make the effort to reach out to our Folk and build connections, when we turn to our lore for direction and determination, when we succeed in deeds that will shape our future in ways that are harmonious to us instead of those who aim to crush us, we come closer and closer to achieving what Hermann achieved all of those years ago.
So on the Ninth of September and during this month, ponder the actions you could make in honor of this concept and turn it into a reality. What can you DO to help your folk unite? In what ways can you challenge yourself to perform deeds that make a difference? How can you give your Folk hope and purpose to continue to work for our noble cause day in and day out, month after month, year after year? If we all do our part nothing can stop us from achieving our goals. Asking these questions of ourselves and following through with the answers we conceive show others that they can do the same. Help new members to get the fire of our purpose spreading within. Help those in your area make a difference that reflects the passion of our virtuous path. Be an example to the Folk at large that we are here, we are able, we are succeeding and being what our ancestors dreamed we could be if only we realized our potential. Others are still being educated and trained to be soldiers against their own well-being. We have lots of work to do to shake them out of it and guide them home. Those that seek to scatter our efforts for their own glory need to know that each day more and more of our Folk our waking up from this nightmare placed before us. Even more so we need to fully embrace this ourselves. Everyday we are actively getting more involved with each other, finding better ways to become all that we can be and not looking back. We our looking forward towards the guiding star of our ancestors, of the blooming of our folk in miraculous ways and to the successes of all our endeavors combined. We’ve seen progress and we seek to see more. So when you meet with your kindred, you speak with your fellow Ásatrúar, you make your next goal, know that we’re all in this together and we by uniting and persevering we can make each and every one of our sacrifices and deeds worth every second that we put into them.
HAIL the Folk!
HAIL the Doers!
HAIL the Memory of Hermann
and the Glory Ahead of Us!
Zach Cato, Midwest
Chieftain of Heimdall’s Midgard Kindred