| On November the 9th we honour Queen Sigrith of Sweden. Widowed at a still young age, Queen Sigrith had many suitors vying for her hand in marriage. One by one each suitor was rebuffed, earning Queen Sigrith the nickname, Queen Sigrid the Haughty. Eventually Sigrith did accept an offer of marriage from Olaf Tryggvason, king of Norway, and a rabid christian. Soon Sigrith travelled to Norway for the wedding ceremony. In the course of talking over the wedding plans Olaf asked Sigrith to give up her ancestral Gods and embrace christianity. She refused, and he promptly slapped her across the face with his glove. She rose, told him that strike might well be the death of him, and immediately called off the wedding. Years later Olaf was killed in battle by Sigrith’s husband fulfilling her earlier prophecy. Few today are willing to stand up for their beliefs in the face of adversity, Sigrith has much to teach such people. We may be living in a different time than she did, but our ancestral ways are under just as much, if not more, of a threat. Today we have again chosen to take a stand by embracing our noble ways; we have chosen to take a stand by raising the trihorn banner and living the faith of our ancestors. Just as Sigrith stood strong so many generations ago, we too stand strong. By returning to our roots, building a positive future upon the families of our folk, and living noble ‘tru lives, we do in fact honour Sigrith and all those of our kind who chose not to kneel before the bedouin spirit. Let us again rise and be a strong people! Hail those strong noble souls of the past! Hail Queen Sigrith! |
Gothi Blaine Qualls Jr. AFA Gothar Coordinator |