On January 9th we pay homage to a true martyr of historical Asatru, Raud the Strong.

Raud was a chieftain of his people and a priest of the ancestral ways during the reign of Olaf Tryggvason. Olaf had taken it upon himself to convert all of Norway to the foreign religion of Christianity either by coercion or by force. Raud, being an influential chieftain, was eventually captured and “asked” if he wanted to convert to the new religion. He chose to remain tru to his Ancestors full well knowing his fate was now sealed. Olaf flew into a rage and commanded a snake to be forced down Raud’s throat. Eventually, with a hot poker coercing the snake, Olaf succeeded in his evil deed and Raud died as a result.

Today few of us can fathom such tyranny as Raud and many of our ancient ancestors were faced with. We may bemoan society or our lot in life, but truly we are not even close to the amount of insanity that crept over our homelands during the medieval times. Yet we can take heart from their examples, use their steadfastness to inspire us during our trials. We can use their unwillingness to yield to tyrannical madmen to inspire us to be more and to do more in this time.

We are a noble people, descended from noble ancestors; let us go out into the world and strive with our might and main to forge a new future for our Folk. Let us be the examples for the next generation, let us inspire them just as men like Raud have inspired us.

Hail Raud!!!

Blaine Qualls,
Gothar Coordinator
Asatru Folk Assembly