From The Runestone Spring 1999 #25
The Asatru Folk Assembly has hosted dozens of local and regional events, but until now there has not been a national meeting specifically for the Asatru Folk Assembly. WELL, IT’s TIME!
June 24-27, in Northern California, we will hold the Gathering of the Tribes. This will not be “just another Asatru gathering;” it will be the beginning of a new phase in our movement’s history. If you are an AFA member or sympathizer, we hope you’ll be here!
The core of the Gathering of the Tribes, as the name indicates, is tribalism. It is time to form organic groupings of our Folk, and we will begin that undertaking during these four days. I have put a lot of preparation into some ideas which I hope will excite and inspire you as we carve our path into the next century.
We’ll also address intentional communities as the core of these evolving tribes, and take a long look at the social, political, and religious environments in which Asatru will operate in the coming century.
Other items on the agenda include a very relevant talk by Dr. James Russell, author of THE GERMANIZATION OF EARLY MEDIEVAL CHRISTIANITY, a class on y2k preperation by the Back to Basics Guild, a presentation on the challenges of forming intentional community by an expert in the field, and a traditional weapons demonstration by the Warrior Guild.
We’ve long felt that the women of Asatru needed to take a higher profile – so our GYTHJUR or priestesses will be more visible as we honor the Mighty Powers. Womanly wisdom will also express itself in seithwork or runecasting. There will be a blessing of children, as well.
As if this wasn’t enough, the Western Regional Thing of the Asatru Alliance will meet during the course of the Gathering – making this event especially attractive to members of Alliance kindreds, and setting new precedents for inter-organizational cooperation in Asatru.
Those who attended the Gathering of the Tribes will remember it always, as the time when “business as usual” and “status quo Asatru” were burned up on the fire of passion of forward movement. You will want to be here!