The Althing is the yearly Tribe gathering to discuss what needs to be done for the Tribe in the upcoming year. This meeting is done at the end of summer, as winter approaches. In the old days, the coming of winter heralds a new year, and we follow this calendar. We will be preparing for the Winter Nights celebration that is only 2 months after the Althing, during Octobers full moon. We will be discussing what we need to be doing to further make the Tribe an impactful piece of each members life and their path in Forn Sed. We will also have a sumbel, and ritual portion at our Althing, as well as having the floor opened for members to plan to swear Oaths at the Althing. The Althing will take place up route 141 just south of Whitewater Co. Exact location has been provided to members.
Itinerary:
5pm: Gathering Time.
5-6pm: Social Hour
6pm: We will setup an altar, hallow the space and do a mugwort cleaning
Following the space preparation the new Paths, Positions & Oaths document will be read aloud.
After this the Althing will be opened, here the floor is open to all, we will discuss the current state of the tribe, take in new suggestions, determine what we need to be doing moving forward, assess issues of the tribe and any issues members have within the tribe. Here we make a course of action going into the new "year", as our new year begins in october at Vetrnætr (Winter Nights) Blót or Álfablót. We prepare for the Winter events and Blóts and get ourselves ready to make greater change, greater bonds, and greater paths for us all in Forn Seð and our tribe Úlfung.
Once we have finished this portion of the Althing we will have Blót. We ask that you bring an offering, preferably Ale or Mead.
For this Blót we will give to the gods, the ancestors and the spirits.
The tribe will gather in a circle
A Horn will be filled with mead or ale, the Goði will call the gods and offer this horn to them, it will then be passed around the circle so that each member may hold and offer to the gods and say what they need to the gods. It is important to note that in having the horn passed to you, you must not drink from it. Once the horn gets back to the Goði the horn will be poured into a libation bowl.
A second horn will then be filled with mead or ale, the Goði will call to the ancestors and offer this horn to them, it wilm then be passed around the circle, and each member will call to their ancestors and offer this to them. Again this horn is not to be drank from. And once it reaches the Goði it will be poured into the libation bowl.
A third horn will then be filled with mead or ale and the Goði will call the the Vættir (spirits). It will be passed around as the previous horns, and each member will give thanks and offer this to the spirits of the land we are conducting our Althing and ritual at. This horn is NOT to be drank from. Once it reaches the Goði it will be poured into the libation Bowl.
The final Horn is the Sumbel Horn, filled with mead or ale, this horn will be passed to members so we may speak openly to one another, be it praise, calling the wrongs of another, declaring you wish to swear oath, or throwing jests, all must listen when one holds the sumbel horn. You may take a drink from this horn before you pass it on.
What is left Once the horn gets back to the Goði will be added to the libation bowl.
From here we will let members swear oath if it was declared during the sumbel. If not we will then sit, drum, sing some Galðr and connect with the space before ending the Althing.
Definition of a Thing in old Nordic/Germanic Culture:
A thing,[a] also known as a folkmoot, assembly, tribal council, and by other names, was a governing assembly in early Germanic society, made up of the free people of the community presided over by a lawspeaker. Things took place regularly, usually at prominent places accessible by travel. They provided legislative functions, as well as social events and trade opportunities. In modern usage, the meaning of this word in English and other languages has shifted to mean not just an assemblage of some sort but also simply an object of any kind.