Viking Wisdom - Hávamál - the Sayings of Odin by Tyr Neilsen

I have been fascinated by Viking Age Scandinavia ever since I was a young boy. As a man, I was lucky enough to marry a Norwegian woman whose parents were knowledgeable in their rich cultural heritage.

My father-in-law Odd Svendsen introduced me to the Viking martial art of Laustak, and my mother-in-law Gudlaug Foss Svendsen gave me insight into Norse mythology, spirituality and philosophy, with special focus on Hávamál.

Hávamál in Old Norse means ‘Odin’s speech’ or ‘the sayings of the high one’. It is part of a 13th century manuscript that documents early Norse cultural ethics, making it one of the most important texts from Viking Age Scandinavia.

ORIGINAL HÁVAMÁL MANUSCRIPT FROM THE 13TH CENTURY

Gudlaug grew up in a time when there were very few Hávamál translations, and the ones available to her in Norway were in Nynorsk, a second form of the Norwegian language. Through the years, Gudlaug had translated all the verses of Hávamál into standard Norwegian for her own use and understanding.

After many discussions about Hávamál and the levels of interpretation, Gudlaug suggested that I translate Hávamál into my native language English, in order for me to fully comprehend it.

Thanks to Gudlaug’s encouragement, I continually translated and reinterpreted Hávamál. My path to philosophy had initially been through martial arts, so sometimes I wrote a translation in a warrior mindset, other times I wrote it in a more spiritual mindset, and for my young son, I interpreted Hávamál in a way that was easy for him to understand.

WORKING ON HÁVAMÁL VERSES THROUGHOUT THE YEARS IN OLD NORSE, NORWEGIAN AND ENGLISH

When journalist Bente Wemundstad interviewed me for a local newspaper, Byavisa Drammen, we talked about all things ‘Viking’, including Old Norse philosophy. When the interview was over, Bente said that she was fascinated with the way I had used Hávamál verses to add a perspective or understanding to different Viking themes.

She told me that she had first heard about Hávamál at school, but felt the lessons were dry and academic, and hadn’t gotten much out of it, but now she was intrigued and would buy a book with a Norwegian translation of Hávamál.

A few days after the interview, Bente called to tell me that she had tried without luck to find a Hávamál book translated into standard Norwegian, and thought there was a market for one. She asked if I was interested in co-writing a Hávamál book in Norwegian that would be easy for most Norwegians to understand.

Bente wanted to use my latest English translation as a starting point, so that we could create a Norwegian version whose purpose was to make the Vikings wisdom accessible to the modern reader.

At our first meeting, we agreed to translate into an easily understandable read, the first 80 Hávamál verses, which deal with ethical conduct. We also agreed that the book needed to include a historical backstory to give perspective, that it should contain information about Odin, as the verses are attributed to him, and that the verses would be in Old Norse as well as Norwegian.

When I described how the original Hávamál was delivered as a performance in the Viking Age, Bente said that she wanted to replicate this by illustrating the book with photographs of ‘modern Vikings’. This was something that had not been done before and I liked the idea. I quickly realised there would be more to this book than just translating Hávamál verses into understandable modern language.

Using a few of our Hávamál verses translated into modern Norwegian, Bente and I made a presentation of how the book could look, which was then sent to several publishing companies. Within hours we had several publishers interested, and after a few telephone conversations, Bente told me that this book was absolutely something Nova publishing wanted. In our first meeting with Nova, we were told that not only did they want to publish this Hávamál book with our Norwegian translation, they also wanted to publish a version with an English translation. 

OUTSIDE LANDSBOKASAFN - THE NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ICELAND

After agreeing to a deadline and signing a contract, Bente and I figured out a plan of action. Together we continued translating the first 80 Hávamál verses into standard Norwegian, using my English tranlation as a template. Seperately, I pieced together my research about the history of the original Hávamál manuscript, as Bente wrote about Odin and other Norse gods, and found and photographed Viking reenactors and people she thought would be good candidates to portray them.

The only surviving source for Hávamál, is a 13th century manuscript called the Codex Regius, held in a hermetically sealed safe at the Árni Magnússon Institute in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. Whilst checking Hávamál details with the institute, I found out that the original Hávamál manuscript would be on display for a short time at the National Library of Iceland.

tHE 13th century manuscript ‘Codex Regius’ - “Konungsbók” - "King's Book"

Bente and I contacted the curators of the exhibition about our project and were invited to the library for exclusive access to the original Hávamál manuscript. This exclusive access could only happen for a few hours just a few days later, so we had to move fast. This was an amazing opportunity that could not be missed so Bente and I did everything we could to get there in time.

Some few hours after landing in Iceland, we were doing a photoshoot in a private library room with the original Hávamál manuscript. There were strict rules we had to obey regarding photography. There could be no use of a flash, there could be no photographs from directly above the Hávamál manuscript pages, and there were only a certain number of pages we could photograph.

EXCLUSIVE PHOTO OF TYR NEILSEN WITH THE ORIGINAL HÁVAMÁL MANUSCRIPT FROM THE YEAR 1270

The time went by incredibly quickly, but with the help of library curators, we were able to get the most important shots, before the Hávamál manuscript was placed inside a glass container as main attraction of the libary’s exhibition, only minutes before the eager public began entering the building.

After spending years researching and translating Hávamál for my own personal growth, I had not only held the original manuscript in my hands, but my work was printed in a book titled ‘Viking Wisdom - Hávamál - the Sayings of Odin’, with a foreword by Robert Ferguson author of ‘The Vikings’, and Gunnar Pálsson, Iceland’s Ambassador to Norway.

WITH CO-AUTHOR BENTE WEMUNDSTAD AT LEIF ERIKSON MONUMENT AT REYKJAVIK CHURCH, ICELAND AND PICKING UP BOOK ‘VIKING WISDOM - HÁVAMÁL - THE SAYINGS OF ODIN’ AT PRINTERS IN OSLO, NORWAY.

Hávamál’s wisdom gave spiritual nourishment to the Vikings in their daily lives, their long journeys to discover new lands, and their personal journeys to discover the meaning of life and death.

Hávamál’s insight remains timeless and as relevant today as it was in the Viking Age. Handed down from generation to generation, there is much wisdom and inspiration to find here. The hard-earned understanding of a people whose era was named after them.

This book from Nova publishing can be ordered through your local book store:

Viking Wisdom - Hávamál - the Sayings of Odin - English version - ISBN: 9788282810593

Viking visdom - Håvamål - Odin's tale - Norwegian version - VE: 9788282810586

An English version is also available as an eBook

OLD AND NEW NOW by Tyr Neilsen

Bjørn Ingebrigtsen - Owner and manager of the Gammelt og Nytt store in Drammen, Norway.

I have always been fascinated with weapons, both modern and ancient. I have also loved being out in nature. In 1990 I was lucky enough to discover an amazing store called ‘Gammelt og Nytt’, which means ‘Old and New’ in Norwegian. For me, Gammelt og Nytt has been the absolute best place to go in Norway for the latest in specialized knives, old and ancient sharp-edged weapons, classic plugged handguns and rifles, collectables, replicas and military memorabilia.

On that first day, after checking out practically everything in the store, I bought a knife. For the last 30 years I have continually visited the store, quizzed the enigmatic owner Bjørn Ingebrigtsen about historical weapons and the latest in bushcraft and combat equipment, and have regularly bought knives, swords, axes, and pretty much whatever products he has recommended.

I have always regarded Bjørn as a mine of information about ancient and modern weaponry, and over the years we have had some very interesting conversations. A few years ago, Gammelt og Nytt started sponsoring some Academy of Martial Arts arrangements, as well as providing the Academy with exclusive equipment and contacts. When we were talking about a project the last time I was in the store, I suggested doing an article about Bjørn and Gammelt og Nytt. Right after he had sold me an axe, Bjørn said “Ok!”.

IT STARTED WITH A SWORD

Weapons have always been a part of Bjørn Ingbretson’s life. From the most ancient to the most modern, Bjørn has continually been fascinated by weapons. He has also been buying and selling weapons since he was 10 years old, and for the last 48 years he has been running Gammelt og Nytt in the city of Drammen. For decades Bjørn has sold just about every type of hand weapon and has been one of Norway’s foremost specialist in knives. When I asked him how it all began, he said “It started with a sword.”

As a young boy, Bjørn idolized his grandfather, who was a submarine Captain in the Norwegian Navy. When Bjørn was 9 years old, his grandfather passed away, and the old Captains military Sabre was given to Bjørn. This was Bjørn’s most prized possession, and it ignited an interest in weapons that has lasted throughout his life.

“When I was 10 years old, I started to buy antique militaria with my savings,” Bjørn said. “When I was 21, I paid 174 Norwegian Kroner for a Handels Brev (License to trade) which was a Norwegian certificate allowing me to run a business.” Bjørn flicked through a dark blue folder full of business records. “I used that license to buy and sell antiques and old military weapons and equipment.” Bjørn pointed to a yellowing piece of paper. “Every antique had to have a certificate of legitimacy with authorized information about the artefact, and I sent this information about my purchases to an ever-expanding base of regular customers.”

At 17 years old, Bjørn went into the Norwegian military where he became Tropssjef (Troop leader), Løytnant (Lieutenant) and then Våpenssjef (Weapons leader). “During my military service, I continued to buy and sell antiques,” Bjørn says with a hint of nostalgia. “When my service in the military was over, I became an officer in the Heimevernet (Norwegian Home Guard). Although I started looking for a full-time job, my side-business of Gammelt og Nytt continued to expand.” Business was so good that in 1975 Bjørn opened a store and 3 years later he registered the company ‘Gammelt og Nytt’.

In the late 70’s, business boomed and Bjørn started printing Gammelt og Nytt brochures to promote his products. “I was really proud of these glossy brochures,” Bjørn says as he hands me a copy. “As the brochures grew in size, so did my business. I also placed commercial ads in newspapers which generated a lot of attention. This included the first commercial ad for the famous American Ka-Bar knives!”

In 1978 Bjørn received his professional divers license and started teaching diving. As we checked out a variety of diving knives in one of the many glass cases in the store, I asked him what his favorite knife was. Bjørn pulled an old Ka-Bar utility knife from a well-worn leather sheath. “One of the first knives I ever owned,” he said proudly.

IT'S ABOUT EXPERIENCE

Bjørn has always wanted walking into Gammelt og Nytt to be a unique experience for his customers. Throughout the years, the store has always been a place of atmosphere and inspiration, with walls of ancient weapons and equipment opposite display cases full of the modern weapons and equipment.

In the 80’s the store’s niche was military surplus. “Apart from weaponry, the best outdoors equipment you could get in Norway at the time was ex-military equipment,” Bjørn said as he pored over old clippings from newspapers. During this period, Bjørn started specializing in collectables and survival knives. “In 1985 I sold Norway’s first Rambo style knife,” he says pointing to an ad. “I even had my own weekly article called ‘Ukens Knivskarpe’ (Sharp Knives of the Weeek) in Norways popular ‘Vi Menn’ (We Men) magazine, where I talked about knives and gave recommendations.”

There were many big changes in the 1990’s and 2000’s, especially when the internet changed how business was done. “I have been constantly specializing throughout the years, and Gammelt og Nytt has been able to continually offer and guarantee quality products, which is not always possible by ordering online,” Bjørn says as he checks out a website on his screen. “Ordering online in Norway can lead to high import taxes, the product being seized by customs, and then there is the rampant problem with fake products.” Picking up a beautiful custom knife, Bjørn smiles and says “You don’t have any of those problems when you buy something here.”

Through his business, Bjørn has often had to deal with customs and the police. “Over the years, many types of knives have become illegal in Norway, so selling knives and weapons has meant that I have had to keep up to date with ever changing laws.” Bjørn has also solved several criminal cases for the police. “I even received a financial reward for solving a robbery,” he says with a wry smile. Not all crime is criminal, as Bjørn has found out. “Famous Norwegian authors of crime novels have not only visited Gammelt og Nytt and quizzed me about weaponry and militaria regarding story plots,” he continues, “but they have also bought plugged weapons from me for use while writing the novels!”

OLD AND NEW

After a very satisfied customer leaves the store with his newest exclusive knife, Bjørn joins me beside a wall full of Viking, Medieval and collectable weapons and armor. “I’ve always been interested in history,” he muses. “At the moment I am reading the book ‘The Knight in Medieval England 1000 – 14000’ by Peter Coss. It’s giving me a lot of information I can use for my next motorcycle trip.”

Whilst he was in the military, Bjørn started a motorcycle group called the Ancient Troopers, made up of serving or ex Norwegian military officers. “I had always dreamed of owning an Indian motorcycle, but the amount of repair work and maintenance involved stopped me from buying one, so I bought a 1991 Harley Davidson motorcycle instead and customized it to look like an Indian!” Bjørn grabs a large coffee table book called ‘Harley Davidson på Norsk’ (Harley Davidson in Norwegian). Bjørn is featured with it on the book cover with his Indian Harley. “That customized Harley has won me many prizes,” he says with a grin.

After a while, the Ancient Troopers motorcycle group became international and for the last 15 years the group has travelled around Europe each summer visiting historical castles. “The group has its 20-year anniversary this year,” Bjørn says, “and to celebrate we will be driving around France.” The group’s historical destination will be the famous Castle of Châlus where Richard the Lionheart received an arrow in his neck in the year 1199.

Bjørn watches me in silence as I study the wall full of historical weapons and equipment, then turn my attention to a display case full of modern knives and collectables. “You looking for something new, or something old?” he asks me. This is a tough question for me as I have a collection of modern and historical equipment, including several pieces that have great meaning for me. “What do you recommend?” I ask. Bjørn has known me for many years now and knows what weapons and equipment I like and what I have. “I like to stock the store with weapons and equipment that is interesting to me as well as to customers,” Bjørn says as he places the knife in a display case. “A customer can get overwhelmed by the amount of product there is, so I give advice and recommendations.I think I know what you’ll like.” I looked forward to finding out what Bjørn would recommend.

THE WAY AHEAD

“Working with something you are genuinely interested in can make a workday very rewarding,” Bjørn says as he excitedly unwraps a new knife. “When something new comes into the store it reminds me of the excitement I experienced when I held my first weapon.” Holding up the knife, Bjørn continues, “I can still get that excitement when I get my hands on a brand new or ancient weapon.”

When I ask him what his plans are for the future of Gammelt and Nytt, it is obvious that Bjørn continually asks himself this question. “The store is doing really well at the moment. We have a large choice in folding knives, which are very popular and throwing knives have always been a bestseller.” Bjørn takes a look around the many displays in the store. “We sell what is trending and we continually have new and exclusive products.” He turns and smiles broadly. “It’s all about the experience. I want it to be a unique experience to walk into Gammelt og Nytt and I want customers to have great experiences with the products they buy here.”

As we take a look at some of the many knives and weaponry mounted in glass cabinets, Bjørn comes back to my immediate situation. “Do you want a weapon to train with or hang on your wall?” I smile as this is probably the best question Bjørn could ask me. I have bought several models of training knives and equipment recently from Gammelt og Nytt, so maybe it was time for something else. “How about an inspiring new version of an old weapon?” I asked. Bjørn smiled and led me to a large glass display stand. “Check out this selection of custom Bowie knives.” I checked them out. They were superb.

Link to Gammelt og Nytt’s website Bowie page: https://gn.no/liste-kniver-utstyr-bowie

TYR NEILSEN IS VIKING MARTIAL ARTS CONSULTANT FOR HBO SERIES BEFOREIGNERS

When Rubicon Films were working on the new HBO series Beforeigners, the production company wanted Tyr Neilsen of the Academy of Martial Arts to consult with them on several Viking fight scenes that would be filmed in Norway. No other film or TV production company has ever hired a Viking martial arts expert regarding a Viking fight scene for a film or TV show. That Tyr and the Academy of Viking Martial Arts are the first to do so is exciting and groundbreaking.

Beforeigners is HBO Nordic's first original series from Norway and a massive production for the Norwegian company Rubicon. The series is a science fiction drama about a new phenomenon that starts happening all over the world. People from the past, who have disappeared from three time periods; the stone age, the Viking age, and the late 1800s, start mysteriously appearing in the present time. These people are called ‘Beforeigners’.

Terje Strømstad, the producer at Rubicon, explained to Tyr that the script called for a dynamic Viking Age fight scene involving some central characters, and Terje wanted Tyr to work with the stunt team and actors to make it as authentic and exciting as possible.

Tyr put together a team of Viking reenactors he knew he could rely on as background fighters, and together with academy instructors Bjørn Braathen and Lars Gulbrandsen, joined the cast and crew in Snarøya, Oslo. Here, the production company was preparing to film several outdoor scenes, which included filming onboard ’Gaia’, a life size working Viking ship that was moored in a neaby harbor.

That morning everyone had been warned about the threat of a violent september storm, but it was imperitive to move ahead with the scheduled filming. Production crew and many extras in Viking raider makeup and clothing, struggled against the wind and rain as they worked on the early exterior scenes. According to Terje, the weather was adding to the reality of the scenes.

Tyr Neilsen teaching Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir how to weild a steel Viking sword

In the production training room, Tyr met with actresses Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir and Krista Kosonen, actor Stig Henrik Hoff and several professional stunt people. After a brief introduction and explanation about the weapons and equipment Tyr had brought from the academy, everyone started working together to create the Viking fight scenes.

Tyr and his instructors oversaw the creation of the scenes and corrected the fighting techniques so that they were more authentically ‘Viking’ and didn’t look like stage techniques, or techniques from a different period of history. This was made easier by the great work ethic of everyone involved.

A real Viking swordfight or axe-fight could be quick and sharp, hard and chaotic, or long and drawn out, depending on the situation and how tired a warrior was. Whatever the case, a realistic Viking fight with weapons could seem boring and even look very unrealstic in a film or TV show. Onscreen fighting has certain rules that it has to follow in order for the action to be exciting and look realistic.

Krista Kosonen training with real steel Viking sword and Viking shield and Academy of Viking Martial Arts instructor Lars Gulbrandsen teaching background fighter Roy Rolstad Viking fight techniques

The actors, stunt people and background fighters picked up what was ‘Viking’ quickly with amazing determination and energy. Within a couple of hours, everyone was working at a scary speed with steel weapons and wooden shields. The swords and axes were blunted, but they were still very dangerous.

When the choreography was done and everyone was in full makeup and costume, they were transported by a van to the Viking ship location. It didn’t look good. The closer Tyr and the actors got to the wharf, the more violent the storm became. The Viking ship was rocking heavily and people were struggling to stand upright. Rain pelted down, the food tent and everything not tied down blew away, and production was forced to stop.

Soaked to the skin and shouting to be heard over the storm, Terje told Tyr that he still wanted the Viking fight scene. He said that the project had a tough shooting schedule, but if it was at all possible, he would film the scene at a later date.

working on Beforeigners fight scene choreography - Roy Ralstad with Bjørn Braathen and Tyr with Per-Jonas Lie

A month later, Tyr got the call. A window had opened up in the shooting schedule. On a overclouded October morning, Tyr, academy instructor Bjørn Braathen, Viking reenactor Per-Jonas Lie and stunt fighter Roy Ralstad, arrived at a farm in Nes, a rural area north of Oslo. A local farm was being used as Beforeigners production headquarters for the day, and the fight scene would be shot in a field nearby.

After a short briefing with the stunt team, everyone got to work rehearsing the fight scene choreography. The make-up department, costume department, and everyone involved in producing the day’s scenes worked diligently to make sure nothing got in of the filming of these vital scenes.

Tyr getting professional cuts and scars for Beforeigners Viking fighting scene

Tyr and the rest of the team was dirtied up and had cuts and scars applied to their faces by the make-up team, and when everyone was in full costume, they were hastily transported to the film set a few fields away. Here, atop a hill enveloped in mist was a giant burning cross, was a large film crew and the actors who trained with the fighting team in September.

The actors looked fantastic in full costume and holding steel weapons. When they were finished with their last non-fighting scene, the director and stunt team leader set the scene for the big finale. After a few words from the director, every actor and Viking fighter was eager and ready to go for broke with the fight scene.

When director Jens Lien called “Action!” the sound of steel clashing with steel rang out and Vikings fought desperately for their lives around the burning cross. Every Beforeigners actor in the scene fought as dynamically as the stunt team and Viking fighters. It was exciting and powerful.

The scene was shot from several angles, from a distance and close-up. In every take, the actors, stunt team and Viking fighters put everything they had into their fights. By the finished take, everyone was completely exhausted. Dripping with sweat and fake blood they all looked towards the director. He was very happy.

Standing: left, Stig Henrik Hoff, 4th from left, Krista Kosonen, 3rd from right Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir. KNeeling: left, Producer Terje Strømstad, far right, Director Jens Lien

The director and stunt team leader congratulated everyone on a job well done, then everyone involved in the scene gathered for a group photograph at the top of the hill. Everyone was looking forward to seeing this on our TV screens when Beforeigners premiers in August.

Beforeigners (6 episodes) premiered exclusively on HBO Nordic and across HBO Europe’s territories.

IP MAN, BRUCE LEE, DAN INOSANTO and the VIKING MARTIAL ARTS by Tyr Neilsen

Grandmaster and legend Ip Man was the main martial arts instructor of legend Bruce Lee, who was the main martial arts instructor of legend Dan Inosanto, who was one of my main martial arts instructors. Ip Man, Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto have been legends in their own lifetime, and their legacy only grows stronger with each year.

I am incredibly fortunate to have been trained in armed and unarmed combat by legend Dan Inosanto. Dan passed on the information from his teacher, and his teacher’s teacher, and from him I was given a fantastic foundation and understanding on which to build.

That martial arts foundation started in 1973, when I was 13 years old. Shortly after beginning training in Ju Jitsu, I found out about Bruce Lee. He exploded onto the scene at a time when Kung Fu and many other martial arts from around the world were still being kept secret from the west.

In the early 1970’s in the North of England, it was possible to train in a few Asian martial arts, such as Japanese Ju Jitsu, Judo and Karate. Kung Fu was not being taught to foreigners, and the multitude of martial arts that the average person has heard of today, was unknown to most people who trained martial arts at that time. In the early 70’s, only people who read Black Belt magazine knew that such exotic martial arts as Arnis,  Muay Thai, Capoeira, Pencak Silat or Savate, existed. 

As a young man, I was inspired by Bruce to create the best version of myself that I could. It was not only the amazing physical attributes of Bruce Lee that were inspiring, it was also his keen interest in philosophy. I saw that it was not enough just to be strong and be able to fight, there had to be a deeper understanding of life and values.

I bought Black Belt magazine each month and devoured the articles. I took special note of any articles regarding Bruce lee, his training methods, and Jeet Kune Do, the martial art he created. From one of these articles I learned of Bruce’s teacher, Grandmaster Ip Man.   

In the extensive history of martial arts, there have been many great fighters, but only a few have earned the title Grandmaster. A grandmaster had to have certain qualities, such as performing at an excellent standard, understanding to an excellent standard and sharing this information. A grandmaster understands that it is a duty to share the skills with the next generation.

IP MAN AND BRUCE LEE

Ip Man, also known as Yip Man (1893 – 1972) was a Chinese master teacher of Wing Chun Kung Fu. At 7 years old, Ip Man started learning Wing Chun from Chan Wah-shun. Chan was 64 at the time and Ip Man became Chan's last student. At 24, Ip Man became a policeman and taught Wing Chun to several of his fellow policemen, friends and relatives.

This was a very turbulent time in China's history, especially for a Kung Fu teacher, but in 1949, after the Chinese Civil War, Ip Man opened a Wing Chun school. Many of his students later opened their own schools and promoted Wing Chun around the world. 

Several of Ip Man’s students became martial arts masters in their own right, but of all of Ip Man’s students, his most famous was by far, Bruce Lee. It was not an easy thing for Ip Man to teach Bruce, because the Chinese were against teaching their martial arts techniques to non-Asians. When most of Ip Man's students refused to train with Bruce after learning of his mixed ancestry, Ip Man began giving Bruce private tuition.

Bruce Lee, also known as Lee Jun-fan (1940 – 1973), was a Chinese-American actor, film director and martial artist, who created the martial art of Jeet Kune Do. Bruce was born in San Francisco, but while he was still a baby, his parents moved back to Hong Kong, which is where Bruce grew up.

As a teenager, Bruce was involved in many street fights, due to gang rivalries and refugees fleeing communist China for Hong Kong. Bruce's parents decided that he needed to be trained in the martial arts, so when he was 16, Bruce started training in Wing Chun Kung Fu under Ip Man. Bruce’s training with Ip Man was interrupted when Bruce had to leave Hong Kong due to street fights against teenagers who came from organized crime families.

At 18, Bruce moved to California and settled in Seattle where he went to college. Bruce left college to start teaching Kung Fu to non-Chinese, which caused problems with the Chinese community who issued an ultimatum to Bruce.

Because he didn't stop teaching non-Chinese people, Bruce was challenged to a combat match with the Chinese community's champion. The deal was that if Lee lost, he would have to shut down his school, but if he won, Bruce would be free to teach white people, or anyone else. Bruce won the fight and continued to teach to non-Chinese.

Soon after, Bruce Lee became an iconic figure known throughout the world because of his martial art, his physique, his dynamic personality and his films. In the late 1960’s Bruce starred in TV shows such as The Green Hornet which became a sensation, especially in Hong Kong.

In the early 1970’s, Bruce exploded onto the world stage with the box office blockbuster films; The Big Boss, Fists of Fury, Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon and Game of Death.

Bruce Lee changed popular culture, revolutionized the way people looked at unarmed combat, became the most famous martial artist in the world, the biggest movie star, and influenced people of every race, creed and color.

Then, just 7 months after his teacher Ip Man died of throat cancer, Bruce Lee died under mysterious circumstances on July 20, 1973. He was only 32. 

DAN INOSANTO AND BRUCE LEE

Bruce Lee's best known training partner is Filipino-American martial arts legend Dan Inosanto ( 1936 - ).  A former student of Ed Parker, Dan started training Kung Fu with Bruce in the late 60’s. The men became fast friends and Dan was instrumental when Bruce started developing his own martial art called Jeet Kune Do (Way of the Intercepting Fist).

Dan introduced Bruce to several types of weapons, and Bruce used Dan as his opponent in an exciting fight scene with weapons in the film Game of Death.

Dan is an authority on Jeet Kune Do and Filipino Martial Arts, as well as holding Instructor or black belt level ranks in several other martial arts including Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. With the loss of Bruce, Dan took over the teaching of Jun Fan Kung Fu and Jeet Kune Do, at the “Kali-Jun Fan" Academy he started in California in 1974.

BRUCE AND DAN ON THE FILM SET OF GAME OF DEATH

That year I read a Black Belt article about Bruce Lee’s training partner and student Dan Inosanto running a martial arts school in California and teaching Bruce Lee’s techniques of Jeet Kune Do. The article made a massive impact on me.

California was the other side of the world, but at 14 years of age, I thought to myself, “Someday I’m going to train there.” For the next years I continued training in diverse styles of martial arts so that one day I might be able to train at the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts.

In my teens I trained regularly in Ju Jitsu, Judo, Jiu Te Do, Lancashire wrestling and boxing. I also got to train Shotokan Karate with the very tough Sensei Terry O’Neill, and attended seminars and classes from Sensei Keinosuke Enoeda and Sensei Hirokazu Kanazawa.

After graduating from Art College and doing basic training in the British army, I worked in the building industry. After saving up some money, I traveled around Europe and worked for nearly a year in the South of France, where I trained in Savate, the French form of kickboxing.

RELAXING AFTER TRAINING WITH NINO BERNARDO - BOTTOM RIGHT

Living in France created my first connection to Grandmaster Ip Man, when I met Sifu Nino Bernardo in Bonporteau. Nino had been a student of Wong Shun Leung in Hong Kong, who himself had been a student of Ip Man.

Before leaving for the UK, Nino invited me to train Wing Chun Kung Fu in London where he taught. Some months later I moved to London and trained with him. Nino was incredibly generous with his time and gave me private Kung Fu tuition in his home after regular classes.

I moved back to Liverpool to help with the family business as a carpenter and painter/decorator. This served me well when at 22 years of age I bought a house that needed a lot of renovation. But something inside me would not let me give up on my dream. After three years of solid work, I turned the shell of a building into nice home, sold it, and set my sights on the Inosanto Academy.

I accepted an invitation to train Jeet Kune Do and Kung Fu with Guru Rick Tucci and John Johnston on the East Coast of America. Whilst training there, I was offered a place at a Dan Inosanto - Jeet Kune Do summer camp in Michigan, where Nino Bernardo was guest instructor.

For a glorious week I got to train Kung Fu with my old teacher, as well as Jeet Kune Do and Kali with Guru Dan Inosanto, Grappling with Sifu Larry Hartsell and Savate with Proffeseur Salem Assli.

DAN INOSANTO - LARRY HARTSELL - TYR NEILSEN - NINO BERNARDO - SALEM ASSLI

Nino used me in some of the Kung Fu demonstrations at the camp, introduced me to Dan, and made sure I ate dinner and hung out with these legendary instructors. This introduction by Nino opened the doors of the Inosanto Academy of Martial Arts which Dan had started in 1983.

Not long after the summer camp, I traveled to Los Angeles, and in 1988 and 89, I trained at the Inosanto Academy!

This was a dream come true. I was at the inosanto Academy 6 and sometimes 7 days a week, training Jeet Kune Do, Kali-Silat, Savate, Ju Jitsu, Thai Boxing, Pentjak Silat, Kung Fu and Boxing, with some of the best martial artists in the world.

DAN INOSANTO - TYR NEILSEN - LARRY HARTSELL

A normal week night at the Academy would last 4 to 5 hours of training, made up of Savate with Salem, an hour and a half of Jeet Kune Do with Dan or another Academy instructor, and an hour and a half of Kali with Dan or another instructor.

Very often there were also seminar/workshops on the weekend with the best martial artists in their fields, such as Pendekar Paul De Thouars and Surachai Sirisute.

Every now and then I would also drive to the IMB (Inosanto-Martinez-Bustillo) Academy in Carson C.A. to train grappling with Larry Hartsell when he was there.

I trained several hours each night, but those Inosanto classes were tough. We were given non-stop information which we had to immediately put into practice. Each class was 90 minutes, and every blister and callous was well earned.

I have never met another instructor who had so much information about such a variety of martial arts at such a high level as Dan. What is more amazing is that Dan was so incredibly eager to share this information and make sure his students understood.

This was an exciting time in my life and I could have continued training there for many more years, but on the way to California, I had met a beautiful Norwegian woman. When I told my instructors at the Academy that I was moving to Norway to get married, they wished me good luck and told me to keep in touch.

As a parting gift, Salem gave me his pair of Savate gloves and Dan told me to “Go and learn as much as you can about the indigenous Norwegian forms of combat and share that knowledge.”

As I had trained martial arts in Norway several times, and had never heard of any Norwegian martial art, I said to Dan that I didn't think that there was a Norwegian martial art. Dan told me "Of course there is. All cultures have their own martial art and martial sport. The Vikings must have had a system of combat."  

When I arrived in Norway a few weeks before Christmas 1989, a gift I recieved by my future wife was a hardbound copy of Snorri Sturluson’s Saga of the Norse Kings, an account of the kings of Viking Age Norway.

I understood that I was marrying into a family that took pride in preserving their cultural heritage, but what I couldn't know was to what degree.

From my mother in-law Gudlaug Foss Svendsen I learned about Norse Mythology, history and culture, and from my father in-law Odd Svendsen I learned about Viking wrestling and Lousatök – the martial art of the Vikings.

For several centuries Norway had been ruled over by foreign countries, until regaining independence in 1905. Norway was then occupied for 5 years by Germany during the Second World War, and Norway’s sacred cultural symbols were used for negative purposes.

Just like many other countries, Norwegians were reluctant to share their cultural inheritance, such as their martial art. It was only after it was clear that I would be part of their family that my parents in-law started to share their cultural knowledge. Thanks to my previous martial and philosophical training, it was possible to absorb and understand this information quickly.    

In the mid 90's I started teaching Laustak combat/self defense and Viking wrestling in southern Norway, and in 2009 I created the Academy of Viking Martial Arts.

At seminars and workshops in Scandinavia and Europe I have been doing exactly what Dan Inosanto told me to do: “Go and learn as much as you can about the indigenous Norwegian forms of combat and share that knowledge.”

Slowly and surely the word has spread, and the amount of people training in Laustak around the world has consistently grown.

norwegian viking wrestling championship

Ip Man, Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto taught their cultural martial arts to those who wanted to learn it, and made them accessible to the rest of the world. Dan is especially responsible for bringing obscure forms of the martial arts into the public eye. This is something he inspired me to do with Laustak.  

I have thought a lot about my journey, the dedicated teachers I have encountered, and the circumstances which have led me to where I am today. I feel incredibly lucky to be part of this legacy and to be part of an unbroken line of martial artists from the Viking Age.

Just as Viking wrestling was passed down from generation to generation, from my father in-law to me, and from me to my son, I will continue to pass it on to future generations.   

I would like to thank all of my martial arts instructors, who for 5 decades, have given so generously of their knowledge and continue to inspire. Thank you for the foundation you helped create and your words of encouragement that continue to resonate. 

ROBERT LOW - Author of the Oathsworn Novels by Tyr Neilsen

Robert Low, a burly man with steely eyes, pushed a Viking sword in my hand, a rusted Gjermundbu helmet  on my head, and said with a rich Highland brogue "Consider yourself volunteered". As I fastened my gear, he slapped my shoulder with a big calloused hand and led me towards a hundred or so battle ready warriors who were working themselves up into a frenzy. With a cheer they greeted their fighting companion, then with flags held high and robust singing, we marched to the battlefield to defend Scotland against the invading army from the far north.

I had travelled to Largs to meet this celebrated Scottish journalist, author and Viking re-enactor, to ask him about his much acclaimed Oathsworn novels, and now I literally had to fight for the interview.

Police and health and safety workers ensured the thousand or more eager spectators were safely behind a large roped off area. The spectators cheered as we aproached the battlefield where the oppposing army waited, ready with swords, shields, axes and taunts. An announcer's voice came over the loud speaker to repeat what Robert had told me just a few hours earlier, that this was to be a reenactment of the Battle of Largs, which took place on the 2nd of October in 1263, between the kingdoms of Norway and Scotland. This battle was part of the Norwegian expedition against Scotland, in which King Haakon Haakonarson of Norway attempted to reassert Norwegian sovereignty over the western part of Scotland.

After some fanfare, the two armies collided with ferocity. Skilled reenactors yelled and swung their weapons at each other with flare, much to the appreciation of the audience. Fist one side won, then the opposite side, then the first side again. At the end of the final clash, all reeanactors were brought back to life in the name of Odin so they could wave to the cheering spectators.

It was beginning to get dark, and as all the warriors sat down, Robert led me to a taped off area near an old boat that had been fixed up to look like a Viking Longship. Someone hoisted a striped square sail on the boat, then several archers appeared, lit their arrows, fit them to their longbows, took aim and fired. The flaming arrows arched through the air then struck the boat. Within minutes it was engulfed in flames. 

As we sat on the grass, watching the boat burn, I asked Robert about the historical accuracy, level of detail and graphic fight scenes in his Oathsworn novels. His answers were as compelling as the books themselves.

When he was still a teenager, Robert was a war correspondent in Vietnam. Later he covered the fighting in Sarajevo, Romania and Kosova. After his stint as war correspondant, Robert moved to an area rich in Viking tradition, started riding, taught himself horse archery, took up re-enactment and joined The Vikings group. After witnessing and reporting real warfare from the trenches, and then immersing himself in everything Viking, Robert had the ability to write about Viking life and battles with gritty understanding.

There is an assured and convincing tone to Robert's writing, and there is a rough realism to his rousing Oathsworn Saga that reveals much of the Viking Age and how Vikings lived that history books never could. In book one, Robert transports the reader on to a raiding Viking Longship, with a sense of realism that keeps the reader hooked to the end of the engaging, authentic, violent and extremely readable adventures, as his accolades attest:

"A company of warriors, desperate battles – an enthralling read" ~ Bernard Cornwell

"A fantastic book, one of the best I have read for years. There’s a wonderful earthiness to proceedings and Robert creates a tangible sense of being there” ~ Simon Scarrow

"No modern novelist knows more about the Vikings than Robert Low” ~ Harry Sidebottom  

“I’ve read all Oathsworn books and I loved them all – but The Prow Beast is, I think, the best of them all: poignant, muscular, magical and impossible to put down.” ~ Angus Donald

                                                     Tyr and robert low in largs, scotland

Robert was a fantastic host who enriched my stay in Largs immensely. He conveyed much about the viking legacy of Largs, and of Sotland's history in a fascinating and witty way. Robert's latest work, The Kingdom Series, that deals with the Scottish Wars of Independence - the era of Wallace, Bruce and Edward Longshanks, are gripping novels that have been very well recieved.  When Robert isn't writing or giving talks, you can still find him with sword and shield in hand, participating in steel weapon battles at festivals.

For more info about Robert Low and his work: http://www.robert-low.com/index2.htm

LAUSTAK MJÖLNIR by Tyr Neilsen

When the Norwegian Laustak Federation decided on making the ultimate glima symbol, it was agreed that it should be Mjölnir, the hammer of Thor, the god of Viking wrestling. 

Mjölnir, from the Old Norse - Mjǫllnir, meaning to "grind" or "crush", is the most powerful Viking sacred symbol. As a symbol, it was used in sacred Norse and Viking ceremonies, weddings, and as protective amulets.

The Federation has used Mjölnir as its symbol for Laustak - Viking wrestling from the start, and in 2015 it was decided to create the ultimate Glima Mjölnir.

Norwegian laustak Federation iron and steel mjølner

Tyr Neilsen, president of the Norwegian Laustak Federation, together with Håkon Neil, designed the hammer based on several Mjölnir amulets from the Viking Age. The Federation then took the design to Arkadiusz Gawecki, an acclaimed master blacksmith with a smithy in Viken County, Norway.

tyr discussing the making of the glima Mjölnir with Arkadiusz

After talking about the reasons behind the Mjölnir design, and the sacred Norse symetry and symbols associated with it, Arkadiusz began working on this prestigious hammer in the same way as iron and steel equipment and weapons were made in the Viking Age.

master blacksmith Arkadiusz Gawecki working on Thor’s hammer

When finished it weighed 3.5 kilos of iron and steel and is one of the very few large Mjölnir hammers made in Norway since the Viking Age.

Arkadiusz said it was a pleasure to work on Mjölnir and felt that it was an important piece of art. The Academy of Martial Arts agrees and believes this amazing work of art would be worthy of Thor, the Viking God of wrestling.

The Glima Mjölnir was presented to the public for the first time at the 2015 Norwegian Viking wrestling Championships and has been on show at each NLF arrangement since then.

For more info about Mjölnir, check out:

https://www.vikingmartialarts.com/norse-mythology/2017/11/27/mjlnir-by-tyr-neilsen   

ROBERT FERGUSON – Author of the book THE VIKINGS by Tyr Neilsen

One of the absolute best reads about the Viking Age is the book “THE VIKINGS” (also called “The Hammer and the Cross: A New History of the Vikings” in the UK) written by author Robert Ferguson. 

I was very pleased to find this well-documented book that put the Viking Age in perspective, especially after reading book after book that seemed more like anti-Viking propaganda than realistic historical accounts of this exciting period of history. A major strength of this account of Vikings and the Viking Age, is that Robert writes about the incredible history of the Vikings, the many cultural, political and religious reasons for the emergence of the Viking Age, and the world wide effects of the Vikings, in such a way that is not only easy to understand, but also an exciting read. 

Most people have had a limited picture of Vikings, who for several centuries were described as savage brutes, raiding and raping their way across Europe. This is not surprising, as the only accounts of Vikings were written by members of the church. What set Robert’s book apart from most, is that he gives us an understanding of how rich the Viking / Norse culture was, and how much of other cultures were influenced and enriched by the Vikings. Not only does Robert give an impressive overview of the Viking Age, he tells the histories of great warriors and kings and provides faultless accounts of Viking battles without romanticizing or de-emphasizing the violence.

A few years ago I had the pleasure to interview Robert Ferguson at Frogner Park in Oslo. As we walked in this park full of amazing statues, Robert answered unhesitatingly all of my questions long after the allotted time we had agreed on. He told me that whilst doing research on the Viking period for his book Siste kjærlighet, he inversed himself into Viking history, which led to him wanting to tell the story of the Viking Age as a continuous narrative. With the book “Vikings”, Robert manages to satisfy the curiosity of the smart general reader and place the Viking Age in the scale of European history with grand style. 

I highly recommend Robert’s book, which is so good and has been so well received, that the producers of the TV series “VIKINGS” used it when developing the series and in pre-production. The series creator used Robert’s narrative structure, particularly in the first series, and recommends this book for anyone with a further interest in the Vikings. The Vikings TV series logo is printed on US paperback editions of Robert’s book, along with this endorsement: 'A comprehensive and thrilling history of the Vikings for fans of the History Channel series, now on its fourth season'. 

Robert had never any other ambition than that of being a writer, and after emigrating to Norway from the UK, his first book, a biography of the Norwegian novelist Knut Hamsun, was published. Since then, Robert has written biographies about Henrik Ibsen and T.E.Hulme, the novels “Siste kjærlighet” (Last love) based on the Saga of Hallfred the Troublesome Poet, and “Fleetwood”, about fatherhood in England in the late 1960s. Robert has also written plays for Norwegian radio, RTE Dublin and the BBC, as well as translations and adaptations.

Robert has a new book out called “Scandinavians: in search of the soul of the north” (on sale in the US this summer). “Scandinavians” is a sort of personal memoir, among other things, and I look forward to reading it at a cottage in the Norwegian Alps next week. As I’ll be going to Oslo soon, I’ll try and get Robert to sign the book for me over a coffee.

For more info about Robert Ferguson and his work: http://robertferguson.org/

Robert Ferguson was gracious enough to write the foreword to the HÁVAMÁL book I co-authored:

Photo: T. Neilsen - B. Wemundstad

Norwegian American article about Hávamál book - co-written by Academy instructor Tyr Neilsen

http://www.norwegianamerican.com/arts/odin-speaks-again/

VIKINGS and KINGS

                                              Tyr Neilsen - viking fighting on travel channel series follow your past episode vikings and kings     Photo: T. Neilsen - B. Wemundstad

Travel Channel series FOLLOW YOUR PAST     Episode 1 - Vikings and Kings

Senior instructor with the AVK, Tyr Neilsen (57) demonstrated Viking fighting with weapons at Borre feast hall in Norway for the Travel Channel episode "Vikings and Kings". 

The episode is about the exciting heritage of two midwestern brothers who discover their past is filled with Viking warriors and royalty.

In the show, Tyr demonstrated armed and unarmed Glima to the brothers, quickly taught some basics, then let the brothers fight each other using the Viking combat techniques they had learned.     

This episode aired on the Travel Channel in 2016.     

http://www.travelchannel.com/shows/follow-your-past/episodes/vikings-and-kings                               

Academy instructor teaches balance, strength and Viking wrestling.

                   Academy Instructor Tyr Neilsen took time out to teach balance, strength and Viking wrestling principles in Drammen.       Photo: B. Wemundstad

Former top Norwegian sports athlete in spear throwing and handball, Anette Skistad, holds weekly training for people who have difficulty getting back into shape, including some who have physical or psychological problems. To help get people going and build condition, Anette has training indoors, as well as taking the group hiking out in nature. 

Anette took contact with the Academy of Viking Martial Arts, asked if they could demonstrate Laustak for her group, and maybe get the group to do a little Viking wrestling. Tyr Neilsen tought the group basic balance, strength and Viking wrestling principles, and after a short time, short, thin women were able to lift tall heavy men by using the correct grips.

There was much laughter and sweat, as Anette and the group learned how effective Laustak principles were to implement. Viking wrestling was challenging and fun, and the group have invited Tyr back for more Laustak.

Edited Article by Bente Wemundstad: http://www.byavisadrammen.no/utgaver/320-2016/#16/z

Article in 'NA Weekly' about GLIMA

''Viking-age wrestling is becoming increasingly popular as a martial art or recreational sport''

Article written by M. Michael Brady for the 'Norwegian American Weekly' about for the Glima.

ADMIN    http://www.na-weekly.com/sports/glima-wrestling-renaissance-in-norway/

Photo: Egil Scott Synnestvedt / courtesy of Norwegian Glima Association
One wrestler defeats another in a match in the Norwegian Championships, November 2015.

Glima wrestling renaissance in Norway

BY M. Michael Brady  · PUBLISHED JANUARY 15, 2016 · UPDATED JANUARY 13, 2016

Viking-age wrestling is becoming increasingly popular as a martial art or recreational sport

Glima is a form of Scandinavian folk wrestling dating from the Viking Age. It classifies both as a martial art and as a recreational sport, and is most popular in Iceland, where annual national championships have been held since 1906. Glima now is enjoying a renaissance in Norway, where national championships have been held since 2009.

The word Glima is Old Norse for “brilliant flash,” which implies speed of movement. Glima is entwined in myth, being first mentioned in ninth-century poetry recounting a wrestling match in which an aged goddess, Elli, defeats Thor, the god of thunder and strength. Some three centuries later, Glima is mentioned in the Prose Edda, also known as Snorri’s Edda, the principal work of pagan Scandinavian mythology assumed to have been written by Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson circa 1220.

In modern times, Glima wrestling was a demonstration sport in the 1912 Olympic Games held in Stockholm. Unlike Greco-Roman wrestling, contested in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and incorporated in the Games program from 1908 on, Glima did not become an Olympic sport. There are three forms of Glima wrestling: Brokartök, Hryggspenna, and Lausaatök.

Brokartök (“Trouser-and-belt grip”) is the most widespread form in Sweden and in Iceland. It favors technique over strength, and opponents wear special belts. The two opponents stand erect and step clockwise around each other, as if waltzing, each attempting to trip or throw the other.

Hyrggspenna (“Backhold grip”) resembles other forms of wrestling that emphasize strength over technique. Opponents grasp each other’s upper bodies, and the one who touches the ground or floor with any part of the body except the feet has lost.

Lausatök (“Free-grip”) is the most widespread form in Norway and is practiced in two varieties, as a martial art of self-defense or combat, and as a recreational sport. The opponents may use any holds they wish. The winner is the one still standing while the loser is the one lying on the ground. Matches usually are held outdoors or indoors on a wooden floor, so hard throws are discouraged.

Viking Glima now is increasingly popular outside Iceland. The Viking Glima community in Norway is an example. Norges Glima Forbund (“Norwegian Glima Association”) was established in 2013 by Tyr Neilsen, who despite his Icelandic-sounding name was born in Liverpool in 1959. He began practicing martial arts as a teenager and settled in Norway in the mid 1980s to delve into Viking mythology and lifestyles. Today he is a senior instructor at the Academy of Viking Martial Arts and is involved in promoting Viking culture.

In 2014 Tyr joined with editor and photojournalist Bente Wemundstad in compiling Viking Wisdom: Hávamál, the Sayings of Odin, a large-format illustrated book published by Nova Forlag.

Further reading and viewing:

• History of Martial Arts in Iceland and their Image in Media, by Jóhann Ingi Bjarnason, 2012 thesis, University of Akureyri, Iceland, 40 pages including 6 pages of references, link: skemman.is/stream/get/1946/12161/28907/1/History_of_martial_arts_in_Iceland_and_their_image_in_Icelandic_media.pdf

• British Pathe 1931 Glima-Iceland Wrestling film now on YouTube, link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rVGB1Z3btIY

• The International Glima Association promotes Glima wrestling outside Iceland, link: internationalglima.com

• The Viking Glima Federation with information and a directory of instructors in Scandinavia, link: www.viking-glima.com

This article originally appeared in the Jan. 15, 2016, issue of the Norwegian American Weekly. To subscribe, visit SUBSCRIBE or call us at (206) 784-4617.

Training Rune Temte in Viking Fighting for his role on The LAST KINGDOM

Norwegian actor Rune Temte plays Viking cheiftan Ubba in the BBC TV series The Last Kingdom.

In preperation for his role, Rune trained in the authentic Viking fighting art of Glima at the Academy of Viking Martial Arts in Buskerud, Norway. For several months Rune trained by Tyr Neilsen in Viking sword, axe and shield fighting, as well as Viking wrestling.

Throughout training Rune showed true Viking Spirit. He was always ready to train, whether it was rain or snow, and always gave 100%.

"Tyr Neilsen, you are the best, and thank you for giving me the opportunity to learn Viking fighting from you !!! You made me into a Viking for the Last Kingdom." - Rune Temte

Photos: Rune Temte training Viking Fighting with and without weapons with Tyr Neilsen at the academy and article by Ingun Wiborg Gislerud on Rune, his training and his role as a viking chieftan in the BBC tv series The Last Kingdom - Based on the bestselling novel by Bernard Cornwell.

The Academy at Jorvik Viking Festival

Tyr Neilsen is the first Norwegian to be invited to demonstrate the Viking martial art of Laustak at the biggest Viking Festival in Europe!

                                                        Tyr Neilsen - the first Norwegian to demonstrate the Viking martial art of Glima at jorvik Viking Festival

Instructors from the Academy of Viking Martial Arts in Norway are the first Norwegians to be invited to Europe's largest viking festival to demonstrate Laustak - The Martial Arts system of the Vikings! 

"I traveled down to the Jorvik Viking Festival to seek inspiration , get ideas and talk to the people behind the festival. So it was great that Jorvik Viking Festival had invited Tyr Neilsen as the first Norwegian to actively participate in the festival, both in combat and in the academic program." says Ole Harald Flåten of the Saga Oseberg project, and Project Manager at Tønsberg Viking Festival. 

http://www.byavisatonsberg.no/utgaver/492-2015/#6

The Academy would like to give a big thanks to Andy Mckie, Jarl of the Volsung Viking group in York, for his invitation to the Academy of Viking Martial Arts, so we could demonstrate the art of Laustak at the 31st Jorvik Viking Festival in febuary 2015. 

It was an honor for us to be able to participate in this great event, the largest Viking festival in Europe. We would also like to thank all of the Volsung Vikings, the English Vikings at the central camp, and the Jorvik arrangers, for their generous hospitality and warmth and for making the festival so memorable. 

The Academy in TV commercial with Andre Villa

Filming with a green screen       

Below: With the digital background added

Links to facebook videos posted by Andre Villa and online article in Norwegian.

News Article: HTTP://WWW.BYAVISADRAMMEN.NO/UTGAVER/279-2015/#10/Z

Videos: https://www.facebook.com/villa.andre/videos/807524399303335/?pnref=story

https://www.facebook.com/villa.andre/videos/795624090493366/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_xfvzLTTLs

Hávamál - the Sayings of Odin by Academy Senior Instructor Tyr Neilsen

Hávamál is one of the most important documents from Viking Age Scandinavia, and is well described as the Wisdom of the North. This collection of ancient sayings attributed to Odin, is to Scandinavian culture as the Tao is to China, the Vedas to India and the Iliad to Greece.

Havamal means "the high one’s speech", or Odin's speech, and Havamal is a collection of wisdom and guidlines for living, written as a poem and attributed to the Norse God Odin. Havamal is both practical and supernatural in content, and expresses highly valued ideals such as wisdom, friendship, morality, caution, courage, and commonsense. No one knows who wrote the Havamal manuscript, or if it originated in Norway or Iceland, but Odin’s advice for living is believed to be based on a source from around the 9th century, and reference to Hávamál is found in the 10th century Hákonarmál by Eyvindr skáldaspillir.

Havamal is the most famous poem from the Elder Edda manuscript, (also called the Poetic Edda), written around the year 1270. The Elder Edda consists of 32 poems in all, written on 45 pages of vellum, or calfskin parchment. The Elder Edda manuscript is beautifully made and stunning to look at, with ornate letters and decorated capitals to each paragraph. The term Edda was originally the name for Snorri Sturlason's book on poetry from around 1220, and the word Edda is believed to be related to the word meaning grandmother, which means stories from grandma's time, a derivation of óðr, which means writing. Together with Snorri's Edda, the Elder Edda is the most important surviving source on Norse mythology and heroic legends.

In the first part of the Elder Edda, there are three poems by Odin as protagonist, of which the first is Havamal. Havamal is presented as a single poem in the Elder Edda, but its 164 verses make Havamal the longest of all edda poems. Havamal itself consist of at least five independent parts:

Verses 1-80 are known as Gestaþáttr, Havamal guidelines for living, or the ‘Havamal proper’.

Verses 81-102 are about women, love and Odin.

Verses 103-110 are about how Odin got the mead of poetry.

Verses 111-138 are called Loddfáfnismál, a collection of gnomic verses similar to Gestaþáttr.

Verses 139-146 are called Rúnatal, an account of how Odin won the runes.

Verses 147-165 are called Ljóðatal, which is a collection of spells.

 

Although the Elder Edda was written in the 13th century, we know nothing about its whereabouts until it was found in Iceland in 1643 by the Icelandic bishop Brynjólfur Sveinsson. In 1662, almost 20 years after it was found, the Bishop sent the manuscript to Denmark as a gift to King Frederik III of Denmark and Norway. The manuscript was named Codex Regius, or Konungsbók (King’s Book) in Icelandic, and was incorporated in the Danish Royal Library's Manuscript Collection.

In 1971 the Elder Edda manuscript was transported back to Iceland by ship, accompanied by a military escort, and is now kept in the Árni Magnússon Institute in Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland. The only surviving source for Hávamál is contained within the Elder Edda, and this priceless document is considered one of Iceland's most prized possessions.  

Havamal is a reflection of its time,  and the poems are as tough and resilient as the Vikings themselves. Havamal’s insight remains timeless and as relevant today as it was in the Viking Age. It has been handed down from generation to generation,  and there is still much wisdom and inspiration to find here, inherited from our powerful ancestors. 

 

Old Norse Poetry by Tyr Neilsen

Photo of original Hávamál manuscript by tyr neilsen

Old Norse poetry derived from an oral tradition, which was told in verse to slaves, freemen, Vikings and Kings alike. Such poetry was very important to Viking Age Scandinavian society, as it contained history, heroic tales, Norse mythology and words of wisdom. This poetry was not just informative, it was also entertainment, often acted out as a performance. Viking society also considered poetry as an “Idrott”, which in Old Norse means sport, and there were Viking poetry idrott competitions, something even the Norse gods participated in. 

Vikings considered poetry as the primal source of the ability to speak and write beautifully and persuasively. Poetry was the gift of the gods, and the highest Norse god, Odin, was the divine patron of poetry. Odin acquired the gift of poetry after stealing the mead of poetry from the giants. The mead’s Old Norse name is Óðrœrir, meaning “The Stirrer of Óðr,”. Óðr is the root of Odin’s name, and means “ecstasy”, “fury”, and “inspiration”. After having gained the ability to compose poetry, sometimes Odin gives the magic of poetry to gods, humans, and other beings he deems worthy of it. 

Old Norse poetry can be traced to the early 9th century, with the earliest being carved in stone and the majority being written on vellum in Iceland in the 13th century. Ragnarsdrápa is considered the oldest surviving Norse poem, and was written in the 9th century by the skald Bragi Boddason, of Norwegian descent. Skáld in Old Norse means ‘poet’, and a skald was an historian, a storyteller, a poet and singer of songs. Skalds were highly respected in Norse society for their skills, and there have been many famous skalds, such as Egill Skallagrímsson and Thorbjorn hornklofi, who gained much fame with their 10th century poems composed for kings.

Viking society valued poetry highly and rewarded poets handsomely, but as the centuries passed, the skald profession became almost extinct, until the most famous Icelandic skald, Snorri Sturluson, compiled the Prose Edda in the 12th century. His Prose Edda is not only an epic work, it is a manual to preserve and pass on the traditions and methods of the skalds.

Bragr is the Old Norse word for poetry, and in Norse mythology, the god Bragi is the skaldic god of poetry. Husband to the goddess Idunn, Bragi was said to have possessed eloquence surpassing all others. His name may have been derived from bragr, or the term bragr may have been formed to describe 'what Bragi does'. 
 
Old Norse poetry is split into two types: Eddaic poetry and skaldic poetry. Eddaic poetry is the name given to an unnamed collection of Old Norse anonymous poems. Eddaic verse was usually simple, in terms of content, style and metre, and deals mostly with mythological or heroic content. Skaldic poetry is poetry from skalds who composed at the courts of Scandinavian and Icelandic leaders during the Viking Age and Middle Ages. Skaldic verse was complex, had historical content, and was usually composed as a tribute or homage to a particular jarl or king, typically have relating battles and other deeds from the king's career.

There are several forms of skaldic poetry: Drápa, Flokkr and Lausavísa.

Drápa is a long series of stanzas (usually dróttkvætt), with a refrain (stef) at intervals.

Dróttkvætt is the most predominant metre of skaldic poetry. 

Flokkr (vísur or dræplingr) are a shorter series of such stanzas without refrain.

Lausavísa is a single stanza of dróttkvætt, said to have been improvised impromptu for the occasion that it marks.
 
Skaldic poems about kings and jarls include: 

Glymdrápa - The deeds of Harald Fairhair

Knútsdrápa - The deeds of Cnut the Great

Bandadrápa - The deeds of Eiríkr Hlaðajarl

Vellekla - The deeds of Hákon Hlaðajarl
 
Skaldic poems that have mythological content include:

Þórsdrápa – relates to the thunder god Thor telling the tale of one of his giant-bashing expeditions.

Ragnarsdrápa - relates four tales from the mythology as painted on a shield given to the poet.

Haustlöng - relates two tales from the mythology as painted on a shield given to the poet.

Húsdrápa - describes mythological scenes as carved on kitchen panels.

Ynglingatal - describes the origin of the Norwegian kings and the history of the House of Yngling. It is preserved in the Heimskringla.
 
Viking poetry has many metrical forms which range from the simple fornyrðislag, to the very complex dróttkvætt.

Fornyrðislag – "the metre of ancient words", is generally used where the poem is mostly narrative. It is composed with four or more syllables per line.

Ljóðaháttr - "chant metre" is so called because of its structure which comprises broken stanzas, which lends itself to dialogue and discourse. 

Málaháttr - "speech metre" is similar to fornyrðislag, but with a fixed metrical length of five syllables.

Kviðuháttr - "discourse metre" is another variant of fornyrðislag with alternating lines of 3 and 4 syllablesDróttkvætt - "courtly metre" or "noble warrior's meter" normally uses a structure of 6 syllables, ending in a long stressed syllable followed by an unstressed one.

Hrynhenda - “flowing metre” is a variant of dróttkvætt. It uses all the rules of dróttkvætt, with the exception that the line comprises four metrical feet rather than three.

Galdralag - "magic spell metre" contains a fourth line which echoes and varies the third line.

 

Many Viking poems have names that end in mál, which in Old Norse means ‘speech’. Some of the most famous of these poems include: 

Skáldskaparmál – “Poet-creating-speech” tells the story of how Odin brought the mead of poetry to Asgard. 

Hákonarmál - The death of king Hákon the Good and his reception in Valhalla.

Eiríksmál - The death of king Eiríkr and his reception in Valhalla.

Reginsmál – "Regin's speech" relates to Loki's dealings with Andvari and then Sigurd's relationship with Reginn and the advice given to him by Odin.

Fáfnismál – “Fáfnir's speech” is about a meeting between Sigurd and Fáfnir and the claiming of a gold hoard.

Sigrdrífumál -"Speech of the victory-bringer" (also known as Brynhildarljóð,) is the  title of a section of the Poetic Edda relating to the meeting of Sigurðr and the valkyrie Brynhildr.

Hávamál – “Odin’s speech”, is one of the most valuable and most famous poems from Viking Age Scandinavia.