Viking Hospitality and Generosity

Living in the harsh climates of the north requires a different type of behavior than one might find farther south. A person’s very survival relies on finding a warm place to stay the night. For that reason, cabins in the Alaskan woods are often left unlocked and stocked for the wayward traveler. Someone lost in the woods, facing a storm, may not find a gourmet meal. Still, they will find wood for a fire, cans of ready-to-eat food, and a plank to rest on. Because of their similar relationship with the elements, Vikings understood the grave consequences of facing the winter and traveling. Thus, Viking hospitality and generosity, hallmarks of the Viking culture, were deeply ingrained in their society.

Viking Hospitality and the Host’s Duty

A traveler showing up at a Norse farmstead in the dead of winter could be a cause for celebration. After all, guests brought news, stories, and an excuse to feast. The Old Norse poem Hávamál, ‘The Sayings of the High One,’ lays out the host’s duty plainly: “Fire he needs who with frozen knees / Has come from the cold without; / Food and clothes must the farer have, / The man from the mountains come” (st. 3, Bellows trans.). Even in lean times, a host was expected to house, feed, and warm a traveler. A stingy host earned a reputation that followed him. The gods held to it too. When the giant Hrungnir blundered into Asgard, the Aesir poured him mead before Thor fought him.

Leave-taking

Travelers who make use of the unlocked cabin in Alaska are expected to replace what they can. Most of the time, this means finding some wood to replenish the supply they used to stay warm in the evening. They are also expected to move on in a timely fashion, so as not to deplete the nearby, scarce resources.

The Norse felt the same way. Life was hard, and a good name was worth more than a full larder. Hávamál is blunt about it, “Forth shall one go, nor stay as a guest / In a single spot forever; / Love becomes loathing if long one sits / By the hearth in another’s home” (st. 35). A good guest moved on before he emptied his host’s stores. He might repay his lodging with a gift or a day’s work. Then, the next time he came knocking, the door of the longhouse would open gladly.

Guest and host shared the drinking horn. Feasts such as Vetrnætr, which welcomed the winter, brought many guests under one roof at once.

Extending Viking Hospitality and Generosity

We hope to share Viking hospitality and generosity in the north at Asgard Alaska. The first step to our project, after purchasing the right piece of land, will be to establish primitive camping sites. These will be places where campers (and travelers) will be able to enjoy the amazing nature that Alaska has to offer. As we grow, we will expand our offerings to include additional activities, a longship, a Viking village, and more.

We are raising the Land Fund to buy that land, Phase 1 of our Roadmap. The museum and campground are not open yet.