There are Vikings in town. Loki’s Brood Vikings, the Yorkton branch of the Vinland Vikings, hosted a training event, bringing together four different Viking groups to improve their skills.
Stefan Lindal of Loki’s Brood says an event like this is about improving skills and practicing combat, but it’s also about getting people together and bringing different groups to the same place to have a good time.
“It’s fun, we come out and play.”
Training is an important part of being able to engage in combat safely, as the goal is to make something that looks dangerous and authentic, rather than put anyone in actual danger. Lindal says that as a result they train every week in the summer, and every second week in the winter.
“We’ve actually got one new guy here, it’s the first trainer he’s ever been to, I just met him last night. He’s been learning and he’s going to be taking the basic test today, for safety, so we know it’s safe to fight with him.”
Training is a collaborative effort, and Lindal says that they want to share different moves and techniques with each other to make it more fun for everyone. Part of the reason for bringing the different groups together is it allows people to share their skills with everyone else.
“There are different people with different skills with different weapons. Swords, spears, Dane’s axes, all different types of weapons.”
The group has recently begun to do shows in different places, going around the province and just recently beginning to do things locally, such as the upcoming Kids Expo.
Lindal says he got into it from learning about his own heritage, but everyone has different reasons for getting into the historic reenactment, as well as different perspectives when they do. They want to have fun, but do it in an authentic way.
“It’s educational, we’re teaching proper stuff like no horns on the helmet and stuff like that. Vikings were clean and studious about their dress, they’re not dirty savages.”
It’s a family event, and while young kids were kept away from combat itself, they are involved in the group and they believe it’s important to keep family as a big part of the program.
“When you do a reenactment, if you have kids running around it’s way better.”
The big meet each year is in Gimli, Manitoba, on the August long weekend. Lindal says they are a welcoming group, and if people are interested they should come to a meeting and see what they’re all about. They meet at Ebenezer school every second Wednesday, the next meeting on February 24. Anyone over 18 can participate in combat, and people aged 16 and 17 can participate with parental approval.
