Moesgaard 2006

Today is the last day of the annual Moesgaard gathering. Every year various Viking re-enactors (including all my role playing friends) get together and hold a week long camp culminating in several 'show battles' for the public. I usually don't go to these because the crowds are oppressive, and because I don't belong to a Viking group and feel awkward in my modern attire. I've been in the past and enjoyed the spectacle for what it is, but in truth I find it more interesting to hear my friends relate their adventures in the week afterwards. Usually this means a lot of enthusiastic anecdotes over dinner.

Here is an article I have translated from Jyllands Posten:

The roar of the enemy sounds from a forest clearing and the Vikings prepare for battle. By the booths along the beach small boys fall in love with big swords, a powerfully built and bearded man cleaves fire wood and a woman tries to sell an animal skull from the darkness of her tent… It is the Viking age at Moesgaard.

Again the sound of many voices comes from the forest. The last training session for the Vikings of Århus is underway.
Two groups of circa 60 men race at each other and the fight begins. Every one is dressed in a mix of authentic and colourful costumes, and fighting with a variety of weaponry. A large man wearinga wolf skin over his shoulders keeps the public at a safe distance. He is the army leader, obseving his soldiers on the field.

“The ones from Århus are the good guys a small boy observes. Behind him a woman casts her eye over the battle.
“I hope he isn’t dead… my boy friend is lying in that pile over there”
“Its super cool, and chaotic. We’ve trained all winter for this and its like a ig release” says her boy friend whose name is Kasper Kosack. 28 years old, short cut hair and a full beard. He is a beginner as revealed by his humble tunic.
“The opponents can see we are new but its fine… then they under estimate us” he grins.
The games look like a choreographic arrangement or a parade performance, but they are not. Viking fighting is a full contact sport, much like karate. Axes, swords and other weapons can hit hard but they can’t cut. The strongest man wins, so say the Vikings of Moesgaard.

The Viking moot draws upwards of 25,000 guests in just the two days of the week end, but despite the many tourists, the Vikings appear to be in the majority. Women dress in coarse fabrics and strong colours and the men wear mail, leather protection, helmets and the obligatory beards

In a tent, to mini Vikings fight a childrens battle and their father calls them to order. His name is Henrik Gautier and he is the former leader of the Danish Vikings. In the real world he is a systems administrator.
“This is the first time I’m seeing the battle from outside and its far to important for me to miss” he says and hurries his children along. His Nordic tattoo’s start at one wrist and continue all the way aloong to the other. His chidren are called Regnar, Rolf and Håkan. The latter is named after another Viking leader, not a historical figure but a close friend.

The drums thunder and its finally happening! On the battlefield stand hundreds of battle ready Vikings. The leader with the wolf skin on his back shouts. The soldiers shout. Every body shouts and then the two armies crash into each other ina vast battle. Small children gaze in rapture, their hands before their mouths and mothers watch in concern from the gathered public as the bodies fall to the grass.

“Our son is out there” says Kirsten Toplund and points to Jesper. She raises herslef onto her toes and peers across the carnage. “It was terrifying to hear them all shouting like that. They’re so vulnerable in the middle of it all”. She admits that she is largely responsible for her son being in the battle since she herself urged him to take up role playng ten years ago after having heard about it on the radio. She has nothing but praise for Moesgaard 2006.

On the field, the Danes have now come to grips with the enemy and the wolf skin clad leader has a final captive Icelander.
“Silence! It is but a flesh wound” he shouts before cutting the stricken foe’s throat to delighted applause from the public.

After the battle the former army leader trudges back to the camp. “It was moving to see” he says. “I shouted as though it were a football match!”