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Hávamál, The Saying of Odin, Stanza 2
Original-
Gefendr heilir
gestr er inn kominn
hvar skal sitja sjá?
Mjök er bráðr
sá er bröndum skal
síns um freista frama
Translation-
Hail to the generous
a guest has arrived.
Will you give them
a seat by the fire?
The weary wanderer longs
for warmth and hospitality.
-Hávamál: Stanza 2
The ancient Norse and Germanic tribes had a strong ethic of Hospitality, which eventually permeated almost all aspects of those cultures. The idea of Hospitality came to influence their politics and religion just as much as it shaped their day-to-day lives. The concept encompassed personal generosity, reciprocity, and even what we today might term “social justice”. By the end of the Viking Era, this had become a highly ritualized practice and a core part of the their worldview. Thus it’s little surprise that by the time the Hávamál was written, Odin had a LOT to say about these things!
Often it seems that our community can get too caught up in these romanticized visions of what the religion of our ancestors must have looked like. We idealize our faith to such an extent that we sometimes forget the actual ideals that our predecessors held in such high esteem. The set of ethical guidelines often referred to as the "Rites of Hospitality" are a critical part of our traditions. I believe they represent the virtue by which we Live our faith, and show the world beyond our community what it means to be a follower of the old ways.
