L’ANSE AUX MEADOWS
L’Anse aux Meadows was identified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1978 for its “unique milestone in the history of human migration and discovery”. Our young tour guide Kayla – who was exceptional and has a wonderful gift of storytelling – provided us a rich history of this place beginning with how this archaeological site first came to light in the 20th Century. Helge Ingstad, a Norwegian explorer and writer along with his wife Anne Stine Ingstad, an archaeologist, conducted an intensive search for Norse landing places along the coast of New England and northward. In 1960, finally, FINALLY after an untold number of inquiries leading him to this place, he inquired with a community elder and fisherman, George Decker, who said yes, there are unusual mounds and low turf walls nearby in an area at the north tip of the peninsula the locals prefer to as “the Old Indian Camp”. Thus it was discovered and uncovered and it became known that Vikings had been here.
From 1961 to 1968 excavations were conducted – with breaks from digging during the frozen winters. What was discovered was identified as the site of the first known evidence of European presence in the Americas and the only known site of Vikings landing in North America. The period of the Norse, this Viking presence, was dated to the 11th century, about 1,000 years ago. Amazingly, the Viking settlement appears to have been occupied for as little as ten years.
All Vikings were Norsemen. Not all Norsemen were Vikings.
Viking: any of the Scandivavian seafaring pirates and traders who raided and settled in many parts of northwestern Europe in the 8th – 11th centuries.
Norsemen: a member of any of the medieval Scandinavian peoples, specifically the Vikings.
Adjacent to the actual digs is a replica of dwellings and a handful Interpretive actors. Above Ragnor is holding counsel with stories and his quiet wife, keeps the pot of stew hot over the fire.
The walking tour was an hour and half or longer. Very entertaining, interesting, but having been fed so much information my head was reeling and rather than perusing the Visitor Center and artifacts from the digs, I had a meditative walk in mind.
A beautiful 2km walking trail just outside the door of the visitor center was a good interlude before visiting the Norstead Viking Village, until….uh-oh.
Squall coming! It looks intense! Fronted with strong winds the heavy rain caught me!
Picking up the speed to get to Lulu, I changed out of soaking clothes, warmed up with a cup of tea, and contemplated what it might have been like 1,000 years ago.
After warming up Marilyn and I met at the Norstead Viking Village 2 km from the historic site. For a nominal fee we entered.
NORSTEAD VIKING VILLAGE
It continued to be a dark and dreary day: perfect! But the ship was difficult to capture in photos. Built in Maine, it was then transported to Greenland in order to re-create the sailing journey here to L’Anse aux Meadows area.
Excerpts from on-line: Modern day “Vikings” land at L’Anse aux Meadows. “Writer and adventurer Hodding Carter and his crew of eight, aboard the replica Viking ship Snorri, made landfall at L’Anse aux Meadows this morning, marking the completion of his dream to retrace the voyage to the new World of legendary Viking explorer Leif Erikson”.
This re-creation occurred in 1998 on Snorri, the open-deck boat being 54 feet long, 16 feet wide and 6 feet deep. It was a 1500 mile journey from Greenland to Newfoundland lasting from July to September.
The Norstead Viking Village also had actors in costume. It was a slow day with the inclement weather. They had a lot of time for us, but it wasn’t all about the Vikings.
We had a hoot with the local villagers
This villager took time out from her one needle stitching project to have a grand time trying to teach me Newfound-lese. Repeating the saying several times, I still had not one iota of an idea what she was saying. She slowed it down and pronounced it clearly. Oh, she was having so much fun we were all howling with laughter. Here’s in clear English what she’d been saying in Newfound-lese:
It’s a good morning this morning. If tomorrow morning was like it was this morning, it will be a good morning tomorrow morning.
I captured the Newfound’lese on video and practiced it some. Unbeknownst to me that practice would come in handy later in the day.
The rain and wind continued throughout the afternoon. While under cover of her small tent, Viking Village Wise Woman Lady Albruna told me stories of her real-life journey to this magical land on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. With no one else in the village we had plenty of time to chat. As the rain intensified and thunder rumbling in the distance Lady Albruna came around to reading my runes.
Above: Lady Albruna after taking a break during a pause in the rain before having met me.
The storm had proceeded to be very close indeed. With a sudden flash of light, immediately followed by a frighteningly loud crack of thunder, I felt transported to a time and place unlike any I’ve encountered.
As our heartbeats slowed towards normal after the wildness of the storm, Lady Albruna begins to explain and read my runes.
A rune is a mark or a letter of an ancient Germanic alphabet. The mark or letter is etched into small stones, or pieces of wood or bone and has mysterious or magic significance.
Lady Albruna cast the runes such that I could not see the images. She has me choose 3 runes. The first rune refers to the past. She turns over the rune I chose. The mark indicates ABUNDANCE. That describes my past very well. The second rune refers to the present. The rune is turned over and she sees it indicates NEW PATH. I don’t even have to think about it: my thoughts recently have pondered a new path, though I don’t know what that path will be, where will it lead me. The third rune turned over indicates WATER and CREATIVITY. Hmmmm. This could dove-tail well with NEW PATH. Each of these runes are worth giving thoughtful attention. It’s a fun, creative way to stop and consider ourselves; where we’ve been, what’s going on now, and where might we go.
SCREECHED-IN
The ‘screech-in’ is a ceremony performed on non-Newfoundlanders who would like to become Honorary Newfoundlanders. This takes place at various town pubs, or sometimes in homes all across Newfoundland.
Where better to go thru with this MUST-DO than in this ancient area of where Vikings roamed? It took place in Straitsville, at Skipper Hots Pub n’ Grub, just a four minute drive from the ancient Viking dwellings.
It’s a fun event. There were 4 of us wishing to be screech-in. The pub had live music, food and locals.
The musicians, the owner/master of ceremonies, Vivian-the gal who came round to collect cover charges and screech-in payments are all related somehow: brudder, sister, cousins and all native of this neck of the woods in Newfoundland.
The master-of ceremony his-self helps us through the process with a certain amount of explanation and humor.
First, he introduces himself, then we each do the same. He’s probably got comments for each of us on where we come from, a little humor.
Then we don the duds necessary for all Honorary Newfoundlanders when being sworn in.
We were told by the hilarious woman at the Viking Village today, the one with the saying about the marns, that screech-ins aren’t all the same. She says yule probably have to eat a piece of Newfie steak (baloney), probbly eat a piece of molasses bread, eat a piece ‘a dried capeline, you’ll have to talk Newfound’lese, kiss a codfish, you may havta put your foot in a rubber boot filled with salt water. Den ya might havta dance the Newfie jig. And drink a shot-a Screech. Oh and ya gotta say da blessing afore eating anything.
Chew’in da capeline, kiss’in da cod. We were able to speak sweet nothings to the cod and blow it a kiss.
We did it all – except there was no boot full of salt water thankfully. We received our certificates as Honorary Newfoundlanders and had a fabulous time!
By the time we’re finished with this day it’s 9pm. Debra and I are driving the half hour into St. Anthony’s for a Harvest Host place for the night. We’ll be watching for moose and dodging potholes in the fading light. Marilyn ducks out to return to last night’s boondocking location just a few kilometers down the road from Skipper Hots.
Seeing the incredible sights, exploring the archology and history, learning the lingo, making the most of bad weather and doing a Screech-in. Wow!, fun times!