*This report was originally written by Sorn. It has been reposted here in an effort to collect all our resources on our new site.
Though Keeper of Seasons Hall did not have an official booth at Pagan Pride Day in 2007, members of the Hall had the honor to assist William Bainbridge in a presentation of the basics of sumble for Ardantane (http://www.ardantane.org), a Pagan learning center located in the Jemez Mountains of New Mexico.
As a small audience gathered, a concise, informative explanation of sumble was given. Each round of hails was also tied to a key concept of Asatru. Bill led the sumble and gave the bulk of the presentation; Erich contributed much additional information and opened the sumble with a bold hail to the Allfather. The first round of hails, dedicated to the gods, was tied to idea of wyrd, which was succinctly described by Bill. The explanation of the second round, dedicated to ancestors and heroes, was an opportunity to explore orlog. The third and final round, that of boasts and toasts, was connected to the concept of frith. Between rounds, additional explanation of the previous round was given as well as introduction to the next round. After the sumble concluded, members of the hall answered questions and distributed contact information.
Additional members of the Hall who participated in the presentation included (in order of hails):
Pete
Debbie
Sorn
Some time after the official presentation had ended and the audience had dispersed, Bill led a smaller series of hails honoring the American servicemen who fought against overwhelming enemy forces in the Philippines in 1942. The park in which Pagan Pride Day was held is dedicated to the 200th and 515th Coast Artillery batteries, who endured horror not only in the jungles of Bataan and the island fortress of Corregidor, but also in the aftermath of the surrender of U.S. forces in the area.
Pagan Pride Day is a yearly event held to promote a positive image for the various religions that fall under the broad term “pagan”, i.e. non-Abrahamic. New Mexico’s Pagan Pride Day was held September 9 at Bataan Memorial Park in Albuquerque, a location that has hosted the event for the previous two years.
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