Winternights 2010 report

*This report was originally written by Sorn during his long tenure as Ritari. It has been reposted here in an effort to collect all our resources on our new site.

On November 7, 2010 Keeper of Seasons Hall celebrated Winternights on the bank of the Rio Grande in the Bosque. The day of the celebration was unusually warm, even with the mild onset of winter that has become a regular feature of Albuquerque for the past few years; the sun shone brightly, and the temperature approached (though did not quite reach) 70 degrees Fahrenheit. We met at the Montaño trailhead, chatted for a time, and headed to our site, an area the Hall has used a number of times now. Though we did not see as many cranes or geese as in previous years, we saw quite a few ducks and many times heard the raucous cries of crows and ravens in the trees.

Upon arriving at the area we had chosen, we spread out a few blankets. Erich and Celeste had brought two grape vine wreaths, and everyone spent some time entwining leaves, herb cuttings, vegetables, and similar material brought from home to create some beautiful offerings. Once the wreaths were finished, Erich led us through the different rounds of sumble. First, he gave an explanation for our gathering, discussing the meaning of Winternights for us and for our ancestors. Next, we made our way through rounds of hailing the gods, hailing our ancestors and heroes (particularly our disir, since Winternights is for Keeper of Seasons Hall an occasion to remember our female ancestors in addition to observing the change of the season), and making boasts, oaths, and toasts. After many worthy hails through the three rounds, we emptied whatever remained in the horns in libation and added the wreaths and a small collection of fruits, herbs, and vegetables as offering.

Following the offering, members of the Hall voted on a few items of business. Winternights is when Keeper of Seasons Hall chooses who will act as Ritari (secretary), and Erich, one of the founders of KoSH, had been our Ritari for the entire thirteen years of the Hall’s existence. At this Winternights, I asked to be allowed to serve Keeper of Seasons Hall as Ritari, and I was greatly honored to receive the approval of the members of the Hall. It was also agreed that in light of Erich’s long service and great commitment to the Hall, Erich should add “Founder” to his signature in any KoSH-related correspondence.

Once the Hall’s official business was concluded, everyone spent some time sharing food and each others’ company, enjoying one of the last mild days of the year by the river. Eventually, we decided to make our way out of the Bosque and back to the trailhead, bidding each other farewell until our public meeting the following weekend.

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