The Viking and I

Antonio Banderas in his movie ‘The 13th Warrior plays an arabian ambassador who caught up with a group of travelling viking warriors. After a night of partying and highly confused conversation (using latin and two interpreters), and some prophecy, he becomes one of a band of 13 warriors who are called back to the viking homeland, where it turns out that families are being ripped to pieces, even eaten, by some mysterious creatures. What follows is your fairly normal band of warriors protecting settlement from mysterious ‘evil’, with a bit of culture clash between the arab and the Vikings. People can’t expect much from this film, just a somekind viking action film. What you do get is what the lives of vikings in those times were like. You also get violence and gore of the head-ripping off variety. What you don't get is any sort of an interesting story, the unwillingness to join, the culture clashing, the internal politics of the settlement, the romance, none of which are developed at all, just left hanging. A disappointment.

It was around 1998-1999, I watched this movies with friends. What our impression then we more have in our mind that the Vikinger are bloodthirsty and violient. The impression that Vikinger are barbarians becomes stronger, when some of my western friends told me about this society, same as what I have in my mind before. Vikings were always portrayed as bloodthirsty and violent. One day I have a chance visiting Viking city in Germany (Schleswig) and go to Norway, Sweden and Denmark which known as Viking origin. But my knowledge about Viking is not improved. Perharp basically I don’t care much of this Viking history or say people in the past, I am more interested about the people nowadays there. So it’s not surprising when I still have in mind that Vikinger only as violent until yesterday on 2005 this Viking history is able to attract me! And my impression of Viking changes through the times and especially how I view this life.

Let’s back to the Banderas movie again. In this movie, you will find then that this was NOTHING like the book. If it had followed the book just a slight bit more, it might have developed something. The biggest this that was incorrect, would have to be the armour. Buliwyf is wearing a full suit of plate armour, one of them looks like a spanish conquistador, another has a bronze gladiator helmet. Herger is wearing a sort of scale mail, but nothing like viking style. Skeld has a leather/steel cuirass, and other such armour from different times. The film makers obviosly DIDN’T DO any research. In the Book "eaters of the dead", by Crichton, he describes the Northmen as wearing boot's, rough wool pants, a fur tunic, and a chain mail hauberk. Also you won’t see how Ahmed could reshape a viking broad sword into a shamshir in half an hour without compleatly ruinging the steel.

Now let’s back to the Vikings, who are they exactly? The Vikinger came from Denmark, Norway and Sweden. They were also known as the Norse (people from the north). They were mostly farmers and traders. They were great travellers and sailed all over Europe and the north Atlantic Ocean in their Viking boat (never mentioned that they travel until mediterania as what I heard from some of friends). Some of them went as fierce pirate raiders: they stole treasure and attacked local people. But most Vikings who sailed overseas were simply searching for better land for their farms. The Viking Age began about 1,200 years ago in the 8th Century AD and lasted for 300 years. Viking image were portrayed as bloodthirsty and violent until Vicotoria’s period. But during the nineteenth century public perceptions changed, so they became seen as civilised, and even as an example of Victorian values.

Viking houses were built of wood, stone or blocks of turf (A layer of grass with roots and soil), with thatched (A roof covered in straw) (This remind me houses of papua people in Indonesia ). The Norse myths the Vikings had their own religion and worshipped many different gods. The stories they told about them are known as 'the Norse Myths'. (Stories told by the Vikings about their gods and goddesses)

Viking ships were strong, lightweight and beautifully shaped to skim quickly through the water. Warships and raiding ships were designed to come right up on the beach so that men could jump out and start fighting straight away.The ships were built of wood and made waterproof with tar from pine trees. The square sails were made of woven wool and were often brightly coloured. When the wind was wrong for sailing, they were rowed by teams of oarsmen. Many ships were decorated with carvings on their curved ends. The Vikings were brilliant ship builders. (although a friend of mine say that they are not even good ship builders).

Some familiar English words are what the Vikings left behind such as 'husband', 'egg', 'law', 'knife' and 'window' originally came from the Vikings' language. Some days of the week are named after their gods: for example, Thursday is 'Thor's Day' etc.

What I learn
This history of Viking I take from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/. It is depend on you to believe whether this is the correct Viking history or not. Same with other history which present in this world. However, sometimes what most people usually think right is not always right. Most what always people think about Viking is violent, but then finally you may find that they are only farmers and traders, who only want to survive in their life. Some are bad who becomes pirate but most of them are good who keep as farmers/traders. However, good or bad is always present in our community, isn’t it? I remember then, this is like nowadays when most common people think that Moslem is ‘Teroris’, Islam is the religion of sword!. Is that true??

Well..It may be a time for us (or especially for me) not to judge something only based on what people usually thinks. DON'T JUDGE BOOK BY ITS COVER. It is also worthy learning something from the past or present, isn’t it.

Dietrichdorf –Kiel, 3 June 05