Good evening dear readers! I’m here with my new friend Freyja. She’s a Viking and she’s wearing a stunning armour. Say Freyja, are you a warrior? And are there a lot of women warriors within your people?
Freyja: Hello everyone. Yes, I’m a warrior but, while it’s not very frequent for women to be warriors, it’s not that uncommon either. In our culture, women can wield lots of power if they are strong at arms, ours is a largely military society, and some of us are trained to be military leaders, but most of us stay home in times of war, because we are also guardians of the keys to both property and wealth.
I would have never guessed it! In my country women started going to war only last century! And since we are talking about war, is it true that your people wear horned helmets?
Freyja: I’ve got that question asked so many times by Europeans. No, not everyone does, actually, only god-like warriors do, certainly not raiders and traders, as many seem to think.
You just destroyed a model of mine! I’ve always pictured your people as violent dirty bearded men with horned helmets and a beer problem. But you don’t seem like that at all.
Freyja: I’ve also got this said a lot by your people, and I’m sad that that’s your picture of Vikings, because, aside from the beer problem, we are nothing like that! Firstly, we are pretty vain: we really care about our personal hygiene and appearance, even if in order to look good we have to bear great pain. You know what they say: “You have to suffer for your beauty!”. And as for the violence, it’s true we are violent in war, but it’s not like you can fight the enemy cuddling. In our everyday life we live a peaceful existence: farming, trading, constructing ships, we have some of the best naval engineers you can find, partying in our big and luxurious halls, that’s what we do.
That’s so unexpected, I wonder why we picture your people that way. Anyway, out of curiosity, what’s the meaning of your name?
Freyja: My name literally translates “the Lady”, it’s the name of the Vikings’ goddess of beauty, love, fertility, but also of war. She rules over her heavenly field called Fólkvangr, and there go half of those who die in battle, while the others go to god Odin’s hall, Valhalla. “Freyja’s day” is where your day of the week “Friday” comes from!
I couldn’t imagine a more fitting name for you. It’s been a pleasure talking to you Freyja!
Thank you, I’m glad I changed your idea of my people. Goodbye!
Goodbye Freyja, and thank you, reader.