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Vikings, Voyageurs & Skræling by Mark Hatmaker

 


Round the Corner in Black Box Weaponry…the surprising nexus between Viking Skeggøx [bearded battle axes], long-handled Native American Tomahawks, and the Canoe Oars of Voyageurs.

·        My savvy Warriors know that more than a few Viking expeditions made landfall in the Americas pre-most anyone else you can think of.

·        They encountered fierce folk they called, Skræling [“wearers of dried skin”] and had more than a few less than friendly encounters. [It should be noted that the Americas were the one region the fierce Norsemen decided to abandon colonization despite abundance of resources.]



·   


The Skræling were of Northern proto-United states and Canadian tribes.

·       The later-arriving fiercely intrepid Frenchmen who became the far-venturing Voyageurs learned from, intermarried with and became cultural descendants of the Skræling.

·        There is a marked commonality [plus a few fascinating differences] in the method of wielding the Viking Skeggøx, the long-handled tomahawk of the Skræling which filtered down through the Iroquois Confederacy, and the combat à l'aviron, [oar-fighting] of the water-borne Voyageurs.

·        Whether you have a long-handled tomahawk, Skeggøx, or canoe oar at your disposal, you’ll find that these uniquely vicious tactics work with any two-handed wielded implement.

·        Not to mention, it’s one helluva PT session. One five-minute round of “The Stockade Set” will get your lungs pumping and muscles a’quivering.



·        More on this in upcoming Black Box volumes.

·        More on The Black Box Project here.

Viking Words of Wisdom

“Eigin hönd manns er sannasta prófið.”

[“A man's own hand is the truest test.”-The Saga of Olaf Haraldsson, c.153]

[Until you do it yourself, you know nothing.]

For more Viking Words of Wisdom.

Comanche/ Skræling Words of Wisdom

“Nara’ur’u Khu’t’u.” [“Find out for yourself.”]

[The above was a stock answer to “What is a raid like?” or “What’s down in the arroyo?” etc.]

Voyageur Words of Wisdom

Je mâche le monde et crache ma propre chance.

[“I chew the world and spit out my own luck.”]

A remark noted in the journal of a traveler accompanying voyageurs.

·        In other words, put your own hand to all things, find out for yourself not by reading/watching/listening—do it, and chew on your experiences and spit out your own self-made fortune.

To that I say, Huzzah!!!

Have a helluva weekend, Crew!

[PS-More on the historical Skræling/Voyageur Connection to come via the Blog & Free Newsletter, for the hands-on/find-out-for-yourself/chew-up-the-world-and-make-your-own-luck tactical exercises, see The Black Box Subscription Service.



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