THE WILD HUNT by Tyr Neilsen

“Wilde Jagd” (“The Wild Hunt”) by Johann Wilhelm Cordes - 1856

Our ancestors were strongly tied to hunting, and according to Norwegian folklore, Oskorei, often understood and written as Odin's Wild Hunt, Åsgårdsreia, Aasgaardsreiden, Asgardsreien and Asgaardsreien (The Ride of Asgard ), was a hunt that started on 31 October and held until 30 April.

The hunt consists of gods from Asgard and dead souls, who ride through stormy sky. The sound of hunting horns can be heard through forests and mountains, but the hunt is rarely seen. When Odin's Wild Hunt is heard, it means changing weather or trouble.

ACADEMY SENIOR INSTRUCTOR TYR NEILSEN WITH THE BEAUTIFUL PAINTING "ASGARDSREIEN" BY PETER NICOLAI ARBO - 1872 PHOTO - B. WEMUNDSTAD

In ancient Norway, this hunt was called Gandreið, which meant riding in the sky with a staff. The words gand in Old Norse means stav (staff) used by spiritual leaders and sorcerers, and reið means literally to ride.

Seeing the Wild Hunt was thought to be a warning sign of a catastrophe or the death of the one who witnessed it. It was also believed that a person's spirit could be pulled away during their sleep to join the procession, and that anyone who encountered the Wild Hunt could be abducted to the underworld.