The ritual you just watched was a voluntary human sacrifice meant to release the woman from bonds placed by others. The male chant in the second part says: Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna (I wash off the hatred of my enemies and the theft and anger of rich men.) The full English translation of the lyrics can be found in the comments of the video. When Heilung originally released this material on RUclips, they very clearly stated: "Heilung is Amplified History from northern Europe and should not be mistaken for a modern religious and/or political statement of any kind."
The urge to find your way ,an answer to your longing and being part of something we all lost this due to the fact that Christianity forced its way upon us, and took our natural way of connecting to one other and deep understanding of our world away! This is and I believe very much before the Roman’s and church claimed most of Europe ,that this is the music you would have heard in the dence forests of Europe ……. Our ancestors ❤
I was asked to analyze this song on FB. This is what I wrote: Let me set the stage: Heilung is a band that calls their music Amplified History. Most people assume this is Viking music. It is not; while some comes from the Viking period, Heilung draws from ancient sources worldwide. Generally speaking, they focus on using Bronze Age through Viking Period sources - written, archeological, and analysis. Maria Franz, the vocalist in the white robes, veiled eyes and antlers is playing the role of a Dís, a female Goddess? Spirit? The shaman, in bare feet, is Kai Uwe Faust, and his clothing is literally based on finds from arctic Siberian shaman graves of the Bronze Age (I think, my sources are packed in boxes could be Iron Age). The instruments played are all recreations of historical instruments, except what Christopher Juul, the vocalist and DJ creates through mixing. The warriors on stage, spears in hand, with the shields at their feet, faces painted black, are based on the warriors of the Harii tribes mentioned by Roman historian, Tacitus. Tacitus describes how they painted their faces black and attacked the Romans at night. You will see one warrior with his right arm bound to his torso - this is a symbolic recreation of the Germanic God Tyr who lost his hand to the wolf Fenrir. The warriors wearing nooses around their necks are dedicated to Odin. Known as the the Hanged God, Odin hung from the world tree Yggdrasil for nine nights, sacrificed by himself to himself, pierced with a spear, to gain the secrets of the runes. The other women on stage are, I believe, representing the Alfár, or possibly Valkyries? Other Dísir? I am far less certain of their mythological stature. The song begins with a chime that, with the drums, becomes a chant. The chant is the words of the First Merseburg chant, the only surviving remnant of Pagan poetry in Old High Germanic. Written down in the 10th century by a monk, we are lucky they survived at all. They tell the story of warriors captured by an enemy, bound and imprisoned being freed by the intervention of the female spirits, the Dísir: "Once sat women, they sat here, then there. Some fastened bonds, some impeded an army, Some unraveled fetters: Escape the bonds, flee the enemy!" In this charm, the sacred feminine spirits restrain the enemy and free the chained warriors. In between the recitation of this, all sing the blessings/charms from the Grógaldr, the spells of Gróa. These charms are found in the Iron Age poem Svipdagsmál, telling the story of a son who raises the spirit of his dead mother, a Völva, a wand witch. He seeks her blessing in a dangerous quest to win his bride and his dead mother sings 9 chants of protection for him. In the video, a young, female, Harii warrior steps forward and presents herself to the shaman, spear held in outstretched arm. At his signal, she whirls the spear so that it is behind her and trapped between the crook of the elbows and her back. The shaman binds her and places a garrote around her neck. With a swift jerk, the shaman strangles the warrior and her lifeless body collapses to the ground, bound and inert. Except for the spear trapping her arms, this conforms to almost a dozen archeological examples of Bronze Age through Iron Age human sacrifice found in the peat bogs of Northern Europe. Bodies with garrotes still around the neck, others with ligature marks on the neck. The Harii warrior has been given to the Dísir. And as the song progresses, the Dís portrayed by Maria leaves the elevated platform (a requirement for the Seiðr magic practiced by the Völva) and raises the warrior from death, pulling the spear away so that the bonds fall to the ground. "Once sat women, they sat here, then there. Some fastened bonds, some impeded an army, Some unraveled fetters: Escape the bonds, flee the enemy!" The risen warrior loosens her hair and it cascades down her back as she rises to the elevated platform of magic and joins the spirits. I love this song and this depiction of human sacrifice with a deep passion. If I could, I would offer myself to the Dísir because I feel that would give my life a purpose and meaning. I have felt this way for decades. Heilung captured this in a beautiful song of death and rebirth. And it fills me with joy to see it.
Thank you so much for putting this here. What a wonderfully deep and thorough analysis of this magical piece. I saw them for the second time in Sydney a few weeks ago. A friend not familiar with them came along. She is a new healer, quite sensitive to energies I can't feel, and she felt the energy in the theatre go relentlessly dark during Traust, and left before it was over. A friend later tried to explain the meaning behind it but I would love to send her your comments to ease her mind and open her up to more music of this kind. I really appreciate your post, thank you, so much.
Enjoyed your reaction. I have really fallen in love with the pagan folk genre. Other bands to store away in memory would be Warduna (the granddaddy of the genre), Faun, Trobar de Morte (my personal favorite, especially "Sacrifice") Grai, Skald, Gealdyr (beautiful male vocalist), Otyken (from Siberia), Eivor Palsdottir...they are all different reflecting the cultures that birthed them.
I highly recommend you to check out their song Fylgija Ear/ Futhorck live at castlefest. In this song Kai and Maria perfom a ritual in wich he does bone reading while she represents the runes as he mentions them, it's really interesting and beautiful.
This is what the band said to a magazine about the song : "Traust is probably Heilung's most positive song so far. Dominated by female voices it starts out with, what is called Leysigaldr in old Icelandic, a blessing to release a tied warrior. Heilung performs that blessing actively on stage during the song. It continues with nine blessings, taken from the old Icelandic poem Grogaldr. Here, luck in battle, good words in speeches and yet another blessing of release are summoned. The choir sings a younger Icelandic protection spell."
Well we mustn't forget that they see their Band in Essen ein as Experimental archeologx. While instru.ents are found, there are no notes as far as we know. They try to recreate how these instruments might have been used.
You should watch more of HEILUNG's live performances! It's worth it! If you also like medieval folk music, you should also check out FAUN! E.g. Gwydion by FAUN.
Thanks so much for reacting to my suggestion! 🥰And yes, it's pronounced like "Trouwst". I view this ritual as a sacrifice & rebirth: letting go with Trust that the rebirth will bring in something new. Whenever Bella (the sacrificial warrior) is awakened by Maria, I always get the chills! I was fortunate enough to be just a few feet away from the stage when I saw Heilung in 2022. Intense! I agree with @juliafernandes991 to check out Fylgija Ear / Futhorck from 2017 (my best pronunciation "Feel-ee-ya E-arr / Foo-thork"): ruclips.net/video/iJvcN41H3Is/видео.html I meditate to this one every week.
You know Kelly this band has grown on me on the past year ive listen to hielung on other channels including yours it just shows us music from other cultures from long ago can be good nowadays too . Wintersun Alex ❄️🫶
Eiris sazun idisi // Once sat women Sazun hera duoder // They sat here, then there Suma hapt heptidun // Some fastened bonds Suma heri lezidun // Some impeded an army Suma clubodun // Some unraveled Umbi cuoniouuidi // Umbi cuoniouuidi Insprinc haptbandun // Escape the bonds Inuar uigandun // Flee the enemy Þann gel ek þér fyrstan // Then first I will chant thee Þann kveða fjölnýtan // The charm oft-tried Þann gól Rindi Rani // Then Rani taught Rind At þú of öxl skjótir // From shoulder whatever Því er þér atalt þykkir // Mistimes thee shake Sjalfr leið þú sjalfan þik // For helped thyself shall you have Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Þann gel ek þér annan // Then next I will chant thee Ef þú árna skalt // If needs you must travel Viljalauss á vegum // And wander a purposeless way Urðar lokur // The bolts of Urth Haldi þér öllum megum // Shall on every side Er þú á sinnum sér // Be thy guides on the road you go Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Þann gel ek þér inn þriðja // Then third I chant thee Ef þér þjóðáar // If threatening streams Falla at fjörlotum // The danger of death shall bring Horn ok Ruðr // Both Horn and Ruth Snúisk til heljar meðan // Yet to Hel shall return En þverri æ fyr þér // And before thee the waters shall fail Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Þann gel ek þér inn fjórða // Then fourth I will chant thee Ef þik fjándr standa // If come your foes Görvir á galgvegi // On the hollows way against thee Hugr þeim hverfi // Shall their hearts be given Til handa þér // Into thine hands Ok snúisk þeim til sátta sefi // And peace shall the warriors wish Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Þann gel ek þér inn fimmta // And fifth I chant to thee Ef þér fjöturr verðr // If fetters perchance Borinn at boglimum // Shall bind thy bending limbs Leysigaldr læt ek // Over thy thighs do I chant Þér fyr legg of kveðinn // A loosening-charm Ok stökkr þá láss af limum // And the lock is burst from the limbs En af fótum fjöturr // And fetters fall from the feet Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Þann gel ek þér inn sétta // And sixth I chant thee Ef þú á sjó kemr // If storms on the sea Meira en menn viti // Have might unknown to man Logn ok lögr // Yet never shall wind Gangi þér í lúðr saman // Or wave do harm Ok léi þér æ friðdrjúgrar farar // And calm is the course of your boat Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Þann gel ek þér inn sjaunda // Then seventh I will chant thee Ef þik sækja kemr // To kill thee lofty crags Frost á fjalli háu // If frost shall seek Hræva kulði // The fatal cold Megi-t þínu holdi fara // Shall not grip thy flesh Ok haldisk æ lík at liðum // And while thy body shall be chorus Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Þann gel ek þér inn átta // Then eight I will chant thee Ef þik úti nemr // If ever by night Nótt á niflvegi // Thou shall wander on murky ways At því firr megi // Yet never the curse Þér til meins gera // From the dead shall do thee harm Kristin dauð kona // Of a Christian woman chorus Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Þann gel ek þér inn níunda // Then ninth will I chant thee Ef þú við inn naddgöfga // If needs thou must strive Orðum skiptir jötun // With a warlike giant in words Máls ok mannvits // Thy heart good stove Sé þér á minni ok hjarta // Of wit shall have Gnóga of gefit // And thy mouth of words full wise Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men Eiris sazun idisi // Once sat women Sazun hera duoder // They sat here, then there Suma hapt heptidun // Some fastened bonds Suma heri lezidun // Some impeded an army Suma clubodun // Some unraveled Umbi cuoniouuidi // Umbi cuoniouuidi Insprinc haptbandun // Escape the bonds inuar uigandun // flee the enemy
Heiling = 'Healing'.......self proclaimed "amplified history" by the band......their performances (rituals) force us to think seriously about humanity's past.........
The ritual you just watched was a voluntary human sacrifice meant to release the woman from bonds placed by others. The male chant in the second part says:
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna
(I wash off the hatred of my enemies and the theft and anger of rich men.)
The full English translation of the lyrics can be found in the comments of the video.
When Heilung originally released this material on RUclips, they very clearly stated: "Heilung is Amplified History from northern Europe and should not be mistaken for a modern religious and/or political statement of any kind."
Thank you for the synopsis......any Heilung ritual calls to us from our ancestral pasts.......
The urge to find your way ,an answer to your longing and being part of something we all lost this due to the fact that Christianity forced its way upon us, and took our natural way of connecting to one other and deep understanding of our world away! This is and I believe very much before the Roman’s and church claimed most of Europe ,that this is the music you would have heard in the dence forests of Europe ……. Our ancestors ❤
This was such a great show at Red Rocks, we were under the full moon. It was so magical!!
I was asked to analyze this song on FB. This is what I wrote:
Let me set the stage: Heilung is a band that calls their music Amplified History. Most people assume this is Viking music. It is not; while some comes from the Viking period, Heilung draws from ancient sources worldwide. Generally speaking, they focus on using Bronze Age through Viking Period sources - written, archeological, and analysis.
Maria Franz, the vocalist in the white robes, veiled eyes and antlers is playing the role of a Dís, a female Goddess? Spirit? The shaman, in bare feet, is Kai Uwe Faust, and his clothing is literally based on finds from arctic Siberian shaman graves of the Bronze Age (I think, my sources are packed in boxes could be Iron Age). The instruments played are all recreations of historical instruments, except what Christopher Juul, the vocalist and DJ creates through mixing.
The warriors on stage, spears in hand, with the shields at their feet, faces painted black, are based on the warriors of the Harii tribes mentioned by Roman historian, Tacitus. Tacitus describes how they painted their faces black and attacked the Romans at night.
You will see one warrior with his right arm bound to his torso - this is a symbolic recreation of the Germanic God Tyr who lost his hand to the wolf Fenrir. The warriors wearing nooses around their necks are dedicated to Odin. Known as the the Hanged God, Odin hung from the world tree Yggdrasil for nine nights, sacrificed by himself to himself, pierced with a spear, to gain the secrets of the runes.
The other women on stage are, I believe, representing the Alfár, or possibly Valkyries? Other Dísir? I am far less certain of their mythological stature.
The song begins with a chime that, with the drums, becomes a chant.
The chant is the words of the First Merseburg chant, the only surviving remnant of Pagan poetry in Old High Germanic. Written down in the 10th century by a monk, we are lucky they survived at all. They tell the story of warriors captured by an enemy, bound and imprisoned being freed by the intervention of the female spirits, the Dísir:
"Once sat women, they sat here, then there.
Some fastened bonds, some impeded an army, Some unraveled fetters:
Escape the bonds, flee the enemy!"
In this charm, the sacred feminine spirits restrain the enemy and free the chained warriors.
In between the recitation of this, all sing the blessings/charms from the Grógaldr, the spells of Gróa. These charms are found in the Iron Age poem Svipdagsmál, telling the story of a son who raises the spirit of his dead mother, a Völva, a wand witch. He seeks her blessing in a dangerous quest to win his bride and his dead mother sings 9 chants of protection for him.
In the video, a young, female, Harii warrior steps forward and presents herself to the shaman, spear held in outstretched arm. At his signal, she whirls the spear so that it is behind her and trapped between the crook of the elbows and her back. The shaman binds her and places a garrote around her neck.
With a swift jerk, the shaman strangles the warrior and her lifeless body collapses to the ground, bound and inert. Except for the spear trapping her arms, this conforms to almost a dozen archeological examples of Bronze Age through Iron Age human sacrifice found in the peat bogs of Northern Europe. Bodies with garrotes still around the neck, others with ligature marks on the neck.
The Harii warrior has been given to the Dísir. And as the song progresses, the Dís portrayed by Maria leaves the elevated platform (a requirement for the Seiðr magic practiced by the Völva) and raises the warrior from death, pulling the spear away so that the bonds fall to the ground.
"Once sat women, they sat here, then there.
Some fastened bonds, some impeded an army, Some unraveled fetters:
Escape the bonds, flee the enemy!"
The risen warrior loosens her hair and it cascades down her back as she rises to the elevated platform of magic and joins the spirits.
I love this song and this depiction of human sacrifice with a deep passion. If I could, I would offer myself to the Dísir because I feel that would give my life a purpose and meaning. I have felt this way for decades. Heilung captured this in a beautiful song of death and rebirth. And it fills me with joy to see it.
Thank you so much for putting this here. What a wonderfully deep and thorough analysis of this magical piece.
I saw them for the second time in Sydney a few weeks ago. A friend not familiar with them came along. She is a new healer, quite sensitive to energies I can't feel, and she felt the energy in the theatre go relentlessly dark during Traust, and left before it was over. A friend later tried to explain the meaning behind it but I would love to send her your comments to ease her mind and open her up to more music of this kind. I really appreciate your post, thank you, so much.
Enjoyed your reaction. I have really fallen in love with the pagan folk genre. Other bands to store away in memory would be Warduna (the granddaddy of the genre), Faun, Trobar de Morte (my personal favorite, especially "Sacrifice") Grai, Skald, Gealdyr (beautiful male vocalist), Otyken (from Siberia), Eivor Palsdottir...they are all different reflecting the cultures that birthed them.
I highly recommend you to check out their song Fylgija Ear/ Futhorck live at castlefest. In this song Kai and Maria perfom a ritual in wich he does bone reading while she represents the runes as he mentions them, it's really interesting and beautiful.
This is what the band said to a magazine about the song : "Traust is probably Heilung's most positive song so far. Dominated by female voices it starts out with, what is called Leysigaldr in old Icelandic, a blessing to release a tied warrior. Heilung performs that blessing actively on stage during the song. It continues with nine blessings, taken from the old Icelandic poem Grogaldr. Here, luck in battle, good words in speeches and yet another blessing of release are summoned. The choir sings a younger Icelandic protection spell."
Well we mustn't forget that they see their Band in Essen ein as Experimental archeologx. While instru.ents are found, there are no notes as far as we know. They try to recreate how these instruments might have been used.
Seen them live in Amsterdam (Netherlands) in September, breathtaking and emotional
You should watch more of HEILUNG's live performances! It's worth it!
If you also like medieval folk music, you should also check out FAUN! E.g. Gwydion by FAUN.
Thanks so much for reacting to my suggestion! 🥰And yes, it's pronounced like "Trouwst". I view this ritual as a sacrifice & rebirth: letting go with Trust that the rebirth will bring in something new. Whenever Bella (the sacrificial warrior) is awakened by Maria, I always get the chills! I was fortunate enough to be just a few feet away from the stage when I saw Heilung in 2022. Intense!
I agree with @juliafernandes991 to check out Fylgija Ear / Futhorck from 2017 (my best pronunciation "Feel-ee-ya E-arr / Foo-thork"): ruclips.net/video/iJvcN41H3Is/видео.html I meditate to this one every week.
Heilung are Maria fom Norway, Christopher from Danmark and Kai-Uwe from Germany.
Thank❤ you!
You know Kelly this band has grown on me on the past year ive listen to hielung on other channels including yours it just shows us music from other cultures from long ago can be good nowadays too . Wintersun Alex ❄️🫶
2:20 the text you're seeing there, i believe, is what's called " runes " a very old European alphabet.
Eiris sazun idisi // Once sat women
Sazun hera duoder // They sat here, then there
Suma hapt heptidun // Some fastened bonds
Suma heri lezidun // Some impeded an army
Suma clubodun // Some unraveled
Umbi cuoniouuidi // Umbi cuoniouuidi
Insprinc haptbandun // Escape the bonds
Inuar uigandun // Flee the enemy
Þann gel ek þér fyrstan // Then first I will chant thee
Þann kveða fjölnýtan // The charm oft-tried
Þann gól Rindi Rani // Then Rani taught Rind
At þú of öxl skjótir // From shoulder whatever
Því er þér atalt þykkir // Mistimes thee shake
Sjalfr leið þú sjalfan þik // For helped thyself shall you have
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Þann gel ek þér annan // Then next I will chant thee
Ef þú árna skalt // If needs you must travel
Viljalauss á vegum // And wander a purposeless way
Urðar lokur // The bolts of Urth
Haldi þér öllum megum // Shall on every side
Er þú á sinnum sér // Be thy guides on the road you go
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Þann gel ek þér inn þriðja // Then third I chant thee
Ef þér þjóðáar // If threatening streams
Falla at fjörlotum // The danger of death shall bring
Horn ok Ruðr // Both Horn and Ruth
Snúisk til heljar meðan // Yet to Hel shall return
En þverri æ fyr þér // And before thee the waters shall fail
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Þann gel ek þér inn fjórða // Then fourth I will chant thee
Ef þik fjándr standa // If come your foes
Görvir á galgvegi // On the hollows way against thee
Hugr þeim hverfi // Shall their hearts be given
Til handa þér // Into thine hands
Ok snúisk þeim til sátta sefi // And peace shall the warriors wish
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Þann gel ek þér inn fimmta // And fifth I chant to thee
Ef þér fjöturr verðr // If fetters perchance
Borinn at boglimum // Shall bind thy bending limbs
Leysigaldr læt ek // Over thy thighs do I chant
Þér fyr legg of kveðinn // A loosening-charm
Ok stökkr þá láss af limum // And the lock is burst from the limbs
En af fótum fjöturr // And fetters fall from the feet
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Þann gel ek þér inn sétta // And sixth I chant thee
Ef þú á sjó kemr // If storms on the sea
Meira en menn viti // Have might unknown to man
Logn ok lögr // Yet never shall wind
Gangi þér í lúðr saman // Or wave do harm
Ok léi þér æ friðdrjúgrar farar // And calm is the course of your boat
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Þann gel ek þér inn sjaunda // Then seventh I will chant thee
Ef þik sækja kemr // To kill thee lofty crags
Frost á fjalli háu // If frost shall seek
Hræva kulði // The fatal cold
Megi-t þínu holdi fara // Shall not grip thy flesh
Ok haldisk æ lík at liðum // And while thy body shall be
chorus
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna
Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Þann gel ek þér inn átta // Then eight I will chant thee
Ef þik úti nemr // If ever by night
Nótt á niflvegi // Thou shall wander on murky ways
At því firr megi // Yet never the curse
Þér til meins gera // From the dead shall do thee harm
Kristin dauð kona // Of a Christian woman
chorus
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Þann gel ek þér inn níunda // Then ninth will I chant thee
Ef þú við inn naddgöfga // If needs thou must strive
Orðum skiptir jötun // With a warlike giant in words
Máls ok mannvits // Thy heart good stove
Sé þér á minni ok hjarta // Of wit shall have
Gnóga of gefit // And thy mouth of words full wise
Fjón þvæ ég af mér fjanda minna rán og reiði ríkra manna // Fjon, I wash my enemies, then and anger of rich men
Eiris sazun idisi // Once sat women
Sazun hera duoder // They sat here, then there
Suma hapt heptidun // Some fastened bonds
Suma heri lezidun // Some impeded an army
Suma clubodun // Some unraveled
Umbi cuoniouuidi // Umbi cuoniouuidi
Insprinc haptbandun // Escape the bonds
inuar uigandun // flee the enemy
Girl, your intro reminds me so much of the song Starvation by Aurora!
Heiling = 'Healing'.......self proclaimed "amplified history" by the band......their performances (rituals) force us to think seriously about humanity's past.........
who made your intro ???? phat sound
u have to die to value life