How to become a viking...

... or not. Depends on how you define ''viking''. Depends on whether you see LARP as a legit platform to ''be a viking'', if you're only in for reenactment/living history, if you count in a mindset or religious attachments or w/e.

I became interested in the Viking era when I was still a kid, watching "Wickie und die starken Männer", getting interested in archeology at the age of 9, being fascinated by the norse beliefs and mythology - both celtic and germanic. Later, starting to listen to Amon Amarth, getting involved in LARP, discovering my fondness for axe, sword and round shield - always with an image of myself as a viking in the back of my head. "Someday, I'll be a viking.''
Though it's not historically accurate and there are a few other things I don't like about it (stupid main character and his stupid colorized blue eyes -.-), I like the overall look and feel of the series ''Vikings''. The interwovenness of the real world and their spiritual world, as percieved by the characters. It has such clear archetypes and speaks to me on an emotional level.

From a historical perspective, it's hard for me to decide on one direction. On the one hand, I really like Svear and Rus, especially the melting of the culture in the region of Birka, the richness in colour, the trading empire. On the other hand, the rough seas of Norway, the fjords and the long journeys undertaken by the Norwegian vikings to Iceland, Greenland, the New World, speak to me on a level of emotionalized wanderlust. A few weeks ago, I went to Haithabu (fascinating, a trading center of the Viking era, in Germany! I've always thought about the vikings as Scandinavian...) and was overwhelmed by the Southern vikings' ways. Glass beads, finely decorated swords, turtle fibulas, bronze jewelery, fine leather shoes, I want all of it.

Finally, I settled on a few options.
- historically accurate ca. 950 AD Southern Norwegian woman in men's clothes, due to practicality when rading. Used in ReenLARPment (historically accurate LARP) and probably reenactment/LH, too.
- Fantasy Birka viking for LARP only, 9th/10th century. My hometown LARP group (the Fenrir of Åsland, belonging to the bigger Åsland group constituting of tribes of nordic barbarians, hunters, celts and ''classic'' vikings - the Fenrir) has interesting approaches to roleplaying and I like the people very much. Also, it's nice to have someone who shares the interest in Birka and Rus. The clothes mostly constitute of historically accurate cutting and sewing, but the colors are often chemical.
- Historicized Birka viking, 9th/10th, also woman in men's clothes for Das Große Heer (biggest German viking LARP group). Let's see if I can do another, more female version for LH that just switches to ''being a man'' when it comes to RFC, the actual combat.

This means: A lot of clothes. A lot of LARP cons and LH conventions to go to. Wolin, Neustadt-Glewe, Ribe, Haithabu...
Let's see how this works out for me. But one thing is certain: I'm having a hell of a ride through the viking era. It's simply to much fun to focus on only one region or only on historical or fantasy. I learned Naalbinding, I learned wood carving, I sew my own clothes, I dye my own wool and fabrics, I make my own jewelery and I love it.