RESISTANCE MOVEMENT. Sweden’s Nest 2 gathered in the bitter cold on the age-old Kinnekulle mountain to review the previous year and learn lessons from it for the future.
The day began with a gathering at a snow- and ice-covered car park on Kinnekulle. There, the comrades were prepared for what was to come, which included ensuring everyone had brought everything required, such as additional clothing, camera equipment and so on. It was then announced that all free space in the backpacks would be filled with dry fine kindling, before a five-kilometre march from Kinnekulle down to the old quarry began.
The first kilometres were easy and downhill, which in itself can be a challenge on poorly maintained icy roads. Once at the quarry, the route quickly turned uphill again, ascending to the same elevation that had been so easily descended before.
The temperature was -17°C, which, despite being relatively mild for people from Västergötland, still requires knowledge for survival and remaining comfortable. Fighting up a trail and quickly covering metres of altitude warms you up, but climbing too fast makes you sweaty and leaves you feeling cold when you stop.
It must be admitted that a bit of cheating occurred, as some firewood had already been transported to the site above the quarry. This was necessary because more wood than the group could carry was required for keeping warm and the forthcoming ceremony.
The surrounding view was described as magical by those present, who were treated to a winter landscape extending all the way to the horizon. Almost the entire bay outside Lidköping, out to Kållandsö, was covered in an ice sheet, which stretched along the coast all the way to Torsö and then across to Värmlandsnäs. At dusk, you could also see Läckö Castle shining like a pearl at the far end of the isthmus.
At the chosen location, next to a steep cliff overlooking the quarry, a fire was lit and an evaluation of the past year took place. The best activities of 2023 were selected, sometimes with remarkable enthusiasm, and guidelines for what would happen this year were drawn up.
Meanwhile, food was prepared over an open fire. There was so much to eat that there would likely have been enough had all the Nests in the North shown up. This was because everyone’s wife or girlfriend had seemingly packed two or three extra rations, saying, “Now that it’s so cold, I don’t want you to go hungry.”
Between loud laughter and serious discussions among comrades, the sun sank slowly below the horizon, and a calm settled over the group as they prepared for the upcoming ceremony.
They then took the remaining firewood and built two large bonfires: one for offerings and one as a sacred fire.
During the ceremony, activist Martin Engelin spoke about our common heritage and our journey forwards. How we carry the burden of our people and their future and that we have no right to betray our heritage or ancestors. We stand as guardians of our unbroken bloodline and will hold the torch high for those who come after us.
United in brotherhood, we will let our actions shine like torches in the night. And in the glow of the fire this evening, we find the way forwards. Towards a future filled with victory and honour!
First, a Haglaz rune was burned as an offering, representing the destructive force required to create change and conditions for us. Then, a Victory rune was burned, symbolising our unparalleled belief in victory and success.
Finally, a Mora knife was placed in the fire. This represents not only power and strength but also serves as a symbol of the individual will that drives the organisation forwards.
With the ceremony complete, the comrades socialised by the bonfire until it no longer gave warmth, before making preparations for the march back to the original location. Walking under a pitch-black sky, the return trip presented a greater challenge than the outward journey, with the group choosing a different path along the cliff, this time without the beautiful view from earlier in the day.
