The following information is gathered from multiple posts sourced on the website for Ravens Knoll.  

More commonly referred to as HHG, Hail and Horn is an annual gathering organized by Canadian Heathens to express in fullness an ancient religious custom. The gathering is anchored by three intertwined rituals – blót, húsel and symbel – and a deep reverence for the Gods.
HHG seeks to appeal to as many interests our varied participants enjoy. It is hoped that those who come will be able to express their relationships to the Gods, Ancestors and community however they feel most comfortable. That said, a happy medium between boisterous and introspective behaviour is the goal, so that everyone respects each other’s sensibilities at the proper times and places.

Why is the festival called the Hail and Horn Gathering?

The festival is named for the values that are embodied each year in the actions of the people who attend.

“Hail” is about the worship of the Gods. The word “hail” means something which is healthy, holy, and wholesome. The whole of the HHG experience is orchestrated around the worship of the various holy powers (Gods, Ancestors, and land-spirits). Each year a new Goddess or God is selected to be given a central place in the community’s worship and a god-pole is raised by the folk to their honour, constituting a blót. The central theme of the weekend event is constructed around the mythos and esthetics of that deity so that a right ritual experience is the result.

“Horn” is about sacred social communion. The use of the “horn” is both symbolic and physical, as we not only share good words with each other in the hall, but also ever bear in mind the social bonds that rallying around the horn entails. At the ritual of symbel (sumbel) we sit within a metaphoric hall, upon benches pressed shoulder-to-shoulder, speaking boldly of our successes and gratitude to friends, family, and Ancestors.

A “gathering” is a time and place where community is built through the work of frið. HHG encourages kindreds, circle, study groups, groves, banners, hearths, and individuals to be together with other Heathen folk. We all recognize each group and person’s individuality, but also that we share common bonds and can work side-by-side with one another to accomplish shared goals, shared laughs by the hearth fire, or share a relationship with the holy powers. Gatherings of friends, kinships, and individuals was an important historic activity, as it is today. At HHG community building is a principle focus.

HHG is constructed to be a holistic, immersive experience. All of the rituals are connected to one another. It is hoped that those coming to the festival will feel drawn to a high degree of participation and engagement. It is an event of the folk, for the folk. It is not an event for tourists. The registration fees are structured to reflect this philosophy. (See “Are gifts required?” for more context on this second point.)

That said, it is understood that people can find the weekend to be a demanding one, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Also, some people simply do not have the time off work or have child-care responsibilities to which they must see. Therefore, any level of participation must be determined on a personal basis.

Many do find volunteering “behind the scenes”, prepping food or setting tables, to be an important act of devotion to the Gods as well as folk. This is always appreciated by all.

So, yes, it is possible, but it is not encouraged and doing so is less cost effective.

What are the rituals like?

It is difficult to fully describe the feel of the rituals, but we will do our best.

Some have commented that the rituals are both powerful and introspective. Others find greater happiness in the sharing of food with friends, than the raising of a god-pole. As there are many different people coming to HHG, the “feels” of each are manifold. Many will tell you that at least one of the rituals has been incredibly meaningful and transformative.

The rituals are, in reality, not truly separate from one another. They are threads woven together to create a grander ceremony that is the tapestry of the whole festival. Each ritual relates to the others of the weekend, which is why people are encouraged to attend for the entire weekend. The esoteric rite often stands most apart from the other rituals, but it can provide a keystone of understanding linking the entire weekend’s experience for some people.

What is a blót?

Ask a hundred Heathens, you will get a hundred answers. Therefore, we will describe blót in the context of HHG. Each year, a God or Goddess aligned with the ætt (tribe or clan) of the Æsir is carved into a pole which is raised in the Æsir Vé by the folk. Many offerings are given to the Gods, foremost of which are some of the raw ingredients which will be used to prepare the húsel feast on the next day. Once the god-pole (an idol) is raised, the folk are welcome to return throughout the weekend (and in the future) to give further offerings, building upon the gift cycle. This is the ritual where the most personal interactions with the Gods takes place.

What is a suitable offering at blót?

Most anything can be a suitable offering. Many folk give mead (or other alcoholic strong drink), coins, jewelry, fruit, etc. Whatever is of importance to the giver is believed to be well-received in the Vé. Some give in relation to the nature of their request or as a thank you for favours already received. Offerings are usually symbolic and/or personal. For the most part, offerings that are considered to contravene the rules of the Vé are forbidden (such as items containing human body fluids).

Offerings are removed periodically from the Vé to be sunk in the Raven’s Knool Sacred Well or burnt in a sacred fire if it is not possible to sink them in the Well. Thus, please refrain from offering plastics or polluting items. Also, food items are much more likely to be quickly removed from the Vé and ritually transformed and sent on their way, in order to protect the lives of local wildlife that could become problematic visitors (such as bears and coy-wolves).

What is an esoteric ritual and do I need to attend?

An esoteric ritual at HHG is a ritual containing mainly sorcerous or mystical elements. Long after nightfall on the night of the blót, a ritual is held to honour of Holy Power of the year. The ritual may include elements of divination, trance-work, possession, or performance. These rituals tend to by heavily influenced by personal or collective gnosis and may have more syncretic elements than other rituals at the gathering. It is important to note that not everyone is expected to participate. Some HHG participants prefer to relax after a long day by the hearth fire and reflect upon moments experienced at the blót. This is the ritual where the mystical and otherworldly experiences tend to occur (or, in reflection, afterwards).

What is húsel?

The húsel is a sacred feast. The feast consists of a multi-course menu, thematically connected to the nature of the God or Goddess honoured in the given year. The menu is balanced and is inspired by the historic foodways of Heathen peoples and those they encountered. The meal is considered a sacral feast and is not just a meal with entertainment. The húsel is the link between the blót and symbel. The blót is for the Gods, the húsel is where the folk eat with one another, with the Gods, and with the Ancestors. We eat the same foods at húsel that are offered to the Gods in blót, húsel is an extension of blót. Many attendees volunteer to prepare the feast, others selflessly offering to provide table service to the majority and all enjoying the privilege of soulful eating in pleasant company. We serve each other and the Gods at húsel. This is the ritual where less formal relations are developed between people, the Gods, and the Ancestors.

What is symbel?

The symbel (sumbel) is a form of communal ritual where words are spoken over a horn from which one drinks. At HHG, we use a more historically-inspired form of symbel than most. We sit in hall-like tents, side-by-side at the bench. An alcoholic beverage is used to fill the ceremonial drinking horn, Friðdrífa. The drink is made sacred through a blessing (i.e., hammer hallowed). A Byrele (Hornbearer) carries the drinking vessel to those who would speak. They may give toasts to whomever they wish and boast how they will. At a point, gifts are exchanged by those who would do so, during a part of the symbel called the “Giftstool” (the gifting round). At HHG, we do not oath at symbel as, understanding the sacral mechanics of the ritual, we cannot hold each other to follow-through as vast distances may separate us. It should be noted that boasting about something that is going to happen in the future gets into the realm of an oath, so the wording for such an utterance must be chosen carefully or avoided. This is the ritual were the most personal interactions between people takes place.