Northmen

Northman - 

[nawrth-muh n]

noun, plural Northmen.

1.  one of the ancient Scandinavians, especially a member of the group that from about the 8th to the 11th century made many raids and established settlements in Great Britain, Ireland, many parts of continental Europe, and probably in parts of North America.


It has been pretty interesting to watch.  My son is working with a master craftsman a couple of generations older.  They do timber frame construction and in their down time create furniture and other household items.  And they do it almost exclusively using the typically destroyed trees that have suffered from “oak wilt."

As they work, they tell stories of restoration.  What was previously discarded is being refined into beautiful and strong things.  They use ancient tools and put a high premium on craftsmanship.  There is obviously a lot of demand for the kind of work that they beautifully do through their collaborative OAKWRITES.  But there is something even more interesting that I’ve noticed.

Men from my son’s generation are powerfully drawn to the craftsman nature of the work.  The use of their hands.  The ancient tools and ancient ways.  Rather than rejecting those ways as old fashioned or inefficient, they are really attractive.  I’ve even seen some of them, posting on social media, that they would love to take a day off from their more traditional jobs and just come work alongside them.

Something powerful is being stirred here.

Interestingly enough, most of the many contracting businesses we work with are struggling to find craftsman.  There just don’t seem to be people interested in hard physical work in the old ways.  Given what I am seeing among this young tribe, we’re just not doing a very good job of connecting the dots.

Neeman tools, that I have written about here recently and in the past, have changed their name to Northmen: Guild of Northern Master Craftsmen.

Do yourself a favor and experience the Northmen code. Watch this short video with me and tell me what comes up for you.  Below is the code as it is presented in the video, but take 2-3 minutes and watch the video.

We’re living in isolation.  Disconnected from one another and the traditions and ways of our elders.  But doing things in the old ways with the old values are no longer being seen as old fashioned.  What was old is becoming new again.  And given the trends we are experiencing in work ethic, rejection of traditional morays/values, and the abandoning or our spiritual roots…it couldn’t be happening at a better time.

  • Watch the video above.  Read through the phrases in the accompanying chart.
  • What does that bring to mind?
  • What longing does it stir in you?
  • How should your life and leadership look different as a result?
Previous
Previous

Gray

Next
Next

Bus