An unsatisfactory cult

Published: Fri, 07/11/25

Updated: Tue, 07/15/25

Many years ago, when the internet was still quite new and I think it was when I was living in Oxford, someone posted an article on a forum discussing whether or not Stav was a cult. I don’t think the writer had ever actually met anyone who practised Stav and had based their study mainly on my Martial Art book and the limited amount of material which we had online at that time. I can’t remember much about the post now except that it seemed to conclude that Stav probably was a cult. However, there was a judgement that we were not doing it very well. Not enough secrecy, lax discipline, and not asking for enough money I think were some of the reasons.
Cult is one of three closely related words, the other two being ‘culture’ and ‘cultivate’ and I would suggest that it is these concepts which make us human. Animals act on instinct and can learn and adapt to different circumstances. Beavers build remarkable structures in terms of dams and lodges. However, it would be stretching the definition to claim that Beavers have a culture of dam building which is actually instinctive in all beavers, even orphan cubs.
The word cult seems to have rather negative associations these days. However, all the word really means is a group of people who have a common focus of devotion expressed in common rituals (to slightly paraphrase the Oxford English Dictionary). This means that pretty much any group, community, or association can be seen as a cult including football clubs and other sporting associations, also pop music fans, etc etc. What makes a cult is fundamentally a common culture, and this intentional creation and transmission of culture is what makes us human. The basis of culture is language. We belong to a particular culture because we can speak the language. As someone who is English born and bred my first (and, to be honest, my only) language is English. So, to a large extent our national identity depends upon the language we speak.
However, the relationship between culture and language goes a lot deeper than everyday communication. Each cult will have its own terminology and to be truly a member of a particular cult you need to know the special words and phrases. It is usually quite easy to tell if someone is a real insider, or pretending, by the words they do, or do not, understand in the context of the cult. The military is a good example where a lot of terminology is based on acronyms such as GPMG, SLR, SMG, and MBT etc. (and some of those are out of date now). You can read and watch a lot of material and pick up the ‘lingo’ to a degree, but there will always be some detail which will give you away. Not necessarily words, maybe just an attitude, or simply being too enthusiastic. Those who have been fully immersed in a culture for a long time always develop a certain cynicism and world weariness which can’t be faked.
Authentic culture is the means by which human knowledge and skills get passed on from one generation to another. Language, literature, shared history, religion, arts, music, technology, crafts, farming, ship building, architecture, and military traditions are all aspects of culture. Culture is the fruit of cultivating all these aspects of human skills and knowledge within a particular cult or community. Up to a point we have all benefited from such a process.
However, life is never quite this simple. Over the past 30 or so years that Stav has been taught outside of the Hafskjold family there has been quite a lot of discussion as to whether an English speaker (or any other language except Scandinavian ones) can actually really understand Stav since it is so deeply rooted in Scandinavian history and culture. Is an English or American person with no known Scandinavian ancestry just guilty of ‘cultural appropriation’ if they claim to know and practice Stav? Maybe, but I remember talking to young Japanese people 30 or so years ago about how lucky they were to be able to learn authentic Japanese martial arts in their own country. The response was that only old people bothered with such pursuits, the young wanted to play basket ball, base ball, and watch American movies and TV. I am reliably informed that younger Chinese people have a similar attitude today.
To most Scandinavians today runes are just an old fashioned way of writing and the mythology is just fairy tales. Apparently it was Shinto priests in Japan who enabled Ivar to appreciate the spiritual value of Stav as a tradition and practice. Stav was quite well established in the UK (and the USA and Australia) before a few Scandinavians caught on to its existence and started taking an interest too. A culture that is too familiar often seems mundane and boring to those brought up with the tradition. It may well take an outsider to recognise the value of culture and bring in fresh interest and enthusiasm.
Sometimes a cult can become extremely toxic. In a couple of weeks time Iduna and I are going to the Spirit of Awen Camp. From the site a tower can be clearly seen which is a monument to William Tyndale (c. 1494 to 1536) which was built in 1866. Tyndale was brought up in the cult of the Roman Catholic Church. He was immersed in the culture of the Roman Church and became a biblical scholar and linguist. Big cultural shifts were taking place in the early 16th century. The Protestant Reformation was taking place in Europe and Henry VIII was getting closer and closer to a break with Rome and the creation of the Church of England. The invention of the printing press made the publishing and distribution of literature quicker and easier than ever before. Tyndale translated and published a version of the Bible which was taken as a direct challenge to the authority of the Catholic church. After falling out with King Henry Tyndale fled to
what is now Belgium where he was arrested, tried, convicted of heresy, and executed in 1536. Tyndale’s story is a tragic example of what happens when the cult cannot allow those it has cultivated to grow beyond certain limits.
Our culture is the most valuable thing we possess as human beings. However, relating to culture is rather like raising a child, you have to create a family/cult in which learning and cultivation can take place. You also have to be willing to let go when the cult is outgrown and wider connections are made.
Why not join our Stav cult? Or let us share our Stav culture? Or cultivate an interest in Stav? Or just enjoy a few days camping and practising Stav on the first weekend of September? https://www.stavcamp.org/
Regards
Graham


Graham Butcher
21 Beaver Road
Beverley East Yorkshire HU17 0QN
UNITED KINGDOM

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