Modern day Vikings to camp at lake

Jesse De Vincentis and Alec Ross battle at Nova Zeelandia Wanganui's weekly practice. Photo/Bevan Conley

Lake Wiritoa will be transported back more than a millennium this weekend as modern Vikings set up camp. Nova Zeelandia Vikings Wanganui is hosting its first camp which will involve Viking martial arts and living history. "We wear the appropriate clothing of the period and we live in authentic tents and all that sort of stuff," group member Shane Rawson said. "This is our first camp, it's sort of new territory."

The Wanganui group has been operating for about four years and currently has six members. "I enjoy the combat with weapons and learning to fight with weapons," Mr Rawson said. "We use real steel blades."

That means the Vikings need skills to play safe. "It's about control and discipline. We wear armour to protect ourselves."

Tareth Grieve, Nathan Woolley, Shane Rawson, Mike Bates (back) and Alec Ross and Jesse De Vincentis (front) are the Nova Zeelandia Vikings getting ready for Viking Camp at Lake Wiritoa on Queen's Birthday Weekend. Photo/Bevan Conley

They make their own clothes and equipment and the activity teaches participants metal and woodwork skills. While on camp many will use utensils of the time such as cast iron pots.

"We try to do it as authentically as possible," Mr Rawson said. "It's just interesting, the way they used to live. Essentially, they were farmers, then they might have to go to battle or go on a raid. They just did it."

This weekend's gathering is similar to a "thing" which in 600-900AD was an assembly of locals. "It's where they made their decisions and had land disputes and married people off. They talked about future plans."

Nova Zeelandia's Alec Ross and Jesse De Vincentis practise sword work ahead of this weekend's camp. Photo/Bevan Conley

The camp runs from Saturday to Monday at Lake Wiritoa, and Mr Rawson said the public were welcome to come and see what the Nova Zeelandia group was all about. "We'll be camping out there, fighting, training and learning stuff from other people." He expected about 40 people from outside the region to be involved. "It'll be good for people to just see what it's like."

-The group trains every Sunday morning at Springvale Park at 9am.