A Mythology for Australians

This talk explores the enduring power of shared historical identity in sustaining cultural ecosystems, from the mythic narratives of Hengest and Horsa in Anglo-Saxon England to the contested memory of Captain Cook in Britain and Australia. By tracing how ancient settlers wove history into sacred myth, and how explorers became immortalised as heroes or villains, we see the necessity of positive myth in binding communities together. Today, in the digital age, new technologies—from social media networks to global video platforms—serve as the bards and Muses of our time, enabling diasporic peoples across the Anglosphere to renew their connections and reimagine their founding stories. The talk argues that the future of cultural resilience lies in embracing these tools to create and share narratives that dignify our origins, reconcile divided traditions, and ensure that figures like Captain Cook and Hengest, and Horsa remain living symbols of identity for generations to come.This talk was delivered in twice in Australia in October 2025. This recording was from an event held by The Scyldings. Starting Heathenry: https://startingheathenry.thinkific.com

It is time for the annual Jive Talk AMA session in which fans can ask me any question they like. Please support Survive the Jive: https://linktr.ee/SurvivetheJiveStarting Heathenry: https://startingheathenry.thinkific.com/

Anglo-Saxon England was racially diverse according to a new genetics paper 'West African ancestry in seventh-century England: two individuals from Kent and Dorset published in Antiquity journal. But is Duncan Sayer misrepresenting the evidence? How significant are two skeletons with 1/4 black ancestry and have they failed to notice middle eastern ancestry in Updown Girl?

Bronze Age Pervert (BAP) joins Tom Rowsell to discuss ancient history and how the heroic ideals of the past can shape our future. This is your chance to hear BAP’s unfiltered thoughts on the classical antiquity that inspires his philosophy, from the vitality of the Bronze Age to the inspiration of the Renaissance. We also talk about Plato and religion and in the second half we also discuss the misinterpretation in population geneticists of ancient cultures and elite dominance models of cultural replacement. BAP's podcast: https://bronzeagepervert.gumroad.com/l/BronzeAgePervert Starting Heathenry course: https://startingheathenry.thinkific.com/ STJ links: https://linktr.ee/SurvivetheJive

Neil Burridge is an accomplished sword smith and widely considered the greatest living smith of historical replica cast bronze swords and daggers. He has cast and forged hundreds of replica blades from Ancient Greek Mycenaean, to Nordic Bronze Age and Celtic style weapons. I visited him in his workshop to collect a special replica of one of the oldest metal weapons from Britain, the Huntshaw dagger, which he made for me and we chatted about his work and the history of bronze working. Neil on X: https://x.com/neil_burridgeStarting Heathenry course: https://startingheathenry.thinkific.com/ STJ links: https://linktr.ee/SurvivetheJive

Eric Orwoll aka Aarvoll is an American Christian Platonist known for his YouTube channel. Eric's beliefs are more compatible with those of pagans than those of typical Christians are. I asked him about how a Platonic view of the One and objective good is compatible with a scientific view of evolution or a pagan view of tribal loyalty. We also discussed transhumanism and the anti-Platonist philosophies of Karl Popper and Friedrich Nietzsche.Eric's channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ericorwollStarting Heathenry course: https://startingheathenry.thinkific.com/STJ links: https://linktr.ee/SurvivetheJive

A review of Vilhelm Grønbech's seminal work on the religion and culture of ancient Germanic peoples. Grønbech was a professor of the history of religion at the University of Copenhagen in the early twentieth century. Grønbech looks at Norse, Lombardic, Anglo-Saxon, Gothic and Roman sources to identify a common Teutonic culture focused on luck, honour, shame, kinship, and a unique perspective on the afterlife and the soul. My review includes favourite quotes from volume 1 of the two part book republished by Antelope Hill. Buy it here: https://amzn.to/4jqf0TzLearn how to be a Heathen with my online course: https://startingheathenry.thinkific.com/

​​Jive Book Review: I am joined by the Finnish author Aki Cederberg as we discuss his latest book Holy Europe, published in English in 2024 by Arcana Europa. The book is a travelogue in which Aki invites the reader to join him on a spiritual exploration of the continent, looking at ancient pagan holy sites, as well as places relevant to artists and esotericists who have sought the holy within Europe in various ways. He addresses the spiritual crisis of Western man by showing how the sacred is still accessible in Europe today. 

Fitness guru, life reform advocate and Heathen community leader Paul Waggener of the Wolves of Vinland joins me on JIVE TALK to discuss how to handle burnout, enduring hardship over time and staying true to your principles as you face the challenges of different stages of life. Paul's stuff is at OperationWerewolf.com Take the Starting Heathenry course to learn about Heathen rituals: https://startingheathenry.thinkific.com/ Please support Survive the Jive: https://linktr.ee/SurvivetheJive

Halloween is a time for horror films but when did horror start? I am joined by Dave Martel on tonight’s Jive Talk in which we discuss how horror films have their precedents in early mythology and ghost stories.Get exclusive Heathen content on https://hearthfireradio.com/ Please support Survive the Jive: https://linktr.ee/SurvivetheJive Thumbnail art of draugr by Joan Francesc Oliveras