WAS ERIK THE RED THE FIRST REAL ESTATE AGENT? BY LARS-OLE MORTENSEN

ONE OF OUR EARLY VIKING ANCESTORS, ERIK THE RED WAS MUCH LIKE DANES OF TODAY. I BELIEVE ERIK THE RED WAS THE FIRST REAL ESTATE AGENT WHO ATTRACTED HIS FELLOW VIKINGS TO OTHER LANDS. HE NAMED GREENLAND, WHICH WAS FIRST THOUGHT TO BE A COLD AND INHOSPITABLE LAND, ERIK THE RED DESCRIBING AS LAND WITH FINE WEATHER AND GREEN FIELDS FOR GRAZING CATTLE. RECENT RESEARCH FINDINGS HAVE DISCLOSED THAT INDEED THE WEATHER OF THE VIKING AGE WAS MUCH WARMER THAN FIRST BELIEVED. SO, ERIK THE RED MAY NOT HAVE DECEIVED HIS FELLOW VIKINGS AFTER ALL.

DURING THE EARLY YEARS OF THE VIKING AGE, VIKINGS THROUGHOUT SCANDINAVIA HAVE ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN TO NOT STAY IN ONE PLACE TOO LONG. THIS IS ALSO TRUE FOR MOST DANES. WE TRAVEL TO SO MANY OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD JUST TO SEE WHAT IS OVER THE HILL OR TO SEE WHAT LIES BEYOND THE SEAS. MAYBE IT IS BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF WHAT IS LEFT OF OUR PRESENT-DAY COUNTRY OR THE REASON COULD BE RELATED TO OUR LONG COLD WINTERS. I HAVE ALSO BEEN ADVENTUROUS, TRAVELLING TO FAR OFF PLACES, THE NORTHERN PARTS OF ALASKA, THROUGHOUT CANADA AND THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST OF AMERICA. I HAVE COME ACROSS MANY DANES IN THESE AREAS OF MY TRAVELS. WHAT ATTRACTS PEOPLE MIGHT BE THE FAMILIARITY OF THE PINE FORESTS AND THE FIORDS, THE FLORA AND THE FAUNA OR MAYBE IT COULD BE THE PEOPLE THAT MAKE THEIR HOMES IN THESE TOUGH ENVIRONMENTS OF THE NORTH. BY LARS-OLE MORTENSEN