The name Frisii for the people living on the southern coast of the North Sea is old. Very old. It dates from the Late Antiquity. Today we call them Frisians. Roman and Greek historians and bureaucrats have written down the tribe’s name of this Germanic or Celtic people in many texts. Almost two millennia ago.Continue reading “A severe case of inattentional blindness: the Frisian tribe’s name”
Tag Archives: mud
From Patriot to Insurgent: John Fries and the tax rebellions
On Facebook page ‘Frisian Americans‘ the question popped up what role certain Frisians played in the Whiskey Rebellion in Pennsylvania in 1794. We checked, and the short answer is: none. The Whiskey Rebellion was a revolt of the so-called Pennsylvania Dutch farmers resisting the taxation of whiskey. It was crushed, without ice, by the youngContinue reading “From Patriot to Insurgent: John Fries and the tax rebellions”
Walfrid, You’ll Never Walk Alone.
This post isn’t about Aindreas Ó Céirín (1840-1915), better known as Brother Walfrid from Ireland and who founded the Scottish football club Celtic. No, this post is about the original. The Frisian named Walfrid. Who was murdered by a bunch of roaming Vikings in the late tenth century. These atrocities took place in the villageContinue reading “Walfrid, You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
A Wadden Sea Guide and His Twelve Disciples
For those outdoor freaks who consider hiking the mud flats of the Wadden Sea, it is essential to know this is, in fact, not a worldly journey but a spiritual one. The whole Frisia Coast in a way is a spiritual belt. Protecting the southern coast of the North Sea against northern darkness, according toContinue reading “A Wadden Sea Guide and His Twelve Disciples”
Shipwrecked people of the salt marshes
Tidal marshlands and Frisians. A dual entity. The Chauci and the Frisians (Frisii) had learned to adapt to this unprotected, hospitable salty environment. A vast area of treeless, tidal marshlands. No rocks, no wood, not much sweet water, and frequently flooded by the sea. But a place where these tribes prospered nonetheless at the timeContinue reading “Shipwrecked people of the salt marshes”
Giants of Twilight Land
At the intersection of land and sea, where it’s difficult to tell what is land and what is not, life is rough. The corrosive salt of the sea is devastating to most land species. Hence the near treeless landscape of the flat, monotonous tidal marshlands of (former) Frisia. Vice versa, most living things in waterContinue reading “Giants of Twilight Land”
Racing the Wadden Sea with a Silt Sled
The mud flats of the Wadden Sea are endless. But what to do with it? How do you give meaning to mud? Yes, one cubic-meter mud flat contains millions of diatoms, thousands of small crabs, mussels, snails and worms. For birds all this frutti di mare is like ordering à la carte. Birds are nice,Continue reading “Racing the Wadden Sea with a Silt Sled”
What’s hip and happening on the grasslands?
How do we Frisians spent our time off? Frisians in the Netherlands must have loads of it because perspectives for a job are about the lowest in the country. And those who have a job, face no traffic jams consuming precious hours every day either like the people of the cities in the south ofContinue reading “What’s hip and happening on the grasslands?”
Walking the Sea
Mud flats are treacherous. Yes, the Wadden Sea stretching along the coasts of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands is UNESCO protected. We support that. But, when hiking the Frisia Coast Trail and you go walkabout on its flats at low tide, do so with the utmost care because UNESCO does not give you protection. “ItContinue reading “Walking the Sea”
Frisia Coast Trail 