The Millersteads are a Heathen Kindred located on Saltspring Island, pictured above, in British Columbia, Canada.

By "Heathen" we mean that we observe many of the pre-Christian traditions of our Germanic ancestors as best we understand them. By "Kindred" we mean literally a genetic open sib, or family.

We meet to hail our Ancestors and the Old Gods on the Holy-Days celebrated by many modern Germanic pagans, including Yule, Easter, Valpurg and Midsummer or Litha, to name only a few.

The kindred organizes itself naturally as an "age-ranked heirarchy". We are led by the eldest and wisest among us, Ralph Dudley (pictured at right, top-centre, with our newest kinsman in arm). His eldest son, Dan Ralph (top-left and bottom-left), is the kindred's oath-sworn Weofodthane (godhi or priest) who leads holy kindred rites and is our gleeman (skald, poet, singer). Dan Ralph also volunteers the Heathen Freehold Society of BC, for whom he was priest for the Ravenspeak Wedding aboard the replica Viking ship named Munin (top-right).

The Kindred's name was taken after two families, the Millers and the Steads, became one family with the birth of Dan and Janice's son, Eldin Heath (pictured thrice starting centre-left). The Miller's hail from Michigan and originally Germany and England, while the Stead's hail from Newfoundland and originally the British Isles. Some roots of both our European families have grown in North America for nearly three hundred years, with some of our ancestors hailing from the First Nations.

Here in are a few pages you may find interesting. In WEOFOD you will find more information on Heathen religion, something about our approach to it, various personal musings and see examples of our craftmanship. In POETRY, we offer some of our devotional poetry and song. The CALENDAR has key dates for Kindred Moots and Holy Days, and other local Heathen events of interest. KIN-LIST is a email discussion list-server or "e-Group" intended for Millerstead Kinsmen only. Our LINKS section is where you can perhaps learn the most about Heathenry, as well as even a little more about individual Kinsmen.