Asatru and Ancestry

[Philosophia]

A question thats been bugging me about the Asatru path:

Do your ancestors have to have been Norse to be on the Asatru path?

For example, my ancestry is British, Irish, Scottish, with a bit of Welsh thrown in. Would I be able to become Asatru even though my ancestry isn't Norse?

Or I could be an idiot for asking a silly question..._inabox_

[EJ1096]

I would say that no, you do not have to have ancestory. however you just might and not know it. I think the Norse did have people in thoes areas.

[Renny]

Dont let any asatruar tell you that you cant. There are some out there who believe this, but many of them feel that ancestry doesn't prevent someone from following the gods.

Some of us who are of norse/germanic ancestry feel a connection with this path for this reason, because it is part of who we are and more at home to us. I'm in this boat. However, the vikings moved all throughout europe including england, so it's very possible that you have some norse ancestors.

My point is, don't let this stop you. The gods see you for what you are and what type of life you lead rather than where your family came from.

[Sage Rainsong]

I think that it depends on the person that you ask. Most of the Asatru people that I have met would say that it is not required to have Norse ancestry. There are some groups though that see Asatru as an indigenous religion. To them you do need to be of Norse decent.

[Brightshores]

I'm not on the Asatru path, and I have no idea... but I do know that parts of Scotland at one point were 90% Norse, NE England was overrun by Vikings for quite a while, and many places on coastal Ireland were also settled by Vikings (i.e. Dublin and Waterford were both Norse settlements at one point).

So, if you're Irish and Scottish, you probably do have a Norseman or two way back in your ancestry. :viking:

[Skadi]

Heh, the Norse weren't the only Northern Germanic peoples who followed the Gods. They were just the last to convert to Christianity. (Iceland being the last to fully convert, I believe.) Almost all the Northern Germanic peoples worshipped the Gods. It has nothing to do with being viking or norse and I am not sure why people think only the Norse followed the Aesir and Vanir. That just isn't historically correct.

The Celtic peoples and the Welsh did, however, have their own Gods, but even if you were going along a more folkish point of view, you still have Anglo-Saxon blood.

[Rick]

A question thats been bugging me about the Asatru path:

Do your ancestors have to have been Norse to be on the Asatru path?

For example, my ancestry is British, Irish, Scottish, with a bit of Welsh thrown in. Would I be able to become Asatru even though my ancestry isn't Norse?

Or I could be an idiot for asking a silly question..._inabox_
The term that you're seeking here is Teutonic, not Norse. Of course it's an indigenous religion; the Gods are our Ancestors. And yes, the Northmen did get around ;) ... if you are of any type of European (or western Asian, or northern African) descent, the odds are very high that you have Teutonic ancestry somewhere in your lineage.

If you feel the pull of the Northern Gods, then you are of Teutonic heritage. They only call their own.

[Hærfest Leah]

I 2nd Rick. They call their own so you must have their blood at some point. Being of their blood is important...TO ME. As in for myself, it's what makes me feel at home and the fact that I can trace it makes it even better.

[Shaw]

I was wiccan for ten years, and always felt like it didn't quite fit. I am Pagan so I reexamined my point of view. It was as simple as buying some runes for the first time and reading how to use them.

It felt like a strong pull to the Asatru instantly. I found where my spirit fits. I am very comfortable with the rites and customs. I understand better than before how the Gods relate to me. Not to mention that my ancestry on both sides of my family goes back to them.

Celtic Gods & Goddesses feel like strangers and I never did well connecting to them. But the Asatru feel like family, and all I need do is call their name and I feel them like no Celtic god ever made me. I'm very pleased I found my niche this young in life.

I have become who I was born to be. :viking:

[_Banbha_]

Just curious, but what if a Asatrur family adopted a baby from mainland China with no European lineage at all. Are you saying the Gods would not call this baby and she could never share her family's ways in the fullest sense without that genetic marker in her heritage?

[Hærfest Leah]

Just curious, but what if a Asatrur family adopted a baby from mainland China with no European lineage at all. Are you saying the Gods would not call this baby and she could never share her family's ways in the fullest sense without that genetic marker in her heritage?

One of the beliefs is that if you are adopted then you inherit the ancestors of your new family. Perhaps you share both sets since I would not think your original ones would then be obsolete as of the adoption.

[_Banbha_]

One of the beliefs is that if you are adopted then you inherit the ancestors of your new family. Perhaps you share both sets since I would not think your original ones would then be obsolete as of the adoption.

Okay. :) Then it's not always about blood. I thought being raised in the culture and/or embracing it fully would account for a lot, like in CR; but I understand there are different traditions and view points.

:cheers:

[ModernKnight]

A question thats been bugging me about the Asatru path:

Do your ancestors have to have been Norse to be on the Asatru path?

For example, my ancestry is British, Irish, Scottish, with a bit of Welsh thrown in. Would I be able to become Asatru even though my ancestry isn't Norse?

Or I could be an idiot for asking a silly question..._inabox_

Norsemen settled in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Furthermore, English paganism is very closely related to Norse and Germanic paganism. See this article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Saxon_polytheism) for more details.

Personally, I don't think ancestry is an exclusive criteria, though it may guide interest.

[Eldred Grimm]

A question thats been bugging me about the Asatru path:

Do your ancestors have to have been Norse to be on the Asatru path?

The Germainc gods of Old belived in fostering, So I beleve any one can feel the northern wind can fallow the old ways. With that said though if your are new or exploring faiths
Then I would recomend you look toward your own ancestors.
for the old was/is a faith of the Ancestors

[Eldred Grimm]

They only call their own.

sound a little folkish in you old age bro
or is the water in tulsa got you this way? hum

[Rick]

sound a little folkish in you old age bro
or is the water in tulsa got you this way? hum
Hehehe... now, you know that I'm the leader of the Radical Moderate Movement... but at that, I may be the most folkish Heathen in the Tulsa Metro area...

[happyheathenmom]

I have just two small cents to plop into the thread..

Didn't a Viking found Dublin, Ireland, or something like that? I know they had Viking rulers..

So I'd say, yeah.. you got some Irish, it's pretty dang likely you got some viking blood in ya.. :)

[S_Wodening]

First off Asatru is only one part of Germanic Heathenry. There are also several other options such as Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, Saxon Heathenry, Gothic Heathenry, and so forth. Second while ancestry is very important it is not the only factor in being Asatru. Culture plays a role as well as does the individual. I have known folks that had not a drop of Germanic blood that made great Heathens while I have known purebred Germanics that would have been better off on another path. The most important thing though is you respect and worship your ancestors regardless of who they were.

Welga!
Swain

[David19]

First off Asatru is only one part of Germanic Heathenry. There are also several other options such as Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, Saxon Heathenry, Gothic Heathenry, and so forth. Second while ancestry is very important it is not the only factor in being Asatru. Culture plays a role as well as does the individual. I have known folks that had not a drop of Germanic blood that made great Heathens while I have known purebred Germanics that would have been better off on another path. The most important thing though is you respect and worship your ancestors regardless of who they were.

Welga!
Swain

Hope you don't mind me asking, but what is Gothic Heathenry?, I've heard of the Goths (ancient, not the modern ;)), but were there any differences in how it was practiced or differences in beliefs, compared to other parts of Heathenry?.

Thanks.

[S_Wodening]

Well, not being a Gothic Heathen I am probably the wrong person to ask, but I know they have some Gods and Goddesses in addition to the standard Germanic ones. Gothic Heathens are generally far and few between!

[Rick]

Howdy, Swain, long time since ya been around

:wave:

[S_Wodening]

Yep RIck it has been a while. Good to be back though. See I missed a lot of interesting discussion! Still, can't believe I forgot my password, and that email is dead, so I could not retrieve it.

[Rick]

Yep RIck it has been a while. Good to be back though. See I missed a lot of interesting discussion! Still, can't believe I forgot my password, and that email is dead, so I could not retrieve it.
Man, I hate when that happens :hehehehe:

[Scathach]

I just wanted to say that I have enjoyed reading this particular thread, and wanted to thank everyone (particularly seapearls... the resource information you have on your sig was extremely helpful).

I have been pagan for a little over 15 years, and I have noticed in the past few years I have been drawn to the Norse mythology. My husband and I have decided to have children soon and since we made that decision I have been feeling an even stronger pull in that direction.

Though my husband does have Norwegian ancestry, as well as Irish and English. Though I am half Tupiniquim Indian and the other half is a mixed European ancestry I know there is Scottish, English, and French in the mix there but I am uncertain of any Germanic lineage on that side of my family tree. My Tupiniquim Indian cultural heritage is for the most part lost, there is no or little remnants of the language, religion, or culture remaining from that side of my family, thanks to them being driven out of the jungles.

But part of me feels so drawn to the Norse pantheon and the cultural history. Something about the Heathenry sings true to me, Paganism doesn't seem to fit as well for me as it used to. The husband has always felt closer to his Norwegian heritage, perhaps it is a sign that this might be the right path to raise our children in. Part of me hopes that I am not misguided in this assumption, I wish I could trace my ancestry back further but it seems as I have come to a dead end on my side.

[Hærfest Leah]

I am glad we have been of some help Scathach.

You have a good amount of Germanic blood on your other side: The English had great influence by Germanic tribes and Viking settlements into their blood and although France was settled by Celtic tribes it was also inhabited by the Franks ( a Germanic tribe) beginning in the 4th century. They are how France got it's name. As for Scotland, Anglo-Saxons & Vikings both settled and bred into the population, my tree also goes back to the housed of Dunkeld and Alpin.

[Baldwin]

First off Asatru is only one part of Germanic Heathenry. There are also several other options such as Anglo-Saxon Heathenry, Saxon Heathenry, Gothic Heathenry, and so forth. Second while ancestry is very important it is not the only factor in being Asatru. Culture plays a role as well as does the individual. I have known folks that had not a drop of Germanic blood that made great Heathens while I have known purebred Germanics that would have been better off on another path. The most important thing though is you respect and worship your ancestors regardless of who they were.

Welga!
Swain

You mention Saxon Heathenry here. Are there many that you know of? Do they have an online presence? (I've been getting more and more of a pull that way, lately, I think...)

[Malcolm]

You mention Saxon Heathenry here. Are there many that you know of? Do they have an online presence? (I've been getting more and more of a pull that way, lately, I think...)


If you want to klnow ANYTHING about Anglo-Saxon heathenry...Swain is the one to ask. :hehehehe:

[Rick]

If you want to klnow ANYTHING about Anglo-Saxon heathenry...Swain is the one to ask. :hehehehe:
QTF :smile:

[S_Wodening]

You mention Saxon Heathenry here. Are there many that you know of? Do they have an online presence? (I've been getting more and more of a pull that way, lately, I think...)


There is Thea Marklosahson (http://www.sahsisk.org/) http://www.sahsisk.org/, and that is pretty much the only one I know of. They used to be Sahsisk Theod.

[Baldwin]

Thanks, Swain! I looked, and they don't seem to have much, but it's a start...

[Hærfest Leah]

Two really good sites are...

Anglo-Saxon Heathenism (http://englishheathenism.homestead.com/introduction.html)

Englatheod (http://englatheod.org/)

Most heathens, I think, just incorporate all heathen localities. That is why there isn't much of an A-S specific presence.

[kaosxmage]

Let's imagine for a moment that Odin walks among us, and all other worlds for that matter. If you're even slightly familiar with his myths, could you imagine Odin wouldn't explore all occult possibilities (or women of every flavor)?

Could you imagine Thor refusing to defend a Haitian based purely on race? Hardly.

There's a difference between preserving cultural ideals and barring those from another culture from participating. If any path takes that attitude, kindly ask them to give up their sumerian math skills, chinese carry out, every chinese made appliance in their home, or martial art skills born in Asia.

When you're called, you're called. It's truly that simple.

Evoking Odin into a Voodoo Ceremony near you,

--Kaos :smoke:

[Lykathea]

I can only speak from my own experience. I'm pure East Asian (documented to 221 BC), born and raised in Asia, and I am as Heathen as they get. Most people are called due to ancestry, but some of us occasionally are not. To each their own.

[Rasari]

Could you imagine Thor refusing to defend a Haitian based purely on race? Hardly.


Considering lore... Yes. I could EASILY imagine Thor doing something of the sort.

[Rasari]

Regarding ancestral ties...

Ancestry is not purely a blood based inheritance.

You can inherit through two very, very common methods:

Marriage
and
Adoption

When a wife marries into a family. She does exactly that. She takes the name, is added to their family history, inherits their ancestors and maybe even continues the family name with children of her own.

And when a child is adopted into the family. Same concept. They take the family name. Are added to the family tree, inherit their family heritage and ancestry.

And another less common form of adoption is depicted even in lore. An oath bound union of sorts. Loki was not an Aesir. But was amongst them continuously through his relation to Odin and you'll find many who regard him as more an Aesir than Jotun. Freya and Frey also were not Aesir. But you'll often find them listed and / or regarded as such by many who focus on the Aesir over the Vanir. Because essentially they were adopted into that tribe through political arrangement.

So even if one doesn't literally have the blood, they can certainly inherit the call.

But then, I can't really speak for Asatru specifically. But as mentioned, Asatru are not the only ones who honor the Tribes in question.

[Malcolm]

Considering lore... Yes. I could EASILY imagine Thor doing something of the sort.


:thumbsup:

[Adelphos]

The obvious link for someone with a British/Irish/Scottish ancestory is the Anglo/Saxons.

The not so obvious, or lesser known link may be the Picts. There is a legend that there was a group of Norse or Germanic men who came to Ireland to settle. The Irish sent them on to Scotland, and allowed them to take Irish Celtic women as brides. In exchange, they had to use the Female bloodlines to determine lineage. These settlers became the forbearers of the Picts.

For anyone who's history is a little rusty, the Picts were a pre-Scot group of tribes who inhabited Scotland, and gave the Romans a beggar of a time when they came to conquer. They were ferocious fighters, and generally considered quite barbaric.

There's little actually known about the Picts, but it is generally believed that they ceased to exist when a king of the Scots, who where originally from Ireland, married a Pictish Queen, and bore a son who became both King of the Scots, and of the Picts. The bloodline got switched to being passed down on the paternal side, blending the Kingship of both groups for good.

If the legend is true, then the Norse or Germanic group were likely some form of Heathen, and that would be passed down through Scottish blood.

Something that could give some slight credibility to the legend, although obviously not historically accurate or verified is this: The Romans described the Celts as being mainly blonde, and they mention a dark haired group of people living in the southern parts of England. Red hair was a major trait among the Vikings (Eric the Red, etc.) It's interesting to note that in Celtic lore, pixies (a play on Pict[sies]?) were red haired, red clothed and often feared. Could the red head gene be a significant genetic trait that has been passed down to modern Scottish descendants from a possible set of ancestors of Norse origin?

Something to think about.

[volrath50]

While many people, including myself, are drawn to Heathenry at least partially through ancestry, I do not feel that it is in any way a necessity to follow the Gods, only, perhaps, that it makes it easier to feel a connection.

The idea of someone having a "pure" Germanic lineage would be pretty unrealistic, anyway. While I'm less familiar with other Germanic countries, the English would be a mix of Celts, various Germanics, Vikings, Danes, probably a few Romans and several other groups, either those lost to history (such as pre-Indo-European people) or those who assimilate (such as Jews who converted to Christianity, or migrants from continental Europe).

[Woden's Spear]

Considering lore... Yes. I could EASILY imagine Thor doing something of the sort.


There is a story about the Norns - the BIG Norns, not the personal ones we all get, I'm talking about the ones that Woden and the other Aesir were personally afraid of, the ones that tend the Well of Wyrd, and script the fate of everything - appearing before a man of no Norse descent whatsoever, on the basis that his heart is pure, his soul is kind, and his intentions honest. Not because of his ancestry.

Food for thought? You might call it the rankest of heresy, though. :toofless:

Edit:

It is also just a story. Not something written down by Snorri Sturluson. I do not offer it as being in any way indicative of the REAL Asatru faith. And if somebody told me that in order to be Asatru, you MUST be over six feet, have blue eyes, blonde hair, and be a full-blooded Germanic member of the Aryan Master Race, with nary a drop of Colored blood in you, I would say, 'Fair enough'.

[MagnusIstari]

I personally know for a fact that the Gods call who they see fit. I went to troth moot a couple years ago and met an african american heathen. No offense meant here but the man was as black as an ace of spades and i believe was either a heimdallman or a tyrsman. So NO ancestry is not neccesary for you to be an asatruar.

[Woden's Spear]

I personally know for a fact that the Gods call who they see fit. I went to troth moot a couple years ago and met an african american heathen. No offense meant here but the man was as black as an ace of spades and i believe was either a heimdallman or a tyrsman. So NO ancestry is not neccesary for you to be an asatruar.


Vaguely reminds me of the recent furor over Idris Jones, a black man, being cast as Heimdallr in the soon-to-come THOR movie.

It's funny, because people portray Jesus the King of Jews in the popular media as a smiling, blond man who is obviously not Jewish at all, but rather Norwegian or Swedish in race. Everyone appears to ignore THAT mix-up, however. :hahugh:

If anybody asks me, I totally think Morgan Freeman(who played the part of God in Bruce/Evan Almighty) should have been in there somewhere. He's probably too calm and collected to portray Odin, perhaps he could have been Freyr or someone else...

[Micheál]

Humanity has always covered ground.

http://healthsciences.ku.dk/newslist/scandinavia/
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7113909.ece

One's "culture", has nothing to do with their genetics. Many peoples had the view of ancestral deities, for example a family surname of mine is of Dál Riata origin, which means I can trace to its Érainn Dáirine origin to Dáire, their great ancestral god, but that doesn't change the fact that all of our DNA can be traced back to Africa.

IMO the Gods transcend plasma and haemoglobin.

[occultish]

One's "culture", has nothing to do with their genetics.

YES! Thank you. :uhhuhuh:
I am Japanese, African American, Native American, Irish, I think Russian, and who knows what else. I was raised in the Shinto religion.
I am very interested in heathenism/asatru. Studied German in college and would get all sorts of rude comments like, "Why are you studying German?" ...why not? Am I required to study my "own" language?
I get idiotic comments asking "why don't you act more black?" What does a black person act like? Sorry, didn't realize all "black people" acted the same. And also, I am more Japanese than any other ethnicity but no one ever asks me why I don't act more Japanese. lol
Also, the black side of my family has never really embraced me and my grandmother espicially seems to flat out dislike me for some unkown reason, so I really do not feel any connection to that side (they're Baptists....totally not into that.)

So any bozo who thinks I'm not "allowed" to call myself Asatruar can go F--K themselves thoroughly.

[Æon Flux]

You can call yourself whatever you wish, but be ready to face those who grew up in the country where remnants of the religion is still strong in their culture having a small problem with it.

Why? Because they have encountered so many people who call themselves this or that, who have read a couple of books from a couple of American authors and they still get things wrong.

To some it would be like calling yourself an American without having any claim to it, culturally or family wise.

Now, if you read the sagas, you still only get part of the picture. I, personally, would not dream to call myself anything without visiting the country which said religion comes from, and visit a group there, had I been inclined to.

It is one thing to say you work with some Nordic Gods, it is another one to claim to be a part of Asatro.

One thing that has always irked me as a Swede is when you are talking about the Norse gods and people try to school you on them by spewing stuff about Woden when one is talking about Oden. Sure, they might seem similar for someone who isn't used to either one, and that is where misconceptions start. The family of gods is not the same, the names are not the same, the culture and context in which the stories are told are not the same.

You look at half of the resources on the internet and they mangle the two together as well.

Call yourself a Heathen, but for goodness sake, until you know what you're doing I wouldn't let anyone who knows about these things hear you call yourself Asatru. They can be very likely to rip your head right off.

It's not about genetics, it's about understanding the context, the culture the Gods and Goddesses and their powers. If you ARE going to be a theist, and one of a religion that has been painstakingly revived, do it properly, and not in normal neo-pagan fashion. You won't last very long among other Asatru.

[Woden's Spear]

You can call yourself whatever you wish, but be ready to face those who grew up in the country where remnants of the religion is still strong in their culture having a small problem with it.

Why? Because they have encountered so many people who call themselves this or that, who have read a couple of books from a couple of American authors and they still get things wrong.

To some it would be like calling yourself an American without having any claim to it, culturally or family wise.

Now, if you read the sagas, you still only get part of the picture. I, personally, would not dream to call myself anything without visiting the country which said religion comes from, and visit a group there, had I been inclined to.

It is one thing to say you work with some Nordic Gods, it is another one to claim to be a part of Asatro.

One thing that has always irked me as a Swede is when you are talking about the Norse gods and people try to school you on them by spewing stuff about Woden when one is talking about Oden. Sure, they might seem similar for someone who isn't used to either one, and that is where misconceptions start. The family of gods is not the same, the names are not the same, the culture and context in which the stories are told are not the same.

You look at half of the resources on the internet and they mangle the two together as well.

Call yourself a Heathen, but for goodness sake, until you know what you're doing I wouldn't let anyone who knows about these things hear you call yourself Asatru. They can be very likely to rip your head right off.

It's not about genetics, it's about understanding the context, the culture the Gods and Goddesses and their powers. If you ARE going to be a theist, and one of a religion that has been painstakingly revived, do it properly, and not in normal neo-pagan fashion. You won't last very long among other Asatru.

Hm! So much for the Kindreds and Hearths whose battle cry is 'I'm Asatru - no one* can tell ME what to do!'

___
*Except the Gods and Goddessses, naturally.

[Æon Flux]

Hm! So much for the Kindreds and Hearths whose battle cry is 'I'm Asatru - no one* can tell ME what to do!'

___
*Except the Gods and Goddessses, naturally.

Look, I am not asatro. But the whole point in taking on that name is that you are, in fact, asatro, no?
In modern times there are plenty of words for different branches, and while some people might think they are all the same, some do not.

So if you are just interested in it, but do not really know all that much about it, why even do that? And it pisses people off, because it takes away from the ones who do take it seriously. And if you are going to call yourself Asatro, then be my guest, but if you do not know a lick about the Futhark, how Oden Vile and Ve killed Ymer and created the world from his body, you might not want to call yourself Asatro until you have learned all these things. *shrugs* That's how I would go about it, anyway.

I have met people who claim that Järnsaxa reign over Hel instead of Hel reigning over Hel who have called themselves Asatro. Or people who have claimed Oden was a nice, misunderstood old man... and not all that lecherous.
It gets extremely annoying to have armchair experts who have read a couple of books and sites and think they're in the know about everything from Norse mythology to the culture of said countries.

[Woden's Spear]

Look, I am not asatro. But the whole point in taking on that name is that you are, in fact, asatro, no?
In modern times there are plenty of words for different branches, and while some people might think they are all the same, some do not.

So if you are just interested in it, but do not really know all that much about it, why even do that? And it pisses people off, because it takes away from the ones who do take it seriously. And if you are going to call yourself Asatro, then be my guest, but if you do not know a lick about the Futhark, how Oden Vile and Ve killed Ymer and created the world from his body, you might not want to call yourself Asatro until you have learned all these things. *shrugs* That's how I would go about it, anyway.

I have met people who claim that Järnsaxa reign over Hel instead of Hel reigning over Hel who have called themselves Asatro. Or people who have claimed Oden was a nice, misunderstood old man... and not all that lecherous.
It gets extremely annoying to have armchair experts who have read a couple of books and sites and think they're in the know about everything from Norse mythology to the culture of said countries.

Agreed. If you can't even recite the basic Creation myth of your faith, something is wrong with your dedication. Even schoolkids can tell you about Adam and Eve, to use Xtianity as a parallel.

The mind reels at your examples. I consider myself fully retarded around Heathenry, and even I know to consult the Eddas, which would clear up the examples of ignorance you've put to me instantly. I can also write in the Elder Futhark, but I warn you that my knowledge is sophomoric at best.

I also find it disturbing that foreigners would actually try to tell you about your native religion. Boggles the mind.

[Æon Flux]

Agreed. If you can't even recite the basic Creation myth of your faith, something is wrong with your dedication. Even schoolkids can tell you about Adam and Eve, to use Xtianity as a parallel.

The mind reels at your examples. I consider myself fully retarded around Heathenry, and even I know to consult the Eddas, which would clear up the examples of ignorance you've put to me instantly. I can also write in the Elder Futhark, but I warn you that my knowledge is sophomoric at best.

I also find it disturbing that foreigners would actually try to tell you about your native religion. Boggles the mind.

I am darned near retarded about it as well, but I grew up with the stories around me. They don't go away.

Yeah, it always makes me laugh when people who have read a couple of highly dubious sources come in and start tooting their expert horns.

I am reading both the Eddas right now, because I these discussions have all put me towards reading them.
So far my suspicions are confirmed. The stories they told us in primary school are basically taken out of the Eddas and simplified for children.

I knew more than I thought.

[~Runa~]

A question thats been bugging me about the Asatru path:

Do your ancestors have to have been Norse to be on the Asatru path?

No because my ancestors were primarily Saxons and Normans.


For example, my ancestry is British, Irish, Scottish, with a bit of Welsh thrown in. Would I be able to become Asatru even though my ancestry isn't Norse?

By "British" do you mean English? Why would you let this interfere with your spiritual path?

There is plenty of historic evidence to show that Norse settlers, and Vikings especially lived in Scotland, north England and Ireland. Yorkshire was a part of the Danelaw. So your heritage might happen to include some Norse ancestry.

[occultish]

It's funny that mere mortals find offense with so-called "outsiders" coming into
"their" religion. I guess you doubt that the gods would dare call someone that doesn't look like you or didn't grow up in the same region as you did. Who are you, or anyone, to say who the religion is for? If someone has a calling, they have a calling. End of story. Yet people insist in bringing in their political baggage to the mix.


I also find it disturbing that foreigners would actually try to tell you about your native religion. Boggles the mind.

What's disturbing is when people assume that "foreigners" could not possible learn/know more than you, the so-called native, about "your" native religion. How arrogant! I often find that people become very lazy about their native religions and assume that because they were told stories growing up, they know more and what they know is more authentic than what an "outsider" learned through the years. I was raised Shinto and I know their are, for example, white people who actually know more than I do about it. So why the hell should I look down my nose at them simply because they weren't raised in Japan like I was or don't look like me or whatever!

Don't get me wrong, there are those who read some books and go around as if they are experts but what you have to realize is some people spend a hell of a lot more time than native people studying and learning about "your" religion because it's new to them and they KNOW they will have to prove themselves worthy to those priveledged insiders that play bouncer at the gates.

This all seems so very segregationalist and prejudiced IMHO. Maybe some of the Folk are better in that at least they are up-front about how they feel and don't dance around it by saying "well, they might not like it if you joined them." Is it really how they would feel about it that you speak of or perhaps your own subconscious feelings?

And again,don't get me wrong, about the first post. I'm learning about asatru and am merely saying IF I feel like I've learned enough to where I feel this is truly the path I belong on, anyone who doesn't like it just because I wasn't raised in this religion or in Europe can F--K off. Because it's a personal thing. It's a path.

It reminds me of when people are so against gays marrying, as if it's a matter personal in their own life. If you're against it, don't do it. Why impose on the freedoms of other people when they are not hurting you.

It's all very sad/pathetic because I've heard so many stories of non-whites (black people mostly) who were interested in Asatru but were often discouraged by people in the religion (even those who claimed not to be prejudiced) that after a while of hanging on to the threads of what dignity they had left, they no longer seek it. I think that speaks volumes in itself. It all seems so very elitist. One is a very well known pagan (will not name her here)... she used to speak about Norse mythology and Asatru but she stopped because she was feeling like they did not accept her and probably discouraged her in whatever way they could to keep at it. People who are never treated like lesser being due to their skin color may not understand this. Some may even pretend to understand, but they don't. How could they!? When people treat you differently simply because your skin is a tad darker... is very disheartening. Trust me. I live it daily. I didn't think about this Pagan girl and this incident in her life until now, but she seems more eccelctic now. I just hope in the afterlife people like that have to answer for what they've done. And the impact they have on the happiness and full potential of others.

[Æon Flux]

I said I AM NOT ASATRO. I'm an atheist. And yes, a lot of native Norse people will be a little iffy about... say an american for example, calling themselves Asatro/Asatru... whatever, until you've shown what you're about. Which is why people really shouldn't call themselves it until they know what they're talking about.

And yes, people do have a head start having grown up with the stories. I'm sorry, but they do.
The stories we are taught in primary school, and the stories told to us in various settings are the real deal, at least as real as it get these days. They're the same stories as are in the Poetic Edda and the Prosaic Edda. You can read three hundred different books written by other people on the subject, or speculations about imagery of this and that. But in all honesty, it's not going to make you an expert.

THAT is my point. They have a head start, and they do have a real skepticism of non-natives calling themselves any of the sort, for example. Because they've met too many people who have called themselves experts and been so way off it's insane.

I can read a thousand books about Shinto. I would never dream of telling others I was Shinto until I have lived in Japan for a while, or at least visited for an extended period of time. Eat the food, walk the land. THAT, I believe, is important because it gives you a cultural context as well. But that's just me. Others would probably read one to two books, call themselves Shinto and get crazy when others suggest it's not as simple as that.

It's not about racism, it's not about excluding people, it's about people realizing that if you're going to be religious, and take on someone elses religion because it is cooler or more interesting, you have to do not only the reading and comprehending or the talking to, but the living it, tasting it and breathing it.

I couldn't care less, as I said, what anyone calls themselves. But if I have to respect that people believe in things I think is silly, I can't understand why other people can't have respect for each others traditions by not calling themselves things they haven't really reached yet. You understand what I am saying?

You can call yourself whatever, but not until you GET there.

ETA: That being said, a lot of Scandinavian people have had to coin a new term for themselves under "Forn Sed" instead of Asatro since it has been hijacked by people who mix Neo paganism with the old Scandinavian mythology and blends that with Anglo Saxon and German variants of it. So maybe they would not take issue with the term as much as they would not recognize it as proper reconstruction.

[Woden's Spear]

It's not about racism, it's not about excluding people, it's about people realizing that if you're going to be religious, and take on someone elses religion because it is cooler or more interesting, you have to do not only the reading and comprehending or the talking to, but the living it, tasting it and breathing it.

I couldn't care less, as I said, what anyone calls themselves. But if I have to respect that people believe in things I think is silly, I can't understand why other people can't have respect for each others traditions by not calling themselves things they haven't really reached yet. You understand what I am saying?

You can call yourself whatever, but not until you GET there.

ETA: That being said, a lot of Scandinavian people have had to coin a new term for themselves under "Forn Sed" instead of Asatro since it has been hijacked by people who mix Neo paganism with the old Scandinavian mythology and blends that with Anglo Saxon and German variants of it. So maybe they would not take issue with the term as much as they would not recognize it as proper reconstruction.

Excellent point.

But on the other hand, you have the white supremacists over here who call themselves Asatru. It is difficult to say that some Asatruar are not openly racist when you have certain individuals calling for the cleansing of non-whites in the name of Gods and Ancestors alike.

They preach at length about THE GODS OF THEIR PURE ANCESTORS. Very little talk is done about these gods and goddesses. Much, however, is made about their ancestors. You would be better off reading a good book about Norse Mythology rather than asking them anything of it. I usually find myself treated to long, bitter rants about multiculturalism, when I just wanted to read about the Gods and the Goddesses. :toofless:

This also implies heavily that the Gods and Goddesses were at the beck and call of their Ancestors. Ancestor worship plays a large part here.

It gets to the point where these people might as well just pour out blots to being White and have done.
The Gods mostly seem as afterthoughts.

They concern themselves primarily with preaching the virtues and 'rightness' of their ancestors - as if there was a 'right' and 'wrong' way to be sired, which raises some critical questions about their manner of thinking.

Now, I acknowledge the importance of Ancestor worship, but as I understand it, it's the Gods first, and your ancestors second. Not 'Ancestors before all'.

Then again, we've been having this argument - folkish vs. Universalistic asatruar - for eons and I highly doubt it will ever come to a full stop.

In my opinion, the entire furor about ancestry smacks ever so slightly of racism. Which is highly amusing, because there is nothing in the Asatruar canon that supports racism. I wonder that the purist, Folkish asatruar don't have seizures, when reminded of Odin's interracial affairs with Giants.

-------

On a lighter, funnier note, I like to personally imagine that JORD, Thor's mother, who was a personification of the Earth, and a Jotunn at that, had black skin. Y'know, to match the color of the Earth's soil.
I may have caused ten Folkish asatruar swear blood oaths to cut my still beating heart out by saying that, but there you go. One martyrs themselves for their beliefs.

Also, no one told me what color Jord is. I can't find a description of her skin in the canon. :hyper:



It's all very sad/pathetic because I've heard so many stories of non-whites (black people mostly) who were interested in Asatru but were often discouraged by people in the religion (even those who claimed not to be prejudiced) that after a while of hanging on to the threads of what dignity they had left, they no longer seek it. I think that speaks volumes in itself. It all seems so very elitist. One is a very well known pagan (will not name her here)... she used to speak about Norse mythology and Asatru but she stopped because she was feeling like they did not accept her and probably discouraged her in whatever way they could to keep at it.

You, sir, are making me want to create my own Asatruar Hof, SPECIFICALLY for black people. White people can come too because I'm cool like that. We'll call it the SONS OF TYR, because Tyr is the god of Freedom from bondage, which represents our collective breaking of the bonds of racism beautifully. He shall be our patron God.

Also, Tyr is my homeboy basically on account of the Tiwaz tattoos I have inked onto my skin.

I'm deadly serious. It's an idea I've long been considering. Your story isn't the first one I've heard. Many people have told me of how other Asatruar treated them badly, because of the color of their skin. Perhaps now is the time for us to take action.

-------

Edit:

"Dang it, you black people stole our bikes, then our cars, then our women, and now you're stealing our GODS!"

I apologize profusely for stealing your gods, but in reality, it's more like they stole me. Hell, I couldn't make them go away if I tried! :yayah:

[wyrd_dottir]

Ah the question of ancestry.

First off to understand WHERE these Gods were worshipped, the Teutonic peoples were across ancient Germania, as Rome fell and there were new threats from the east, they would spread out, among their descendants were the Vikings. Who occupied Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Iceland, etc.), as well as Anglo-Saxon areas of the British Isles. They reached as far east as Russia and Constantinople, they traversed the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean establishing

To understand this migration, this map (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/9/98/20110219192003%21Passing_of_the_Great_Race_-_Map_3.jpg) gives you an idea of the Teutonic areas, and what we see later with Viking settlements. To just see the settlements and influence by ONLY the Vikings, you can see that depicted here:

112014


This is a wide area, and since this is history going back 1000 years or more, many of us,m especially if you have European blood in you, most likely have some ancestry that links to this area.

Since our religion is ancestral, i.e. not only do we worship the Gods & Goddesses, but also our ancestors, there are some heathens who simply put don't understand why someone would worship this religion if their ancestry doesn't at least in part tie back to this culture. These persons are not necessarily racists, but it's as odd of a concept for them as someone who was as white as white could be suddenly declaring themself to be a Lakota Medicine Man. It doesn't compute to them.

Now for me, I think if you feel called by these Gods, then you are welcomed. Even if your ancestors don't tie back to this area, you can still worship them. I'm a typical American mutt: I have lots of European ancestry in me, but also Native American. I'm proud of all my ancestors, and honor them all.

We were all created by the Holy Powers, so we're all brethren to some extent. And these ancient cultures had no problem for the most part intermingling with other peoples and cultures, they traded with them, had children with them, and cases of adoption or fosterage were not uncommon. Recently they proved that Icelanders who can trace their family back to the nation for hundreds of years have Native American ancestry in them from North America.

While obviously we are the inheritance in our DNA of our biological ancestors, we also have people in our lives who may not be family by blood but who are family by choice: they adopted us, fostered us, mentored us, and those bonds have influence as well, not just those of blood.


112015
www.heathensagainsthate.org

[Æon Flux]

Excellent point.

But on the other hand, you have the white supremacists over here who call themselves Asatru. It is difficult to say that some Asatruar are not openly racist when you have certain individuals calling for the cleansing of non-whites in the name of Gods and Ancestors alike.

They preach at length about THE GODS OF THEIR PURE ANCESTORS. Very little talk is done about these gods and goddesses. Much, however, is made about their ancestors. You would be better off reading a good book about Norse Mythology rather than asking them anything of it. I usually find myself treated to long, bitter rants about multiculturalism, when I just wanted to read about the Gods and the Goddesses. :toofless:

This also implies heavily that the Gods and Goddesses were at the beck and call of their Ancestors. Ancestor worship plays a large part here.

It gets to the point where these people might as well just pour out blots to being White and have done.
The Gods mostly seem as afterthoughts.

They concern themselves primarily with preaching the virtues and 'rightness' of their ancestors - as if there was a 'right' and 'wrong' way to be sired, which raises some critical questions about their manner of thinking.

Now, I acknowledge the importance of Ancestor worship, but as I understand it, it's the Gods first, and your ancestors second. Not 'Ancestors before all'.

Then again, we've been having this argument - folkish vs. Universalistic asatruar - for eons and I highly doubt it will ever come to a full stop.

In my opinion, the entire furor about ancestry smacks ever so slightly of racism. Which is highly amusing, because there is nothing in the Asatruar canon that supports racism. I wonder that the purist, Folkish asatruar don't have seizures, when reminded of Odin's interracial affairs with Giants.



I couldn't care less about genetic ancestry. However I do doubt peoples supposed ability to deal with nature spirits, local customs and such from a place they have never set foot themselves, that it all. And if you disregard the nature spirit part of the religion, you're not as much asatro or forn sed (as in the actual reconstruction attempt of it) but more a Norse polytheistic heathen, right? Kind of like calling yourself a catholic and not recognizing saints.

But, that is just some peoples perception.

White supremacists are racist swine, no more.

[Woden's Spear]

I couldn't care less about genetic ancestry. However I do doubt peoples supposed ability to deal with nature spirits, local customs and such from a place they have never set foot themselves, that it all. And if you disregard the nature spirit part of the religion, you're not as much asatro or forn sed (as in the actual reconstruction attempt of it) but more a Norse polytheistic heathen, right? Kind of like calling yourself a catholic and not recognizing saints.

It's funny you should mention Xtianism, especially Catholicism.

A number of Asatruar websites and whatnot claim that their ancestral religion is much more open and welcoming than Christianity. They claim to be united in their faith, and free of the bickering that plagues Christians so. They also frequently speak of the great evils of Xtianity. I probably don't have to remind you about Olaf the Liar, who killed people for heeding the call of the Northern Gods.

Yet they fight like dogs if confronted with non-Nordic individuals joining hands with their Gods. They will also quibble horribly with each other over the smallest things, just like the separate branches of Christianity.

They also claim to be under assault from other religions, yet they make it all but ensured that it is nearly impossible to join hands with them unless you're practically 100% Nordic in breeding. One scratches one's head at this - surely if you want to shore up your bulwarks and swell your ranks, you would reach out to EVERYONE, yes?



But, that is just some peoples perception.

White supremacists are racist swine, no more.

Large, very dangerous swine. I'm sure you're aware of the dangers of boar hunting. Swine can be very bristly, and lethal if cornered.



Since our religion is ancestral, i.e. not only do we worship the Gods & Goddesses, but also our ancestors, there are some heathens who simply put don't understand why someone would worship this religion if their ancestry doesn't at least in part tie back to this culture. These persons are not necessarily racists, but it's as odd of a concept for them as someone who was as white as white could be suddenly declaring themself to be a Lakota Medicine Man. It doesn't compute to them.


Yet, this is not unheard of. No one blinks an eye at whites practicing Vodou, Santeria, Egyptian faiths, Native American faiths or what have you. Very few, if any at all, battle them down to their knees quite the way that Pagans will.

To the best of my knowledge, I have not seen people lining up to grill these people at length about whether they have a drop of Egyptian or African blood, or so on.

Using another's example, there are people with nary a drop of Japanese ancestry who practice Shintoism, which is...the indigenous, ancestral spirituality of the Japanese. Nor have they visited Japan personally.

One then wonders why Asatru/heathenry/Paganism or what you may call it, scrutinizes the racial background of others, and is curiously exempt from including outsiders by the purists, by various means such as not understanding the culture, or not having set foot in the original lands. It is a mystery, I suppose.

[MonSno_LeeDra]

..
Yet, this is not unheard of. No one blinks an eye at whites practicing Vodou, Santeria, Egyptian faiths, Native American faiths or what have you. Very few, if any at all, battle them down to their knees quite the way that Pagans will..

Actually many Native American's take great offense at the stealing of thier religion and the lifting of parts by pagan and neo-pagan groups. So much so that they struggle to claim what is theirs and try to keep it from being stolen. So that facet of your statement is incorrect.

[Woden's Spear]

Actually many Native American's take great offense at the stealing of thier religion and the lifting of parts by pagan and neo-pagan groups. So much so that they struggle to claim what is theirs and try to keep it from being stolen. So that facet of your statement is incorrect.

I must say that they obviously didn't do a very good job of it, from the amount of white 'Medicine Men' I have encountered.

Conversely, I can't remember the last time someone told me about a colored Asatruar. I have never seen one, just like I've never seen a Unicorn. I could look in the mirror, but that doesn't count.

I have also encountered a number of Black and Hispanic folk who claim to follow the Native American paths, with little or no resistance. I am not disavowing the Native American hardliners who defend their indigenous religions to the death - but I think you'll agree that it is nowhere near the level of overwhelming resistance that one might encounter from the Folkish Asatruar.

[MonSno_LeeDra]

I must say that they obviously didn't do a very good job of it, from the amount of white 'Medicine Men' I have encountered.

I have also encountered a number of Black and Hispanic folk who claim to follow the Native American paths, with little or no resistance. I am not disavowing the Native American hardliners who defend their indigenous religions to the death - but I think you'll agree that it is nowhere near the level of overwhelming resistance that one might encounter from the Folkish Asatruar.

The problem though is that most of the non-native shaman or medicine men you see are not found on the various message boards and learning boards that are dedicated to the Native American Culture. There are sites dedicated to quelling the stealing of thier practices and beliefs. Sites that actually go through and list the supposed lineage of those plastic shaman / medicine men and the names they have made up for themselves. Even sites that go through and notate which tribal member's have sold their heritage for a price, which many times is someone who may have so little blood as to not even be recognized nor claimed by the tribe they claim to be descended from.

Many pagans / heathens tend to stay on pagan / heathen boards only. As such you do not typically see the resistence and struggles that are done by many aboriginal peoples to protect their heritages and belief systems. Those that are trully Native American, regardless of North, Centeral or South America, tend to not associated on the pagan / heathen boards as they see it as plastic medicine men or thieves.

Some so determined to save the purity of their race and people that full bloods are starting to marry full bloods from nations that were once enemies vice marrying half-bloods or less. But that is an issue for another board I think.

[Woden's Spear]

The problem though is that most of the non-native shaman or medicine men you see are not found on the various message boards and learning boards that are dedicated to the Native American Culture. There are sites dedicated to quelling the stealing of thier practices and beliefs. Sites that actually go through and list the supposed lineage of those plastic shaman / medicine men and the names they have made up for themselves. Even sites that go through and notate which tribal member's have sold their heritage for a price, which many times is someone who may have so little blood as to not even be recognized nor claimed by the tribe they claim to be descended from.

Many pagans / heathens tend to stay on pagan / heathen boards only. As such you do not typically see the resistence and struggles that are done by many aboriginal peoples to protect their heritages and belief systems. Those that are trully Native American, regardless of North, Centeral or South America, tend to not associated on the pagan / heathen boards as they see it as plastic medicine men or thieves.

Some so determined to save the purity of their race and people that full bloods are starting to marry full bloods from nations that were once enemies vice marrying half-bloods or less. But that is an issue for another board I think.


It really says something, when you consider that the Native Americans have failed so much at shutting out non-natives that they actually have to dedicate sites to finding the many frauds.

Yet, the Asatruar have the doors so firmly shut that, aside from the dunderheads of the sort that AE described, they have no need to resort to those kinds of half measures.

Mind you, I'm not decrying those who wish to ensure the purity of their race and creed. Everyone has a right to do so. The more radical Muslims view non-Muslims to be their sworn enemies. Most Jews only marry other Jews. Life goes on.

[Æon Flux]

There are different names for different things for reasons. There are reasons some societies of recon asatro has had to change their names from what they used to be called to something else.

I'd say a lot of them would say that the difference here would be the same as between the Greek polytheists pagans and the Hellenic recons. It's not about the fact that you worship the gods, it's the way in which you DO it that differs. But I suppose people don't really care about that. Although I have seen even more resistance from Hellenic Recons when people claim to be Hellenic recons without being Hellenic recons then I have from the Asatro that get irked by it.

-----------edited because i was being snarky.

[MonSno_LeeDra]

It really says something, when you consider that the Native Americans have failed so much at shutting out non-natives that they actually have to dedicate sites to finding the many frauds.

Yet, the Asatruar have the doors so firmly shut that, aside from the dunderheads of the sort that AE described, they have no need to resort to those kinds of half measures.

Mind you, I'm not decrying those who wish to ensure the purity of their race and creed. Everyone has a right to do so. The more radical Muslims view non-Muslims to be their sworn enemies. Most Jews only marry other Jews. Life goes on.

Yeah but the Nordic peoples do not have the noble savage and other impressions of them. That and they are not the only game in town as far as Europe goes. The Native American's are also more recent in the social mind of the people and are the only ancient tradition to be found in the America's. In that regard they sort of stand alone except for maybe the Austrilian aboriginals who are also struggling to keep thier beliefs and practics intact.

But I think the other facet is everyone only looks to the surface of the Native American practices so do not see that thier practices are the social order of the culture and one does not trully stand seperate from the other. Yet that is what is mostly done by the pagan movements that have lifted thier practices. The other thing is when one speaks of Native Practices it is mostly those of the Lakota and Cherokee that are lifted and stolen. Very few of the other nations have suffered that fate or had their culture raped in the same manner.

Yet you could possibly equate it to the sense that the nordic people have been lifted but not so much the teutonic influences. Then one has to inter the Anglo-Saxon influences and perhaps even some of the Northern European Celtic tribes and thier influences. So the bubble of influence is much larger though the dispersion is across more venues that hold elements of the nordics faiths. Most only see Asatru but forget the Odinist, Vanatru and other groups that also lay a claim to the nordic gods / goddesses.

[Æon Flux]

Most only see Asatru but forget the Odinist, Vanatru and other groups that also lay a claim to the nordic gods / goddesses.

That + 1000000000. If you only worship Njord, Freja and Frej, for instance and don't care much about the other gods/goddesses you are Vanatro/Vanatru.

[MonSno_LeeDra]

That + 1000000000. If you only worship Njord, Freja and Frej, for instance and don't care much about the other gods/goddesses you are Vanatro/Vanatru.

Pretty much what I saw. Though I must admit I also encountered a group once that called themselves the Aseir or some variant of that.

[Æon Flux]

Hmm, that's odd. Oh well, I'm not that deeply into all of the other ones.
I just know about a couple of the Swedish recon organizations.

[MonSno_LeeDra]

Hmm, that's odd. Oh well, I'm not that deeply into all of the other ones.
I just know about a couple of the Swedish recon organizations.

Same here. I know surface stuff and some general usage but not really knowledgable about the whole shebang.

[Lokabrenna]

This is something I grappled with in the past, Philosophia, so don't feel that you're alone when you feel bothered by the assertions that others make regarding ancestry and your religious practice.

By birth, I am Romanian. I was adopted into a family of Irish (on my mother's side) and Scottish/First Nations descent. My "ancestral religion" (or the closest I can come to it) would be the Gaetae-Dacian tradition (Thracian Paganism, basically). However, since I am closer to my adoptive family (and have no desire to seek out my biological relations at all) perhaps Irish/Scottish deities would be a better fit.

Long story short, I don't feel any connection to either pantheon. The Irish/Scottish deities I read about in books were unfamiliar to me, and I found myself becoming irritated by all the attention they were getting from Wiccans and feminist Goddess worshipers alike. As much as I wanted to jump on the "Celtophile" bandwagon, I couldn't.

The Northern gods (Freyr and Freya in particular) felt like family. They were approachable, not distant (which is how I view these other pantheons which I had attempted to contact). That's basically all there is to it.

I feel that if you feel they're calling to you (or anyone else, for that matter) then you shouldn't let anyone tell you otherwise. I personally don't think that the gods care much about whose blood flows through your veins. After all, we are all descended from a single woman in Africa, does that mean everyone should honour the orishas/Egyptian deities/[insert African pantheon of choice here]? Of course not! What is important is that you honour them.

[Woden's Spear]

I feel that if you feel they're calling to you (or anyone else, for that matter) then you shouldn't let anyone tell you otherwise. I personally don't think that the gods care much about whose blood flows through your veins. After all, we are all descended from a single woman in Africa, does that mean everyone should honour the orishas/Egyptian deities/[insert African pantheon of choice here]? Of course not! What is important is that you honour them.


Funny you should mention this, because, in my studies, I've noticed parallels between certain African religions and Norse Mythology. I'm not saying they're one and the same, but there are some definite overtones that both share. Food for thought, perhaps?

Of course, one might say that this is simply because there are certain undercurrents that all faiths share, and that this does not necessarily imply any kind of correlation between the two.

EDIT: Also, it is hotly debated whether or not we did ever really emerge from Africa. Which runs counter to years of scientific study, and, frankly, seems kind of nonsensical, but I'm no anthropologist.

[Lymphaticus]

I am a British-Irish myself, with a pinch of Indian and Italian. From what history studies I've done, most likely both you and me have Scandinavian ancestors, considering Norway colonized in Ireland and Britain, and Denmark in Ireland and France.

But, I only think this is a rule of Odinist, I have never heard of such rules in Asatru.