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.

[seapearls]

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?

[seapearls]

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.

[seapearls]

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...

[seapearls]

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: