Prelude:
This short paper was dug up from the depths of my hard drive. Written for a university class I was involved in several years ago, it does somewhat relate to the subject matter of this blog. While it's far from perfect, and I tend to be the greatest critic of my own writing, I would like to share it with anyone interested. Originally, I wanted to tie something that I loved (namely metal) into university subject matter. While this paper was academically researched, I feel that I know so much more now, and could go into much greater depth regarding metal's ties to Norse Paganism. One could likely write an entire book on the subject, and I feel that I only very briefly touched upon it. Anyways, enjoy!
Asatrú: The Revival of Norse Paganism and Its Contemporary Expression
I will prove that Norse Paganism, and it’s contemporary expression of Asatrú is not about racism, but rather about pride for one’s heritage and pride for the nobility offered by the old customs. I will do this by examining the different expressions of Norse Pagan-based movements such as Asatrú, Odinism and Heathenism through their depictions and manifestations in both North American and Scandinavian society. A distinction will be made between those religious practitioners who base their values on pride for heritage and those who interpret Norse Pagan ideals for racist agendas. Societal pressures will be briefly examined as well as contemporary interpretations in the form of the heavy metal music culture in Scandinavia.
Asatrú can be loosely defined as a reverence for the Norse gods and the reinterpretation of old Norse traditions and ideals to suit a contemporary time frame. The majority of modern Asatrúers do not take the mythological Norse gods and their actions as being literally true, rather they tend to believe that traits of the gods and goddesses manifest in Midgård (the realm of humans) through practitioners (Gardell 268). A commonly followed moral code, usually referred to as “The Nine Noble Virtues” is gleaned from old sources, such as Hávamál from the Poetic Eddas and also from various Icelandic sagas, amongst others. The virtues include courage, truth, honour, fidelity, discipline, hospitality, self reliance, industriousness and perseverance (Asatru.ca). Although the Norse Pagan worldview is strongly influenced by various old texts, there is much freedom to reinterpret the ideas and adjust them to suit contemporary needs; there is no absolute dogma to follow (Strmiska 141-142). The term Heathenism is generally regarded to be interchangeable with the term Asatrú (Strmiska 128).
In Iceland, Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson is credited with forming Asatruarfelagid, which translates to “the fellowship of those who trust in the ancient gods” and has been abbreviated for wider usage to Asatrú (Strmiska 128). The name Asatruarfelagid itself shows no inclination towards racism, merely implying that there is wisdom to be found in following the ancient gods. A striking verse from Hávamál suggests that living in an honorable and dignified manner is of utmost importance to Asatrúers who follow its wisdom:
Cattle die, kinsmen die
I know one thing which never dies:
The reputation of each dead man.
(v.77 of Hávamál, Strmiska 144)
It is important to note that a misinterpretation of Norse paganism exists in radical groups with a racially based agenda. Odinism is a term generally associated with a movement of beliefs drawing on Norse Paganism connected to radical right-wing politics and racism (Asprem 44). The Odinist Fellowship appeared in the United States in the late 1960s, and supported a racial Paganism view. This radical take on Norse Paganism believes that Asatrú and Odinism should be an exclusively Aryan realm. (Asprem 46-47). In the United States, this view has found several followers over the years and is still present in Odinist radical groups. In Norway, musician Varg Vikernes represents the underlying framework for which many are drawn to Odinism when he connects his Norse Pagan beliefs with a National Socialist belief (Asprem 59). “Racist Asatrú organizations and activists dismiss the antiracist (Asatrú) position as the distorted product of politically correct, pagan, universalist, New Age confusion” (Gardell 165). Radical groups tend to interpret the Norse gods and goddesses as racial archetypes, congruent with an Aryan race regarded as supreme (Gardell 268). Egil Asprem is careful to point out that the revivalist, and sometimes racist form of Asatrú that exists most famously in the United States does not provide the complete picture of Asatrú (Asprem 42). Kveldulfr Gundarsson, leader of the Ring of Troth, states that Odin was a ‘half-breed’, being the son of the god Borr and the giantess Bestla (Asprem 64). This very fact suggests that groups with racist beliefs have misinterpreted the old texts from which Asatrú draws.
Many adherents of Asatrú denounce Nordic Pagans with National Socialist and racist beliefs and prefer not to be associated with such fringe groups. They emphasize a devotion to cultural heritage and insist that pride in ethnic heritage is not be mislabeled as racism (Strmiska 128). Strmiska defines folk Nordic Pagan associations as restricting membership to people of Northern European ancestry. He defines universalist Nordic Pagan associations as those that allow anyone with a sincere interest in Asatrú to join. Although some may misinterpret the ‘folkish’ position as racist, adherents elucidate that it is the promotion of cultural and spiritual heritage that is important. This does not reflect assertions of superiority over people with other ethnic backgrounds nor is it justification for hate (Strmiska 135-136).
Norway provides an example for which societal circumstances have negatively influenced the popular view of Asatrú. While looking for a sensationalist story, the Norwegian media unjustly connected Asatrú with Satanism. In the early 1990s the media succeeded in creating a moral panic by suggesting that dark undercurrents were threatening the established Norwegian society. Mainstream Norwegian Asatrú communities such as Bifrost immediately began to elucidate that they held an anti-racist position, stating that in order to become a member, one must “not have racist or Nazi attitudes or sympathies” (Asprem 64). The connection of Asatrú to the occult by the media led to false accusations and the connection to Satanism, exacerbating the moral panic already present (Asprem 50). Fortunately, these issues have largely been resolved in Norway and Asatrú organizations and practitioners are now generally viewed as expressing pride for their heritage without harbouring malicious intentions.
Ethnic, or folk, Asatrúers believe that peoples of other cultures will best be able to find spiritual guidance in the gods and practices of their own culture. Because people of other ethnic backgrounds were created by their own gods, these gods will best be able to guide them. They believe in “organic religion as something sprung from the heart of the folk soul of a particular people” (Gardell 269). They see Asatrú as being best for them because they are of Nordic heritage. Northern bloodlines provide an essential connection to the past from which Asatrú draws (Gardell 273). This does not mean that they view themselves as superior. Instead they suggest that following a pantheon of gods native to one’s heritage will provide the most satisfactory experience. There is a constant effort to make a distinction between racism and pride for one’s ethnicity. Many adherents of Asatrú hold that it is ultimately universal and can become open to anyone, especially if their own ethnic tradition does not provide satisfaction (Asprem 47).
An interesting expression of Norse Paganism comes from heavy metal music culture in Scandinavia. The majority of musicians in these “pagan” metal bands are keenly interested in the histories and mythologies of their own countries in comparison to many Nordic Pagans who are also enthusiastically devoted to cultural heritage (Strmiska,128). Pride for old customs is evident in the lyrics of a Bathory
song:
Children of all slaves / United, be proud / Rise out of darkness and pain
A chariot of thunder and gold will come loud / And a warrior with thunder and rain
With hair as white as snow / Hammer of steel / To set you free of your chains
And lead you all / Where horses run free / And the souls of your ancient ones reign
(Blood Fire Death by Bathory)
These lyrics suggest that a reawakening of the old gods will bring about a new era in which freedom from the oppression of Christianity will be possible. This is congruent with Asatrú beliefs that the ways of the ancient gods provide moral framework from within one should conduct his or her life. Quorthon, the musician behind Bathory has said, when talking about his homeland of Sweden, that “we have a history of 2,000 years of being Asa-faithful, and just 970 years of Christianity... there are certain values, from those times, worth fighting for” (in Moynihan and Søderlind 20).
Pagan metal is often regarded as an effort to preserve elements of Nordic Pagan culture, history and past (Averill). Jarkko Aaltonen believes that people are generally interested in reconnecting with their cultural past. As a musician, he also says (of his band) that “in some way we are preserving the original cultural heritage” (Aaltonen). The views of many of the musicians involved in the ‘pagan’ metal subculture demonstrate ideals consistent with the Asatrú belief that Norse traditions, myths and gods are able to provide values essential to living in the modern world in an honorable manner (Strmiska 143). The ideals are illustrated through incorporation of some traditional folk instruments and through lyrics that are often based in mythology as a way to connect to the Norse Pagan past.
After a consideration of the ideals upheld by adherents of Asatrú, as supported by organizations such as Bifrost, the Ring of Troth and Asatruarfelagid, and evidence from the old texts upon which Asatrú is based, the conclusion can be drawn that Asatrú is not a racist religious practice. Asatrú teaches the betterment of oneself through living honourably, rather than directing hatred towards others. Asatrú values, as stated through The Nine Noble Virtues and represented in they lyrics of ‘pagan’ metal bands are reaching an audience that is markedly wider than that of adherents of Asatrú itself. This suggests that the true values of Asatrú have a promising future.
Footnotes (which did not copy in the correct format from the original document):
1 Hávamál can be translated as “The Sayings of the High One”, where High One refers to Odin (Strmiska 144).
2 Varg Vikernes is generally regarded as a radical, and was imprisoned in 1994 for a murder unrelated to Asatrú. He launched the racist Norsk Hedensk Front (Norwegian Heathen Front), from behind prison walls (Asprem 59).
3 The Ring of Troth is an Asatrú organization in the United States that denounces racist or Nazi beliefs (Asprem 64).
4 Bathory is a band from Sweden generally receiving credit for helping to start the ‘pagan’ metal movement with their 1988 album, Blood Fire Death.
5 Alan Averill is the vocalist of Irish band, Primordial. He made this particular comment in an interview discussing what ‘pagan’ metal is, and what its intentions are. This was his interpretation of what ‘pagan’ metal is based upon touring with various Scandinavian bands with strong pagan beliefs.
6 Jarkko Aaltonen is the bassist of Finnish band, Korpiklaani.
Sources
Secondary Source Material:
Asprem, Egil. “Heathens Up North: Politics, Polemics, and Contemporary Norse Paganism in Norway.” The Pomegranate 10.1 (2008): 41-69. EBSCO Host. Web. 24 May 2010.
Gardell, Mattias. Gods of the Blood: The Pagan Revival and White Separatism. Durham: Duke University Press, 2003. University of Alberta Electronic Access.
Strmiska, Michael, editor. Modern Paganism in World Cultures: Comparative Perspectives. Santa Barbara, ABC-CLIO, 2005. University of Alberta Electronic Access.
Primary Source Material:
Moynihan, Michael and Søderlind, Didrik. Lords of Chaos: The Bloody Rise of the Satanic Metal Underground. Los Angeles: Feral House, 1998, 2003. Print. (Interview with Quorthon)
Interview with Jarkko Aaltonen of Korpiklaani. Pagan Metal: A Documentary. Bill-Ze Bub Productions/MVD Visual, 2009. DVD.
Interview with Alan Averill of Primordial. Pagan Metal: A Documentary. Bill-Ze Bub Productions/MVD Visual, 2009. DVD.
Asatru.ca: The Canadian Asatru Portal. Asatru.ca: The Canadian Asatru Portal. 2010. Web. 21 May 2010.
Bathory. Blood Fire Death. Kraze Records. 1988.
