Olvir of Egg was a Gothi of our ancestral ways during the reign of Olaf Tryggvason – a man wholly committed to the Ancestral ways of his people. Olvir was called before the king to explain why the ancient rites were still being held in his home district despite an edict to the contrary.   He did his best to explain everything away as just a gathering of the people for camaraderie and and social drinking. Olaf let him return back to his district, but was still very suspicious of the happenings in Olvir’s village.

Soon a man from Trondheim, Olvir’s home area, informed the king that Olvir and others were planning a spring celebration in honour of the Gods. Olaf gathered 360 men and five longships and set sail for Trondheim, arriving in total secrecy under the cover of darkness. Olaf and his men surprised everyone, Olvir was killed outright and all his lands seized by the king; others in the village were tortured, mutilated, driven from their homes and left to die by this “holy” king. Sadly that wasn’t the end of this sad tale, Olvir’s wife, now a widow, was married off to one of the king’s retainers and Olvir’s young children raised by a new father.

Olvir’s tale is not one of joy to be sure, but it is a tale with a valuable lesson for us today. Olvir tried his best to protect his folk, ultimately it wasn’t enough and he lost his life and all he loved. Today we to face our own trials, and while no one is hunting us down and slaughtering us for our beliefs(yet!) we still feel the need to protect our families from an ever encroaching immorality alien to our ancient ways.

So what do we do? What can we do?

Stand tall as individuals, raise our children in the elder ways, join together with others like us, build communities of tru folk across all of Midgard, and most important of all…… hoist the beautiful trihorn flag of the Asatru Folk Assembly, fly it proudly so that it serves as a beacon for others of our kind seeking a home in this crazy time.

Olvir, and others like him, kept our ways alive long enough for them to be recorded so that generations later brave men and women could find it. Find it, fan the embers left for them into a blazing fire, and attract men and women like us to the fire that was Asatru. We are the recipients of something amazing, we are the recipients of our own tradition…..our own ancestral religion. Never forget the gift given us by the martyrs of our way.

Hail Olvir!!!

Blanie Qualls
GothaR Coordinator,
Asatru Folk Assembly

By Steven A. McNallen
From The Runestone: Summer 1997 #19

As many of our readers know, the Asatru Folk Assembly has strong links with the Asatru Alliance. Both the AA and the AFA, along with the Odinic Rite, are founding members of the new International Asatru/Odinic Alliance, and we share both a common history and an overlapping membership. The AFA’s Calasa Kindred, for example, is a members of the alliance.

When Calasa offered to host a pre-Althing gathering for the Alliance, it was our way of showing support. Additionally, it was an opportunity to get together with some of the leading lights of Asatru in Vinland and to talk about the challenges we face, as well as lift up a horn and catch up on gossip. We accomplished all all this and more, from June 13-15.

Perhaps the remark most heard over the weekend was that the gathering had a pervading sense of harmony, of Folkish family, to it. Indeed, not a harsh word or negative comment was heard to break the common purpose and cooperation.

Delegates and guests were greeted with a banner-lined road leading into the twenty-four acre site, and the spacious meadows and wooded patches provided plenty of room for camping. A thunder-storm on the night of the 12th kept the fire danger down, lowered the temperatures into an unreasonably mild range, and refreshed the wild flowers.

Counting children and babies, a total of at least forty-five people attended the event.

Friday was given over to setup and socializing, punctuated by a simple ritual of greeting and dinner. At each meal, the food was blessed by a different gothi, with the idea of spreading duties and participation among all the kindreds. we topped off the day with informal discussions around the campfire.

Saturday was our work day. Valgard Murray opened the Thing with a Tyr-blot and a blessing of weapons. I gave the Thing invocation, and we got down to business. The major item on the agenda was the preamble and by-laws of the International Asatru/Odinic Alliance. Delegates argued the wording back and forth, and finally breezed through the last few points. The resulting version will be forwarded to the Odinic Rite for their recommendations.

Throughout the gathering we made special effort to provide food in keeping with our ethnic heritage. Cornish pasties, smoked salmon, red cabbage and Danish dishes tempted palates and filled plates.

Three kindreds petitioning for admission at the next Alliance Althing introduced themselves and answered questions regarding their accomplishments. All three kindreds have strong ties with the AFA, so once again the links between the two organizations were emphasized. That evening, a sumble witnessed the usual range of toasts, as well as an amazing poem based on the LAXDAELA SAGA, and a rendition of one of Josef’s songs praising Odin. Later, Michael and Annabelle played a number of traditional Celtic tunes on bodhran and fiddle. Robert Taylor danced by firelight, when he wasn’t entertaining us with stories or making insightful analyses of the state of the movement.

On Sunday, I was gothi as we offered blot to Odin. It was, after all, Father’s Day, so why not honor the All Father? At one point in the rite, participants named a male ancestor in whose memory they gave blot. More music and singing of some of Odin’s names by the Folk gave the rite an added dimension. Immediately afterword, Barbara and Joe were married with the wedding ritual used years ago by the old Asatru Free Assembly. Breakfast – featuring the traditional Spam and a delicious array of traditional foods – celebrated Father’s Day, Odin’s gifts, and the wedding simultaneously.

By late afternoon all the delegates and guests had departed, but the memories, and accomplishments, remain strong!

by Stephen A. McNallen
from The Runestone Summer 1997 #19

Else Christensen will be a free woman in early October, ending an injustice that has dragged on for several years. The challenge now is to head off another wrong, by preventing her deportation to Canada upon her release!

Else was one of the founders of Odinism/Asatru in North America. Beginning in the early 1970’s, she published THE ODINIST and was leader of the Odinist Fellowship, first from Canada and later from Florida.

When she was railroaded into prison on dubious testimony some years back, we all knew this was an injustice. When the Feds announced they might try to deport her upon the completion of her sentence, the AFA could no longer sit idly by. we retained an attorney, Mr. Jimmy Browning of Breckenridge, Texas, to defend her and we continue to monitor her situation.

So, what’s happening lately? Here is the latest, in her own words:

“THANKS… FOR YOUR SUPPORT IN THE LAST YEAR – OR SHOULD I SAY PASSING YEAR – I APPRECIATE WHAT YOU’RE DOING FOR ME.

THIS LEADS ME TO THINKING OF JIMMY BROWNING. I’VE JUST WRITTEN HIM ASKING TO REQUEST A HEARING BEFORE THE IMMIGRATION JUDGE. I MAY GET ONE BEFORE RELEASE WHICH WOULD BE MUCH TO PREFER. OTHERWISE, ON MY RELEASE DATE (OCT. ’97) I WOULD BE PICKED UP BY THE MARSHALS AND THEN TAKEN TO A HOLDING PLACE UNTIL THE HEARING CAN BE HELD. I HOPE I HAVE ENOUGH POINTS IN MY FAVOR TO STAY IN FLORIDA BUT WE’LL SEE HOW IT COMES OUT; THERE MAY BE A MIDDLE GROUND OR WAYS TO GET AROUND THE PROBLEM…”

The AFA will be conferring with Mr. Browning to see what more we can do to help Else in this situation.

In the meantime, Else hasn’t been sitting idle. With the help of friend Rick, she’s planning a web page which will be her public voice upon release, and she’s continually in the middle of a good book. She works with other alternative religious groups and has taken part in assorted projects behind the walls. The movement stands ready to benefit from Else’s energy and wisdom once she among us again!

Please join me in welcoming Massimo Nobili of Italy as the AFA’s newest Apprentice Folkbuilder. Massimo will be working with Anders Nilsson to build our AFA family throughout Europe.

I had the pleasure of meeting Massimo last year at Ultima Thule in Sweden. Massimo impressed us all with his sincerity and his dedication. Massimo leads the AFA’s Asa-Odhinn Kindered and has set up the first ever AFA event in Italy scheduled for this August.

We are all very excited for the great things Massimo is doing and will do to for our Gods and our Folk in our homelands.

Hail the Gods!
Hail Massimo Nobili!
Hail the AFA!

Matthew D. Flavel
Alsherjargothi,
Asatru Folk Assembly

The Northwest is one of the fastest growing regions for the AFA. Charming of the Plow was a huge success and the momentum has been fantastic. That said, Johnny Larson has stepped up to help Joe Rozanek Folkbuild in this dynamic region.

The Asatru Folk Assembly is proud to announce that Johnny Larson of Oregon is our newest Apprentice Folkbuilder. We are all very excited to see the continued growth and success of our Northwest AFA Family.

Hail the Gods!
Hail Johnny Larson!
Hail the AFA!

Matthew D. Flavel
Alsherjargothi,
Asatru Folk Assembly

By Stephen A. McNallen
from The Runestone Spring 1997 #18

How much can be done for Asatru in five days of speaking engagements and classes? We found out, recently, during a fast-moving tour through Washington and Oregon. From the moment Brian met me at the airport until I walked up the steps of the plane bringing me home, it was a powerful experience full of import for the future of our movement.

The action began in the Seattle area with a lecture arranged by the Euro-American Student Union. At Pierce College, an audience of about fifty people listened attentively as I spoke for about an hour and a half. I gave them an outline of Asatru, And explained the vital role of northern European beliefs in the modern world. The question-and-answer session was lively and receptive, and students of African and Asian descent could be seen nodding their heads in agreement with remarks on the need to preserve ALL native religions and cultures for a world of true diversity.

The next night, after a three hour drive with Matt and Karen, I hit the Portland area. The lecture hall at Reed College was filled beyond capacity, with people sitting in the aisles. Again I spoke for an hour and a half, an fielded questions for an additional hour. A small group of demonstrators protested my appearance, alleging that I was – of course – “racist”. Members of our party tried to arrange a meeting so I could address their concerns, to no avail: in the words of one of them, they “knew all they needed to know about McNallen” and didn’t to actually hear me talk, or anything like that!

Later, we found out that the demonstration had been arranged by a local professor working with the “Coalition for Human Dignity”, a so-called anti-racist organization which compiles alarmist documentation about the imminent fascist threat to American liberties. They have to have someone on their list of devils in order to justify their existence and (more to the point) to collect money, and apparently it was our turn to be the “neo-Nazis”. However, CHUD’s accusations only sounded absurd to anyone who listened to my very calm, non-racist exposition of Asatru.

The next morning was a Saturday. Out of bed, fed a filling breakfast by Michael and Annabel, topped off with a lot of coffee – and down to a Portland bookstore for a four-hour class on runes. A dozen people attended and asked questions as we talked about the futhark, ways to use runes in daily life, and the basics of blots. The Chinese lunch seemed a little far-removed from the Teutonic world, so I felt obliged to start a conversation on the blond Tarim Basin mummies unearthed in Xinjiang.

We relaxed that afternoon and evening, then the next day saw us pulling up in front of a tidy, older house a block from a collection of yuppie shops somewhere in Portland – the headquarters of the local Theosophical Society. For this audience, I shortened my talk to an hour or less. and adapted the content to accommodate the specific interests of Madam Blavatsky’s friends. I found them intelligent, concerned, and possessed of a remarkable understanding of our message.

Thus ended a busy five days. I’ve left a lot out – the walk up the winding trails in the park with Michael and Annabel, Brian’s warm hospitality, and an evening drinking Guinness (Yes!!) in an Irish bar, with an impromptu Celtic jam session going on fifteen feet away. None of those things could have happened without a lot of work by a lot of people, and I am very grateful to them all for their kindness and exertions. The result was a series of victories for Asatru – the forerunners of many more to come!

Would I do it again? You bet! Maybe you can set up something in YOUR area?

It is my honor to welcome home the Ascafolc Kindred of Oregon as a official Kindred of the Asatru Folk Assembly. Ascafolc is Old English for The River Axe people. The Northwest region is growing and this is just another example of people coming together and putting in the hard work. The foundation has been laid down and now the sky is the limit. Gaining Kindred recognition is not a easy thing, it takes dedication and loyalty and willingness to stand with our church and family. Ascafolc thank you for stepping up and taking on the responsibility and helping to bring our folk home
Hail the Ascafolc!
Hail the Kindreds of the AFA!
Hail the Asatru Folk Assembly!!!

Jason Gallagher
Kindred Coordinator ,
Asatru Folk Assembly

by Gothi Thorgrun Odden
From The Runestone Fall/Winter 1996 #16/17

Kirby Wise, of Helga Ve Kindred, had called a “gathering of the gothar” at which Asatru priests and priestesses would meet at Odin’s Hof, in Arizona – the first such event in a thousand years.

Men and women came from all over the United States, and one visitor came much farther: The Alsherjargothi of Iceland, Jormundr Ingi Hansen, made the journey to America for this historic meeting which included blots, sumbels, feasting, rune casting, dowsing, Kirlian photography… and 100 degree temperatures!

This gathering was prompted in part by concern for the future, and a desire to see what lies before the people of Asatru in the years to come. Hence, divination by runes was an important part of the agenda. Nine gothar (“priests”) and gythjur (“priestesses”) tossed the staves, and the results held the attention of all who were there.

We are in for great changes, and indeed we are now in the beginning of those changes.

The question of a homeland – a gathering place, a place to rest the dead, an Asatru community – was asked of the runes. Past influences were adjudged favorable, and that-which-should-be, the “future,” indicated the support of the Gods for this idea. Some rune-workers stated that, with struggle and hard work, this may be an auspicious time for the birth of an Asatru community.

Three runes predominated. NAUTHIZ told us to kindle the spark, to make heat and expand energy. This is the work! We have counseled long enough, and now it is time to act! URUZ shows our strength, raw energy, good health, and vital wholeness; it expresses the overall state of our spirit, nurtured by our ancient religion. ELHAZ gave protection and guardianship. In order to have a successful Asatru community or homeland, we have to be willing to work hard, be steadfast to our ways, and guard the community which emerges.

THese readings must enter the sphere of individual experience, of course. Carrying with me the joy and enthusiasm of this weekend, I have my own personal assessment of our prospects:

By praising the land spirits, honoring the elves, and acknowledging the great forces of Nature, we can begin!

By honoring our ancestors, respecting our elders (who have done the work before us), uniting our kindreds, and raising our children with a knowledge of our great Northern Gods and Goddesses, we can begin!

With our hands, tools, the skill of our kinsmen, and the spirit of persevering pioneers, let us begin!

Kirby’s longing for a spiritual gathering was a brilliant vision which bore great fruit for all of us, and for Asatru in general. I was honored to be present!

By Stephen A. McNallen
From The Runestone Fall/Winter 1996 #16/17

For the most part, Asatru in the early years of the Reawakening has been something practiced in private homes, parks, and rented rooms. Occasionally, an actual hof, or temple, has been erected, but these are the exceptions. Arizona Kindred built such a structure a few years back, and more recently, Robert Taylor of Wulfing fame erected a hof on his land – but the majority of Asatruar still honor the mighty powers out-of-doors or in buildings designed for some other purpose.

This is not to say that a hof is absolutely necessary; indeed, our ancestors usually worshiped under the open sky, or under the branches of trees in sacred groves. In many times and places among our early folk, it was thought inappropriate to try to confine our Gods and Goddesses within walls of wood or stone. Sometimes, however, simple protective roofs were erected, and of course we have records of much more elaborate temples built in places like Uppsala, in Sweden.

For our purposes today, a hof has some advantages. Most of these are psychological, but nonetheless real for that. A permanent structure dedicated to the Gods is a sign, to ourselves and to others, that Asatru is here to stay. It sends a visible testament about our seriousness, our commitment, and out persistence.

The Asatru Folk Assembly has begun constructing such a hof. It is located on private land along the Yuba River, in northern California. Sheltered under oak and pine, surrounded by hills and intermittent streams, it is a place of refuge from the urban madness. The site will feature an outdoor ritual area and camping facilities, in addition to the hof itself.

Thorgrun, of Gullinbursti Kindred, is in charge of this project. We can be thankful to the owners of the land for their generous permission to use the location, and to several of our supporters for their liberal financial backing. Actual construction is being done, not by paid laborers, but by AFAers and their supporters who want to see their sweat transformed into something of spiritual importance.

The completed structure will stand 27 feet long, 18 feet across at the widest point, and 12 feet high in the center. Walls will be of river rock, with a wooden, inverted-boat shaped roof. Thorgrun obtained construction details and information on traditional proportion from none other than Jormundr Ingi, Successor to Alsherjargothi Sveinbjorn Beinteinsson of the Icelandic Asatruar.

When AFAers come together to honor the Gods next spring, they will do so in a structure worthy of our devotion and loyalty. This hof will be a solid reminder of what we can do when we try – and the next step toward even greater endeavors! Hail the hofbuilders!