Description
Sigrheim
Home of the Asatru Folk Assembly
Established 2023
“IV. The restoration of community, the banishment of alienation, and the establishment of natural and just relations among our Folk:
Our ancestors had religious and social folkways that gave them a feeling of continuity and community while jealously preserving individual rights; we can and will re-establish this natural order among our Folk. Asatru encourages sound, traditional families while providing an extended family or tribe to support the basic family unit. We help each other materially, socially, and religiously while respecting the privacy of individuals and families. Society would work better if families and communities cared for each other, rather than relying on coercive, intrusive “help” from outside sources such as government”
– AFA Declaration of Purpose
When I first became actively involved in the AFA, around 2009, there was talk of the AFA Hof and Land Fund. The vision was a hof of course, but also land for an intentional community of AFA members. The more I studied our roots and spoke with other members, the more the theme of intentional communities was talked about as the dream. Not only is this the dream of so many when they join, but this has also been a dream of Asatruar since the reforging of our faith in the 1960s. We have certainly all seen and been part of the dream of hofs, our current 4 hofs are a testament to our ability to accomplish and manifest dreams into realities. The time has come for the next stage in the Asatru dream to take shape- Sigrheim.
Sigrheim means “Home of Victory.” Sigrheim will not only be the home of victory but the home of the Asatru Folk Assembly. As with all dreams, the form changes and shifts as the dream becomes real. This is the vision as it stands now. An AFA neighborhood will be built with several members constructing their homes on a common parcel of AFA land. On this land, there will be a magnificent hof. On this land, there will be guest lodging. On this land, there will be a common meeting/cooking/dining area. This land will serve as the corporate and ecclesiastical headquarters for the Asatru Folk Assembly.
After my first AFA national event (Midsummer in the Sierras 2010), I was hooked, and I have tried to make it to all that I could from that time on. It occurred to me after the first few years that I was living my “mundane” life for 350 days so that I could live my real life for 15 (at AFA gatherings). I have tried ever since to make every day like those beautiful event days. I want that for myself, I want that for my family, I want that for us. This will be a home for our AFA family. Those who have the commitment and desire will be welcome to move here (or to an area close by), whether or not you make your permanent home on the grounds, you will be welcome here always because this is HOME.
In faith and as a church, we have grown. Our mission and scope have grown by leaps and bounds! We have AFA membership in 14 countries! This is amazing and it makes the case for a headquarters from which to manage and coordinate all the glorious things we have going on. We have long wanted a place to host AFA national events. Up until now, we have had to rent venues and camps (I am confident we will still do this in the future). Our hofs are a great place to host events and we love that, but the lack of on-site lodging is problematic. A place of our own, with facilities and accommodation for large gatherings, will be a useful and fantastic thing. The whole project will be focused around a hof to Týr and a grand gathering hall, in this way it will have all the functionality of our current hofs but so very much more.
There is an additional need that has weighed heavily on me for some time now. Our elders often find themselves impoverished and with no family willing or able to care for them. Our members living with disabilities have trouble living on their own with dignity and with their spiritual needs fulfilled. We have families who find themselves without safe places to live and stay. Sometimes this is due to a natural disaster, sometimes due to loss of employment, and sometimes to the dissolution of an unhealthy relationship. We can, we should, and we will do better with this. Sigrheim will increasingly be a place where these folk can come and be cared for by family, our AFA family. We can’t promise luxury and are not equipped to provide medical care, but we will provide food, shelter, and love for our elders, disabled, and folk going through hard times.
As this dream grows, we also envision facilities to do homeschooling, summer camps, community craft fairs, and athletic training. As with all dreams, there is no end to the possibilities.