On Cultural Ownership

Norse Paganism, especially in its recent surge, has faced many growing pains since it began reconstruction in the late nineteenth century. Present-day practitioners identifying as allies to any given cause can find a minefield of misinformation and an army of gatekeepers. The fact of the matter is, that this culture and spirituality belongs to nobody. A culture evolves, grows, and in this case, may even need to be reconstructed. It is defined by its participants as they practice, not by those who harken dogmatic ideologies on the agenda of exclusionary means.

One or two centuries ago, most Norse Pagans were probably almost entirely ethnically White, Scandinavian peoples living in their home region, or as first-generation immigrants elsewhere. This was the culture of their ancestors and it would make sense that they would carry on such traditions. With the further cementation of modern Christianity in Western households and the incredible evolution into globalism, these traditions slowly faded as cultures crossed and intermixed with Christianity at its core. In the United States, this can be seen at its peak during the 1950s as the idea of a nuclear household became the epitome of American culture and values. Two (or so) generations later, our modern selves are feeling a sense of being lost and desire to reconnect with our ancestors, dissociating with the illusion of The American Dream. As it has been said by many minds on the matter,

“We are all indigenous if we go back far enough.”

This statement could not be more true, and yet many people new to the culture and religion are often questioned about their legitimacy on a number of grounds.

First, and most problematic, are Folkish groups. When looking at Norse Paganism and its kindreds, most divide them and their practices into being either Folkish or Universalist or Inclusive. Based on the latter, it is easily deduced that Folkish groups are exclusionary. Ranging from exclusionary on the grounds of simply gatekeeping, all the way to outright and overtly racist, Folkish groups have select membership criteria usually revolving around the ability for one to be able to prove a majority of one’s genealogy being that of Scandinavian heritage. This is where we get the term ‘Folkish’, meaning one has to be ‘of the folk’ to participate.

A popular group in the surging reconstruction of North American paganism is the American Folk Assembly or AFA. Very introverted and relatively quiet, the AFA is an example of a Folkish group. Publicly criticized by pagans and non-pagans alike, they have ultimately not backed down on their stances regarding the matter. Like much of conservative America, the AFA is not outwardly racist, denies associating with such people or such accusations, and sees no correlation to racism in their exclusionary practices.

There are countless Aryan or White Supremacist groups in America that tie themselves to the world of Norse/Germanic Paganism. Some simply use symbology, others adopt large portions of the practice while shaping it to fit their rhetoric. A non-exhaustive list, with their relation to Norse/Germanic Paganism, is as follows:

Bound for Glory- Mjolnir Logo

Free America Rally- Runic Logo

National Alliance- Algiz Logo

National Socialist Movement- Othala Logo

Volksfront- Algiz Logo

(Source: ADL.ORG)

Left off of this list are the numerous symbols that have ties to Nazisim. The Third Reich appropriated countless symbols of Norse/Germanic culture including the Swastika, most of the Elder Futhark, and images like the Valknut. These were not included, despite their applicable heritage, as it is unclear if the modern hate groups derived them from their ancestral roots or are simply copying Hitler’s goons.

The next ‘protector’ of the Norse/Germanic culture and spirituality are commonly referred to as “Viking Bros”. There are many characteristics of a Viking Bro (VB) and, as with any stereotype, the number of these that are on display can vary. Generally speaking, Viking Bros are usually men, ages 15-40. These men often identify as being Viking or Drengr (Warrior, Strong Man) as opposed to some sort of pagan, a predominantly religious association. Largely, they worship only the gods Þor and Odin, or both, exclusively. They are obsessed over the ideas of glory, and honor, and how these two will guide them to Valhalla (Note: It is usually Valhalla with the VB, not Valhol). Their knowledge rarely branches beyond watching the TV show Vikings, or similar media content.

Their attitude reflects their interests to the fullest. Their primary desire is to display a strong, martial image. They do this often by displaying their axes, hammers, or modern weaponry. They try to personify fearlessness by declaring themselves a servant of Odin, aspiring to and repeatedly stating their willingness to die in battle. They sing their excitement to greet their brothers in Valhalla. They speak or know very little about the religious aspects of Norse Paganism. These are all parts of an image, which not every VB will demonstrate but are common throughout the larger parts of a whole.

One might be able to draw some conclusions already about the VB community, based on this incredibly brief description. Firstly, there is a substantial absence of non-male participants. This is not to say that there are none, but rather that they are an extreme minority. With the majority being represented by Cis-White Males, there is at best little welcome for BIPOC or Queer peoples, or at worst an intentional exclusion.

The deep-rooted militant aspirations that ask the participant to continually demonstrate their prowess or fearlessness are indications of fragile masculinity. In order to feel secure in their manhood, they must regularly demonstrate their ability or capability to be a physical threat. Where this differs from Folkish groups or White Supremacists, usually, is that the VB community often boasts of their defensive capabilities rather than their offensive. The VBs often identify as being part of a larger militant collective; a shield wall or part of Odin’s Wolves, an idea again relating to fighting on behalf of the Alfather so as to gain a seat in Valhol. Because of this fragile masculinity, VBs are a regular gatekeeper of what they see as Ancient Scandinavian cultures. They are off put or even upset by the suggestion that modern ideas of heterosexuality, gender, or even race are anything but recent, leftist creations. They are reactively exclusive to their group, not out of notions of racism or homophobia, but because they have a carefully crafted idea and image of the culture that supports their masculinity, and therefore can shake when challenged.

The last common gatekeepers are the present-day Scandinavians themselves. While a largely inclusive, or at least tolerant, group of people, there are instances where Scandinavians believe that Norse/Germanic Paganism has a geographic boundary. Some become upset when they believe that the geographic borders of culture have been breached, and therefore appropriated. This is a very intricate issue to discuss, falling on one side of the argument myself, being a Norse Pagan from North America.

As previously stated, religion belongs to nobody, but culture does. There are few more recent or significant examples than the Norse that demonstrate the almost indivisible difference between culture and religion. It is easy to see then why modern Scandinavians may feel that Norse Pagan practitioners are appropriating their culture because it is not just their culture but their heritage too. Another avenue to this has us returning to the Viking Bros, a poor representation of reconstructivism which is almost definitely cultural appropriation.

A final flaw of a new practitioner is to engage on the basis of genetic heritage. It is common, in a new wave of ancestral curiosity, for people to take various tests that determine to a degree their heritage based on DNA. It can be argued that nothing is more quick to irritate seasoned practitioners and modern Scandinavians than to claim your ⋜25% Norse/Danish/Swedish/etc. Bloodline is the driving force to practice paganism or the grounds on which you belong to the community. Any practitioner worth their salt will tell you that one should come to the religion because they heard/felt the call to it, not because they are marginally descended from it. I, the author, have been able to trace at least a quarter of my ancestry to Denmark circa 1750, but still do not see this as the reason for my paganism. I felt the call, for a long time, and decided to follow it. My ancestry came after being pagan for almost two years; truly an afterthought.

So, when practiced ethically and with due diligence, a Norse Pagan should have little to worry about and feel to ignore these gatekeepers. Remember: paganism is a decentralized religion with no dogmatic text or identified leaders; in its time it varied from village to village, kingdom to kingdom, and culture to culture, which is what makes it so beautiful and frustrating at the same time. Knowledge is the key, so one must do their research.