Introduction
This text
contains only basic information about germanic native traditions. If
you want to learn more - read some books, or go to links that I
recommend you at the end of this article.
Sources and historical
background
Christianization
of germanic tribes was a very long proces. First baptized gemans are
those who were living near Roman Empire, circa about IV A.D. The last
christianized were swedish tribes (XII A.D.). Very often christian
germanic kings were trying to send missions to other pagan germans,
to take new worshippers of Christ under their reign.
The problem with germanic paganism is
that we don't have many written texts about continental germanic
tribes. Even if we have, these are things like Volsunga Saga,
not saying much about Gods worshipped in the pagan era. We can get
information from people who neighboured with germanic tribes
(Germania by Tacitus)
Our main sources are also scandinavian (nordic) sagas and Eddas
– Poetic Edda and
Prose Edda. Also we
can learn much from archeology, linguistic, comparative mythology and
folklore.
Remember
also that what you find in Eddas
and sagas are very often just a literature, written for fun of
nobleman and other people.
In this article I will focus on scandinavian beliefs, which you can
find in modern Asatru's beliefs.
Main Deities
Gods and Godess are divided into two kins, Aesirs and Vanirs. In the
beggining there was a conflict between those kins, but it ended
peacefully.
Gods of germanic people are not immortal and not perfect – they
have to eat apples of Idunn to stay young. Aesirs and Frey will also
die in Ragnarok – a Dawn of Gods. From the ashes of old world will
arise another, better, ruled by offspring of fallen gods.
Aesirs
Odin
(germ. Wotan, eng. Woden) – he
is a main God of the whole germanic pantheon (although at the
beginning the main God was Tyr), being a patron of warfare, wisdom,
poetry and magic. In the past he was favourite God of nobleman and
chiefs (kings). He created the world, together with His brothers Vili
and Ve. He hung him up on the tree of the World, Ygddrasil, to get
knowledge about secrets of the world. Hero of many myths, Odin
represents a perfect, noble man. He will die during the Ragnarok,
defeated by a great wolf Fenrir.
His is the ruler of Asgaard, the world of Aesirs.
His atributes are:
Thor (germ.
Donar, eng. Thunor) – a son
of Odin, god of thunder, storm, vitality, harvest and simple
warriors, very similar to slavic god Perun and celtic Taranis. Thor's
the strongest of all Aesirs, and is known for being a protector of
Asgaard (the home of gods). Due to this fact, many people wear an
amulet (Thor's hammer) to protect them from evil. Thor's hammer is
also the most popular symbol of Asatru.
He
is a hero of many myths, in which he mostly gives a proof of his
strenght and honor. He is also much more "human" god than
his father. Thor will die during the Ragnarok, after the killing of
the Serpent of the World - Jormugand.
He's
atributes are:
Tyr
(germ. Tiu / Ziu, eng. Tiw) – at
the begginig he was a god of sky, main deity of the pantheon of
germanic tribes. But later his atributes were "stolen" by
Odin. So Tyr is know mainly as a god of war, justice and oath. He
lost his hand, which was warmed by the great wolf Fenrir. Known of
his great courage, he will die during the Ragnarok in the fight with
the dog called Garm.
His
atributes are:
Baldr
(germ. ?, eng. Bældæg) – a
son of Odin, killed by his brother Hod after a trick of Loki. Known
as a most beautiful and good of all gods. He is now in the kingdom of
goddess Hel, but he will return after a Ragnarok, to rule new, better
world.
He
is a god of shinig and goodness, the most perfect creature of all
beings.
Heimdallr
– is
a god of righteousness and light, defender of the rainbow bridge
leading to Asgaard – Bifrost. He will play on his horn,
Gjallarhorn, when the Ragnarok starts. And he will die in the duel
with Loki.
Loki
– is
a giant of fire, adopted to Aesir's kin by Odin. An Allfather is also
his bloodbound brother.
Known
as a very chaotic god of cheat. He can take a form of any kind he'd
like, and also change his sex. He is a hero of many myths, in which
he once help Aesirs, and once do everything against them.
He
tricked Hod to kill the most beloved of all gods – Baldr. As a
punishment he was chainted onto a rock, whan a giant serpent spits on
him a poison from time to time. His wife, Sigyn, holds a boal under
Loki, so her husband didn't get injured by it.
He
will break his change in a day of Ragnarok, and lead an army of
giants and beasts against gods.
Bragi
– a
skaldic god, patron of poetry and singing (without magical approach).
Frigg
(germ. Frijo, eng. Frige) – she's
a wife of the highest god Odin, a patron of marriage, home, family,
married women and births.
Very
often she is identify with a Vanir Freya. It might be that in the
beginning they were a one godess.
Idunn
– a
wife of Bragi, a keeper of apples giving gods their eternal
youthfulness.
Ostara
(eng. Ēostre)
– a
goddes of spring, light, life fertility and a first sunrise (on the
spring).
Vanirs
Njordr
– is
a god of seas and oceans, helpful to people. He lives in Asgaard, but
after the Ragnarok he will return to his home-world (Vanaheim).
A
father of Freyr and Freya.
Freyr
– a
god of fertility, vegetation, land, prosperity, and peace. He is one
of the most important germanic gods, together with Odin and Thor.
Even he's a Vanir, his fate is bounded with Aesirs and he will die
during the Ragnarok.
His
atributes:
Freya
– a
sister of Freyr, sometimes identified with Frigg. She is a goddess of
fertility, love,sex and female magic – seidhr. Mostly worshipped by
a women, she's most important goddess, together with Odin's wife. She
is also the most beautiful of all women.
Her
atributes are:
Other
gods
Hel
– she
is a daughter of Loki. Odin has given her a kingdom of the dead –
Helheim. It is a place where souls of those who has not fallen in
battle will exist, until the day of Ragnarok.
Other
creatures
Disir
– a
spirits bounded with a human kin, being defenders of specific family.
They are identify as a forefathers, bounded with a goddess Freya.
They help humans in everyday life.
Fylgia
– a
personal helping spirit of each man, often presented as a women or an
animal. Similar to slavic Dola or christian guardian angel.
Valkyries
– a
women-spirit, servant of Odin. They are collecting a souls of fallen
in battle, and guide them to Vallhala – a home of the Highest. They
are sometimes associated with Fylgias.
Alfs
(Elves) – they
are living in a world of Alfheim, ruled by Freyr. They are a spirits
of wild nature, sometims associated with a dead persons.
There
are also Dark Alfs, living in the world of underground, called
Dwarves.
Giants
(Thurs') – a
creatures fighting with a gods, incarnation of chaos and wild forces
of the universe.
Worlds
of Ygdrassil
Ygdrassil,
A tree of The World, is a place where lies all of the know worlds:
Asgaard
– a
world of Aesirs.
Alfheim
– world
of alfs, ruled by Freyr.
Muspelheim
– southern world of fire, a home of fire giants.
Vanaheim
– home of Vanirs.
Midgard
– a wolrd of living humans.
Jotunheim
– a world of mountain giants.
Nilfheim
– a
frosty home of ice giants.
Svartalfheim
– underground
world of dark alfs (dwarves).
Hel
– underground world of dead.
Main
festivals
1st
week of Ferbuary - Disablot
–
a festival dedicated to Freyr, Freya and disirs.
20th
/ 21st
of March – Ostara – a
festival of spring and fertility, rebirthing of the world.
30th
of April – Walpurgia's night – festival
of goddesses bounded with magic and death (Frigg, Freya, Hel).
1st
of May – day
of Freyr and Freya, festival of fertility.
21st
of June – Midsummer – a
festival of summer. In this time ritual of Sunna's (Sun) blot must be
performed.
1st
of August – Lammas – a
festival of harvest, bounded with Freyr and Freya,
1st
of September – Day of Odin – a
blot being perform to hail Odin
21st
of September - Autumn Equinox - a
festival ending a harvest, bounded with Freyr and Freya, but also
with all gods being associated with fertility and vegetation.
12th
of October - Alfarblot
– festival
of fylgias, disirs and alfs.
20th
/ 21st
of December – Yule – festival
of passing winter. Blot is being performed mainly for Freyr, Freya
and Thor.
Learn
more:
And
books:
John
Lindow - Norse
Mythology: A Guide to the Gods, Heroes, Rituals, and Beliefs.
Gabriel
Turville-Petre - Myth and Religion of the North: The
Religion of Ancient Scandinavia.
Kevin
Crossley-Holland
– The Norse
Myths
H.R.
Ellis Davidson -
Gods and
Myths of Northern Europe
And
of course every source-text that you will find – Germania,
Sagas and Eddas.
For
polish-speaking people:
G.
Dumezil - Bogowie
germanów. Szkice o kształtowaniu się religii skandynawskiej
(it can be difficult if you know nothing about a topic).
J.
Ros – Heroje
Północy (best
translation of main scandinavian myths)
L.P.
Słupecki - Mitologia
Skandynawska w epoce Wikingów
L.
Auerbach – Wikingowie
i Germanie. Sagi ludów północy
Vladyka, June 2013
