Warriors

[Bathilde]

Recently, there was a discussion on the Troth list about warriors. I think it's an interesting topic for heathen discussion.

What makes one a warrior? Is heathenry a "warrior" religion? Do we focus too much on the warrior ideal?

In my opinion, a warrior is someone who fights in a battle or war. Anything else and you get into different kinds of warriors or metaphorical warriors. I think some people are focused on the "noble warrior" maybe because of warrior heroes in the eddas and sagas, and the romantic view of vikings. It's played up heavily in the viking metal music and whatnot.

[Aelfgar]

I agree with your definition of a warrior, and it's usually forgotten that the majority of heathens were not concerned with victory in battle but with basic survival, but of course that wouldn't make as good reading in the sagas. So of course the warrior ideal is what we get.

On the question of whether heathens focus too much on the warrior ideal, that has been a question I've been pondering over, and I can't speak for anyone else but I think in my case I have been. Like farmers back then (and now) basic survival is what I'm mostly involved in, in my case working to keep a roof over my head. So I'm trying to change my outlook a bit and not look at heathenry as a "warrior" religion.

[Bathilde]

I guess it doesn't help that the majority of gods have war or battle associations. Even our fertility goddess is also a war goddess, lol.

[Aelfgar]

Then there is the mention in the sagas that the blot in the spring is for victory in war, or for the raids that summer. Of course the Heimskringla is about the rulers so we should expect that. Again, makes better reading, I suppose that's why you don't see "Saga of Thorir the Sheepherder" LOL.

[Haustsoul]

I am also in agreement with Bathilde regarding the definition of a warrior.

The first stanza of the Hávamál advises us to be vigilant and the 38th stanza advises us to be armed when on the road. I would say that the Heathen character is martial while some Heathens are indeed warriors.

[Ransom999]

I recently discussed this same issue with Anna. I think that warrior could be your frame of mind. A couple years ago if you asked me if i considered myself a warrior, I'd tell you hel yeah. Then if you told me I wasn't we'd probably go to war. I might not have been in a war, but I have fought many battles. I listen to alot of viking metal. yet recently I've felt drawn to the slower music. I believe that's part of growing up. I don't go head hunting on the weekends anymore. I definitely don't fight much anymore. If I did for some reason end up in a scrap, I have no doubt that the warrior would come out. For now though ,I'm gonna enjoy the peaceful simple life and leave the wars for someone else.

[Haustsoul]

I read in the third chapter of Grönbech's The Culture of the Teutons that one of the things that made a male earn his position in his kindred as a man was that he engaged in martial activities.

How can this be applied today? I am guessing that a young male could enlist into one of his country's armed forces or become a student of a martial art. But what about male-bodied persons whose psychological gender is not male (female identity, androgynous, genderless, etc.)?

[Ransom999]

Is that book Culture of the Teutons any good?

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