Norse Oseberg/Queen

Nordic women were never called "Vikings" but they were known to be warriors in their own right.  The Nordic had advanced sailing and navigational skills and were known to be fierce, sometimes brutal, and accomplished traders.  There were, in early days, more males than females and so the men were the Viking seafarers.  Women, did, though, help in migration movements and were brought along once land was secured to populate and help make the new land a home.   Their role was typically the usual role of making home a home, gardening, setting down roots, populating the new land. 

Marriages were arranged and were more a very important 'contract'.  Women's family gave dowries and dowries were returned if the couple split.  They were given freedoms many females not given in that day and age, and, yes, the males ruled the household when they were home. If their husband died, the woman took on all the roles of her husband.  She did have a great deal of power, then.   She was known, to others as "shieldmaiden”.  Most of what we known of early Nordic women was what is found in writings of poets of the later eras.  Of course, the myths rise and we tend to adopt the ideas that the myth was/is truth.  

An interesting fact is, way back then, there were laws prohibiting men from giving women unwanted attention.  We do not see this in our modern day ideologies about Nordic women.  As well, women were 'inciters' since they held no power outside their homes.  Again, women were seen as having magical powers and there was much to fear from a scorned or angry Nordic woman.  A man who dared to attack any female was the recipient of grave justices.  But, because of there being fewer women, women were often kidnapped.  To offend a Nordic woman was to be cursed and this was terrifying because of their sorceress power.  The only way to reverse a curse was, of course, to stone the woman.  This did not happen often.  Remember, most of the writings were done by men.

Women were revered, as much as women can revered in harsh climates and difficulty in fishing, hunting for food.  Darkness covers the North for so many months and with lack of sunshine, food came mostly from what could be gotten in the waters.  But, women had their own rites and rituals, around the home and family, for instance.  They gave food sacrifices to the spirits that needed to be appeased.  These include offerings, placed in places sacred to women;  such as, farming areas, waterfalls, and groves where the protective spirits were thought to live.  

As well, many feminine goddesses held reign in many areas.  The Nordic people had many parts of a supreme god, like many ancestral cultures.  Each fragment had reign over different areas of life.  For example, a female aspect of religious leader was called "gothi" Priestess.  As well, the early Nordic life was full of many kinds of violence due to warring and life for women was best lived in the home.  In such tremulous times, safety was a huge issue.

Women used the alphabet Runes in sacred rites and offerings, and for divining, as did the men.  Runes were their form of important communications, for telling fortunes, for protection, for cursing, and for healing.  Because of the historical negative histories told by non-Norse, of the Norse being illiterate and totally violent, the Runes, were mostly thought of as negative and placed in the realm of 'evil', even today, by most of Christianity.  Runes were simply their sacred alphabet used for sacred activities.  The word "rune" comes from Old Norse and means "Secret knowledge and wisdom".  It is sad that Runes hold such negative heritage within other cultures.  It is one I hope to start to understand and to use more.

Most of the old ways are remembered individually now.  It is women who will carry this on.  Today, there are still offerings given to sacred sites.  Women are trying to revive some of the old ways.  Although, societies still call the old ways a "cult", many women are forming a circle, a holy space, and paying homage to remembered deities and the main 'god'.  Typically, it is still done at the equinoxes and solstices. 
Today, the women are remembering the ancient goddesses and reentering the ways of old.  The main goddesses were:   Eir - goddess of grace, healer, serenity, assistance, mercy, protection;  Freya, the goddess of all things LOVE ; Frigg, the most beloved highest goddess; Gefion, the goddess of agricultural fertility; Sif, the goddess of grain fertility; Ioyn, the goddess of youth; and Sigyn, the goddess of friendship.  I am not sure how one can utilize the blessings of all of these goddesses, but there has to be a unique way, if we are to remember and incorporate some of the old ways of our genetic culture.

What heritage are you?  Can you find ways to incorporate some of the old with your new?

©Carol Desjarlais 5.9.19