Ulric
07-31-2005, 03:35 PM
AFA UPDATE
A PROJECT OF THE ASATRU FOLK ASSEMBLY
Issue 72
Thor's Day, July 28, 2005
Contact email: info@runestone.com
Please tell your friends about AFA Update and suggest they subscribe!
They can do so by going to AFA_Bearclaw-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
POETRY.WRITTEN AND SIGNED BY PIPARSKEGG!
Stefn Ullarson, known to many of us as Piparskegg, has generously
donated twelve numbered and autographed copies of _A Skaldic Pebble_
as a fundraiser for the AFA. This spiral-bound collection contains
forty poems from Piparskegg's hand. Some are quietly reflective,
while others are much stormier. Several of them - such as "All
Worthy" - could be used to call the Gods in ritual:
Wassail Woden, All Father wise
Drinker from Mimir's Well
Battle Slain and Wild Hunt Lord
Inspirer of the Skald.
We are selling these special copies of _A Skaldic Pebble_, numbered
and signed by Piparskegg himself, for $13.50, which includes first
class postage within the United States.
To order: You can send us a check or money order in the mail, but if
you do so, email us so that we can set one of the twelve copies aside
for you! Alternatively, you can email us and have us bill you via Paypal.
"ASATRU 101" COURSE ON TRACK
The AFA's fundamental course on Asatru is still on track and may be
ready for initial testing as early as the end of August. Currently,
it consists of eight modules, each of which is in turn made up of from
six to twenty lessons. Once finalized, the course will be available
in several different media.
The team working on this project deserves a lot of appreciation and
applause for the huge task they have undertaken!
GENE STUDY SAYS BRITISH MOSTLY UNCHANGED SINCE THE ICE AGE
It's become popular to interject, in the course of any discussion on
ancestry or heredity, that "We're all mixed-breed mutts anyway," with
the implication that any talk of preserving the physical heritage of a
group is pointless simply because there is nothing unique to preserve.
The next time you're at a party and someone uses that argument, you
should politely point them to a copy of _The Tribes of Britain_, by
archeologist David Miles. (First, of course, you should order it from
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0297830864/qid=1122436614/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-6948608-8449411?v=glance&s=books
.)
Dr. Miles argues that about eighty percent of the genetic
characteristics of modern white Britons are derived from a few
thousand Ice Age hunters who moved north with the melting glaciers.
Despite waves of Romans, Saxons, and Vikings, these core traits
remained unchanged.
Miles, who is a researcher at the Institute of Archeology at Oxford,
England, cites new information from the analysis of blood groups,
traces of oxygen in teeth, and DNA samples. You can find an excellent
article about his work at
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0719_050719_britishgene.html.
If humans bred in accordance with an exact mathematical formula,
everyone on Earth would be a direct descendants of Charlemagne - and
probably Genghis Khan, as well. But indiscriminate mixing has been
the exception, not the rule, throughout our evolutionary history.
Humans have generally chosen to mate within their own branch of the
species. As a result, very few Chinese and virtually no Nigerians
have Charlemagne in their direct line of descent. To say that the
human race is universally mixed, and that our various populations have
no distinctive genetic traits worth preserving, is just not true. (An
interesting article explaining some of these points is
http://www.vdare.com/sailer/presentation.htm. )
Red hair is one example of a distinctive trait cited by Dr. Miles.
This mutation, a gift from those Ice Age hunters, appeared about 8,000
or 10,000 years ago. There are more red-haired people in Scotland and
Wales than in all the rest of the world. It is, Miles says, perhaps
the most visible British genetic marker.
Real diversity means that our differences are good things, to be
treasured. Not just hair color, or eye color, but all those other
traits inherited from the ancestors - many of them subtle, but
sensed nevertheless in our temperaments, out attitudes, our
distinctive senses of humor and so much more.
NORWAY'S WOLVES - A LIVING SYMBOL OF ASATRU!
There is a lot of discussion right now on the AFA member's list
regarding a permanent logo for the AFA. What symbol most clearly says
just who and what we are? Arguments are being made for hammers,
ravens, various rune staves, and much more.
In a way, the few remaining wolves in Norway are a symbol.not of the
Asatru Folk Assembly, but of Asatru itself. In our lore, they are
intimately connected with Odin, father of the Gods. They are fierce,
loyal, graceful, and wild. The wolves tread through the mist-clad
forests much as the Gods themselves eternally wait, often unseen but
always there, on the edge of our consciousness.
Help us save the extremely endangered Norwegian wolves! They've been
hunted to the edge of extinction - and it will be a poorer world
without them.
Take a look at our Yahoo group,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/norwegian_wolf/. Here you'll find
updates on the wolf project as well as photos, various files, and
other resources.
Please sign our petition at
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/399085910
.and drop a line to Kimberley@troi.ws to find out what else you can
do to help.
.AND A WORD FOR THE POLAR BEARS
Polar bears aren't in quite the dire situation as Norwegian wolves, at
least not in the short run. But in the longer scenario, the great
white bears of the North are very much at risk. Warming in the
northern polar regions is already impacting the amount of time they
have to fatten and to breed, as both these functions are dependent on
the ice. Some scientists project an ice-free North Pole within a few
decades, and the end of the bears as a result.
What does this mean to us? Bears are associated with the North Pole
through the two great northern constellations, Ursa Major and Ursa
Minor. But more than this: The word "arctic" derives from arktos, a
Indo-European word for bear. This etymology has echoes of the ancient
Hyperborean bear cult. And what could be more appropriate for a white
landscape than a white bear?
The ongoing melting of the polar ice is symbolically disastrous for
all us Hyperboreans.bears and human folk alike.
Here are links to good information on the plight of the polar bears.
Please read them - and take the action you deem appropropriate.
http://www.physorg.com/news4955.html
http://www.savearcticrefuge.org/sections/species/polar.html
http://www.worldwildlife.org/polarbears/index.cfm
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/arctic/polarbears.pdf
LORE CLASSES
The AFA sponsors twice-monthly classes on Eddic lore in the Sacramento
area. Anyone interested in attending can contact us at afa@lanset.com.
AFA MEMBERSHIP
Do you believe in what the AFA stands for? Do you like what we're doing?
If so - we want you as an AFA member!
You can find relevant documents and an application on our web site at
http://www.runestone.org or you can contact us at afa@lanset.com.
DONATIONS!
The Asatru Folk Assembly is a 501 c (3) religious organization, and
donations to it are tax-deductible. Why give money to the government
when you can use it to advance the program of the AFA?
ODIN LIVES!
The groundbreaking radio program Odin Lives! is broadcast every
Thursday night at 8 PM Eastern Time on a frequency of 7.415 MHz. This
broadcast is repeated the next Tuesday morning at 12:15 AM on the same
frequency. You can learn more by going to their web site at
http://www.odinlives.org.
IMPORTANT DATES
August 9 - Day of Remembrance for King Radbod. This Frisian king
ejected Christian missionaries and upheld our ancestral faith in his
land, against great pressure. Pour a libation to the ancient Frisian
Goddess Friagabi, "Giver of Freedom" and declare yourself free from
alien creeds this day!
September 9 - Day of Remembrance for Herman of the Cherusci. Herman
learned the art of war under the Romans, then deserted the Imperial
eagles to lead his tribe in revolt against the Mediterranean
intruders. In the fall of the year 9 CE, he annihilated three legions
in the Teutobergerwald, a victory which saved Germania from Roman
occupation. Plant an oak tree, eat in a German restaurant, and
remember Herman with a glass of fine beer from the Fatherland.
Hail the AFA!
Stephen A. McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
DO YOU HAVE A FRIEND WHO SHOULD BE GETTING THESE UPDATES? Please
refer him or her to AFA_Bearclaw-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
VISIT OUR WEB SITE at http://www.runestone.org.
THE AFA'S BEST-KEPT SECRET: THE AFA MEMBER'S LIST
When we decided to offer AFA members an exclusive Yahoo group as one
of the benefits of membership, we never realized that it would be such
a huge success.
Let's face it; every organization has its own newsgroup. And most of
them are pretty much the same: Discussions come and go. Some of them
are pretty good, and a lot of them are trivial. Good ideas are
generated, kicked around for a day or perhaps two, to be replaced by
another bright bauble of an idea that is destined for the same
treatment. A lot is discussed, but somehow nothing ever comes of it.
Like a carousel with bright lights and painted wooden horses, the
group goes around and around to everyone's amusement.but you always
end up right where you started. Sure, there are exceptions. Some
lists are more like the fun house or the roller coaster than the
carousel. Others are just freak shows.
A few, a precious few, are more than just a fun time at the
Asatru-land amusement park. I can honestly say that the AFA member's
list is among the very best.
We set the tone right from the start - this list was all about
making a difference. Sure, it was a place our members could feel at
home among kindred souls, but mostly it was a place to coordinate, to
plan, to strategize, to create the future. And it has lived up to
that intention; good ideas have come and not gotten away again. That
doesn't mean we've put them all into action. There are too many for
that, but all have been noted by the AFA leadership and none of them
are just wasted breath.
Then, a few days ago, it got even better. Some of the members decided
to form a sort of "think tank" that would ask vital questions: How
can we reach out to.What is the best structure to accomplish.What
should be our priority in.How can solve the problem of.and so forth.
All their recommendations are entirely advisory in nature. Until the
Board of Directors approves a particular course of action, the bright
ideas remain just that - ideas, not realities. But when we put the
creativity of the think tank together with a Board that is itching to
take Asatru somewhere it has never gone before - well, the results
promise to be spectacular!
The Asatru Folk Assembly intends to be right there on the cutting edge
of the movement. If you share our vision of an Asatru that is many
times larger and more influential than today - and if you want to
work with energetic and intelligent people to make that happen -
then you need to be here with us!
SELLING ON E-BAY? YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE AFA!
E-bay has long had a program by which sellers can contribute a portion
of their proceeds to nonprofit organizations. The AFA has signed up
as an eligible nonprofit to receive such contributions from sellers.
(This is one of those ideas that came out of the Member's list.) If
you sell on E-bay, we welcome any contributions you might care to send
our way!
A PROJECT OF THE ASATRU FOLK ASSEMBLY
Issue 72
Thor's Day, July 28, 2005
Contact email: info@runestone.com
Please tell your friends about AFA Update and suggest they subscribe!
They can do so by going to AFA_Bearclaw-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
POETRY.WRITTEN AND SIGNED BY PIPARSKEGG!
Stefn Ullarson, known to many of us as Piparskegg, has generously
donated twelve numbered and autographed copies of _A Skaldic Pebble_
as a fundraiser for the AFA. This spiral-bound collection contains
forty poems from Piparskegg's hand. Some are quietly reflective,
while others are much stormier. Several of them - such as "All
Worthy" - could be used to call the Gods in ritual:
Wassail Woden, All Father wise
Drinker from Mimir's Well
Battle Slain and Wild Hunt Lord
Inspirer of the Skald.
We are selling these special copies of _A Skaldic Pebble_, numbered
and signed by Piparskegg himself, for $13.50, which includes first
class postage within the United States.
To order: You can send us a check or money order in the mail, but if
you do so, email us so that we can set one of the twelve copies aside
for you! Alternatively, you can email us and have us bill you via Paypal.
"ASATRU 101" COURSE ON TRACK
The AFA's fundamental course on Asatru is still on track and may be
ready for initial testing as early as the end of August. Currently,
it consists of eight modules, each of which is in turn made up of from
six to twenty lessons. Once finalized, the course will be available
in several different media.
The team working on this project deserves a lot of appreciation and
applause for the huge task they have undertaken!
GENE STUDY SAYS BRITISH MOSTLY UNCHANGED SINCE THE ICE AGE
It's become popular to interject, in the course of any discussion on
ancestry or heredity, that "We're all mixed-breed mutts anyway," with
the implication that any talk of preserving the physical heritage of a
group is pointless simply because there is nothing unique to preserve.
The next time you're at a party and someone uses that argument, you
should politely point them to a copy of _The Tribes of Britain_, by
archeologist David Miles. (First, of course, you should order it from
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0297830864/qid=1122436614/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-6948608-8449411?v=glance&s=books
.)
Dr. Miles argues that about eighty percent of the genetic
characteristics of modern white Britons are derived from a few
thousand Ice Age hunters who moved north with the melting glaciers.
Despite waves of Romans, Saxons, and Vikings, these core traits
remained unchanged.
Miles, who is a researcher at the Institute of Archeology at Oxford,
England, cites new information from the analysis of blood groups,
traces of oxygen in teeth, and DNA samples. You can find an excellent
article about his work at
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2005/07/0719_050719_britishgene.html.
If humans bred in accordance with an exact mathematical formula,
everyone on Earth would be a direct descendants of Charlemagne - and
probably Genghis Khan, as well. But indiscriminate mixing has been
the exception, not the rule, throughout our evolutionary history.
Humans have generally chosen to mate within their own branch of the
species. As a result, very few Chinese and virtually no Nigerians
have Charlemagne in their direct line of descent. To say that the
human race is universally mixed, and that our various populations have
no distinctive genetic traits worth preserving, is just not true. (An
interesting article explaining some of these points is
http://www.vdare.com/sailer/presentation.htm. )
Red hair is one example of a distinctive trait cited by Dr. Miles.
This mutation, a gift from those Ice Age hunters, appeared about 8,000
or 10,000 years ago. There are more red-haired people in Scotland and
Wales than in all the rest of the world. It is, Miles says, perhaps
the most visible British genetic marker.
Real diversity means that our differences are good things, to be
treasured. Not just hair color, or eye color, but all those other
traits inherited from the ancestors - many of them subtle, but
sensed nevertheless in our temperaments, out attitudes, our
distinctive senses of humor and so much more.
NORWAY'S WOLVES - A LIVING SYMBOL OF ASATRU!
There is a lot of discussion right now on the AFA member's list
regarding a permanent logo for the AFA. What symbol most clearly says
just who and what we are? Arguments are being made for hammers,
ravens, various rune staves, and much more.
In a way, the few remaining wolves in Norway are a symbol.not of the
Asatru Folk Assembly, but of Asatru itself. In our lore, they are
intimately connected with Odin, father of the Gods. They are fierce,
loyal, graceful, and wild. The wolves tread through the mist-clad
forests much as the Gods themselves eternally wait, often unseen but
always there, on the edge of our consciousness.
Help us save the extremely endangered Norwegian wolves! They've been
hunted to the edge of extinction - and it will be a poorer world
without them.
Take a look at our Yahoo group,
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/norwegian_wolf/. Here you'll find
updates on the wolf project as well as photos, various files, and
other resources.
Please sign our petition at
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/399085910
.and drop a line to Kimberley@troi.ws to find out what else you can
do to help.
.AND A WORD FOR THE POLAR BEARS
Polar bears aren't in quite the dire situation as Norwegian wolves, at
least not in the short run. But in the longer scenario, the great
white bears of the North are very much at risk. Warming in the
northern polar regions is already impacting the amount of time they
have to fatten and to breed, as both these functions are dependent on
the ice. Some scientists project an ice-free North Pole within a few
decades, and the end of the bears as a result.
What does this mean to us? Bears are associated with the North Pole
through the two great northern constellations, Ursa Major and Ursa
Minor. But more than this: The word "arctic" derives from arktos, a
Indo-European word for bear. This etymology has echoes of the ancient
Hyperborean bear cult. And what could be more appropriate for a white
landscape than a white bear?
The ongoing melting of the polar ice is symbolically disastrous for
all us Hyperboreans.bears and human folk alike.
Here are links to good information on the plight of the polar bears.
Please read them - and take the action you deem appropropriate.
http://www.physorg.com/news4955.html
http://www.savearcticrefuge.org/sections/species/polar.html
http://www.worldwildlife.org/polarbears/index.cfm
http://www.defenders.org/wildlife/arctic/polarbears.pdf
LORE CLASSES
The AFA sponsors twice-monthly classes on Eddic lore in the Sacramento
area. Anyone interested in attending can contact us at afa@lanset.com.
AFA MEMBERSHIP
Do you believe in what the AFA stands for? Do you like what we're doing?
If so - we want you as an AFA member!
You can find relevant documents and an application on our web site at
http://www.runestone.org or you can contact us at afa@lanset.com.
DONATIONS!
The Asatru Folk Assembly is a 501 c (3) religious organization, and
donations to it are tax-deductible. Why give money to the government
when you can use it to advance the program of the AFA?
ODIN LIVES!
The groundbreaking radio program Odin Lives! is broadcast every
Thursday night at 8 PM Eastern Time on a frequency of 7.415 MHz. This
broadcast is repeated the next Tuesday morning at 12:15 AM on the same
frequency. You can learn more by going to their web site at
http://www.odinlives.org.
IMPORTANT DATES
August 9 - Day of Remembrance for King Radbod. This Frisian king
ejected Christian missionaries and upheld our ancestral faith in his
land, against great pressure. Pour a libation to the ancient Frisian
Goddess Friagabi, "Giver of Freedom" and declare yourself free from
alien creeds this day!
September 9 - Day of Remembrance for Herman of the Cherusci. Herman
learned the art of war under the Romans, then deserted the Imperial
eagles to lead his tribe in revolt against the Mediterranean
intruders. In the fall of the year 9 CE, he annihilated three legions
in the Teutobergerwald, a victory which saved Germania from Roman
occupation. Plant an oak tree, eat in a German restaurant, and
remember Herman with a glass of fine beer from the Fatherland.
Hail the AFA!
Stephen A. McNallen
Asatru Folk Assembly
DO YOU HAVE A FRIEND WHO SHOULD BE GETTING THESE UPDATES? Please
refer him or her to AFA_Bearclaw-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.
VISIT OUR WEB SITE at http://www.runestone.org.
THE AFA'S BEST-KEPT SECRET: THE AFA MEMBER'S LIST
When we decided to offer AFA members an exclusive Yahoo group as one
of the benefits of membership, we never realized that it would be such
a huge success.
Let's face it; every organization has its own newsgroup. And most of
them are pretty much the same: Discussions come and go. Some of them
are pretty good, and a lot of them are trivial. Good ideas are
generated, kicked around for a day or perhaps two, to be replaced by
another bright bauble of an idea that is destined for the same
treatment. A lot is discussed, but somehow nothing ever comes of it.
Like a carousel with bright lights and painted wooden horses, the
group goes around and around to everyone's amusement.but you always
end up right where you started. Sure, there are exceptions. Some
lists are more like the fun house or the roller coaster than the
carousel. Others are just freak shows.
A few, a precious few, are more than just a fun time at the
Asatru-land amusement park. I can honestly say that the AFA member's
list is among the very best.
We set the tone right from the start - this list was all about
making a difference. Sure, it was a place our members could feel at
home among kindred souls, but mostly it was a place to coordinate, to
plan, to strategize, to create the future. And it has lived up to
that intention; good ideas have come and not gotten away again. That
doesn't mean we've put them all into action. There are too many for
that, but all have been noted by the AFA leadership and none of them
are just wasted breath.
Then, a few days ago, it got even better. Some of the members decided
to form a sort of "think tank" that would ask vital questions: How
can we reach out to.What is the best structure to accomplish.What
should be our priority in.How can solve the problem of.and so forth.
All their recommendations are entirely advisory in nature. Until the
Board of Directors approves a particular course of action, the bright
ideas remain just that - ideas, not realities. But when we put the
creativity of the think tank together with a Board that is itching to
take Asatru somewhere it has never gone before - well, the results
promise to be spectacular!
The Asatru Folk Assembly intends to be right there on the cutting edge
of the movement. If you share our vision of an Asatru that is many
times larger and more influential than today - and if you want to
work with energetic and intelligent people to make that happen -
then you need to be here with us!
SELLING ON E-BAY? YOU CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE AFA!
E-bay has long had a program by which sellers can contribute a portion
of their proceeds to nonprofit organizations. The AFA has signed up
as an eligible nonprofit to receive such contributions from sellers.
(This is one of those ideas that came out of the Member's list.) If
you sell on E-bay, we welcome any contributions you might care to send
our way!