Those pesky Danes are at it again!

Tabnabs

This group is probably light years ahead of many other "established" heathen or even more general pagan groups in Europe. But this story I thought was interesting as they seek to be accepted (tolerated?) by a wider and mainly christian community, but not easy as is to be accepted.

Anniversary rune stone revealed

On November 18th 2006, Forn Siðr erected a modern rune stone outside the village of Jelling. The stone marks the 9th anniversary of Forn Siðr.

On this page, you can see a picture of the stone, read the speech held by chairman Linda Nørgaard at the unveiling event, and read some information about the background for the choice of placement.. The stone is placed at the address Fårupvej 38, just south of Jelling, which lies approximately 10 km northwest of the city of Vejle.

Rune stone image

Speech (translated from Danish):

Dear friends, dear guests

When one says, in a figurative sense, that something is written - or set - in stone, the meaning is that something is assured and invariably. We are here today to unveil a work of art, and a text set in stone, in the true meaning of the word. I'll return to the text in a moment.

First, I'd like to describe the background for our work of art, and explain why we're standing here today in Jelling on such a November morning. Exactly 9 years and a few days ago Forn Siðr was founded on the beautiful Mols by 12 people from all over the country. That is why we today, with almost 600 members, can celebrate not only our 9 year anniversary, but also our status as a recognized religious community in Denmark. So this is a joyous occasion. I can guarantee everyone, that the work of art is beauitiful, and that Forn Siðr is very proud to be able to present it to the Danish population.

All this sounds peaceful and pleasant anough. Nonetheless, the plans for this piece of art has caused much uproar, even anger, in certain places. Ever since we early this year initiated a contact with Jelling municipality, we've experienced headlines claiming strife between christians and Asatruar. And every time I've spoken with journalists, I've beeen asked if this wasn't something we just did to provoke. Every time I've answered them, that we probably wouldn't have paid such a large sum for a beautiful piece of art if it was just meant as a provocation. If provocation was our sole purpose, we would most likely just have erected a turned over freight car or a gigantic fallos. But nevertheless, it's still interesting to see, why some people regard such a fine offer and such a beautiful piece of art as a provocation.

My personal conclusion, which only I myself answer for, is that the provocation is perceived whenever Asatru is regarded and judged in a christian perspective. And we mustn't fool ourselves into believing that there is no such christian perspective. We're living in a country that still needs to execute a separation of state and church, a country where people that believe in a single absolute and allmighty deity, in a concept like "original sin", and in a so-called salvation, have precedence and domination. My personal conclusion is that we Asatruar seem to be a provocation by just being here.

The fact that it has caused anger, that we even dare to contemplate erecting a modern rune stone in Jelling, the town that already hosts a famous rune stone on which a certain (king) Harald declares all Danes to be christian, it is not the stone itself that matters, but what it represents. And here I need to make one thing absolutely clear. If our very existence, and our desire to be a part of the religious landscape in Denmark, including our right to express ourselves through art, is perceived as a provocation, then we want to provoke. If the provocation is based on the simple fact that we worship many Gods, and don't recognize the christian god, then we want to provoke.

When this is said, we've also heard from many Danes that rejoyce and look forward to the unveiling of this stone. People that regard Forn Siðr and the stone project as interesting, even sympathetical, and certainly not provocative. The anger we've met during this project, has almost exclusively been from christians. We have no perception of any anger coming from ordinary Danes regarding this celebration of our anniversary, only from christians. So I'm forced to say, short and simple, in a language everyone understands: We really can't be bothered with it.

That is why I hope that the work of art you'll be seeing in a moment will bring people joy, and bring pleasure not only to the members of Forn Siðr, but to all people locally and nationally, who enjoys an exciting work of art and believes that there is room for The Old Ways in this country. Forn Siðr is non-missionary, which means that Asatru is a belief that everyone needs to find and embrace by themselves. But I personally believe that many more are ready to embrace Asatru, if only they can find the strength to free themselves of their given limitations and of other people's expectations. So it's not the purpose of the stone to facilitate mass conversion of people to Asatru, or in any other way force something upon people, but only to act as an inspiration in many ways.

The fact that the stone has been made and erected, ready to be unveiled, is far from being the credit of Forn Siðr alone. I want to extend a huge thank to Filip Møller, who has constructed this precious work of art. He has worked very hard, and we're extremely pleased with the result. Many, many thanks.

I also want to extend a thank to Sanne and Jan, who own the ground on which the stone stands. Sanne and Jan are not Asatruar, but I think I can say without offering insult, that they've exhibited good heathen values by opening their world for us, and invite us in just because they feel that we also have a right to be here. We've just sung "Jeg ser de bøgelyse øer", a song that has been written a long time ago for a different occasion, but a song that I feel even today accurately portrays the land that we not only live in, but also is an active part of, and of its history that we're just the newest addition to. We are dwarfs on the shoulders of giants. Our modern rune stone is erected in Forn Siðr's youth, but we hope that it will stand in many years to come, and be a sounding board not just in Jelling and Jutland, but across the entire country.

In a few monets, the exact wording of the rune stone text will be revealed. It says that the stone is erected in commemoration of those that retied the thread to the Powers. But behind these words lies off course also a tribute to the Nordic Gods and Powers. The stone will be revealed in a moment, but already last night it was consecrated to the Powers, and the sun wheel upon the top of the stone was consecreated by itself some time ago. I've been asked by a journalist, whether this stone was art of religion. My obvious answer was that it was both. Others still ask whether we really believe in our Gods. To them I can only say Yes, and that's written and set in stone !

Hail to the Powers!

Linda Nørgaard
Chairman of Forn Siðr

The text on the stone (translated from Danish)

Forn Siðr erected this stone
as a tribute to
the men and women
who re-tied the thread
to the Powers
from the old ways

The translated text is written on a small brass plate near the rune stone.

brass plate image

Background of the choice of erection site

Placing the stone near the town of Jelling was not a random choice. Jelling houses the rune stone erected by king Harald (Bluetooth) in 965, on which he proclaims all Danes to be christian. In reality king Harald just received a christening on behalf of all Danes, but since it was the first time christianity and Denmark as a nation was mentioned in writing in Denmark, this stone has since been referred to as the "birth certificate" of Denmark.

We wanted to contradict this blatant statement, and tell the world that we're back, and that Harald failed in his mission.

The father of king Harald was king Gorm (the Elder), the last officially heathen king of Denmark. His wife Thyra (Danebod, "the shield of Denmark") was immensely popular, and ever since her death, she has been associated with the building of "Dannevirke", a fortified earth-rampart more than 25 miles long seperating Denmark from Germany, which at that time was almost totally christened.

Thyra died prior to Gorm, and he buried her in a huge burial mound and raised a rune stone to commemorate her. When Gorm himself died, he was buried in an even bigger burial mound by his still not christened son Harald, not far from the mound of Thyra. Celebrations vere held in a "gudehov" (heathen wooden building made for religious ceremonies) located between the two mounds.
Later Harald after was christened, he replaced the "gudehov" with a wooden church, and went on to rebury his father under the church floor. Within 100 years the wooden church was replaced by a stone church which still stands, and is in use today as the local parish church.

In 1994, Unesco added the Jelling complex to their world heritage program. Their conclusion states that the burial mounds is a unique reminder of Denmarks heathen past.

http://www.fornsidr.dk/dk/81

Lou.m

Oh that is so wonderful:-)

I think modern runes and pagan art pieces are something that can be potentially be enjoyed by everyone not just pagans as i think art can add to a landscape or gel with it and bring a sense of wonder for everyone. I think that probably that it will come to be accepted by most people simply because they may come to feel more familiar with it and have a positive feeling for it themselves and respect it and value it for what it means to them like older monuments around the world and in Ireland like stone circles or other monuments such as Newgrange.

I think its strange though in other parts of the world some monuments are being destroyed or built near such as here for example i would also like to see these monuments saved as well i think maybe we should look after the ones we already have as well as planning new ones. If we cant look after the older ones well then we will hardly plan to look after the newer monuments and then they are just flashes in the pan built on our whims rather than having deeper meaning. The people who started to build Tara knew that they would be dead before it was finished, i think that it is amazing that they had the social structure and belief to finish it , i cant help but think that we could not finish something that would require that commitment as a society not just pagans but wider society. It says a lot about us.

Maybe building new monuments will help people see the effort and care that must have gone into the older ones and the fact that those people had the will to accomplish what today we might not have the gumption or will or strength of spirit to do will make us cherish the accomplishment and the fruits of the labors more. I mean can you imagine politicians today trying to organize and keeping with projects that will last for generations and not five years or something??? With todays short term views i think our ancestors must have had some strong intellect to be able to be that far sighted and less ego to continue with something that would not be completed until after they were gone. That is some belief.