As requested by Booko.

[Zephyr]

I recently got a Private Message from Booko asking about my avatar. I hope she won't mind me reproducing it here.

Hi Zephyr!

Would you mind starting a thread whereever you feel suitable to explain your avatar? My son tells me it's a rune (he's more up on that than I am) and I think it would be really interesting to discuss the history and meaning behind it.

Thanks!

Sharon

I'll try to answer all this to the best of my ability. First off, you're son is right on the ball. My avatar is a picture of an Odal rune (also called Othala or ôþalan, although the latter is just a theoretical proto-germanic word for it.). It's a rune popular among Heathens because it symbolizes inheritance, and Asatru is our inheritance from our ancestors. The little serif-y things don't always appear on the rune, but I like them so I included them. The name Odal refers to old Germanic inheritance laws, some of which are still in effect in Norway.

Aside from use by Heathens, the Odal rune is one of the more popular runic symbols used by..."less popular" groups (not unlike the Algiz and Tiwaz runes). The Odal rune is a symbol of both the Young BNP and the Afrikaner Student Federation (which come to think of it, the ASF flag looks almost exactly like my avatar...I may wish to change that).

All in all, it's a spiffy little rune. If there are any other questions, I'd be happy to entertain them. I'm not exactly an expert on runes, but between me and the mythology experts here, we should be able to handle most questions.

 

[Ðanisty]

That's really interesting. I can see why it's significant to you. Do the colors and the circle mean anything or are they just decoration?

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

If it were mine I am not sue I would want to be associated in peoples minds with either of those two groups.

 

[MaddLlama]

Do Runes play a large part in Asatru outside of divination? Do most Asatruar use runic divination?

 

[Zephyr]

That's really interesting. I can see why it's significant to you. Do the colors and the circle mean anything or are they just decoration?

My old avatar was an odal rune on a background of the Dutch flag to reflect my heritage, and this new one is actually the old symbol of the Western Washington Heathen Front. I may be miles away from the guys, but we still keep in touch.

If it were mine I am not sue I would want to be associated in peoples minds with either of those two groups.

Yeah sure, but the runes as a symbol could be compared to the cross for Christians. If some distasteful group used the cross as a symbol would regular Christians abandon it? Besides, both of the groups are sorta using it in the right context as both the BNP and ASF are folkish organizations.

Do Runes play a large part in Asatru outside of divination? Do most Asatruar use runic divination?

To some, but not all. I personally just use them as a crazy awesome alphabet of fun. Men divining with runes is a big no-no. Even among lady Asatruar it's not exactly common.