ABOUT US
Charitable Mission:
Helping active and veteran military is our charitable focus.
In our Tribe, we worship the Gods and Goddesses of the pre-Christian Northern European peoples, sometimes variously called Germanic, Norse, or Teutonic. Among these gods are Odin, Frigga, Thor, Frey, Freya, Tyr, Ullr, Baldur, Bragi, Njord, Sif, Var, Heimdall, Eir and many more. We love and honor all the Norse/Germanic Gods and Goddesses, spirits (disr and land wights), and our ancestors. As a Tribe collectively though we do not honor, nor do we toast, Loki at our events even though we will tell stores from the ancient lore about him and the other Gods. We recognize Odin as the Allfather and as highest and most important of all of the Gods - their Chieftain. He is also the supreme war god and our bind rune of Tiwaz and Sowelo represents Odin in that role and his name Sigtyr. With our military and martial spirit backgrounds many of us also have a special relationship to the Norse/Germanic God Tyr, who is the God of war, honor, and justice. Tyr sacrificed his right hand so that Fenris wolf could be bound and save the Gods and mankind from destruction – at least until Ragnarok. Our motto is the Old Norse for "Call Tyr's name twice." This motto and carving Tyr's rune (Tiwaz) on weapons brings victory according to our lore. Some of us also feel close to other Gods and Godesses. Freya is especially beloved and Ullr is also special to some of us. We not only worship the Gods, we seek to have relationships with them and draw from their strength and wisdom in our lives. Our rituals are unique because we not only do them in English, but we also use Old Norse and German. We have several rituals that our heathen friends in Iceland have given us.
Tribe Membership
The Tribe consists of the Tribal Council (Board of Directors) led by a Chieftain (President) and its members all of whom are Germanic/Norse heathens. We have a Gothi (heathen priest) and Volva - both nearing completion of years of training. We have our own unique culture, which is based on traditional beliefs brought forward to our world of today. Members of the tribe are not allowed to belong to, or be oathed to, other kindreds, or their equivalent, though affiliation with some heathen/Asatru groups that do not require an oath of loyalty is permissible on a case-by-case basis. For our tribe, we welcome U.S. and Allied military veterans, active-duty military, law enforcement and other first responders. We have combat hardened warriors in our tribe, but we also have those who serve or have served honorably in other capacities. This military connection is what makes us unique in the heathen/Asatru community. With rare exception, we may also admit heathens of distinction who may not possess a military or first responder background into our tribe. These persons must possess a martial spirit and it is possible they will be admitted as regular or honorary members.
Becoming a full member of the tribe is a process. It starts with the Society of Gungnir though. We need to get to know you and vice versa. That may take some time and we are selective. We reserve the right to run a background check on prospective members and proof of military or first responder affiliation will be requited. We are looking for those who will uphold our virtues and values and will be active, dedicated, and contribute to the tribe. If you are interested, we recommend you start by coming to one of our public events advertised here on the website or on FB . If you live further away get in touch and we will see if there are members living near you. Click here to check out our Events page or go to our FB page. We welcome fellow heathen veterans, active-duty military and first responders to our regular public events, which are about once a month in Northern and Southern Virginia and often in Maryland and Pennsylvania. That could be a pub moot or an outing for some archery, axe throwing, or a trip to a special exhibit. From time to time we also operate on the website “meetup” and make announcements there. Belonging to a meetup for Odin's Warrior Tribe does not confer tribal membership. If our initial meetings with you go well we may invite you to one of our larger weekend gatherings. We meet regularly in various parts of Virginia, Maryland, and at times Georgia and Maine for small and large private religious gatherings. There you will see us in a variety of activities, such as Viking combat, Norse storytelling, primitive and survival skills classes, ritual, feasting, and toasting with mead and ale around the fire. As tribe or individuals, we also sometimes attend larger Norse festivals.
Odin's Warrior Tribe is family and spouse friendly. Spouses, who are not of a military or first-responder background may be sponsored by their member spouse for full membership on application to the Tribal Council. Spouses, or partners, and children of members who are not heathen are welcome to attend our events and must remain respectful of our beliefs and traditions. Children under the legal age of 21 are not allowed to drink alcohol at our events or attend pub moots in establishments where those under 21 years old are not allowed. Children of tribe members upon reaching the age of 21 may apply for membership to the Tribal Council with the sponsorship of their member parent (s). They will have to undergo the same selection process as other prospective members. Interested persons may also contact us here about membership via the website or on our FB page.
Prospective members of the tribe are called Varrin (singular) and Varnar (plural) and they must swear an oath before becoming full members with any privileges that entails.
The Society of Gungnir
The Society of Gungnir is now how all new members join the Tribe. It is a brotherhood for military/veteran heathens, both men and women. It is named in honor of Odin's spear. With his spear Gungnir, Odin can never miss his target and oaths sworn on Gungnir are unbreakable. For The Society of Gungnir, we welcome all U.S. military veterans, active-duty military, law enforcement and other first responders. We also welcome military and military veterans from Allied and friendly countries in the Society of Gungnir.
Members of The Society of Gungnir who have been active for a while may attain full Tribe membership category. Both Society of Gungnir and Full Tribe members have access to all events and gatherings and our private and internal social media.
Click here on the process for becoming a member of The Society of Gungnir.
The Tribe has within it a Warrior Cult where there are Berserkir and Ulfhednar activities and training for a small number who are called by those warrior spirits. We call this the Odinic Shamanic Warrior Cult. Detailed information on those activities is strictly limited to those who are chosen or who apply after tribal or Society membership and are accepted. These activities are led by combat veterans.
Odin's Warrior Tribe is not affiliated with any other Asatru group or chartered by any organization within the heathen community. We steer clear of their endless drama and political agendas. What we do is for us. We are a 501 (c) (3) religious and charitable non-profit organization founded in the State of Virginia and a registered charity in Virginia and Maryland. Our names, key symbols, and programs are trademarked. Our content is copyrighted and use without permission and/or any libel against our good name will result in legal action. We often assist active duty and veteran military heathens in need of help as well as the larger pool of veterans who seek assistance. We also conduct outdoor, athletic, and cultural events for active and veteran military, which are generally free of charge for them. Click here to donate.
Odin's Warrior Tribe actively networks in the larger heathen and Asatru community, both in the US and overseas. We call this Odin's Warrior Network. We have many heathen friends, especially in Iceland, and good relations with a number of heathen kindreds/groups and we plan to have larger gatherings with them.
The Odin's Warrior Tribal Code
These are the 13 virtues that we live by that make up our code:
· Honor
· Courage
· Truth
· Fitness
· Loyalty
· Brotherhood
· Integrity
· Discipline
· Hospitality
· Industriousness
· Self Reliance
· Perseverance
· Simplicity
We also place emphasis these six values:
· Study of Traditional Northern European Culture
· Promote Tribal Community and Teamwork
· Stewardship of the Earth’s Resources
· Promote Artistic and Handicraft Endeavors that emphasize Quality over Quantity
· Promote a Harmonious Relationship between Men and Women
· Be Prepared
In our Tribe and at our events there is no discrimination of any kind based on racial, religious, gender, or political preferences or backgrounds.
We are not hostile towards other religions. We can engage in thoughtful debate and discussion and study of religions and religious subjects. We especially value religions that honor their native and ancestral traditions.
We do not engage in any kind of political activity. Individual members hold their own respective political beliefs and affiliations. These beliefs and affiliations, and any actions of an individual member do not reflect those of Odin's Warrior Tribe, or The Society of Gungnir, or their members. Persons whose actions bring disrepute or dishonor on themselves, and/or our heathen enterprise, or are criminal in nature, are subject to removal from membership from the tribe and Society of Gungnir at the sole discretion of the Tribal Council (Board of Directors).
As you look through our site enjoy some of the Norse folk music.
We have e-books and online resources that are in the public domain in our e-library.
Odin's Warrior Tribe is a multi-layered heathen enterprise. We are foremost a Germanic/Norse heathen religious tribe with a martial spirit. We are a 501c3 religious organization, that functions as a church, and registered as a charity in Virginia and Maryland. Our tribe is mainly located in Virginia, but we have members residing in neighboring States and further away because we have direct interpersonal contact with them. We are mainly active-duty military or veterans and traditionally minded. Most of us in the tribe though were drawn back to our heathen beliefs by our ancestral ties. We adhere to US Department of Defense E.O. policies and we are honorable heathen warriors. Extremists on any part of the spectrum are not our vibe. Our tribe has its own military character, which has a lot to do with the common military service of most of our members. That vibe and we are not for everyone. Many of the same values that service members and live and die by are part of Odin's Warrior Tribal Code. We are selective in who we let join us. We have seen what can happen with a few bad apples in a group. We expect our members to take an active part in our tribe and contribute to its activities. You must be a good fit and the membership process is designed for us to determine that as well as for you to do the same. We refer to ourselves as a tribe. Others in the heathen community may use the terms kindred or community. The term tribe suits our military and first responder community character and goals. We are part of the modern rebirth of heathenry, which some call Asatru. Asatru is a re-constructionist form of Germanic Paganism. We just like the word heathen more - it suits us and our emphasis on historical heathenry.
Understanding Department of Defense E.O. Policy:
Our policies are In line with Department of Defense EO policies (See “Diversity Management and Equal Opportunity in the DoD” NUMBER 1020.02E, June 8, 2015, Incorporating Change 2, Effective June 1, 2018. We ensure an “equal opportunity in an environment free from harassment, including sexual harassment, and unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity), or sexual orientation." Prospective members must be Norse/Germanic Heathens; however, those active and veteran military members of other faiths may and are encouraged to attend our Veteran focused charitable events. While fitness is a Tribe virtue, disability is not a bar to membership and/or attendance at our Veterans events though some activities and locations may by their nature be limited such as Viking combat, mountain hikes, Viking sailing, and/or martial arts. We have proudly hosted at our events many disabled veterans including those wounded in combat.
A sizable number of Odin’s Warrior Tribe are still actively serving in the US military and/or US Government and/or friendly NATO allies. Adherence to these policies is a matter of our professional and religious lives. Our adoption of EO policies holds for foreign applicants as well.
Gothafoss - Waterfall of the Gods
