In our heathen warrior Tribe, we have an award system that we use to pay tribute to those who work hard and make significant meritorious contributions to build the Tribe and advance our mission and/or display valor in combat or another venue such as in law enforcement or first responder incidents. We have also awarded it for lifesaving. The primary award system in the Tribe is our Noble Order of Tyr which is awarded in four classes – Bronze, Silver, Silver with silver Oakleaves, and Silver with Gold Oakleaves. Each of these classes comes with the award of a Norse title symbolizing that level of achievement.
The Noble Order of Tyr is not just an award it is a functioning Order whose awardees are members of the Order like those Orders of Chivalry though in our case heathenry. Like Military decorations the award can be revoked, and members removed from the Order. In the Order of the Garter in the United Kingdom that process of removal is called “degradation.” The Noble Order of Tyr is the exclusive property of Odin’s Warrior Tribe, and its use is governed by trademark with the US Patent and Trademark Office. The Noble Order of Tyr is awarded in person by the Chieftain and designated leaders. It may also be awarded posthumously. It is awarded to members of the Tribe and Society of Gungnir and to others who have rendered great service to the Tribe. We also award engraved weapons of honor and other symbols of accomplishment, for example we award silver and bronze Ullr medals to the best Viking fighters at our competitions.
We have several pending awards of The Noble Order of Tyr to make at Sigrblot 2024 if the Tribe members are present.
ORÐSTÍRR (Old Norse for reputation and glory) is the concept of building your reputation as a heathen through your deeds and should as a heathen be your guiding mindset as it was for the heathens in the past. The Noble Order of Tyr acknowledges that mindset. Those heathen ancestors like Egill Skallagrimson, who built his orðstírr=reputation and knew his worth, served and were loyal to leaders and their friends and peers who acknowledged it.
The heathen Norse - Vikings if you will - and before them the Germanic Tribes valued orðstírr so highly that they would die for it. They wanted to have a name that would live on and echo through history - that was their goal - it is our goal in Odin’s Warrior Tribe. Orðstírr is so important a concept it is in the Havamal. Orðstírr guides our Tribe. The Vikings not only wanted it, they wanted to be with those who had or also sought orðstírr. The trappings of our faith: beards, tattoos, a cool Mjolnir, and a knife are certainly fine, but they are things for appearance and when you die nobody says, "Oh wow, he had a great beard and tattoos." The Noble Order of Tyr is an acknowledgement and the members of the Order form a type of Nobility in Heathenry – one formed and based on our Tribal virtues especially honor, loyalty, brotherhood, discipline, and courage not on birth.
Orðstírr must be earned in the eyes of your peers, especially your heathen peers. The Noble Order of Tyr is worn at Blots and Sumbls and should be displayed upon the death of a member at their heathen funeral. And when you die, and you will, if you have earned it then your heathen peers will gather and they will raise their horns in your honor and say,
"Deyr fé,
deyja frændr,
deyr sjalfr it sama,
en orðstírr
deyr aldregi,
hveim er sér góðan getr."
"Cattle die, kinsmen die,
And so, one dies oneself;
But glory will never die,
for the man that wins it."
(Hávamál 76)
