Reclaiming Othala

I was watching a video about the insanity that happened in Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend, and I noticed that amongst the crowd of white supremacists was a person toting a flag with an Othala in the center. For those of you who don’t know the Runes, Othala is the Rune of heritage, inheritance, and family, and it has been used by white supremacists from time to time. As a magic practitioner that uses Runes, this angers me.

White racists have grasped at the Runes as some connection to a “pure Aryan past” that is specifically from their culture. Their use of Runes have raised the attention of a few watch groups that now list them as “potential symbols of hate” (such as this article from the Anti-Defamation League). While these articles usually point out that these symbols are used outside hate groups, the fact that they are still symbols that people have to watch out for is disheartening.

It feels as if they are taking my magic symbols away from me.

On top of rhetoric threatening me and my family (non-straight folk are usually not on their lists of favorite people), and friends who have different melatonin levels than I, their appropriation of my sacred alphabet is the icing on the cake of anger and frustration. I don’t want people to look at my Rune tattoos on my back and misunderstand their meaning.

This has been something in the back of my mind for a few years now, but the events at Charlottesville has brought it to the forefront of my mind. I’ve struggled with the use of Runes, and wondered if the use of Runes by supremacists and nazis have, in a way, tainted them. I think the Rune class I recently took was what finally made me comfortable with it. The Runes haven’t been fully appropriated, as the swastika was by the nazi party (that story is linked here!). So, this week’s blog is one of protection and reclamation.

I could keep going on about it, but I believe others have written better than I on this subject.

Here is an article that words it well.

And finally, here’s something that my husband found on one of the many Asatru/Heathen groups that he’s part of. It’s well worded.

“Don't stop wearing Mjolnir. Don't cover your Tiwaz tattoo. Don't leave your Othala bracelet at home. It will be difficult, and there will be much explaining, but the only way to keep the white supremacists from taking our symbols is to keep them and wear them and use them and explain them. Nazis stole the symbol of Sunna because we weren't there to protect it. They took double Sowilho because we weren't there to protect it. We are here now.

Othala will not be taken from us. It is OUR inheritance, and our children's.

Tiwaz will not be taken from us because justice prevails.

Mjolnir will not be taken from us because Thor is the guardian of ALL Midgard - not just those with so little melanin, we can see their yellow bellies.

Be proud. Be willing. Be heathen.”

The Runes are mine to use, and I won’t let those who want to use them as a weapon against those they deem different take them from me.

Until next week

-The Green Mountain Mage