(Essay 4) Future of Identity: Reclaiming the Northern Pagan Tradition by Jillian Burnett

Relation to the Land         

This organic movement shines a little light on the northern pagan value of hirð—those close to the household. Northern pagans had a close relationship to the land; self-sustaining homesteads were how their society was arranged. Today’s farm-to-table trend is a slightly wider interpretation of this same sentiment. Management of crop-recourses from the soil to the dinner plate, are locally sourced from farms closer than an hours’ distance. Modern fine-dining, farm-to-table remains an example of northern pagan cultural continuity.
          The local food movement has also risen in popularity, as both the carbon footprint and petroleum dependency see reduction. The local food trend supports the small farmstead, instead of mega-corporations that own majority stake in land or growing rights. Not only is this movement aligned with supporting smaller communities, but the regenerative and sustainable farming practices support agricultural that doesn’t deplete the land. Additionally, the assets are kept within families—not owned by firms on wall street, or individual investors holding farmland securities.   
          This avenue of farm to table is also more aligned with the northern pagan value of living in equilibrium nature and with landvættir; spirits of the natural environment. The practice of respecting nature also is reciprocal, as dutiful wardens of the organic world are in relationship with spirit. This philosophy holds an underlying presumption that nature is alive; it is no dead thing to carelessly harvest and decimate. The tribe gathers and shares food and song, making offering of meat and drink and smoke to land spirits. Folk care for crops and invoke the gods for a good yield—ritualing for fine yields to better feed the folk for another season.
          In this way the direct experience of guardianship and kinship with the realm of spirit translate into styles of organic consumption. Folk reject big box groceries in lieu of open air farmer’s markets. If this trend strengthens, this can cause changes the marketplace for mega-corporations who participate in the agriculture industrial complex. If massive changes ensue, there can be a slight destabilization in hierarchical power as the folk retake the means of food production from the 1%. More likely however, is that a compromise would be reached, as the urbanization of most of the modern world precludes the amount of viable land and green from sustaining large populations. Some cities transform rooftops to gardens however, in an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and go green. In some urban warehouses, entire city blocks are converted to hydroponic vegetable gardens. It may be a long time before people are self-sustaining, but each backyard tomato garden brings us one step closer to a greener world.
          With the growth of these green trends other industries are affected. Electric cars are more commonly seen on the road, with a trillion dollar valuation for Tesla testifing to this trend. Petroleum—gasoline and diesel consumption may see a decline in market size. It is also possible that more green technologies can arise as capital can be redeployed in the best way. Some pagans are concerned with green technology and water conservation; focusing on cleaner riverways and beaches. Conservationists have changed maps. In the US in New York State for example, fracking is banned; in the adjacent state of Connecticut, transporting frack liquid is banned to ensure no spillage, leakage or surface contamination. Other states without strong lobbies are not so lucky; their waterways may be polluted.
           Clean eating, and diets like whole thirst engage pagans to go green as a food-lifestyle choice. Also surging in popularity are impossible meats and vegetarian dieting. As these trends gain momentum, demands at the marketplace change. Less consumption of meat, effects less breeding of livestock for slaughter, as cows have an RFID tag. Less demand for meat may change the outlook for the menus of restaurants and will trigger inventories to date and change as the marketplace adjusts their supply. 
          Corn fields grown for pork feed can be reallocated to be used for corn-syrup, ethanol production, or perhaps the fields can grow other vegetables altogether, using less water per calorie consumed in the growing space. Less cholesterol and animal fats could even change the number one cause of death which is cardiovascular disease—should people adapt a plant-based lifestyle. Should that societal change happen to the pharmaceutical industrial complex—all the billion dollar financial firms that are shareholders in those industries would see some decapitalization. Small changes can have large long term effects; this is the law of chaos.
          Right now in Portugal deforestation due to lithium mining has depleted rural areas. Pressures from environmentally focused lobbyists have encouraged governance to reforest. This restoration of degraded land is reviving the local environs in many ways. It can serve to refresh  water filtration, rejuvenate the natural carbon sink, renew air purification as well as revive the natural habitats for various fauna and animalia. Arid lands tend to face more soil erosion and this water and soil regulation through a solid tree line with strong root systems can serve in diverse ways. Mankind’s needs however do not always correspond to the idealism of pure environmentalism as the pagan worldview establishes.                                                                                                 
          The afforestation endeavor in Portugal’s rural areas is an industrial investment opportunity. By no means is this reforestation an expression of druidic spirituality or of environmentalist planning. Agribusiness is engaging the planting of Australian eucalyptus which outcompetes native plant life as invasive species. The eucalyptus is a primary benefit for the paper industry there; as such, it is an economic input to the commercial process and mass-production of paper fabrication. It is a small win for locals, who have seen their locality endure mountaintop removal and logging of trees, until their hillsides were bare. This has historically only enabled brush fires. The arid air and environment allows no moisture to be locked into the land, as already it has low water tables with dehydrated soil. Eucalyptus plantations are a small reprieve from barren dirt; at the very least the sight of green may uplift the hearts of those who long for blooming flowers, flourishing brush, and thriving trees.
          Ultimately environmentalism is strongly affiliated with paganism and is potentially a core value. This focus on balance and respecting nature spirits is a virtue that the northern pagan tradition holds. What the folk want and need in their environments can shape policy and regulations as more pagan beliefs start to filter into representational government. The Christian style of dominating land and sea and using and pillaging the recourses of the earth without care demonstrates ignorance of ecological equilibrium and of rites of living in harmony with land water and supernatural. This discounting of the interdependence within the environment and connection with local residing spirits is a flagrant dismissal and devaluation of pagan lifestyles and values. This diminution demonstrates violence oppressing the human rights of pagans.
          The justification for this type of disrespect and selfish activity—despoiling the lands and waters for economic gain, is a divine mandate from the Christian bible. Contrarily paganism asserts stewardship and balance with the natural world. This Earth is in the middle of the experiences we have; it is inseparable from northern pagan cosmology. This includes the nine worlds and its inhabitants, dwarves, draugr, elves, and etc. Belief in the cosmology, and knowledge of these beings and their place in the natural world is an identifying characteristic.

(To be Continued)

(Meet Mago Contributor) Jillian Burnett AKA J.A.A. Narayan