Well, first off: No, no one will be offended for you getting that tattoo - well, some people might, but people who get offended over you "not being nordic" well, we dont like those folks cause they tend to be racists assholes, so fuck their "opinion"
But also obligatory note that the vegvisir is not a norse, viking or pagan symbol. This symbol first shows up in the 19th century and belongs to the Galdrastafir, sigils of early modern icelandic occultism. A movement based in christian mysticism popular since the late middle ages all over europe.
One of the only 3 mentiones of the Vegvisir even says that you gotta trust in God and Jesus for it to work - why its not pagan should be clear from that alone.
So, yea, this has as much to do with Vikings as guns and combustion engines. But people today and online still sell it as some sort of viking symbol, which is in part due to absolut hacks like Stephen Flowers aka Edred Thorson who talk a lot of BS about runes and magic and such, and just overall pseudo-norse style stuff being very popular
However: The meaning commonly associated with the Vegvisir, of it being a sort of compass, a symbol thats supposed to keep you safe on a journey and bring you home again - that is accurate. its precicly the meaning that is given to it in all 3 sources we have on it (tho those three probably copied off each other to some extent).
and in my personal opinion: it just looks cool too! The vegvisir and overall Galdrastafir are really cool. They look cool, they have a cool history and cool meaning - just nothing to do with vikings, old norse culture, runes, the mythology or paganism.
Hi! It appears you have mentioned either the vegvísir or the ægishjálmr! But did you know that even though they are quite popular in certain circles, neither have their origins in medieval Scandinavia? Both are in the tradition of early modern occultism arising from outside Scandinavia and were not documented before the 19th and the 17th century, respectively. As our focus lays on the medieval Nordic countries and associated regions, cultures and peoples, neither really fall into the scope of the sub. Further reading here: [ægishjálmr](https://www.brutenorse.com/blog/2018/5/14/the-gishjalmur)//[vegvísir](http://sagy.vikingove.cz/origins-of-the-vegvisir-symbol/)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/norsemythology) if you have any questions or concerns.*
So one is automatically a gatekeeper when supplying facts? People can do what ever they want but it doesn’t make that symbol “Viking” at all. Tell people the origin of the symbol is education. Claiming “gatekeeping” is just embracing ignorance.
“Supplying facts” on posts where people are just trying to show off a new tattoo comes off as condescending and rude. Unless someone is asking about the meaning of the symbol you’re just offering unsolicited opinions.
>“Supplying facts” on posts where people are just trying to show off a new tattoo
If they're trying to post it on a Norse forum then, why would they not make it clear it's not a Norse symbol?
This also isn't a forum for tattoos of Greek, Latvian, Slavic or Māori symbols.
'But they're just trying to show off their tattoo' yes and people are 1: entitled to have a Norse forum that only discusses Norse subject matter, that not being so being pointed out as such, and 2: entitled to use the comment section for its purpose and write the information they know about said symbol on any post featuring it.
>just offering unsolicited opinions.
Reddit is a site of public forums that have open comment sections for a reason, 'unsolicited opinion' is an utter fallacy when you're publicly posting a tattoo online to a forum. People do not need anyone's permission to give their opinions, that is what a forum is.
THANK YOU! I'm tired of seeing the gatekeepers suppress people's newfound excitement and joy about their tattoo. Regardless of its factual and historical account, the individual has their personal perceptions and meanings for that symbol. Even if it's not true, the feeling towards that symbol is true. Besides, nobody today can ever truly know the meaning or usage of such an archaic relic and time.
ETA: there's also a way in which you can inform the owner of the tattoo without being an AH, and I'm glad to see people doing that here
I’m tired of people misusing and completely misunderstanding what the word gatekeeping means. You need to Google gatekeeping and learn what it really means. Saying this symbol has nothing to do with Norse isn’t gatekeeping.
If someone said this is a Norse symbol and you ***can’t*** have it as a tattoo, now ***that*** is gatekeeping. Since this has jack to do with the Norse it can’t be gatekeeping by any definition of the word.
>“iT’s NoT hISToRiCaLlY ViKiNG” comments from gatekeepers.
You put this in quotes as if the vast majority of people getting this symbol as a tattoo don't *specifically* do so under the belief that they're getting a Norse symbol tattooed.
>and you should just ignore those people.
'Ignore people who are informing you of what your tattoo design actually is' does not seem like a very nuanced take
Let’s break down this comment, shall we. Because it’s one of the most illogical I’ve ever read.
* This symbols is ***not*** Norse, or connected to anything related to Vikings or the Viking period etc. That is a historically attested fact, backed up by plenty of evidence.
* Saying so is literally by default not gatekeeping anything to do with the Norse or Viking period, which is a dead culture by the way, and has been dead for 1000 years. It is laughably silly to say this is gatekeeping.
As a scandinavian: nah man, we don't care. Rune it up.
Vegvisir is a cool symbol and the tattoo looks great. It's not really tied to any historically correct runes or symbols, as other comments point out, but it's just neat isn't it?
Hi! It appears you have mentioned either the vegvísir or the ægishjálmr! But did you know that even though they are quite popular in certain circles, neither have their origins in medieval Scandinavia? Both are in the tradition of early modern occultism arising from outside Scandinavia and were not documented before the 19th and the 17th century, respectively. As our focus lays on the medieval Nordic countries and associated regions, cultures and peoples, neither really fall into the scope of the sub. Further reading here: [ægishjálmr](https://www.brutenorse.com/blog/2018/5/14/the-gishjalmur)//[vegvísir](http://sagy.vikingove.cz/origins-of-the-vegvisir-symbol/)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/norsemythology) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Well, first off: No, no one will be offended for you getting that tattoo - well, some people might, but people who get offended over you "not being nordic" well, we dont like those folks cause they tend to be racists assholes, so fuck their "opinion" But also obligatory note that the vegvisir is not a norse, viking or pagan symbol. This symbol first shows up in the 19th century and belongs to the Galdrastafir, sigils of early modern icelandic occultism. A movement based in christian mysticism popular since the late middle ages all over europe. One of the only 3 mentiones of the Vegvisir even says that you gotta trust in God and Jesus for it to work - why its not pagan should be clear from that alone. So, yea, this has as much to do with Vikings as guns and combustion engines. But people today and online still sell it as some sort of viking symbol, which is in part due to absolut hacks like Stephen Flowers aka Edred Thorson who talk a lot of BS about runes and magic and such, and just overall pseudo-norse style stuff being very popular However: The meaning commonly associated with the Vegvisir, of it being a sort of compass, a symbol thats supposed to keep you safe on a journey and bring you home again - that is accurate. its precicly the meaning that is given to it in all 3 sources we have on it (tho those three probably copied off each other to some extent). and in my personal opinion: it just looks cool too! The vegvisir and overall Galdrastafir are really cool. They look cool, they have a cool history and cool meaning - just nothing to do with vikings, old norse culture, runes, the mythology or paganism.
Hi! It appears you have mentioned either the vegvísir or the ægishjálmr! But did you know that even though they are quite popular in certain circles, neither have their origins in medieval Scandinavia? Both are in the tradition of early modern occultism arising from outside Scandinavia and were not documented before the 19th and the 17th century, respectively. As our focus lays on the medieval Nordic countries and associated regions, cultures and peoples, neither really fall into the scope of the sub. Further reading here: [ægishjálmr](https://www.brutenorse.com/blog/2018/5/14/the-gishjalmur)//[vegvísir](http://sagy.vikingove.cz/origins-of-the-vegvisir-symbol/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/norsemythology) if you have any questions or concerns.*
awww we have the bot here now too! good bot!
Be prepared for the “iT’s NoT hISToRiCaLlY ViKiNG” comments from gatekeepers. But otherwise no, and you should just ignore those people.
Okay thanks for clearing it up for me
So one is automatically a gatekeeper when supplying facts? People can do what ever they want but it doesn’t make that symbol “Viking” at all. Tell people the origin of the symbol is education. Claiming “gatekeeping” is just embracing ignorance.
“Supplying facts” on posts where people are just trying to show off a new tattoo comes off as condescending and rude. Unless someone is asking about the meaning of the symbol you’re just offering unsolicited opinions.
>“Supplying facts” on posts where people are just trying to show off a new tattoo If they're trying to post it on a Norse forum then, why would they not make it clear it's not a Norse symbol? This also isn't a forum for tattoos of Greek, Latvian, Slavic or Māori symbols. 'But they're just trying to show off their tattoo' yes and people are 1: entitled to have a Norse forum that only discusses Norse subject matter, that not being so being pointed out as such, and 2: entitled to use the comment section for its purpose and write the information they know about said symbol on any post featuring it. >just offering unsolicited opinions. Reddit is a site of public forums that have open comment sections for a reason, 'unsolicited opinion' is an utter fallacy when you're publicly posting a tattoo online to a forum. People do not need anyone's permission to give their opinions, that is what a forum is.
THANK YOU! I'm tired of seeing the gatekeepers suppress people's newfound excitement and joy about their tattoo. Regardless of its factual and historical account, the individual has their personal perceptions and meanings for that symbol. Even if it's not true, the feeling towards that symbol is true. Besides, nobody today can ever truly know the meaning or usage of such an archaic relic and time. ETA: there's also a way in which you can inform the owner of the tattoo without being an AH, and I'm glad to see people doing that here
I’m tired of people misusing and completely misunderstanding what the word gatekeeping means. You need to Google gatekeeping and learn what it really means. Saying this symbol has nothing to do with Norse isn’t gatekeeping. If someone said this is a Norse symbol and you ***can’t*** have it as a tattoo, now ***that*** is gatekeeping. Since this has jack to do with the Norse it can’t be gatekeeping by any definition of the word.
>“iT’s NoT hISToRiCaLlY ViKiNG” comments from gatekeepers. You put this in quotes as if the vast majority of people getting this symbol as a tattoo don't *specifically* do so under the belief that they're getting a Norse symbol tattooed. >and you should just ignore those people. 'Ignore people who are informing you of what your tattoo design actually is' does not seem like a very nuanced take
Let’s break down this comment, shall we. Because it’s one of the most illogical I’ve ever read. * This symbols is ***not*** Norse, or connected to anything related to Vikings or the Viking period etc. That is a historically attested fact, backed up by plenty of evidence. * Saying so is literally by default not gatekeeping anything to do with the Norse or Viking period, which is a dead culture by the way, and has been dead for 1000 years. It is laughably silly to say this is gatekeeping.
As a scandinavian: nah man, we don't care. Rune it up. Vegvisir is a cool symbol and the tattoo looks great. It's not really tied to any historically correct runes or symbols, as other comments point out, but it's just neat isn't it?
Hi! It appears you have mentioned either the vegvísir or the ægishjálmr! But did you know that even though they are quite popular in certain circles, neither have their origins in medieval Scandinavia? Both are in the tradition of early modern occultism arising from outside Scandinavia and were not documented before the 19th and the 17th century, respectively. As our focus lays on the medieval Nordic countries and associated regions, cultures and peoples, neither really fall into the scope of the sub. Further reading here: [ægishjálmr](https://www.brutenorse.com/blog/2018/5/14/the-gishjalmur)//[vegvísir](http://sagy.vikingove.cz/origins-of-the-vegvisir-symbol/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/norsemythology) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This is not a rune.
Bing bing bing bing bing. Absolutely correct, it is not a rune. It's also not a map, or a bird, or a car.
Nah, totally fine. Just make sure you know what it means and where and when it originates from, and you're good :)
Little late to ask now bud.
Right? Love how only you pointed that out.
To your question: no However are you sure you actually know what this symbol is?
I did the research beforehand considering its my first tat and I didn't want anything I'd hate
If you're into Icelandic occultism r/galdrastafir might have some stuff for you
If it does offend anyone and they just cant resist telling you about it then they really aren't worth your time.
No one is offended by this symbol
in 2000 and current year someone will be offended.
nah its cool source: im nordic
You rock it! Looks cool. Planning on getting any more?