Is there a certain name for the worship of Dwarves?

[ToddGrove]

I don't worship my local landvaettir, but I do sacrifice to them in order to maintain good, friendly relations.

I wonder if we aren't talking about two different things here. You are obviously in what you feel to be a reciprocal relationship with the svartalf Andvari. Gift for gift, maintaining good will, all that kind of thing. This isn't necessarily worship. Just as I am in a reciprocal relationship with the wights in and around my home, I do not worship them but try to maintain a friendly status with them. Would that be closer to what you do?

I... guess you may say that? True, it may not be "worship" in the sense that you are thinking. I only consider it such because of all the greater gods/wights/jotuns i give gifts to Andvari the most and in turn i haven't been dissapointed. I don't know exactly what to call it... I'm still learning

[Juniperberry]

Well... The common thing about the dwarves in the mythology is that they live underground. The ideas about the nature of the dwarves probably varied depending on the time and geography, so this might be why Alvis turnes to stone and Andvari does not (I´m only guessing here).
Speculation aside, Andvari is called a dwarf in Snorri´s writings and I can´t really come up with a better cassification myself.

So, its more about better defining dwarves then defining Andvari.

Todd, may I ask, what's wrong with just calling yourself heathen as opposed to Dwarvatru etc?

[Hyacinth Belle]

Todd, may I ask, what's wrong with just calling yourself heathen as opposed to Dwarvatru etc?

I'm wondering the same thing. Especially since you just said you don't exclusively "worship" dwarves, but give offerings to "greater gods/wights/jotuns."

Just curious. Seems you are a patron / devotee / whateveryouwanttocallit of Andvari specifically, not necessarily worshiping dwarves over anything else. Just my two cents.

[thorsvin]

I'm wondering the same thing. Especially since you just said you don't exclusively "worship" dwarves, but give offerings to "greater gods/wights/jotuns."

Just curious. Seems you are a patron / devotee / whateveryouwanttocallit of Andvari specifically, not necessarily worshiping dwarves over anything else. Just my two cents.

You don't need to exclusively worship something for it to have a name for it though. For example - dendolatry is the worship of trees. It's not exclusive. Maybe Todd is just looking for a term like that to describe that tendency within his heathen path.

Or maybe I'm just crazy

[ToddGrove]

You don't need to exclusively worship something for it to have a name for it though. For example - dendolatry is the worship of trees. It's not exclusive. Maybe Todd is just looking for a term like that to describe that tendency within his heathen path.

Or maybe I'm just crazy

You pretty much nailed it thorsvin . I do consider myself Heathen over all other things but i would like to find a term for my path. Good job Thorsvin!

[ToddGrove]

So, its more about better defining dwarves then defining Andvari.

Todd, may I ask, what's wrong with just calling yourself heathen as opposed to Dwarvatru etc?

Oh there is nothing wrong with it. That's what i would call myself anways. I just want to find a term that would kind of... fit MY path.

[Juniperberry]

Oh there is nothing wrong with it. That's what i would call myself anways. I just want to find a term that would kind of... fit MY path.

I can understand that.

My curiosity was based on the fact that being heathen basically means having unique and individual relationships or "paths". We all have the influence of pre-christian Europe in common, but the ancestors we honor aren't the same and the the landwights we honor are all different as well. A Seattle heathen deals with different local folklore than I do, a heathen focused on Icelandic influences probably doesn't have as much interest in the matronae as I do. Some heathens honor the heroes they feel influenced by, you honor Andvari for personal reasons. Everyone's path is individual, and those unique relationships are maybe the core of being heathen. None of that separates us though, and I was curious if you thought honoring Andvari meant that it did.

Thanks for explaining your reasoning.

[thorsvin]

We all have the influence of pre-christian Europe in common, but the ancestors we honor aren't the same and the the landwights we honor are all different as well. A Seattle heathen deals with different local folklore than I do, a heathen focused on Icelandic influences probably doesn't have as much interest in the matronae as I do. Some heathens honor the heroes they feel influenced by, you honor Andvari for personal reasons. Everyone's path is individual, and those unique relationships are maybe the core of being heathen. None of that separates us though, and I was curious if you thought honoring Andvari meant that it did.

Hail!! I can drink to that.

[ToddGrove]

I can understand that.



My curiosity was based on the fact that being heathen basically means having unique and individual relationships or "paths". We all have the influence of pre-christian Europe in common, but the ancestors we honor aren't the same and the the landwights we honor are all different as well. A Seattle heathen deals with different local folklore than I do, a heathen focused on Icelandic influences probably doesn't have as much interest in the matronae as I do. Some heathens honor the heroes they feel influenced by, you honor Andvari for personal reasons. Everyone's path is individual, and those unique relationships are maybe the core of being heathen. None of that separates us though, and I was curious if you thought honoring Andvari meant that it did.

Thanks for explaining your reasoning.

Nicely put! Totally agree with you there. Thank you