We want to thank Jules Jaramillo, Reverend Wendy Williams, Katie Edwards and Reverend Jen Simon of Jefferson Unitarian Church. Without your support and kindness this project would not have been possible.
We also want to thank the Troth Steer Lauren Crow Thacker, Communications Director Benjamin KG, Chana Johnson, Cat Heath, India Falkabarn, Asra, Andromeda, Jess, gracious examples all, as well as foundational members John Hijatt, Ben Waggoner, Patricia Lafayllve and Crystal Ratcliffe for their scholarly and practical work, and the grand dames of inclusive practice, Diane Paxson and Winifred Hodge Rose of the Troth for more tools to address and fight despair.
We also want to thank Casey McCarthy, Reverend William Ashton III, Reverend Melissa Ashton, Felix, Koriayn, of Mountain Ancestors Grove ADF and our amazing and generous mentor and teacher Soltahr Tiv-Amanda, a radiant being of rare grace and kindness who introduced us to anti-bigotry work.
We appreciate Metro State University for their journalism and women’s studies programs.
We appreciate Cherry Hill Seminary and their books on leadership and consent.
We appreciate Heathen Women United, who introduced us to Nordic Animism and the other story possibilities for this year.
We are indebted to Rune Hjarno Rasmussen at Nordic Animism for sparking the idea of how to approach being better ancestors and break Euro-descended people out of the spiral of guilt and despair and into healing the world.
We are indebted to Rachel Ricketts and her foundational text Do Better: Spiritual Activism for Fighting and Healing from White Supremacy for giving us guiderails for our work.
And most importantly we are deeply indebted to:
Maeve Rose
Beth Erlund and Dennis Johnson
And the hub of our support system, Deborah Joanne Parks Hooker Erlund
Like a magpie I have taken the shiny things you have gifted me and I hope to do them honor.
We also want to call out an issue with the phrase ‘the Year of Aun’ .
It has been attributed to Josua Rood, who has been accused of misogynist behavior and rather than apologizing and moving into some sort of restorative justice, he has allegedly harassed more people.
We have not been able to verify the facts of this account, but we hope Rood and those surrounding him, including Rune Hjarno Rasmussen, clarify this issue and if there is an offense, make amends.
Another issue that has been raised is the negative slant of the story of King Aun (which translates as bastard, delightful).
I hope that the series of rituals presented will give sufficient examples as to how we can live differently, to be better ancestors. I did not develop this from Nordic Animism alone, I also used methods, models and mythologies from other parts of Europe and the intersectional work of pagans such as Crystal Blanton, Yvonne Aburrow and Rachel Ricketts.
You can read the critique of using the story of King Aun here: Frithweaving