Fólkvangr (Folkvang)

[@Fridrik-]

Fólkvangur is used in modern Iceland as a “legal” term. It’s defined as natural reserve close to populated places. Specially reserved for public use.

[@MagnusItland]

This meaning of the word is immediately recognizable to a Norwegian, since both "folk" and "vang" are still in use here. The military aspect of "folk" is lost however, just like in English.

[@kevinmorgan2968]

That’s the single most cool thing that I will never use I have learned in years. It’s like when I learned that they only use the left side feathers for badminton shuttlecocks. Sorry, you now have a place in my mind palace friend.

[@Fridrik-]

@@kevinmorgan2968 Know I know of the left side feathers I'm att loss what to do with that knowlede ...

[@kevinmorgan2968]

@@Fridrik- I recommend drinking heavily, and reading as much poetry as possible. It will dull out the facts we keep as jewels found in a toilet.

[@Fridrik-]

@@kevinmorgan2968 Great Idea. I´m off to find a bar that's open at 8:20 in the morning

[@Son-of-Tyr]

I'm so glad to get a new mythology video. Jackson Crawford is the absolute best source for neutral, accurate information on Norse mythology and the Eddas.

[@tylerdillon3745]

The audio quality is much improved since your earlier videos. The volume is nice and loud and even though you stand in a wind tunnel I hear almost no wind! I'm glad, because now I can understand your lectures much better!

[@MichaelLoda]

Yeah his audio quality has always bothered me, now it seems better

[@ThePykeSpy]

@Susanna I hope you'll be please to hear that subtitles will be added (slowly, but surely) to most of his important videos, by me. I hope that'll help out retroactively.

[@einarkristjansson6812]

This is new knowledge to me. Fólkvangur is a common word in modern Icelandic, meaning an outdoor space where people get together for pleasant gathering. Thank you Dr. Crawford for your explanation. Greetings from Iceland. EK

[@MagnusItland]

Similar connotations in modern Norwegian, Folkvang is usually a gathering place for public events and open parties. Not exactly the grimdark associations of Odin's halls. I suspect this is why reconstructed Asatru has such a different take on it than Dr Crawford here.

[@philyragames]

@@MagnusItland What's the Asatru take?

[@jackjohnson2309]

Could we interpret Folkvangr as “battlefield”? If she’s the chief Valkyrie, it would be reasonable to say that the battlefield is her domain, and her choice of half of the fallen perhaps the fallen of the winning side, as they died for the victory?

[@Sindraug25]

This makes a lot of sense. It doesn't say, "Freyja is in Folkvangr with half, and Odin is in Valhalla with half", it is talking about both Freyja and Odin when referring to Folkvangr. So maybe Valhalla is Odin's hall which located in Folkvangr.

[@jamescheddar4896]

No because Freyja actually has her own hall and Odin has his own field. People are looking at a polytheistic religion with a monotheistic bias. People took on patron deities and the desired outcome is only similar but not identical to others. I'm pretty sure if you followed baldr you were promised reincarnation after ragnarok because Hod helps help break out of Hel to atone or something.

[@reptilesarecool6739]

@@jamescheddar4896 I’m gonna be honest, this sounds more like /you/ are taking a hyper-monotheistic view of a polytheistic religion. Everyone takes an individual patron god out of the group that exist and all of these gods are separate and wholly distinct? That sounds like it’s a lot of small monotheistic religions rather than one polytheistic religion

[@jamescheddar4896]

@@reptilesarecool6739 the difference is that a monotheistic religion invalidates all deities besides their own. there is usually at least 2 deities on top for a polytheist religion and this particular one let people worship any god as long as they worship their parents basically

[@reptilesarecool6739]

@@jamescheddar4896 obviously individuals worship some gods more than others, either because of their profession or region or whatever, but I don’t understand why you disagree with the original commenter’s interpretation, which seems to more or less be the same conclusion that was arrived at in the video - that Freya is being set up as a Valkyrie/chooser of those who populate Valholl - she chooses half and Odin owns half. A perfectly fair conclusion to arrive at is “this is the same half of the dead”. those that Freya has chosen arrive to Valholl. It’s also ok to interpret it another way, but I don’t know old Norse and I trust the translation and conclusion arrived at in the video regarding the implication of the specific words chosen by the original author

[@jamescheddar4896]

@@reptilesarecool6739 the original statement was that valhalla was in folkvang and it is not. they are different places in asgard. you can look it up. the whole thing that is up for interpretation is the criteria that freyja uses. I was pointing out that polytheism does not do the one god above all others thing. Hinduism is a living example, they have 3 principal deities, 3 paths to enlightenment, they aren't mutually exclusive. I'm guessing we're missing data on the other "paths" in paganism

[@browning50cal]

I get from this stanza that: On the Battlefield(Folkwagnr) that Freya presides over, She chooses half (the dead) to take away, and half live to fight under the watchful eye of Odin.

[@philyragames]

Jeg liker denne tolkningen.

[@magister343]

It seems to me like "army" + "plain" would likely mean "Battlefield."

[@oneukum]

Not necessarily. Armies gather and train much more often than they actually fight.

[@mutzeputze4624]

@@oneukum To me it also seems to be a meeting place, comparable to the one where the fighters gather before the Battle of Helm's Deep.

[@daleeck4202]

There are variations of belief even in modern religions. So I imagine that this was the same in N. Europe and Scandinavia. Some may have believed Frigg and Freyja were one in tbe same, some may have believed differently. Just as some may have tbought Vaholl and Folksvangr were different places, or one in the same. With so little information surviving we are often times left to speculate. Off subject but, when I lived in Wyoming, it seemed the whole state was a wind tunnel.

[@stowlicters8362]

If only Rome never fell and they all were able to come together and philosophize! The chance still exists, we can make it more likely!

[@jonrolfson1686]

Frigg and Freyja were a pair of shivering Nordic Apsara (अप्सरा - អប្សរា), each of whom was an Avatar (अवतार - អវតារ) of the other.

[@JamisonStone]

Thank you for making these, Jackson Crawford. Deeply appreciate you and your work. I'm going to support your Patreon. Thank you.

[@artaizen1613]

I'll be honest he looks cool, sounds cool, talks about cool stuff like a real life sage

[@philyragames]

Not only is this video very interesting and compelling, but so are many of these comments. As the Freyja of KZbin comments, I'm going to take half of these comments with me to Folkvangr! I love all the different interpretations folks have come up with (no pun intended). Even if Folkvangr is only mentioned once (which one or two commenters disagreed with), there's another thing to take into consideration: that the stories of women and goddesses may just have been less likely to be written down. Let's not forget that Christian society was even more patriarchal than Old Norse society. The Christian men writing down these sagas may have favored tales of men and gods over women and goddesses. Furthermore, we do know that Norse mythology was not actually a monolith and that different villages likely worshipped different primary gods or goddesses. The tales from the villages that primarily worshipped goddesses may not have made it as far in formal sagas, even in the oral tradition. As we know, skalds composed these poems for kings. But they didn't single-handedly invent these stories. They got them from somewhere. With the skalds and the kings being male, there's another male bias. The local folklore may have been forgotten soon after the forced conversion to Christianity, while those epic sagas that had been formed into memorable poems lasted through the next few centuries until they were written down. In addition, as one commenter noted, Freya was more popular in eastern Scandinavia. These sagas were written down by Icelanders - western Scandinavians. That's yet another reason why Freya and her realm may have taken a less prominent role in the sagas. It's easy to concentrate our attention on what we DO know for certain, which is perfectly valid, yet at the same time, a huge part of what's so fascinating about Norse mythology is how mysterious it is due to everything we don't know. When you start thinking purposefully about what we know about women in Norse society, it's a reminder of how little we really know. Also, when you think of the incredible diversity and evolution of human languages, it shouldn't surprise how much diversity there would've been in the mythology. There's a great academic book on women in Norse mythology/society by an Icelandic scholar that you should check out if you haven't already. It's called Valkyrie.

[@oneukum]

One thing more, Grimismal also describes Valholl. Now looking at the verse itself, what Dr. Crawford explains is quite sensible. But why would the same poem speak of Folkvangr and Valholl as distinct places?

[@philyragames]

That's a good question. I'm not familiar with the text, but if Folkvangr is the 9th hall, then presumably Valhalla was one of the others mentioned. The only other possibility I can think of is that Folkvangr actually refers to the battlefields of Midgard, not Asgard. If Freyja is the chief Valkyrie, then I suppose it would make sense that she's the ruler of the human battlefield.

[@oneukum]

@@philyragames Valholl is not described as a hall, respectively palace at all. It is previously mentioned to be inside the 5th hall. The whole thing is a bit contradictory. Nevertheless Folkvang and Gladsheim seem to be distinct places.

[@philyragames]

@@oneukum Áhugavert.

[@lavnlvas]

This is my own wild internet speculation, but this almost sounds like Folkvangr is a term to describe the battlefield itself, and not any holy other-place. It reflects the sacredness of the battlefield. Likewise, in the interpretation of Freyja-Frigg, would she not then be a goddess to appease? Valholl might be honorable to enter, but not everyone would want young men to go into it at a given time. Could F/F be a goddess to whom mothers and wives pray to spare their sons? She chooses who is ready for Valholl and whom shall be sent back to their loved ones. Again wild internet speculation.

[@thexplodenator3007]

Dude I think you cracked the code

[@hyperthulean8649]

Is there some old connection between the word kyrja and curae/curator? They sound similar and the meanings of the word are, vaguely, similar in meaning or concept.

[@dinojack9000]

Brilliant video! Old Norse research really requires a dedicated education

[@ratboy_]

The last 45 seconds are so good. In fact, they're why you're the best.

[@aunmarie7629]

Bellows translated Folkvong as "field of the folk". It's not a hall. It a place where the warriors collect after battle where Freyja chooses from.

[@kbarbee3212]

Army field = battlefield?

[@brianweaver327]

As someone who converted to Norse Paganism several years ago, your channel has been invaluable to my education. Thank you for your work, Dr. Crawford!

[@DieDagbreker]

In my native language Folk: People Vangr: Catcher/Grouper Excellent video

[@kariannecrysler640]

A wonderful treat! Thank you.

[@Yogaleif]

Speaking of places, for me, just the scenery of your outdoor videos make click that like button ... Part of the reason being that it reminds me about the mountains in Eastern Norway ... Think the mountains around the valley Gudbrandsdalen ...

[@grindsaur]

It seems odd that Valhǫll is mentioned as (being in) the fifth land and Fólkvangr in the ninth, and various halls that are apparently not Valhǫll are mentioned in the other lands (e.g. Þrúðvangr). In a listing like this, why would they include both if they were the same?

[@uialion1740]

Plausibly like concession lots in rural country; it's just a verbal means of explaining different parts of an area as a whole?

[@grindsaur]

Uialion that certainly seems to be the case for most of the text, but certain of these halls refer back to Odin while others do not. Two are described as “silver-roofed”, and one land appears to be devoid of buildings… it’s a confusing text :)

[@stowlicters8362]

@@grindsaur I agree with you, I think they are referring to different places.

[@grindsaur]

Stowlicters thank you. However one or two of them do seem to be Valholl-adjacent, if nothing else (Sökkvabekkr where Odin and Saga drink, and Valaskjálf Odin’s Command HQ and intel center…). It’s just just damn vague :)

[@clayashford9334]

If the old Norse were to mean “Odin owns/has THAT half” would it be written differently. Is there an article in old Norse like there is in modern English that would specify the the half being referred to is the same as the previously mentioned half?

[@archeofutura_4606]

I’m sure other people could answer this better, but with highly inflected languages articles and prepositions can be dropped, & their meanings can be reflected in a change in noun case. It’s especially common to see the dropping of particles in poetry in these languages. It could be that one just needs to rely on context though idk

[@tusmrketalefrahedenold]

I haven´t read the whole thread, but in Freyas Folksvangr is the Sessrumnir... the same as the space with a lot of seats... it could be a viking ship. But as long as it is a land- word, it is easy to think about the ship burrials... Isn´t it?

[@ravnor874]

There is a few places here in Norway thats caleld Folkvang and some busineses aswell haha Never thought about it coming from Norse myths

[@lisasternenkind6467]

I believe it's the other way around. I suppose, that the mythical Fólkvangr is named like the ones in Midgard. ;-)

[@kimfleury]

I guess it could be the places were named for the myth, or perhaps the myth took a place name from the country, but I thought maybe the modern place names might have come from the ancient forts, or fortresses, where there was a meadow surrounding the fortified stronghold, however primitive it might have been. But I'm biased because my Christian name is Kimberly, which comes from Anglo-Saxon "Kyneburghe," or in Celtic "Kim Borough Lee," which means "King's Fort Meadow," or "Meadow surrounding the King's Fort." Maybe in Early Old Norse my name would be Fólkvangr?

[@cerdic6305]

@@kimfleury There isn't a language called Celtic, and the name Kimberley is entirely from Old English. "Kim Borough Lee doesn't mean anything in any Celtic language.

[@archeofutura_4606]

@@kimfleury 1. Celtic is not a language, but a language family made up of 6 surviving languages. 2. The name Kimberly is entirely English, and none of the elements of the supposed “celtic” etymology of your name are from any living or dead Celtic language. *riks would be the reconstructed proto-celtic word for King, just to name one Speculation is fine, but the reason why Jackson Crawford’s work is so valuable is bc it helps us work through the bs in order to avoid making statements that are either unprovable or outright false

[@TOBAPNW_]

@@archeofutura_4606 thats so fascinating that riks is the proto-celtic for king. It may be false friends, but it definitely makes me immediately think of rex and reich, just showing how closely related the Indo-European languages are (especially in archaic forms)

[@Everyones_Scapegoat]

What if Folkvangr was similar to Glaðsheimr. What if it's just the field around Freyja's actual hall (Sessrúmnir), just like Glaðsheimr is the plain around Valhalla.

[@kimfleury]

Just in passing.....The meaning of hell in Jewish and early Christian understanding was simply "The Place Where the Dead Go." It wasn't necessarily a place of punishment, but it wasn't in the presence of God, which is believed to be painful to the soul. In Christian understanding, when Jesus was crucified and died, his soul descended into hell. There's a painting titled _The Harrowing of Hell_. depicting Jesus separating the damned from the saved. He then brought the saved with him into paradise, i.e. the presence of God the Father.

[@philyragames]

Heillandi!

[@gregoryamato8693]

Interesting that we might be seeing the result of a confused transmission, possibly making Freyja Odin's wife. If so, one thing I wonder about is how Freyja would be Odin's wife, the chief valkyrie, and still the sorceress who taught Odin seiðr. Could this have been all the same deity at one time, or do the chief valkyrie/teacher of seiðr mark a likely split in identity?

[@lisasternenkind6467]

Acually there wouldn't be a reason why a man would not be able to learn something from is wife.

[@gregoryamato8693]

@@lisasternenkind6467 Is that how you read my comment? I didn't mean to imply that at all.

[@kieralavode57]

This is in the realm of dangerous half-knowledge, but if I remember right, there are several instances in sagas where valkyries use or instruct in seiðr, so I don't think there'd be a need for a split. I know Sigurd is taught runes/spells by a valkyrie, but I think there were more instances I just can't think of right now. If anything, the seeming connection of valkyries to seiðr might strengthen the association of Freyja with those aspects together? But I'm by no means an expert, just an enthusiast, and so far only read translations, so I'm no doubt missing some nuance.

[@unocoltrane2804]

I wonder if it would be possible that in saying Othinn owns half of the dead warriors that it would mean he gets to take that half to his final battle in Ragnarok.

[@jonrolfson1686]

Your explanation of Fólkvangr sharpens the focus on Varangian, as in Varangian Guard. Varangian (in a number of variations) has usually been described as a name used in the east to refer to Russian Riparian Vikings circa the turn of the last millennium. It must have been based on a bit of self advertisement.

[@basssage2894]

Thank you

[@karl-axelknutson909]

Gun (Gunn) was one of the valkyria that chose which of champions that would die in battles. Maybe that is what is meant by ”choosing”/”picking” in this poem?

[@Rig_is_King]

This is random, but would you happen to have a video or would ever make a video on the translation of the dwarven names listed in the Voluspa?

[@Skrufflez]

What happens to those that don't or couldn't fight? Where do they go?

[@Matt_The_Hugenot]

Got slightly confused by the intro music that's the same as Drachnifel uses.

[@vvvvaaaacccc]

how clear (or not) is it that "Fólkvangr" is something that I might think of as a proper noun, rather than merely one "fólkvangr" among possibly many?

[@lisaaronsson1997]

When I read the text for the first time I interpreted it like following; 50 % of the fallen warriors have to go to Valhalla to fight alongside Oden in Ragnarök. That’s Odens right, he owns them. Freja, like the Valkyrie she is, observes the warriors in the battlefield and then chooses the best half of them. Her job is to make sure that the warriors who is chosen to fight in Odens army are the very best. She then delivers them to the one that owns them; Oden. I didn’t interpret it like Oden and Freja split the warriors 50-50 amongst themselves. I interpreted it like only the top half of the warriors were actually offered a place in Odens hall. I still think that would be the most logical. I don’t think it’s likely that every man that was killed with weapons in his hand was a brave fierce warrior. I’m pretto sure there were also a bunch of not so skilled men in a viking army. Perhaps even som spoiled wannabe brats who got a place simply due to their heritage. Why would such a wise God as Oden want them to fight in the most important battle of all times?

[@eleventylevity]

I kind of always pictured Fólkvangr as life inside a country song.

[@watata1t]

Just discovered your channel, i was wondering have you noticed that scottish, mainly the dooric dialects uses norse/scaninavian words in their vocabulary ?

[@archangelmichael1978]

I was researching this because I'd heard Freyja and Folkvang mentioned with Odin and Valhalla. One thing I read/heard was there was an association between Freyja and warriors of the ships in various paintings or writings. This made me wonder if it was legit or something made up for the more modern tech/mech warriors, like men in tanks, sailors, and airmen. Land ships, sea ships, air ships. A lore for the rest of us military men and women, an alternate Valhalla.

[@InvincibleSummer7]

Since Frigg is in fact Freyja. Freyja is Odin's wife so i feel naturally it must mean they both share the fallen warriors equally

[@cascadinggainz6043]

I can respect what the fact of the matter is saying. I choose to believe valhalla is for the elite warriors who fight honorably and courageously and folkvangr is for the warriors who die honorably and courageously just not as elite high energy as the valhol warriors

[@mutzeputze4624]

Odin often visits Freyja at her Folksvang home after she returns to Asgard from her futile search for Odr - although he knows Frigga does not like it, when he is out gallivanting. But he feels closer to her than all the other Æsir, because - like him - she has madness in her blood (in my opinion, this also means the striving for the new, a restlessness and search for the unknown, which has brought us here and still resides in us). On Folkvang, Odin and Freyja talk confidentially about important matters. Hel, who has attained such great power that all the dead who did not die in battle but died of old age or illness, must go to her realm, is what occupies them most. But even Odin can, if he wants, summon the dead to him, and he thinks about putting up an army of the dead. One day the two are walking across the large meadow (=Folkvang) and Odin tells Freyja about his secret mission with which he has sent Heimdal to Earth (to create a new courageous human race for the final battle). All brave men who fall in battle shall join the army. They’ll be fewer than Hel’s army, but bolder. Then he shows her Valhall, the great harborage he had built for these warriors - to accommodate Heimdal’s sons. Then Odin assembles a council of war in the final battle, gathers the Æsir around him and explains to them what has happened and what needs to be done. Odin wants to share responsibility with one of the Æsir. All Æsir are excited, hold their breath and think of Thor, Tyr or Heimdal! He says: “One half shall stay with me in Vallhall”, he decides, “the other half shall command Freyja on Folkvang.” (quoted by Tor Åge Bringsværd)

[@mutzeputze4624]

And: She lives in Folkvang with her cats. On her neck she wears the jewel Brisingamen. She shares with Odin the recruitment of the undead warriors and accommodates half of their army in her residence. And: man sneaks across the courtyard of Folkvang. Frejia, the lady of the house, sleeps quietly, because there is no house in all of Asgard that has such solid doors and such strong locks as hers. (both from Tor Åge Bringsværd)

[@Ravn000]

It just sounds like folkvangr means battlefield, and Freyja is the chief valkyrie.

[@kevinstachovak8842]

May Goddess Freyja accept my bravery. She has seen my worth! I am no coward. She has seen me take on men twice my size. Odin's hall of the slain isn't the only desired afterlife. Let me not fall into the corpse-strand

[@CourtneySchwartz]

Fólkvangr sounds like the Elysian Fields. Think it’s the Greek equivalent?

[@oneukum]

Yet Odin owns only half. Who owns the rest? Odin only employs the Valkyries. He does not get to choose. Froyja does not have her own valkyries, does she?

[@philyragames]

Oh, interesting. Yes, I was wondering about the other half as well. I thought all who die in battle were said to go to Valhalla, not just half. Maybe the implication is that the other Valkyries take the other half elsewhere that's less prestigious, such as to the realm of the Vanir? Or perhaps the other valkyries take the rest to Valhalla, yet they are owned by Freya or some other gods? Could the other Valkyries also be goddesses or wedded to gods who then split the remainder amongst them? Like Freyja would get the most if she's Odin's wife because of his prominent position. I see Wiki interpreting it as similar to this, but in reverse: the valkyries take half the dead (to Valhalla), while Freya takes the other half.

[@karencarlson1693]

Interesting and entirely plausible interpretation.

[@codywilber6885]

Key hole glimpses into a dark room lit by moonlight

[@EkEMaN91]

What about in Egils saga where Thorgerdr refuses to eat until she dines with Freyja, in support of her father who will soon die in battle? That makes sense if Freyja oversees a form of afterlife, not if she simply chooses people for Odin.

[@ForestGreenChords]

Freyja's hall is called Sessrúmnir, maybe this hall was the one she was referring to. It's not stated that this is an afterlife hall but other gods seem to have some kind of afterlife in one way or another without having a particular named afterlife place (Freyr with the elves (which MIGHT sometimes be dead people), Thor with thralls,...)

[@bearofthunder]

First I want to thank you again for your meticolous and careful treatment of the sources that exist. Your point is well taken. You have stated before that the sources we have are written down after christianity took over, even the poetic Edda. Then the sources we have are like a couple hundred puzzle pieces of a puzzle of at least 1000 pieces. Wast areas of the full picture we have no pieces to fill in. So many take ownership to this puzzle and each fill in their own personal agenda in the missing areas. A autodidact experts create 100 versions of the full picture. So, is there any remedy for this? Is it possible to gain a satisfyingly complete picture in an authoriative interpretation? It does not seem likely, and even christianity with much more extensive sources still create different interpretations, seemingly to suit different needs, or an evolving culture, so how can it ever be possible to get any any type of satisfying completeness in the norse mythology? In that regard I would like to ask a question. How is it that everywhere in the world people have imagined that there are gods? How come such ideas occur at all anywhere? And how come that a cosmology of gods can be replaced in the population with totally new imagination? The gods that were imagined so real once, suddenly sieze to exist and sieze to have any impact on the world where they used to be so powerful? Is the only power a god can have be derived from humans stating that they are actually real? In such case their power is not very impressive. Or are they still working their dees on reality, only we don't realize it, because we don't believe they are real anymore? The existensial perceptions of "reality" are communicated with different terminology in different ages. At the time when people thought the norse gods were real, similar practice could be found all over the world in different so called "pantheons". What is it about humans that they form such ideas about the world? I think it is impossible to fill in the cosmology of the norse without some cross contamination, founded on a trust that the human mind is physically constructed the same for all humans, and that mythology is a reflection of the mind of humans. Otherwise you sort of have to believe that there are thousands of gods that are actually real as external "beings" that the mythologers are just objectively describing. If that is true, then no monoteistic religion can be right. If mythology is rather an attempt to describe what it is to be human, then comparative studies may be a way to go to fill in the blanks, right? Then we start talking about eqvivalents around the world, if that is at all possible. To me this all comes down to the starting point and what you believe about how mythologies come into existence.

[@Catherine-bs1xj]

1/2 the slain warriors go to Folksvangr with the remaining 1/2 to Valhalla? Who does the choosing? Freyja or Odin? why are the vikings always concerned about dying honorably when they could just as well be taken by Freyja? What do they do in this meadow? If memory serves, with Odin they feast & fight until Ragnorok [this never appealed to me]. I do however think hanging out in a meadow sounds very nice.

[@philyragames]

Love these thoughts. Maybe Freyja got to choose those who were allowed to chill out in the afterlife, while Odin took the remainder who were forced to serve him.

[@gg2fan]

I wonder how Snorri would feel about how much of a famous and important historical figure he's come to be, not many people's names are remembered for ~1000 years and all he did was write down some old stories his grandma told him so he could teach some whippersnappers how to write poems the right way

[@lisasternenkind6467]

I really like your channel and follow you. Thank you for your effort. Yet here I do not agree with everything. Let me explain my thoughts on this matter. (1.) Freyjas Hall is named Sessrimir, meaning somthing like hall with the many seats. Freyja also is in charge of Fólkvangr. (2.) Fólk has the meaning of people, in today's German Menschen. Fólk includes people of all sorts, also warriors, but not only. Only later the meaning of today's German Volk was added in Old English, in Old Friesisch, Old Saxon, Icelandic, Danish, etc. It's used as plural of MAN. So FOLKVANGR must be understood as Volkswiese (German) or people's meadow. (3.) As I understand the old text, the second passage is not an addition to Fólkvagr, but to Freyja's other duties. Very often the old texts do that.These other duties are to choose her half of the dead warriors, before Odin gets to own the other half. This of course also means, that the Valkyrias get to choose among Odin's half which warriors they accompany to Valhalla. I actually have the understanding, that the heroic dead warriors either go to Sessrimnir, or to Walhalla. All other people first go to Fólkvangr and from there either to Sessrimnir or to Hel - the latter NOT being hell in the monotheistic sense, just another place to dwell in afterlife. .

[@Isulfr]

Regarding your points, Lisa. (1.) I do agree it is clear Freyja has her own hall, Sessrimir, (which is really just a synonym or kenning for the word 'hall'). Many of the Aesir have their own halls, it not clear if they are afterlifes or not. (2.) Fólk, as is described by Dr. Crawford is a word that has developed. Whilst it would seem to mean just 'people' now, this was not always the case, therefore "FOLKVANGR must be understood as Volkswiese (German) or people's meadow." is not true. (3.) This stanza, which is the only source we have for this concept, is incredibly ambiguous as to what the 'half' means. If it, pertaining to Odinn, is a separate half from the one pertaining to Freyja or not. Or if, Freyja in her role as a chief of the valkyrjor are choosing which half of the 'valr' (meaning men slain gloriously in battle) the valkyrjor are to take to Valhǫll, at the request of Odinn.

[@MusKubium]

Folkvagn is what we call old Volkswagen beetles here in Sweden lol

[@glimtavnorge175]

Lol, true. But this is "vang", as in grassland. Vang is also a place name in Norway (and then you have Vossevangen in Voss, for instance).

[@lisasternenkind6467]

Folkvagn means the same as the German Volkswagen. Here he talks about FÓLKVANGR. Great difference.

[@grimnir9274]

@@lisasternenkind6467 Swoosh

[@timelineenjoyer]

Had to remind myself you were saying Frig and Freyja and not Frigging Freyja

[@kevinmorgan2968]

I know absolutely nothing about anything, but I always heard it ‘and Odin had half’ as ‘and [so] Odin Had Half’

[@jorgen-ingmarcastell2864]

The modern swedish word for "vangr"" is "vång" .

[@stowlicters8362]

Yes

[@Raua12]

Only now did I notice how it was spelled, and that it is not "folkvagn" like the car 😂 Volkswagen the people wagon

[@Chyrre]

Interesting that "kyss" is pronounced more like "chyss" in modern Norwegian, and so it resembles modern English "choose" in pronouciantion. Don't know if this is just a coincidence, though. (Btw Norwegians don't use "kyss" for "choose" anymore, now it means "to kiss")

[@philyragames]

And velge now means choose (valg - election) - that's funny! val - kyss, looks swapped.

[@jeffreyadamo]

August 2022!

[@melissahdawn]

I wonder what it would be like to hear such thoughts with a preconceived notion, hearing this for the first time it feels sensical and unbiased, and even very logical,but I hesitate praising the interpretation because I have nothing to compare it to. This stands simply unchallenged and how I accept it as being. "Odin and Freya sitting in a tree..." 😉

[@Robin_Goodfellow]

This is just my own imagination, but the image I have in my head is a massive plain covered in tents, with a hall in the middle. All of the warriors there were killed in battle, but the best of them live in the hall, and are chosen by the lord and lady of that hall. Again, just one way to interpret what we've been given in the sources.

[@venm5887]

as always great info Doc, I really appreciate your time given to us. were did the images in the beginning come from, they would make great tattoos to go with the rest i have. I have others in the same style, they would match well.

[@tusmrketalefrahedenold]

PS. I agree that Fryja is the chief Valkyrie. She who choose who is ready and honorable enough to die. As the worm in Mother earth... transformate the dead material to new life. It is an "ideologic" place. Methaforic. Psykologic. AND Fysical... In Scandinavia You see Ships burials all over - all thoug that a lot of them is destroyed. And "battle" ... what about thinking "battle" as the daily struckel to make a day. - ? You know "the backing group" to the heroes? ... Women? The old ones... and all the others... :)

[@gweiloxiu9862]

It is hard to not unintentionally build opinions on the supposition that there was ever a canon. If there is good logical evidence for any possibility, it likely was the case in some region at some time. If there is good logical evidence that Freyja is Frigg and if there is good logical evidence that she is not, than the truth is probably both depending on place and time. In one area at one time, they were the same, in a different area or time, they were not the same. From a heathen standpoint, both are equally legit. The people of the late Nordic Iron Age and early viking age killed lots of people for lots of crazy reasons, but not for reasons of religion or "the versions of the story my tribe believes is the only right version and we will fight you if you disagree". If it were like that, there would be a canon and it would be the version of the story that the most dominant group believed. Think about the Christian Bible. It is a collection of ancient religious books that all tell the same version of their story. There are dozens of other ancient religious books that tell the same basic story, but different versions. The Council of Rome was not initiated to decrease Roman power. Their version would be the only one. And so we have the canon that we abide by today.

[@renata_of_the_craft]

In Germany we have a whole town that has dedicated itself to Folkvangr, Essen, which used to be a heavily industrialised city in one of the main coal and steel producing areas. This year it is even calling itself the Folkwangstadt. The city's main museum is named such, the University of Arts takes the name, and there's an institute for learning for the general public also bearing that name. I wonder though, could it be an alliteration for Valhöll? Everything in the Eddas and the Sagas seems to have such, so why not Valhöll, the Hall of the Slain, Folkvangr, the Field of the Warriors is not that far removed? Addendum - the ending of words with s and r, ᛫ᛋ᛫ and ᛫ᚱ᛫, is it possible that this connection came to be because they almost mirror each other? And it was a regular thing to write both from left to right and right to left. Could it have been that it crept in through that?

[@OrileyOwnage]

Ending „r“ in Old Norse that isn’t part of the stem is actually spelled with the ᛦ rune, not ᚱ. The connection is a linguistic one because in Proto-Germanic, many words had the -az grammatical ending, this „z“ being spelled with the Elder Futhark ᛉ rune. The Z sound just became an R sound in Old Norse.

[@myNamesTakin]

I always thought fòlk was similar or another form of valk

[@freyjasvansdottir9904]

Valk being a word in which language?

[@myNamesTakin]

@@freyjasvansdottir9904 most Germanic languages at the time I suppose

[@stowlicters8362]

You mean Volk?

[@myNamesTakin]

@@stowlicters8362 both this is a regional difference

[@beepboop204]

🙃

[@TattooGurl1977]

Woman warriors die too why only say the men or chosen to go to Valhalla or Folkvang.

[@bierce716]

I don't think Freyja & Frigga are the same. Take all the stories that mention either, and change their names to Jane & Carol. They just don't seem like the same personalities- if Carol is Jane, she's schizo. Then consider if they are the same, would Loki have done a flyting on Odin's wife? Would Odin's wife sleep with dwarves for a bit of bling? If Freyja is also Gullveig, as many propose, would the Aesir have killed her three times right in front of Odin? Then consider the Aesir/Vanir war- If Freyja is Odin's wife, then he's conducting war against his brother in law. All total speculation of course, but I think valid arguments?

[@ravager700]

If they are the same, perhaps they could have been married after the war. Freya, Freyr and Njord joined the Aesir after the war as a way to make peace. Maybe even their marriage was just one more way to forever bind that peace. Just my thoughts for that particular point of yours. As far as the Lokasenna goes I don't know why Loki would call out two separate people of they were both the same. 🤔

[@stowlicters8362]

Odin literally is the child of a Vanir and Giant, so he is fighting against his families basically, he and his clan are the emergence of the bright gods among the rest.

[@stowlicters8362]

@@ravager700 Diana is seen as being three goddesses at once, this is common in Indo European mythology, look at Coventina. Frigga, Freya, then Jord?

[@stowlicters8362]

@@maple6573 We should figure out the common origin and figure out what caused the differentiation.

[@dafyddthomas6897]

#1 Movies: Every Viking who dies with a weapon in his hand AUTOMATICALLY goes to Valhalla #2 Many myths : Odhinn needs the very BEST warriors for Ragnarok. Valkyries only choose the best. Something about Valhollr has120 gates and 1200 warriors march through each gate, therefore seating is limited. #3 This poem, ME: of the chosen War-dead, half stay with Freyja in Folkwangr, half stay with Odhinn in Valhollr, therefore 2 regiments #4 This poem, Jackson: Freyja chooses exactly half of the War-dead and all of them stay with Odhinn in Valhollr #5 My interpretation is better because: we get TWO regiments of Warriors at Ragnarokr rather than just one. Likewise, the number of seats in Valhollr is defined. If half of ALL War-dead go there, OK it fills up half as quickly as the Movie interpretation, but it still fills up very quickly