What is Skergard?

Skergard (pronounced "skur-gard") when translated from Old Norse means "Cliff Enclosure" or Enclosure of Cliffs".

Skergard was founded in the summer of 1992 in El Paso, TX by VolundR Lars Agnarsson. In 1995 Skergard was temporarily "dissolved" by V. L. Agnarsson, however because Skergard was based on common belief system (then known as Skertru) the belief system continues to this day, thus the "awakening" of Skergard was inevitable. What made Skergard unique was the belief in personal revelation.

In 2000ce the goddess Holde appeared to several members on Mount La Grange encouraging the rule of silence and "In silence is All-There-Is". The rule was enforced by later pulling the website offline, the name being kept current. The organization itself was restructured and now reflects a new and improved Skergard; the only change being the office of Elder, or those over 65 who have been members no less than 3 years, and reverting the bylaws to a more organizational structure as defined by Skergards original vision.

Our magazine, Fjallabok (book of the mountain), began monthly publication in autumn of 1992 and ceased publication in 1995 for financial reasons, along with three other publications from Skergard. Skergard "awakened" Fjallabok in the form of Utgard Online Magazine of Northern Traditions for a few years, but the demand became to much for the obligation of the volunteers. We then "awakened" Ravens' Wyrd, once a postal newsletter, it is now an online one... This is current, even showing the "Silence". There are currently no plans to continue any online magazines.

Here are some of our accomplishments of the past:

• The first Norse Pagan organization to adopt a highway.
• The first Norse Pagan organization to be listed in the yellow pages.
• The first Norse Pagan organization with a toll free phone number that spans the United States and Canada.
• The first Norse Pagan magazine to go "full-color".
• The first Norse Pagan organization to translate and compile their own version of the Edda.
• The first Norse Pagan web site that is able to be navigated efficiently by the blind.
• The first Norse Pagan organization to have a web site with a chat room that conducts "online meetings" open to the public.
• The first Norse Pagan web site to contain the Poetic Edda.
• The first Norse Pagan oganization to translate their works and web site into Spanish, German, and Russian.
• The fastest growing Norse Pagan organization (prior to Silence).
• The first NPO to offer free pop email accounts and email forwarding along with web space to its members (yourname@skergard.org and www.skergard.org/yourname) -no longer offered.
• The most globally diverse NPO and probably the largest membership base after the first year.

Skergard is not governed by any one leader, but rather by a ruling council, known as The Council. The voting system is based on "years" in Skergard. For example each member of The Council has one vote for every year they have been Skergard.

Glossary

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