International Asatru-Odinic Alliance

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Steve McNallen, Valgard Murray, Hnikar Wood, IAOA conference at Althing 20, Utah, 2000

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The International Asatru-Odinic Alliance (1997-2002) was an Ásatrú ^[1] religious association formed by the Asatru Alliance, the Asatru Folk Assembly, and the Odinic Rite in September 1997. It was meant to be an alliance of those Asatru organizations which took a "folkish" viewpoint at a time of strong sectarian conflicts with those they labeled "universalists" (the "folkish" view is that there is a "metagenetic" ^[2] or ancestral ^[3] component to religion).^[4] ^[5]

Valgard Murray, Secretary of the Asatru Alliance, was selected as the first IAOA Allsherjargothi ("every man's priest"). Murray had been a member of the Asatru Free Assembly and at its dissolution in 1988, was a founding member of the Asatru Alliance. ^[6] In 1999, the IAOA responded critically to the FBI's Project Megiddo report.^[7]

At Althing 20 in Utah, in the summer of 2000, Murray's chosen successor, Hnikar Wood, was elected as IAOA Allsherjargothi.^[8] The Asatru Folk Assembly was represented by Stephen McNallen (who founded the Asatru Free Assembly in 1972 and the Asatru Folk Assembly in 1994) and Murray represented the Asatru Alliance. Heimgest, the Director of the Court of Gothar of the Odinic Rite, was unable to attend.. Hnikar had also been a member of the Asatru Free Assembly prior to its dissolution, and was the Southern California director of the AFA, a member of Raven Kindred of the Asatru Alliance, editor of Odin's Nation News, and editor of the AA's magazine, Vor Tru.^[9]^[10]

At the Althing, Hnikar read a request from Ruarik Grimnisson of Australia's Assembly of the Elder Troth to join the IAOA, and the AET was voted into membership. Hnikar had met Ruarik in Fremantle, Australia in 1998 and had contributed to the AET magazine, Irminsul.^[11]^[12]

In March 2001, Hnikar resigned from the IAOA.^[13] At his recommendation, Sheila McNallen of the AFA was selected as the IAOA's Allsherjargythia (feminine form of Allsherjargothi).^[14]

On 20 June 2002, the IAOA was disbanded. The Odinic Rite issued a statement, concluding that The IAOA was a good idea, but sadly an idea which never really worked.^[15]

The Assembly of the Elder Troth's history notes that the IAOA succumbed primarily to internal factional disputes amongst its American members, as well as to malicious and personal political attack on individuals.^[16]