The Myths Behind the Tattoos Worn by ‘QAnon Shaman’ Jake Angeli

This text about ‘QAnon Shaman’ Jake Angeli is republished right here with permission from The Conversation. This content material is shared right here as a result of the subject might curiosity Snopes readers; it doesn’t, nonetheless, symbolize the work of Snopes fact-checkers or editors.

The defining picture of the storming of the US Capitol on January 6 was undoubtedly that of a bare-chested man posing resplendent in a horned fur hat and face paint. Pictures of him in his bizarre costume have been shared throughout the globe – he appears to completely encapsulate the absurdity of the mob takeover of America’s sacred seat of energy.

The person in query has since been identified within the media as a far-right activist from Arizona by the title of Jacob Chansley (also called Jake Angeli). He was rapidly alleged to be an adherent of the QAnon conspiracy idea – although not earlier than fake rumours spread that he was really an antifa “plant”.

One factor that ought to make it very clear the place Angeli’s politics lie are his tattoos. On his torso he has a big Thor’s hammer, often known as Mjölnir, and what seems to be a picture of the Norse world tree, Yggdrasill.

Mjölnir is one image we will be fairly positive was utilized by the unique adherents of the Norse perception system, maybe to summon the safety of the god Thor. Yggdrasill is the large ash tree that helps the Norse cosmos, its branches reaching into sky realms inaccessible to people, and its roots to the subterranean realm of the useless. In contrast to Thor’s hammer, it was solely not often depicted by the Vikings, and representations such because the one under are trendy interpretations.

Above these tattoos with a central place in Norse mythology is one that’s extra contentious. It depicts a valknut – a picture that seems on two Viking-Age stones from Sweden carved with scenes from Norse mythology, together with the Stora Hammars I stone on the island of Gotland.

The image’s authentic that means is unclear, however it seems in shut proximity to the daddy of the gods, Odin, on the stones. As Odin is carefully related with the gathering of fallen warriors to Valhalla, the valknut could also be a logo of demise in battle.

Snorri Sturluson, a medieval Icelandic collector of myths, tells us in his “Language of Poetry” {that a} well-known large known as Hrungnir had a stone coronary heart “pointed with three corners”, and so the valknut is typically additionally known as “Hrungnir’s Coronary heart”. No matter its authentic that means, it has been utilized in more moderen instances by varied neo-pagan teams – and more and more by some white supremacists as a coded message of their perception in violent wrestle.

Borrowed symbols

Angeli claims that he wears his weird costume to attract consideration to himself – however there’s certainly one more reason for the naked chest and precariously low-slung pants. He’s displaying these tattoos to full impact, and desires them to be seen.

Many individuals have related tattoos which specific their neo-pagan perception, Scandinavian heritage, or curiosity within the myths. However there isn’t a doubt that these symbols have additionally been co-opted by a rising far-right motion. A touch at the place Angeli lies on this continuum is in a tattoo that’s much less seen on his left shoulder, however which a number of lecturers together with archaeologist Kevin Philbrook Smith have identified appears to be a model of the Sonnenrad, or sun-wheel.

It is a image listed by the Anti-Defamation League as “one in every of quite a lot of historic European symbols appropriated by the Nazis of their try to invent an idealised Aryan or Norse heritage”. Typically it incorporates a swastika or different hate image – however worn with nothing inside, it is extremely straightforward for different white supremacists to fill within the clean.

Canine whistles

There may be, after all, a protracted historical past of the co-opting of Norse imagery by the far proper. Beloved of Himmler, the runic script inspired the insignia of the SS, whereas the swastika is one other of these “historic European symbols” that options in varied varieties on image stones and runic inscriptions.

This misappropriation continued after the autumn of the Third Reich, although in a extra muted kind. Neo-Nazis – not less than these not brazen sufficient to put on a swastika – are inclined to go for much less recognisable symbols. These embrace numbers representing “Heil Hitler” (88 – H is the eighth letter of the alphabet) or “Aryan Brotherhood” (12 – letters one and two). Far-right adherents additionally favour different characters from the Germanic runic writing system which talk related messages.

One among these is the Othala runic letter – its title means “inherited land”, and so it steadily seems within the emblems of white nationalist teams from Ukraine to the US.

These “coded” symbols, and others newly borrowed from Norse fable, are even tougher to identify and condemn. Sky recently cancelled a reality TV show after viewers complained one contestant was coated in tattoos – together with on his face – that could possibly be seen as having far-right connotations. But when sure symbols are laborious for most people to identify, they’re actually canine whistles to members of an more and more international white supremacist motion who know precisely what they imply.

Sky caught up in row as contestant on Lee Mack’s new present has to disclaim he is obtained ‘Nazi tattoos’ on his face https://t.co/PFhidGAAgb

— Pink Tory (@78SoylentGreen) October 20, 2020

Many students argue that one of the best ways to counter far-right misuse is to drown it out with constructive and correct representations of Norse fable – the place I took in my recent retelling. However within the wake of the mass capturing in Norway in 2011 by Anders Breivik, who named his weapons after weapons of the Norse gods, in addition to the 2019 Christchurch mass shooter Brenton Tarrant, together with his allusions to Valhalla, and of this newest poster-boy of far-right riot, we’ve to assume very laborious about whether or not that is the precise method to counter a really international extremist motion. On the very least, lecturers – and anybody else with a real curiosity in Norse mythology – have to be much more concerned in countering these abuses of our topic on the bottom.

In any other case, we run the chance of ceding the sector to those that see the imprecise idea of “Norse heritage” as a option to additional unite a global fraternity of violent white supremacists.

Tom Birkett, Lecturer in Previous English, University College Cork

This text is republished from The Conversation underneath a Inventive Commons license. Learn the original article.