Help from Scandinavians

M

muscogeemike

Active member
I ask for help from any Scandinavian site members. I recently became aware that, in Norse Mythology, there is an alternative to Valhalla called FOLKVANGR, ruled by Goddess Freyja.

What I would like to know is how FOLKVANGR translates to English and how is it pronounced, phonetically?
 
I am a tad rusty on my mythology but I think Valhalla are for warriors (while waiting for RAGNARRÖK the final battle between good and evil) and FOLKVANGR is for most people.

I may be wrong since, well it´s mythology..
 
As far as I remember Folkvang / Fólkvangr is ruled by Freyja, and it is also for warriors fallen in battle (got half of them, and the rest went to Valhalla)
Freyja actually had first choice of the fallen warriors picked up by the Valkyries, but if I'm not mistaken Freyja normally chose the most honorable warriors and Odin in Valhall got the most fierce and bloodthirsty ones.

From "Edda" by Snorre:

Fólkvangr er inn níundi,
en þar Freyja ræðr
sessa kostum í sal;
hálfan val
hún kýss hverjan dag,
en hálfan Óðinn á.

Roughly translated to (wikipedia):

The ninth is Folkvang,
where Freyja decrees
Who shall have seats in the hall;
The half of the dead each day does she choose,
And half does Othin have.


Folkvangr can be translated to "Field of the Host/Warlords"

:viking:
 
When a Viking died, there were three options.

The intrepid warriors who died honorably in battle came to Odin in Valhalla.

Those who died fighting to protect themselves, family or goods came to Freyja in Folkvangr.

Those who died of sickness or old age, which was considered a cowards way out, came to Hel in Helheim

It´s translated into English as“Folk-field” or “Field of Warriors”
 
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