Us Heathens and Northern Tradition Pagans talk a lot about ancestors. We venerate them, we discuss what to do when we learn an ancestor is horrible, we ask for the aid of Beloved Ancestors in ritual and our work, etc. Something that not enough people talk about is being a good ancestor for future descendants. Normally when that topic does come up, we talk about healing family trauma and clearing the web of wyrd for our descendants (good and holy work). Something else that you can do that is much simpler is to be a good record keeper for your descendants.

Part of my ancestor veneration is doing genealogy. This isn’t something everyone is interested in doing, I understand. Personally, I enjoy being a family detective and since starting this work I’ve uncovered a lot of fun stories – like how one ancestor threatened her abusive father with a cast…