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A Kindred is the most prevalent form of Ásatrú group in the United States. This kind of group may also be called a Hearth, Garth, or Stead. Kindreds are small and local, rarely having more than twenty members. The number of groups calling themselves Ásatrú Kindreds in the U.S. in 2003 probably was in the hundreds.
A Kindred functions as a combination of extended family and religious group. The members of a Kindred may be related by blood or marriage, or may be unrelated. Membership is managed by the assent of the group.
Some Kindreds have a recognized gothi (godman) or gythja (godwoman) to lead rites honoring the Norse/Germanic gods, while others are nominally leaderless. Kindreds often have their own traditions within the larger Ásatrú context.
Many Kindreds are specifically allied with larger Ásatrú organizations, such as The Troth [1] (http://www.thetroth.org), the Ásatrú Alliance [2] (http://www.asatru.org) and the Ásatrú Folk Assembly [3] (http://www.runestone.org/flash/introduction/index.html).
Related topics: Trollkyrka, Norse mythology
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