Why we carry this name and symbol in the fight against marine litter

In ancient mythology, Nodens was a protector of the seas, a god linked to healing and hunting. His name carried power, evoking strength, resilience, and the ability to restore balance. Across Celtic traditions, Nodens stood for guardianship, an unseen hand watching over the waters and those who relied on them.

Today, our oceans are in need of such a guardian more than ever. Plastic pollution and marine litter threaten not only wildlife but also communities and cultures connected to the sea. By taking the name Nodens, we honor that ancient spirit of protection and carry it into a modern struggle.

• Healing: Our mission is not just to clean beaches, but to restore ecosystems and give oceans the chance to breathe again.
• Power: Change requires strength, collective action, shared knowledge, and a determination that does not fade with the tides.
• Protection: Just as Nodens was seen as a shield against harm, our work is about defending coastlines, marine life, and future generations from the ongoing flood of waste.

The image of Nodens, a wise, ocean-bound figure, strong yet compassionate, will serve as our guiding emblem. It is not about mythology alone, but about the timeless need for protectors of the sea. By bringing Nodens into the story of marine litter, we remind ourselves that we are part of a long tradition of guardianship.

A Lovecraftian Undertone

People familiar with roleplaying, board-, and videogames, as well as cosmis horror literature, may have heard the name Nodens elsewhere: in the world of H.P. Lovecraft.

Unlike many Lovecraftian gods, who are terrifying, alien, and indifferent to humanity, Nodens is a rare beneficent deity. He is less madness-inducing than other entities, helping mortals in the Dreamlands, chasing down evil creatures, and often seen as a counterbalance to the darker Great Old Ones.

To fight marine litter is to confront not just a surface problem, but forces that feel vast and overwhelming, and yet, like Nodens, we answer with guardianship and resolve.

A Brush with Tolkien

J.R.R. Tolkien suggested that the Celtic stem of „noudont“ or „noudent“, from which Nodens was derived, was related to Germanic. It meant „acquire, have the use of“ and earlier even „to catch, entrap“. And what better to catch, than all the marine litter in our oceans.

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Nodens Foundation is not just a name. It is a pledge: to heal, to protect, and to bring power back to the oceans.