The Caledonii Grande Tradition Greetings from the Editorial Staff
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amildanachamildanach Journal of Celtic Studies ◊ Caledonii Grande Tradition SS http://www.angelfire.com/sc/Caledonii/ Premiere Edition ◊ Five dollars Greetings from the Editorial Staff It has been several years since the We are striving to present articles Sabbats, Gods and Goddesses of publication of the original Samildanach of worth to those of you who wish the Celts and customs relating to was released. Now, with new to be enriched in your study of them. We invite you to submit your computers and a full Staff comprised Celtic life ways. We’ll also carry articles to our Editorial Staff at least of hard working Caledonii members, sections announcing upcoming six weeks before the release date we hope to bring you this magazine Gatherings around the South East, for each issue. Issues of the zine will of Celtic Studies. You’ll find a lot in and notable Gathers throughout number four a year to correspond this issue which we hope will be of the States; as well as, articles on the to the great Fire Festivals. interest to you. – Continued on page 2 The Caledonii Grande Tradition A Little Background Grande Tradition known as the Wiccans and Mystic Christians can Fellowship of Caledon. In its come together and affirm their By Lord Ariel Morgan meetings, the Druidh, the Elders interconnectedness as Creators Ard Druidh Chosen Chief of the Order and Third Degree, and the Episcopacy, children and as brothers and sisters Wisdom Keeper of the Tradition sit together and create the policies of the Caledonii family. Within the which govern the Caledonii. It is Family that is Caledon, truly Love The Grande Tradition is comprised truly wondrous that Druids, is the Law! of three major branches; these are the Caledonii Druidic Order, the Caledonii Federation of Celtic Wicca, and the newest branch of the n this issue Tradition, the Culdee Church of I Celtic Christianity. The Grande Tradition of the Caledonii prides its From the Editor .......................................................................... 2 self on its diversity, providing a Sabbat Update place of fellowship for the many Irish Fire Festivals - Lughnassadh ....................................... 2 faces of Celtic religious life and Rituals for Hearth and Home culture. Together the Elders of the Nine Days: A Lughnasadh Celebration of Celtic Values .... 6 three branches of the Caledonii How to bake Bannocks, the bread of Ritual ........................... 12 form the ruling Council of the Month of Elembiuios Journal of Celtic Studies Samildanach Caledonii Grande Tradition Sabbat Update Continued from page 1. As has been stated, we focus on Celtic studies and Irish Fire Festivals - Lughnassadh welcome submissions from all Celtic groups, Druidic, By: Kym ní Dhoireann Wiccan and Celtic Reconstructionist. Our aim is to enrich ourselves with the well spring of Lughnassadh (loo-na-sa) is another holiday name knowledge available through research and which is often used for practices not originally development in the fast growing and important field associated with the Irish meaning. It is often difficult of study that is Celtic Studies. to separate its modern celebration from the Anglo- Saxon Lammas, although these holidays were – The Staff of the Samildanach probably very different in function and intent. These Ariel Morgan, Linda Mangum, & Alexandra Ceelie differences are likely the source of much confusion of practices evident in many NeoPagan celebrations of August festivals. Most NeoPagan working from a Wiccan angle tend to mark this as a day in which the From the Editor’s Desk Sun God (often referred to as Lugh) who is also the Grain God dies. There is, however, absolutely no Greetings and Bright Blessings! evidence to indicate that the Irish Lugh was a Sun or Grain God — in fact, there is no good evidence for We are most excited to present this new release of any Sun God worship among the Celtic Irish. In most, the Samildanach, A Journal of Celtic Studies, for your if not all, Indo-European languages the word “Sun” enjoyment. The first issues of the magazine were a is feminine and Goddesses and women associated great success and we are really excited that we can with the Sun are found but no males. The universality get back into the publishing arena with the new of the Sun God and Moon Goddess seems a rather edition of Samildanach. modern myth and has no bearing on ancient Irish practices. Even if there were a Sun God, it would not Since its inception some seven years ago, the be Lugh who is a tribal God of many skills and whose Samildanach has been an avenue for our Tradition brightness may rival the sun but is not the sun; there to publish its research in Celtic Studies and to is some speculation that if He has a nature association disseminate correct information to the public it would be with lightening (the Spear He carries) concerning the ancient rites and philosophies of Celtic and storms. Religion as practiced today by Druids, Wiccans and Celtic Reconstructionists. Rather than being about sacrificing a God, this is a time to offer sacrifice to the Gods and Goddesses. It is a most challenging endeavor and one we do not This was a propitious holiday to pray for a good take lightly. We research thoroughly each article and harvest in the last remaining days before it, not a examine each ritual that we present to the public in thanksgiving holiday —the Irish Gods seem to prefer the hopes that they will become a positive force for to be given to first rather than waiting to see if They the enrichment of all individuals on these paths, and would get proper thanks after Their gifts were given. those who are seeking information about them. The most common interpretation of Lugh’s We hope you as well will send in your submissions connection was that these were the funeral games in the continuing effort to strengthen the web of life for His foster-mother Tailtiu who died clearing land and our Celtic community as a whole. so that Her people could grow food although this has been lightly denounced by Ronald Hutton as a Ariel Morgan, Medieval construction (The Pagan Religions of the Editor – Samildanach Ancient British Isles pg. 178). By honoring Her 2 sacrifice the people may have been hoping to keep also claims has been refuted as we shall see. It is also Lugh from neglecting or even destroying the crop. a link to the tendency to seat kings at this time at least mythologically. The king becomes so by The dispute by Hutton, an author otherwise due a marrying the local Goddess. great deal of respect, is without any source material. Hutton argues that the trial weddings at Teltown (Tailtiu) associated with Lughnassadh is a construct of the 17th century and that any earlier connection was shot down in the 1950’s (pg. 178). Again he gives no sources for this and several reputable authors writing later do not seem to dismiss this entirely either. While trial marriages may be questioned (those that lasted a year-and-a-day) Lughnassadh is a prime time for commitment making for many practical and ritualistic reasons. This was a time when young men would be hiring themselves out for the harvest and would usually end up wintering where they worked so taking a local wife would be beneficial for many reasons. Just the fact that folks would be getting ready to settle in for some time, time which was fairly idle, made it a better time than any for a commitment — I actually have to question this as there seems a lot of once harvest started until Samhain there would be evidence that Tailtiu was long linked with August little time for courtship. As I noted in my Beltaine festivals in Ireland. This would be in Ulster, in other article, Lughnassadh babies would be born around locals the festival has ties to the burial places of other Beltaine, after the confines of smoke filled dwellings Goddesses or Otherworldly women, such as Carman could be escaped, and the greater cold and dampness in Lienster —their names at least appear to be old of earlier months could be avoided (I’m not indicating even if the stories are newer (that is Medieval). There that Irish summers are particularly warm, mind you). is also special honor given to Macha in Ulster at this This would undoubtedly be beneficial to the health time, most likely in relation to Her association with of the babies. This was also the time that the larger horses and horse racing along with the livestock and wildlife began rutting, so a metaphysical commemoration of Her curse following a horse race connection between the people and their food source She was forced to run when pregnant. My speculation could be seen. regarding Hutton’s remark is that the link between Tailtiu and Lugh may be a late concept, but that Her As for the trial period of marriage, it should be association with the August festival is remembered that under Brehon Law, the legal code perhaps even older in Ireland that Lugh’s is —Lugh in Pagan and early Christian Ireland, no marriage was being of Continental origin from most evidence. Even considered completely binding unless there was a in the mythology He is a “new arrival.” Tailtiu was a child. The popular concept of Beltaine divorces could member of the Fir Bolg, the “people” of Ireland prior be derived from this for if the couple were not to the arrival of the Tuatha de Danann. Considering expecting by then they were free to part. Therefore, these often neglected associations of Lughnassadh whether the wedding was performed with this trial with Goddesses this may be an appropriate time to period in mind or not, all marriages were subject to remember Earth Goddesses and Goddesses of the termination if the couple wished and there was no wild places that were sacrificed for human needs.