Brython Festivals
Introduction
After a year of seasonal discussions Brython has developed an outline of major festivals that are important to all of us in various ways. In this document I intend to outline these festivals, something of what they mean to members of Brython and some of the ways in which we have celebrated these festivals. As we rarely come together as a group these festivals are celebrated in slightly different ways by each one of us. Some of us celebrate with our family, some on our own and some of us will join celebrations with members of the wider Pagan community in our area as well as perhaps doing our own private rituals. What we have in common is that we all feel these festivals are important to us. As this process of discussions began with the festivals of winter it is there that I will begin.
The Triple Toast
This is simply a series of three linked toasts often accompanied with libations that each of us try and do, with each dedicated to the appropriate deities for that festivals, the gods of the tribe and the tribe itself. We aim to perform the toasts as close in time as we can to the rest of the members of Brython. It has become a binding element among us and is missed when for whatever reason we do not arrange to do this at a festival we are all observing. At the present time it is the only specific ritual practice that we share among the group.
Eponalia (18th December)
The Grey Mare is of great importance to most members of Brython so much so that we have named our tribe after her. “We are the Teguloktos Rigatona; the Family of Rigatona. She is the goddess of the Grey Mare, our matron and the one who protects our family.” We have discussed the dating of this festival, the 18th December date is commonly known now in neo-pagan circles for the festival of Eponalia. The description of the date come from the Roman calendar and it is possible it is from before the Julian calendrical reform, if so it would have been based on a lunar system. It is also possible that the Gaulish cavalry by whom this festival was originally brought to Rome may have had to move their festival from a solstice date. Blackbird wrote in a post on the Caer Feddwyd forum:
“In Iron Age symbolism, the horse seems to have been a solar creature – perhaps there was a belief that horses pulled the sun across the sky. Many of the iron age coins show solar wheels in conjunction with horses. Of course, the sun is usually associated with abundance, which links back to the Epona images. And then there is our one reference to Eponalia, at midwinter, which may indicate a solar connection there too.
The Grey Lady was obviously important enough to have her bit in some of the Saturnalia celebrations, but I reckon, not quite important enough to usurp the main Roman gods from the actual solstice / sun rebirth time. After all, we know that She was mostly popular among the lower classes (from contemporary poetry and literature such as the Golden Ass) and the cavalry, who would probably have been auxiliaries. Eponalia was probably not something that the toffs would have bothered with, or wanted to elevate. For more information on Epona please see the Epona site maintained by Nantonos: http://www.epona.net
Winter Solstice (21st December sunset to 25th December sunrise)
This period of time became a three day festival marked at the start with a toast on the evening of 21st December, a toast on the evening of the 24th and a final dawn observance on the 25th.
When these are linked with Eponalia we have a pattern of three days with the solstice point in the middle of them – 18th, 21st and 24th. This is followed by a dawn observance on the 25th to mark the return of the sun’s apparent movement through our skies.
It was generally agreed that this time of the year has a strong family focus. Several members of Brython spent time during this period either fasting or trying not to use electric lighting to further focus thoughts on the darkness of this time of year.
It was at this time that we really developed a ritual that was to bind us together in our celebrations no matter what else we might be doing and this was the triple toast.
Gwyl Ffraed – Sunset 31st January to Sunset 1st Feb
Brigantia is special to a few of us in Brython and there was quite a bit of discussion about both the timing of this festival and how to celebrate it. Several of us felt that in reality this was a feast day that marked the first signs of spring in our local area and so would vary from place to place. However we also agreed that in terms of joining together as a community a fixed date was more useful.
We agreed to share in a triple toast once more, some raised a toast at dusk on the 31st, some at dawn on the 1st and others when they could manage. Milk was a popular choice for toasting with on this occasion.
Suggestions for practical ways of honouring Brigantia at this time include spring cleaning (Brigantia does have ties to hearth and home after all), searching for the first spring flowers, making offerings of milk and lighting candles either at dusk on 31st or dawn of the 1st. Sharing or reading poetry is also something that several of us do.
After a year of seasonal discussions Brython has developed an outline of major festivals that are important to all of us in various ways. In this document I intend to outline these festivals, something of what they mean to members of Brython and some of the ways in which we have celebrated these festivals. As we rarely come together as a group these festivals are celebrated in slightly different ways by each one of us. Some of us celebrate with our family, some on our own and some of us will join celebrations with members of the wider Pagan community in our area as well as perhaps doing our own private rituals. What we have in common is that we all feel these festivals are important to us. As this process of discussions began with the festivals of winter it is there that I will begin.
The Triple Toast
This is simply a series of three linked toasts often accompanied with libations that each of us try and do, with each dedicated to the appropriate deities for that festivals, the gods of the tribe and the tribe itself. We aim to perform the toasts as close in time as we can to the rest of the members of Brython. It has become a binding element among us and is missed when for whatever reason we do not arrange to do this at a festival we are all observing. At the present time it is the only specific ritual practice that we share among the group.
Eponalia (18th December)
The Grey Mare is of great importance to most members of Brython so much so that we have named our tribe after her. “We are the Teguloktos Rigatona; the Family of Rigatona. She is the goddess of the Grey Mare, our matron and the one who protects our family.” We have discussed the dating of this festival, the 18th December date is commonly known now in neo-pagan circles for the festival of Eponalia. The description of the date come from the Roman calendar and it is possible it is from before the Julian calendrical reform, if so it would have been based on a lunar system. It is also possible that the Gaulish cavalry by whom this festival was originally brought to Rome may have had to move their festival from a solstice date. Blackbird wrote in a post on the Caer Feddwyd forum:
“In Iron Age symbolism, the horse seems to have been a solar creature – perhaps there was a belief that horses pulled the sun across the sky. Many of the iron age coins show solar wheels in conjunction with horses. Of course, the sun is usually associated with abundance, which links back to the Epona images. And then there is our one reference to Eponalia, at midwinter, which may indicate a solar connection there too.
The Grey Lady was obviously important enough to have her bit in some of the Saturnalia celebrations, but I reckon, not quite important enough to usurp the main Roman gods from the actual solstice / sun rebirth time. After all, we know that She was mostly popular among the lower classes (from contemporary poetry and literature such as the Golden Ass) and the cavalry, who would probably have been auxiliaries. Eponalia was probably not something that the toffs would have bothered with, or wanted to elevate. For more information on Epona please see the Epona site maintained by Nantonos: http://www.epona.net
Winter Solstice (21st December sunset to 25th December sunrise)
This period of time became a three day festival marked at the start with a toast on the evening of 21st December, a toast on the evening of the 24th and a final dawn observance on the 25th.
When these are linked with Eponalia we have a pattern of three days with the solstice point in the middle of them – 18th, 21st and 24th. This is followed by a dawn observance on the 25th to mark the return of the sun’s apparent movement through our skies.
It was generally agreed that this time of the year has a strong family focus. Several members of Brython spent time during this period either fasting or trying not to use electric lighting to further focus thoughts on the darkness of this time of year.
It was at this time that we really developed a ritual that was to bind us together in our celebrations no matter what else we might be doing and this was the triple toast.
Gwyl Ffraed – Sunset 31st January to Sunset 1st Feb
Brigantia is special to a few of us in Brython and there was quite a bit of discussion about both the timing of this festival and how to celebrate it. Several of us felt that in reality this was a feast day that marked the first signs of spring in our local area and so would vary from place to place. However we also agreed that in terms of joining together as a community a fixed date was more useful.
We agreed to share in a triple toast once more, some raised a toast at dusk on the 31st, some at dawn on the 1st and others when they could manage. Milk was a popular choice for toasting with on this occasion.
Suggestions for practical ways of honouring Brigantia at this time include spring cleaning (Brigantia does have ties to hearth and home after all), searching for the first spring flowers, making offerings of milk and lighting candles either at dusk on 31st or dawn of the 1st. Sharing or reading poetry is also something that several of us do.
Beltane – passage to summer, marked by the hawthorn blossoming in local environment
Calan Mai/Belenus is the next festival that the majority of the members of Brython feel is important. There are many reasons for this but the most common is that it is that time of year which marks the beginning of the summer months. As with Gwyl Ffraed this is a festival which marks changes in the natural world so it will vary from place to place across the country. The marker that nearly everyone looks for is the blossoming of the Hawthorn trees in their area. It is the time of year that finally we can start to get out and about a bit more, days are longer and warmer and the world around us is bursting into life.
In 2009 we attempted to join together on May 1st for Beltane but for some of us this did not feel right. In early 2010 following a considerable amount of discussion it was agreed that Beltane would not be celebrated on a fixed day but instead we would mark the time according to our local environments. Further discussions will take place on developing practices that we can all feel comfortable with but for the moment each of us will use a triple toast knowing that at some stage in May others within Brython will be doing the same.
There are many traditions associated with of Mayday. Both Wales and Scotland have traditions of Mayday fires, in Scotland these are referred to as Beltane fires and the Edinburgh Beltane Fire festival has become internationally known. In times gone by this was the time of year that families and communities gathered together and moved livestock from the lower winter pastures to high summer pastures. This was a task that could take several days in the past but now although it is still done it can be achieved in a matter of hours with vehicles and trailers.
In the past some of the family would have to stay with the livestock in the summer pastures but again this is no longer the case. It is hardly surprising given that families would have been parted in this way that this festival also became associated with a certain level of friskiness in meadows and woodlands.
Other ideas that may be explored further include the idea of a focus on descendants and the thinning of the veils between this world and the other realms. For some of us this is also the time when summer deities return to the land and winter ones return to the other realms.
Summer Solstice
Discussions began early in 2009 about the summer solstice. This time we had a date that is an astronomical marker for all in the northern hemisphere. We swiftly agreed that the triple toast to the tylwyth, the gods of the tylwyth and the spirits of the season had rapidly become an important part of our practices as a group.
The summer solstice is a time when many of us are busy getting out and about. The triple toast and being outside somewhere were the only points of commonality among our practices. The time of day we made our toasts varied but the knowledge that each one of us would also be raising a toast that day brought us together even though we were miles apart.
Lugus – 1st August dedicated to Lugus
In preparing to write these articles on Brython rituals I read through threads on both Brython and Caer Feddwyd that should be relevant to the festival. I found that there was little discussion on this time of year and yet it was also a festival that people felt had some importance.
This time is linked to the beginning of the harvest season and in particular the grain harvest but very few among us have anything to do with grain harvests now. Even those members of Brython that do have closer ties to the land do not have strong ties to grain harvests. The closest is probably hay making and the timing of that is not quite the same as a grain harvest would be.
The other aspect to this festival is that it is dedicated to Lugus. Within neo-paganism Lugus is usually known as Lugh and often thought of as a solar and warrior deity. My understanding of this deity is that he is much more complicated than these things suggest. Interestingly the Welsh name ‘Llywelyn’ probably goes back to Brythonic *Lugu-belinus, ‘Lugus who is Belinus, Belinus-Lugus’ and it is likely that Belenus or Belinus and Lugus were the same god with a range of titles. I suspect that the information that Belinus and Lugus are probably different names for the same deity resulted in a great deal of thought about the nature of this deity.
Regardless of the reasons there was no consensus reached about this festival and so it is in need of further discussion.
Nos Calan Gaeaf (Sunset 31 Oct to Sunset 1 Nov)
The last in this sequence of festivals at the time of writing is Nos Calan Gaeaf (also known as Samhain. This is a festival very close the hearts of most, if not all, of the members of Brython. It is a time of remembering our ancestors and it is the time that the tides of the year turn once more to winter.
In times past in both Scotland and Wales the livestock that had been taken up to the high pastures for summer were brought down again and families were reunited. The darkness increases and the colder, and often wet, weather encourages us to stay closer to home.
In a post on Caer Feddwyd Blackbird writes:
“At Calan Gaeaf, I always do a special big dinner and set aside an ancestor plate and also make sure the house is utterly spotless. If you’re inviting ancestors round for tea, better make sure you’ve done the dusting.”
In another thread Brochfael writes that to him this time is:
“Gwyl y Meirw (The feast of the dead).”
Also within Brython this is a time of renewal with new members often being invited in at this time and an extra effort made to update our online presence.
An external marker that has taken on a deeper significance for some within Brython is the rising of the Seven Sisters, more commonly the Pleiades, at sunset at this time of year.
The most common element among the practices of members of Brython at this time of year is some form of sharing of food or drink with the ancestors. For some this involves a full feast with a place set for the ancestors and for others simply sharing a cup of tea and a biscuit.
We also shared our triple toast to:
• our ancestors of blood and family
• the ancestors of the place we live in
• the gods of our tribe.
Winter’s nights – passage to winter, marked by first frosts in local environment
At the same time as discussions took place on Beltane it was suggested that we introduce a festival marking the passage to winter in our local areas. We have shamelessly borrowed the name from the Heathen community and hope that any Heathen reading this will remember that imitation is a form of flattery, we have adopted that name because it makes sense. As Nos Calan Gaeaf has become a festival strongly dedicated to the ancestors we wished to include a festival in our calendar that was more about the change of seasons. As this will be a new festival in 2010 further information about the ways in which we choose to celebrate this time will be provided after it has been celebrated.
A few final words...
The festivals written about are not the only festivals celebrated by members of Brython. These are simply the ones that mean the most to the majority of us at the time of writing (spring 2010). It may well be that over the coming years this list will evolve further. We may also start adding festivals dedicated to other deities that are important to us. For example, something in the summer months dedicated to Taranis is a very real possibility and I think a festival dedicated to Maponus is also likely. There are also developments with personal devotional practice taking place concerning the lunar cycle.
Calan Mai/Belenus is the next festival that the majority of the members of Brython feel is important. There are many reasons for this but the most common is that it is that time of year which marks the beginning of the summer months. As with Gwyl Ffraed this is a festival which marks changes in the natural world so it will vary from place to place across the country. The marker that nearly everyone looks for is the blossoming of the Hawthorn trees in their area. It is the time of year that finally we can start to get out and about a bit more, days are longer and warmer and the world around us is bursting into life.
In 2009 we attempted to join together on May 1st for Beltane but for some of us this did not feel right. In early 2010 following a considerable amount of discussion it was agreed that Beltane would not be celebrated on a fixed day but instead we would mark the time according to our local environments. Further discussions will take place on developing practices that we can all feel comfortable with but for the moment each of us will use a triple toast knowing that at some stage in May others within Brython will be doing the same.
There are many traditions associated with of Mayday. Both Wales and Scotland have traditions of Mayday fires, in Scotland these are referred to as Beltane fires and the Edinburgh Beltane Fire festival has become internationally known. In times gone by this was the time of year that families and communities gathered together and moved livestock from the lower winter pastures to high summer pastures. This was a task that could take several days in the past but now although it is still done it can be achieved in a matter of hours with vehicles and trailers.
In the past some of the family would have to stay with the livestock in the summer pastures but again this is no longer the case. It is hardly surprising given that families would have been parted in this way that this festival also became associated with a certain level of friskiness in meadows and woodlands.
Other ideas that may be explored further include the idea of a focus on descendants and the thinning of the veils between this world and the other realms. For some of us this is also the time when summer deities return to the land and winter ones return to the other realms.
Summer Solstice
Discussions began early in 2009 about the summer solstice. This time we had a date that is an astronomical marker for all in the northern hemisphere. We swiftly agreed that the triple toast to the tylwyth, the gods of the tylwyth and the spirits of the season had rapidly become an important part of our practices as a group.
The summer solstice is a time when many of us are busy getting out and about. The triple toast and being outside somewhere were the only points of commonality among our practices. The time of day we made our toasts varied but the knowledge that each one of us would also be raising a toast that day brought us together even though we were miles apart.
Lugus – 1st August dedicated to Lugus
In preparing to write these articles on Brython rituals I read through threads on both Brython and Caer Feddwyd that should be relevant to the festival. I found that there was little discussion on this time of year and yet it was also a festival that people felt had some importance.
This time is linked to the beginning of the harvest season and in particular the grain harvest but very few among us have anything to do with grain harvests now. Even those members of Brython that do have closer ties to the land do not have strong ties to grain harvests. The closest is probably hay making and the timing of that is not quite the same as a grain harvest would be.
The other aspect to this festival is that it is dedicated to Lugus. Within neo-paganism Lugus is usually known as Lugh and often thought of as a solar and warrior deity. My understanding of this deity is that he is much more complicated than these things suggest. Interestingly the Welsh name ‘Llywelyn’ probably goes back to Brythonic *Lugu-belinus, ‘Lugus who is Belinus, Belinus-Lugus’ and it is likely that Belenus or Belinus and Lugus were the same god with a range of titles. I suspect that the information that Belinus and Lugus are probably different names for the same deity resulted in a great deal of thought about the nature of this deity.
Regardless of the reasons there was no consensus reached about this festival and so it is in need of further discussion.
Nos Calan Gaeaf (Sunset 31 Oct to Sunset 1 Nov)
The last in this sequence of festivals at the time of writing is Nos Calan Gaeaf (also known as Samhain. This is a festival very close the hearts of most, if not all, of the members of Brython. It is a time of remembering our ancestors and it is the time that the tides of the year turn once more to winter.
In times past in both Scotland and Wales the livestock that had been taken up to the high pastures for summer were brought down again and families were reunited. The darkness increases and the colder, and often wet, weather encourages us to stay closer to home.
In a post on Caer Feddwyd Blackbird writes:
“At Calan Gaeaf, I always do a special big dinner and set aside an ancestor plate and also make sure the house is utterly spotless. If you’re inviting ancestors round for tea, better make sure you’ve done the dusting.”
In another thread Brochfael writes that to him this time is:
“Gwyl y Meirw (The feast of the dead).”
Also within Brython this is a time of renewal with new members often being invited in at this time and an extra effort made to update our online presence.
An external marker that has taken on a deeper significance for some within Brython is the rising of the Seven Sisters, more commonly the Pleiades, at sunset at this time of year.
The most common element among the practices of members of Brython at this time of year is some form of sharing of food or drink with the ancestors. For some this involves a full feast with a place set for the ancestors and for others simply sharing a cup of tea and a biscuit.
We also shared our triple toast to:
• our ancestors of blood and family
• the ancestors of the place we live in
• the gods of our tribe.
Winter’s nights – passage to winter, marked by first frosts in local environment
At the same time as discussions took place on Beltane it was suggested that we introduce a festival marking the passage to winter in our local areas. We have shamelessly borrowed the name from the Heathen community and hope that any Heathen reading this will remember that imitation is a form of flattery, we have adopted that name because it makes sense. As Nos Calan Gaeaf has become a festival strongly dedicated to the ancestors we wished to include a festival in our calendar that was more about the change of seasons. As this will be a new festival in 2010 further information about the ways in which we choose to celebrate this time will be provided after it has been celebrated.
A few final words...
The festivals written about are not the only festivals celebrated by members of Brython. These are simply the ones that mean the most to the majority of us at the time of writing (spring 2010). It may well be that over the coming years this list will evolve further. We may also start adding festivals dedicated to other deities that are important to us. For example, something in the summer months dedicated to Taranis is a very real possibility and I think a festival dedicated to Maponus is also likely. There are also developments with personal devotional practice taking place concerning the lunar cycle.
