gods

The Gods of Mount Teide: Mythology and Folklore of Tenerife
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The Gods of Mount Teide: Mythology and Folklore of Tenerife

Mount Teide, Tenerife – Public Domain

MOUNT TEIDE, TENERIFE

The Canary Islands are a popular holiday destination for many people from the United Kingdom and Western Europe and the most southerly of the autonomous communities of Spain. One of the most popular tourist attractions is Mount Teide, an active volcano on the island of Tenerife, whose last eruption was in 1909 and is visible from many parts of the island. A cable car takes tourists part of the way to the summit for the journey completed on foot with a permit. Those who have undertaken the trip to the top will probably understand why it meant the same to the Guanches as Mount Olympus meant to the ancient Greeks. It was the home of their gods and believed to hold up the sky.

ORIGIN OF THE GUANCHES

The Guanche people were the first known inhabitants of the Canary Islands. Their myths and legends still resonate through the ages giving small glimpses of these remarkable people. Some of their traditions and folklore still endure adding depth, color, and flavor to the modern culture of the islands. The Guanches inhabited the islands long before the arrival of the Spanish and are descendants of the Berber people on the African mainland who migrated to the islands about 1,000 BC or possibly earlier. Although the Guanches became culturally and ethnically assimilated with the Spanish, remnants of their original culture still survive today. For example, the people of La Gomera still use a traditional whistled language to communicate with each other over distances, and some of their mythology, legends, and traditions persist. Presented here is a brief discussion of their pantheon of gods and other supernatural entities and a look at some of the Guanche traditions found today.

ACHAMÁN

The supreme god of the Guanches of Tenerife was Achamán, their creator and father god, whose name means “the skies.” He was the immortal omnipotent creator of the land, air, fire, and water. All living creatures owed their existence to him. Achamán lived in the sky but would sometimes manifest himself on mountain tops to look upon the world he had created.

GUAYOTA

In Guanches mythology, Guayota was the equivalent of the Devil and shared similar characteristics to other divinities around the world associated with volcanoes. For example, in Hawaiian mythology, the goddess Pele, like Guayote, had her home in the Hawaiian volcano of Kīlauea and was believed to be responsible for causing eruptions. Guayota lived inside the peak of Mount Teide, known as Echeyde. It was a place similar to Hell and the entrance to the underworld and abode of certain lesser demons.

THE BLACK DOGS OF GUAYOTA

These lesser demons were called Guacanchas, or Jucanchas, depending on the island, and took the form of wild dogs with shaggy black coats and red eyes said to be the offspring of Guayota. On Gran Canaria, they were known as Tibicenas and made their home in the depths of hidden caves in the mountains. At night they emerged to ravage livestock and attack people they encountered. Guayota often appeared as a monstrous black dog leading a pack of these supernatural hounds across the countryside.

THE ABDUCTION OF MAGEC

In the Guanche pantheon, the god of the sun and light was called Magec and was the most important of their divinities. Although the gender of Magec is ambiguous, the name means “possess radiance” or “mother of brightness.” According to Guanche legend, Guyota kidnapped and imprisoned Magec in Mount Teide. With Magec incarcerated inside the volcano, the world fell into darkness. The people grew afraid and prayed to the supreme god Achamán to free Magec. Achamán heard the people and fought and defeated Guayota setting Magec free restoring sun and light to the world. He imprisoned Guayota in the volcanic crater of Mount Teide, where he has remained trapped ever since. Whenever Mount Teide erupted, the people would light fires on its slopes to taunt and frighten Guayota.

CHAXIRAXI

Another important goddess of the Guanche pantheon was Chaxiraxi, considered the Sun Mother and the Great Celestial Mother and associated with Canopus, the star. She may have evolved from Tanic, a goddess worshipped by their Berber ancestors. Mediation between Chaxiraxi and humanity was the task of minor gods or spirits called Maxios, or sometimes Dioses Paredros. These were also the guardians of hallowed places on Tenerife and were also the domestic spirits of the home. In recent times the worship of Chaxiraxi has been revived by the Church of the Guanche People, whose aim is to practice and promote the ancient religion of the Guanches.

ACHUGUAYO, THE FATHER OF TIMES

Achuguayo was the god of the Moon and the “Father of Times” who controlled time and seasons. According to tradition, he lived in the mountains, sometimes coming down to hear the prayers and supplications of the Guanches conducted under sacred trees or in caves in the mountains.

GUANCHE RELIGION

The Guanches had many sacred places that needed to be maintained, believing their maintenance kept Heaven and Earth in balance. Hallowed places may have been rocks or caves, such as the Cave of Achbinico, or natural features in the landscape where a variety of offerings were left. On Tenerife, the most important of these hallowed places was Mount Teide. Many offerings of tools and clay pots or vessels have been found, hidden in small nooks and natural cavities in rocks around the National Park Las Cañadas del Teide.

They left in the hope of appeasing or pleasing the gods or help the donor become one with nature. These votive offerings were often crude figures or sculptures which were idols and associated with health, fertility, animals, or people and often used by families. The Guanches on Tenerife had four major ceremonies; the proclamation of a new Mencey, a ceremony to relieve drought, their New Year Festival, and their Harvest Festival or Great Annual Festival of Beñasmen.

THE PROCLAIMING OF THE NEW MENCEY

Tenerife had nine small kingdoms, each ruled by a Mencey, the Guanches equivalent to a king, and the highest official in each realm. At times for the good of all the kingdoms, they needed to meet together. When a ruler died, the title did not necessarily pass from father to son. Sometimes it passed from brother to brother, but it was the task of the Council, known as the “Tagoror” that elected a new king

The proclamation came at a ceremony involving the oldest bone of the ancestor of the dynasty. This relic was venerated and carefully guarded and bought before the new Mencey for him to kiss in a special ceremony. Afterward, the members of the Tagoror recognized him as the new king, each saying,

“Agoñe Yacorán Iñatzahaña Chacoñamet”
(I swear by this bone of He who made you great).

THE RAIN RITUAL

Sometimes there were periods of drought, and the Guanches enacted a ceremony they hoped would bring rain. The people would fast and refrain from dancing and other forms of entertainment. Driving their flocks to high places in the mountains, they separated the lambs from the sheep and the kids from the goats, causing the animals to bleat piteously. The people also cried and wailed, hoping the gods would hear and look mercifully upon them and send rain to ease their plight.

THE FEAST OF THE NEW YEAR

The Guanches followed a lunar calendar, their year beginning towards the end of April or the early days of May. Many festivals with dances, feasts, and sporting events celebrating the arrival of Spring took place.

THE HARVEST FESTIVAL

Another important Guanche Festival was their Harvest Festival, or the Beñasmen, held between July and August. During this time, all conflict and wars between the nine kingdoms ceased, and a truce was put in place, allowing everyone to celebrate together and join each other in feasts, dances, and sporting events. During this period, the Menceys provided food for the entire population while the festivities and celebrations endured. The people wore flowers and leaves and also used them to decorate their villages.

SPORTS AND GAMES

Sporting competitions rook place with various athletic events such as running, throwing, and jumping competitions. There were also more dangerous events, such as throwing and avoiding spears, fighting with poles, and many other types of competitions. There were also wrestling matches similar to those practiced in ancient Greece and Rome. The winner had to throw their opponent to the ground or wrestle him out of the fighting area.

MUSIC

Although the Guanches had few musical instruments, they did use conch shells, small pebbles in clay pots, and beat sticks together to create rhythm and they also sang and danced. In the XVIth century, one version of a Guanche dance called “El Canario” became fashionable in the courts of Europe. Another traditional dance, called the “Tajaraste,” is still performed today.

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Animism and the Living World of the Ancient Celts

Image by jplenio from Pixabay

This article was first published January 14, 2021 on FolkloreThursday.com as Animism and the Living World of the Ancient Celts written by zteve t evans and has been revised, edited, and republished 8th February 2024. Text and images may differ from original.

Animism

Rather than a religion, animism is more an expression of the energy connections that are believed to flow through all things, connecting each to the other and the greater consciousness. It is this greater consciousness that is the source of all energy, and that endows everything with life and sentience. Many early creeds embraced aspects of animism, and it is still found in many modern religions and philosophies.

Celtic Identity

The Celts were a varied collection of ethnic groups inhabiting a broad swathe of continental Europe from the west coast of Ireland to the Black Sea and other scattered areas. Rather than ethnicity, they were connected by aspects of language, culture and religion. They worshipped various gods and goddesses, which varied from region to region, as could the importance and attributes of those divinities. Animism is one of the significant threads connecting this vast and diverse group of people in their culture and philosophy.

Spirit and Consciousness

In animism, there is a belief that all things possess a spirit and a consciousness that connects everything. The sky, Earth and underworld, natural phenomena such as the weather, and everything were all part of a greater conscious universe. Furthermore, even certain words, objects and images had sentience and were alive and could be used in conjunction with the greater consciousness to benefit humanity. For the Celt, death was the transmigration of the souls while their ancestors were revered and regarded as alive.

The Environment

In ancient Celtic times, the land was still wild and forested, and human activity had less impact on the environment than today. The environment and landscape were very different, and the Celtic people were much closer to nature than most Europeans are today and more dependent on the local natural resources. To live and thrive, they needed to exploit the abundant natural resources around them. Hence, there was a need to develop an intimate relationship with nature. They believed the surface of the Earth, under the Earth and in the sky were inhabited by various spirit entities and divinities. For the Celts, it was possible to live in harmony with these entities and harness their power for the benefit of humankind.

Sacred Places

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For the Celts, springs, forests, and mountains had spirit guardians or keepers, and some animals were believed to be messengers or servants of their gods and goddesses. Caves, hills, springs, rivers, lakes, bogs and other features of the landscape were seen as significant places and perhaps the gateway to the “Other” or Underworld or possibly inhabited by a guardian spirit or divinity. They made shrines and sanctuaries in or near such places and also in sacred groves of trees called nemetons.

Springs and rivers were often named these after their divinities. For example, in Gaul, the River Marne is named after the goddess Dea Matrona, and in Ireland, the goddess Boann gives her name to the River Boyne, and the River Shannon is named after the goddess Sionnan. Healing cults often based themselves at or near natural springs. For example, the hot springs of Sulis became associated with Aquae Sulis, now Bath, Somerset, while the goddess Arnemetia was followed at Aquae Arnemetiae, now Buxton, in Derbyshire. Further evidence of the Celtic veneration of watery places is the number of votive objects in and around such areas. Such objects included:

  • Wooden carvings or objects.
  • Metalwork.
  • Models of animals and birds.
  • Occasional human sacrifice.
  • Sometimes, models of body parts were offered by those seeking cures for ailments.

Spirits of the Weather and Sky

The Celts saw the sun, weather and its associated phenomena, such as thunder, as living entities needing respecting, honouring and acknowledging. Taranis, the god of thunder, was exceptionally potent. His icon was a spoked wheel, and archaeologists have found inscriptions referring to him in various Celtic regions, including Britain, Germany, Gaul and the Balkans.

According to the Roman poet Lucan, the worship of Taranis included the use of human sacrifice. After the Romans gained ascendancy over the Celts, they merged their god, Jupiter, with the Celtic Taranis. Roman soldiers posted to Hadrian’s Wall, and Cologne set up altars decorated with wheels and similar designs dedicated to him.

In Irish, Manx, and Scottish mythology, a storm hag called the Cailleach was a different divinity associated with the weather. She was a personification of winter who caused the first snows by washing her plaid in the Gulf of Corryvreckan. Her plaid was so big it took three days to clean, and the storm roaring is heard twenty miles inland. After she finishes her task, her plaid is pure white and covers the land as snow.

Animal Omens

The Celts closely monitored the behaviour of birds and beasts, sometimes seeing omens in their behaviour. They also associated certain spirits or divinities with certain animals. The ursine goddess Artio was named after the Gaulish name for “bear”, and the horse goddess Epona was named after their name for a horse.

For the Celts, the physical attributes of an animal and its characteristics and behaviour were seen as worthy of great respect and admiration. Some animals, such as stags or horses, were admired for their speed, endurance, beauty and virility. Dogs were respected for being keen-scented and swift and for their hunting ability. They were also esteemed for being good guards and having the ability to self-heal. Snakes were respected for their ability to shed their skins, appearing to renew themselves and were seen as symbolic of renewal and eternal life. The Celts not only admired the essential qualities of animals, but they acknowledged and accepted they often possessed attributes that humans lacked or were in some way deficient.

The Hunt

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There were also deities of the hunt, emphasising the economic importance and utility of the hunted. The hunted were respected and revered by the hunters, who realised the death of the hunted gave life to the hunter, and this cycle was seen in nature repeatedly. Thus, this gave the Celtic gods a paradoxical role between protector and benefactor of the hunters and the hunted.

According to the 2nd-century Greek writer Adrian, the Celts would not go hunting until they had sought the god’s blessing. Sometimes, they sacrificed domestic animals to the relevant divinities in payment for what they would take from the wild or performed appropriate rituals. There is an idea that hunting was more than just a practical activity to provide a game for the pot. The killing of the unfortunate beast and the shedding of its blood may symbolically have brought nourishment and renewal to the forest and nature. Therefore, in a living conscious world, it was necessary to respect and celebrate the life of the victim whose death helped to bring vitality and life back into the world while keeping the Celt alive.

The Celtic Belief System

The belief system of the ancient Celts was complicated and multilayered, but so was the world they lived in. This world was many things at once, both marvellous and dangerous, and a theatre where many different living beings continuously play out the enigma of life and death. Even in the calmest and most peaceful moments, a deadly battle for survival is always near. The winners live, and the losers die, becoming food for the victor. It may only be something as small as a spider trapping and killing a fly in its web, but these moments of high drama are played out continuously for the observant human attuned to nature. The struggle of life and death is omnipresent. Even without falling prey to some predator, living things die in time. Yet, they are replaced in a cycle of death and renewal that keeps the world populated with multitudes of living beings.

The ancient Celts could see this in the forests, mountains, and the world and developed their belief system to reflect what they saw and understood and explain the marvellous phenomena they observed all around them. Although scholars often disagree over these matters, it is your decision what, if anything, the Celtic form of animism means to you and your life.

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Celtic Mythology: Mixing Animals, Birds, Humans and Gods

The Dream of Aengus – AI Image – zteve t evans

This article by zteve t evans was first published on FolkloreThursday.com on 30th July, 2020 under the title, Mixing Animals, Birds, Humans and Gods in Celtic Mythology and has been revided, edited and update 25 February 2024.

Animals, Birds, Humans and Gods

The ancient Celts deeply revered animals and birds, considering them an integral part of their daily lives and mythology. They explored the complexities and rewards of the human condition through stories of animals, birds, humans, and gods, which continue to captivate us today. The following work briefly explores how they mixed animals, birds, and humans with their gods to accomplish this.

The Dream of Aengus

Swans were highly respected in Celtic mythology and held a special place in Irish folklore. In Irish mythology, “The Dream of Aengus” revolves around a young deity named Aengus, who falls in love with Caer Ibormeith, the goddess of sleep and dreams whom he sees in his dreams. Aengus set out to find her and discovered that she had been a mortal woman placed under a spell, transforming her into a swan. Every other Samhain, she would change from swan to human for one day at sunset. Afterwards, she would revert to her swan form for one year until the next Samhain, when the cycle would repeat.

He finally found her at the Loch of the Dragon’s Mouth along with one hundred and fifty swans chained together in pairs. He was told he had to choose which swan was the woman of his dreams, and fortunately chose correctly. He transformed into a swan, and the two flew away, singing beautiful songs that put those who heard them to sleep for three days and nights.

The Cŵn Annwn

The Cŵn Annwn appear in Welsh mythology as a pack of spectral hounds whose masters were the Kings of Annwn. They had white coats and red ears, colouring that associated them with the Otherworld. Their earliest known master was Arawn, a King of Annwn. Later, Gwyn ap Nudd appeared to take over the role. One of their hunting grounds was believed to be the Welsh mountain of Cadir Idris.

According to Welsh tradition, when the Cŵn Annwn were hunting, the noise they made in the chase was like flocks of migrating geese, which sounded like packs of hunting dogs. It was believed to be an omen of death for anyone who heard their howling, which seemed loudest from a distance but grew quieter as the hounds closed in. The Cŵn Annwn hunted human souls who were caught in a silver net. Certain places such as crossroads, graveyards or stiles were good hunting places for the Cŵn Annwn because human souls were most vulnerable at these sites.

Donn Cúailnge and Finnbennach

Donn Cúailnge, the Brown Bull of Cooley and Finnbennach the White Bull – AI Image – zteve t evans

Bulls were given great status in Irish mythology, and one story tells of the battles around Donn Cúailnge, or the Brown Bull of Cooley. The story begins with Queen Maeve and her husband, Ailill, comparing each other’s possessions to see who was the more powerful. It became apparent that it was Ailill because he possessed a massive white bull named Finnbennach.

The only bull in Ireland that could match Finnbennach was Donn Cúailnge, the Brown Bull of Cooley. Maeve decided she must have the brown bull and went to war to steal it. She cast a spell, causing the defenders to fall asleep, hoping to take the bull without a fight.

Cuchulainn was the only warrior left awake, who alone remained unaffected by the spell and invoked the Irish tradition of single combat, stalling Maeve’s army. While these battles ensued, Maeve tracked down Donn Cúailnge but could not hold on to him, and he escaped, causing carnage. Eventually, she does manage to steal Donn Cúailnge, and he fights and kills Finnbennach, giving Maeve greater status than her husband.

Twrch Trwyth

Twrch Trwyth – AI Image – zteve t evans

Twrch Trwyth was a supernatural wild boar in Welsh mythology. Its bristles were poisonous, and on its head, between its ears, it carried a comb, a pair of scissors and a razor stuck fast in the thick, wiry hair between its ears.


In the story of Culwhch and Olwen, Culwhch falls in love with Olwen, the daughter of a dangerous giant named Ysbaddaden. To gain permission to marry her, he had to complete a set of impossible tasks given to him by Ysbaddaden. One of these tasks required him to cut the giant’s hair and beard with the implements carried by Twrch Trwyth, but to obtain these needed to hunt down the magical boar.

The only hound capable of this was Drudwyn, but the only man who could manage Drudwyn was Mabon, son of Modrun. However, no one knew where or how to find him, and Culwhch called upon his cousin King Arthur for help. Arthur agreed and accompanied by a band of followers, embarked on a series of adventures. Eventually, they find Mabon, and the hunting of the boar commenced.

The shape-shifting Menw, one of Arthur’s followers, is sent ahead to find the magical boar to ensure the grooming tools are still fixed between its ears. Seeing the boar, he transforms into a bird and, swooping down, tries to steal one of the implements. Unfortunately, he only grasped a silver bristle from the boar, which wounded him. The boar kills several pursuers before the implements are finally won, and Arthur drives it into the sea.

Rhiannon and Horses

Rhiannon – AI Image – zteve t evans

Rhiannon, a woman, or divinity from the Otherworld, is associated with Sovereignty, horses, and the Celtic horse goddess Epona, or Macha. She is featured in the Welsh tale of Pwyll Pendefig Dyfed, or Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed, in the First Branch of the Mabinogi, and the story of Manawydan Son of Llŷr, in the Third Branch of the Mabinogi.

She first appears to Pwyll, riding a magical white horse and wearing a brocade of golden silk. Pwyll was enthralled by her and dispatched his fastest riders to bring her to him. Despite the unhurried gait of the white horse, Rhiannon easily maintained her distance, forcing them to give up.

The same happened the next day. On the third day, Pwyll gave chase himself, but the white horse of Rhiannon easily outpaced his own. In desperation, he cried out for her to stop. Rhiannon obliged but rebuked him for not asking her before. She then explained that although she is betrothed to Gwawl ap Clud, she does not love him and asked Pwyll to marry her instead.

Pwyll agreed, and during their wedding feast, a mysterious man appeared and asked him for a favour. Foolishly, Pwyll agrees, unaware that the man is Gwawl and is shocked when he requests Rhiannon in marriage. Pwyll is honour bound to fulfil the request, but Rhiannon hatches a plot to foil it. The plot succeeds, and Gwawl is forced to give up his claim to Rhiannon and forget all acts of vengeance against her and Pwyll. The two are married, and eventually, she gives birth to a son.

On the night of the birth, the nurses tending to the baby fall asleep, and the baby disappears. Fearing they would be blamed and put to death, they kill a puppy and smear its blood on the face of Rhiannon as she sleeps. The following morning, they go to Pwyll, accusing Rhiannon of killing and eating the baby. Pwyll still loves his wife but makes her do penance. Every day, she must sit before the castle gate by the stables, tell her tale to all travellers that pass by, and offer to carry them on her back. Despite her alleged crime, Pwyll keeps her as his wife and queen.

Meanwhile, Teyrnon, Lord of Gwent-Is-Coed and a breeder of horses, has a fine mare that foals yearly. Unfortunately, to his dismay, that foal goes missing every year. After standing watch over the birthing mare, he discovers that the foals are stolen by a mysterious giant claw that enters through a window. As the claw tries to steal the newborn foal, he strikes it with his sword, and it lets go. Rushing outside, he finds the claw gone and a baby boy instead.

He and his wife adopt the boy, who grows phenomenally fast. They name him Gwri of the Golden Hair, and he soon matures to develop a great affinity with horses. Teyrnon once served Pwyll and recognised the resemblance the boy bore to him. He takes him to Pwyll, who realised he was his lost son, and lifts Rhiannon’s penance and clears her of infanticide.

Celtic Stories

These five summaries of stories from Wales and Ireland are a small part of the myths and legends that tell of the history of the Celtic people. There are many more from across the Celtic world that make a rich pantheon of literature and knowledge worthy of further study and enjoyment. They take the reader to strange, dangerous, and magical places and explore human nature and Celtic society compared to the natural world and the times those stories come from.

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Bee Folklore and Superstition: Telling the Bees

Image by Sven Lachmann from Pixabay

Bee Lore

Bees are a familiar sight around the world being native to al continents except Antarctica.  There are 16,000 known species and the most common is the western honey bee, also known as the European honey bee.  It is this species that this work mostly refers to.  Since early times humans have watched bees go about their everyday business and marveled at their sheer industry while being intrigued by the mystery of their societies.  This has led to the evolution of a rich body of folklore and tradition and many superstitions and customs.  Present here are a few small samples of this bee lore mingled with a few facts.

Bee Products

Bees provide us with many different useful products including honey, royal jelly, pollen propolis, wax and even bee venom. However, there are many other less obvious products of bees we depend on that are more important and more widely used.  Bees help pollinate many different fruits, vegetables and plants of all kinds which we make into many different products such as jam, dried fruit, even alcoholic beverages such as mead and much more.   They are not just useful to humans but also other animals and plants and are an essential part of local ecosystems which integrate into the global system.  An army of bees and other insects help pollinate these products and many other vegetables and plants used by humans. Without bees this army would be sorely depleted.  Our ancestors may not have realised the full extent of their usefulness but knew enough to want to develop an intimate relationship with them.  

Telling The Bees

It was seen as important for a beekeeper to keep his bees updated on any important information as news came in.  This was because bees could become upset and stop producing honey, abandon the hive or even die if not kept informed.  Therefore, it was seen as important that news that might affect them was broken gently but not withheld.  The origin of this custom is not known but there is an idea it may have evolved because people in many countries in ancient times thought  bees had the ability to bridge the living world with the afterlife. 

Deaths

There is a longstanding custom of telling the bees important events such as births, deaths and marriages that happen in the life of a beekeeper.  This tradition is found in the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Switzerland and other European countries as well as North America.

When someone in the household passed away it was deemed essential that the bees should be informed so that they could mourn properly.  Furthermore, it was essential that the bees were informed of any death in the family otherwise some tragedy would afflict the keeper’s family or perhaps jinx the hive.

Image by Charles Napier Hemy – Public Domain

An English custom required the wife of the house, or housekeeper, to drape something black over the hive while humming a sad tune.  In Nottinghamshire the words to one such tune were,

“The master’s dead, but don’t you go; 

Your mistress will be a good mistress to you.” (1)

Whereas in Germany the song was, 

 “Little bee, our lord is dead;

 Leave me not in my distress.” (2)

In some places the head of the household was required to knock on each hive until he thought he had the attention of the bees.  Next, in a sombre and serious voice he explained a certain person had died revealing the name of that person.  Sometimes the key to the family home was used to tap upon the hives.

Funerals

Where it was the case that the beekeeper had passed away food and drink from the funeral was left near the hives for the bees.  Sometimes the hive would be lifted and then put down at the same time as the funeral. It was draped in a mourning cloth and rotated to face the funeral procession.

In parts of the Pyrenees they buried an old piece of clothing belonging to someone who had died under the hive.  Many people believed the bees and hives should never be given away, sold or swapped after their keeper had died as it brought bad luck.

In the USA in parts of New England and Appalachia it was important to tell the bees when a family member died.  Whoever was the family beekeeper would ensure the bees were properly informed of the death so that the news could be passed around.

Weddings

In some regions it was believed bees liked to be told about weddings  and happy events  as well as funerals.  A tradition from Westphalia, Germany says to ensure good fortune in their married life, when moving into their new home, newlyweds must first introduce themselves to the bees.  A Scottish  newspaper, the Dundee Courier reported on the tradition in the 1950s, stating that the hive should be decorated and a slice of wedding cake left for the bees near the hive.  A custom from Brittany involved decorating the hive with scarlet cloth which would allow the bees to join in with the celebrations.

Messengers of the Gods

There was a belief in ancient Greece and Rome that bees were the messengers and servants of the gods. Romans avoided a flying swarm of bees but not for fear of being stung.  Instead they thought they were swarming at the command of the gods and bearing their messages and did not want to impede them in their work for the divinities.

Ancient Egyptians believed honey bees had been generated from the tears of Ra, their sun god, that had fallen to earth becoming his messengers between him and humanity.  Between 3000 b.c.e. and 350 b.c.e., the honeybee was used as a symbol by the  pharaohs of ancient Egypt.  Similar to the Egyptian and Roman view, the ancient Celtic people saw the honey bee as a messenger between heaven and earth. 

Importance of Bees

Bees continue to play an important role in the ecosystems and their importance to humans is undiminished, if anything, as we learn more about the world around us it increases. 

© 19/08/2020 zteve t evans

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Winter Folklore: Traditions and Customs of the Cailleach Bheur

Gustave Doré [Public domain]

In Scottish, Irish, Manx and Gaelic mythology the goddess of winter is known as the the Cailleach, Beira or the Cailleach Bheur, which means old woman or hag. In Celtic mythology she had a similar role to Jörð in Norse mythology  and Gaia, in Greek mythology.

Donald Alexander Mackenzie

The Scottish folklorist Donald Alexander Mackenzie (1873 – 1936) wrote frequently on the subjects of mythology, anthropology and religion and developed a theory that there was a matriarchal society spread across Europe in Neolithic times.  In his book,  Myths of Crete and Pre-Hellenic Europe (1917), he argues that these early societies were gynocentric and matriarchal venerating goddesses above gods but during the Bronze Age a patriarchal society evolved supplanting it.  Mackenzie called the Cailleach Bheur by the name of Beira, Queen of Winter.  

He saw her as a giantess with  a single eye who had her mountain throne on Ben Nevis, Scotland’s highest mountain and the highest in the British Isles.  According to him she had white hair, dark blue skin, and rust-colored teeth. She had a magic hammer that she used to create the mountains and valleys  of Scotland.  Loch Ness was created when she changed a careless maid named Nessa into a river which then formed the loch.  Each year her rule would come to an end when the longest night of the year arrived when she would seek out the Well of Youth and drink its waters which made her grow younger by the day. 

As the Cailleach

In Scottish folklore and mythology, as the Cailleach she was believed to have created many of the mountains and hills.  She carried a wicker basket containing rocks and as she strode across the land at such a pace many of these rocks accidently fell out creating hills and mountains as she went. Sometimes she was said to have created the mountains on purpose and carried a hammer which she used to shape the hills and valleys.   She opposed Spring and herded deer and when she strikes the ground with her staff the ground freezes. 

The Cailleach and Brigid

Sometimes she is seen with the goddess Brigid in partnership or operating as two faces or aspects of one goddess.  They ruled the winter and spring months between November 1st or Samhain to May 1st or Beltane. Brigid rules from Beltane through summer and autumn  to Samhain.

In some traditions the Cailleach turns to stone on Beltane and reverts to her human form on Samhain to rule the winter and spring months. However, this is not straightforward,  in some traditions the transfer of jurisdiction between the two goddesses and winter to spring can be celebrated any time between Là Fhèill Brigid or February 1st, Latha na Cailliche or March 25th and Beltane or May 1st.  Festivals named after either of the two goddesses are held in between these dates.

Saint Brigid’s Day

According to tradition the Imobolc, or the 1st of February or  Là Fhèill Brigid is the day the Cailleach gathers her firewood for winter.  If she is planning a long winter she will make that day sunny and bright to help her find plenty of fuel to last her through the cold days of winter.  Therefore with this legend in mind people are pleased if the weather on February 1st is wet and dismal as the winter will be short. A tradition on the Isle of Man  where she is called Caillagh ny Groamagh, says that on St. Bride’s day she has been seen to take the form of a giant bird that flies around collecting sticks in its beak.

Attribution: Walter Baxter / The Corryvreckan Whirlpool – CC BY-SA 2.0

The Whirlpool of Corryvreckan

Another tradition from the west coast of Scotland tells how the Cailleach by washing her great plaid, which can be a kind of kilt, or sometimes a large shawl, in the waters of the Gulf of Corryvreckan causes the whirlpool in the gulf and brings in winter.  This also causes a storm that can be heard twenty miles away and lasts for three days.  When she is finished her plaid is clean and white and covers the land as snow. 

Harvest Traditions

There was an old custom in Ireland and Scotland where the farmer who was first to finish harvesting his crop of grain made a corn dolly that represent the Cailleach from the last sheaf that he cut.  This would be thrown into the field of one of his neighbors who had yet to finish bringing in his harvest.  If the farmer finished before his other neighbors this was passed to one of them. This was passed on until it at last came into the hands of the last unfortunate farmer to finish who it was implied had the misfortune to have to take care of the corn dolly for the following year. In doing so he was obliged to feed and house the Cailleach, the hag of winter, until summer returned.  This gave all of the farmers the encouragement and motivation to get their harvest in quickly.

© 06/12/2019 zteve t evans

References, Attribution and Further Reading

Copyright December 6th, 2019 zteve t evans

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Anansi Tales: How the Tales were Named

The Anansi Tales are a body of traditional stories that originated in Ghana and spread throughout West Africa.   They were carried to the Caribbean and the New World with the unfortunate African people who were transported there to spend their lives in slavery. They were passed on orally and from generation to generation producing many variants of the same tale. The stories center around a protagonist called Anansi who is both human and spider.  He can appear in either form or anthropomorphically with a human head and a spider body.  He is often seen as a trickster or as a intermediary between the gods and humankind.  During the dark days of slavery he was seen as a symbol of hope and resistance by showing how someone who was considered small and weak could overcome the big and powerful by using cleverness and courage and was a reminder of the old ways back in Africa. The following is a retelling of an Anansi tale which highlights his cleverness and trickery.

How the Tales were Named

In the early days of the people, all of the tales that were told were stories about the chief of the gods whose name was Nyankupon.  Spider who was known as Anansi was jealous and thought all of the stories should be about him. Therefore, Anansi went to Nyankupon and asked that in future all the tales people told should be about him.

Nyankupon told Anansi that he would agree to this but only if Anansi could fulfill three tasks. For the first task, Anansi had to bring him a jarful of living bees. The second, was for him to bring Nyankupon a live boa-constrictor. For the third, Anansi had to bring him a living leopard. Anansi agreed and taking a clay pot he went to a place where he knew bees lived in great numbers and sat down and began talking aloud to himself saying,

“They will not be able to do it.”
“Yes, they will.”
“No, it is too difficult!”
“Of course they will be able to do it!”

He kept this debate up for some time and eventually the bees took notice of him and asked him what he was talking to himself about. He told them he and Nyankupon had been arguing over whether the bees were skillful enough fliers to be able to fly into the clay pot. He told them he believed they were, whereas Nyankupon argued they were not.

The bees were indignant and told Anansi firmly that of course they could and to prove it they all flew into the pot until it was packed tight with them. Anansi quickly put the lid on the pot and sealed and took it to show Nyankupon that he had succeeded in the first task.

The next morning Anansi went out and found a long stick and then went to a place where he knew a boa-constrictor lived. When he arrived at the home of the boa-constrictor he began talking to himself saying,

“Surely he cannot be as long as this stick”
“Yes, he will be as long!”
“Oh, no he won’t!”
“Of course he will! “

And he kept on talking to himself for some time until the snake came and asked him what he was talking about. Anansi told him that in Nyankupon’s town people are saying the stick is longer than the snake was whereas but he believed the snake was longer than the stick.

“Would you be as kind as to lay yourself along so that I may measure you? asked Anansi politely. The boa-constrictor the stretched himself along the stick from end to end and Anansi lost no time in binding him around the stick with his spider thread. Then he took him to Nyankupon successfully completing the second task.

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Leopard by Jacques Christophe Werner [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The third morning Anansi sewed up one of his own eyes and went to a place he knew where a leopard lived. As he drew near he began to shout and sing at the top of his voice and he made such a din that the leopard came out to his home to see what all the noise was about.

“Why are you shouting and singing in such a joyous manner?”

said the leopard to Anansi.

“Look, can you not see? Look, I have stitched my eye up and now I can see such wonderful things that I have to sing and shout about them,”

cried Anansi.

The leopard looked and he saw that Anansi’s eye was indeed sewn up and then he said,

“Sew my eyes up too and then I will also see wonderful things!”

So Anansi the Spider quickly sewed up the eyes of the leopard rendering him blind and helpless. Then he led him to Nyankupon who was both impressed and astounded at the ingenuity of Anansi and granted him his wish. That is why all the old tales that people tell today are known as Anansi tales.

© 14/03/2018 zteve t evans

References, Attributions and Further Reading

Copyright March 14th, 2018 zteve t evans

 

 

 

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The Stag in Ancient Celtic Culture

Stag on the Watch – By Rosa Bonheur (1822–1899) – Public Domain Image

The stag in Celtic mythology is a symbol of the forest. It grows antlers that resemble branches on a tree. It looks as if it carries the forest around with it crowned on its head. The stag is fast, powerful and agile and sexually vigorous. This represents the the energy of nature which is self regenerating. The shedding of its antlers in the autumn and their regrowth in the spring is like the seasonal cycle of the forest trees which shed their leaves each autumn and regrow them each spring.

The Gundestrup Cauldron

Part of Gundestrup Cauldron Depicting Cernunnos

One of the finest relics of the Celts is the Gundestrup cauldron. This is a Iron Age silver work cauldron that was found near the Danish village of Gundestrup. The cauldron is ornately decorated with many fine figures of gods, animals and images of nature. Cernunnos, the stag horned god of the Celts is depicted sitting cross legged next to a stag. On another part of the cauldron there is a depiction of a god holding a stag with each hand.

Highly Regarded

The stag appears to be highly regarded in Celtic society and held in reverence over a widespread area. In Luxembourg a depiction of a stag with coins flowing from its mouth has been found.

A carved stone figure found in Rhiems depicts Cernunnos with a stag and a bull that are drinking from a. stream of coins. This is believed to mean that stags are associated with prosperity.

As can be expected, in many areas the stag is associated with hunting. The stag would have played an important part in the economy of the Celtic people. Its flesh provided food, its skin provided clothing and coverings, and its bones provided, tools and weapons such as arrowheads.

In northern Britain, Cocidius, the hunter god, was associated with the stag. In the south of Britain, around Colchester, Silvanus the woodland king, also known as Silvanus Callirius, was associated with the stag.

At a mountain shrine at Le Donon, in the Vosges dedicated to a nature or hunter god. His image was carved in stone showing him wearing the hide of an animal and he had fruit hanging from him. Next to him stands a stag and he has his hand placed on its antlers in what seems to be an act of benediction.

The Celtic Relationship With Nature

Images of hunting and of the forest are shown next to images of prosperity. It shows the relationship and respect the hunter has for the hunted and in doing so reveals much about the Celtic mindset and their relationship with nature.

Burgundy was believed to have been a horse breeding region during Celtic times and a place where the stag horned Cernunnos was revered. A sculpture made by the Aedui tribe shows a “divine couple.” A god and goddess, are shown apparently presiding over the animal kingdom. They are shown in a sitting position next to each other with their feet resting on two stags. Next to the god is a horse that is being offered a drink from a goblet. The goddess is offering a goblet to a horse by her side to drink from, while petting it.

The stag in Celtic terms was a representation of the natural world and the animal kingdom. The antlers are a reminder that nature can be dangerous and violent. It can be violent and harmful, but it can be benign and beneficial. They stag is also a symbol of male fertility, the fertility of the forest and the renewal of nature. As such it played an important role in Celtic society and culture representing the Celtic relationship with nature and the animal kingdom.

References and Attributions

Copyright zteve t evans