GWYLIAU TREFTADAETH CELTAIDD CYMREIG
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Traditional Welsh - Celtic Festivals.
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In view of calls and proposals for four more new Bank Holidays, we propose that
These are established on annual dates of the four Traditional Welsh - Celtic Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltain and Lugnasadha. These four great Celtic Fire Festivals are ancient Celtic Feast days that have existed for over two Millennia but have suffered the fate of being pushed aside, in the first instance, by Roman and Saxon conquest, later, by Religious and Cultural Imperialism. Over the centuries these festivals have declined through the hostility of ignorance and intolerance and finally the Indignity of being submerged in an urbanising age of the industrial revolution of the 19th & 20th Centuries.
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However, despite all this intrusiveness, these Celtic Festivals have survived in various ways, as illustrated in examples of 'May Day' and 'Halloween'. Not so fortunate, other than as dates of importance in the Christian Calendar, has been the festivals of Imbolc and Lughnasadha been able to survive. Now, however, we have a great opportunity to recover, restore and revive all four festivals as major Bank Holidays to which they would lend themselves admirably to fulfil the social, cultural, economic needs and well being of the Welsh people.
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The Four Annual Celtic Fire Festivals - Feasting Days
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The Intention is, along with others, to campaign for official and public recognition of these days as suitable days to be established as the four new bank holidays in Wales and throughout the whole of Celtia. To this end purpose there is of course the need to inform in order to awaken public awareness of these festivals and of the many traditions and customs that are so associated with them. Not least, we must clearly show how such can make themselves available for contemporary local leisure and tourism attraction, events and activities, it is also very important to show how these festivals may be of social and economic advantage as the following examples indicate.
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I. Gŵyl Samhain. November 1st Oct 31 - Nov 2.
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* Exposition of the Arts and theatrical performances with related events.
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II. Gŵyl Imbolc. February 1st Jan 31 - Feb 2.
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* Exposition of Crafts and also associated and related Trade Fairs.
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III. Gŵyl Beltain. May 1st Apr 30 - May 2.
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* Exposition of Industrial and Agricultural production and related trade fairs.
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IV. Gŵyl Lughnasadha. August 1st Jul 31 - Aug 2.
.
Traditional Welsh - Celtic Festivals.
.
In view of calls and proposals for four more new Bank Holidays, we propose that
These are established on annual dates of the four Traditional Welsh - Celtic Festivals of Samhain, Imbolc, Beltain and Lugnasadha. These four great Celtic Fire Festivals are ancient Celtic Feast days that have existed for over two Millennia but have suffered the fate of being pushed aside, in the first instance, by Roman and Saxon conquest, later, by Religious and Cultural Imperialism. Over the centuries these festivals have declined through the hostility of ignorance and intolerance and finally the Indignity of being submerged in an urbanising age of the industrial revolution of the 19th & 20th Centuries.
.
However, despite all this intrusiveness, these Celtic Festivals have survived in various ways, as illustrated in examples of 'May Day' and 'Halloween'. Not so fortunate, other than as dates of importance in the Christian Calendar, has been the festivals of Imbolc and Lughnasadha been able to survive. Now, however, we have a great opportunity to recover, restore and revive all four festivals as major Bank Holidays to which they would lend themselves admirably to fulfil the social, cultural, economic needs and well being of the Welsh people.
.
The Four Annual Celtic Fire Festivals - Feasting Days
.
The Intention is, along with others, to campaign for official and public recognition of these days as suitable days to be established as the four new bank holidays in Wales and throughout the whole of Celtia. To this end purpose there is of course the need to inform in order to awaken public awareness of these festivals and of the many traditions and customs that are so associated with them. Not least, we must clearly show how such can make themselves available for contemporary local leisure and tourism attraction, events and activities, it is also very important to show how these festivals may be of social and economic advantage as the following examples indicate.
.
I. Gŵyl Samhain. November 1st Oct 31 - Nov 2.
.
* Exposition of the Arts and theatrical performances with related events.
.
II. Gŵyl Imbolc. February 1st Jan 31 - Feb 2.
.
* Exposition of Crafts and also associated and related Trade Fairs.
.
III. Gŵyl Beltain. May 1st Apr 30 - May 2.
.
* Exposition of Industrial and Agricultural production and related trade fairs.
.
IV. Gŵyl Lughnasadha. August 1st Jul 31 - Aug 2.
.
* Exposition of tradional Sports and Games.
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The Four Annual Celtic Fire Festivals - Feasting Days are:
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I. Gŵyl Samhain. November 1st Oct 31 - Nov 2.
* Exposition of tradional Sports and Games.
.
The Four Annual Celtic Fire Festivals - Feasting Days are:
.
I. Gŵyl Samhain. November 1st Oct 31 - Nov 2.
.
Celtic New Years Day being the first day of November also celebrated on Oct 31st as Nos Calan Gaeaf aka 'Halloween', a time when the veil between the natural and the supernatural world is drawn aside and our Celtic ancestors return from Celtic otherworld. This being the great fire festival of the Celtic Year with many associations to Welsh and Celtic folk lore and custom, a wonderful festival to prepare ourselves for and through the long winter months ahead.
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II. Gŵyl Imbolc. February 1st Jan 31 - Feb 2.
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A day which honours 'Brigad' one of the greatest of Celtic Goddesses, she who is goddess of creativity and crafts, fertility and birth. The goddess 'Brigad' is also associated with healing and purification, tradition and poetry. This day is the first day of the Celtic spring and is associated with lambing and the giving of gifts. The goddess 'Brigad' has many and wide associations throughout the whole Celtic world and is, in particular, a festival with which women may fully identify themselves with but not exclusively so.
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III. Gŵyl Beltain. May 1st Apr 30 - May 2.
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A day in honour of Belos, a Celtic Solar god also associated with healing and with cattle as this was the time when the Welsh would begin to drive their herds away from the lowland winter 'Hendre' up into the hills of the summer ' Hafod'. Beltain has survived the years well although, it is now better known as 'May Day' and in this connection, has become associated with fertility customs and rituals, dancing around 'maypoles' and also associated with the 'May fair's' which, in many cases, were actually banned by governments worried about the rebelliousness of the People and thus, possibly for this reason, ‘May Day’ has become associated and recognised as a 'Workers Festival'.
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IV. Gŵyl Lughnasadha. August 1st July 31 - Aug 2.
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Day in honour of the Great Celtic Solar God Lugh, this festival has been associated with hilltop fire festivals and even up until the first quarter of the 20th Century people in rural areas would continue to observe the traditional hill walking festivals and feasting. This day is also very much associated with horsemanship and horse racing linking to the Celtic horse goddess 'Epona' also the day is associated with games and sports. The day is also associated with lightening of summer storms and thus with Illumination.
.
Celtic New Years Day being the first day of November also celebrated on Oct 31st as Nos Calan Gaeaf aka 'Halloween', a time when the veil between the natural and the supernatural world is drawn aside and our Celtic ancestors return from Celtic otherworld. This being the great fire festival of the Celtic Year with many associations to Welsh and Celtic folk lore and custom, a wonderful festival to prepare ourselves for and through the long winter months ahead.
.
II. Gŵyl Imbolc. February 1st Jan 31 - Feb 2.
.
A day which honours 'Brigad' one of the greatest of Celtic Goddesses, she who is goddess of creativity and crafts, fertility and birth. The goddess 'Brigad' is also associated with healing and purification, tradition and poetry. This day is the first day of the Celtic spring and is associated with lambing and the giving of gifts. The goddess 'Brigad' has many and wide associations throughout the whole Celtic world and is, in particular, a festival with which women may fully identify themselves with but not exclusively so.
.
III. Gŵyl Beltain. May 1st Apr 30 - May 2.
.
A day in honour of Belos, a Celtic Solar god also associated with healing and with cattle as this was the time when the Welsh would begin to drive their herds away from the lowland winter 'Hendre' up into the hills of the summer ' Hafod'. Beltain has survived the years well although, it is now better known as 'May Day' and in this connection, has become associated with fertility customs and rituals, dancing around 'maypoles' and also associated with the 'May fair's' which, in many cases, were actually banned by governments worried about the rebelliousness of the People and thus, possibly for this reason, ‘May Day’ has become associated and recognised as a 'Workers Festival'.
.
IV. Gŵyl Lughnasadha. August 1st July 31 - Aug 2.
.
Day in honour of the Great Celtic Solar God Lugh, this festival has been associated with hilltop fire festivals and even up until the first quarter of the 20th Century people in rural areas would continue to observe the traditional hill walking festivals and feasting. This day is also very much associated with horsemanship and horse racing linking to the Celtic horse goddess 'Epona' also the day is associated with games and sports. The day is also associated with lightening of summer storms and thus with Illumination.
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For further information, search on web where there are plenty of websites and blogs dedicated to informing on these festivals and their celebrations. So Cymru, lets go Celtic big time at least four times a year.
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Menter Treftadaeth Cymru - Heritage Consultant Siân Ifan.
Menter Treftadaeth Cymru - Heritage Consultant Siân Ifan.
