Veil is thin: Samhain Fire of Peace, Scotland

Angela's Symposium; Liath Wolf; Amber Larson, Dhr. Seven (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

The TRUE History of Samhain (It's not what we think)

(Angela's Symposium) Premiered Oct. 26, 2023: No, Samhain is NOT a "Celtic Fire Festival" as contemporary Wiccans and Neo-Pagans often believe. That view was popularized by James Frazer and John Rhys, which lacks historical support or evidence. This Ph.D. candidate explains the true history of Samhain based on the historical research by Ronald Hutton.

• 00:00 Introduction to Samhain/Halloween
• 01:53 Support Angela’s Symposium
• 02:49 The Celtic Festival
• 04:05 The Christian era in Britain
• 04:49 The academic evidence
• 06:10 Early Irish significance disputed
• 08:23 Anglo-Saxons and Scandanavia
• 09:18 The ideas of John Rhys and James Frazer
• 12:56 Wales - Calan Gaeaf
• 13:44 Halloween night in non-Celtic regions
• 14:55 Fire festivals in decline
• 15:06 Hallowmas fires in Scotland are forbidden
• 18:39 Support Angela’s Symposium

CONNECT and SUPPORT💖 WEBSITE and NEWSLETTER 💌 drangelapuca.com/#newsletter. Music by Erose MusicBand.

Samhain: The Great Fire of Peace (Scottish folklore)

(Liath Wolf) There is an ancient Celtic festival, brought by the Gaels from Ireland, that has been a part of the western European tradition for thousands of years.

It was the new year. The celebration would last for two days and mark the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter.

During the festival, great fires were built, and in the light of their flame, Druid-like religious leaders would open portals to the otherworld by uncovering great burial mounds and tombs.

Sacrifices and tributes were then made to the dead, and if some tales are to be believed, the spirits of the dead would rise again and join the festivities.

This is the Great Fire of Peace, the Festival of Samhain. The concept of Samhain is thought to have begun in ancient Ireland, and then travelled to Scotland along with the early Gaels.

Here the traditions and practices of the Gaels became eternally interwoven with those of the new land. Not much is known about these early festivals and celebrations, but we do know that Samhain became an integral part of Scottish culture and history.

T-shirt link: shop.spreadshirt.co.uk/liath-... Intro music: Written for me by Bobbin bobbin.bandcamp.com. ​ Other music by Adrian von Ziegler (adrianvonziegler.bandcamp.com). References:

• Campbell, J.G. (1900) The Gaelic Otherworld, edited by Ronald Black. Birlinn Ltd. ISBN 1-84158-207-7
• Campbell, J.G. (1902) Witchcraft & Second Sight in the Highlands & Islands of Scotland Tales and Traditions collected entirely from Oral Sources. Glasgow. James MacLehose and Sons.
• Campsie, A. (2020) Halloween: The weird and wonderful traditions of Samhain in Scotland. [scotsman.com/heritage-and...]
• Carmichael, A. (1900). Carmina Gadelica. Lindisfarne Press ISBN 0-940262-50-9
• Frazer, J.G. (2003) The Golden Bough: A Study in Magic and Religion. Dover Publications Inc. ISBN:0486424928
• History.com (2020) Samhain [history.com/topics/holiday...]
• Lang, C. (2018) How Halloween Traditions Are Rooted in the Ancient Pagan Festival of Samhain. Time. [time.com/5434659/halloween-pa...]
• Learmonth, A. (2019) Scottish Hallowe'en and the Celtic Samhain Festival [scotlandshop.com/tartanbl...]
• Macgregor, A. (1937) Highland Superstitions. Stirling. Gibbings and Company Limited 1901