#winter north wales

[howlsofannwn]

"...brittle with relics... worrying the carcase of an old song."

- R.S. Thomas

[callumreuben]

[bennhealy]

Mae Cymru yn hardd - Siabod, Yr Wyddfa, Glyderau, Tryfan, Carneddau

[paulofcongleton]

Llandudno, March 2023

[escapetothewildside]

Gelerts Grave

Nice easy flat walk in Beddgelert via Gelerts grave stunning views of the surrounding mountains and a walk along the river bank. Follow this link to see the Route plotted on OS Maps Beddgelert village It’s a simple route down the riverside, a little diversion to see Gelerts grave and then back up the opposite side of the river. Gelerts Grave The storey of Gelert the dog is a sad one. He was…

[becausegoodheroesdeservekidneys]

Hello I am going on a holiday to Eryri next month & I like to read up about an area before going there... do u have any reading or documentary or podcast recs? I'm particularly interested in the ecology & minority language activism & like. Peoples history & rural lives! I know this is stuff u know about in Wales but idk if north Wales is ur region! Míle buiochas ón Eireann!

Fáilte go dtí an Bhreatain Bheag! Or croeso i Gymru. Exciting! Keep an eye on the notes for others chiming in with good recs for documentaries and the like, I'm going to just give a super quick guide

Okay, pronunciation guide for place names and that is here in written form and here in video form. I cannot recommend strongly enough that you try to use the Welsh place names rather than the English translations. Duolingo is flawed but serviceable if you want to hear and learn some basic phrases. If you can at least throw out a 'bore da' to people you pass/shopkeepers, you'll be very well liked. You don't need to be fluent by any means, but Making An Effort is seen as, like, the nicest and politest and most wonderful thing in Wales, and particularly in regions like Eryri.

Because! It's one of the biggest remaining Welsh language strongholds. If you look at language maps over time in Wales, a pattern emerges:

And the current (2021) figures show this:

And you are going to this bit:

So you're heading into the Welshest bit in all of Wales! And the bit with the strongest and longest history of Welsh, too.

Which also means there's a lot of activism-related stuff in that area. It's probably worth you reading up on the history of Tryweryn (which was a bit further east, but sets the scene well); there was also a BIG thing a couple of decades ago where activists would burn down English-owned holiday homes (while they were empty in winter, not, like, with the English in them). This is because, in addition to the usual issues with the social impacts of holiday homes (driving up prices meaning locals can't live there, eroding communities, etc), holiday homes in Welsh language heartlands are a significant and tangible threat to the language. Even today, the issue of holiday homes is an extremely touchy subject, as is the issue of (mostly-English) people moving into the area because "It's so pretty!!!" and then not learning the language.

(Yet another reason they will love you if you Make An Effort)

Historically speaking, you'll be in a chunk of the country that was the ancestral seat of the last kings of Wales (Gwynedd). The final one, Llywelyn ein Llyw Olaf, was ambushed and murdered in 1282, which was the beginning of the end for fighting off English rule. In fact, Owain Glyndŵr later crowned himself king of Wales for about two years, but weirdly, no one acknowledges this as real kingship for some reason - if you google his name, he's always listed as a soldier or military commander, which really opens up a whole "Who gets to say when someone is royalty" debate, but he did actually claim descent from the House of Aberffraw anyway, so ultimately it still links back to Llywelyn.

Ecology! Temperate alpine. There actually isn't a global scientific distinction between hill and mountain, but most countries set an arbitrary height standard. This means it varies from country to country depending on how tall their topology is. Wales, however, bucks this trend, and instead decides based on what is formally referred to as 'land use' and colloquially referred to as 'Vibes'. If it's a hill, it's tamed - if it's a mountain, it's wild. This means Eryri is fairly short by the standards of tedious foreigners who regard mountains as a sort of geological dick waving competition, but it's in fact a whole mountain range; it's also older than Saturn's rings. And, crucially, it's very much sufficiently above sea level to have an alpine ecosystem.

There are three endemic (i.e. not occurring anywhere else in the world) species in Eryri, to whit:

The Snowdon lily. A small and delicate flower growing in protected and inaccessible spots on yr Wyddfa (formally known as Snowdon). Excessively vulnerable to trampling, so the national park keeps sections where it grows fenced off.

The Snowdon beetle. RAINBOW BEETLE.

The gwyniad. A sub-species of whitefish until recently exclusively found in Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake), trapped there after the ice age and now developing its own genetic profile distinct from other whitefish. Some dickhead in the 80s introduced the ruffe to the lake for fishing, and the ruffe eats the gwyniad's eggs, so they've now transplanted eggs to Llyn Arenig Fawr nearby as a conservation measure.

There's also feral goats. And Welsh mountain ponies. Ooh, and, red kites - in the UK red kites were so heavily persecuted they eventually fell to just 7 breeding pairs in Wales. We established a protected zone and hired Nepalese Gurkhas to guard the nests and thus saved it from extirpation so successfully they later translocated Welsh birds to other spots in the UK. It's a big conservation success story, and now red kites are considered to be the national bird of Wales. They have a very distinctive silhouette, too, look for the forked tail.

Oh, and, we have a unique habitat type called ffridd, which you see a lot of in Eryri.

Final wildlife pictures to close:

Anyway - have a great time! Enjoy muchly.

[novlr]

Do any ungulates have any meaning? Like specific types of deer?

Deer and other types of ungulates have often been used as symbols, both cross-culturally and in literature. They’re fascinating creatures with a variety of habitats that exist both in the wild and in domesticated settings, so can be used in several different ways within a narrative depending on the type of meaning you wish to convey.

For this answer, we’ll focus mainly on deer, as covering all ungulates (which includes all animals with hooves ranging from horses to hippopotami) might make this answer far, far too long.

The general symbolism of deer

If we take deer at face value, some of the first imagery that will come to mind are grace, elegance, gentleness, and innocence. They can also be alert and vigilant, with a deep, mysterious connection to the wild. For this reason, many cultures (and writers) ascribe spiritual and mystical associations with them. They can also represent a connection to the supernatural, and the otherworld.

Writers will often use them as messengers or familiars, creating a bridge between the real and the fae. They can also represent growth and rebirth, as they shed their antlers, which grow again.

The cultural significance of deer

The cultural significance of deer and other ungulates have similarities but aren’t always identical. In indigenous native groups across North America, for instance, there are different traditions and stories associated with them. The Lakota believed that deer were guides on life’s journey but could also lead men astray. The Cherokee story of the Little Deer, on the other hand, sees the Deer Spirit enacting vengeance on hunters who don’t show deer the proper respect, and hunt them needlessly.

In Celtic mythology, white stags were often messengers to the underworld, and deer could shapeshift both at will and through enchantment. Arthurian legend also had a white stag as a symbol of the hunt, representing man’s neverending quest for spiritual enlightenment. And in Germanic cultures, the deer represented both the hunt and kingship.

In Hindu mythology, the goddess Saraswati is associated with a red deer and can take its form. As the goddess of learning, red deer and their hides have also taken on this meaning. In Shinto tradition, deer are messengers of the gods, and in Chinese mythology, the Fuzhu is a mythical deer with four horns that appears during periods of flood.

Specific types of deer and their symbolism

If we look at specific types of deer, then there are some general patterns that emerge in their symbolism. 

White-tailed deer are native to North America, Central America, and South America. They are often associated with purity and innocence, a connection to the spirit world, and respect for the natural order.

Red Deer are native to most of Europe, the Caucasus Mountains region, Anatolia, Iran, parts of western Asia, and the Atlas Mountains of Northern Africa. They are the only living species of deer to live on any part of the African continent. They have associations with royalty and kingship, as well as the hunt. They are often used on coats of arms as a symbol of nobility.

Reindeer (Caribou) have close connections to winter due to our modern Christmas traditions. But they also have great cultural significance in Arctic and subarctic cultures.  They are native to the Arctic, subarctic, tundra, boreal, and mountainous regions of Northern Europe, Siberia, and North America. They are known for their endurance and adaptability, as well as safe journeying and strength in harsh conditions.

Fallow Deer are known as peaceful and gentle. They are widespread in England, Wales, Ireland and southern Scotland but are an introduced species. Some studies suggest they are only native to Turkey. The fallow deer is probably what you picture when someone says the words “doe-eyed.” They are associated with grace and beauty and often appear in post-Norman mediaeval literature.

Moose (Elk) are considered symbols of strength, resilience, and adaptability. They are large, with imposing antlers which is what makes them such an iconic image. They are native to North America, Canda, and Northern Eurasia, but they are also associated (by name only) with the Irish Elk, an extinct giant deer known for the enormous span of its antlers (a disproven urban legend claims that the Irish Elk went extinct because its antlers grew too wide and heavy for its head and neck to support it).

How deer are used in certain genres

In Fantasy, deer are often magical creatures or shapeshifters. They can be spirit guides or familiars, often appearing to characters in dreams. The white stag and the brown doe are two often-used images in these settings.

In Romance novels, deer are often used as symbols of love and courtship. Deer-like descriptions are often used when describing characters, and hunting metaphors are often used to represent the romantic pursuit.

In Horror and Thriller novels, encounters with deer are often uncanny and frightening. They are used as harbingers of the supernatural, appear in dreams as a sign or portent of something to come, and often subvert traditional deer symbolism for dramatic effect.

In Literary Fiction, deer are often used as metaphors for the human experience. They can be used to represent character growth or epiphanies by exploring the relationship between mankind and nature.

How can you use deer symbolism in your own writing?

Deer can be used as the basis for a theme or motif in your work. They also offer tried-and-tested ways of incorporating visual storytelling into your imagery by using well-known associations.

Cultural considerations are good to consider in advance of incorporating symbolism. If you want to borrow from existing cultural traditions, then it’s essential to make sure you research and respect those cultural beliefs. Avoid appropriation, and be sure you strike the right balance between traditional symbolism and personal interpretation. There is nothing wrong with interpretation, but it is important to be respectful when borrowing from another person’s culture.

There are also new and interesting ways you can use your own experiences to develop your own symbolism. You can use deer as a symbol to explore themes of conservation and environmental protection. In Station Eleven by Emily St John Mandel, she uses deer as a symbol of the return of nature in a post-human world. They can also be used to comment on urban expansion and habitat loss, and with enough research, you can use a scientific understanding of their behaviours to build your own mythology.

[johnnyslittleanimalblog]

Wild Carneddau Foal and Mother - Pensychnant Nature Reserve, Sychnant Pass, Conwy, North Wales - 21.6.2022 by Kenneth Simms Via Flickr: En route to Penmaen-bach Headland, to capture the Summer Solstice Sunset, I came across this newly born Carneddau Foal and its Mother three quarter of one hours earlier in the 148 acre Pensychnant Nature Reserve. It's can only be a few months old. Compared to the rugged and open surrounding hillsides and mountains this area offers distinct advantages for raising young. In fact I saw several parent groups with much older foals too. There are thought to be around 200 Carneddau Ponies living wild on the Carneddau Plateau between Aber and Conwy on the North Wales Coast - of which the Pensychnant Nature Reserve is a part. They are a sturdy and hardy breed capable of surviving even the harshest of winters. Research has shown them to be one of the rarest breeds in the world - having lived in the mountains for thousands of years and being around since the time of the Celts. Such lovely and endearing animals - long may they continue!

[rmd-writes]

RMD RMD!!!

This image is from this post that @goodways shared.

As an Australian and our resident person who knows and explains things. Please!! Is this a real thing? If yes, for the love of god, why?????

Thank you for your time!

Lemon!

Oh dear. Yes, that map is a real thing. Australian time zones in the summer are a quite literally a (very) hot mess. What that map doesn't show you is that there is a tiny part of New South Wales (the bigger state in the red part) that observes South Australian (middle orange state) time zones for some reason that I don't understand. It's wild.

I'm going to do my best to explain this but the reality is that I don't entirely understand why myself.

Okay so, the first thing you need to know is that Australia is very big. It is about the same size as the continental US. The second thing you need to know is that we are a federation meaning that until federation, each state you can see outlined on the map essentially operated as it's own little country. Western Australia did not want to join the federation but eventually did. South Australia (orange, middle) has the distinction of being the only state that was solely a settler colony, no convicts. They think that makes them very important. Also yes, Australia was initially colonised by the Brits because they had too many criminals and needed somewhere Very Far Away to send them. So, lots of white people here are descended from convicts . Anyway, I digress, the colonial history of Australia is a matter of record and a disgrace and the racist effect of that history is still very present and is most evident in the referendum that happened on the weekend but this is neither the time nor the place for me to get into that and my absolute disappointment in the country I live in. (how's that for a run on sentence)

ANYWAY, sheer size means that many time zones are necessary. Federation means that the states are like squabbling siblings and no one wants to do what anyone else says.

Next fact, the top of Australia is quite close to the equator. The northern part of Australia is classified as sub-tropical to tropical. It's hot and humid. The sun rises very early up north, even in the winter. We do not have long winter nights here. The sun setting in the afternoon is not a thing.

Also Australian populations are concentrated on the coasts, the middle of Australia is sparsely populated. After the coastal areas, there is farm land and then desert in the middle.

In Queensland (big yellow state on the right) there is no DST because the top two-thirds of the state (mostly rural/regional) will not countenance it for reasons such as "the cows won't cope" but also because up there they do not want longer days in the sun because it's too fucking hot and actually they look forward to the sun setting and things getting cooler. The bottom third of Queensland (which is mostly urban) wants DST but the state government cannot implement it without the cooperation of the rest of the state.

As for Western Australia (big blue state on the left), they do whatever the fuck they want and quite often don't opt in to federal laws and do their own thing. I can't explain what's happening there.

Do not ask me about the 30-minute time zone thing happening in the middle. My only explanation is that, as per above, SA thinks it's better than everyone else and did it to be ✨special✨ (the Northern Territory (middle green territory (not a state) at the top) was part of SA until some time after federation which is why they follow the same time zone (except for DST).

Did any of that answer your question? I'm really not sure.

Anyway, Australia where time zones are in the future but are also fucked ✌🏽

[howlsofannwn]

They say She moves in winter twilight,

Kissing away the last of the weak sun's breath.

And now languidly stretches her luminous, searing limbs, heavy...bloodless.

"I've missed you, Lover..."

Then the vixen cried

And all went still.

[callumreuben]

[blairstales]

Scottish Historical Beltane/May Day

Bealtiunn (Beltane) is a cross-quarter day, meaning it is approximately half-way between a equinox and solstice. Due to this, it was one of the four main fire festivals of the year, and a time when the veil between our world and the otherworld was said to thin. This was thought to allow fairies in particular to be extra dangerous.

"The first–called “Beltaine” in Ireland, “Bealtiunn” in Scotland, “Shenn da Boaldyn” in the Isle of Man, and “Galan-Mai” (the Calends of May) in Wales–celebrates the waking of the earth from her winter sleep, and the renewal of warmth, life, and vegetation. " Celtic Myth and Legend by Charles Squire[1905]

It was once a huge celebration that may even last a whole week, but it also served as a marker for when to start farming practices. For example, it marked when to sow barley, or put cattle out to graze.

Due to the pagan origins of the day, opposition towards May Day celebrations was not uncommon, and eventually led to it’s fall in popularity.

"In 1696 a number of persons were tried before the Kirk Session of Aberdeen and censured for celebrating May Day morning." Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland

For customs click "keep reading." ⬇

May Pole

May Poles are a pole that was raised on beltane and raised with a crown of flowers on the top.

“The May Pole is up , Now give me the cup, I’ll drink to the garlands around it, But first unto those Whose hands did compose The glory of flowers that crown’d it.” “Faiths and Folklore: Volume 2,” By William Carew Hazlitt (1905)

It was also often decorated with flowers, leafy garland, ribbons, and more. Thought to be a fertility symbolism, with it came the queen and king of May.

"We may infer,’ says Frazer, ‘that our rude forefathers personified the powers of vegetation as male and female and attempted, on the principle of homeopathic or sympathetic magic, to quicken the growth of trees and plants by representing the marriage of the sylvan deities in the persons of a King and Queen of May, a Whitsun Bridegroom and Bride, and so forth. Such representations… were charms intended to make the woods to grow green, the fresh grass to sprout, and the flowers to blow. And it was natural to suppose that the more closely the mock marriage of the leaf-clad or flower-clad mummers aped the real marriage of the woodland sprites, the more effective would be the charm." Silver Bough 2 By F. Marian McNeill

Dressing the Home

Due to the veil being thinner, all sorts of supernatural dangers were thought to be at play. To counteract that, people dressed their homes in flowers, greenery, and other decorations.

“To counteract their evil power pieces of the rowan-tree and woodbine, chiefly of rowan-tree, were placed over the byre doors, and fires were kindled by every farmer and cottar. “ “Notes on The Folk-Lore of the North-East of Scotland,” By Walter Gregor (1881)

It was not just leafy garlands, however, but flowers as well.

"In the country west of Glasgow it is still remembered how once the houses were adorned with flowers and branches on the first of May” “Essays in the study of Folk-Songs,” by Countess Martinengo-Cesaresco (1886)

May-Dew

The very first thing many girls wanted to do in the morning was race out to collect the morning dew.

“COUNTY OF EDINBURGH. At Edinburgh about four o’clock in the morning there is an unusual stir ; and a hurrying of gay throngs through the King’s Park to Arthur’s Seat to collect the May-dew.” “British Popular Customs, Present and Past; Illustrating the Social and Domestic,” by T. F. Thiselton-Dyer (1876)

Depending on the area, where you would collect it from may change. It might be from a specific hill of grass or a specific type of trees.

This liquid, called may-dew, was said to have curative or beautifying powers.

"It was long an article of popular faith in Eastern and Western Europe , that a maiden , washing herself with dew from the hawthorn on the first day of May at daybreak , would preserve her beauty for ever, the operation being of course annually repeated.” “Faiths and Folklore: Volume 2,” By William Carew Hazlitt (1905)

“Till quite lately there was a belief in some parts of England that a weakly child would be made strong by being drawn over dewy grass on the morning in question. To effect a complete cure, the treatment had to be repeated on the two following mornings.” “Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs,” by James M. Mackinlay (1893)

However, the dew inside a fairy ring would have the opposite intended effect.

“May-dew from the grass was equally efficacious, except when gathered from within a fairy ring, as the fairies would in that case counteract the influence of the charm.” “Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs,” by James M. Mackinlay (1893)

Egg Rolling

Egg rolling, something we trend to associate with Easter, was occasionally practiced on Beltane. Colorfully decorated eggs would be rolled down a hill.

"Egg rolling, something we trend to associate with Easter, was occasionally practiced on Beltane. Colorfully decorated eggs would be rolled down a hill." “The Folk-lore Journal, Volume 7; Volume 24,” By Folklore Society (Great Britain)

Visiting Healing Wells

“Besides saining with fire, there was also saining with water, and Beltane was the great season for visiting “magic” or “holy” wells. The custom has by no means died out, the most notable survival being the annual “pilgrimage” to the Cloutie Well on Culloden Moor, near Inverness, which described elsewhere.” The silver bough vol 2

Visits to healing wells was a common occurrence for people on May day.

Two centuries earlier an attempt was made by the kirk-session of Perth to put a stop to an annual gathering on May Day at a cave in the face of Kinnoul hill adjoining the town. This cave was called the Dragon Hole, and was the scene of ancient rites of a superstitious nature. Other illustrations might be selected from the Folklore of May Day, but those given above show that the season was held in much superstitious regard. Accordingly, we need not be surprised that well-worship took its place among the rites of May Day, and of May Month also, since the whole of May was deemed a charmed time. "Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs" (in regards to Hone’s Every-Day Book on Edinburgh)

Mock Human Sacrifice

During the quarter days, quarter cakes were eaten ritually. For Beltane, this was called bannoach Bealltain or Beltane Cakes.

"Beltane cakes were also made at Keith, being baked the day before. The upper side was watered with a batter, made of whisked eggs, milk, and oatmeal. Struan Michaels and Beltane bannocks were prepared in Ross-shire down to the close of the nineteenth century." “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

Exactly how they were eaten would depend on the area.

"In Caithness, within the last seventy years, each family in the neighbourhood of Watten carried bread and cheese to the top of a hill called Heathercrow and left it there. After sunrise, the herds might take away the spoil for their own homes." “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

For some, it involved a mock human sacrifice.

The boys would go out, kindle a fire, have a meal, and sing and dance around it for fun. After, someone would produce a bannock and divide it for the group.

"Towards the close of the entertainment, the person who officiated as master of the feast produced a large cake baked with eggs and scalloped round the edge, called am bonnach bea-tine—i.e., the Beltane cake. It was divided into a number of pieces, and distributed in great form to the company.John Ramsay, laird of Ochtertyre, near Crieff, the patron of Burns and the friend of Sir Walter Scott." The Golden Bough by Sir James George Frazer[1922] Chapter 62. The Fire-Festivals of Europe

One piece stood out from the others, and the person who picked it was doomed to be “sacrificed.” It was just a symbolized sacrifice and the group would act as if (but would not actually) throw the person into the fire.

“There was one particular piece which whoever got was called cailleach beal-tine—i.e., the Beltane carline, a term of great reproach. Upon his being known, part of the company laid hold of him and made a show of putting him into the fire; but the majority interposing, he was rescued. “ John Ramsay, laird of Ochtertyre, near Crieff, the patron of Burns and the friend of Sir Walter Scott." "The Golden Bough" by Sir James George Frazer[1922] Chapter 62. The Fire-Festivals of Europe.

Unfortunately for the poor boy, the victim would then be referred to as dead for as long as people remembered for the year.

“Similarly at the Beltane fires in Scotland the pretended victim was seized, and a show made of throwing him into the flames, and for some time afterwards people affected to speak of him as dead.” “The Golden Bough,” by Sir James George Frazer (1922)

Luckily, in other places, the sacrificed only had to jump the fire(typically either three or seven times), then that would be the end of it.

“….then lots are cast, and he on whom the lot falls, must leap seven times over the fire, while the young folks dance round in a circle. Then they cook their eggs and cakes, and all sit down to eat and drink and rise up to play.” Old Scottish Customs, Local and General by Ellen Emma Guthrie 1885

For others, it was not as dramatic.

"While the fire was blazing, a common meal was partaken, part of which was offered to the spirit of the fire." “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

After making and kneading a bannock, the boys would bake it on a flat stone placed on embers. When it is properly baked, they divide it to the same number of people there is in the group (trying to keep the pieces the same shape).

"They kindle a fire , and dress & repast of eggs and milk of the consistence of a custard . They knead a cake of oatmeal , which is toasted at the embers against a stone . After the custard is eaten up , they divide the cake into so many portions , as similar as possible to one another in size and shape , as there are persons in the company ." PERTHSHIRE . In Sinclair’s Stat . Acc . of Scotland ( 1794 , vol . xi . p . 620 ) British Popular Customs, Present and Past; Illustrating the Social and Domestic

Only one piece is selected and covered with charcoal until it is completely black.

That done, all the pieces are placed in a bonnet, and everyone is blindfolded to pick out a piece. The person who is holding the bonnet gets the last.

Whoever was unlucky enough to pick up the black piece is the symbolized sacrifice and must jump the fire three times.

“The boy, to whose share the black piece falls, is obliged to leap three times through the flames, at which the repast was prepared.” Statistical Account of Scotland, 1794, XI. 620, Witchcraft & Second Sight in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland

For others still, they would take a bannock, face towards the fire, and break a piece of the bannock while throwing it over the shoulder as an offering of protection. The request was different for each throw.

‘This I give to thee, preserve thou my horses,’ and ‘This to thee, preserve thou my sheep,’ and so on. After that they use the same ceremony to the noxious animals, This I give thee, O fox, spare thou my lambs! This to thee, O hooded crow! This to thee, O eagle!’ When the ceremony is over they dine on the caudle.” “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

Fires

The Beltane fires were man’s response to the attack of the powers of darkness which were believed to be abroad with peculiar force at this season. “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

A large heap of old thatch, straw, or other materials were piled. Traditionally, this was done on a hill.

“To the south of the Forth several sites are known to have been specially associated with Beltane fires. In Lanarkshire two such sites were, the hills of Tinto and Dechmont. “Tinto, indeed, means the hill of fire. It was used for beacon-fires as well as for those connected with nature-festivals, and was well adapted for the purpose, being 2335 feet above the sea, and 1655 feet above the Clyde at its base. Though not nearly so high, Dechmont hill commands a splendid view over the neighbouring country. Early in the present century a quantity of charcoal was discovered near its summit hidden beneath a stratum of fine loam. The country people around expressed no surprise at the discovery, as they were familiar with the tradition that the spot had been used for the kindling of Beltane fires. In Peeblesshire, too, the Beltane festival long held its ground. Folklore of Scottish Lochs and Springs

For some, this would serve as the need-fire; which was a purification fire that was lit by friction.

"Tein-ēigin, neid-fire, need-fire, forced fire, fire produced by the friction of wood or iron against wood." Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

It was a saining practice done on quarter-days, when there was some sort of calamity, or just when someone needed extra luck for an especially important event. It was considered bad luck to bring fire out of the house or gift any to someone on the day. For Bealtane, two fires might be lit, and cattle would be driven through to purify them.

"When the sacred fire became kindled, the people rushed home and brought their herds and drove them through and round the fire of purification, to sain them from the ‘bana bhuitseach mhor Nic Creafain,’–the great arch witch daughter Cranford, Mac Creafain, now Crawford." Carmina Gadelica, Volume 2, by Alexander Carmicheal, [1900]

After, the ashes would be scattered, sometimes with yells to “burn the witches.” The intent was to destroy and scare off the forces of evil, which would allow the area to become fertile.

“The fire in consuming them destroyed the powers hostile to man, purified the air, and allowed man and beast and vegetation to thrive and become fertile.” The circumambulating the fields with blazing branches carried the virtue to areas a considerable distance from the bonfire. “ “Primitive Beliefs in the North-East of Scotland,” by Joseph McKenzie McPherson (1929)

It would work in a way, too. The ash would fertilize the soil, helping to make it healthier for the coming growing season.

Other

Another significant ceremony, as showing the adoration of nature, was the combat between winter and summer which took place on May-day (Laa-boaldyn); the latter, which was represented by a young girl, decorated with leaves, being victorious, and thus typifying the victory of Nature’s reproductive power. The Folk-Lore of the Isle of Man by A. W. Moore[1891]

"On the night preceding it, i.e. Beltane eve, witches were awake, and went about as hares, to take their produce (toradh), milk, butter, and cheese, from the cows. People who believed in their existence were as earnest to counteract their machinations. Tar was put behind the ears of the cattle, and at the root of the tail; the animals were sprinkled with urine to keep them from fighting; the house was hung with rowan-tree, etc., etc. By having a churning past and a cheese made (muidhe ’s mulchag) before sunrise, the Fairies were kept away from the farm for the rest of the year. If any came to ask for rennet (deasgainn), it should not on any account be given to them. It would be used for taking the substance out of the giver’s own dairy produce.When the day arrived, it was necessary, whatever the state of the weather, though people sank ankle deep in snow, or (as the Gaelic idiom has it), though snow came over the shoes, to get the cattle away to the summer pastures among the hills (àiridh)." Witchcraft & Second Sight in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland

John Duncan’s “Riders of the Sidhe” (1911) “The artist here represents the fairy folk “setting forth on a Beltane eve in a kind of ritualistic procession, carrying symbols of their faith and power, and their good pleasure dowering mortals with spiritual gifts.” E.A. Taylor; Art. Some Pictures by John Duncan in The Studio, Vol. 80 (1930)

[paulofcongleton]

Llantysilio, January 2022

[smallearthboundfindings]

There's something about earthbound I've been wondering about and i think maybe you can weigh in as the local expert. I keep seeing fans interpret jeff as British but to me that's not fully right because winters is this super cold snow country "up north" as the game says. So i always imagined him as something norse, y'know Swedish or Norwegian or Finnish maybe (heck even russian could be fun). But it's just a vibe on my end while the way Fans call him British feels like there's some canonical proof i missed somewhere? Sooo do you know if there's any big proof that jeff would be British or is it just a fanon agreement thing?

Howdy! Well, the British allegations are not unfounded. EarthBound is somewhat like Pokémon in which different areas are clearly based on real world areas based on their positioning, parallels to real world landmarks, local food, and so forth. Eagleland is the U.S., Scaraba is Egypt, and Winters is no exception!

Our first little bit of proof can be found in the Japanese manual, where it contains a rough world map. Here it is (this time, a different version to the one previously posted!) for reference and a zoomed in version including Winters in as much detail as I can provide with what I've got. I had to stitch this from a double page scan, so please forgive some artifacting issues.

[Id: A scan from the Japanese Mother 2 manual, showcasing a planet much resembling our own in real life but with different regions and towns marked. The zoomed in portion reads "Foggyland" in big text with "Winters" and "Stonehenge" written in a smaller font below, descending vertically in that order.]

There appears to be a little island in the general area of Winters and Stonehenge, just like the U.K. in real life!

But here's the question: is Winters there? I know this map is a little unclear with its huge text, but hang in there. Even though Winters looks like it might be on that rightmost landmass, take a look at the full map of Winters (which I am only linking and not embedding because it is very big), and you have Winters and Stonehenge in the same landmass; just cross the Lake Tess on Tessie!

For reference, the American manual confirms it's a lake, so either they're both on the landmass, or both on the island.

[Id: A scan from the American EarthBound manual. It is a plain text paragraph reading "The South Shore. If you manage to catch a ride with Tessie to the South Shore of Lake Tess, you'll find more woods and some animals that you've already met like the Goat. Follow the path southward, defending yourself as you go. A short hike will bring your to a fascinating artifact and another amazing challenge."]

So, here's where we get to real world parallels. Lake Tess and Tessie are clearly analogues to Loch Ness and Nessie (located in northern Scotland just above England), and Stonehenge literally shares its name with its real world counterpart located in southern England. So, if we are to match these locations, then Winters would logically be on the island, meaning that Jeff would be from the EB equivalent of the United Kingdom, which encompasses England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. He could really be from any of these! Therefore, your options here would be British, Scottish, Welsh, or Irish, but it seems like British is the most common interpretation.

Hope that helped!

[pers-books]

The 2024 Shortlist

The BBC’s 13th Annual Celebration of Audio Drama

2023 marked the centenary year for audio/radio drama at the BBC. For 100 years of this unique genre, audio drama and comedy have provided enjoyment, diversion, illumination, insight and escape for listeners, evolving in approach and style as audio practitioners have responded to new ideas and technology with ingenuity, imagination and inspiration. These awards celebrate the creativity of actors, writers, directors, producers, musicians, sound designers and all who work in this vibrant art-form.

The winners will be announced on Sunday 24 March 2024 in a ceremony in the Radio Theatre at BBC Broadcasting House London. The winners of the Imison and Tinniswood Awards (judged and administered by the Society of Authors and the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain) will also be announced at this ceremony.

Best Original Single Drama

Benny and Hitch by Andrew McCaldon, producers Neil Varley and Tracey Neale, BBC Audio Drama London

Churchill versus Reith by Mike Harris, producer Gary Brown, BBC Audio Drama North

Dear Harry Kane by James Fritz, producer Sally Avens, BBC Audio Drama London

Eat and Run by Paolo Chianta, producer Lorna Newman, BBC Audio Drama North

Rare Earth by Richard Monks, producer Nicolas Jackson, Afonica

Voices From the End of the World by Lucy Catherine, producer Sasha Yevtushenko, BBC Audio Drama London

Best Adaptation

The Age of Anxiety by W.H.Auden, adapted by Robin Brooks, producer Fiona McAlpine, Allegra Productions

Beowulf Retold based on the version by Seamus Heaney, producer Pauline Harris, BBC Audio Drama London

Bess Loves Porgy by Edwin DuBose Heyward, adapted by Roy Williams, producer Gill Parry, feral inc

The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper, adapted by Robert Macfarlane and Simon McBurney, producer Catherine Bailey, Catherine Bailey Productions and Complicite

If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller by Italo Calvino, adapted by Tim Crouch and Toby Jones, producer Nadia Molinari, BBC Audio Drama North

One Moonlit Night by Caradog Prichard, adapted by Rhiannon Boyle, producer Emma Harding, BBC Cymru Wales

Best Original Series or Serial

The 5000 by Sebastian Baczkiewicz, producers Gaynor Macfarlane, BBC Scotland

An Eye for a Killing by Colin Macdonald, producer Bruce Young, BBC Scotland

Flirties, written and produced by Jess Simpson, Audiocraft

There’s Something I Need to Tell You by John Scott Dryden and Misha Kawnel, producer Emma Hearn, Goldhawk Productions

The Tomb by Sebastian Baczkiewicz, producer Joby Waldman, Reduced Listening

Trust by Jonathan Hall, producer Gary Brown, BBC Audio Drama North

Best Actor

Hiran Abeysekera, Dear Harry Kane, director Sally Avens, BBC Audio Drama London

Max Irons, The Bronze Horseman, director Susan Roberts, BBC Audio Drama North

Toby Jones, If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller, director Nadia Molinari, BBC Audio Drama North

Lorn Macdonald, Confessions of a Justified Sinner, director Kirsty Williams, BBC Scotland

Tim McInerny, Benny & Hitch, director Tracey Neale, BBC Audio Drama London

Tom Walker, Call Jonathan Pie, Alison Vernon-Smith, Yada-Yada Audio

Best Actress

Gabrielle Brooks, Bess Loves Porgy, director Michael Buffong, feral inc

Dinita Gohil, Victory City, producer Alison Crawford, BBC Bristol

Maxine Peake, The Women of Troy, director Nadia Molinari, BBC Audio Drama North

Rosamund Pike, People Who Knew Me, director Daniella Isaacs, Merman

Lydia Wilson, Happy Birthday, Mr President, director Gaynor Macfarlane, BBC Scotland

Fenella Woolgar, Lines in the Sand: The Journeys of Gertrude Bell, director Jessica Mitic, BBC Audio Drama North

Best Supporting Performance

Sacha Dhawan, Anna Karenina, director Nadia Molinari, BBC Audio Drama North

Erin Doherty, The Seagull, director Toby Swift, BBC Audio Drama London

Mark Heap, Kafka’s Dick, director Dermot Daly, Naked Productions

Sophia Del Pizzo, There’s Something I Need to Tell You, director John Scott Dryden, Goldhawk Productions

The Marc Beeby Award for Best Debut Performance

Izzy Campbell, Of a Night, director Jessica Mitic, BBC Audio Drama North

Rosie Ekenna, Faith, Hope and Glory, director Anastasia Osei-Kuffour, BBC Audio Drama London

Rosalind Eleazar, Hindsight, director Gaynor Macfarlane, BBC Scotland

Jadie Rose Hobson, Exposure, director Anne Isger, BBC Audio Drama London

Dan Parr, The Test Batter Can’t Breathe, director Tracey Neale, BBC Audio Drama London

Olivia Triste, Rise, director Dermot Daly, Naked Productions

Best Sit Com or Comedy Drama

Call Jonathan Pie by Tom Walker, producer Alison Vernon-Smith, Yada-Yada Audio

Kat Sadler’s Screen Time by Kat Sadler and Cameron Loxdale, producer Gwyn Rhys Davies, BBC Studios Audio

Michael Spicer: Before Next Door by Michael Spicer, producer Matt Tiller, Starstruck Media

Mockery Manor by Lindsay Sharman, producer Laurence Owen, Long Cat Media

She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, adapted by Barunka O’Shaughnessy, producer Emma Harding, BBC Cymru Wales

Where to, Mate? devised by Jo Enright, Peter Slater, Abdullah Afzal, Nina Gilligan, Andy Salthouse, Keith Carter, Jason Wingard, producer Carl Cooper, BBC Studios Audio

Best Stand Up Comedy

Daliso Chaponda: Citizen of Nowhere by Daliso Chaponda, additional material Meryl O’Rourke, producer Carl Cooper, BBC Studios Audio

Janey Godley: The C Bomb by Janey Godley, producers Julia Sutherland and Richard Melvin, Dabster Productions

Maisie Adam: The Beautiful Game by Maisie Adam, producer Georgia Keating, BBC Studios Audio

Olga Koch: OK Computer by Olga Koch and Charlie Dinkin, producer Benjamin Sutton, BBC Studios Audio

Rob Newman on Air by Rob Newman, producer Eloise Whitmore, Naked Productions

Sarah Keyworth: Are You a Boy or a Girl by by Sarah Keyworth, additional material Ruby Clyde, producer James Robinson, BBC Studios Audio

Best Use of Sound

The Adventurers, sound by Alisdair McGregor, producer Boz Temple-Morris, Holy Mountain

The Dark is Rising, sound by Gareth Fry, producer Catherine Bailey, Catherine Bailey Productions and Complicité

Hamlet Noir, sound by David Chilton, Lucinda Mason Brown, Weronika Andersen, producers Charlotte Melén, Carl Prekopp and Saskia Black, Almost Tangible

Slow Air, sound by Alisdair McGregor and Eloise Whitmore, producer Polly Thomas, Naked Productions

Voices From the End of the World, sound by Peter Ringrose, producer Sasha Yevtushenko, BBC Audio Drama London

The Women of Troy, sound by Sharon Hughes, producer Nadia Molinari, BBC Audio Drama North

Best Podcast Audio Drama

Badger and the Blitz by Richard Turley and Darren Francis, producer Richard Turley, Roxo Ltd

Below by Aaron Gray and Paul Skillen, producer John Wakefield, HTM Television

Flirties, written and produced by Jess Simpson, Audiocraft

The Haunter of the Dark – The Lovecraft Investigations by Julian Simpson, producer Sarah Tombling, Sweet Talk Productions

The Salvation by Justin Lockey, Jeffrey Aidoo, and AK Benedict, producers John Hamm and Boz Temple-Morris, Holy Mountain and Free Turn

Tagged by Brett Neichin and John Scott Dryden, producer Emma Hearn, Sony Music Entertainment and Goldhawk Productions

Best European Drama

Evicted by Karel Klostermann, adapted by Tomáš Loužný, producer Renata Venclová, CZR Czech Radio

Faust (I Never Read It) by Noam Brusilovsky, producer Andrea Oetzmann, SWR Südwestrundfunk with Deutschlandfunk

Irina’s Soul Is Like a Precious Piano by Rona Žulj, producer Katja Šimunić, Croatian Radiotelevision

The Sick Bag Song by Nick Cave, adapted by Kai Grehn, producer Lina Kokaly, Radio Bremen

The Supervisor by Nis-Momme Stockmann, producer Michael Becker, NDR Norddeutscher Rundfunk

This Word by Marta Rebzda, producer Waldemar Modestowicz, Polish Radio Theatre

-- WooHOO! The Haunter of the Dark, part 4 of The Lovecraft Investigations, is up for a BBC Audio Drama Award! I am made up!

[tungledotedu]

(regarding this post by miinaandeg, i didn't want to bother op)

oh my god i can't get over tributary's post and how stupid it is. they clearly didn't even read the article in question. how do you get offended over something as simple as this?

Snow is a core part of Ngarigu culture and language. Much of that intricate knowledge is lost. “I don’t know how to talk about snow in the way my ancestors would have,” Troy, a professor of Indigenous languages, said. “I can only try to do it in English.” The suppression and destruction of Indigenous languages, as well as global English dominance, is a core part of environmental destruction. Ó Séaghdha, who said many words in Irish are like “one-word poems,” finds himself fascinated by this bio-cultural knowledge. “The word for swallow is fáinleog,” he said. “It means little wanderer, because the bird migrates during winter. In our languages, we understood bird migration, thousands and thousands of years ago. We had words for phosphorus magnetism before they had scientific books.”

Clark said her mother, who grew up on a farm in North Wales, understands critical Welsh words—a language Clark said is deeply agricultural—that “have no context or meaning” for her.

As the climate crisis threatens our collective survival, English has evolved to include words—like green economy, greenwashing, paleo-energetic—to describe this existential crisis, but much of it is focused around fear, growth, or extraction. Even the Green New Deal constantly touts its ability to expand everything: jobs, infrastructure, technology.  “When English spreads across the world it often brings with it discourses of consumerism, and sweeps away local, more ecologically attended languages in its path,” said Arran Stibbe, an ecological linguistics professor at the University of Gloucestershire.

these are only excerpts, the article as a whole is good. i only wish it had more explanations in terms of etymology.

click the read more if you want to subject yourself to more brainrot. so many tags saying 'noble savage'... it's almost as if that's what they secretly want to call indigenous peoples, for the crime of discussing their languages.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Saxon_settlement_of_Britain

me when i understand what endangered in endangered language means /s