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THE CELTIC CONNECTION • MAY 1993
By LYDIA LANGSTAFF
Beltane marks the beginning of summer in the Celtic calendar. Each area of the Celtic world placed its own particular accent on the festival. Gods and Goddesses, myths and superstitions cloak this celebration.
As the long winter passed to summer. May became a time of youth, fertility, and rebirth. The lovers were of prime importance. Celts wanting children or luck leapt over the fires of fertility.
Cattle were herded between two fires. Throughout the winter they had been kept inside, now they needed purification. The cattle's fertility was of utmost importance to the survival of the tribe.
Beltane comes frond the older word, Beltene. The first part "bel" means brilliant, and "tene" means fire. Most likely Beltane is named after the god Belenos, vvho was widely worshipped in early Celtic times. Patron of fire, healing and thermal springs, the Romans equated him with Apollo. He particularly healed and protected cattle.
Beltane Fires Still Burning
An alternate trad ition however, associates Beltane with the marriage of the Goddess in her maiden form: Grainne. She represents the trickster virgin, who can make May a warm dry month, then June wet and cold.
A myth reveals how Grainne is held captive by her father, a Hawthorn giant. He betrothed her to Fionn, an aging leader. On the night of the wedding feast she put the assembly to sleep with a magic potion. Grainne placed Diarmaid, who was known as a charmer of women, under a gessa (magical bonds). They eloped even though he was reluctant to break his allegiance to Fionn.
Even today the May Queen reen-acts their elopement. The Arthurian romance between Tristan and Iseult is believed by some scholars to be the same myth, with Grainne's father representing nature's cruel side.
Today Beltane is still celebrated. Bonfires in Ireland are reminiscent of long ago. A Welsh superstition entails putting cold ashes from the Beltane fire into your shoes to avoid sorrow. In Cornwall and other parts
of England, the pagan fertility rite of Maypole dancing begins May first.
The Cornish also call it Hobby Horse Day, because a man dressed in a horse's head is lead through the streets by a crowd. In Peebles, Scotland, the Beltane Festival lasts a week. They do not celebrate on May first but various times in June, because it has been combined with other holidays. A Cornet and his Lass are chosen, and at the end of the festival a Queen is crowned.
Whichever tradition we follow, or origin we believe, the spirit of Beltane is the important part. Our ancestors celebrated the rebirth of their natural environment, however Beltane also represents the awakening of sexuality.
Youth and sexual energy are the main focus, but Beltane is also the time to reawaken our creative energy; a time to balance the masculine and feminine sides of our personality.Beltane is part of the Celtic balance between summer and winter, feminine and masculine principles, and life and death.
One Helluva Din(n): A Benefit Concert for Noel Dinn
MAD PUDDING
Newfoundland's Figgy Duff have been setting our hearts and our feet dancing for two decades. Noel Dinn, the driving force behind the band, is now battling cancer of the throat.
On Friday, May 14, some of Vancouver's finest musicians are coming together in a show of support for Noel; plan to join them for an evening of celebration and song. Featured performers include: Wyckham Porteous, Rattle in the Dash, Geoffrey Kelly (of Spirit of the West), Alan MacLeod (of Bourne & MacLeod), the Piglets of Joy, Fear of Drinking, Peter Alan, and Jennifer West, plus some very special guests.
The music starts at 8 PM, and will carry on till the witching hour. The performers will have
tapes and CD's for sale, so make sure to set a little pocket money aside so you can get in on the raffle—music, T-shirts, and lots of other neat stuff...not to mention a genuine figgy duff pudding!
All proceeds from this benefit will be used to assist Noel in his struggle back to health. The benefit concert will take place Friday, May 14, at the Wise Club Hall, 1882 Adanac Street in Vancouver.
Tickets are $10, and available at Black Swan, High-life, Rufus' Guitars, and at the door. Come out, enjoy some great music, and support a worthy cause! •
For more information, call Jehanne Laloge at (604) 291-7830.
Appealing to Many Tastes
By MICHAEL ROBERTS
Amy and Andy are an infectious pair! They make up two-thirds of Mad Pudding. Their enthusiastic and vivacious performance at Kits Hall on April 16 turned out to be quite a lot of fun, although it did take an energetic line dance in the second half to get it going.
The duo have recently been joined by three new members -Amys' accordion and Andy's guitar are now supplemented by fiddle, electric (fretless) bass, and a full drum kit.
What used to be an acoustic blend of mostly Celtic influences is now a wide variety of styles, with gome self-penned and Celtic songs thrown in.
We were treated to a wonderful bluegrass arrangement of Ticket to Ride, my favourite of the night, and an excellent reggae and calypso version of Bob Marleys' Don't you worry. Amys' rendition of the english traditional song May Morning, was beautifully and wistfully sung, but spoilt by all hell breaking loose on the fiddle half way through, interrupting the reverie.
Their re-titled White Spot version of White Room by Cream, substituting fiddle for Claptons' guitar, finally brought Andys' vocal out to the front, which until then had seemed nervous and strained. Kevin Campbell on fiddle played perfectly on every number, his professional ability and skill very much in
evidence.
The band would benefit greatly if the fiddle was brougnt out more and the bass, which washed over everything, toned down somewhat. As for the drums, perhaps it was the hall (the sound was better outside the building!), or the rest of the mix, but on all but a couple of songs it was the drummer that led the band, with the rhythm section falling in behind.
Most of the time he was completely out on his own, playing riffs that clashed badly with the other musicians. With refinement and some more sensitive musical arrangements, the band have a definite appeal, so kill the drums and keep at it!