What's
New
(aka The Editor's Rant)
June 5, 2004
Moon of the Big
Green Leaves
Some updates to the Sheela pages - some new photos, and more on etymology, folklore, and Bronze Age and other pre-Christian proto-Sheelas.
I posted the Curse on Plagiarists. At the end of it you'll also find a link to our Anti-Plagiarism YahooGroup.
I've started tweaking the site to more represent who we are now. Some of our archived articles that I posted back in '98 are from when we were writing for zines with a Genero-Pagan audience. I haven't changed the articles themselves, but on the intro pages I've started to say a bit more about how they do or don't fit into our views now.
The irony is, right now I'm so busy writing CR materials for hardcopy publication (and having a life again), that I haven't yet had the time to do a complete CR overhaul on this website. Later this summer I will hopefully get some more of our CR articles posted. For now, much of our online CR writing has been taking place in the communities we frequent, LiveJournal and the new Multicultural Polytheistic Hearth being the best of the lot.
What's
New
(aka The Editor's Rant)
January 2, 2004
Wolf Moon /
Hogmany
Kym has recently updated her Scottish Reconstructionist Path essay. Definitely worth the read, especially for anyone wanting more clarity on the similarities and differences between the various, often similarly-named, Celtic traditions that are out there. As there seems to be a certain amount of confusion about these things in recent years, especially among the newcomers, it's good to hear about it from one of the founders of CR.
No one can control what any group or individual chooses to call themselves. But in recent years these names have begun to indicate some distinctly different views and practices.
Here's a brief overview on how we've seen these terms being used:
Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism (CR) - Begun in the 1980s, CR is a spiritual and cultural movement which seeks to rebuild the pre-Christian polytheistic Celtic traditions while adapting them to modern life. Groups are not pan-Celtic, but focus on reconstructing the early traditions of a particular Celtic culture. We are scholarly and experiential, and look to the surviving cultures as well as trying to reconstruct what was lost. This is what our group practices.
Celtic Traditionalism (CT) is an even broader umbrella, and is more about study of history and maintaining the current Celtic cultures (including Christianity) than rebuilding a polythestic tradition. May or may not have a religious component.
Gaelic Traditionalism (GT) which is sort of CT with a Gaelic focus. Some members are Christian, some are polytheists.
Gaelic Revivalism (GR) is a term that's been used for many generations to describe an Irish cultural movement, with distinct political overtones. Most GRs are Catholic. A good websearch will turn up many pages covering the history of various aspects of the movement. Oddly, there's a young American who routinely slanders the Irish, declaring himself and his family to be the true inheritors of Gaelic tradition, who is now using "GR" to decribe his polytheistic version of neo-GT. We'd say his use of the term is rather offensive, and too new and shifting to really say what it really stands for, except as a spinoff of American GT. It does sound rather like the romantic fantasies of The Celtic Revival, though.
There are many cultural groups that focus on music and dance, for example, that use the terms Gaelic Traditional or Celtic Traditional. Those groups are not who we're referring to below (even though they have a longer history and better claim to the names). The particular "GT/GR"s (or "Neo-GT"s) that we refer to below, who have sometimes been confused with CR, or even briefly called themselves CR, are the American individuals that overlap a bit with the Pagan community (though most of them revile it). We believe there are problems with this in Europe as well, but as American CRs, we're more familiar with what is happening over here.
As usual, for those wanting to know more about CR, I refer you to the Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism Essay we co-wrote last summer. So far, most of the CR groups are found nearer to the coasts, are often run by women, and usually have distinctly progressive politics. Our members are staunchly anti-racist, pro-queer, pro-feminist, and though we include warriors and veterans, most of us tend to be peace activists. And though we revere our ancestors (after all, we're working to reconstruct their traditions), we tend to also define "tribe" as including chosen families of friends - of whatever ethnicities - rather than limiting the definition to blood relations.
In contrast, the American neo-GT groups seem to be mainly found in the south (or in other conservative areas of the country), many are conservative republicans, and most groups are led by men. Most are very pro-military and pro-war. Though often polytheistic, they usually have little to do with the Pagan community.
Sadly, there are some individuals who identify themselves as GT or GR who are openly racist, or who soft-pedal their racism a bit by claiming in public they are not racist, yet they continue to define Celticism by "blood" and use phrases like "pure blood" and "old blood." Another tactic is for them to demand "provable" Irish ancestry, and some have even denigrated those who are interested in a Celtic path, but who are not of Irish descent. Some don't even seem to understand that their behaviour is racist - they seem to be comfortable with spouting racist statements, accepting racists among them, and seem to truly believe they are not racist as long as they are not active members of the KKK. Perhaps in some of those cases they don't actually understand what racism is. Yet if they behave like a racist, they're a racist, no matter what their beliefs about themselves may be.
We of CR find this sort of open and covert racism appalling, and it has been this, among other differences, that have led to splits in some of the networks, and an increasing need to state our anti-racist position. Much like Asatru has dealt with, it's been sad to see some bigots latch onto Celtic culture to try to justify and/or symbolize their bigotry, and those of us who are anti-racist and pro-feminist must continue to be vigilant and not let our culture be defined or taken over by hostile forces.
There are many people of Celtic heritage, in the Celtic countries and the diaspora, who define themselves as GT or GR and are not racist. But the problem is, there are racist groups and individuals who are using these names to describe themselves and their agendas; while smaller than their web presence would lead one to believe, they may be growing, and attracting more attention than the cultural groups who are not bigots. Real GTs and GRs also need to take a look around themselves and do something about the fantasy-prone, arrogant bigots who would tarnish their reputations. They have an older claim to the names anyway, so I would be very happy to see them disassociate themselves from the ignorant zealots who are trying to hijack their culture.
I look forward to the day when we no longer have to issue statements like this, but with the ugliness going on in the world right now, that day may not come any time soon.
For an updated version of this entry, see:
On the Word-Salad and Acronym-Fest of Contemporary Celtic
Traditions
In other news, here in the woods, all is covered with snow. The dogs are tumbling around and enjoying it immensely. We have more tribal shiftings going on, but thankfully they are good ones. We've reconnected with some old Feminist Pagan friends and former lovers in the area (folks who were part of the pack almost twenty years ago), giving everything a very familial feel around here. We have a new part-time pack member who's helping us get the office and River House more organized and functional, and are getting to know our neighbors much better. All kinds of exciting projects are in the works.
With the Boann Brook singing her way through the ice floes, the huge dogs bellowing and charging through the drifts,
Happy Sun-Return, all!
What's
New
(aka The Editor's Rant)
August 6, 2003
Taillte
Moon
So, I know I've ranted elsewhere about why I've been neglecting the site. Life happens.
Today I finally started the laborious process of fixing all the dead links, in preparation for uploading some new articles, tales and songs/invocations. I have also updated the "Please Send Me More Information" page. Progress is happening, but it will take awhile to get everything done.
One recent project of mine is the Celtic Reconstructionist Pagan (CR) essay that I co-wrote for WitchVox. Co-authored by a handful of practitioners and elders from a variety of CR paths, with input from a larger collection of representatives, it's an introductory explanation of what CR is and isn't. Authors include some of the founders of the tradition. It briefly covers our history, how we differ from more mainstream Paganism, and includes a reading list and online resources. With a 4,000 word limit, we could only cover so much, but I'm pretty sure this is now the only statement out there that represents more than one group's vision of CR. Given our diversity, some compromises and generalizations had to be made, but, all things considered, co-writing this essay was a relatively smooth and rewarding process, of which I am proud to have been a part. We've already been getting some great feedback on it. Do check it out!
And speaking of WitchVox, they are a fabulous resource. Despite the name, they are not just for Witches or Wiccans, but have proved to be very open and enthusiastic about covering other Pagan and Heathen traditions. It's a community effort, so if more CR folk utilize their forums and contribute content, it will be a more representative site for us as well. Right now WitchVox is in need of funds to continue their work. I've just become a sponsor, and strongly suggest that anyone who's ever used their extensive networking and news resources consider donating some money. They take PayPal, and any amount is appreciated. Go here to chip in.
A new online resource that's just getting off the ground is the LiveJournal CR Community. If you LiveJournal, stop on by and drop us a line.
From the showery woods, with the sounds of rushing waters and hawks calling from the pine trees,
-kathryn
What's
New
(aka The Editor's Rant)
Nov 7, 2001
Samhaintide
See Uranus oppose kathryn's Venus. See Uranus enter her fourth house. See Neptune spread a fog over the whole of creation. And Saturn was in there somewhere, too.
Things are different now.
We have moved. Our tribal configuration is a bit different. We are happy, but a bit tired after all the commotion.
It's been quite a year.
Life has kept me from updating this site for quite awhile. But it's a new year, a new house, new land, newness abounds. So hopefully I'll get around to it soon.
Thanks for your patience.
-kathryn
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What is a Celtic Reconstructionist? What is a Gaelic Traditionalist? What is a Gaelic Revivalist? Who are the Gaelic Traditionalists? Who are the Celtic Reconstructionists? Who are the Gaelic Revivalists? What is Celtic Reconstructionism? What is Celtic Reconstructionist Paganism? What is Gaelic Traditionalism? What is Gaelic Revivalism? What does Gaelic Revivalist mean? What does Celtic Reconstructionist mean? what do Celtic Reconstructionists stand for? What does Celtic Reconstructionist mean? What does Gaelic Traditionalist Mean? What does Gaelic Revivalist mean? What is Celtic Recon? What does Celtic Recon mean? What is the difference between Celtic Reconstructionist and Gaelic Traditionalist? What is the difference between CR and GT? Are GT's Pagan? Ant-Racist Anti-Fascist pro-queer pro-feminist profeminist anti-war pro-gay lgbt giblt environmentalist green global justice racial justice Celts against racism
