Posted
on August 3, 2013
Hundreds
of tents, pavilions, and stands have been put up in several grassy
fields in Wales.
Parking lots of sorts have been created in other
fields.
People have been arriving, and many of them have set up their
own tents to live in for the week.
A stone circle has been created.
The
National Eisteddfod is a festival of Welsh literature, music, and
performance. The most important part of the week, arguably, is the
crowning of the winning poet, the chairing of the winning bard, and
the awarding of a medal for the winning prose.
In
addition to these three awards, there are concerts and shows and
plays and a dance hall. There are shops and stalls devoted to various
organizations and charities.
I
read that the festival has a druidic flavor, with bards in long,
flowing white or blue or green robes, dancing “maidens,” and trumpet fanfares.
There is a symbolic Horn of Plenty from which the winners drink
before they accept their crowns or medals, along with baskets of
flowers.
By
the way, you probably know that Wales is part of the United Kingdom
and that almost all people who live there know English. What sets the
Eisteddfod apart from most other festivals in the U.K. is that it
celebrates the Welsh language. The competing poetry and prose are in
Welsh, and the award ceremony is in Welsh, and all the other contests
and activities are held in Welsh, as well.
For
more on the Welsh language (including its seeming shortage of vowels), check out this earlier post.
What - or who - were druids?
The
ancient people who lived in Britain, Ireland, and Gual (now France
and bits of other modern European nations) were the Celts, and the
wise men of the Celts were the druids. Druids acted as doctors,
priests, and judges, and they basically were also the professors and
academics of their society, as well.
To
learn more about druids, check out Mr. Donn's description and
links.
Also
on this date:
Plan
ahead:
Here
are my Pinterest pages on August
holidays, historical
anniversaries in August,
and August
birthdays.
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