Let the hallows dance begin! The traditions of Calan Gaeaf in Wales
‘As the darkness now draws near
See the cycle of the year
As the light goes within
Let the hallows dance begin!’
Samhain Blessing
In Celtic regions, the night of the 31st October & passage into 1st November has been celebrated for centuries as the Celtic fire festival of Samhain, and in Wales, Calan Gaeaf. For rural folk, Calan Gaeaf marks the end of the harvest season and it’s long association with death and the Dead - though different celebrations, this is where Halloween and Calan Gaeaf, or Samhain, are similar! Samhain has always been acknowledged as a time when the veil between the living and the dead is at its most thin. For us, working the land, watching the plant material die back, the leaves fall and start to decay and as we spread compost over beds before shutting them down for winter, it is when we are in most direct contact with the dying of things, the coming slumber, the death and decay that feeds life in the next cycle of the seasons. It’s a chance to reflect on death, the dead, and the rhythms and cycles of nature that connect us with them.
Also, known as ‘Ysbrydnos’ (Spirit Night), Calan Gaeaf was a time when people would traditionallyavoid churchyards, stiles, and crossroads, since spirits are thought to gather there. On Noson Calan Gaeaf, women and children would dance around a fire, while everyone would write their names on a stone and place them around the fire pit. As soon as the fire started to die out, they would all run home, believing that if they stayed, Yr Hwch Ddu Gwta, a frightening black sow, would chase them home and devour their souls - as brought to life in this old rhyme:
Adref, adref, am y cyntaf',
Hwch ddu gwta a gipio'r ola'.
Soon the harvest season will come to an end, too. So, this week, we thought we’d share with you a few alternative ways to celebrate Calan Gaeaf, to join with us in marking the end of an abundant growing year. You can try some of the old traditions, or these simple ones to bring some meaning and acknowledgement to this old Welsh celebration:
Take a Samhain Nature Walk - Take a meditative walk in a natural area near your home. Observe and contemplate the colors, aromas, sounds, and other sensations of the season. Experience yourself as part of the Circle of Life and reflect on death and rebirth as being an important part of Nature.
Feast of the Dead - Prepare a Samhain dinner with all your lovely veg box produce. Include a place setting at your table or at a nearby altar for the Dead.
Have a Bonfire - A great way to mark the passage of any season or cycle. Maybe mark the death of an unwanted habit by writing it on a piece of paper and casting it into the flames!
Join us for one of our special Calan Gaeaf Events! - Click on the banners below for more info and to book your tickets!
