Fair Folk Podcast

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Wells & Springs Episode 1: Water Of Life May 16, 2020

Show notes

The first in a series on wells and springs, this episode explores the phenomenon of wells and springs in mythology and spiritual belief and practice. Wells for magic, wells for healing, wells for wisdom and love; wells for the pure awe and wonder of living water. Bi-weekly Q&A on Patreon, Conjuration Tier: https://www.patreon.com/join/fairfolkcast/ Music: Intro theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods "Háleygir" by Valgaldr (instrumental) “Tobar Tobar” by Marit and Rona “Nornegaldr” by Runahild “The Leaves of Yggdrasil” by Myrkur “My Love is a Well” by Daoirí Farrell “Туман яром, туман долиною” (Tuman Yarom) by the Veryovka National Folk Choir of Ukraine “Makosh’ ” by Vedan Kolod “Čisto Srce Gospod želi” by Grupa Legende “Nornegaldr” by Runahild

Faber Horbach of Sowulo Pagan Band Apr 06, 2020

Show notes

My interview with Faber Horbach of Sowulo Pagan Band in the Netherlands, June 2019. Listen to Sowulo's new album and more: https://www.sowulo.nl/ (Bandcamp) https://www.facebook.com/Sowulo/ (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/sowulo.music (Sowulo Instragram) https://www.instagram.com/faber.horbach/ (Faber Horbach Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/amplifiedhistory/ (Heilung Facebook) Music: Intro Theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods 2:00 "Wulfwiga" by Sowulo 6:40 "Sol" by Sowulo 11:30 "Slincan Snican" by Sowulo 15:35 "Beltane" by Sowulo 20:25 "Wohs Wildum" by Sowulo 31:45 "Wulfwiga" by Sowulo This episode edited by Laura Hamill.

A Priest and a Piper: A Conversation with Ignas Šatkauskas, Pagan Priest of Romuva Mar 18, 2020

Show notes

My interview with Ignas Šatkauskas, pagan priest of Romuva, in August 2018 Pagan Ritual Songs from Romuva Camp, playlist on Fair Folk's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwfbVKoLviE&list=PLDGCg4JtohsA1pJf6bB_pNbmKT_AK0d6W Fair Folk's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw5BgVgYLuRWmEs66AHx38A Music: Intro Theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods 22:00 ”Kukal, Rože, Ratilio” by Jievaras 26:45 “Improvisation on the Bagpipe” by Skirmantas Sasnauskas 34:50 "Nuslaida Saulala" by Kulgrinda 39:50 “Vakarinė žvaigždelė” by Kulgrinda 46:40 "Turėja liepa” by Vilniaus čiurlionio Mgs Ansamblis

Children of the Sun: Paganism and Folksong in Lithuania - Part Two Feb 27, 2020

Show notes

In Part Two of Children of the Sun episode, I travel to the forests of Dzūkija region with ethnomusicologist Eglė Česnakavičiūtė to meet the elder and traditional singer Elena Česnulytė, and talk folksong politics. I finally wind up at Šatrijos Ugnis, a perpetual flame tended at a hill in a national park in Samogitia, where I decide maybe paganism is not about belonging after all, but rather, more powerfully, about connection. Music Intro theme: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods 00:45 “LIV Kompozicija” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė 3:35 Elena Česnulytė, Žiūrai village, Dzūkija 5:17 “Lyliumoj” by Elena Česnulytė, Žiūrai village, Dzūkija 7:40 “Aš Kelaliu Keliavau” by Žiūrų kaimo folkloro ansamblis / Žurai village folklore ensemble (Dzūkija) 17:00 “Aš Pasėjau Balandėlį” by Obelija 19:55 “Ant Tėvulio Dzidzio Dvaro / In the Father’s Great Manor” by Obelija 22:55 Eglė Česnakavičiūtė 25:45 “LIV Kompozicija” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė 38:30 “III Kompozicija” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė 40:45 “Rimo Rimo, Tūto” by Birutė Račkaitienė, Vaidotas Digaitis, and Kęstutis Račkaitis 41:50 “XII Kompozicija” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė 43:45 “Rimo Rimo, Tūtoj” by Jievaras 47:30 “XII Kompozicija” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė Šatrijos Ugnis: https://www.facebook.com/SatrijosUgnis/ Obelija’s music can be purchased on bandcamp, or streamed on Spotify. https://obelijaband.bandcamp.com/releases You can find the amazing Žemyna Trinkūnaitė’s music on Spotify, the itunes store, and streaming at pakartot.lt. You can also email her at zemynat@gmail.com to order a CD by post. Thank you so much to all the people who helped me in various ways in producing this podcast; your assistance was essential to my understanding. Any factual or pronunciation errors are my own. Special thanks to Matas Tamsusis Bodrijė for translating endlessly both song lyrics and social norms, and teaching me to dance, all while almost never cracking a smile.

Children of the Sun: Paganism and Folksong in Lithuania - Part One Feb 24, 2020

Show notes

In this episode I spend a week with pagan religious group Romuva, and reflect on the role of belonging in paganism and folk tradition. Live recordings taken in 2018. Music: Intro theme: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods 4:10 - “XL Kompozicija” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė 6:57 “Dūno upė” - Romuva camp attendees / Kūlgrinda 9:08 Gabija chant - Romuva camp attendees / Kūlgrinda 10:35 Leliumoj - Romuva camp attendees / Kūlgrinda 13:35 Žemyna chant -Romuva camp attendees / Kūlgrinda 17:35 “XLVI Kompozicija” Žemyna Trinkūnaitė 30:05 “Nuslaide Saulala” by Kūlgrinda 32:40 “XLI kompozicija” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė 36:30 Inija Trinkūnienė 48:50 “Kompozicija xix” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė Thank you so much to all the people who helped me in various ways in producing this podcast; your assistance was essential to my understanding. Any factual or pronunciation errors are my own. You can find Žemyna Trinkūnaitė’s music on Spotify, the itunes store, and streaming at pakartot.lt. You can also email her at zemynat@gmail.com to order a CD by post. Kulgrinda can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Kulgrinda

Gnome for Christmas: the Midwinter Household Spirit Dec 17, 2019

Show notes

This episode draws on the folklore of the household spirit (gnome, tomte, tonttu, nisse, domovoi, et al)and the folk music of Scandinavia to explore the ancient traditions of animism and ancestor veneration at midwinter. Music: Intro theme: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods “Tomtarnas Julnatt” by Göteborgs Symfonietta (instrumental) “Nisse-Polka” by Sing Song Sisters “Winter Darkness (Mørketid)” by Georg Buljo & Nils Økland “Haugebonden” by Folk Och Rackare “Tomtarnas” Julnatt by Fem Bobbies “Tomtehallingen” by Øyonn Groven Myhren “Tomten” by Kraja “Hej Tomtegubbar” by Nina Persson & Oscar Johansson The book I referred to in the intro: Gnomes and Secrets of the Gnomes Wil Huygen and illustrator Rien Poortvliet Resources for this episode: The Tradition of Household Spirits by Claude Lecouteux Russian Folk Belief by Linda J. Ivanits Tomten by Viktor Rydberg (a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rJ0Ec-jYg8)

Interview with Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair, Irish Storyteller Dec 02, 2019

Show notes

I recorded this conversation last fall with the award-winning Irish storyteller Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair, who lives in Donegal, Ireland, and learned her craft from the last living traditional storytellers in Donegal. Get the Fair Folk tote at my new website www.fairfolkcast.com! Notes: *The book Eithne mentions at 39:00, Women Who Run With the Wolves is written by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. It’s available at used and new bookshops all over. *42:05 the "schools collection" she refers to is part of the National Folklore Collection of Ireland, at University College Dublin *This episode edited by Laura Hamill of Perennial Collective! http://www.perennialcollective.com/ Music: Intro theme: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods “Carolan's Farewell to Music” by Julia Seager-Scott “Untitled” by Jean Christian “Carolan - Five Tunes By the Irish Harper: IV. Carolan's Farewell to Music” by Da Camera “When She Cam Ben” by Da Camera “Untitled” by Jean Christian “Carolan's Farewell to Music” by Julia Seager-Scott “The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry” by Ale Möller & Aly Bain Image: Eithne Ní Gullaher on St. Colmcille’s bed at Glencolmcille, Donegal

All Hallows': Folk Tradition at the Gates of Winter Oct 09, 2019

Show notes

This episode explores the ancient traditions behind today's favourite Halloween activities: trick-or-treating, jack-o-lantern carving, divination, and... communing with the dead. This episode's music: Intro Music: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods 2:09 “Nöstmo Halvar” by Per O G Runberg 7:04 “King Orfeo” by Alva 13:07 “Samhain” by Ron Allen 14:55 “Punkie Night” by Withe & Stone 17:11 “Tam Glen” by Jean Redpath 22:45 “Colcannon” by The Black Family 26:30 “The Wife of Usher’s Well” by Alfred Deller & The Deller Consort 31:38 “Souling Song” by the Watersons 38:10 “Faithful Johnny” by Bryony Griffith & Will Hampson 42:30 “Lyke Wake Dirge” by the Young Tradition Image: Witch plate. Fancy dresses described, or, what to wear at fancy balls, Arden Holt, 1882.

Outi Pulkkinen, Finnish Runo-Singer and Jouhikko Player Sep 17, 2019

Show notes

An astounding performance and conversation with Finnish expert runo-singer and jouhikko player, Outi Pulkkinen. Pulkkinen is a Doctor of Music specializing in runo-singing and holistic improvisation with voice, movement and speech. She also works with several bands, eg. the female a cappella groups MeNaiset and Pulkkinen-Räss-Sadovska. She is currently researching archaic music through a shamanistic approach, and she teaches folk music, voice training and holistic improvisation at University of the Arts Helsinki. She has released three solo albums, which you can purchase here: http://shop.digeliusmusic.mycashflow.fi/search/?q=Outi+pulkkinen You can also listen to her music on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/outipulkkinen Find her group MeNaiset on SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-505647846 The MeNaiset album Kelu can be purchased here: https://www.kansanmusiikkiliitto.fi/nettiputiikki/aanitteet/menaiset-kelu MeNaiset has recorded another album, which will be released next year, so keep your eyes open for that! Pulkkinen can also be contacted directly by email: outipulkkinen10@gmail.com The intro theme to Fair Folk is “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods Portrait of Outi Pulkkinen by Christoffer Relander

Interview with Nigel Pennick, Author of The Pagan Book of Days Aug 09, 2019

Show notes

Nigel Pennick is the author of over fifty books, on topics ranging from paganism and folk magic to geomancy and divination with the runes. His book The Eldritch World will be available soon in an American edition, produced by Arcana Europa. You can read the preface here: https://arcanaeuropamedia.com/blogs/arcana-blog/preface-for-nigel-pennicks-the-eldritch-world Many of Pennick's past and future books can be found at Inner Traditions, including the soon-to-be-released Operative Witchcraft: https://www.innertraditions.com/author/nigel-pennick/ Music: "Edith Swan-Neck" by Paddon and Pennick "Ellacombe (Berthon)" by Nigel Pennick "Ground Hog Blues" by John Lee Hooker "Fairy Bells" by Nigel Pennick "The Outlandish Knight" by Will Noble "The Bobtail Mare" by Nigel Pennick The image Nigel mentioned of the sorceror's apprentice is here: https://tinyurl.com/yy53sg4x Subscribe to the Fair Folk Almanac on my Patreon page: www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast

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