But ‘Celtic’ Others do not destroy whole cities like Sodom and Gomorrah. They do not demand we sacrifice a beloved child to them to show obedience, as Abram was required to do to Isaac. They do not manipulate whole battles so that hundreds or thousands die as the gods did at Troy.

They do not command us: they advise us, trick us, trade with us, laugh, eat, fuck, fight and sing with us. It is therefore no surprise that stories of the goddesses in the Mabinogi do not present them as awesome beings of terrifying majesty. They are powerful, resourceful, beautiful, wise, but not dominators as the gods of other cultures are.

In the Mabinogi we meet five main goddesses:

Rhiannon, Branwen, Blodeuedd, Arianrhod, Cerridwen.

There is arguably a sixth main goddess of Wales, Morgan, or Morgain(e) not found in the Mabinogi.

A seventh, Brigit, Brigid, Bridget, Brid(e), Brighde was not originally of Wales, but is found here in local legends, wells and churches, because her cult spread very successfully outside Eire, her homeland.

These Goddesses are widely venerated in modern times not only across Wales, but in Eire, the whole of Britain, across Europe, the USA, Canada, Australia and anywhere that modern Goddessing, Paganism, New Age or distinctively women’s spirituality  flourishes with a ‘Celtic’ interest.

Books, teachers and the internet have made them part of an international mixture of Goddessing.

Many devotees of this modern spiritual diaspora do not have much accurate knowledge about their chosen Goddess or goddesses, which of course does not invalidate their personal devotions in the least. However teachers and writers, priestesses and priests carry a greater responsibility to pass on accurate information.

Looking at our five (or six) main goddesses of Wales, we find that each is identified with her own part of Wales. None of the Mabinogi are pan-Welsh stories or traditions. This is because Wales did not exist at the time of the Mabinogi development or its first recording in writing.

Wales was created much later, a little over 500 years ago by Henry VII, the founder of the Tudor dynasty. Since then Wales has operated as a colonial subordinate of England, most recently gaining its own Assembly, which however, does not have the power of a Parliament.

Under this extremely political story though, the old kingdoms, or even the ancient tribal territories, still exist. There are five clearly recognisable regions whicjh speak markedly different kinds of Cymraeg (Welsh), with very different traditions, and who typically see their first loyalty as local, not “Welsh.” It can still raise hackles that “Welsh” is an imposed English name for foreigner!

Rhiannon and Branwen are of West Wales, specifically Dyfed or Pembrokeshire.

Blodeuedd  and Arianrhod are of North Wales, specifically Gwynedd.

Cerridwen is of Mid-Wales, around Bala and Machynlleth.

Morgan or Morgain, Morgaine is of South Wales. She locates with the ancient kingdom of Morgannwg, and the immensely influential Gwent family Morgan.

While their names and stories are quite well known across Wales no Welsh person would ever see them as simply “Welsh.” That would be seen as an English incomer view, and one arising out of laziness, or worse, English arrogance.

In “Three Things There Are …” John Davies years ago challenged just such English /American arrogance and sloppiness. “… if you come to Wales (as I fear you may), wearing beads, and funny hats adorned with feathers and pieces of stick; … if you come following an expensive workshop leader who can't even pronounce, let alone speak, any Welsh; whose only qualifications are a set of distinctly cranky ideas, assembled from fragments torn loose from our heritage and a hotpotch of others; plus, of course, a fast line in chat to convince you that this system offers instant enlightenment at a price (the fast-food version of spirituality); then you will be obvious for the fool you are.” (Davies J. "Three Things There Are" 1993, p.1)

John’s is a searing anger at those who misuse his heritage. He is not alone as a native Welshman who detests the spiritual tourist who pops in physically or virtually, to pick and mix as they prefer with very little effort to honour those whose Guest they are. The Guest is a respected position in tribal society.  Welsh people especially of the South and West, uphold its code with great generosity. But it does carry duties of respect in return, to the host.

Incidentally you could do worse than look up where John’s title "Three Things There Are" comes from. It’s the first line of a Triad.

Those who love ‘Celtic’ traditions could understandably feel defensive here. They are offering an honest love and devotion as best they can, after all. But are they really offering the best they can?

John points out that few even try to learn how to pronounce Welsh names, or try to grasp what they mean, for as in most tribal cultures, names carry important meanings. Do you like it when someone chews your name up in a gobbled mumble out of laziness?

There are also many ‘Celtic’ devotees who see the old mythos as being part of a world culture, rather like a spiritual internet, free to share. The ‘Celtic’ stories are fitted neatly into collections alongside other chapters on Greece, Rome, Sumer etc. Unless there is a strong explanation as well on how ‘Celtic’ divinity is very different to these others (see above) this insults and distorts the ‘Celtic’ ancestors and their mythos. Such packaging into a free download without careful help to understand, deserves John’s contempt as “… assembled from fragments torn loose from our heritage …”

It is true that ‘Celtic’ mythos is peculiarly vulnerable to exploitation like this. It does not have a wrathful deity to guard it by jealously demanding our subjugation. In fact ‘Celtic’ spirituality positively encourages independent thinking and feeling. No pope or national council ever laid down its law in detail in terms of beliefs. The tradition of soul friend (annam-cara in the Gaelic of Eire) counsels us to work with a spiritual companion for mutual support.

Equality and autonomy in the ‘Celtic’ spirit is part of its magnetism, but that same equality and autonomy nurtures endless interpretation without preventing sloppiness or arrogance.

‘Celtic’ mythos does not teach by forbidding things much. It loves life too much for that.

Nor does it insist on knife-like rational understanding. While happy to include the most cogent philosophy ‘Celtic’ spirituality just as warmly embraces those who dislike analysis, or cannnot do it.

Further, the intricacy of art forms, symbols, and double, even triple meanings, are so very ‘Celtic.’ Far from being tied to precise meanings we are actually invited to play, to find new ones by rearranging, or by looking in a different way on another occasion. Shapeshifting.

It is therefore understandable that some cry out against any tie, saying ‘But this is MY interpretation! and I’m entitled.’  As indeed we all are. But while freely allowed to take and reshape what comes from another culture, that does not authorise us to claim that ‘MY interpretation’ is how it is, the original thing. Especially teachers.

It is so easy to do just by saying “Rhiannon is …” or “Llew represents …”

Instead we need to say “To me Rhiannon is …” or perhaps “To my temple Rhiannon is …” or “To my community Rhiannon is …”

Alternatively a line at the bottom of the webpage, or the first page of a chapter, or article, can state honestly “The views of gods, goddesses, and ‘Celtic’ lore given here include my personal interpretations. I am much influenced by [teacher/ group] in my work.”

Celtic Guests can and I believe should, learn to pronounce names properly, learn a few words of a ‘Celtic’ language, acknowledge they are reshaping myths to suit their needs as described, and try not to trample cluckfootedly over the basics of a given ‘Celtic’ culture such as Cymry /Wales. If Celtic Guests try this much I believe even the fiery John Davies might grin and accept them – as his Guests.

One of these basics that should not be trampled is how our goddesses can be “of Wales” but not “Welsh.” To speak of “Welsh Goddesses” is insulting and nonsensical, immediately betraying a silly outsider voice. To say a goddess comes from Wales or is of Wales, is fine. Though it would be better still to say ‘of West Wales’ and so on, as well as pronouncing her name properly!

These are small things to do in return for the mighty gifts the peoples of Wales offer. A tussle with pronunciation, a  few words of honesty and courtesy make a Celtic Guest, instead of a dippy tourist without manners.

Those few words can make all the difference – like saying  diolch /thank you.

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Celtic is given as ‘Celtic’ - in quotes, to counter the all too common assumption that there was a single, centralised Celtic culture comparable to Rome. No one we now call ‘Celtic’ would have called themselves a Celt. It was a foreign Greek word, meaning stone. Its imposition is rather like the English words ‘Wales /Welsh’ meaning ‘foreigner.’ (Back to top)