Fair Folk Podcast

This episode discusses Empire and its deconstruction, and the relationship between healing and learning in life and in this podcast. I speak on abundance and scarcity in the context of European traditional spirituality and culture, and invite listeners to give themselves moments of grace in order to address the work of anti-racism from a place of abundance and love. Music: Intro theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods Instrumental track: "The Warm Shoulder" by Mary Lattimore "Sleepers Awake" by Jackie Oates

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

Full episode at www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast Summer is bounty and life. This month is when we meet them both, and play our part in carrying them in, bearing their joys into our homes and villages. This feast is a lens on having-ness. It asks us to notice where we are in gratitude and where we might unnecessarily hold onto fear of loss. Can we show up for the gathering in of forces at this time, and allow it to hold us, as does the green wood out of which we were born? Music: Intro theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods Instrumental track: "Samhain" by Omwoldon

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.

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

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.

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

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)

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

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.

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

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

This episode focuses on the great big, beautiful holiday that falls in the first week of August, which has been a highpoint in the Celtic calendar for millennia. It's called Lammas in England and Scotland, and Lughnasa in Ireland, the feast of the harvest's beginning, of the shining sun, of first precious golden loaf. To listen to the rest of the episode please go to www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast Music: Intro theme: Forest March by Sylvia Woods "Corn Rigs" by Us and Them

Aslak Tolonen, recorded live in Riihimäki, Finland June 16, 2019. You can find more information about his music or contact him about purchasing a kantele here: https://nestfin.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/nestfinland or email him at nestfinlandia@gmail.com The intro music for Fair Folk is "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods Patreon: www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/fairfolkcast

In July of 2018 I spent a month in Iceland looking for performers of a stye of Icelandic folk singing called "tvísöngur." What I found was that the history of folk music in Iceland is far more complicated than I could have ever guessed. I found myself asking: In a nation known internationally for its indie music, why is Icelandic folk music so hard to come by? Thank you to the many musicians, researchers, and friends who contributed music, personality, and information to this episode. Special thanks to Gunnstein Olafsson, Linus Orri, Eyjolfur Eyjolfson, Orn Magnusson and Marta Halldorsdottir, Kimberly Cannady, Runa Inginumdardottir, Gudny Robertsdóttir Orlygur Kristfinsson, and Gustav Danielsson. Thank you also to the Icelandic folk music centre in Siglufjordur and Herhusid artist residency for hosting and helping me while I researched this topic. My paper on tvísöngur for the International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony October 2018: www.academia.edu/37863707/Tv%C3%A…rary_Performance Fair Folk Patreon: www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast Music and Notes: 0:00 “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods :50 “Ísland Farsælda Frón” by Jean Christian 2:40 “Ísland Farsælda Frón” by Kvæðamannafélagið Rima 4:00 Guðrún Ingimundardóttir and Svanfríður Halldórsdóttir 5:22 “Húmar Að Mitt Hinsta Kvöld” by Pétur Halldórsson & Símon Þórðarson 7:25 Baroque Cello and Langspil by Gadus Morhua 8:55 “Fagurt Syngur Svanurinn (Beautifully Sings the Swan)” by Spilmenn Ríkínís (Rikini Ensemble: Marta Halldórsdóttir, Örn Magnússon, Ásta Sigríður Arnardóttir, and Halldór Bjarki Arnarson) - Recording courtesy of Arni Moller 10:45 Langspil and Symphonie by Marta Halldórsdóttir and Örn Magnússon 11:15 Spilmenn Ríkínís (Ásta Sigríður Arnardóttir) - Recording courtesy of Arni Moller 13:00 Reykjavík Trad Sessions 14:00 “Langspils Kvæðalag” by Örn Magnússon 14:55 “Fryeja” by Gadus Morhua (Eyjólfur Eyjólfsson, Björk Níelsdóttir and Steinunn Arnbjörg Stefánsdóttir) 16:15 Duo Atlantica 17:45 “Ísland Farsælda Frón” by Jean Christian 20:00 Gustaf Danielsson and Örlygur Kristfinnsson 20:30 Gadus Morhua 23:35 Spilmenn Ríkínís (Ásta Sigríður Arnardóttir) - Recording courtesy of Arni Moller 26:00 & 27:45 Gustaf Danielsson and Örlygur Kristfinnsson 30:15 Speech: Marta Halldórsdóttir 31:10 Speech and diatonic langspil: Örn Magnússon 34:30 “Björt Mey og Hrein” by Duo Svanni 35:20 Speech: Guðrún Ingimundardóttir French explorer mentioned is Paul Gaimard, author of Voyage en Islande et au Groënland 39:20 “Björt Mey og Hrein” by Duo Svanni 41:10 Spilmenn Ríkínís (Ásta Sigríður Arnardóttir) - Recording courtesy of Arni Moller 43:05 Speech: Ómar Ellertson 48:20 Speech: Linus Orri 55:00 Correction provided by Linus Orri: The author mentioned is actually Jón Þórarinsson 57:20 Spilmenn Ríkínís (Ásta Sigríður Arnardóttir and Halldór Bjarki Arnarson) - Recording courtesy of Arni Moller 58:20 Speech: Örn Magnússon 59:15 “Fagurt Syngur Svanurinn (Beautifully Sings the Swan)” by Spilmenn Ríkínís - Recording courtesy of Arni Moller 1:02:25 Speech: Linus Orri 1:03:40 Spilmenn Ríkínís - Recording courtesy of Arni Moller 1:06:30 Rímur by Linus Orri