Fair Folk Podcast

May Day, or Beltane in Scottish Gaelic, is a joyous occasion to welcome new growth and fertility in the fields, the hills and home. With its all-night bonfires, green branches, towering may poles and delicate flowers, this might be the most tactile and sensual holiday of the entire year. And it's just bursting with song. Check out my 2020 May Almanac episode and others: https://www.patreon.com/posts/generous-wood-36480866 Instagram: danica.boyce https://www.instagram.com/danica.boyce Youtube channel: Fair Folk https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw5BgVgYLuRWmEs66AHx38A/featured Music: Intro: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods "Hal-An-Tow" by the Watersons "Arise, Arise" by Robert White "Jack in the Green" by Martin and Shan Graebe "Maypole Dance" by Richard Myhill "Searching For Lambs"(feat. Graham Coxon) by Lisa Knapp "As I Walked Through the Meadows" by Magpie Lane "As I Roved Out" by The Voice Squad "Bedfordshire May Carol" by Jack Sharp "In the Merry Month of May" by Patricia Spero "The May Morning Dew" by John Lyons "Padstow Hobby Horse" on English Customs and Traditions (album) "Padstow" by Steeleye Span "May Song" by Beggars Velvet

In this short episode I talk about how I came to make and love a podcast about folklore, and what I believe folklore is capable of when we give it our good faith! Fill out the 4 minute listener survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/PGYNGCC Intro music is "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods Photo by @kimberlichenn (instagram)

March, home of the spring equinox, of pancakes, of carnival, of imposed vegetarianism and more bullying in the guise of folk tradition than you can shake a stick at. It’s kind of a doozy of a month, combining some aspects of human nature that we would often rather not look at. But when we do look closely at some of the more problematic aspects of folklore, like some of those that arise this month, that’s when we really get the goods, I think. **The next regular episode of Fair Folk is coming soon!** Intro music by Sylvia Woods

This episode I talk about the weather lore associated with this month, and its predictive quality for the months ahead; I look at the origins of Valentine's day, Lupercalia, and the Disablot, and I dive deep into Irish and Scottish traditions regarding the immensely popular Irish saint and pre-christian goddess Brigid. At the end of the episode, I offer my own suggestions of how you might apply the folklore of this month in your own life with ritual, custom, and maybe most importantly, awareness of why these traditions exist and are so powerful. To listen to the whole episode, please subscribe to my patreon at www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast The next regular Fair Folk episode will arrive soon! Talk to you then. Intro Music: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods

This first monthly Fair Folk Almanac episode includes Perchta, the Alpine goddess who will disembowel you if you don’t take a vacation, moon divination from Greece, and suggestions for how you might bring in the new year with your own folklore-based ritual and tradition. To listen to the whole episode, visit www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast and subscribe. The next regular episode will arrive in two weeks! Music: Intro: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods "Mixoscottish" by Lirio "Plugușorul" by Carmina Tenera

This episode traces the age-old European origins of many of the Winter Solstice traditions we enjoy today, from mother goddess worship through stories of the wizard child Jesus, to Christmas fortune telling with bones. Support Fair Folk: www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast PayPal.me/DanicaBoyce Music: “Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence” by the Ballycastle Players “Miri it is While Sumer Ilast” by Ensemble Belladonna “O Frondens Virga” by Augsburg Early Music Ensemble “Podblyadnye Song” by byAgrafena Glinkin “Ancient Gates” by Olga Glazova “Podblyadnye Songs” by Ensemble Joy “Persephone” by Stellamara “Tec, Peleite, Zernju Zogtu” by Kitka “The Holly She Bears a Berry” by the Voice Squad “Haugebonden” by Tiriltunga “Oi Linksta Suolaliai” by Keisto Folkloro Grupė” “Et Lite Barn Så Lystelig” by Julestemmer “The Bitter Withy” by the Valley Folk “Cherry Tree Carol” by Shirley Collins “Mari Lwyd (The Grey Mare)” by Carreg Lafar “Ecco donne la befana / Ninna nanna ninna oh (Filastrocche e canto natalizio Bologna)” by Stefano Zuffi & Pneumatica Emiliano Romagnola “Fum, Fum, Fum” by Winter Harp Ensemble “Frau Holle, Frau Holle, die Schüttelt ihre Betten aus” by Philharmonischer Kinderchor Dresden & Blockflötengruppe Bautzen “Bring Us In Good Ale” by Maddy Prior & Tim Hart

In this episode I speak with Vicki Noble, co-creator of the Motherpeace Tarot Deck, a set of cards for divination that incorporates images of the sacred feminine from mythology and folklore. The creation of the Motherpeace Tarot in the late 1970s in Berkley California helped to kickstart the so-called Goddess movement, whose influence endures today. Links: Fair Folk Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast Paypal: paypal.me/DanicaBoyce Michael Levy, ancient lyre: https://www.ancientlyre.com/ Music: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods “Demeter’s Song” by Starhawk & Reclaiming “The Temple of Venus (Original Composition for Replica Lyre in the Ancient Hypolydian Mode)” by Michael Levy "Hurrian Hymn No. 6 (c.1400BCE) Ancient Mesopotamian Musical Fragment” by Michael Levy

This episode is a recording of Žemyna Trinkūnaitė playing a Kanklės, a traditional Lithuanian instrument, in a concert for a small group of people in a Baltic pagan temple in Lithuania. For more recordings, contact Žemyna Trinkūnaitė by email at zemynat@gmail.com To support Fair Folk: www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast paypal.me/DanicaBoyce

A brief update about Fair Folk's summer and fall plans from northern Iceland, plus a spontaneous summer playlist to enjoy on the road or at home. To contribute to the Fair Folk travel fund: www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast paypal.me/DanicaBoyce Music: Intro: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods "Langspils - Kvæðalag" by Eyjólfur Eyjólfsson "Lenten is Come" by Briddes Roune "Aililiu Na Gamhna (Calling Home The Calves)" by Iarla O' Lionáird "The Band of Shearers" by Carla Sciaky "Två Konungabarn" by Myrkur "A Maid in Bedlam" by the John Renbourn Group "Hares on the Mountain" by Shirley Collins and Davey Graham "Nay, Ivy, Nay" by Sue Brown and Lorraine Irwing "Herding the Calves" by Noirin Ni Riain "Heiemo og Nykkjen" by Kirsten Bråten Berg "Hollin Green Hollin / Thomas The Rhymer / Young Benjie / Tam Lin" by Gordon Mooney "Rideboll" by Hallvard T. Bjørgum "Alex'Julpolska" by Daniel Peterson "Death and the Lady" by John Fleagle

This episode explores some of the better and lesser known celebrations and songs of the midsummer solstice in Europe. In the process it addresses some of the perennial questions of this holiday, like: What is a maypole? Why are all of those Russians bathing together? And how can I find buried treasure when all I’m wearing is this garland of mugwort? And what’s all this about human sacrifice? Music: Intro: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods "Sumer Is Icumen In" by Shelley Phillips "Helan går" by Polyteknikkojen Kuoro "The Fiddle: Kvitbergjen, springleik" by Petters Erik Eriksson, Hans Brimi, Mauno Jarvela & Levy Wilsen "I denna ljuva sommartid" by Frifot "Set Dance: King of the Fairies" by Tom McHaile "Oro Mo Bhaidin" by In Harmony's Way "Tansys Golowan (Midsummer Bonfire)" by Dalla "Sumer Is Icumen In" by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels "Ivan Na Rada (Ivan spoke to Rada)" by Donka Paneva and Mitka Petkova from Malomir Village, Yambol District "Ligojati, Ligojati" by Skandinieki "Midsummer Song" by Stalti Family "Kupala" by Tim Rayborn "Porushka" by Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble "Summer Solstice/Kupala Na Ivana" by Zeellia "Fern Flower" by Nutopia "Celies, Brālīti" by Skandinieki Image: Ivan Sokolov, Night of Ivan Kupala Some articles I used for this episode: Leslie Ellen Jones, “Hi, My Name’s Fox”?: An Alternative Explication of “Lindow Man’s” Fox Fur Armband and Its Relevance to the Question of Human Sacrifice among the Celts” http://celtic.cmrs.ucla.edu/22papers/jones.pdf Sandra Billington, “The Midsummer Solstice As It Was, Or Was Not, Observed in Pagan Germany, Scandinavia and Anglo-Saxon England” http://anthreligion.commons.uaa.alaska.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/67/2015/10/Midsummer-solstice.pdf

The second in a series on traditional polyphonic singing, this episode visits the hunter-gatherer pygmies of the African rainforest, the peasants of pre-Christian Russia, and the possible residents of outer space, via one very special song from Georgia. It also features an interview with Georgian ethnomusicologist Joseph Jordania, organizer of the International Symposium on Traditional Polyphony in Tbilisi, Georgia, and author of several books on polyphony and early human evolution, including the award winning Who Asked the First Question: Origins of Vocal Polyphony, Human Intelligence, Language and Speech. Fair Folk listener survey: https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/R8QZJT5 Music Intro: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods “Central African Pygmy Polyphony” from Simha Arom and Rounder “Bobangi” by Aka Pygmies (from Aka Pygmy Music - UNESCO Collection from Smithsonian Folkways) “Nzombi [I]” by Aka Pygmies (from Aka Pygmy Music - UNESCO Collection from Smithsonian Folkways) “Mongombi” by Aka Pygmies (from Aka Pygmy Music - UNESCO Collection from Smithsonian Folkways) “Mo-nzombe” by Pygmees Mbenzele “U vorot, vorot solovey poet” (“There is a nightingale singing at the door”)by the Ensemble of village Krasnyi Zilim “Strela (The Arrow)” by Belyj Svet and Vyselki “Love Is Gone (feat. The Gypsy Orchestra of the Cabarets Russes de Paris & Gyula Kokas)” by Micha Thomas & Serge Nicolaieff “Typu (Stepan)” by The Women's Vocal Folklore Ensemble of Chindyanovo “Oak Forest” by Dmitri Pokrovsky Ensemble “Chakrulo” by Rustavi Folk Choir “Song for "Thinking: Piere” - Gbaya men (Central African Republic - UNESCO Collection from Smithsonian Folkways) “Zinskaro” by Vokal Ansambl Gordela “Hawsa” by Marewrew “Group of Nurstani singers, accompanied by harp (watj) and drum (jamba)” recorded on Sept. 10, 1968, Vienna Phonogram Archive “Dikoboda Sombe” by Aka Pygmy Singers You can find Joseph Jordania’s books and projects at http://josephjordania.com The International Research Center for Traditional Polyphony: http://polyphony.ge/en/home-2/ Learn more about Ekaterina Rets and her band Belyj Svet here: https://www.art-laguna.com/ Survival International advocates for Central African Pygmies: https://www.survivalinternational.org/tribes/pygmies

The first in a series on vocal polyphony, this episode gives credit to the ancient origins of vocal polyphony in rural community practices, looking specifically at the polyphony of Lithuania, whose sutartinės are a symbol of the nation's strong pre-christian folk heritage. Music: "Georgia: Vocal" by Greek Orthodox Church Choir "Vay, More" (Oh, the Sea) by The Women's Folklore Ensemble of Staraya Terizmorga Chant dedicated to St. Boniface, patron saint of Germany, 10th century by Quintin Beer and John Clapham "Responsory: Favus Distillans" by Anonymous 4 "Äs Zäuerli" by Öse Schuppel Latvian Song recorded by Andres Jurian in 1895 by Ensemble Sausejas "Kaval Sviri (The Flute Plays)" by Bulgarian State Radio & Television Female Vocal Choir "Porazh Veles" (Porazh Village) by The Women's Folklore Ensemble of Staraya Terizmorga "Trep Trepo, Martela" by Trys Keturiose "Kas Tar Taka" by Obelija "Kā Palinkai, Berželi?" (Recorded 1939) "Ka Palinkai, Berželi" by Jievaras "Daudas" by Kūlgrinda "Vakarinė Žvaigždelė" by Kūlgrinda "Responsory: Favus distillans" by Anonymous 4 This episode relied heavily on books and articles by Joseph Jordania and Daiva Račiūnaitė-Vyčinienė. Special thanks to Eglė Česnakavičiūtė of the band Obelija for assisting research, translating and explaining sutartinės for me. Image: An elderly group of sutartinės singers from the village of Smilgiai dancing, by Balys Biračas, 1936. Found in Daiva Račiūnaitė-Vyčinienė's "The Archaic Lithuanian Polyphonic Chant Sutartinė." Lituanus 52, 2006.

This episode I chat with Jonny Dillon, an archivist at the Irish National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin. We discuss the history of the Folklore Collection, his podcast, Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fragments, and the deep need for folk tradition in modern life. The Irish National Folklore Collection is one of the largest folklore collections in Europe, and has just this month been ascribed to the UNESCO Memory of the World Register. Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fragments Podcast: https://soundcloud.com/folklore_podcast The National Folklore Collection: https://www.ucd.ie/irishfolklore/en/ Music: Intro: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods "Amhráin na Trá Báine" by Fiachra O'Regan "Aisling Gheal" by Fiachra O'Regan "An Leanbh Sí" by Fiachra O'Regan Image: An Irish family outside thatched cottage: Eason Photographic Collection, National Library of Ireland

Traditional herding calls from Sweden and Norway, with an interview with Swedish folk musician and kulning instructor Siri Holm. Music: Intro theme - "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods “Kulning” by Adolf Fredriks Kyrkas Kammarkör & Karin Backstrom “Kulning” Maria Hulthén Birkeland “Kulning” by Susanne Rosenberg “Farlock (Sheep Calls) - Getlock (Goat Calls) - Kalvlock (Calf Calls)” by Karin Edvardsson Johansson “Kulning” by Nygards Elisabet Nordkvist “Lockrop” by Karin Edvardsson Johansson “Koukning, get - och farlock (Goat and Sheep Calls)” by Erika Johansson “Kulokk” by Eli Storbekken “Kulokk” (Grieg) by Reidun Horvei “Hornlat fran Rattvik och Ore (Herding Call from Rattvik and Ore)” by Pelle Jakobsson “Vallat efter Frisell, Mockfjard” by Pelle Jakobsson “Lurlat fran evertsberg efter Tommos Kersti” by Pelle Jakobsson (interview begins) “Puksanger - Lockrop” by Lena Willemark, Susanne Rosenberg & Helena Gabrielsson “Kolock (Cow Call)” by Lena Willemark (interview ends) “Komarschlåten” by Ulrika Bodén Mastered by Ross Waldron Error: at 16:57, I say a herding signal from Mockjard, when I meant to say a herding signal from Mockfjard More information on kulning and other herding call traditions: -If you want to learn kulning and you cannot find a workshop, there is a book and CD set of lessons for sale at www.uddatoner.com -A kulokk instruction manual can be found here: https://www.ingebretsens.com/sing-til-cows-come-home-w-cd.html -A fun old Finnish herding call documentary film: https://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2010/08/13/karjan-kutsumahuudot -A great article on the technical aspects of kulning by Susanna Rosenberg: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/23268263.2013.829712?needAccess=true

The spiritual world of the vikings, and of those who follow in their footsteps. The final episode in the first season of Fair Folk podcast. Music: Intro theme - "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods "Vinda" by Kati Ran "Tåkedis" by Rúnahild "Frigga’s Web" by Hagalaz Runedance "Iduna" by Faun "Jag vet ett tempel stå" by Forndom "Fehu" by Wardruna "Den grymma hästen" by Forndom "Trøllabundin (Live)" by Eivør (interview begins) "Yule" by Sowulo "AnsuR" by Wardruna with Lars Magnar Enoksen "Suvetar" by Silfurberg "Svitjod" by Forndom (interview ends) "Asugisalas" by Lars Magnar Enoksen You can buy Lars Magnar Enoksen's books at http://www.wardruna.com/shop/