Calan Gaeaf | The Welsh Halloween or Samhain | Welsh Witchcraft, Paganism and Spirituality

[@wuldr]

I love the “I am a modern day witch” comment! So many people are so focused on doing thing the historically correct way that they fail to live in their tradition as a person with modern sensibilities and needs.

[@mollyloupintok5851]

I love that you break down the Welsh language as a part of your exploration of Welsh Paganism and Folklore. As a lover of languages (Welsh above so many others!) I just love this aspect of your videos. Don't get me wrong, I love the rest of your content as well. You do such a great job of balancing the varied and intertwined components of Welsh-isms (is that a word? Did I just make up a word? LOL). Well done and bravo, ma'am!

[@markevans5912]

Diolch am fawr iawn! Dwi'n dysgu Cymraeg, this is what I've learnt it! x

[@cranberrymoonchild]

Greetings from Llanelli! I am so pleased to hear someone, other than myself, talk about being on a crooked path - I am too and mine is Pagan and Christian (I'm a sort of witch that believes in Jesus but not much else of the hierarchy of religious organisation - and certainly not the judgement of others part either). Always enjoy your videos 😊

[@patriciahuey7617]

Greetings from Castell Nedd.

[@a1bc0p7o5t]

Abertawe 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿😍

[@sabrinamarie4380]

Honestly Christianity also stole or copied/recreated, a lot of original traditions and practices, they still tend to do so, So even if something is considered "Christian" does not necessarioy mean it ever was, lol funny how that works. Lately, Christians here are saying their afraid of Halloween and want to rename it "Jesuseeen" and are saying that witches deliberately curse the trick or treat candy....But the truth is that Halloween was agreed upon by churches and other cultures as one day to celebrate all the simular cultures in one, so "Halloween" here in the U.S. was an agreement more than a holiday and it is silly that now Christians are some how scared of it. Anyways, nothibg wrong with being a "Christian Witch", but ultimately it is really no different than being any type of wotch lol.

[@a1bc0p7o5t]

@@sabrinamarie4380 I grew up with hallelujah parties they were that dead against Halloween and Witches🤣.

[@anneflake8757]

As an American of Welsh heritage, and a practicing Pagan who is learning Welsh and trying so hard to learn the traditions I can carry on with my own family, this was so helpful! Diolch am fawr iawn!

[@Emily-Whitfield]

Thank you for correcting the pronunciation of Samhain in the Welsh language! I hate it that memes get various languages mixed up! I live in the US and to me, Welsh is a beautiful language ❤❤❤❤

[@KellyLB-d2s]

I love your Welsh Dragon :) It's lush!

[@Pagyptsian]

Shwmae from Swansea! Thank you for this video! 🦇🍁🍂

[@a1bc0p7o5t]

Abertawe am byth🤟🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@THandP_org]

I was waiting for the real brainbending to begin, with the explanation that the Christians and Romans brought the calendar, as well as the concepts of ghosts, evil, and the determination to separate people from the and and the responsibility to steward the Land. Thank you so much for your break down, as well as pronunciation corrections. I look forward to exploring the rest of your channel and well done on Welsh Witchcraft: A Guide to the Spirits, Lore, and Magic of Wales!

[@welshlady]

I am very excited...i have just pre ordered your book! Can't wait for the release!

[@glitterkitty1979]

Yaay!!! I've praying and waiting for this video from you!!!! Love you, xxx

[@moss5690]

Just a perfect video thanks Mhara. Paganism desperately needs more of this type of native informed, highly researched, well explained and entertaining content. Thank you so much 😊

[@a1bc0p7o5t]

Yes and Halloween was very influenced from calan gaeaf aswell as samhain, according to sources I was reading two days ago🥰. Mostly welsh University blogs & britannia etc etc.

[@a1bc0p7o5t]

I've been looking forward to this video so much 😍🤟

[@SR-no8sr]

As having Scot, German, ND Welsh pagan heritage. This was helpful.

[@gblikestosew]

I like this approach of the crooked path, because our traditions and bloodlines change with time! No such thing as a truly straight path.

[@nic4short]

I am so glad to have stumbled across your channel. I am a Welsh learner and really appreciate the way you explain the language and history of your videos - diolch yn fawr!

[@brianroberts5048]

I've just ordered Richard Suggett's book. Thank you x

[@tess9233]

I saw you on S4C for the Calan Gaeaf special you were so magical!! :D bendigedig

[@marifromky]

YAY!!

[@shaunathornton8032]

Thank-you so much for doing this video. I have been looking for a long time in how to celebrate the Harvest as an American of Welsh descent.

[@eden-annbrace1863]

Just found your channel today and I am obsessed 😍 I am a fluent Welsh speaker from South Wales 😁 I’m just starting my path, and really enjoying your videos 😊 have a blessed day 💜

[@patriciahuey7617]

Well said.

[@MargedLearnsWelsh]

In the lunar calendars days started the night before so it would make perfect sense to say that Calan Gaeaf is on 31th October.

[@cheekyjonez3916]

I'm here to learn from you, but I have to say your lace collars and cuffs are icing on the cake! 😄

[@ck868ck]

I love your book. It's beautiful and one of the first I bought when I re-engaged with my spirituality. (My original library was destroyed when my family, for a time, convinced me I was going to hell LMAO) I'm trying to learn Welsh on Duolingo. And I'm deeply interested in Welsh mythology and witchcraft. I have ancestors I can trace back to Wales. Thank you for these videos💖💖💖 Much love! Blessed Be

[@sabrinamarie4380]

Thank you Mhara 💙. So, you did not tell us if YOU saw anything after circling the graveyard 3 times? 💙💙💙

[@ktollefson15]

oh I love your videos, you have the most fabulous energy and way of speaking. Thank you!!

[@happymonk4206]

Half of my ancestory is from Wales, I love Halloween 🎃👻, the other half is Germanic. I love that side too because before there were Vikings, there was that Germanic people.

[@munkittytunkitty]

Diolch yn fawr iawn! I've learnt a lot from your excellent video :)

[@jennybrown5302]

I hope your Calan Gaeaf and Gŵyl Y Meirw went well this year. Our family celebrated with a feast of beef roast, oat soda bread topped with Welsh cheddar cheese, roast veg (I didn't know about stwmp naw rhiw yet -- definitely will add it to the menu for next year!) and baked stuffed apples for dessert. I based it mostly on what I read from "Welsh Folklore and Folk Custom" by T. Gwynn Jones (1930), who mentioned that beef was eaten (apparently when ya slaughter a cow, ya gots lotsa beef) along with the oat bread, white cheese, and apples. I made an offering with the oat bread loaf using the same words you mentioned in this video for my ancestors on the front porch (no window sill accessible on the outside at our house), which I also learned about from the same book (I haven't read "Stations of the Sun"). It made me smile to hear you make mention of it. (Relatable content!) ;) Diolch yn fawr for sharing.

[@ahamoments132]

Wonderful video, thank you :)

[@paulaunger3061]

Saw a video on this by The Welsh Viking last year, and while looking for it, found your channel. I think I'm in love! Definitely subscribed.

[@BeverleyButterfly]

Incredible video thank you so much for sharing your knowledge xx

[@iceleftinpop5353]

Could you do a video just on the bwbachod? I'm trying to find out more about them but I get a clash between them and brownies when I try to research

[@sherrybarnett7746]

Awesome video! Thank you! I so appreciate your linguistic knowledge and adore the welsh myths. Heading out to get your book now 🎃👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🖤🥰

[@sphaerasportal]

Awesome as always!

[@enigmaticatherealone]

Almost all old houses here in Pembs have snowdrops by the entrance, curious.

[@kiaradrake541]

I am loving your channel! I just received your book and I can’t wait to break into it. I’m a huge Kristoffer Hughes fan so I really enjoyed your talks with him and I’m excited to see your work and how it will expand my practice… but I have to ask, where did you get that dragon statue? LOL I’ve been trying to find a good red dragon and that’s gorgeous!

[@benrios5160]

Thats so cool! I've been wanting to bring back divination games for my own halloween night fun with friends and get togethers cause I'm very into vintage American Halloween, and it seems like alot of the late 19th early 20th century American Halloween divination games like the apple peel, and apple seed divination games were done like you explained goes on for Calan Gaeaf. Thanks for sharing!!!!

[@ginger-witch]

Hello friend! I love your beautiful black blouses and dresses with lace. Can you share perhaps where you shop?

[@sally-annllewellynartist9362]

New subscriber dyma. Cymro closet witch, Wenglish speaking artist. (First language was welsh.... long story). Rydw i'n mwynae eich sianel.

[@sally-annllewellynartist9362]

*mwynhau ❤

[@dindrane1]

Wonderful video, as always. I had no idea that Welsh was a Brythonic rather than Gaelic language.

[@jackieroberts7895]

Gaelic is Irish Scottish and Manx and Brythonic is welsh Cornish and Breton

[@dindrane1]

@@jackieroberts7895 Thank you. I didn't know that. 😊

[@LindaToki]

❤