Gwyn ap Nudd | Welsh Deities 101 | Welsh Paganism, Polytheism, Witchcraft

[@Iwan_Cigfran]

Hello Mhara, I hope you are doing well. Awesome video! I am an American, but my ancestry is Welsh. My Ancestors came to America from Whitchurch. I know very little about Wales, Welsh folklore and Witchcraft. I have resolved to learn about it all. I received your book, Welsh Witchcraft: A Guide the the Spirits, Lore, and Magic of Wales as a Birthday gift. I am very much enjoying your videos! I am fascinated with the Tylwyth Teg, Anwnn, and Gwyn ap Nudd.

[@TarotandWitchery]

You really shine as a storehouse of folklore, Mhara! This really explains a lot of my experience and I love hearing you gush on all things Welsh. Thanks foe your contributions to the community.

[@kaxwu]

I haven't even finished watching the video but have just paused it to say thank you for the tremendous amount of effort you put into your videos. I really appreciate it and i love hearing you pronounce Welsh and breakdown the meanings of the words. I have begun to learn Welsh so I can better pronounce the beautiful language. I believe there is so much magic in our Celtic languages.

[@jandunn169]

This is fascinating Mhara, and filling in so many gaps in my knowledge about Gwyn Ap Nudd and also words in the Welsh language!!!!!! I absolutely so appreciate having you for a teacher, and now the story of Culhwch and Olwen will not go over my head and will sink in.

[@sisterpatience22]

Thanks for this informative and very accessible introduction to Gwyn. I've been devoted to Him for the last ten years and there wasn't much info about Him available at the time so it's great to see His stories brought to a wider audience :)

[@sophiacarroll4389]

A requirement for my second year of witchcraft studies is spending a year studying a pantheon of my choice. I am exploring the Welsh pantheon and your work, along with Kristoffer Hughes, has been invaluable. Thank you for being such a fabulous ambassador for all things Welsh and pagan.

[@sarot2002]

I love how you go deep into the meaning of names and words in general. Don't stop ❤️

[@MichelleChick-zo7ic]

Loved this Mhara Thank You for sharing, always been interested in Gwyn App Neath. I'm loving your new book Welsh Fairies. 😊

[@astrapentaxia2730]

I love now knowing a different story about my understanding of Gemini! Thank you for sharing :)

[@kirsty-anderson]

I cannot wait to see what I can learn from this - Love from Welsh Witches from Anglesey that have since moved to America! 💕

[@zacharygolem6590]

Love your channel! Glad I found your teachings. I believe the word you were going for was “patronymic” for the name from the father 🧐

[@mariamerigold]

I love this wild Hunt stuff, diolch! ❤️

[@KrisHughes]

Ah, Mhara. What an excellent explanation of all the different sources and interpretation. You rock!

[@francisfischer7620]

My goodness, you look beautiful! What a fine scholar you are! Absolutely fascinating!! Wonderful!!

[@braukorpshomebrew6039]

Thank you so much for this. I enjoy all of the folklore you make videos on.

[@HeatherDeweyPettet]

Diolch! So much great information. Thank you for sharing.

[@susanthompson9637]

Hello. Thanks for another informative (and enjoyable) video.🙂

[@brianevans9719]

What is the difference between Gwyn ap Nudd and Arawn? Are they different interpretations of the same being?

[@edwardlecore141]

That was my question, and the parallel with their arch-enemies

[@claramartin2104]

I really like the way you convey mythology.

[@psychiccoaching]

This is amazing 🤩. Deep in my should I felt that white is associated with death. I never knew why. This makes sense. Woow Your knowledge and storytelling is absolutely fantastic. Thank You

[@wiganwench1]

I love this, you're so interesting...diolch yn fawr iawn! 💖🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@JessicaRolfe-dy7ib]

‘A conversation with’ really reads like someone with survivors guilt and who sees the futility of war.

[@ellietheawesome5892]

I think I heard you on BBC Radio Cymru the other day! My Welsh is still very rudimentary but I think you were talking about Mari Llwyd?

[@mikehart5619]

Deities of other Pagan pantheons had ritual worship or rituals honoring them. Is there anything like this is either traditional Welsh Paganism or modern?

[@nickc3657]

Kinda want a Welsh drag queen named Gwen Apnea now… (subtitles get credit for the name)

[@lyndseyperrott2830]

😂 brilliant!

[@lyndseyperrott2830]

Whenever I camp near the Tor, I hope to be kidnapped to rejoin my kind! 😂 x

[@Pixie3p14]

this is awesome, thanks. Also my Welsh pronunciation needs work lol, I got Annwn totally wrong XD

[@pedrouzeda206]

and what would be the big difference between Gwyn ap nudd and Arawn ?

[@mharastarling2730]

I touched on this question with Dr. Gwilym Morus-Baird in the “Otherworld” episode of my podcast! If you’d like a more in-depth answer, look for that episode! But as a shorter answer…both are Kings of Annwfn but in different contexts. On a mythical lens we could see them as just two distinct rulers of the same territory. Arawn’s primary story and the Mabinogi in general indicates to us that there was no “one and only king of the Otherworld”. There were many kings, and likely Kingdoms, just like Wales itself was historically divided into various kingdoms and ruled by various kings. On a more “esoteric” lens we could, perhaps, interpret Arawn and Gwyn as being two expressions of the same archetypal being (not my personal way of viewing them). And then beyond that, on a more humanist level, they represent two expressions of the King of the Otherworld perceived via two different classes. Arawn is King of Annwfn in the Mabinogi. The Mabinogi was most certainly literature devised for the higher classes, nobility, royalty. So he is the literary King of the Otherworld. Whereas Gwyn ap Nudd shows up more frequently as King of the Otherworld or of fairies in folklore. Folklore was not the lore of nobility but the lore of the common people. So Gwyn is the King of fairy to the folkloric streams known by the common people.

[@jandunn169]

@@mharastarling2730 When Arawn has Pwyll kill Hafgan, it made me wonder if Arawn is the Winter king and Hafgan the summer king.

[@henriettaabeyta1457]

The cythraul mentioned in Song Of Albion I just can't guess what that character and Nudd did different at the beginning when Nudd still saw his brother. But now Nudd's horde was mentioned as well. So is the Coranyid common in your mythology???????

[@carmencooke6765]

✅ p̴r̴o̴m̴o̴s̴m̴