Briganta, mother of the flame, may I pray with a good fire
Briganti, mother of the flame, may I sacrifice well

a single white candle I have had for a few years and light only at this time was then lit from the central Briganti flame;

Into the eye of the first one did Taranis blow life,
the frost in the bones of the land melts away,
the flesh of the land flushes with life
as the blood of the oceans runs hot on the shore

from the central flame some incense was lit;

Briganti of the flame,
weave our words into your veil, bear it aloft;
to Taranis the sky father
to the Grey Mare on the hill
and to the Lord in the Wave

Bride of our company
Of links and friendship
Across Brigantia, the isles
Of your people:
Veil us within the bounds of belonging.

Some honeyed and warmed milk was then poured into a bowl which had some dark rum in it;

Briganti; I offer this milk, as it is right for me to do so

A steamed bun was then placed in a bowl at the altar;

Briganti; I offer this food, as it is right for me to do so

A little of the steamed bun was burned in the flame.

Finally I did the triple toast, something shared with the other members of Brython in the same manner and at the same time.

It came to pass that a human woman sought out Rigantona. Long was her journey to find the beloved queen and when she came before Rigantona she fell to her knees. “Great is my pain, o queen” she said, “for my father, my husband and my brothers have all been torn from me and reside in the realm of the dead”. The woman went on to explain that there had been conflict between two tribes and her father, brothers and husband had been killed and their heads taken. They could not enter the halls of the dead for the price of entry to that place was a skull. The woman spoke of her grief and pain because her kin were forced to wander without the rest and peace found in the halls of Belatonos. The woman begged Rigantona to help her kin.

Rigantona told the woman that there would be a price for her aid and the woman said she would pay anything for her kin to be at peace. Rigantona told her that the first part of the price would be that each dawn and each dusk for the next six moons she must sing out her pain and grief and sing of her plea for aid. If she could not sing she must talk, if she could not talk she must croak, if she could not croak she must reach out with her soul. She must do this without fail. The woman agreed.

Now Rigantona knew not the Realm of the Dead or the way to it so first she watched the souls of the dead as they journeyed to the Lands behind the Land. She watched as they approached the black river with the bridge of bronze. She watched as they approached the bone gates to the realms of the dead and for the first time she gazed upon the face of Belatonos as he took his price and let the souls enter his halls. And she watched as those that could not pay the price were turned away to wander the lands beyond the realms of Belatonos and she was troubled.

Rigantona went to her mother and sister, the old one of the Land and gave to her the cup of sovereignty. “I must journey to the lands behind the lands and the cup may not come with me” she said. “I leave it in your care while I am gone.”

Then Rigantona walked into the depths of the earth, crawled through the darkness until she passed into the lands behind the land and came at last to the great black river.

She joined the line of souls as they crossed the great bronze bridge, watched as their names were etched into the metal as they crossed, but her name the bridge could not write.

With the others she walked to the gates of bone and in time she came before Belatonos and he looked upon the face of Rigantona and knew love. “None may enter here who do not pay my price” he said, “and the horn of plenty you may not bring within.” Rigantona answered “And what of those who can not pay? Is there no way they may enter your halls?” From this Belatonos knew why she had come and he rejoiced in his heart for he could see a way to win her love. “Between a man and a woman, a god and a goddess a contract may be forged” he said. “Go now into the lands and gather the souls of those who would follow you and enter here. Each one must pay me a head and I will let them enter”.

Rigantona left the gates and walked the lands behind the land. Many came to her and followed where she led but there were those who had no love in their hearts and they could not see her. In time she returned to the gates of bone. To each soul she gave a head of corn from the horn of plenty and each in turn gave it to Belatonos as the price for their entry to his halls. And Belatonos spoke “The heads you have given will not last unless the horn of plenty also rests in my wall and if the corn fades then the souls must leave. Will you come within so that the corn may live in my walls?” And because he was fair of face, love moved Rigantona to enter the realm of the dead and the land above and beyond could feel her presence no more and began to mourn.

Rigantona was lost to the Land and the Land began to mourn. Plants withered and died, the sun’s light faded, darkness grew and cold winds began to blow. And the woman sang. The old one grieved for the loss of her sister and daughter, she shrieked her pain into the growing nights. And the woman sang. The old one’s tears turned white and began to cover the land. And still the woman sang, at dusk and at dawn she sang of her grief, her pain and of her plea to Rigantona for aid. And the land began to listen.

Tigernonos in the seas had noticed the growing dark and cold and as he drew himself from the oceans the seas churned and the waves crashed against the Land. Taranis in the skies had seen the white covering the land and heard the shrieks of the land crying out in loss, as he drew in to the mourning land the winds howled and gales tore across the Land, and in the skies the sun drew back so it’s light shone weakly. They sought their sister Rigantona and when they could not find her they sought for answers and they heard the songs of the woman. They realised that their sister must have entered the realms of the dead and they were troubled. They called out for her return. The children of the first animals heard and added their voices to the gods. The woman and her people heard and to her songs of grief and her plea for aid the woman added the call for Rigantona to return. In the greatest darkness the world called out for the return of Rigantona from the realms of the dead. Deep within the realm of the dead, in the arms of Belatonos, Rigantona heard their cries.

Rigantona listened and heard the voices of all who called her name. She turned to Belatonos, embraced him and said “I must return to the Land”. And Belatonos was filled with sorrow for he loved Rigantona. “If you leave those who entered with you must also depart.” And Rigantona said “Between a man and a woman, a god and a goddess a contract may be forged. Leave I must, but if you agree I will return each year and those that I gather will enter with me for the time I am here”. And the bargain was made.

Rigantona left the halls of Belatonos and took up the horn of plenty. The heads of corn in the wall fell to dust. The souls who had paid with those heads of corn left the halls with Rigantona but they had hope as they knew they could return to feast with their kin again.

The land felt Rigantona once more and the cries of grief faded. The woman continued her song and Rigantona followed the power of her voice back across the bridge of bronze, back through the depths to the land beyond. And as her feet touched the land once more the first shoots of new growth came upon the land and all rejoiced.

As Rigantona walked the land it grew warm in her love and the light returned. In time Rigantona came to her mother and sister, the old one, and took back from her the cup of sovereignty. She went to the woman and came upon her at dusk of the last day of the six moons of singing. And Rigantona spoke:

“Well have you sung and this shall be both your price and your reward. I have been to the realms of the dead and each year I shall return. When I do the land will grieve and it will be called winter, but in that time those who cannot pay the price will be able to join me in the halls of Belatonos and feast with their kin there until I return to the land once more. And at the time of greatest darkness you and your children and grandchildren must call my name so that I know it is time for me to depart my lover and return.”

And so it came to pass that the land knew winter and spring and learnt that in the greatest darkness there burns the gentle flame of hope.

Wych Elm Goblet hand turned by Arth at Morgans Wood

After a year of seasonal discussions Brython has developed an outline of major festivals that are important to all of us in various ways. In this document I intend to outline these festivals, something of what they mean to members of Brython and some of the ways in which we have celebrated these festivals. As we rarely come together as a group these festivals are celebrated in slightly different ways by each one of us. Some of us celebrate with our family, some on our own and some of us will join celebrations with members of the wider Pagan community in our area as well as perhaps doing our own private rituals. What we have in common is that we all feel these festivals are important to us. As this process of discussions began with the festivals of winter it is there that I will begin.

Eponalia (18th December)

The Grey Mare is of great importance to most members of Brython so much so that we have named our tribe after her. “We are the Teguloktos Rigatona; the Family of Rigatona. She is the goddess of the Grey Mare, our matron and the one who protects our family.” We have discussed the dating of this festival, the 18th December date is commonly known now in neo-pagan circles for the festival of Eponalia. The description of the date come from the Roman calendar and it is possible it is from before the Julian calendrical reform, if so it would have been based on a lunar system. It is also possible that the Gaulish cavalry by whom this festival was originally brought to Rome may have had to move their festival from a solstice date. Blackbird wrote in a post on the Caer Feddwyd forum:

“In Iron Age symbolism, the horse seems to have been a solar creature – perhaps there was a belief that horses pulled the sun across the sky. Many of the iron age coins show solar wheels in conjunction with horses. Of course, the sun is usually associated with abundance, which links back to the Epona images. And then there is our one reference to Eponalia, at midwinter, which may indicate a solar connection there too.

The Grey Lady was obviously important enough to have her bit in some of the Saturnalia celebrations, but I reckon, not quite important enough to usurp the main Roman gods from the actual solstice / sun rebirth time. After all, we know that She was mostly popular among the lower classes (from contemporary poetry and literature such as the Golden Ass) and the cavalry, who would probably have been auxiliaries. Eponalia was probably not something that the toffs would have bothered with, or wanted to elevate.”

In the end Eponalia was celebrated by most of Brython on 18th December in 2008.

For more information on Epona please see the Epona site maintained by Nantonos http://www.epona.net

Winter Solstice (21st December sunset to 25th December sunrise)

This period of time became a three day festival marked at the start with a toast on the evening of 21st December, a toast on the evening of the 24th and a final dawn observance on the 25th.

When these are linked with Eponalia we have a pattern of three days with the solstice point in the middle of them – 18th, 21st and 24th. This is followed by a dawn observance on the 25th to mark the return of the sun’s apparent movement through our skies.

It was generally agreed that this time of the year has a strong family focus. Several members of Brython spent time during this period either fasting or trying not to use electric lighting to further focus thoughts on the darkness of this time of year.

It was at this time that we really developed a ritual that was to bind us together in our celebrations no matter what else we might be doing and this was the triple toast.

The Triple Toast

This is simply a series of three linked toasts often accompanied with libations that each of us try and do as close in time as we can to the rest of the members of Brython. It has become a binding element among us and is missed when for whatever reason we do not arrange to do this at a festival we are all observing. At the present time it is the only practice that we share among the group.

Gwyl Ffraed – Sunset 31st January to Sunset 1st Feb

Brigantia is special to a few of us in Brython and there was quite a bit of discussion about both the timing of this festival and how to celebrate it. Several of us felt that in reality this was a feast day that marked the first signs of spring in our local area and so would vary from place to place. However we also agreed that in terms of joining together as a community a fixed date was more useful.

We agreed to share in a triple toast once more, some raised a toast at dusk on the 31st, some at dawn on the 1st and others when they could manage. Milk was a popular choice for toasting with on this occasion.

Suggestions for practical ways of honouring Brigantia at this time include spring cleaning (Brigantia does have ties to hearth and home after all), searching for the first spring flowers, making offerings of milk and lighting candles either at dusk on 31st or dawn of the 1st. Sharing or reading poetry is also something that several of us do.

Heron shared the following beautiful poem and many of us used these words in our own celebrations.

“Bride of our hearth
Bless this place
With warmth
With shelter
With fire that burns for us.

Bride of our streams
Of wells and water courses
Asperge our land
With rain
With dew.

Bride of the candles
Lit for your remembrance
Bright be your blessings
As the Sun climbs higher
In his Winter rising.

Bride of our company
Of links and friendship
Across Brigantia, the isles
Of your people:
Veil us within the bounds of belonging.”

Brython is an organisation which aims “To research, recover and redistribute to the best of our knowledge and wisdom the native British pre-Christian Spirituality, as evidenced by historical sources and personal experiences, to trace its influence and expression into later times and to explore its application and relevance to life in the modern world”

Brython is a tribal influenced community, with bonds formed through both face to face and online interaction. While Brython is completely free to join, we ask for something far more valuable: the responsibility of belonging to a community which values contribution. Broadly, we are polytheists, coming together to honour our gods and ancestors and to develop our relationship with the land we live upon. We place equal value upon experiential and academic work, recognising that each is worthless without the other.

If you are interested in Brython, you are welcome to join our fora at Caer Feddwyd, where you will find a broad range of topics and will be able to ask questions about Brython and the Brythonic traditions. That should help you decide if Brython is something which you would be willing and able to participate in. Membership to Brython is then by invitation, based upon your commitment to the aims of our organisation and willingness to contribute. Brython members gain access to a members only area in which we discuss topics in more depth and share deeper wisdoms with each other. It is from this members only area, in addition to discussions on Caer Feddwyd, that the information in the articles here is drawn.

About this website

Articles posted on this website are © the original writer(s) unless explicitly stated. Please link to this website rather than copy/paste the text. Our aim is to promote collective awareness of the subject matter, as there is too much misleading or plain incorrect information surrounding these subjects in the wider community presently.

Tigernonos took his blood and from it formed the vast oceans, the lakes and every stream that flows. Rigantona took the bones and the flesh on them and from it made all of the land; the plains, the valleys and the highest of mountains. Taranis took the antlers from his head and across them draped the heavens. He took the last breath from the lungs of Dyeus and created the winds. He took his right eyeball and blew into it the heat of his body and set it into the heavens, he took the left eyeball and drew out of it all the fire it held and set that too in the heavens.

In the remains of the body of the dreaming Dyeus they found seven writhing things of fur and teeth and claws. Tigernonos poured life into their blood, Rigantona grew life in their flesh and Taranis blew life into their lungs. Then they set these seven first beasts into the worlds: they were the first Swine Father, the first Hawk Mother, the first of all Fishes, the Owl, the Bear, the Bull-Son of Taranis and the Grey Mare.

All that remained of the First Father Dyeus was his dreaming spirit in that cold endless nothingness. And so Rigantona seized hold of it and wove it through the world and through the heavens and through the oceans of the world. She took a portion each for the seven first grandchildren and gave one to each so that they may pass it on to their offspring and to every living thing that was to come into being.

And when all of this was done the three first children of the First father took to their realms of Sky, Land and Sea and surveyed all that had made.

A Brython yahoo group was set up in January 2007; membership to that group was by invitation only and gradually increased.  At the beginning of November 2008 a private forum for Brython was set up and the yahoo group has fallen into silence since that time with activity moving into the Forum.  Again membership to the forum is by invitation only.

By mid December 2008 discussions had taken place about goals and plans for Brython and we agreed on a small number of areas to try and progress.  These were:

• Brythonic Pantheon
• Ritual Calendar
• Format of Rites
• Brython Info Pack
• Brython Journal
• Brython Website

The following information outlines the progress that has been made in these areas to the time of writing in October 2009.

1. Brythonic Pantheon

There have been a number of discussions about various gods on the Brython Forum and indeed on CF.  Megli put forward the following list of god types with examples of known names/titles which has been very useful:

• The Mare-mother (Epona) – [the same as 'Our Lady of the Land', below?]
• Sulis/Briganti/’Minerva’ – (possibly a sun goddess, ‘Our Lady of Light’?)
• Our Lord of the Tribe (Toutatis) – (often the same as the War God?)
• Our Lord the Manyskilled (Lugos)
• The Divine Blacksmith (Gobannonos)
• Our Lord the Ploughman (Ambactonos)
• The Holy Youth (Maponos)
• Our Lady of the Land (‘Sovereignty’, Rosmerta, perhaps Donu/Don)
• The Wheel-god of Heaven/The Thunderer (Taranis?)
• The Horned One of wealth and regrowth: an underworld god? (Cernunnos, Caesar’s ‘Dis Pater’)
• A War God, variously named (Cocidius, Belutucadros, Camulos etc)
• local nature spirits called ‘the Mothers’ and their male associates, ‘the Hooded Ones’
• Our Lady of the River (Sabrina, Matrona, Deva, Cluta, Verbeia: also Donu, given the number on Donu/Danu river-names on the continent)
• Our Lady of the Well (eg Coventina)
• Our Lord of the Wood (Rigonemetis, ‘Silvanus’)
• Our Lady of the Glade (Nemetona)
• The Divine Druid/Wizard/Poet (Vitionos?)
• Our Lord of Waters (some good evidence for this one: Nodons, and in Ireland Nechtan and the ‘rex aquarum’, or ‘Waterking’, mentioned by Patrick)

Some of these names/titles will be very local while others will be more widely known.  Discussion on deities is likely to be ongoing for some considerable time but I think in the list above we have a core framework to work with.   I think it worth emphasising that what many think of as names for various gods were titles and if you understand the title you have an insight into the nature of the deity.

2. Ritual Calendar

As the year has progressed we have discussed various festivals and what they mean to us.  Currently we have a skeleton of festivals which have meaning to the majority of us.  These are:

• Eponalia – 18th December
• Winter Solstice – Sunset 21st December to Sunrise 25th December
• Gwyl Ffraed – Sunset 31st January to Sunset 1st Feb
• Calan Mai/ Belenus – Sunset 30th April to Sunset 1st May
• Sumer Solstice – Sunset 21st June to Sunset 22nd June
• Lugus – End of summer/harvest
• Nos Calan Gaeaf/ Samhain

We have also talked a little about the possibilities of other lesser festival days but there haven’t been any conclusions as yet.

LR started a discussion on the dedications of the days of the week looking at Latin and Anglo-Saxon as well as English in December 08.  LR suggested the following dedications (which Megli clarified into Welsh and Brythonic versions):

If we are use English descriptive titles we have dedications as follows:

• Monday – The Mare Mother
• Tuesday- Lord of War
• Wednesday – Lord of Many Skills
• Thursday – Wheel God of Heaven/The Thunder
• Friday – Lady of Light, Beloved one
• Saturday – The Holy youth (or perhaps the Eloquent one)
• Sunday – Lord of Light/Sun

As we move into a second year of the Brython forum existing that this skeleton of festivals is likely to be developed further.

3. Format of Rites

It is reasonable to say that there hasn’t been much movement in this area.  There have been some examples of different rites posted and some discussions but not many concrete conclusions so far.

One rite that has proved popular is that of the triple toast.  This began as an idea at Eponalia and has been continued through the developing festival year so far.  Wherever we are we raise a cup in a triple toast. The toasts usually include some aspect of the day, the tribe or the gods of the tribe and the ancestors.  When we can we do this at the same time of day but that is not always possible with work and family commitments.  The toasts often involve libations being offered in addition to taking a drink ourselves.

Some of us are doing some form of rite at the full moon focussed on the ancestors.  For a couple of us that includes ritually brewing up a pot of tea and sharing a cup with the ancestors but this is not something that we all do by any means.

4. Brython info pack and 5. Brython Journal

These two areas are grouped together as there are relationships between them.  There have been a number of discussions on what to include in an information pack about Brython and how to publish it.  So far we have not managed to produce sufficient material that we are all happy with to go ahead with this.  Publication of a journal has been put on a back burner with more energies going into information pack than a journal at this time.  Time constraints for all involved have also impacted on both these areas.

6. Brython Website

This was launched early in November 2008.  Other than the addition of a statement about neo-druidry this remained unchanged for the first year.  This was partially because the intent was that the information pack material would also be added to the site and partially due to time constraints on those with editing rights to the site.  While most activity takes place on the forums we are making an effort to provide some further information on the website.

Other things not in the list of goals

Francis hosted a successful face to face meeting on his land in Wales in July.  Prior to this meeting there was a flurry of online activity leading to the production of a document on Brython called Brython Core Values.  It is hoped that an article based on this it will be appearing in the Imbolc 2010 edition of Pentacle.  In the meantime a version is to be added to the Brython website and the Caer Feddwyd Forum for the 1 November 2009.

It is hoped that twice yearly gatherings will be taking place and Arth offered to take forward the planning of gatherings for 2010.

A six spoked wheel has been adopted by consensus among Brython members as a symbol of the group.  The wheel was chosen because it has a number of apt meanings already attached to it such the sun, chariots and horses, the turning year and also movement and journeys. There is no set meaning of the six spoked, the number was picked simply as something different to other wheel symbols out there with popular meanings.

Arth has made a lovely bowl for use at Brython gatherings.  It was generally agreed that this could and should hold a range of good quality liquid refreshments for sharing among the gathered tribe.

There have also been many discussions on a wide range of topics both on Brython and on the Caer Feddwyd Forum.

Personal Conclusions

When I look back at the discussions and agreements reached over the last year I personally think we have done a great deal.  It may not look like much to others but it must be remembered that we all have lives outside these forums.  A few of us have families with young children, most, if not all of us, work for a living and some of us have been undergoing periods of stressful change in the last year.

I think we have also come to know each other a lot better over the last year.  I see a supportive network of friendships developing with an atmosphere of deep trust and caring.

I am convinced we will continue to move forward in building a tribe that I am honoured and proud to be a part of.

In the light of recent threads in various fora, this statement is a response from Brython as a group and is posted here with agreement of the group.

Brython does not have Druids at this time, although we recognise the potential for such roles within what we do. This has been the standpoint of Brython for a number of years, and has been publically so.

We recognise the ancient Druids, their role within society, the significance they had to that society. We can’t match that beyond an aspiration.

We understand there is a modern tradition called ‘Druidry’, and that people who follow it call themselves ‘Druids’. We are fully aware of it’s political, theological and historical origins. What we don’t recognise is any connection between the two.

To clarify a little of us, Brython is of Britain. We place focus on the pre-Roman but look to all of British history for inspiration and information, be it ‘Celtic’, Heathen, Christian or whatever. We are predominately polytheist in approach. It is the people and Gods of Britain, the place. It is not re-constructionist in that we are not re-enactors. It is a modern interpretation, with a timeless ethic. At present we are still developing but welcome members regardless of current country of residence or place of birth, what is important is the desire to work with the people and gods of the land of Britain.

On the ‘Druids’ issue, it makes little difference to us what neo-Druids call themselves. We don’t believe that simply wanting to be called it honours the ancestors, their achievements or their memory. We understand that some will agree with that while others will not and we actively seek the middle ground between the two.

The Tribe of Brythons, November 2008