183 lines
8.8 KiB
Plaintext
183 lines
8.8 KiB
Plaintext
From: Ioseph of Locksley
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To: All
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Subject: On Bards
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ON BARDS, AND BARDIC CIRCLES:
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-Ioseph of Locksley, OL, Pel, &c.
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(c) 1989, 1990 W. J. Bethancourt III
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In the SCA, in written Fantasy, in too many instances the word
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"bard" seems to be bandied about in a rather loose manner, being applied
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indiscriminately to true Bards, trouveres, troubadors, jongleurs, poets,
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playwrights, actors...in short, anyone who entertains.
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I hope to clear up this misconception, though to hope that the usage
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of the word will be corrected may be a forlorn hope....
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*
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Bards are found in Celtic cultures (Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Manx
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and Brittany) and a rough equivalent can be found in Norse culture, too, where
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they were known as "scops."
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There is no real equivalent to the Celtic Bard in Anglo-Saxon England,
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however.
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In Ireland and Scotland, the use of the word "Bard" apparently fell
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into some disrepute, as the records we have show that the Bard was simply a
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minor poet, while the "filidh" (seer) or the "ollave" (master poet) occupied
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the former status and functions of the Bard.
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In Wales, the Bard was not so lucky. There, the traditions ossified,
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and the Bards, after the advent of Christianity, became Court Poets, known as
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"Gogynfeirdd," or "Prydydd," limited in subject matter and form, and with
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rigidly structured rules.
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The word that corresponds with the irish "filidh," in Welsh, would be
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"derwydd," (oak-seer) the word from which "druid" is derived.
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The "hedge-Bards" were the ones that carried on the real traditions of
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the Bard. These are the people that gave us the "Cad Goddeu" and the "Hanes
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Taliesin," and who may have passed the "Matter of Britain" on to the French
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troubadors and trouveres, thus giving us Arthur and Camelot.
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The word "Bard," in Wales, denoted a master-poet. In Ireland it meant
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a poet who was not an Ollave, one who had not taken all the formal training.
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Apparently even the lower-status Irish Bard was on a level with the Welsh Bard
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in knowledge and poetic education, however, and these were what I have termed
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"hedge-bards," above.
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In the Celtic cultures, the Bard/Filidh/Ollave was inviolate. He could
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travel anywhere, say anything, and perform when and where he pleased. The
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reason for this was, of course, that he was the bearer of news and the carrier
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of messages, and, if he was harmed, then nobody found out what was happening
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over the next hill. In addition, he carried the Custom of the country as
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memorized verses...he could be consulted in cases of Customary (Common) Law.
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He was, therefore, quite a valuble repository of cultural information, news,
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and entertainment.
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A true Bard must know the following: music (and the playing of a
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period instrument, preferably Harp), poetry (original, and other people's),
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song (original and other people's), the History, Law and Custom of his/her
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Kingdom and of the SCA, as much knowledge of mundane medieval history, Law,
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and custom as they can possibly learn, and at least a very basic knowledge of
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linguistics and alphabet/cyphers. Some training in Folklore, and in the art of
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Sociology would help, too. See the list of suggested College courses at the
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end of this article.
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The Bard should investigate the "Matter of Britain" very thoroughly,
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paying special attention to Sir Gawain, and to Arthur's Queen. Do a little
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reading in the Robin Hood cycle, too, with special attention to the village
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festivals in Britain that mention him.
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Some Bards are "titled," that is, someone, be it another Bard, or
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whoever, or sometimes (very seldom) the Bard himself, has given them a bardic
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"name" or "title," that serves to identify them. Thusly, I am known as "y
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bardd Gwyn," "Bard Ban," or "the Whyte Bard." Another was known as "Derwydd
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Prydain," while even another has no title at all, and does not want one. Be
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wary of taking such a title yourself. Allow the giving of such to happen on
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its' own, and do NOT take it from a King of any kind!
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Each individual Bard will have certain perogatives that they have
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developed over the years. I, myself, tend to interrupt a Coronation court at
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any time with a poem, or a song, relating to the event. Other Bards will have
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other perogatives. Don't try to set yourself up with these; let them happen
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naturally.
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ON MUSIC AND SONGWRITING:
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Every so often, one hears a self-important "scholar" say something
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along the lines of: "Well, you have only written new words, or parodied the
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words, to a common tune....this is NOT real songwriting, but simply "filk"
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(as termed in the Science Fiction sub-culture) songs."
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Tell them to sit on it. This is, and was, an accepted thing to do, is
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quite legitimate, and very authentic.
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Just try to keep the general "sound" as Medieval/Renaissance as
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possible...admittedly a bit difficult when you are stealing ** er ** adapting
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a rock and roll melody, but it CAN be done....and please encourage others to
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do the same.
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ON BARDIC CIRCLES:
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A Bardic Circle is, simply, a setting for the listeners to entertain
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each other. This can be with poetry, song, and stories. All should
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participate, though it is not necessary for all to contribute to make it a fun
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thing to do. What IS necessary is that the number of things done by each
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person at any one time be limited, to keep the inevitable "stage-hog" from
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monopolizing the evening, and to keep the "Awful No-Talent Stage Hog" from
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running everyone off.
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I recommend that each person be limited to TWO songs, poems or
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whatever at a time, and then pass on to the next singer. This keeps it
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varigated, and interesting, and gives EVERYONE a chance to contribute.
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Try to keep discussion to a minimum, but, should it be interesting,
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let it go on for a while, as a break in the music. In any event, try to do
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something different about every hour or so, to allow your listeners to
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stretch, use the bathroom, get refreshments, and gossip for a while. This will
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keep them there longer, and add more fun to the occasion.
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SUGGESTED COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES
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Basic and Advanced Folklore of the Appalachian and Ozark mountains of the USA
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Basic and Advanced Folklore of the British Isles
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Music History (100 and 200 levels)
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Anything else in the Music curriculum that relates to Medieval music
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Comparative Religions
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Basic Sociology (100 and 200 levels at least) (watch out here! This is an
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"art," not a "science!")
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Linguistics
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Medieval History (100 thru Graduate levels)
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Medieval Law (100 thru 400 levels)
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English Writing
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The Literature of England (Ireland, Wales, Britanny, Scotland etc.)
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Poetry
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Fencing or other formal Martial Art
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Theater
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And ANYTHING else that might possibly relate and/or help.
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Reading list:
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OGHAM: THE POET'S SECRET
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Sean O Boyle; Gilbert Dalton, Dublin, 1980
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THE ENGLISH AND SCOTTISH POPULAR BALLADS
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Francis James Child; (five volumes) Dover, 1965
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THE SINGING TRADITION OF CHILD'S POPULAR BALLADS
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Bertrand Harris Bronson; Princeton University Press 1976
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THE VIKING BOOK OF FOLK BALLADS OF THE ENGLISH-SPEAKING WORLD
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Albert B. Friedman; Viking, 1956, 1982
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TRADITIONAL BALLADS: THE COMPLEAT ANACHRONIST #11
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Tsvia bas Tamara v'Amberview (pseud.);
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Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc, 1984
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FOLK SONGS OF ENGLAND, IRELAND, SCOTLAND AND WALES
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William Cole; Cornerstone, 1961, 1969
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FOLKSINGER'S WORDBOOK
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Fred and Irwin Silber; Oak, 1973
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101 SCOTTISH SONGS
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Norman Buchan; Collins, 1974
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RISE UP SINGING
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Peter Blood-Patterson; Sing Out! 1988
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THE TROUBADORS: THE COMPLEAT ANACHRONIST #44
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Leah di Estera (pseud.)
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Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc, 1989
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CAIDAN BARDIC CIRCLE SONGBOOK (5 Vols.)
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Caidan Bardic Consortium, 1988
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THE WHITE GODDESS
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Robert Graves; Farrar, Straus and Giroux, NY
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1966 (LCCCN: 48-8257)
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Not big on scholarship, but perfect for Bardic lore
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THE GOLDEN BOUGH
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James G. Frazer; Avenel Books, 1981
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The basic text on myth
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CONTRARYWISE
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Zohra Greenhalgh, Ace (paperback) April 1989
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0-441-117112-2
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*
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Permission is given for this paper to be used in publications of the SCA or
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related groups. If you use it, send a copy of the publication to:
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Joe Bethancourt - PO Box 35190 - Phoenix, AZ - 85069
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---
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* Origin: <Deus ex Machina-BBS Free Atenveldt! 602-439-8070> (Opus 1:114/29)
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