Thursday, February 23, 2017

Language of the Gaels



Why don't the Celts teach their children to speak?

Traditionalism expressed in Language is perhaps not something many have thought about but as other groups well know the power of a country's native Language is quite great.

Today being Scott, Irish or Welsh is seen as a respectable race by non Celts. This has not always been the case however as being a Celt used to automatically make your life difficult.

Though there were many hardships for Celts in their history they always had a fighting spirit to keep their Traditions and "the old ways" alive...until now.

In this day when education is widespread and life is much more luxurious the several different Celtic peoples don't find their native Language worth preserving. The Language that their ancestors were persecuted for speaking (yet they continued to speak it defiantly) is not important to them.

Currently the status of these Languages are quite sad. In Ireland the population that "know" Irish is 1.77 million; the population of those who know more than a little is 77,185. In Scotland the amount left of those who speak Gaelic (as in speaking more than just a smattering) is 87,100 according to a 2011 census. In Wales a t.v. channel hosted a survey and found 750,000 reported to "know" Welsh and another 1.5 million who say they can understand it. The other small Celtic groups such as Breton, Cornish and Manx is much worse with 35,000 who speak Breton every day, 2,000 that say they are fluent in Cornish and 1,823 that speak Manx.

To Traditionalists this should be a cause for concern as the possibility of a language dying means a living link to past generations dying. This may not be the most important battle for counter revolutionaries but it is a battle that everyday common people can fight by educating themselves in their national language. This does not require drastic measures either; learning some of the language and (most especially) using it as much as possible is better than not at all.

One man from Ireland did find the Irish language important and decided to move his family to an Irish speaking county so that his children's native language would be Irish. The children, who were quite musical, become a very famous Irish band that sings in the Native Irish. That band is called "Na Casaidigh" or The Cassidys.

Resisting modernity comes to many different battle grounds and Traditionalist Counter Revolutionaries must fight however they can. Depending on the abilities and opportunities given to us by God we all must fight where we are able. If we are in the Political world we must fight for Tradition in government, if we are musicians we must promote tradition with our music, if we are artists then we must fight with our art and if we might promote Tradition by speaking as much as possible in a Traditional (still living) language to remind people of the past then that is how we must fight to change the Mad Modern World we live in.

Éirinn go brách

Alba gu bràth

Cymru am byth

Gaels Forever 






Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Why Don't We Have a Game of Riddles?



The amusement of playing a game of riddles seems to be an uncommon pastime these days. In fact the traditional way of playing riddle games seems all but lost now.

In olden times asking and answering riddles was an art and a riddle competition was no easy challenge requiring cunning and creative skill. One's ability to solve riddles was once used to measure one's intelligence.

Like many other Traditional human activities the tradition of riddles is present in just about every culture from ancient China to Old Norse Scandinavia. Medieval and ancient literature has many accounts of riddles and riddle games such as the book of Exeter, The Saga of Hervör and Heidrek and One Thousand and One Nights.

Why modern man has lost this tradition of riddle games is uncertain but in my opinion it is due to our love of "gadgets" and our emphasis on the superiority of science. Though many Moderns will be astounded at my stating, it is my opinion that knowing about the existence of an atom does not make you superior to medieval and ancient man. Those in our modern age who claim medieval humanity to be backward are themselves quite ignorant about what true intelligence is; the ability to memorize facts out of a science book is far inferior to the ability to create. One need only quickly compare Modern to Medieval society to determine which was more creative.

For Traditionalists the tradition of riddle games should be important to keep alive. There are many times when one may incorporate this game in our live i.e. car rides, while waiting for someone etc. The Traditional way to play it however is not memorizing a bunch of riddles to ask someone but rather to make up your own quickly while playing the game. This compels you to be creative and will be difficult at first but over time you will learn to quickly make creative word puzzles and even make wagers with your friends (warning: don't wager you life unless absolutely necessary)

Remember it is more traditional to make riddles about nature or non modern things but if you want to make a riddle about a modern thing like a t.v. or something try to encrypt it in archaic metaphorical language.

" You heard me before, yet you hear me again, then I die, 'till you call me again, What am I?"

answer: an echo

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

Poland: Tradition under Siege


In the Catholic West there appears to be only one stronghold left for our enemies to conquer. The other great bastions of the faith have all fallen: France, Malta, Ireland, Italy and Austria. Poland alone remains free but as we speak it is besieged by the enemies of Catholicism and Tradition.

Unlike the majority of Catholics, whose homelands have fell to the Liberal-Modernists and are now underground resistance fighters, the Polish people live in a country whose religious and temporal leaders support Tradition and the Faith. The Liberals have not forgotten Poland though and are doing everything they can to destroy her.

What we see today calls to mind the Siege of Vienna when the Ottomans besieged the temporal capital of Christendom. That time in history saw the Ottomans defeated by the Polish army and the Catholic world saved. Today it is Poland that is under siege and there seems to be no one that can save her.

The reason that Poland has withstood this modernist invasion must be credited to Communism. The Polish people understand that their identity as Poles is distinctly Catholic. They know this because the Communists attacked that aspect of Polish culture the most. Now that Poland is free the people are rightfully distrustful of everything that hates their faith.

Currently in Poland there is a very Traditional mindset. Religion is still very important to Poles, they have very strong opinions on the importance of family, they have very traditional views on morality and have a healthy nationalistic mentality.

The People of Poland also seem to recognize the danger of Muslim refugees and have expressed this on many occasions including a soccer game in 2015 where fans held a giant flag of a crusader knight blocking three ships filled with Muslims from entering (interestingly the banner also contained anti U.S. sentiment by having the boats named U.S.S ISIS, U.S.S. Bin Laden and U.S.S Husein) underneath the banner was written "Lets rise up to defend Christianity".  According to a Pew Research Center survey done in 2014: 50% of Poles that responded had an unfavorable view of Muslims compared to 32% whose views were favorable. 

Though Poland's Traditionalist mentality is still strong it is experiencing some losses. One major loss was the government caving to pro-abortion activists protesting the complete ban of abortion bill that passed in Poland's Parliament. The Polish youth also seem to be tending to have more liberal views and a wanting not to seem backward to the rest of the European Union.

Though Poland has suffered some losses She has also had some great victories with the Catholic Bishops declaring Christ to be the King of Poland (with the Prime Ministers approval) and their refusal to take immigrants into their dioceses.

The current position of Poland seems far from hopeless with the Polish tending to see the madness that the West is advancing but the danger is still real with the world putting more and more pressure for Poland to abandon its Traditions.


Saturday, February 18, 2017

Traditional Cuisine: Mead

                                                                   

One very Traditional drink that surprisingly is less common today is mead. This ancient drink that was enjoyed by the Old Norse Vikings is still available today yet somewhat hard to find in the average spirit store.

Called the ancestor of all fermented drinks, mead's history is incredibly old with the earliest archaeological evidence of the production of mead dating around 7000 b.c. and the earliest reference coming from the hymns of the Rigveda, one of the sacred books of the historical Vedic religion and Hinduism dated around 1700–1100 b.c.  The Epic poem Beowulf also references mead and Mead halls.

In the Germanic and Celtic cultures mead was considered a heroic drink. Historically mead in olden times would be drunk in Mead Halls where Scandinavian Kings and their warriors would feast and celebrate heroic deeds with songs sung by bards.

 The commercial selling of mead was obscure until recently due to taxation and regulations governing the ingredients of alcoholic beverages. Some monasteries kept up the old traditions of mead-making as a by-product of beekeeping, especially in areas where grapes could not be grown again giving the world another reason to thank the Catholic Church.

Mead is an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting a solution of honey and water. Quite often it is drunk mulled, that is warmed, and spices and fruit mixed into it.

So whenever you would like to feel more aesthetically traditional, drinking mead would be a good option and while drinking it remember the ancient history of this amazing Traditional beverage.


Friday, February 17, 2017

Hear, Smith of the Heavens.


There is something incredibly fascinating about the mysterious North. There is something that is awakened in one's soul when one thinks of the icy seas and the dangerous winters of the untamable North. One finds it hard to believe that Trolls, Goblins and Dragons did not really exist there (yet one must admit that if those strange creatures ever did exist it must have been there).

Many Modern people have had this fascination with the North; with its myths, language and ancient culture. Unfortunately some of these people express this fascination by becoming Neo-Pagans. These people have forgotten the history of the Northmen. They have forgotten that the Northmen, for a while, conquered the Christian lands and people but in the end the Christians conquered their hearts. They forget the Scandinavian people were deeply grateful for the gift of salvation and for many centuries were most loyal sons of the Church.

Erik the Red and his son Lief Erikson are fine examples of Vikings that forsook their pagan ways to live the life that Christ demands of all people. One other less known Christian Viking Chieftain was Kolbeinn Tumason.

Like many other people of power in the middle ages Kolbeinn used his influence to get men in his favor appointed bishops and other powerful roles in the clergy. One such was the bishop Guðmundur. This choice proved bad for Kolbeinn because this bishop became a staunch advocate for clerical independence. The two eventually clashed and even fought a battle against each other.

Even with his battling of Bishops, Kolbeinn was a devout Catholic and wrote a poem on his deathbed that was later turned into a hymn. This beautiful poem captures the Northern Catholic spirit.

Heyr, himna smiður,
hvers skáldið biður.
Komi mjúk til mín
miskunnin þín.
Því heit eg á þig,
þú hefur skaptan mig.
Eg er þrællinn þinn,
þú ert drottinn minn.

Hear, smith of the heavens,
what the poet asks.
May softly come unto me
thy mercy.
So I call on thee,
for thou hast created me.
I am thy slave,
thou art my Lord.

Guð, heit eg á þig,
að þú græðir mig.
Minnst þú, mildingur, mín,
mest þurfum þín.
Ryð þú, röðla gramur,
ríklyndur og framur,
hölds hverri sorg
úr hjartaborg.

God, I call on thee
to heal me.
Remember me, mild one,[1]
Most we need thee.
Drive out, O king of suns,
generous and great,
human every sorrow
from the city of the heart.

Gæt þú, mildingur, mín,
mest þurfum þín,
helzt hverja stund
á hölda grund.
Send þú, meyjar mögur,
málsefnin fögur,
öll er hjálp af þér,
í hjarta mér.

Watch over me, mild one,
Most we need thee,
truly every moment
in the world of men.
send us, son of the virgin,
good causes,
all aid is from thee,
in my heart.


Story of Tradition: Mongolia

                                         
Many people I am sure will suppose that to be a Traditionalist, one must be entirely against technology (and that a traditionalist blogger like myself must be a demented hypocrite). The Truth is however that to be a Traditionalist one need not reject technology but try to use it Traditionally.

Mongolia is a fine example of true Traditionalism. The Majority of the People of Mongolia live the way there ancestors did as Nomadic herdsmen. Over the last few decades however they have incorporated technology into their Traditional lives making them more efficient.

Traditionalism does not mean our lives must be stagnant, rather Tradition should be our guide as to how we use technology and modern advances. It is helpful to think of Tradition as a tree. A tree is always growing as tradition always grows. To cut down the tree or to stop it from growing both harm the tree. The same is with Tradition, to completely reject it as progressives do or to reject all progress are both nontraditional.

The People of Mongolia are living Traditional lives while using technology to improve themselves. The government of Mongolia has helped Nomad families to obtain access to the internet and television. This has helped the herdsmen to keep track of meat prices and has enabled them to get better prices when selling their meat. It has also helped education and literacy. The Nomads have also added gas powered vehicles such as motor cycles and trucks to help care for their herds better.

Though life has become a little more modern for these nomads, there traditions are still secure. The Family is still the basis of their society usually having three generations living together. They continue to support themselves by herding sheep, camels and horses. Evening are spent together and it is common for the grandfather to tell the children stories that have been passed down for countless generations. Though western clothing is becoming more common, many nomads continue to preserve their traditional dress. Traditional music is also much more common than the modern music popular in Mongolia's only metropolis, Ulaanbaatar.

Traditional eagle hunting is a common feature of Mongolian life and horsemanship is a common skill. There are many Festivals also in Mongolia where the Nomads compete in sports that celebrate their Traditional lifestyles.

Religion is still strong in Mongolia with the majority of Mongolians practicing Tibetan Buddhism. Surprisingly even in an unlikely place like Mongolia, the Catholic Church is present and has some one thousand adherents.

Though Tradition in Mongolia remains a strong force, there are still problems there with Progressivism. Many families have moved to the capital Ulaanbaatar and given up their nomadic lifestyles. This is mostly due to the Republican government that is trying to westernize the country. The risk of Mongolia loosing all traces of Traditional life however is quite low as the country has seen many regimes and were the west to ever stop being interested in Mongolia the modernization and westernizing of Mongolia would quickly cease.

Mongolia is a great example for Traditionalists that to have technology does not mean one can not be a Traditionalist. For Westerners what is needed is more Tradition in our lives and less technology. Living more traditionally could be keeping chickens or hunting or gardening; one could also be more traditional in one's recreation like reading, singing folk songs or telling stories. The important thing is to do what we can to reverse the modern mindset by thinking traditionally. We do not have to rid ourselves of modern conveniences but do what we can to counter the revolution that has become the establishment.



Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Traditionalist Holidays: Name Days



One very beautiful custom still practiced to some extent by Catholics, Orthodox and Westerners in general is the Name Day celebration. This is a celebration similar to a birthday except the feast of a person's patron saint is celebrated rather than the date of their birth.

There was a time when the Church required parents to give their children Christian names. This was because when a Child is named after a Saint, that Saint becomes the child's Patron and prays for his or her soul to be saved. In those days everyone had a patron and everyone had a name day.

Due to Catholicism's vast importance in the West (causing nearly everything known as Western Civilization), the people of the West's lives revolved around The Catholic Church and their Traditions, Customs and Culture and were all influenced by it. The Catholics of the West, especially the wholesome peasants took their faith very seriously and were always thinking of religion. It is not surprising therefore that a good custom like the Name Day celebration came into being.

Traditions for Name Days include: Holy Mass on the feast of one's Saint, Prayers to that Saint by the whole family, gifts and pastries that are associated with that Saint.

Those trying to live more traditionally should consider celebrating Name Days (even more than birthdays) for this was a special Tradition to our forefathers and celebrating Name Days in a religious way, especially in Protestant countries like the United States would greatly help the Counter Revolutionary cause (and obviously improve one's spiritual life).

Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Traditionalist Writers: G.K. Chesterton




G.K. Chesterton is an author greatly renowned in both the conservative Catholic world and in Non Catholic circles as well.  Loved for his humility, humor, easy-going attitude and love of life, G.K. Chesterton has converted numerous people to the Catholic faith and orthodoxy (Traditionalism).

 As an author G.K. Chesterton wrote quite extensively writing around 80 books, several hundred poems, several hundred short stories, several thousand essays and a few plays. His writing consisted of almost every topic one could think of. From Politics to Fiction, from Religion to Economics chances are G.K. Chesterton wrote something about it. 

Though less known today, G.K. Chesterton in his day was a champion of the common man and a defender of private property thus finding himself battling both the Capitalists and the Socialists. He considered both systems to be wrong and instead promoted the system of Distributism in many of his essays.

Distributism, also called Third Way economics is a system where, as much as possible, Capital (things that produce wealth i.e. machinery, land, animals, businesses etc.) is owned by the majority of people as opposed to several multi billionaires who have a monopoly on the market. Family owned Capital, Craftsmanship instead of mass production and more local instead of international markets are features of Distributism. The book 'Outline of Sanity', a compilation of Chesterton's essays on this system, discusses Distributism.

G.K. Chesterton was also known for his views on Patriotism and his dislike for Imperialism. To Chesterton, England was his country not the British Empire. His love was specifically for Merry England and would often praise distinctly English things like English pubs, beer, songs and legends. He greatly disliked the industrialization of his country and called for people to return to the land. He also supported Craftsmanship, disliking mass production and he called for people to buy from the "small shops" and stay away from the big departments stores.

Chesterton was quite skeptical of the Skeptic and often denounced Materialism and the many other modern ideas of the time.

Not all of Chesterton's views are compatible with Traditionalists however, especially his praise of the French Revolution. This was mostly due to his love of Democracy and the common man.

Excepting his few erroneous views G.K. Chesterton's writings continue to encourage, educate, entertain and win over Traditionalists and though many groups claim him as their hero, I am sure he would not have disliked being called a Traditionalist were he to have seen this time. Let us devote ourselves therefore to reading the marvelous works of this Traditionalist Writer: G.K. Chesterton.


Monday, February 13, 2017

Traditionalist Music


Traditionalism and Music 

Being a Traditionalist is more than just saying one agrees with Tradtional values. Real Traditionalists should be trying to revive the Traditions of our forefathers. One aspect of life in the better days was singing everywhere.
           Every culture has it's own distinct traditional music. One culture that has kept this tradition alive is the Celtic culture. Many ethnicities however have lost much of their traditional music and this should be a concern to Traditionalists.

Those who aspire to help return the world to it's glorious past before modernism should consider studying and incorporating into their lives music from more traditional times.

Some types of traditionalist music include...


Folk Music 

Folk music used to be an important charecteristic in the life of the common man. Playing folk instruments and singing folk songs (some even made up by their relatives) would be the means of recreation for a family before things like t.v.'s and radios were invented. In those days people would make up songs to go with their work. Even sailors, some of the most uneducated people, would make up songs to go with their work. Today however, the playing of instruments, though still popular, is steadily becoming less common and the writing of ones own songs quite unusual. What does that say about modern mans creative and artistic ability?


Classical Music 

Though modernists would hate to agree, it is hard to deny that modern man has become quite unknowledgeable about art. The great music of the baroque and classical era's have been replaced with much more simplistic and uneducated styles of music (rap for instance). Cultivating an appreciation for classical music is a worthy endeavor for it helps to educate ourselves to think and see beauty the way our ancestors did. It also helps to increase the popularity of classical styled music which would greatly improve society. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries composers wrote music to meet the demand of the public, modern composers however now write music more to impress other composers than to please the public. This is due to the small demand for new classical music. We Traditionalists should strive to promote classical music at least in our own families and teach the younger generations to appreciate Classical music and know that it is superior to modern styles. 


Chant 

This mostly relates to Catholics. 

Gregorian Chant is a style of Sacred music that has been around since the 10th century (some say even earlier). Though it is not as commonly heard today there was a time when our forefathers heard it every week at Mass. Today this ancient style of music is still heard in those churches that celebrate a Missa Cantata Tridentine Mass commonly known today as the Latin Mass. 

This style of sacred music connects us with all Latin rite Catholics since 900 a.d. That the singing of Chant in modern Catholic Masses has become uncommon is an abomination and proves that Liberals and Modernists have truly tried to destroy the Church. This music should be precious to Catholics and Traditionalist should never cease in fighting to preserve this Sacred music. 

Traditionalists should support Gregorian Chant by learning it for their local Mass (or even for private prayer) and teach people of its beauty and worth. 

If you have never heard Gregorian Chant before I would strongly recomend the Pange Lingua and the Adorote Devote to introduce you to the most beautiful music in the history of man.