In this episode of Oh Gee Pee Oh Gee
We’re celebrating Imbolc, Candlemas, Saint Brigit, and a whole host of birthdays.
Transcript:
From the unmistakable Louis Armstrong
That was a cozy little song titled Home Fire
And that is because we are at Imbolc, one of the quarter days of the Celtic calendar, when fresh milk is again on the menu, rushes are gathered, sacrifices made, purification rights performed and the hearth steward is celebrated
Yesterday, February 1st marked the midpoint between Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox when warmth slowly returns to our side of earth
The ewes go wide with lambs wanting birth
and the fires of Brigid or Brîde are lit.
This last bit
belies the pagan origins of St Brigit’s day as well as Candlemas,
a syncretic Christian festival
based on the earlier Celtic rituals
which sought to honor the fire, the hearth,
and the steward of the flame
the celtic Triple Goddess whose older name
is pronounced Breej
Candlemas came into being by mingling
Imbolc symbolism with the Christian commemoration of the purification of baby Jesus at the holy tabernacle.
For recall that the son of man was born into a family of modest means
and also into a culture which
Saw birth as unclean
So required sacrifice be made
for all firstborn males
upon the 40th day
From arrival on scene.
The requirement stipulates the mother present to the priest a lamb for sacrifice as burnt offering,
but if poverty prevents her from affording a yearling lamb she may instead substitute two pigeons
And since God chose to be born in body among the working poor it was two mated doves who died for the Lord that day instead of one innocent lamb
What about you?
What substitutions and sacrifices did your parents make for you at an early age?
Think back to your own childhood
If you could do it all over would you choose the same parents again?
Two pigeons were substituted when Joseph and Mary couldn't afford a lamb for the fire purification sacrifice.
Lambs and fire and purification are also central to Imbolc, the Celtic spring festival which has several pronunciations.
Imbolc in old Irish,
Imbolg in modern Irish
And Imol in panceltic settings
The word may derive from Oymeilk, referring to the time of year when Ewes again lactate or it may derive from I-molg meaning in the bag or in the belly. Maybe, we're not really sure.
There is still stern debate among linguists to this day as to how this word came to be
But at the core there is certainty
That fire is a necessary element for Imbolc
just as it is for Candlemas
Fire embodies change and there can be no cleansing without change just as there can be no growth without change
We see this in each of the triple aspects of the Celtic goddess, Brigid
A Smith, a healer, and poet as well as a keeper of sacred flame and the first mother in Eire to ever keen for her kid, taken too soon. She holds an important place in the pantheon of many who mourn as well as those who tend flame.
Brigid the Smith obviously stokes a very hot fire, controlling flame to shape metal
In this guise Brigid channels the creative power of Dhegom Mater, our magmatic mother earth
Whose metals brought forth from flames
Great changes and gave names to the ages
Copper, Bronze, Iron
Brigid the healer tends the less intense but absolutely vital fires of bodily metabolism
in this guise Brigid is the difference between life and death, icy cold or warm strong breath
Brigid the poet tends the flames of passion and the revelatory light of dreams
In this role she transmutes experience and sifts the ashes for the ember seeds needed to perpetuate flame essentially the same as the priest who blesses the wicks at candlemas in the name of Jesus Christ
For these reasons and others as well fire is an important component on many altars this time of year. By bringing fire to the altar we are connecting with not just the transformative aspect of p’wr d’angnus but also with the heartbeat of every home: the hearth.
The fireplace, the place set aside for fire to exist.
Just as a home is a place set aside for a human to exist. In fact our modern concept of home springs from the seed of the hearth, whose roots reach far back in time.
There's ample evidence that human ancestors--most likely Homo Habilis–were already in control of fire by 1.5 million years ago,
and I personally suspect
that fire played a role in the sudden hominid hair reduction 2.3 million years ago but I digress
Regardless
we do have solid evidence
that the earliest undisputed hearth site in the archaeological record appears 400,000 years ago
which is around one hundred thousand years before modern humans appear
Which means the right to lay a hearth and on it keep a fire is even older than our species is
So whether you engage Imbolc, observe Candlemas, toast Prometheus, or commune directly with P'wr D’angnus
by another name
It's every human’s right
to collect fuel and make use
of a tended flame
Just be careful and cautious when you do
If fire is on your altar then near too
should sand or water be
So with all that in mind and to start this first set we’ll hear one of my favorite Filksongs
from Kristoph Klover here’s Fire In The Sky
Right now on your community radio
Kay Be Oh Oh
[FIRST SET]
You're listening to Member Supported community radio and in that last set we were honoring flamekeepers and hearth sweepers in celebration of Imbolc
Ending there with Brighid's Kiss, a song by Irish band La Lugh which honors the Celtic hearth Goddess Brigid
Brigid is also the title of the Kelliana Track
preceding La Lugh
And before that was Candleflame by
Adrienne Lenker
who followed Lisa Milberg, founding member of Swedish indie-poppers, The Concretes as well as cocreator of the international MTV docuseries This Is My Music, which was quite good
Lisa is also celebrating her birthday today
So happy birthday Ms Milberg
we heard a demo from her solo side
titled The Pinks and The Blues,
a dialogue about being true
to your most essential you
To let the roots peak through
Many thanks to Producer Ruben Broman for putting that online
Well in this next set we'll wish a few more happy birthdays to a few of the artists born February 2nd
Beginning with Shakira who was born this day 1977
A compelling polyglot who fluently speaks Italian, Portuguese, English, and Spanish
And who released her first album when she was just 14 years old.
A truly amazing talent, and a blessing to this timeline we all find ourselves traversing together. I'm glad to be in this one at the same time as Shakira, and to be here with you.
Together we'll all get through this,
just throw on Some Laundry Service
and dance yrself clean.
Speaking of which James Murphy’s birthday is in two days on February 4th
but that is then and this is now
So Feliz Cumpleaños and from her 1995 album Pies Discalzos, bare feet
Here's the timeless truth, Estoy Aqui
On member supported community radio
Kay Bee Oh Oh
[PLAY SECOND SET]
You're on 90.7FM
Kay bee oh oh,
this show's called
Oh Gee PeeOhGee,
my name's Jeremy
and in that last set we were wishing some happy birthdays to artists born today, February 2nd
Ending there with the late Eva Cassidy who was sadly taken too soon.
From Eva we heard Autumn Leaves
which followed a track that may have caused your favorite Trekkie to go oh oh oh, I know this one
Because yes, that was Brent Spiner also known as Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation, as well as castmates
LeVar Burton
Patrick Stewart
Michael Dorn and
Jonathan Frakes
AKA Geordie, Picard, Worf, and Riker
All singing backup there on a song called It's A Sin
Which simultaneously is and isn't a filksong
You decide
That's from his 1991 album
Ol Yellow Eyes is Back
Prior to birthday boy Brent Spiner we heard an unfortunately still apt track titled Fieldworker
from English singer songwriter Graham Nash, who's turning an astonishing
eighty three
Which is just a wee
bit older than Howard Bellamy
of the Bellamy Brothers
who is turning seventy nine today and who we heard with his brother David singing Old Hippie
And again we began that set with Estoy Aqui
by Shakira,
So happy birthday Shakira, Homer Howard Bellamy, Graham Nash, Stan Getz, Brent Spiner, Eva Cassidy, and you too
If it is your birthday, I hope it's been a good'n
Well on tonight's show
we were high and we were low,
we learned that hearths are where fires go
and that every human has a right2light one
To warm themselves at night,
cook food, and cast light
We learned that Prometheus most likely looked like Homo Habilis
And that Candlemas
is important to syncretists
As it links the Goddess Brigid
with Christ, Jesus
And we heard some good music along the way
I've enjoyed spending this time with you and as it draws again to a momentary close I want you to know
that you are an important part of our community and I'm glad we're neighbors.
If you'd like to learn more about what we heard or you just wanna have another listen you can go to kay bee oh oh dot org, select audio then list of programs and scroll down to PeeOhGee which is written phonetically
Papa Echo Echo
Oscar Hotel
Golf Echo Echo
That's how ya spell PeeOhGee
Going to see us out now with a track by Essex Green but first, remember friends:
You need not be Celtic to know it
each of us is a healer, a Smith and a poet
For others you care and for self you create
Just as Fire needs air
To show shadows their shape
Until next time
be well, do good
- KBOO