Dawn Rising: April Almanac

Dawn Rising: April Almanac

Author: Fair Folk March 31, 2023 Duration: 1:12:39
This episode outlines the folklore of April in northern Europe: April Fool's day, Palm Sunday, Easter, St. George's day, and the history of gathering greenery for ritual and soups, rising at the dawn to worship a goddess, cuckoo folklore, dragon lore, and lovely spring ritual songs to set the mood! This month's April Almanac Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2AJtQbVqaNJKhwbSNpRqxc?si=4d2dafd206f74a15 Join the mailing list: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/62d72c01da642d55a9868141 Goddess of the Dawn episode of Fair Folk: https://soundcloud.com/fairfolkcast/goddess-of-the-dawn Goddess of the Dawn Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37OdQr0zs03bygse4ULS47?si=1dcb8ccce828438e Resources: Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer, chapter: In the Footsteps of Nanabozho: Becoming Indigenous to Place. A quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/7192815-our-immigrant-plant-teachers-offer-a-lot-of-different-models Mimisbrunnr entry on the Nine Herbs Charm (Nigon Wyrta Galdor): https://www.mimisbrunnr.info/nigon-wyrta-galdor A nice German nine-herb soup recipe: https://www.kitchenproject.com/german/recipes/Suppe/Grundonnerstagsuppe/index.htm Music in this episode: Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods Buy Sylvia Woods’ music: www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds Kuku Kaki Kultarinta by Honeypaw Purchase: https://honeypawband.bandcamp.com/track/kuku-kaki-kultarinta Edi Beo Thu Hevene Quene by Helena Ek and Goran Mansson Purchase: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/edi-beo-thu-hevene-queene/1625877870?i=1625879088 Now the Green Blade Riseth by Caedmon Purchase: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/now-the-green-blade-riseth/1491931796?i=1491932896 St. George by Waterson: Carthy Purchase: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/st-george/1280110185?i=1280110191 Instrumental track at 54:29: A Madre De Jhesu Cristo by Trouvere Medieval Minstrels Purchase: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/a-madre-de-jhesu-cristo/1346857580?i=1346857906 Bright morning stars are rising by Tony Saletan and Irene Saletan Purchase: https://folkways.si.edu/tony-and-irene-saletan/folk-songs-and-ballads

There's a deep, resonant history woven into the melodies passed down through generations across Europe, and Fair Folk Podcast is an invitation to listen closely. Each episode feels less like a lecture and more like a quiet conversation in a familiar room, where the focus rests entirely on the music itself-the ancient carols, the seasonal ballads, the work songs that carried people through their days. We explore these traditions not as dusty artifacts, but as living expressions of community, spirituality, and the human experience. You'll hear the songs in their raw, often haunting beauty, accompanied by reflections on their origins and the cultures that sustained them. This isn't about polished production; it's about authenticity and connection. Tuning into this podcast offers a rare space to slow down and let these timeless sounds settle in, revealing stories and emotions that feel both profoundly old and surprisingly immediate. It's a journey for anyone curious about the roots of folk music, the power of sacred song, or simply the comfort found in a melody that has weathered centuries. The Fair Folk podcast serves as a gentle guide, ensuring these resonant traditions find new ears and continue to echo into the future.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 67

Fair Folk Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Children of the Sun: Paganism and Folksong in Lithuania - Part One [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:28
In this episode I spend a week with pagan religious group Romuva, and reflect on the role of belonging in paganism and folk tradition. Live recordings taken in 2018. Music: Intro theme: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods 4:1…
Gnome for Christmas: the Midwinter Household Spirit [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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Interview with Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair, Irish Storyteller [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:15
I recorded this conversation last fall with the award-winning Irish storyteller Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair, who lives in Donegal, Ireland, and learned her craft from the last living traditional storytellers in Donegal. Get…
All Hallows': Folk Tradition at the Gates of Winter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:11
This episode explores the ancient traditions behind today's favourite Halloween activities: trick-or-treating, jack-o-lantern carving, divination, and... communing with the dead. This episode's music: Intro Music: “Fores…
Outi Pulkkinen, Finnish Runo-Singer and Jouhikko Player [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:45
An astounding performance and conversation with Finnish expert runo-singer and jouhikko player, Outi Pulkkinen. Pulkkinen is a Doctor of Music specializing in runo-singing and holistic improvisation with voice, movement…
Interview with Nigel Pennick, Author of The Pagan Book of Days [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:39
Nigel Pennick is the author of over fifty books, on topics ranging from paganism and folk magic to geomancy and divination with the runes. His book The Eldritch World will be available soon in an American edition, produc…
Finnish Kantele by Aslak Tolonen of Nest [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:44
Aslak Tolonen, recorded live in Riihimäki, Finland June 16, 2019. You can find more information about his music or contact him about purchasing a kantele here: https://nestfin.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/nestf…
Big Beltane: May Day Song and Custom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:34
May Day, or Beltane in Scottish Gaelic, is a joyous occasion to welcome new growth and fertility in the fields, the hills and home. With its all-night bonfires, green branches, towering may poles and delicate flowers, th…
Winter Solstice, Queen of Feasts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:24
This episode traces the age-old European origins of many of the Winter Solstice traditions we enjoy today, from mother goddess worship through stories of the wizard child Jesus, to Christmas fortune telling with bones. S…