Fire & Water: June Almanac

Fire & Water: June Almanac

Author: Fair Folk May 31, 2023 Duration: 1:01:42
We have reached the energetic peak of the year. The main ancient and folkloric themes of June ritualise the human relationship to two of our primary life-givers, the sun and water. Our romance with these elements (and one another) reach a peak as the year completes its in-breath around the summer solstice. This episode outlines a faint thematic arc in historical Whitsun practices at the start of June, and Midsummer at the end, focusing especially on the folk rituals and folksong of the Baltic countries, Eastern Europe and Ireland. Purchase my new Gathering the Gods course on Thor, Odin, & Freya: fantastic-hall-390.myflodesk.com/ My excellent Midsummer Solstice / June Almanac playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0gG8z6O83kpkjflUqaSMZc?si=a7a6693c091046ef The Midsummer Solstice episode of Fair Folk podcast from 2018: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1QZliHXdfHHmSVy0ySfpbv?si=fe6608a7395c4a5e “Rusalki: Anthropology of time, death, and sexuality in Slavic folklore” by Jiří Dynda https://www.academia.edu/34620531/Rusalki_Anthropology_of_time_death_and_sexuality_in_Slavic_folklore “The Mythic Sun: An Aerial Perspective” by Thomas Dubois: https://chs.harvard.edu/chapter/thomas-a-dubois-the-mythic-sun-an-areal-perspective/ “Migration of Song Genres: Two Typical Lithuanian Cases” by Rytis Ambrazevičius https://bop.unibe.ch/EJM/article/view/8335 “The Midsummer Solstice As It Was, Or Was Not, Observed in Pagan Germany, Scandinavia and Anglo-Saxon England” by Sandra Billington https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hX0NJJHjoicOq-5VH3kPfsQAX3NTbAtj/view?usp=sharing Music in this episode: Opening theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods Buy Sylvia Woods’ music: www.harpcenter.com/category/harp-cds “O Na Ivana Na Kupala” by Olexa Kabanov - Buy it: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/oh-na-ivana-na-kupala/919387915?i=919387973 “Švinta Jona Vakaralia” by Nalšia - Learn more and buy it (scroll down for English): http://www.lnkc.lt/go.php/lit/Kupole-roze-sekminiu-joniniu-dainuojamoji-tautosaka/110946 Ozolini, Ozolini by Vilkači - Buy it: https://music.apple.com/ca/album/j%C4%81nis/1201942701

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
Interview with Vicki Noble, creator of the Motherpeace Tarot [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:13
In this episode I speak with Vicki Noble, co-creator of the Motherpeace Tarot Deck, a set of cards for divination that incorporates images of the sacred feminine from mythology and folklore. The creation of the Motherpea…
Lithuanian Kanklės Concert in a Pagan Temple: Žemyna Trinkūnaitė [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:31
This episode is a recording of Žemyna Trinkūnaitė playing a Kanklės, a traditional Lithuanian instrument, in a concert for a small group of people in a Baltic pagan temple in Lithuania. For more recordings, contact Žemyn…
July Update and a Summer Playlist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:57
A brief update about Fair Folk's summer and fall plans from northern Iceland, plus a spontaneous summer playlist to enjoy on the road or at home. To contribute to the Fair Folk travel fund: www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast p…
Midsummer Solstice [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:55
This episode explores some of the better and lesser known celebrations and songs of the midsummer solstice in Europe. In the process it addresses some of the perennial questions of this holiday, like: What is a maypole?…
Polyphony Worldwide feat. Joseph Jordania [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:15
The second in a series on traditional polyphonic singing, this episode visits the hunter-gatherer pygmies of the African rainforest, the peasants of pre-Christian Russia, and the possible residents of outer space, via on…
Ancient Multi-part European Folk Singing - Polyphony Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:52
The first in a series on vocal polyphony, this episode gives credit to the ancient origins of vocal polyphony in rural community practices, looking specifically at the polyphony of Lithuania, whose sutartinės are a symbo…
Interview with Jonny Dillon of the Irish National Folklore Collection [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:58
This episode I chat with Jonny Dillon, an archivist at the Irish National Folklore Collection at University College Dublin. We discuss the history of the Folklore Collection, his podcast, Blúiríní Béaloidis / Folklore Fr…
Kulning and other herding calls [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:15
Traditional herding calls from Sweden and Norway, with an interview with Swedish folk musician and kulning instructor Siri Holm. Music: Intro theme - "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods “Kulning” by Adolf Fredriks Kyrkas Kamm…
Elves [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:44
Malevolent or helpful, pinched and small, or beautiful beyond description, elves are a mainstay of western folk belief. Today we’re exploring the many manifestations of elf belief, delving into the folklore of the Britis…
Ballads of Scandinavia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:36
This episode is dedicated to the many wonderful tales shared in ballad form in Scandinavian countries. You'll learn that not all stories have happy endings (most don't), which part of the dragon you need to eat in order…