Oct 20-21 Fulacht Fia Photos
2012-11-03
Catching up on some earlier ceremony, we did the Fulacht Fia fire and Ancestor Honouring on the last sunny weekend in October, the 20th-21st.
When we opened sacred space before starting to dig, a turkey vulture came and circled directly overhead just as we called in the East. We began by digging the pit and continued down until it felt that it was at the appropriate depth. Stones were placed in the bottom of the pit, and they formed a yin-yang colour scheme all on their own. Four beautiful granite stones were found to mark the four directions. You could see the family resemblance among the four stones.
Then decorations of gourds, pine cones, and flowers were placed around the pit, to honour Father Sky and Mother Earth, Dannu and Dagda. Offerings of milk, hazel nuts, tobacco, sage, oats and whiskey were made to the pit, and Mother Earth. We built the fire down in the earth, and lit it.
Dinner was eaten, and plates of food were prepared and left outside overnight for our ancestors. We stood around the fire and told stories, spoke the names of family, loved ones and beloved pets who had passed over. Toasts were made with the whiskey, and Annerose demonstrated an amazing fire-breathing technique, which you can see in the way the fire blazes up. The fire was stoked and left to burn overnight.
In the morning the fire was again stoked, and Caroll read us some wonderful poetry, which brought tears to our eyes. Then at the appointed time, a rainbow decorated log was placed in the pit, and all the decorations were slowly returned to the fire to burn and nourish the earth. The food offerings for the ancestors were also placed in the fire. Once all was burned, the earth was put back in place, dances were made, and finally a bouquet of greens and flowers were left to mark the spot where the earth was opened, fed, thanked, then closed. Thanks to all who participated in this wonderful event.
