CELTIC

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My story as Bran Ruz starts with this magnificent book. It took me by storm, the drawings and the story are superb. It is really a fine book. One of the reasons this book is dear to me is the fact that, in a way, this book could be about me. Rest me to say that I'm far from the hero as in the saga of BRAN RUZ.

To me BRAN RUZ is the impersonation of the right to be different, freedom of choice and speech, lacking nationalistic feelings and above all believing in love in any which way or form it may come to you. So, this is what I which you all: Peace and Love brothers and sisters. (What has nothing to do what so ever with "flower power".)

Who are we, people from Flander's Fields?

Our soil has seen and was conquored by, almost, every Western Tribe.

What is the origin of the blood in our veins?

Could the Tongueless - Women be right

By saying there's some from every Western Tribe?

Still, it has the same color,

the same smell ,

as the blood of any other tribe in the world.

All of this gives us the freedom of choice.

Mine my friend is no other than:

"HUMAN BY BIRTH, CELT BY CHOICE"

"DAONNA TRÍ BREITH, ACH CEILTEACH TRÍ ROGHA"

I would like to thank the following people for letting me down loading their beautiful gifs for free.They are pure gems at times and all a piece of art.

Before down loading from my page, please go over to their pages and read the terms of use.

Celtic Web Art: http://members.aol.com/Cyrion7/celtic

Celtic Clip Art: http://www.munsters.com/celt/index.html

Celts are scattered on this earth. This has many reasons: migration, warfare, nomadic lifestyle, .... . This makes that Celts can be found in Italy, Turkey, The Middle East, America, Bretangne, Eire, Kernow, Gallicia, Liguria... . If there ever would be a GATHERING OF THE TRIBES there would be a lot of different people. As scattered as we are maybe we could have this gathering on The Net.(In this perspective The Celtic Webring is a gathering.)

Celts were "Class A" mercenaries in their time. Eventhough they were feared by them, the Ancient Greeks liked to call on them for their services. Our ancestors were most feared by The Greek when there was no war on and they found their pleasure in the local alcohol. A Celt has always loved a good pint.

One of my favorite subjects are symbols, more in particular the simular ones one can find in different cultures. The spirals, also refer to as triskells, is the most common one. The fact its common may be strange but the fact that it has overall the same meaning is even more mystrious. In my point of view there has been a common language once. True, it may has excisted as only a symbolic language, but nevertheless, it was a language. Now, one still can find this spirals within Maori-, Aboriginal, South and North American and Indonesian Tribes, as well as by Celts of course.

There is a bunch of *Italian Celts who embrased me in their midst, a bond which is as strong as life itself. From them I learned that there was an Italian Celtic society of more than 500.000 people. Most of them living in Liguria. If you are a music-lover you should check out MODENA CITY RAMBLERS, their CD "Riportando Tutto A Casa" is a jewel. I can tell you it is strange the first time one hears ar sees them play. They even got some kind of Gaelic of their own.

*(In a way this pages is dedicated to all absent-friends overthere in Torino and Liguria.)

MYSTICAL AND HOLY PLACES:

Mystical and Magical, that's what Torino is to me. On my homepage I've already talked about it, but here's some more. In magic people believe in triangle's, every corner of a triangle is a stronghold to a certain kind of magic. The main forms of magic are White Magic, Black Magic and Red Magic. The triangles can be formed on regional, national, continental and world-wide level. On all of this levels Torino is believed to be a stronghold of all the kinds of magic. Due to this the city of Torino gives you a variety of people, (secret) societies, religions, ... of which each as has their own place in the city itself. -From every known culture, religion, people one can find at least one in Torino.- While walking in Torino it's quite normal to feel the vibrations, even for people who are not open to it. One feels that there is something in the air, something where you can't always put your finger upon. The people of Torino are not always open to talk about it but, once you learn to know them better they all are involved in it, one way or the other.

Torino also houses the second largest Egyptian museum in the world. If you ever drift towards this part of the world you should pay it a visit. Only in Kairo you'll find a bigger collection.

I had myself a tattoo in Torino, a trisskel/spiral, it seemed to me I had to make a choice. I was unaware about it's "magic"on a concient level at that time. The same day, however, some of my Italian friends revealed their Celtic origin. They didn't knew I had had this tattoo. So, I wonder .... . Also that same day I heard the music from Modena City Ramblers for the first time and became aware that the two women, who were guiding me through this town, were banshees. Friendly banshees I have to say but still, banshees.

-Not that it is of extreme importance but, I learned that women like to stroke the tattoo. It's nice but every time they ask if they can do I can't help asking myself: Why?-

TARA HILL. Co Meath/Eire. When I was overthere they had removed the big statue of Christ. It seemed right to me. For too many years Christians have build their things on the holy ground of others. So, the place once called Emain Macha, opened itself for me unspoilt and as it became through time. I love the time I spent there. And yes, I did touch the stone of Fál ... . Except from some noisy crows getting up into the sky, nothing happened. -Anyway, I don't pretend to be a king. The only thing I rule is my own life.-

CERNE ABBAS. Dorset/GB. Finding the figure was not so easy. One gets the impression the locals don't appreciate their Celtic past. At the other hand, if you find it, it means you really wanted to be there. My first impression was: Woooww!!! (It still is). As Celts lived together with and according to nature they didn't feel to erect building for their Gods or Paganfestivities. No, it happened all out in the open.

NEWGRANGE. Co Meath/Eire. Only civilized cultures honour their death. The tombs at Newgrange bear witness of a highly civilized culture. *The tombs are erected with architectal finese and mathematical presicion long before the Egyptian had a start on their first pyramid. On sunny days one can see the reflection of the white stones on top upto Wicklow Mountains.The guides on the obligatory guided tour are just excellent. They provide the answers on any question you may have. The EEC has put much money in the conservation of this site. In this case it's money well spend. In the central building on the site one can go to an exicibition which tries to evoke Celtic rural life as it was by the time this tombs were build.

* Knowing that, due to warfare and migration, Celts got as far as the Middle East and beyond, it wouldn't suprise me if Celts showed the Egyptians the technique on building Pyramids. (just an idea)

FLANDER'S FIELDS. Flanders/Belgium. This place has seen enough blood, Celtic and other, for the rest of eternity. Known for it's place in recent history due to World War I, this place was also the last stronghold of the Celts in this part of the world. From here migration started to the Brittish Isles, Ireland, France ... . Here the wind always carries the smell of the sea. While roaming through it I heard the Tongueless Women hummin' for the first time in my life. I was still a youngster then but I never forgot their song. To me, it is a part in Belgium where one can find Celt-a-like people. I call them so because they are Celts but don't always know it themselves.

And then ... there are those secret ones one can only treasure in his heart.

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