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| Edward Williams aka Iolo Morganwg |
(A work in progress 22-03-2015)
This Druid Elders Council Positions Paper ask:
This Druid Elders Council Positions Paper ask:
The Barddas and works of dear Edward Williams 1747-1826. Iolo of Glamorgan.
A recommed read for all Druids by me. He was a Stonemason, self educated polymath, Welsh antiquarian and accused Literary Forger. To me perhaps the most influential person in Meso-Druidry with roots running deep in Neo-Druidry still.
What are your views. Do you accept any, most, none of his views and works on Druidism once you know he is the source?
Replies:
Some views of those in the "Druid Elders Council (Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/DruidEldersCouncil/ ) and other groups and people.
Druii Searles O'Dubhain reprinted with permission.
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Searles O'Dubhain This is what I teach about Iolo:
Copyright Searles O'Dubhain
Iolo Morgannwg (1747 – 1826) is considered by some to be a fraud and by others to be a direct source to ancient Welsh Bardism and Druidry. His birth name was Edward Williams and his profession was that of a stonemason. His avocation and love was poetry and Welsh traditions. His addiction was to the drug laudanum which is mainly opium. His character was at once inspired and compromised.
During his life, Iolo had access to many ancient documents that have not survived to the modern day. He translated these and offered them as a modern guide to the ancient ways of Druidry. Unfortunately, he was also known to pass off his own works as such. His contributions to the Druid Revival are a look into how one person attempted to reconstruct modern Druidry and the Gorsedd of the Bards of Britain that he founded. One could perhaps see a structure in his effort that is useful while avoiding the pitfalls of thinking that one's own personal gnosis is an imbas from the gods.
Iolo's approach (and others like Robert Graves) is reminiscent of an encounter that was related to me of a Native American lady who was asked by an anthropologist what her people would do if they lost all their traditions and cultural practices. She looked at him and said:
"We'd find them again in the same way that we found them the first time."
This was most probably the original development approach for any tradition. Time then tested the theories, thoughts and conjectures of the people until the foundations of a culture and way of life were reestablished. In some traditions, it is the seers who go beyond to discover the secrets and mysteries that can be useful to the people. It is the experience and the history of the people that verify the truth or falsehood of such insights however. Time is the never ending test of anything. As people who are interested in following the Druid way we should also test gnosis and insight in our own practice with an objective eye for what actually works, and for that which is harmonious with what we already know. This is most probably why Druids studied the traditions for so many years. Traditions were the standards by which any new knowledge was judged on the Druid way and is still the standard today.
Iolo’s research, actions and fabrications merged (some would say confused) tradition, experience and inspiration for Druids of today. His work in establishing the Gorsedd of the Bards in Wales and his writings, particularly Barddas, a complete system of Druidism from Iolo’s mind and imagination, have literally forged themselves onto the Druid way. What worked from all this has been retained by reputable modern Druid orders. That which was in error has slowly been eroded away by criticisms and new studies on the more traditional and true Druid way.
The Druidry of today was shaped by Iolo as surely as a mason shapes a stone when constructing any monument or building. Druids today are discovering the old ways again in much the same way that they were first discovered in ancient times through inspiration, imagination and serendipity. What we know of the Druid way and tradition is still the standard that is being used to determine what is consistent with the past as well as the experiences and discoveries of the present. It is a building being constructed one discovery at a time, with some notable reworking for many false starts and shoddy workmanship. Scholarship is ongoing and the ways are improving.
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George King:
>>The Views of Druii Searles O'Dubhain match most of mine and also Druii Janice Scott-Reeder that she has shared with me in the past.
The Barddas and works of dear Edward Williams 1747-1826. Iolo of Glamorgan. (A recommend read for all Druids by me) He was a Stonemason, self educated polymath, Welsh antiquarian and accused Literary Forger. To me perhaps the most influential person in Meso-Druidry with roots running deep in Neo-Druidry still.
Of course one must arm with Awen when walking in the Leaves of Barddas. I do not pretend to have the skills to judge Dear Iolo Morganwy and his Barddas works. Yet many Druid Orders do, even as they still weave much of his concepts into their beliefs and writing.
No matter what is the true history of his sources, Edward Williams was a Great Welsh antiquarian. And Neo-Druidry owes him a great deal of respect as he above all helped pave our revivals.
Yet when using some of his work as a reference one can expect some biting by CR's and others also so be warned in advance.
TDK
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Should we be so blessed as to also get other Druid Elders views we will just keep adding them to this Positions Paper.
Some places to start your own research:
A most useful site:
http://www.iolomorganwg.wales.ac.uk/
http://www.iolomorganwg.wales.ac.uk/
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