Cattle Calling - If anyone doubts that we in Anglo-American societies throughout the world have
inherited Pict culture, here is one that will dispel those doubts. I have questioned people who grew
up in the 1930s, 40s and 50s from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia to Lanark County in Ontario,
and without exception, if they called cattle home at all; they all used the common term - "HERE
BOSS!".
No one I questioned knew why they used that name, and the startling fact remains - the extinct cow
the Picts kept, and called in every night was - Bos Tauru s in Latin. The same cattle call Pict boys
used, has been handed down generation after generation through their Scottish descendants. With
the advent of public education in Albann, (which was controlled by the Church clergy), every Pict boy
was taught the Latin name for common terms such as "bos".
Defender of the Faith – In 706AD, Nehhtonn III initiated a remarkable tradition by seizing control of
the Pictish Church. He placed himself at the head of the Church becoming “Defender of the Faith”, a
position and responsibility; which has been handed down through all British monarchs ever since.
Today, each Monarch of the United Kingdom is solemnly proclaimed as the “Defender of the Faith” at
his/her coronation ceremony, in the Pict fashion. This title is also included in every legal contract the
British sovereign is party to (i.e. Crown Patent Land Grants).
The English term 'Bride' - The Picto/Celtic father god was Dagda. His daughter was the goddess
of fertility, Brigid. People prayed to Brigid for fertility in all things, animals, crops and even children.
She was so popular that a reincarnation of her occurred in the form of an Irish Pict girl from Kildaire,
Saint Brigid, (451– 525. She is known variously as Bridgid, Brigit, Bridget, Bridgit, Bríd or Bride
(Breton: Brigitte)) (Irish: Naomh Bríd). She is believed by some churches to have been an Irish
Christian nun, abbess, and founder of several convents who is venerated as a saint. She is
considered one of Ireland's patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Columba. Her feast day is
February 1, the traditional first day of Spring in Ireland, which coincided with the feast day of the
Celtic saint Bridgid of the same name. Our modern term “Bride” was derived from her. It is uniquely
Irish, Welsh, Gaelic, Breton and English, whereas the French term is Mariée, and has no connection
whatsoever with Bridgid.
Groundhog Day - Imbolc was one of the four principal festivals, celebrated among all Picto/Celtic
cultures, either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Most commonly it is
celebrated on February 1st, which falls halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox
in the northern hemisphere.
Originally dedicated to the Celtic goddess Brigid. With the advent of Christianity, it was adopted as
St Brigid's Day. In Albann, the festival was also known as Là Fhèill Brìghde, in Ireland as Lá Fhéile
Bríde, and in Wales as Gŵyl Fair. Imbolc was traditionally a time of weather prognostication, and the
old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens. It was the
precursor to the North American Groundhog Day.
Canada's Civic Holiday – August 1st
- Calan Onnus was one of the four main festivals of the Pict
calendar. It was held on August 1st, the traditional end of the growing season. Early Celtic calendars
were based on the lunar, solar, and vegetative cycles -- and the precession of the equinoxes -- so the
actual calendar date in ancient times may have varied. It also marked the beginning of the harvest
season, the harvest of Grain, the ripening of first fruits, and was traditionally a time of community
gatherings, market festivals, horse races and reunions with distant family and friends. It was a
favored time for handfastings - trial marriages that would generally last a year and a day, with the
option of ending the contract before the new year, or later formalizing it as a more permanent
marriage.
inherited Pict culture, here is one that will dispel those doubts. I have questioned people who grew
up in the 1930s, 40s and 50s from the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia to Lanark County in Ontario,
and without exception, if they called cattle home at all; they all used the common term - "HERE
BOSS!".
No one I questioned knew why they used that name, and the startling fact remains - the extinct cow
the Picts kept, and called in every night was - Bos Tauru s in Latin. The same cattle call Pict boys
used, has been handed down generation after generation through their Scottish descendants. With
the advent of public education in Albann, (which was controlled by the Church clergy), every Pict boy
was taught the Latin name for common terms such as "bos".
Defender of the Faith – In 706AD, Nehhtonn III initiated a remarkable tradition by seizing control of
the Pictish Church. He placed himself at the head of the Church becoming “Defender of the Faith”, a
position and responsibility; which has been handed down through all British monarchs ever since.
Today, each Monarch of the United Kingdom is solemnly proclaimed as the “Defender of the Faith” at
his/her coronation ceremony, in the Pict fashion. This title is also included in every legal contract the
British sovereign is party to (i.e. Crown Patent Land Grants).
The English term 'Bride' - The Picto/Celtic father god was Dagda. His daughter was the goddess
of fertility, Brigid. People prayed to Brigid for fertility in all things, animals, crops and even children.
She was so popular that a reincarnation of her occurred in the form of an Irish Pict girl from Kildaire,
Saint Brigid, (451– 525. She is known variously as Bridgid, Brigit, Bridget, Bridgit, Bríd or Bride
(Breton: Brigitte)) (Irish: Naomh Bríd). She is believed by some churches to have been an Irish
Christian nun, abbess, and founder of several convents who is venerated as a saint. She is
considered one of Ireland's patron saints along with Saints Patrick and Columba. Her feast day is
February 1, the traditional first day of Spring in Ireland, which coincided with the feast day of the
Celtic saint Bridgid of the same name. Our modern term “Bride” was derived from her. It is uniquely
Irish, Welsh, Gaelic, Breton and English, whereas the French term is Mariée, and has no connection
whatsoever with Bridgid.
Groundhog Day - Imbolc was one of the four principal festivals, celebrated among all Picto/Celtic
cultures, either at the beginning of February or at the first local signs of Spring. Most commonly it is
celebrated on February 1st, which falls halfway between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox
in the northern hemisphere.
Originally dedicated to the Celtic goddess Brigid. With the advent of Christianity, it was adopted as
St Brigid's Day. In Albann, the festival was also known as Là Fhèill Brìghde, in Ireland as Lá Fhéile
Bríde, and in Wales as Gŵyl Fair. Imbolc was traditionally a time of weather prognostication, and the
old tradition of watching to see if serpents or badgers came from their winter dens. It was the
precursor to the North American Groundhog Day.
Canada's Civic Holiday – August 1st
- Calan Onnus was one of the four main festivals of the Pict
calendar. It was held on August 1st, the traditional end of the growing season. Early Celtic calendars
were based on the lunar, solar, and vegetative cycles -- and the precession of the equinoxes -- so the
actual calendar date in ancient times may have varied. It also marked the beginning of the harvest
season, the harvest of Grain, the ripening of first fruits, and was traditionally a time of community
gatherings, market festivals, horse races and reunions with distant family and friends. It was a
favored time for handfastings - trial marriages that would generally last a year and a day, with the
option of ending the contract before the new year, or later formalizing it as a more permanent
marriage.