Domrachev D. Awen as a Word and Thing in Contemporary Druidry

Denis Domrachev
Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
ORCID: 0009-0003-1394-4705
E-mail: denisdomrachev@gmail.com

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ABSTRACT. The paper deals with interpretations of the concept of awen in modern Druidry. Two types of written sources served as material for the study: (1) publications of well-known, and authoritative in their communities, modern Druids and (2) a written interview the author conducted with one of them. Among the extensive corpus of texts published by contemporary Druids, the texts of K. Hughes and Ph. Carr-Gomm were chosen for this work. Analyses of Welsh historical sources, texts by contemporary Druids, and the interview have led to certain conclusions regarding how the understanding of awen has changed throughout history and how it is perceived now. From an original concept denoting the inspiration of the Welsh bards, their poetic and mystical power, the awen found a new life in the writings of Iolo Morganwg in the 18th–19th centuries, for the first time receiving its visual form as the triban /|\. In modern Druidry, the awen became “the Holy Spirit of Celtica” (K. Hughes) associated with inspiration and creative power in general. It has transformed into a sound, chant-like mantras, and even songs, becoming an integral part of Druidic practices: prayers, meditations and rituals. In its tangible manifestation, the awen has become one of the markers of modern Druid identity (e.g., in the form of jewellery or tattoos) and is used as a symbol in the design of other objects (e.g., altars, cauldrons, candles, etc.) that may play a role in certain Druidic practices.

KEYWORDS: Awen, Taliesin, druids, Neo-Druidism, Modern Druidry, Contemporary Druidry, Druidism, cauldron, Cerridwen

FOR CITATION: Domrachev D. Awen as a Word and Thing in Contemporary Druidry. Kunstkamera. 2024. 3(25): 121–133. (In Russian). doi 10.31250/2618-8619-2024-3(25)-121-133

DOI 10.31250/2618-8619-2024-3(25)-121-133
UDC 299.1:316.7

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