Newsletter - Shasta Celtic Society

Shasta Celtic Society News

Volume 9, Issue 4,

July - August 2005


			THE PREZ SEZ

	Hello to all Shasta Celtic Society members. This is my first PrezSez article and, as I am new to the job, it is going to be a short one. Information on activities is covered elsewhere in the newsletter so let me focus on my areas of concern. The membership of the Shasta Celtic Society has remained stable or declined slightly over the last few years and I would like to reverse that trend. Of even more concern is the fact that many Board members, after years of faithfull service, have resigned to pursue other activities. We are losing a core of very informed and knowledgeable members, and I am going to miss them on the Board. I am asking for the help of all of you to recruit new members, and also to step forward and become involved with the governing board, and to volunteer for positions as Directors or Officers. Our previous board and officers have served us well and I thank them. Now, for the Society to continue on the journey it started, I am going to need help from all of you. Thank you - I look forward to the year ahead with both optimism and concern Roger Estey, President

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ENT EVENTS

TIME TO PICNIC

And party in the park! Shastice Park, that is in Mt. Shasta on Saturday, August 27, at 1 PM until the sunsets. Bring a salad or a dessert and what you want to drink; the Society will provide the main dish. Invite your family and friends; bring your blanket, chair and instruments. It would be greatly appreciated if you would let us know how many are coming so there will be plenty to feast on.

So contact Chris at to leave a head count.

TIME TO GO TO CHURCH

For a real, live Kirking of the Tartan! The First Presbyterian Church in Red Bluff, under the leadership of Graham Baird, has invited the Shasta Celtic Society to attend, and the Jefferson Pipe Band to play at the kirking on Sunday, October 30. Not only is the preacher a Celt, he is a piper. There will be a special story about this in the next newsletter, but until then, mark your calendars!

TIME FOR SOME TIME OFF

The Entertainment Committee needs help. Chris Alexander can no longer manage planning all of the SCS concerts and events. Personal obligations do not allow enough time to do the job required. Another volunteer is needed to help or take over negotiating contacts and communicating with promoters, agents, etc. This is a lot of fun to do; Celtic musicians are all so very nice to work with. Please let the Board know of your interest in helping out in this area.

Chris Alexander, Entertainment Committee Chair


	RED IN THE FACE It recently came to my attention that I forgot to recognize avery important contributor to our last Burns Night, that person being Robert Menzies, who presented the Immortal Memory. Every person who contributes their time or talent to the success of the night is important, of course, but the amount of preparation that goes into the creation and presentation of the Immortal Memory is particularly crucial. I wish to publicly issue my appreciation and apologies to Mr. Menzies for this oversight on my part, and to thank him for his informative and enjoyable Immortal Memory of Robert Burns. Thanks also to all of you who constantly work behind the scenes, or in front of it, that I continually fail to acknowledge. The SCS could not function without its base of volunteers. Linda Simpson Outgoing President

PASSING THE PEN

Eight whole years! How can it be that I've been doing this newsletter for that long? I suspect someone flipped on the Improbability Drive while I wasn't looking. Definitely time for this editor to move on. And who better than out new Public Contact? Graciously, Kitty Seiler has agreed to take over duties as SCS News editor, at least temporarily, beginning with the September/October issue.

Starting now, all article submissions and queries regarding the newsletter should be directed to Kitty at . The thing I will miss the most about putting the newsletter together is the interaction with our bevy of writers. If I could list them all here, you'd be amazed at the number of names - it would undoubtedly fill a page! They are the ones who do the real, hard work in creating a newsletter, and I thank each and every one of them from the bottom of my heart. Without them, the newsletter would be but a shadow of what it has become. And knowing them, I have every confidence that the transition from one editor to another will go very smoothly indeed. As our new President, Roger Estey, so astutely pointed out in his front page article, change is a time for concern, always but it is also a time for great optimism. Here is yet another chance for new life to be breathed into the Society so that it can grow and evolve into what it wants to ecome. I wish both the Society and Kitty the very best of luck in their future endeavors. Hope to see you all at a Society event in the near future. Until then, "So long, and thanks for all the fish!"

~Laurie Burk, Outgoing Editor


	TEMPEST IN A TEACUP Much has been made of the Irish temper. However, we all (even the Scots) are a mixture of races and cultures. Some Irish have strong, longlasting tempers. They can pass grudges down through many generations. Some Irish have very short fuses. The northern parts of Ireland were invaded by the Norse Vikings, also sometimes known as the White Heathens. They were known for their violent tempers. This was sometimes carried over into their Irish progeny. To further complicate things, some of us Irish have Norwegian mothers. During our recent honeymoon to North Dakota (the heart of US Scandinavia), I studied the moods of the Norse. It soon became clear to me that these bloodline mixes are responsible for the fact that I flare loudly, but two minutes later I cannot remember what I was mad about. So! If you don't like my attitude or actions, just wait two minutes. The Irisher (Harry Maguire)

DUNSMUIR FANTASY FAIRE

Friday t'was a wretched night, As rain poured down and soaked the ground. The clan tent drooped, the walls were drenched; The spirits of the hearty were all but spent.

Light rain flowed when the Faire came at dawn, Folks attended and stayed e re so long, For interesting talk and sharing of lore, With learning one s heritage, in the fore.

The Queen s Feast reigned at dreary day s end; All dressed in their finest and best did attend. Jokes, dance, feats of danger and fear, Where all enjoyed food, mead and good cheer.

The Lord s Day arrived, a glorious morn, Sunshine and warmth, all the day long. Crowds were cheery as they wandered the day, With Scottish dance, music and robust play.

Ah, the lads were a sight to see; Some even kilted, above the knee. The lasses fair, and many were shy, In dresses that floated when they walked by.

The Joust was attended before the day s end, Entertaining us all, again and again. Brave were the Knights in bright shining armor, On mighty huge steeds, in cloth made of color.

Tho the start was all gloomy and wet, The Faire t was both days a memory yet. Auld friends were plenty, and new ones were made, Sad farewell to all, as we went our own ways.

Here is a toast to the wonderful folks: To the Dunsmuir Shire, and the Faire host! With plans being made along the way,For another adventure, in a year and a day.

Yer Keltic Kat (Kitty Seiler)

A FANTASY FAIRE TOAST

To my special volunteers, without whom the days of wet and dry would have been dull and dreary.

To Rick, who got my clan tent up. Although it was wet outside, we were warm and cozy inside. (He's my best half, ya know.)
To Charleen & Steven Pace, mother and son. All hearts were won, especially when you got up and showed every one your Royal Scottish Dancing.
To Winann Perry and Joan Landry, the best dressed lassies at the fair, with wit and smiles for everyone. Joan even out dressed the Queen at feast!
To Gerry Smida & Spot :what is a fair and clan tent without music? As usual, you won the crowds with your unique talents.
To Norm & Marilyn Birkett, you graced our tent with your knowledge. Always the best in Highland dress.

Thank you, one and all!

Yer Keltic Kat (Kitty Seiler)

Recipe o' the Month:

Summer Pudding

One of the great challenges of trying to adapt Scottish or Irish recipes to our notoriously hot summer months is to find something that will take little or no kitchen time and be something that is cooling in nature. Other than a wee nip 'o Scotch whiskey, that is. Here is a recipe that generates very little heat in the kitchen and makes use of the fresh fruits available this time of year.

Summer Pudding

Slices of medium to thinly sliced crustless white bread. (Amount will vary, but one loaf should be enough)
1 pound fresh seasonal fruit (e.g. strawberries*, raspberries, cherries, blackberries, etc.)
2 Tablespoons water
5 ounces fine baking sugar
Whipping cream

*Note: Strawberries should comprise about half of the total amount of fruit.

Neatly line the base and sides of a 20 ounce pudding basin with the bread. Wash and trim or stone the fruit, cutting the strawberries in half. Put the water and sugar into a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Add the fruit in order of speed of cooking, the slowest first and the quickest (raspberries) last. Cook briefly, ensuring that the fruit holds its shape. Drain off the syrup and reserve.

Spoon the fruit into the prepared bowl and spoon over a little of the syrup. Cover with more bread. Put a saucer on top and place a weight on top of it, to apply a little pressure, say about 1 pound. Refrigerate overnight. Pour off any syrup that might have been expressed while it was setting. Loosen the pudding gently with a small spatula, invert onto a rimmed serving plate to unmold. Pour the remaining syrup over the pudding. Cut into wedges and serve with lightly whipped cream. Serves 4 to 6.

-The Kilted Cook

(Herb Manoli Manoli)


	A WALK THROUGH WALES: THE WELSH LANGUAGE As you may know, I began to study Irish last summer in an effort to create a bi lingual genealogy website for County Down, Ireland. After six months of frustration I was forced to admit that I didn't have a flair for this language, and it looked pretty unlikely that I was going to learn it easily. Interactive resources are scarce and when living in an area where lessons are not available, it becomes difficult at best to learn a complex language such as Irish. Then in January of this year a friend introduced me to Welsh. Like many Americans, I hadn't spent much time studying Wales per se, more as a part of our British history studies. So I wasn't familiar with much of the culture, customs and language of Wales. With the exception of a few occasions wherein I wondered, as most of us do, how anyone could ever pronounce a bunch of consonants all strung together, I hadn't had much exposure to Welsh. However, that all changed as I began to learn the language and I have to say that in the short time I've been studying Welsh, I've come to feel quite comfortable with it. Unlike Gaeilge, Welsh is a thriving and growing language. That is not to say that Ireland isn't working to change the status of Gaeilge in everyday Ireland. In fact, Irish is taught in most schools. There is also a lot of work being done to implement bi lingual street signs and generally encourage the people of Ireland, especially the younger set, to use their native language. Unfortunately, they are facing something of an uphill struggle. Although many young people are involved with Gaeilge, many more think it a waste of time. It hasn't been an easy route that's brought Wales to this juncture either. But it has proven a worthwhile pursuit. The Welsh language has not only survived the onslaught of invaders throughout history, but it has flourished and grown. Without the enthusiasm and die hard determination of her people, Wales, I fear, would be in the same boat as Ireland. Of course, the survival of any culture depends upon the enthusiasm of its people and maintaining that enthusiasm down through the generations. Not an easy task in today's world. The Welsh have succeeded in doing this by maintaining traditional celebrations and ceremonies that immerse their children in their native language and heritage. One such celebration is The National Eisteddfod of Wales. Originally hosted by Lord Rhys in 1176, the Eisteddfod is an annual festival held in North and South Wales. It celebrates the talent of Welsh people and all competitions are held in Welsh. Competitors vie for First, Second or Third place in poetry, music, plays and other performing arts. The highest honor a young competitor can achieve is to be awarded the chair. Given only to the best poet and musician, this traditional award dates back to the first Eisteddfod. Historically hosted by Welsh nobles, in 1880 an association was formed and the National Eisteddfod became an annual celebration. It is now the largest national festival for drama, arts, literature and music. In addition to these kinds of celebrations, the Welsh have implemented a completely bi lingual country. Many labels and menus are available in both English and Welsh. Welsh is used in courts and all government forms and information leaflets/booklets and the like are in available in Welsh as well as English. Learners' groups such as CYD have been formed to bring learners and native speakers together. Organizations that promote Welsh in different areas have been formed, the Cyngor y Celfyddydau (Arts Council), "Mentrau Iaith," Youth Theatres and Performing Arts Schools, the S4C and Bwrdd yr Iaith (The Welsh Language Board) are among those. Welsh speakers also have a political party representing their interests, Plaid Cymru. Children are encouraged to learn Welsh and, in some parts of Wales, children are not exposed to English before the age of seven. Until that time, Welsh is their only language both at home and at school. In fact, there are many schools where Welsh is the only language spoken to students. Thus a growing part of the population considers Welsh to be its first language. But the Welsh have not stopped there. New Welsh language music, including bands and songs appealing to the kids, is released every day. With the help of the Cyngor Lyfrau (Books Council), there are a large number of Welsh publications and books available as well as bi lingual websites. The BBC has set up an extensive Welsh website, again available in either Welsh or English, with a great deal of information and very well presented learning materials for the learner. By employing all of these methods, the Welsh have brought one of the ancient Celtic languages forward into the modern world. This enthusiasm is snowballing and the number of speakers in Wales and around the world is growing daily. For my own part, I'm delighted to report that I've found learning Welsh to be a rewarding and satisfying experience, and, much to my surprise, not nearly as difficult as I had expected. Tan y tro nesaf... (Until next time...) . Peggi Rogers With special thanks to my mentor, Sion Woods of Wales, for the use of his Welsh editing skills!

14th ANNUAL GATHERING OF CCC

Seventy five enthusiastic California Cornish Cousins from all over the state and elsewhere converged on Sacramento's Clarion Hotel for their annual gathering held May 20 22. The theme was our railroad heritage.

Our ancestors had many kinds of associations with railroads. In the "old country" it was to reach embarkation points for America and elsewhere. Arriving here in America, it was to reach the mining districts where their noted hardrock skills were in demand. While most of the transcontinental railroad labor was done by the Irish (from the East) and the Chinese (from the West), we can be quite sure the Cornish played a part in driving tunnels and basting for cuts in the Sierra granite. Doubtless some were employed in railroad operation. Families came to join them by rail. My little Cornish grandmother made the Atlantic crossing in the late 1800's with four young children, then traveled by rail to Michigan's iron country to join her husband. Robert Louis Stevenson, writing in 1879 of a rail journey with a group of Cornish miners noted, "This is one of the lessons of travel - that some of the strangest races dwell next door to you at home." As my sainted cousin Olive Trevorrow observed, "We do be some queer lot."

Friday evening began with a presentation by Ian Grant, publisher of Cornish Editions, followed by Bob Rohwer presenting "An Introduction to the California State Railroad Museum."

A very full Saturday began with Tim O'Brien telling of the Nevada County Narrow Gauge Railroad, illustrating his talk with contemporary photos as well as the same locations today. Then it was off to Old Sacramento for a docent led walking tour, followed by a similar one of the California State Railroad Museum.

Back at the Clarion, President Jan Davis conducted our annual business meeting, including election of officers. All of the offices are filled except for that of Vice President for which it is hoped someone will volunteer or consent to be drafted.

Our speaker for the Saturday evening banquet was David Anderson, Docent for the California State Railroad Museum, who traced the rail crossing of the Sierra Nevada with pictures of Cape Horn, snowsheds, Chinese labor and other aspects of the Central Pacific's race eastward to meet the Central Pacific Railroad.

Gage McKinney conducted the traditional "naturalization" ceremony whereby candidates become Cornish Americans. The evening ended with Russell Pearce holding a lively auction of donated books, jewelry, print, and maps that yielded nearly $1000 for the A. C. Todd Collection at the Foley Library in Nevada City.

Even Sunday morning had a full schedule with the Board of Directors holding its meeting. Then Robyn Houts, as at past gatherings, acquainted us with more of our ethnic food with "Pasties and Treacle."

The final speaker was Dick Chamberlain with "Hardrock Mining, Cornish Style," telling of how our ancestors did their arduous and dangerous work "below grass." His talk was illustrated with a Cornish pattern miner's pick, singlejack, drill steel, safety fuse and other artifacts.

At noon we dined on pasties and the gathering closed with the traditional "Trelawney" led by Eleanor Kenitzer, conductor of the Grass Valley Cornish Carol Choir, and accompanied by Lynne Trerise. .

Cousin Jack

(Dick Chamberlain)