Fair Folk Podcast

This episode asks how we can take the natural themes of the month and separate them from the contexts that have framed and sometimes twisted them, so we can use them to empower all beings – especially, this month, foxes and geese. It surveys November droving and pannage traditions, Guy Fawkes Day on November 5th, fox hunting and its complex legacy, St. Martins day on November 11 and its entangleme...

Fair Folk is back in operation after a year's break! This episode shares some of the folkloric themes of October: it's the pagan start of winter, and features spooky post-harvest customs of feeding the dead, love longing, rekindling the community fire, and a cute dose of shoe folklore. Call for key collaborators in the Pagan Monastery Project: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jq9XCt29MqQXEaRNtn...

This episode announces that I will not be producing Fair Folk Podcast for the forseeable future. I am deeply grateful for all of the support you have all given me as I have grown this podcast, and I hope you will continue to connect with me in one of the following ways: My mailing list: https://mailchi.mp/53d8b01c469b/newsletter My Youtube channel with my partner Quinn: https://www.youtube.com/cha...

This episode is a road map to the folklore, mythology, songs and rituals of the goddess of the dawn, gathered from the many cultures of the Indo-European language family. It paints the picture of a radiant, dependable, go-getter goddess who is born again with every day and every epoch. The episode ends with my ritual performance of the medieval hymn “Polorum Regina” in an abandoned church on a mou...

In our second conversation on Fair Folk, folklorist Terry Gunnell and I discuss the northern European folklore of the winter season, especially the tradition of guising and monstrous visitors in pagan and Christian times, and -- getting to the juicy stuff -- how male deities came to dominate the Nordic sphere in the Viking era, when it is rather obvious feminine deities used to play a significantl...

An interview with Daniel Allison, Scottish storyteller and author. We talk about the beginning of the winter season, how he became a storyteller, and how we can make our dreams a reality with the winter dark as our guide and protector. He tells the beautiful story "The Dream Makers" from his book "Scottish Myths and Legends." House of Legends Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/59C6P4JKydqeUoWY...

Enjoy this 2019 episode exploring the ancient traditions behind today's favourite Halloween activities: trick-or-treating, jack-o-lantern carving, divination, and... communing with the dead. This episode's music: Intro Music: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods 2:09 “Nöstmo Halvar” by Per O G Runberg 7:04 “King Orfeo” by Alva 13:07 “Samhain” by Ron Allen 14:55 “Punkie Night” by Withe & Stone 17:11 “Tam...

This is an extremely potent interview of myself by Kathryn Fink, of the Heart is a Cauldron Podcast! The Heart is Cauldron Podcast: https://kathrynfink.com/the-heart-is-a-cauldron Sign up for my mailing list to hear when Abundance Paganism opens again: www.fairfolkcast.com Kathryn Fink instagram: www.instagram.com/kathryn.a.fink/ My instagram: www.instagram.com/danica.boyce/ Fair Folk Patreon: www...

In this episode I dive deep into Ancient Germanic apple and tree symbolism with researcher Joseph S. Hopkins of Norse mythology resource mimisbrunnr.info. Links: Abundance Paganism info and registration: https://fair-folk-media.mykajabi.com/sales-page Mimisbrunnr.info About Joseph S. Hopkins: www.mimisbrunnr.info/hopkins Kvasir Symbols Database entry on apples: https://www.mimisbrunnr.info/ksd-app...

Abundance paganism is running again in 2025! To sign up: danicaboyce.com/abundance-paganism This episode introduces the concept of abundance paganism, and announces my offering of a course by the same name! Topics covered: *how abundance mentality dovetails with a pagan worldview and pagan practice *my definition of ancestry *appropriation and integrity *the connection between suffering, death, sa...

This is a re-release of last year's August Fair Folk Almanac for Patreon about the Irish festival of Lughnasadh, its mysterious history, and its afterlife in modern Irish folklore. This is the feast of the harvest's beginning, of the shining sun, of first precious golden loaf. In Irish, Lughnasa is a gathering for the god Lugh, who was responsible for teaching the people of Ireland how to harvest...

This episode witnesses the troubled relationship between the folklore of wells and springs and memories of trauma and violation. It discusses the vulnerability and suffering of women and Jews under medieval Christianity that is symbolized in the image of the well and processed through the embodied act of singing. Links: Mailing list: https://winter-lion-59052.myflodesk.com/pijrgnu11x Patreon: www....

This episode discusses Empire and its deconstruction, and the relationship between healing and learning in life and in this podcast. I speak on abundance and scarcity in the context of European traditional spirituality and culture, and invite listeners to give themselves moments of grace in order to address the work of anti-racism from a place of abundance and love. Music: Intro theme: "Forest Mar...

The first in a series on wells and springs, this episode explores the phenomenon of wells and springs in mythology and spiritual belief and practice. Wells for magic, wells for healing, wells for wisdom and love; wells for the pure awe and wonder of living water. Bi-weekly Q&A on Patreon, Conjuration Tier: https://www.patreon.com/join/fairfolkcast/ Music: Intro theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Wood...

My interview with Faber Horbach of Sowulo Pagan Band in the Netherlands, June 2019. Listen to Sowulo's new album and more: https://www.sowulo.nl/ (Bandcamp) https://www.facebook.com/Sowulo/ (Facebook) https://www.instagram.com/sowulo.music (Sowulo Instragram) https://www.instagram.com/faber.horbach/ (Faber Horbach Instagram) https://www.facebook.com/amplifiedhistory/ (Heilung Facebook) Music: Intr...

My interview with Ignas Šatkauskas, pagan priest of Romuva, in August 2018 Pagan Ritual Songs from Romuva Camp, playlist on Fair Folk's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YwfbVKoLviE&list=PLDGCg4JtohsA1pJf6bB_pNbmKT_AK0d6W Fair Folk's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw5BgVgYLuRWmEs66AHx38A Music: Intro Theme: "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods 22:00 ”Kukal, Rože, Ratili...

In Part Two of Children of the Sun episode, I travel to the forests of Dzūkija region with ethnomusicologist Eglė Česnakavičiūtė to meet the elder and traditional singer Elena Česnulytė, and talk folksong politics. I finally wind up at Šatrijos Ugnis, a perpetual flame tended at a hill in a national park in Samogitia, where I decide maybe paganism is not about belonging after all, but rather, more...

In this episode I spend a week with pagan religious group Romuva, and reflect on the role of belonging in paganism and folk tradition. Live recordings taken in 2018. Music: Intro theme: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods 4:10 - “XL Kompozicija” by Žemyna Trinkūnaitė 6:57 “Dūno upė” - Romuva camp attendees / Kūlgrinda 9:08 Gabija chant - Romuva camp attendees / Kūlgrinda 10:35 Leliumoj - Romuva camp at...

This episode draws on the folklore of the household spirit (gnome, tomte, tonttu, nisse, domovoi, et al)and the folk music of Scandinavia to explore the ancient traditions of animism and ancestor veneration at midwinter. Music: Intro theme: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods “Tomtarnas Julnatt” by Göteborgs Symfonietta (instrumental) “Nisse-Polka” by Sing Song Sisters “Winter Darkness (Mørketid)” by G...

I recorded this conversation last fall with the award-winning Irish storyteller Eithne Ní Ghallchobhair, who lives in Donegal, Ireland, and learned her craft from the last living traditional storytellers in Donegal. Get the Fair Folk tote at my new website www.fairfolkcast.com! Notes: *The book Eithne mentions at 39:00, Women Who Run With the Wolves is written by Clarissa Pinkola Estés. It’s avail...

This episode explores the ancient traditions behind today's favourite Halloween activities: trick-or-treating, jack-o-lantern carving, divination, and... communing with the dead. This episode's music: Intro Music: “Forest March” by Sylvia Woods 2:09 “Nöstmo Halvar” by Per O G Runberg 7:04 “King Orfeo” by Alva 13:07 “Samhain” by Ron Allen 14:55 “Punkie Night” by Withe & Stone 17:11 “Tam Glen” by Je...

An astounding performance and conversation with Finnish expert runo-singer and jouhikko player, Outi Pulkkinen. Pulkkinen is a Doctor of Music specializing in runo-singing and holistic improvisation with voice, movement and speech. She also works with several bands, eg. the female a cappella groups MeNaiset and Pulkkinen-Räss-Sadovska. She is currently researching archaic music through a shamanist...

Nigel Pennick is the author of over fifty books, on topics ranging from paganism and folk magic to geomancy and divination with the runes. His book The Eldritch World will be available soon in an American edition, produced by Arcana Europa. You can read the preface here: https://arcanaeuropamedia.com/blogs/arcana-blog/preface-for-nigel-pennicks-the-eldritch-world Many of Pennick's past and future...

Aslak Tolonen, recorded live in Riihimäki, Finland June 16, 2019. You can find more information about his music or contact him about purchasing a kantele here: https://nestfin.bandcamp.com/ https://www.facebook.com/nestfinland or email him at nestfinlandia@gmail.com The intro music for Fair Folk is "Forest March" by Sylvia Woods Patreon: www.patreon.com/fairfolkcast Facebook: www.facebook.com/fair...

In July of 2018 I spent a month in Iceland looking for performers of a stye of Icelandic folk singing called "tvísöngur." What I found was that the history of folk music in Iceland is far more complicated than I could have ever guessed. I found myself asking: In a nation known internationally for its indie music, why is Icelandic folk music so hard to come by? Thank you to the many musicians, rese...