Celtic Influence in Brittany

**slohairt** · 1st February 07, 10:14 PM

Dia Dhuit!

Like anything Celtic, there is tons of material to sift through on the Internet; some is very informative and some is nonsense! You'll have to be the judge, I guess! I took Celtic Studies and we rarely touched on Brittany. How unfortunate, but that is often the case in many schools.
What I can tell you is that it would be more correct to say Celtic heritage than influence as the Bretons are indeed a Celtic people (Brythonic, to be exact). You could draw an interesting comparison of Scotland and Brittany with regards to language division. Scotland was a nation with Gaelic spoken in the Highlands while Lallans was spoken in the south, close to the English border, a people whose language most resembled theirs. In Brittany, Bretons spoke (and still speak) Breton and Gallo. Breton is a Celtic language closely related to Cornish and Welsh, while Gallo is a Romance language related to French and is spoken in the region of Brittany which borders with the rest of France.

**Andrew Breecher** · 2nd February 07, 12:43 AM

Remember that France was once populated by the Gauls, a Celtic tribe. Modern French is a Romance language, but one greatly influenced by the language of the Gauls (Gaulic? Gaulish?).

Andrew.

**wgority** · 2nd February 07, 05:04 AM

You could do 30 pages on just the history of the Breton language (Brezhoneg). Wikipedia has a nice article on it.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breton_language

Additionally, there's the International Committee for the Defence of the Breton Language (ICDBL). There is a North American branch centered in Jenkintown, PA.

Don't even get me started on Breton music. Among the varieties of bagpipes I play are Biniou Braz, Biniou Kozh and Veuze, as well as Bombarde (a trumpet-like primitive oboe played in sonerien du with the biniou kozh). Breton music is wild and focused and free and loud and amazing! The pipe band playing of the bagadou puts many (perhaps even most) scottish bands to shame! Just because the Bretons have pipe bands don't confuse what they do with the usual Scottish stuff. For tons of info on Breton music, checks out articles on the web by Steve Winick who did his doctoral dissertation on the music of Brittany. ICDBL also has a very good guide to Breton music floating around the web.

I've spent some of the greatest evenings of my life at festou noz either learning local tunes, playing with the pipers, dancing in the circle or flirting with young ladies - all in a cider driven haze.

int:

On top of this, Brittany has all the beauty and scenery of the British Isles with one addition - edible food.

Learn everything you can about Brittany, travel in Britanny, but don't try to equate it to anything you may know or think you may know about other celtic cultures. It is unique. Savour it for what it is.

**Hamish** · 2nd February 07, 05:31 AM

This may not help you, but I have kilts in both the Brittany National and the Randonnée Bretonne tartans. These are fairly modern and were, I believe, designed by Richard du Clos of 'La Maison du Kilt' in France.

This is the Brittany National:

and this is the Randonnée Bretonne:

The huge kilt pins are based on the Fleur de Lys motifs featured on the standard of Brittany.

**Gaisgeil** · 2nd February 07, 06:37 AM

Wow!
Now that's what I'm talking about! I knew you folks would be able to get me started with some solid leads. I'm sure I can make this interesting and do some cool comparisons/contrasts between things Scottish and things Breton. Thanks to everyone to helped out, it's much appreciated!

I take exception to this though:
"...The pipe band playing of the bagadou puts many (perhaps even most) scottish bands to shame!..."

I love all forms of bagpipes, but as a Scotsman I can't have you putting our bands a rung down from anyone! I mean, surely even ye know, if it isn't Scottish it's crap!

Totally kidding man, but you leave the GHB alone!

Slàinte!

**SnakeEyes** · 2nd February 07, 07:01 AM

A friend of mine is supposed to be giving me a video tape (VHS? Is that some kind of DVD?

) with some bagpipers and dancers from Scotland, Ireland, France, and Canada. I'll be sure to let you know what stands out in the French Sections. Maybe I'll even try and rip some of it and get it up on youtube.

**Gaisgeil** · 2nd February 07, 07:05 AM

Originally Posted by SnakeEyes

A friend of mine is supposed to be giving me a video tape (VHS? Is that some kind of DVD?

) with some bagpipers and dancers from Scotland, Ireland, France, and Canada. I'll be sure to let you know what stands out in the French Sections. Maybe I'll even try and rip some of it and get it up on youtube.

That'd be great man, thanks!

**wgority** · 2nd February 07, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by Gaisgeil

Wow!
I love all forms of bagpipes, but as a Scotsman I can't have you putting our bands a rung down from anyone! I mean, surely even ye know, if it isn't Scottish it's crap!

Totally kidding man, but you leave the GHB alone!

Slàinte!

Firstly, I'm not putting GHB down. I play it. I am pipe major in one band and play in 2 other competition bands-one of which is going to World's this year. I know whereof I speak.

Go to the Festival InterCeltique du L'Orient and you will be aghast, blown away and complete gob-stopped. Breton bands playing their music on GHB accompanied by bombarde and trejeunn gaol in bagadou are something to which there is no compare.

I've dedicated much of my life, money and time to bagpipes, and think I've got a bit of knowledge on the topic.

Secondly, as to the old "if it's not Scottish, it's crap" line - what a load of crap. That's just so much romanticism - albeit crassly put. Scotland has given much to the world, but it is *not* the source of all things good and true (leal, if you will). If it were so, then explain why, if you can, the Irish (Field Marshal Montgomery) and North Americans (SFU and 78th Frasers) consistently kick Scottish butt at the World Pipe Band Championships. Upstarts defeating the Scots on their own instruments!

Don't even get me going on uilleann piping and other bagpipes and their traditions in relation to Scottish bagpiping. For the sake of remaining on topic in this thread, there is no evidence (iconographic or otherwise) of a scottish bagpipe prior to the 14th century. There is evidence of bagpipes in Brittany in the 11th century.

I am nothing if not honest about the world and the things in it. To be else is self-delusional at best.

**Gaisgeil** · 2nd February 07, 08:28 AM

Hey now, I was just giving you a good natured hard time. No need to defend your position. I personally think there is room for them all in the world. My own heart is with Scottish STYLE pipe bands for more reasons than I care to mention though, but I love to listen to the other bagpipe based varieties as well.

In any case, that wasn't meant to be taken so seriously.

As far as that old line goes, personally I feel it's meant as tongue in cheek to begin with, I don't think there is anything self delusional about that.

**starbkjrus** · 2nd February 07, 12:41 PM

Originally Posted by Gaisgeil

Hey now, I was just giving you a good natured hard time. No need to defend your position. I personally think there is room for them all in the world. My own heart is with Scottish STYLE pipe bands for more reasons than I care to mention though, but I love to listen to the other bagpipe based varieties as well.

In any case, that wasn't meant to be taken so seriously.

As far as that old line goes, personally I feel it's meant as tongue in cheek to begin with, I don't think there is anything self delusional about that.

Nice comeback Gaisgeil.

Lets keep this thread ON topic and OUT of danger guys. Info, not opinions in this one please.