My name is Teresa Rae MacColl, and my Celtic ancestors are from the Highlands and Islands of Western Scotland, clan Cholla, the South-West of Ireland, clan Carthaigh, and from Britain, clan Carr. The Celts of old believed that the world was upheld and sustained by a single all-embracing melody called Oran Mor, or the Great Song, and all creation was part of it. The essence of the Oran Mor is that it is a story that cannot be written, told, or fully articulated by humans. The Oran Mor is an ancient rhythm and melody that one hears in the wind, in the waterfall, and in Celtic music, song, chanting, and poetry. The Oran Mor is still being sung today, but we live in an age that no longer hears it.
I wrote the following prayers/poems to honor the essence of the Oran Mor. “Remembering the Song”, I wrote to express my grief and rage for the current worldwide ecological devastation, and also to express my hopes and dreams for the ancient ways of healing of our ancestors to return. “Oran Mor (The Great Song)”, I wrote to express my gratitude to my Celtic ancestors and to give thanks to all the animals, plants, elements, faeries, sprites, Spirits, and deities, and as a prayer for the recovery of holistic, sustainable, indigenous ecological wisdom and knowledge.
Remembering the Song
Wildly you will, listen!!! Remember.
The wind wails, listen!!! Remember.
I have walked the land, seen the faces and places and I KNOW
what is to come!
You think you can stay in this place of lies and denials,
but the shadow WILL emerge,
and bite you!
My friend, she is a bird, and she sings the songs of love,
SHE remembers!
Pain, pain, everywhere,
the land she cries, the waters fouled,
my fish with all their wisdom
cannot reach their destinations!
What will we do?
Will we sit on our couches
watching our TV’s
while our government spews its
egotistical crap
at us?
I AM UPSET by the lack of concern by the
humans!
I have some ideas,
some thoughts, some prayers,
some plans.
It starts with a song and a leap
and a clap,
and ends with a roar.
This may sound odd,
but I learned it from a crow
who lives in the woods, and he says
This is the way that it
was always done
- Teresa MacColl, 2004
Oran Mor (The Great Song)
I swim in the ocean with all of its features
I go out to the sea and greet all the sea creatures.
Come dolphin and whale and salmon and seal,
Come help us heal!
We swim round the world to each tribe country nation,
And sing Oran Mor the Celtic song of creation.
I climb onto land, and my bear friend does greet me,
And we start singing with owl, and oh we sing it so sweetly!
I say we have come to sing dance celebration
The song Oran Mor of my ancestors creation
The cow, the hound, the cat are all here,
And they start fiddlin’ and dancin’, it’s quite an affair!
I climb a great Oak and I whisper the song
And the Oak she just laughs and starts singing along!
She sings it so loud that the wind starts to blow,
Her leaves start a rustlin’ as she sways to and fro
Now the gods and the goddesses know what we’re up to
As the faeries leprechauns concoct a magical cup brew
My ancestors of Celt and their beautiful voices
Sing Oran Mor for us to make better choices
Brigid is here, Lugh, Cu Chulainn and Finn too,
Morrigan, Medb, de Dananns and Danu
They call to the Airts: North East South West Center,
And to the Elements: Earth Air Fire Water.
To the Sun and the Moon and the Stars and the Seasons
Please help all the humans so they’ll have better reasons
For caring and reverence, love and devotion,
Take care of your planet, stop all this commotion!
Suddenly all stops and the silence is deaf’ning
As we wait anticipate to see what is happ’ning.
The Druids and Bards, nature healers are here
To bless us one and all and get rid of our fears!
Thank you for coming and listening and praying
The magic and blessings are doing their healing
Thank you for coming and dancing and singing
The Song Oran Mor, which will help with our freeing
- Teresa MacColl, 2004
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