Forget the ghosts - it's the politicians who should scare us this Hop tu Naa

Each month, a Manx Gaelic speaker from the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee contributes a column accompanied by a short English summary.

This month is the turn of Manx Radio presenter Phil Gawne...

Er Shenn Oie Houney v’eh smooinit dy row sorch dy vaarney eddyr seihll sheelnaue as seihll yn shee, as v’eh ort dy ve feer imneagh dy reayll rish cliaghtaghyn yn imbagh. Adsyn nagh dug scansh da ny credjueyn shoh va ayns gaue dy ve goit ec ny deiney beggey dyn dy ve er ny akin lesh sooill dooiney rish ymmodee bleeantyn.

Ta’n traa shoh, eddyr reeriaght y touree as reeriaght y yeuree ny hraa obbee, tra t’ou abyl dy yannoo faishnys er y traa ry heet, dy eddyn magh quoi vees dty heshey ny cre’n obbyr vees ayd.

Va reihys cadjin y Chiare as Feed cummit dy chliaghtagh mysh Shenn Oie Houney derrey mysh feed blein er dy henney, as va daayt y reihys kianglit rish yn traa obbee shen rish sheeloghyn. V’eh caghlaait er y fa dy row eh smooinit dy beagh eh ny share son oc va goll er ny thieyn shirrey teiyn, shen y yannoo ayns laghyn foddey y tourey ayns ynnyd jeh ny laghyn s’girrey as s’feayrey yn ouyir.

Va mee rieau smooinaghtyn dy nee marran v’ayn caghlaa daayt y reihys cadjin as brishey lesh tradishoon agh shen yn ash noa-emshyragh nagh vel?

T’eh baghtal dooys dy vel yn reihys cadjin nane jeh ny traghyn er lheh shoh eddyr daa lhing fockle er fockle. Ta reiltys Alf Cannan er jeet gy kione as rish mysh tree shiaghteeyn roish my vees ard shirveishagh noa pointit cha nel shickyrys ayn. She traa anhickyr as ceaghlagh t’ayn boayl ta jerkallys as doghys, tra foddee oo credjal dy vod red erbee ve cooilleenit.

Ta caa ec y Chiare as Feed noa dy ghoaill ashlishyn mychione ellan noa raad ta thieyn neu-chostallagh ry-gheddyn ec yn aegid, ellan ta lane dy caa as speeideilys, boayl ta’n phobble ec shee. Ta gialdynys daaney er ny chur magh jeh aasaid as toyrtys, jeh fondid as breeoilid.

Ta ny politickeyryn credjal yn fogreeaght oc hene, t’ad smooinaghtyn dy vel ad geearree ny reddyn cheddin, as t’ad geearree gobbragh ry cheilley son bishaghey mooar y phobble. Kiart gollrish Shenn Laa Houney geiyrt er Shenn Oie Houney ta’n traa obbee politickaght shoh cheet gy kione as ta laghyn feayr y yeurey jingey stiagh orrin.

Ta feerid politickagh feayr as creoi goaill toshiaght dy vooghey ny shiaghteeyn giare-heiltagh dy ghialdynys as credjue, kiart gollrish laghyn feayr yn gheurey geiyrt er kione y tourey. Adsyn nagh row pointit myr shirveishee t’eh orroo smooinaghtyn er aght-vea politickagh elley – feyshtyn, treealtysyn, scrutaghey as y lheid, choud’s ta Coonceil ny Shirveishee toiggal dy vel bunnys dy chooilley red ny smoo doillee ny v’ad smooinaghtyn.

Ny smoo ta mee smooinaghtyn er, ny smoo shickyr ta m’ aigney dy vel yn cosoylaght eddyr Shenn Oie Houney as y baarney edyr daa reiltys feer vaghtal. Bee faishnyssyn ny politickeyryn ny smoo kiart na roie-insh ny shenn cliaghtaghyn ec Hop tu Naa? Lhig dooin jerkal dy bee. Ta mee shickyr dy vel ny Kiare as Feed jeean as aggindagh dy liooar dy livrey reddyn er lheh son Mannin as ny Manninee.

As cre mychione Hop tu Naa? Wahll, cha nel shin teaymey leoaie lheiht ayns ushtey ny laghyn t’ayn jiu dy yannoo faishnys er yn startey noa vees ain, agh ta foast paitchyn dy liooar goll er ny theiyn shirrey argid ny miljyn, goaill arrane as gymmyrkey sounag chionn ayns nyn laue.

As shoh dooin ard oyr aggle, cre’n sorch dy hounag vees cheet gys nyn dorrys? Cha nel mee dy bollagh soit noi aghtyn noa emshyragh as ta mee arryltagh dy ghoaill rish dy vel traghyn caghlaa, agh dou hene lhisagh sounag ve jeant ass napin. Ta cullyran kiart dy liooar ayns America agh ayns Mannin she napin yn losserey kiart son grainney magh sounag.

Ta cullyran kiart dy liooar son jannoo awree as ta pye cullyran blastal dy liooar ta mee credjal agh son sounag cha nee agh napin ta feeu. Myr shen, immee gys Creneash tra ta Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin reaghey ny taghyrtyn Hop tu Naa oc as gow greim er napin braew jesh. As ymmyrk dty napin lesh moyrn er Shenn Oie Houney!

As Hop tu Naa fast approaches I’m reminded of the similarities between the traditions and customs of the ancient celebration of the shift from summer to winter, and our recent election.

Hop tu Naa night is one of those liminal spaces in the Celtic world where human and fairy worlds become more open to each other. Prophecies can be accurately made about future work or romantic attachments and care must be taken that you are not whisked away to a fairy mound and trapped for years, unable to return to the world of your loved ones.

Hollantide was always a dividing time where old tenancies ended, and new ones began and until the beginning of this century our general elections were held at this ancient time of mystical significance. The elections shifted because you’re more likely to open your door to Keys candidates when the nights are longer and the days warmer, but a link with tradition was sadly broken as a result.

Of course, the last few weeks politically is one of those liminal times between two realms. As the Cannan adminstration ended a political vacuum was briefly created where messages of hope and delivery are pedalled with conviction and belief by political newbies trying to make sense of politics where briefly nobody is really in control.

Just like the ancient celebration of winter gaining victory over summer, with the arrival of a new Chief Minister so the cold, harsh political reality begins to smother the warm optimism of wishful thinkers.

So, on Hop tu Naa night when the children call round with their turnip lanterns (pumpkins are great for soup or pies, I believe, but definitely not lanterns) perhaps you too will see how the liminal space between administrations closely aligns to our ancient Hop tu Naa traditions.