- Time of past OR future Camino
- Too many and too often!
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I am not so sure. The reference to the number of people bringing the ashes of relatives for scattering at Fisterra suggests there is some connection for those . Something to do with completion? And of course in that movie there is a scattering of ashes in the sea at Muxia. Why there and not in Santiago? A lot of mythology over the centuries in many different traditions which associates death with moving into the west and the sunset.It is the Costa da Morte. I don't think there is any underlying mystique - but a sad history of drownings at sea due to shipwrecks and dangerous currents.
It's a delicate topic as there are obviously people on the forum who have chosen to scatter ashes along the Camino Frances or at Fisterra and I don't think one can discuss it openly out of respect for them and their feelings. But, @Bradypus, how much do you know about places that have become popular in recent times for scattering ashes of a loved one or a preferred place for oneself? Google it.The reference to the number of people bringing the ashes of relatives for scattering at Fisterra suggests there is some connection for those . Something to do with completion? And of course in that movie there is a scattering of ashes in the sea at Muxia. Why there and not in Santiago? A lot of mythology over the centuries in many different traditions which associates death with moving into the west and the sunset.
A challenging article in La Voz de Galicia in the light of a number of pilgrim deaths at Fisterra in recent years. Does the very fact of these incidents and the practice of scattering ashes there reflect or contribute to some underlying mystique?
La muerte de peregrinos alimenta la mística del Fin del Mundo fisterrán
Desde el 2009 se ha registrado ya una docena de fallecimientos de visitanteswww.lavozdegalicia.es
What I'm reflecting about right now is why Fisterra / Finis Terrae is translated as End of the World and not as Land's End - is that term too mundaneI think reflect. There is an ages long tradition of pilgrimage to the "end-of-the-world"
So, even today children sing hymns in church to Gladys, the crossed-eyed bear.German speaking medieval pilgrims thought that Fisterra meant Finster Stern / dark star - we know this from diaries of well-known pilgrims and from one of the best known medieval pilgrimage songs.
Ah, mondegreens!So, even today children sing hymns in church to Gladys, the crossed-eyed bear.
I suspect that right up until the Vikings & then the Portuguese discovered there was another "dry" bit if you kept going west that wasn't China or "the Indies" then the assumption was the end-of-the-world because, with a little bit of effort, you could walk dry-shod from one enormous sea to another. For those, most of us, who made the great migrations that heaving sea must have been quite a sight.What I'm reflecting about right now is why Fisterra / Finis Terrae is translated as End of the World and not as Land's End -
So, even today children sing hymns in church to Gladys, the crossed-eyed bear.
You are right. I blame my mistake on my not singing hymns for 50 years.I thought the bear was called "Gladly", as in gladly my crossed-eyed-bear.
I think the German movie is: I'm off then...
I am gone ... is a German movie.
All of them have elements I had on my Camino. The German comedian sitting in the rain trying to smoke and asking himself what he is doing there...
Where in Santiago could it be? I can imagine several reasons:Why there and not in Santiago?
I'd be interested to hear more about this. I had not been aware of it before I heard about Fisterra. Funeral rituals associated with the sea yes (I'm thinking Vikings here and Hawaii) but not a particular direction.A lot of mythology over the centuries in many different traditions which associates death with moving into the west and the sunset.
"that damn film"? Wow, a lot of hostility and anger there, lol.Whether the scattering of ashes in modern times comes from that damn film or the scene came from a known tradition scarcely matters anymore.
That's interesting, I didn't know that cemeteries around the churches are unusual in the rest of Spain. And the cemeteries in Galicia struck me as quite special, not right from the beginning but later on when closer to Santiago. On the whole 2200 km that I'd walked I had not noticed something quite like them. I don't know whether there is a name for it, I mean those multi-level tombs all next to each other and forming an outer wall.Cemeteries surrounding the churches.The only region in Spain.
There were laws in Spain in late 18th and 19th century to set the cemeteries outside the villages and towns to prevent epidemics but in Galicia remained due to people.opposition with the support of the Church that still owns most cemeteries in Galicia.That's interesting, I didn't know that cemeteries around the churches are unusual in the rest of Spain. And the cemeteries in Galicia struck me as quite special, not right from the beginning but later on when closer to Santiago. On the whole 2200 km that I'd walked I had not noticed something quite like them. I don't know whether there is a name for it, I mean those multi-level tombs all next to each other and forming an outer wall.
Thank you, that's a useful word to know. It helped me to find the answer to a question we had asked ourselves recently. While I was reading, I came again across some of the articles about the futuristic and controversial Fisterra cemetery that was designed by César Portela and that was built 20 years ago with space for about 170 niches and has not been in use since then.The multi-level tombs are called "nichos". In Galicia a family usually owns the whole column (normally composed by four nichos).
In Galicia the Galaics incinerated, put the ashes in urns and buried them with personal belongins.But back to Galicia does anybody know if there are Preroman grave sites like this?
You might find it interesting to extend that mapping to the European continent. If everything piles to the westward edges then there are two possible conclusions available from incredibly scant evidence. Neolithic monumentalism emerged spontaneously in the western extremeties or the western edge was the best point to start signaling.Fascinating as they are, I don't know much about megalithic cultures, let alone about their funeral and burial culture, mainly because there's so little known about them ☺. My gut feeling, however, and it is really not much more than a gut feeling, is that much of what is written today about Fisterra etc. is very selective and mainly serves to flesh out a pre-chosen narrative. I just found this quite recent map of Galicia's megalithic landscapes and it seems to confirm that central elevations and foothills were at least as popular as coasts. I tend to think that Fisterra and the Atlantic coast in general has an inherent attraction for us, similar to high mountain tops and other beautiful sites, independent of past traditions that may or may not be associated with them.
View attachment 69899
" Fisterra is not mentioned as a destination but the pilgrimage site of Rocío is mentioned, presumably known to every Spaniard as a Marian sanctuary but not well known outside of Spain, where "pilgrims had developed the practice of scattering ashes in the village [and also in the marshes of El Rocío]. Anyone now wishing to place urns in the municipality’s cemetery must apply for permission or face a fine of up to €15,000". Some municipalities have adopted specific by-laws, apparently.
The 1957 Spain through which Starkie passed is well and truly gone.... Which may or may not be a good thing!
Starkie's is a marvellous book. ... At times I wondered if I might meet Laurie Lee round the next bend in the path!
I'm a bit embarrassed to admit that I don't quite understand what you said there but that's me not you ☺. Apart from this, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the logic in finding connections between contemporary and ancient practices on or near the Galician coast, especially when you are not a Galician.You might find it interesting to extend that mapping to the European continent. If everything piles to the westward edges then there are two possible conclusions available from incredibly scant evidence. Neolithic monumentalism emerged spontaneously in the western extremeties or the western edge was the best point to start signaling.
"The people here, my friend, have always believed that the dead may leave their tombs at twelve o'clock at night and roam round the graveyards and churches.
only in Galicia the cemeteries are around the churchI don' t know any current tradition about death and Fisterra in Galicia, but what is true is that the importance of dead people is higher in Galicia.
- Cemeteries surrounding the churches.The only region in Spain.
- Anniversary mass (cabo do ano).
- Santa Compaña.
only in Galicia the cemeteries are around the church
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otherwhere, at the end of the place
Hi Reverend,
If you from VA I believe you. The only place in the world where I almost saw a confederate soldier walking down the steps. I am pretty sure I heard his steps. Our house had been a hospital in the war after all.
When I made the pilgrimage through Galicia, twice I celebrated Mass in churches like this one.I could be wrong, because we don't really have too many such places in my little corner of the world, but.... What you've pictured is what I've always assumed to be a "funerary chapel," and not really a proper parish church. I've seen many such on my walks but can't recall ever finding one of them open for exploration. My guess is that the Mass is not regularly celebrated in most such places, -- or baptisms, weddings, etc. Just funerals.
If you take that the winter Solstice sun sets in the SW then in Northern European Neolithic terms the Finistere sun set is, where its all going on.I think reflect. There is an ages long tradition of pilgrimage to the "end-of-the-world". Galicia, reflecting western Ireland, Brittany, Cornwall and the Western Isles is a place where actual burials and internments of cremated remains appear to far exceed the likely local population. Implying the use of western, sun-set facing places as mortuary destinations. Go there to die or more likely have your remains taken there.
The Cathedral in Santiago is built on a Roman cemetery. What if Campo Stella, a field of stars, was originally Campo Stelae, a field of grave stones?
Whether the scattering of ashes in modern times comes from that damn film or the scene came from a known tradition scarcely matters anymore.
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