Mary Seaton passes the "Worry Stick" to her new daughter-in-law, Sarah Seaton, during the wedding of Robert and Sarah on May 10, 2008. The ritual was presided over by Grand Patriarch of the Seaton family and part-time Druid, Brendan Seaton.
Text of Brendan's Speach
Earlier this evening two souls were joined in the sacrament of marriage and, as is our custom, we come together as a community and family and friends to witness and celebrate this event. In continuing our celebration, the Seaton family would like to invite you to join us in an ancient Celtic ritual that has become an important part of our family tradition.... The passing of the worry stick.
For those of you who are not familiar with the legend of the worry stick, let me explain.
Thousands of years ago, when a son was born to a Celtic Chieftain, the Druid, or shaman, or priest if you will, would go out into the forest and cut a stock from the blackthorn bush. He would fashion this stock into a club-like instrument. The modern Irish refer to this club as the Shillelagh... but to the ancient Celts it was known as the worry stick.
After meditating for a while on this new life that had come into the community, the Druid would return to the village and enter the dwelling of the Chieftain. He would present the stick to the mother of the child with the admonition that it was her responsibility to raise the child in such as way that he would become a responsible member of the community. To help her in this task, she was empowered to use the worry stick which she could wield in a manner commensurate with the amount of worry the young man might cause her.
So...for example, after an evening of drinking, or carousing, or general mischief making, the young man would return to the dwelling knowing that he would have to confront his mother who would be standing at the entrance, worry stick in hand. The carnage that would ensue would be in direct proportion to the amount of worry his mother had experienced that evening.
Of course, when the time came for the young man to be married, responsibility for this worry transfered from mother to wife. Hence the passing of the worry stick. And no Celtic wedding was complete until this ritual took place.
As part of the marriage celebration, the young man would be escorted into the village circle by the Druids - sometimes kicking and screaming. Braced by a Druid on either side, lest he should bolt, he would be forced to acknowledge that, with the worry stick, control of his life was passing from one woman to another. He would be joined in the circle by his mother and wife who were escorted by a young maiden .. and I would like to acknowledge Laura-Anne Seaton, our young maiden this evening. I would also like to acknowledge our Druids this evening, Charlie and Paul. I understand that they used to be bouncers at Stonehenge. The community would witness the passing of the worry stick and when the mother would call out the wife's name and utter the words... He's your worry now.... The community would rise up in thunderous and joyous applause... and the marriage would be complete.
So I now invite you to witness, and Robert's Mother, Mary Seaton, and his wife, Sarah Seaton, to participate in this simple, but profound rite.
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cérémonie celtique mariage 30 aout 2008_0001.wmvby Carolepyggy2,656 views
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