View Single Post
Old 4th May 2012, 08:34 PM   #24
David R
Member
 
David R's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 1,052
Default

Happened everywhere Christianity was imposed, Vodun gods in Haiti have a "Saintly" identity, eg Oguan = Santiago . Even here the old festivals and Gods took new identities, Christmas is the old Solturna, the Green Man is carved in Medieval churches, and St Bridgit is the new avatar of the Crow Goddess...allegedly. Your ordinary person just wants protection from the dark forces, and will take it from wherever it might be gotten. (Let's not talk about Shiela na Gig).
When you get down to it, a lot of the Western swordsmiths marks are talismanic, some folk-Christian and some, half moons, wolves and such perhaps of more eclectic origin.
Add to that the reinterpretation of Western marks in Africa, noted on Kaskara and Takouba,...crosses are among the least dubious symbols you could find!..Sorry to go on like this...just something I find interesting.
David R is offline   Reply With Quote