About our Weddings
We never considered that we were "getting married". Rather,
we were celebrating with our extended community the amazing fact that we
had found ourselves to be so as a spiritual reality. We had a civic
wedding at Vérčne’s parent's village at Montaud near
Montpellier in the south of France on 3 August 2002, and a spiritual one, in the Quaker
style (i.e. with no clergy officiating), on 28 September 2002 on the Isle of Eigg in the
Hebrides, where Alastair has been so involved with land reform.
In
the Eigg wedding, guests walked 2 miles (3 km) from the pier to the ruined
village of Grulin, from where the original inhabitants had been forcibly
cleared by their feudal landlord in the 19th century. First, the women
processed down, singing, and took their place at the ancient Well of the
Holy Women. Then the men followed singing a Gaelic rowing song, and were
welcomed by the women (some of the guests, the GalGael Trust members from
Govan in Glasgow, had rowed over in the maiden ocean voyage of the Orcuan,
a Hebridean-style longship or birlinn, that they had entirely built
themselves - huge thanks to Eric Weldon of Eigg for the safety cover with
his launch).
Once
the community was gathered, the two of us emerged from each side of a
massive boulder. We stood in silence for a while at the holy well, then
exchanged our feelings about one another, emphasising the importance of
always deepening honesty in relationship. We also exchanged rings, which
had been resting in the water of the well - much to the childrens'
excitement! Next, the guests, comprising 120 people who had come from the
mainland or other Hebridean islands, and many of the island's 70-strong
resident community, offered their own sharings as they felt moved. There
were speeches, poetry, blessings and songs in Gaelic, Irish, Breton,
Welsh, French and English.
Water
was then drawn from the well, whisky was also poured from 3 bottles, and
the Cups of Friendship were passed around for all to partake. Music and
dancing struck up, and speeches were made about how this would have been
the first time since the Highland Clearances that such life had returned
to the place.
Lastly,
we all walked back (and some who had particularly partaken of the Cup of
Friendship were driven back!) to the Eigg Tea Room, where the folks there
had prepared a most sumptuous banquet, with much local produce [photos to
be added when available]. The evening ended with a ceilidh dance in Eigg
Hall, complete with a guest appearance by Elvis, courtesy of the
GalGael!
