Speaking Welsh in Wales is a matter of cultural pride and an act of rebellion against colonialism. Respecting the Welsh language and listening to the concerns of Welsh speakers regarding the use of their language and other cultural pillars is, therefore, especially critical for those of us outside of the culture.
On Mabon – The Autumn Equinox and the Divine Son
Using the name Mabon for a Neo-Pagan festival unrelated to the God is a form of appropriation that has obscured what we DO know about him – which is actually a lot, considering all that we DON’T know about other Brythonic Gods. For example, most people accept that Rhiannon is a Goddess, but there are ZERO attested shrines to her and no evidence of her worship (at least by that name), but linguistics, the study of literary motifs, and comparative mythology are all used as evidence to support her divinity. Maponos, on the other hand, is a God which can be found in the archaeological record and literally has shrines and altars dedicated to him.