The purpose of this labeling is to help one another understand where one is coming from in their explanation and talking about the Druids in their practice. I see a lot of misunderstanding among folks, even heated discussions when talking about Druids of today to ancient Druids from Gaul to Ireland. So reconstruction/re-visioning of the Ancient Druids in a modern world to separate them from the modern Neo Druids. So when discussing this, we now have words to help understand the ancient to the Modern.
These words are not just different ways of spelling and pronouncing them. They are words to define your practice using the language and meaning behind them. They are an identity for your religion/practice/tradition.
Ancient
- *Druis – Ancient Gaulish Druid, We in the Gaulish Community call them Senodruides (Ancient Druids)
- Religious leaders, medical professionals, Philosopher’s and political advisors.
- *Druwis – Ancient Brittonic Druid
- Religious leaders, medical professionals, Philosopher’s and political advisors.
- Derwydd – Ancient Welsh Druid
- Mostly mythical characters, probably based on the above. The Welsh Derwydd was more of a prophet than a religious leader/priest/ess.
- Drui – Ancient Irish Druid
- Mostly mythical characters, probably based on the above Druis and Druwis. The Drui was a priest/ess/counselors that told of great prophecies and had more mystical elements behind them.
Modern
When it comes to the Definition of these terms, I will leave that up to those traditions to define. As these should not be one person’s idea but the traditions that they belong to.
- Druið – Modern Gaulish Druid
- Draoi – Modern Irish Druid
- Drouiz – Modern Breton Druid
- Derwydh – Modern Cornish Druid
- Derwydd – Modern Welsh Druid
- Druid – Modern Neo Druid
The Greeks called them δρυΐδης (Druidēs)
The Romans Called them Druidae
Ultimately coming from Proto-Indo-European *Druwits
The Carnutian Nemeton 