Druids of Cali
Druids of California
Every time I have driven around or through Placerville there's a strange pillar in the middle of the street with what looks to be a flame on the top.
One day while driving by, I noticed on the plaque that it says Druids of California.
I don't know about you but I had never heard of a druid but it sounded kinda weird. I didn't think much about it after that but then I heard a preacher mention druids one day and I remembered that pillar. I still never looked into it, I didn't care all that much. Just a passing curiosity, you know. I bet at least one of you has been curious if you have seen it, and those that haven't are at least slightly intrigued now that I mentioned it.
So, I spent a few hours researching all I could for you, and here's the story.
The pillar is a memorial to a guy who is the man who successfully brought druidism to the state of California.
His name was Frederick Sieg. A German who immigrated to the States and lived in St. Louis where he was introduced to the ideas of druidism.
He eventually caught gold fever and moved to California, he slaved away as a miner for a little bit until he settled over in Hangtown "Placerville".
In Placerville, he made it his mission to bring The United Ancient Druid Order to fruition in California. Two others had tried, once in Sacramento and once in San Francisco but there wasn't much interest, and Sacramento in particular had a big fire that spread the potential members in all directions.
Frederick did well and got a whole, 2 people on board and soon more until there was enough demand that he made 2 more "groves" which is the druid’s name for their meeting place, One in Coloma and another in San Francisco.
The pillar monument was installed back in 1926, thirty-eight years after Frederick's death.
On the Pillar, there is a druidic emblem which in their words "shows a flaming pyre surmounted by a crossed spear and a long-handled sickle. Oaks, Mistletoe, Daffodil, and the all-seeing eye in the triangle.
So that answers what the heck that thing is, but it begs the question...
What is a druid?
Well, that depends on 10 billion different things. Druidism isn't like other religions where they all believe the same general thing with some differences within denominations based on theology. Druids are like snowflakes, no two are alike,
There are even differences in whether it’s a religious druid or a social druid.
But generally speaking, Druids are a secret society like the Freemasons. They have very similar rituals and beliefs and can be religious or more social, based on the grouping.
The kind that the pillar in Placerville memorializes is more of the social club type. They are like the Rotary Club in a way from what I was able to figure out.
But there are very different kinds of druids. Historically they were cannibalistic mass murderers, in fact, The Burning Man over in Nevada kind of takes after a practice the druids would do.
Druids would build a massive cage in the form of a man out of wicker and fill it with people to sacrifice and would light them all on fire. They would grab as many criminals as they could but if they needed to throw innocent people in there to fill it up, they would.
Modern religious Druidism is essentially New Age and Wiccan most are pantheists meaning they believe their gods and goddesses are in everything. Many believe in reincarnation similar to the Hindu but in particular they believe souls are not unique and that once a person dies they are reborn in the other world and then when they die in the other world they are born in this world. whether that be as a human or some kind of animal.
For example, they have records of a guy named Tuan Mac Coriall who they say lived 100 years a man, 300 a deer, 300 a boar, 300 a bird, and 300 a salmon... but other records show he lived 100 years a man, 20 a hog, 30 a stag, 100 an eagle and 30 a fish.
Simply put, Druidism in terms of ancient times was a pagan religion, very shamanic and secretive, it takes about 12 to 15 years to become a druid and they have hardly any verifiable history. Druids were written about in literature in medieval times both in a positive light and a negative light.
Historically, Julius Caesar is quoted as saying that the druids were in charge of public and private sacrifices they refused to pay taxes and were pacifists.
The Druids say they built the Stonehenge but there's no telling if that's true or not.
But let's go back to that pillar.
These druids from what I could tell, have nothing to do with the religious type.
1781 in London a social club for men formed and was called The Ancient Druidic Order. They operated secretly as the other clubs of those days did. As time went on, The organization split in two creating The United Ancient Druidic Order in 1833. This offshoot then made its way to Boston and then to St. Louis where Frederick Sieg became a member.
The religious Druids claim Merlin as one of theirs. as you could figure.
The social club kind of druid from England has its own celebrity, Sir Winston Churchill.
Now you know what that pillar is, who it memorializes, The History and distinction of which kind of Druids. But one thing I should point out is that just because there is a distinction doesn't mean a person can't be a member of both. Late at night, it is said you can find druids gathering at the pillar.
