Alan Heusaff. July 23th 1921 - November 3rd 1999.
A Celtic Farewell to a Celtic Friend.

As a consequence of the death of Alan Heusaff we present here articles refered to this great fighter of the Celtic cause signed by Manuel Castro, President of the Argentine Celtic League and Bernard Moffatt, Secretary General of the Celtic League (Europe). We also add some information about the early steps of the Celtic Cultural Movement in Argentina.

 

.	By  Manuel Castro.

I've never had the chance to meet him, to speak to him, not even hear the voice of his experience in Celtic matters. It was (and still is) a pity, but during 20 years I did have the opportunity to send him letters and ask for his support for the Celtic Galician Movement that was established during the eighties in Argentina.

Alan was one of the few, if not the only one, that believed in our struggle for the Celtic Galician identity recognition within the League, not only for the Celts in South America but for the Celts of Galiza and Asturies.

While writing this I remember the former cover of CARN showing (in the North West of the Kingdom of Spain) the border of Galiza, the land of my parents and ancestors. Unfortunately it cannot be found in the new issues. Who is to blame for this? I don't know.

In one of his 15/April/1986 letter he thanked us "for our wish to establish relations with other Celtic peoples. I should like to assure you that I personally have in the past years spoken at the Celtic League meetings in favour of some form of association between us and Galicia. I have been asked by a few people, from time to time, why Galicia is not recognized as one of the member-nations of the Celtic League. I have read various articles (some published in the Celtic League quarterly CARN) showing in what respects Galicia evidences Celtic characteristics. I have attended in Dublin the performance of a Galician Ballet Company, and recognized, in several of the tunes played, a resemblance to the music of Brittany and I had to recognice that they were distinct from the music of Spain, France or Italy..." "...I have Asturian friends who have also pressed me to intervene on their behalf to be admitted to the Celtic League as a group of their own, as they claim that the Asturies have a strong Celtic background. I have however not succeded in getting the support needed..." "...In Brittany, Galicians have been represented every year at the Lorient Interceltic Festival. Alan Stivell, who is certainly known to you, has endeavoured also to develop a modern Celtic music. I would ask the editor of CARN to publish extracts from your letter wlth your address, so that people who are active in the field of music might contact you. I shall be sending the magazine CARN to the publisher of AR SONER, magazine of the Association of Breton Pipers and I shall give him your address..."

As we had not the posibility of getting the recognition of the International Celtic League for Galiza and Asturies in the 1986 Annual General Mecting that took place in Edinburgh, we decided to continue our work alone but not totally separated of the Celtic League (that means: not totally separated of Alan Heusaff). Alan was our contact. Alone as we wore, we get our goals here such as: radio programs, Celtic Music Festivals, CD's, Pipe Bands, books written by Celtic origin Argentine investigators and more recently our Celtic site in internet, where articles written in Castilian (Spanish), Galician, Scottish Gaelic and English can be found. Alan was well aware of what taking place here.

The Celts of Europe most know that Argentina is not a Celtic country but it's a country with millions of Celtic origin people living on it. The Celtic Diaspora must be considered in a different way from the truly Celtic countries, but, although we are living overseas, the Celtic Diaspora is STILL CELTIC.

This was quite clear for Alan, that's why he helped us.

His dead is a terrible loss and the question for us is: Are the Galician Celts alone again?

Manuel Castro
President
Argentine Celtic League

Site in Internet of the Internacional Celtic League:
http://www.manxman.co.im/cleague/index.html

Galician Musicians (An article by Alan Heusaff. CARN, Summer 1986. Nr. 54)

In a letter in English signed by its three main officers, an Association of Galician Pipers in Argentina have requested the Celtic League to help them in getting in touch with musicians in the Celtic countries interested, like themselve, in developing the Celtic musical tradition. They have undertaken to study and revitalise their own traditional music. They are not satisfied with the low standards displayed by too many Galician groups in Buenos Aires, contributing as they do "to create a false image of what Galician really is". The belive they must adapt traditional forms to the present, in a word: evolve. 

They have a group called "Poitin", playing the bodhran, the fiddle, the harp, as well as a new type of gaita. Their motto is in Irish: Ár rún an ceol Ceiteach (= our commitment is to Celtic music), as well as Galician tunes they perform also Breton, Irish and Scottish ones. But they find little support from the Irish and Scots in Buenos Aires who care little for their national culture. If anyone among our readers is interested in learning more about them and perhaps learning from them, please write to "Real Asociazon Celtiga de Gaiteros Galaicos, Casilla de Correo 66, Suc. 30 Coghlan, (1430) Capital Federal, Buenos Aires, Argentina".

Notice: Both, the Poitin Celtic Group and the address of the Royal Assoc, do not exist anymore. For further information write to this site.

Other notes

As a consequence of the death of Alan Heusaff we present here articles refered to this great fighter of the Celtic cause signed by Manuel Castro, President of the Argentine Celtic League and Bernard Moffatt, Secretary General of the Celtic League (Europe).