The Clan of Tubal CainListen to Dave talk about The Clan of Tubal Cain and 1734
http://www.crookedpath.org/CP22_2006_07_17.mp3
The Root Tradition of the
The Clan of Tubal Cain is a British mystery tradition made public in Britain during the 1960's and introduced into the United States during the years 1964-1966 through the writings of Robert Cochrane. Cochrane died in 1966. However, in 1976, Ann and David Finnin, with the aid of the Cochrane writings and material contributed by other British traditionalists, attempted to recreate this tradition as an experimental group called The Roebuck. In 1982, contact was made with Evan John Jones, one of the surviving members of Cochrane's original group. After an apprenticeship which lasted nearly two years, Ann and David were adopted into the Clan by Jones and empowered to carry the tradition back to the States. Thus, a link between the old tradition and the new was formally established.
Some information about the American branch of the Clan of Tubal Cain and how we became the Maid and Magister of the Clan.
We were not actually adopted into the Clan of Tubal Cain during our first trip in 1982 John performed a ritual with us that consisted of sending me on a kind of “vision quest” in which Ann was supposed to bring back a series of “key” visions which would determine whether or not we had been accepted by the Ancient Ones. As it happened, she did receive some of those keys and John proceeded to give us as much background material on the Clan and the way Cochrane used to work as we could absorb. However, he knew that we had our own group so the subject of bringing us formally into the Clan of Tubal Cain was never brought up. John just assumed that we would use the material with the Roebuck and, for a time, that is what we did.
However, in one of our letters to him, We expressed a concern about whether or not the material we had (and, incidentally, the truth about Cochrane’s death) would be accepted as valid in the States. We had, after all, been duped before. In his return letter, John suggested that we actually join the Clan of Tubal Cain. By this time, it was already May of 1983. We accepted and he sent us a copy of the adoption ritual, empowering me to act in his stead to adopt the entire Roebuck into the Clan provisionally while we served a year-long apprenticeship. He suggested that Ann and I give each other the oath first, then, a few weeks later, give it to the entire Roebuck.
Our apprenticeship was an intense one, even given the distance. In frequent letters, John would suggest a ritual, we would perform it and report back to him in detail what happened and who got what. Then, he would write a critique and suggest something else. There were also phone calls in which we discussed a variety of issues. John was insistent from the very first that we were to be an independent group and not slavishly copy the practices of the original clan. He was especially adamant that we not repeat any of Cochrane’s mistakes.
In May, 1986, we took a second trip to England. On Beltaine old calendar, John formally adopted Ann into the Clan in person and then she, in turn, adopted me. The ritual, held on the hill above Brighton, was simple and impromptu, but would prove to have a profound effect on the future of the Clan. For some inexplicable reason, it was vital to have that in-person, hands-on confirmation of what we had done through the mail three years previously. Something clicked into place that night on both the material and non-material planes, something that would give us the power to solve the problems that we would face in the years ahead.
There are many Craft people that scoff at the tradition of the laying on of hands, a ritual from the Catholic church by which the Bishop confers power onto a new priest. And, indeed, this is one of the sources of the accusations of elitism and snobbery that have been leveled at us since then. But all the members of the Clan knew what had happened when we returned. And, although they are no less valid and binding, the initiations and Clan adoptions that we performed after that trip had a different quality than the ones we had performed beforehand.
Eventually, the Clan ritual’s became the core of the Roebuck and the Clan’s dedicated to preserving the original ritual’s, and the lore surrounding it, in the form in which we originally learned it. This ritual constitutes the plug into the wall socket which carries the power of the Otherworld to the entire Clan, and those who are oathbound to guard it do not take their task lightly.
The ritual we did with Evan John Jones on that hill in the old traditional way was simple and impromptu without any elaborate script or ceremony. As a result of what we learned from John and what we plugged into we developed a strong group mind with a purpose to reconstruct the Clan of Tubal Cain on American soil.
We also received help from both Bill Gray and Doreen Valiente with our clan workings.
FFF, Dave Finnin
August 18, 2008
Magister of the Clan of Tubal Cain
Evan John Jones 1936-2003
In memory of a cherished teacher and a good friend who inspired us to keep studying, learning and practicing our tradition.
John, may your cup always be full and your purse never empty until we meet again.
Bright Blessings,
Dave & Ann
For more information e-mail: clanoftubalcain@ancientkelticchurch.org
or write to us at:
The Ancient Keltic Church
P.O. Box 663
Tujunga, California 91043-0663
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All pages are copyright September, 1997, by the Ancient Keltic Church. These pages may be printed for personal use only provided they are not changed in any way.