Thanks to the publishing of one of our letters on the Carn Magazine we the celts in Argentina, gathered by those days under the "Royal Celtic Association of Galician Pipers", were soon contacted from Galicia, Spain, by the “Liga Celtica da Galiza” (Celtic League of Galicia) which led later into the “Irmandade Cetiga” (Celtic Brotherhood),(both are no longer active nowadays) and from Asturias, Spain, by the “Lliga Celta d’Asturies” (Celtic League of Asturias).
Hereby you may find the scan of one of the first official letters.
This is in fact a memorable data since you may find as a signer one of the most relevant musicians from Galicia: Xose Bieito Romero Copo, founder and lead piper/accordion player /composer of the famous folk band “Luar na Lubre”. Memorable indeed, because it is a testimony that proofs his true Celtic spirit and conviction; …undoubtedly …when the celtic feeling truly lives in the heart it can never be driven from it…
The “Lliga Celta da Galiza” letter (translated from the original Galician text).
Emigrant Brothers:
It is a pleasure for us to receive news concerning to your (musical) association, which payed our attention for it's name and for being known through the Celtic League’s magazine (Carn).
We are a recently established league with the aims of spreading Galician Celtic culture with works and different related activities, and through which we feel identified with.
We maintain contact with the Celtic League International Branch since 2 years ago, and now in October we decided to forward to them a proposal to be discussed at their Annual Meeting, intending to sensitize them in order to find a full rights recognition for Galicia along with other celtic communities.
Regarding the above lines, we would like to be in contact with you in order to develop a close collaboration, with the aims of spreading a culture firmly rooted in the personality of our people, but which nevertheless might be forgotten.
Expecting to have contact with you soon...
greetings and brotherhood.
For a political and cultural independence of celtic people !!!
Long live the free Galicia !!!
This letter prompted us to support their desire to raise awareness among members of the Celtic League in order to let Galicia be recognized as member along with the other six nations that line up the Celtic League.
Between 1986 and 1987 the Celtic League International Branch Secretary, the late Alan Heusaff, summoned a subcommittee in order to line out a proposal for the Annual General Meeting. As a result there were a couple of considerations: the first one, being Galicia and Asturias part as associated member countries only; and a second one, being our collectives part of the International Branch Diaspora, as individual associations or leagues.
Unfortunately, London and Manx branches opposed arguing that the Celtic League only considers as “nation” those people who posses Celtic Language. Although Galicia has many Celtic words in their language, and even when Celtic languages are spoken by a minority within their member countries , our request was denied. The same happened with Asturias.
The Celtic League at its Annual General Meeting of 1987 recognized that Galicia and Asturias had a Celtic heritage , but invited us to join as individual members only. Decision which we obviously rejected.
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