Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids
 |
|
| Founder | |
|---|---|
| Ross Nichols, refounded by Philip Carr-Gomm | |
| Religions | |
| Contemporary druidism | |
| Scriptures | |
| None; influence from the Lebor Gabála Érenn, Mabinogion etc. | |
| Languages | |
| Welsh, Irish, German, English, French, Portuguese |
The Order of Bards, Ovates & Druids or OBOD is a Neo-Druidic organisation based in England, but based in part on the Welsh Gorsedd of Bards. It has grown to become a dynamic druid organisation, with members in all parts of the world.
The concept of the three roles of bards, ovates and druids originates from the writings of the ancient Greek historian and geographer Strabo, who in his Geographica, written in the 20s CE, stated that amongst the Gauls, there were three types of honoured figures: the poets and singers known as bardoi, the diviners and specialists in the natural world known as o'vateis, and those who studied "moral philosophy", the druidai. Nonetheless, Strabo's accuracy has been called into question, as he was not actually well acquainted with Gaul and was likely relying on earlier sources whose accuracy is also disputed.
OBOD was founded in 1964 as a split from the Ancient Druid Order with Ross Nichols as its leader.
In 1988, more than a decade after Nichols' passing, and after study in the Order and helping to further its reaches,Philip Carr-Gomm was asked to lead the Order. Other notable members also hold somewhat senior positions in the order, often with the title of "Honorary Bard", a good example of this being Damh the Bard who is involved mostly in the UK groves and running the podcast.
The OBOD teachings are available principally in the form of a distance-learning course mailed to members around the world. There is a network of tutors, many using email, to support the students’ progress through the grades of Bard, Ovate and Druid. Members meet at camps, at workshops and assemblies in various parts of the world, and a network of groves and seedgroups also exists. There are a number of internet forums, a private members’ website in addition to OBOD’s public-access site, and a monthly journal Touchstone. Quarterly journals are also published by members in various parts of the world: Dryade for Dutch-speaking members, Menhir in French, Druidenstein in German, Il Calderone in Italian, and two regional English-language magazines—SerpentStar in Australasia and Druid in North America.
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