Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Pagan
The Bagabi Incantation: A Summoning to Samhain

The Bagabi Incantation: A Summoning to Samhain

Last updated on: October 31, 2017 at 10:59 am by Heron Michelle

The Bagabi Incantation: A Summoning to Samhain 2017-10-31T10:59:36-04:00 Heron Michelle

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Bagabi Incantation is often associated with witchcraft rituals at Samhain, and with initiations in British Wicca. I’ve also seen it used by Modern Witches to raise power for magickal workings, and to summon Spirits. But where does the Bagabi incantation come from? Does it conjure the “devil,” or invite witches to come scrub the Samhain feast dishes? As per standard witching procedure, there are a host of varying opinions. Either way, it has summoning power.

Embed from Getty Images

Rutebeuf: Summoning the Devil?

Just about every source I’ve found references a french play from the 13th Century called, Le Miracle de Théophile, by the trouvère Rutebeuf as the first known printed use of this incantation. From an article in wikipedia:

“The play is a religious drama…[that] refers to the legendary history of St. Theophilus of Adana, who according to traditional saints’ legends made a pact with the Devil and repented of it…This play is the original source of an influential invocation to the Devil (in an unknown language)…given to the character Salatin…labelled a sorcerer; Salatin uses these words to invoke the Devil:

(Ci conjure Salatins le deable.)

Bagahi laca bachahé,
Lamac cahi achabahé,

Karrelyos.

Lamac lamec bachalyos,
Cabahagi sabalyos,

Baryolas.

Lagozatha cabyolas,
Samahac et famyolas,

Harrahya.

Some postulate that Rutebeuf just made up some mystical sounding gibberish a sorcerer might say, and it was not sourced from witchcraft at all.

CC0 Creative Commons - Pixabay

CC0 Creative Commons – Pixabay

Gerald Gardner: Initiations and Samhain Rites?

Gerald Gardner, father of British Wicca and infamous for his syncretism, may have been familiar with Rutebeuf’s play – or the later occult texts that lifted it from the play – because the Bagabi incantation is used in his novel, High Magic’s Aid. One version of the Bagabi chant can -allegedly- be found in the Gardnerian Book of Shadows, and so tends to be incorporated into the practices of those who inherited his Wiccan tradition. Though, they did not claim to know what the words meant. Rumor has it that Wiccans use it for initiations and a power raising call to Samhain Rites.

Aleister Crowley: Barbarous Words of Power?

In occult magickal systems like Thelema, there is a concept known as the Barbarous Names of Power.

From the Thelemapedia:

“Crowley concluded that ‘the most potent conjurations are those in an ancient and perhaps forgotten language, or even those couched in a corrupt and possibly meaningless jargon.’ (Magick, p. 187) Barbarous Names used in evocation serve the purpose of exalting the mind from the vulgar world through a release from rational, discursive thought. They are a mechanism for provoking ecstatic consciousness.”

Aleister Crowley also wrote this in “Eleusis” (Epilogue and Dedication of Collected Works, 1906) “It is because the names are senseless that they are effective. If a man is really praying he can’t bring himself to utter ridiculous things to his God, just as Mark Twain observes that one “cannot pray a lie.” So that it is a sublime test of faith to utter either a lie or a jest, this with reverence, and that with conviction. Achieve it; the one becomes the truth, the other a formula of power.”

I agree and would add that “barbarous words” conjure power by tapping the egregore (1) created by generations of magi intoning them with similar intent. Basically, if enough witches channel power through the same words, with the same purpose, for long enough, those words take on a life of their own. Then any schmo-witch who chants them taps that powerful keg just by speaking them aloud.

I’ve spent a fair amount of time chanting these words while attempting to memorize them, and I can tell you that big energy shifts DO happen, and time does strange things for me while I’m down that particular rabbit hole. It drops me into a deep trance quite effectively. To hear it sung, or droned in a magickal circle in the firelight, is spine-tingling, and sets the stage for some witchy business.

Michael Harrison: Basque invitation to do the dishes?

But does anyone actually know where it came from or what it was originally supposed to mean? Michael Harrison spent time diving deeply into these questions. In his book The Roots of Witchcraft he examined the etymology including a traditional first line as chanted by a priestess at Witchcraft initiations. He cites his sources:

“The chant is given both in Peter Railing’s The Warlock’s Book (W.H. Allen, London, 1971) and Raymond Lament Brown’s A Book of Witchcraft (David & Charles, Newton Abbot, 1971). I shall give the Haining version here…” p.123

Eko: Eko: Azarak; Eko: Zomelak

Bagohi Lacha bachabe

Lamac cahi achababe

Karellyos

Lamac lamac Bachalyas

Cabahagy sabalyos

Baryolos

Lagos atha cabyolas

Samahac atha famolas

Hurrahya.

Harrison makes a compelling linguistic case for these words being derived from the old Basque language. The Basque are a people who live on the Spanish side of the Pyrenees mountains, and have been linked to Witchery since the famous Witch Trials at Logrono, held by the Spanish Inquisition 1609-1611. Harrison has a different translation of the Bagabi Incantation – having little to do with initiation, nor even of summoning the devil. His translation based on ancient Basque language is more of a rallying cry for witches to gather for the work of the slaughter and harvest, and then share in feast and toasting at the first of November. Its an invitation to come party and then help wash the dishes!

One possible English version – by Harrison:

Kill (or the Feast) in November; kill!

I shall transport thee there myself,

and without the aid of a sieve, 

to scour the plates and dishes with sand:

work (which must be done) with those plates and dishes.

(We  shall meet our friends) ready for the drinking-cup

if they shall go (to the Feast), their bellies full with 

quaffing from the drinking-cup.

O Sons (of the Master) with your Families (shout His praises with the  cry)’.

‘HURRAHYA’!

On the flip-side, in Wicca: Magickal Beginnings, historians Sorita D’Este and David Rankine discuss the origins and usages of the Bagabi, and are skeptical of the Harrison-Basque translation, adding: “No linguistic equivalent in any language, or barbarous version in grimoires or old magickal papyri seems to exist for this particular chant. However, considering the villain in the original tale of Theophilus is a Jewish Magician, it is possible that the Bagabi is in fact a corrupted Hebrew Chant.” page 184

William Shakespeare: Witches Travel in Sieves?

However, the mention of the sieve in Harrison’s translation could be indicative of a connection to Witchcraft because in the transcripts of Witch trials it was often mentioned that a witch would travel in a sieve. Even Shakespeare mentions it in the words of the first witch in Macbeth, “But in a sieve I’ll thither sail…”

Macbeth Glossary
sieve (1.3.10)

i.e., large kitchen strainer.

Along with a bubbling cauldron, toads, eye of newt…one would find a sieve in the kitchen of every competent witch. Using their brooms as oars, witches would set sail in sieves and journey over rough waters. A text written in 1591, Newes from Scotland, reports 200 witches at one time traveling across the sea in their sieves. source

Embed from Getty Images

Timothy Roderick: Mandala of Life and Death?

My first exposure to the Bagabi chant was on Day 60 of Timothy Roderick’s, Wicca: A Year and a Day. As a new witchling, I did the exercise as instructed and it was very powerful for me. He suggests a solitary, slow walking meditation, one step per word. Focusing less on the pronunciation and more on what the chant invokes for you.

Roderick mentions that there are several versions of this chant in distribution, and that his version has some changes. Notably, there are 4 additional lines that are not found in the French play by Rutebeuf, nor in Harrison’s translation, nor any other source I’ve found anywhere. Since 2005, I’ve been dying to know where these lines came from.

Palas aron ozinomas
Baske Bano tudan dona
Geheamed cla orlay
Berec he pantaras tay.

So, today I contacted Mr. Roderick to ask their origin, and he replied that they are -allegedly- found in the Gardnerian Book of Shadows. However, the public version which can be referenced here at SacredTexts.com, in the November Eve Sabbat rite, doesn’t include them either. Is this is a secret-squirrel-wiccan-oath-thing? [EDIT: SOURCE NOW FOUND! See below!]

Roderick writes: “On Samhain, Witches traditionally chant the Bagabi Incantation while walking widdershins (counterclockwise) around the inner perimeter of the magical ritual space they create. This widdershins movement ritually symbolizes the state of death as a counter-movement to life. In combination, both the widdershins movement and ancient sounds of the Bagabi form a magnificent symbol of the interplay between the principles of life and death.” Wicca, Page 59

Pronouncing the Bagabi Incantation

Following is Roderick’s version of the chant, interspersed with suggestions for pronunciation from The Goodly Spellbook: Olde Spells for Modern Problems by Dixie Deerman and Steven Rasmussen.

As a way to help my own coven learn this chant, I came up with this handy tune and recorded myself (attempting) to sing it. It works for me; I hope it is helpful for you. I also included the mysterious last four lines, with my best guess at what they sound like. Play this track while reading along with me.

Bagabi laca bachabe [Bah-GAH-hee LAH-ka BAH-khah-hey]
Lamac cahi achababe [Lah-MAHK kah-HEE ah-KHAH-bah-hey]
Karrelyos! [Kah-RREL-yohs]
Lamac lamec bachalyas [La-MAHK Lah-Mekh bah-KHAH-lee-ohs]
Cabahagy sabalyos   [Kah-BAH-hah-gee Sah-BAH-lee-ohs]
Baryolas!   [Bah-RREE-oh-lahs]
Lagoz atha cabyolas   [Lah-goh-sah-THAH kah-BEE-oh-lahs]
Hurrahya! [Hah-RRAH-hee-yah]

Palas aron ozinomas
Baske Bano tudan dona
Geheamed cla orlay
Berec he pantaras tay.

Heron’s two cents: Reverence and Mirth

Whether or not these are just “barbarous words” not meant to be understood, OR they are a mandala of balance between life and death, OR they are an old Basque invitation to feast together at Samhain, this chant does hold magickal power. At least it does for me, but I challenge all my witches out there to try it for yourself this Samhain. It has at least 80 years of eregore power built up behind it, and maybe even 600 years worth, depending on what shenanigans Rutebeuf’s cast got up to back stage in France.

Approach the work of Samhain with both reverence and mirth, and sing this incantation with the proper preparation of an energetic circle. Either the French “Devil” will come knocking, or Scottish Witches will show up in their sieves, ready to do the dishes. Either way, it is bound to be a Samhain party you won’t soon forget.

Blessed Samhain! Hurrahya!

~Heron Michelle

p.s. If anyone out there can share with me another source of intel about those last four lines of the chant, I’d love to know about it in the comments.

EDIT: New Source Found!

[update Oct. 28, 2017] Thanks to a helpful reader, I have new source of information for the mystery of the additional four lines:

From a Wikipedia Article:

“Jean Bodel (c. 1165 – c. 1210), was an Old French poet… He also wrote a miracle play called the Jeu de Saint Nicolas, which was probably first performed in Arras on 5 December 1200. Situated in the middle of an epic battle between Christians and Muslim, the play tells the story of a good Christian who escapes the battle and is found by the Muslim forces praying to a statue of Saint Nicolas”

“Similar to another French miracle play from the same time period, Le Miracle de Théophile, Jeu de Saint Nicolas contains an invocation to the Devil in an unknown language. [Grillot de Givry, Witchcraft, Magic & Alchemy, Courier Dover Publications, 1971, p. 109.]

Palas aron ozinomas

Baske bano tudan donas

Geheamel cla orlay

Berec hé pantaras tay”

Egregore (also egregor) is an occult concept representing a “thoughtform” or “collective group mind”, an autonomous psychic entity made up of, and influencing, the thoughts of a group of people. The symbiotic relationship between an egregore and its group has been compared to the more recent, non-occult concepts of the corporation (as a legal entity) and the meme. Wikipedia

Previous Post

October 26, 2017

Witchin' in the Kitchen: Headless Horseradish Kielbasa and Cabbage

Next Post

October 31, 2017 The Grinch Who Stole My Halloween

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Arts, Crafts & Cooking Business Cermony and Liturgy Columns Comedy Community Death Elemental Witchcraft Health and Wellness Holidays Interfaith Life Love, Sex & Relationships Magic or Magick Nature Politics Prayers, Poems, Blessings & Stories Recipes Rites of Passage Ritual and Practice Science and Research Shopkeeper Saga Technology Theology, Ethics, Philosophy Uncategorized Witch on Fire

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 November 2025 September 2025 August 2025 May 2025 November 2024 September 2024 August 2024 March 2024 February 2024 December 2023 September 2023 August 2023 May 2023 February 2023 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 April 2022 March 2022 December 2021 November 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 December 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 August 2015 July 2015

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who built the first temple in Jerusalem?

Select your answer to see how you score.

David Joshua Solomon Moses