Enyalië

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Enyalië (pronounced [enˈjalie] /en-yar-ly-eh/) is an annual activity held as the concluding part of The Tolkien Society's Oxonmoot celebration.[1]

On the Sunday morning of the Oxonmoot convention, attendees of the event take a coach trip to Wolvercote Cemetery where J.R.R. Tolkien and his wife Edith are buried. Enyalië is a "sombre" wreath-laying ceremony which involves a "short act of remembrance" at Tolkien's graveside.[2] The Chairman of the Society reads a passage from Tolkien's works whilst the song Namárië is sung by one of the Society's long-standing members.[3]

Chairman of The Tolkien Society, Shaun Gunner, described the event as "poignant and touching" whilst noting that "many regard it as the single most important activity of Oxonmoot".[3]

Etymology

Enyalië is a Quenya noun meaning "memory"[4] or "remembrance".[5] It features in the Oath of Eorl - in the form enyalien - published in Unfinished Tales.[6]

References

  1. Jeff Gordinier, "'The Lord of the Rings': Elvish Lives!" dated 14 December 2001, Entertainment Weekly (accessed 19 April 2024)
  2. "Oxonmoot 2010", Festival Art and Books (accessed 11 August 2015)
  3. 3.0 3.1 Shaun Gunner, "10 reasons why you should attend Oxonmoot" dated 11 August 2015, The Tolkien Society (accessed 11 August 2015)
  4. "[1]", Parf Edhellen (accessed 11 August 2015)
  5. "Celebrate Tolkien at Oxonmoot 2006 at Oxford" dated 23 August 2006, The One Ring (accessed 11 August 2015)
  6. J.R.R. Tolkien, Christopher Tolkien (ed.), Unfinished Tales, "Cirion and Eorl and the Friendship of Gondor and Rohan"