The WAG Festival which took place in August was a dedication to the death of the goddess Osiris. During WAG the Ancient Egyptian people honored the passage of souls and their journey to the afterlife.
The festival dates back to the Old Kingdom (2572 – 2130 BC). The dates actually shifted annually as the festival was based on the flooding of the Nile River.
The festival took place during Thout, the first month on the Egyptian Coptic calendar. The Arabs refer to this month as Tut.
The Coptic or the Alexandrian calendar is used by the Coptic Orthodox Christian Church as well as many rural populations in Egypt. Urban populations in Egypt use the Gregorian Calendar.
What Was The WAG Festival?
The WAG Festival is dedicated to the death of Osiris. This is a time to observe and honor the dead on their journey to the afterlife.
Also during August, the Ancient Egyptians celebrated the Feast of Thoth.
How Do We Know About The WAG Festival?
The Ancient Egyptians had a written language and jobs that centered around writing down both everyday life events and recording special occasions.
They wrote this in long scrolls and on the wall of the pharaoh’s tombs.
One fascinating example is the Book of the Dead. This collection of spells offered guidance for the deceased through the judgment process.
Read our post on MUMMIFICATION IN ANCIENT EGYPT to learn more about how the body was prepared for the afterlife.
Isis and Osiris
Osiris is the God of the Dead, Agriculture, and Fertility and he ruled the afterlife. His father is Geb, the Earth deity, and his mother, Nut, the sky goddess. Osiris married his sister Isis goddess of healing, magic, motherhood, and rebirth.
Egyptologists have some evidence that Osiris was a real ruler during the Predynastic times (5500-3100 BC) in the Nile Delta area. He may have been a shepherd because he carries crook and the flail.
Osiris had a brother named Seth who was very jealous of him. Before becoming the God of the Dead Osiris was King of Egypt. Seth wanting the throne brutally murdered Osiris.
Seth chopped Osiris into pieces which he distributed around Egypt. He threw his penis into the Nile. Seth then married their other sister Nephthys and became king.
Isis was distraught and cried at the river. Ancient Egyptians thought the flooding of the Nile River was the tears of the goddess Isis crying because Osiris had died.
Isis with the help of her sister Nephthys traveled throughout Egypt finding the parts of Osiris. She assembled him with linen wrappings and he became the first mummy.
However, she could not find his penis which Seth through in the Nile where it was eaten by fishes. Isis assembled an artificial penis.
Using her magic she brought him back to life. Isis was able to conceive and gave birth to the god Horus. Horus was the God of Kinship.
Osiris then descended into the underworld to rule. This myth explains the Ancient Egyptian’s belief in reincarnation.
There are many versions of this myth but this version comes from the book Ancient Egypt: Everyday Life in the Land of the Nile by Bob Brier.
Osiris was the lord of the dead in the ancient Egyptian religion. Here, he is shown in typical mummy wrappings. His green skin symbolizes rebirth. Based on New Kingdom tomb paintings. By Jeff Dahl
What Is Kemetic Reconstruction?
Kemetic Reconstructionists are contemporary pagans who follow the basic religion of the Ancient Egyptians.
They follow and honor the deities such as Bast and use the ancient texts as guides for living.
Today’s Kemetics don’t leave modern society behind but rather acknowledge the Gods and Goddess have lessons to teach us that transcend the ages.
Some Kemetic followers merge the Egyptian beliefs into a Wiccan framework and follow the Wheel of the Year but using Egyptian deities.
How Can I Celebrate The WAG Festival Today?
First and foremost is a feast. The ancient Egyptians would have had bread, beer, meat, vegetables, and fruits.
Have a feast! Set a place at the table for your ancestor(s).
Float a paper boat down a local creek or river to honor Isis and Osiris.
Visit the graves of your ancestors and bring offerings to them.
Spend time in a cemetery honoring the dead who reside there.
You can travel to Egypt in mid-Agust to take part in the modern celebrations.
Is The Wag Festival Celebrated In Egypt Today?
Yes! Today many Egyptians celebrate Wafaa Al Nil or “Fidelity of the Nile” during August which celebrates the flooding of the Nile River. They make paper boats to float down the river.
Music and song are part of the ceremony and many people dress in traditional clothing.
Today the largest religion in Egypt is Sunni Muslim with about 10% being Coptic Christian.
I had a hard time finding any definitive statistics on the number of pagans in modern Egypt but we can assume Paganism is On The Rise there as well as in other parts of the world. Reports on a growing number of “Atheists” may include pagans as well.
People may feel intimidated by laws that punish people who are non-believers. A person’s religion is listed on their Identity Card.
Author, Ame Vanorio, is the founder of CPH and is fascinated by Egyptian deities. She recently took a college course in Ancient Egypt.
Ancient Egyptians believed strongly in an afterlife however accessing that beautiful place was fraught with peril. The Book of The Dead is a guidebook and a book of spells that was important to ancient Egyptians because it helped them to access the afterlife.