When one use the word Druid it may conjure up images of old dark forests, ancient trees that tower skyward or old men in white robes with white flowing beards. In some cases this may be true, but here in Las Vegas, there is a group of Druids that are more attuned to stones and wind than enormous oak trees.
Larrea Tridentata Grove is a chartered congregation of Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF). To clarify, ADF is a reconstructed Druidic order that was originally founded by Issac Bonewits in the 1983. (More information on Bonewits can be found at the ADF website, Wikipedia and other websites.)
The members of “The Grove” fondly refer to themselves as Desert Druids. In an informal interview, Grove Leader B-J explains, “In ADF rituals, references are made to trees. But here in the Mojave Desert we don’t have vast expanses of natural forests or even small ones. We looked around and what do we have? Rocks, dirt, and bushes. Even the largest bush grows maybe 10 to 15 feet. Our environment is different here than in other ADF Groves that exist in the eastern and northwestern parts of the country. We decided that when we established this grove that we needed our ritual language to reflect our surroundings. So we say stones instead of trees.”
Another noted difference with this Druid group is that Larrea Tridentata is not exclusively Celtic. They also include Greek and Modern American Gods worship. So what are the Modern American Gods? If you are expecting Neil Gaiman’s version of American Gods, think again. You may attend a Larrea Tridentata ritual and find that the Gods of the occasion include Uncle Sam, Santa Claus and Lady Liberty. Other gods or goddesses that have been called also in the past are Smokey the Bear and the Almighty Dollar. “We don’t just pick any American folk hero or icon,” B-J emphasizes, “We have criteria we use to justify how a particular American icon has achieved Godhood status.”
Being connected with the ADF, Larrea Tridentata studies and adheres to Nine Pagan Virtues. These are Wisdom, Piety, Vision, Courage, Integrity, Perseverance, Hospitality, Moderation, and Fertility. The Grove has periodically come together to discuss the nature of each virtue and what it means to them personally in a modern world.
Like most pagan groups, Larrea Tridentata has eight ritual dates throughout the year. The rituals are open to the public and are posted on the group Meet-up site and Facebook page. The Grove usually meets every Thursday at the IHOP on Cheyenne and the 95 freeway.
Want to learn more about Larrea Tridentata Grove, ADF and Druidry in Las Vegas? Contact them at:
info@larrea-adf.org
Check their website at 
www.larrea-adf.org
Or find an event at
http://.meetup.com/Druids-in-Las-Vegas
They’re also on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/LarreaTridentataGroveAdf/
Spotlight is an informative article featuring a different Las Vegas Pagan group every month produced by Debbie Siegfried.
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