SMIAL (pronounced "smile") essentially means the underground dwellings of the hobbits but especially the large tunnels inhabited by well-to-do hobbits. Bag End was a smial.
Smials are the officially registered local groups of The Tolkien Society. Each smial is run on an entirely voluntary basis by members of the smial. It isn't usually necessary to be a member of the Society to be a member of a smial.
The purpose of smials is to provide a community for those who share a similar interest in the works of JRR Tolkien and to make new friends. Meetings or gatherings of smial members are called "moots".
As every smial is organized locally and independently, they do not necessarily represent the view of The Tolkien Society
About Us
Tol-Eressëa, Smial of the Lonely Isle was founded in May 2003 by Palandiliar and registered in The Tolkien Society's official roll of smials
Our moots usually take place in Taipei - sometimes in restaurants or in coffee shops, sometimes at Palandiliar's residence. We try to moot once every month.
Our members were all strangers with a common interest who met by chance and then by choice to develop friendships and foster fellowship.
We moot to engage in a range of Tolkien-related events including discussions or film-viewing as well as more purely social activities like taking second breakfast or afternoon tea. (Visitors from afar need not prepare lembas although snacks are always appreciated.)
The discussions are centered on Tolkien's books and the cinematic version of The Lord of the Rings by Peter Jackson.
Spoken languages are in both Chinese and English. Elvish dialects are not currently used except as greetings and fare-wells. The Black Speech of Mordor is expressly forbidden.
Anyone with a passion for Tolkien's works is welcomed to join our companionship and may contact us via the links presented here or by emailing tol-eressea@tol-eressea.com
