Our Birth Totems
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 12, 2008
Here is a quick look at our Birth Totems. I shall be putting together some more material about our totems, in more depth, in the near future. Our Earth Medicine is what connects us to the Earth. In essence, these connections are an important part of the Balance. This is another reason why it is so important to remember our roles as stewards of this beautiful planet, and take good care of those in the Animal Nation, as they are a part of us.
The Twelve Birth times are represented by totems, each one an animal that expresses the Qualities inherent that birth time. Earth Medicine associates an animal totem to each birth time (the two sets) of dates below the animal reflect the difference in season between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. These Animals help connect you to the powers and abilities that they represent.
Falcon :
21 March ~ 19 April (N.H.) ~ 22 September ~ 22 October (S.H.)
Falcons are full of initiative, but often rush in to make decisions that they may later regret. Lively and extroverted, they have enthusiasm for new experiences but can sometimes lack persistence.
Beaver :
20 April ~ 20 May (N.H.) ~ 23 October ~ 22 November (S.H.)
Practical and Steady, Beavers have a capacity for perserverence. Good Homekeepers, they are warm and affectionate, but need Harmony and Peace to avoid becoming irritable. They have a keen aesthetic sense.
Deer :
21 May ~ 20 June (N.H.) ~ 23 November ~ 21 December (S.H.)
Deer are willing to sacrifice the old for the new. They loathe routine, thriving on variety and challenges. They have a practical wild side, often leaping from one situation or relationship into another without reflection.
Wood Pecker :
21 June ~ 21 July (N.H.) ~ 22 December ~ 19 January ( S.H.)
Emotional and Sensitive, Woodpeackers are warm to those close to them, and are willing to sacrifice their needs for those of their loved ones. They have lively imaginations but can be worriers.
Salmon :
22 July ~ 21 August (N.H.) ~ 20 January ~ 18 February (S.H.)
Enthusiastic and self-confident, Salmon people enjoy running things, They are uncomprimising and forceful, and can sometimes seem alittle arogant or self-important. They are easily hurt by neglect.
Brown Bear :
22 August ~ 20 September (N.H.) ~ 19 February ~ 20 March (S.H.)
Brown Bears are hard working, Practical, and self-reliant. They do not like change, preferring to stick with what is familiar. They have a flair for fixing things, are good natured, and make good friends.
Crow :
22 September ~ 22 October (N.H.) ~ 21 March ~ 19 April (S.H.)
Crows dislike solitude and feel most comfortable in company. Although usually good - natured and pleasant they can be strongly influenced by negative atmospheres, becoming gloomy and prickly.
Snake :
23 October ~ 22 November (N.H.) ~ 20 April ~ 20 May (S.H.)
Snakes are Mysterious, and secretive, Hiding their feelings beneath a cool exterior. Adaptable, determined and imaginative, they are capable of bouncing back from tough situations encountered in life.
Owl :
23 November ~ 23 December (N.H.) ~ 21 May ~ 20 June (S.H.)
Owls need freedom of expression. They are Lively, Self-Reliant, and have an eye for detail. Inquisitive and Adaptable, They have a tendency to over - extend themselves. Owls are often physically couragous.
Goose :
22 December ~ 19 January (N.H.) ~ 21 June ~ 21 July (S.H.)
Goose people are far - sited idealists who are willing to explore the unknown. They approach life with enthusiasm, determined to fulfill their dreams. They are perfectionists, and can appear unduly serious.
Otter :
20 January ~ 18 February (N.H.) ~ 22 July ~ 21 August (S.H.)
Otters are friendly, lively and perceptive. They feel inhibited by too many rules and regulations, which often make them appear eccentric. They like cleanliness and order and have original minds.
Wolf:
19 February ~ 20 March (N.H.) ~ 22 August ~ 21 September (S.H.)
Wolves are sensitive, Artisitic, and intuitive - people to whom others turn to for help. They value freedom and their own space, and are easily affected by others. They are philosophical, Trusting and Genuine.
Going Organic this Valentines Day
Posted by msterilinn on Feb 8, 2008
I truly love Valentines Day. It is a great opportunity to get a bit festive, and express our Love for each other. Even though I do this sort of thing often anyway, it is great to have this theme to go by during our chilly month of February.
As I endeavor to search for lots of wonderful gifts to share with family and friends, I am always mindful of our Environment. When I found a place with fair trade gifts for valentines, I jumped right on it. This is fantastic! Not only did I find Organic Gifts and Natural Gifts, yet I found Planet Friendly, a healthier green alternative to birthday, anniversary, romantic or just everyday gifting. What fun it is to browse through a wide selection of organic gift baskets that overflow with tasty treats, fresh products, natural ingredients and the knowledge that what you buy is helping keep this planet user-friendly for years to come.
Organic Foods…
Produced by farmers who are careful to conserve soil and water, and enhance the environmental quality of the land around them for future generations, “organic foods” use no synthetic or artificial means in their growing process. Farmers also avoid exposure to toxic chemicals or pesticides that can end up in the ground, air, water or food supply. Many believe that organic foods have a better taste and are overall healthier for you since the produce is natural and fresh and levels of vitamin C, iron, magnesium and phosphorus tend to be higher in organic foods than processed counterparts.
Planet Friendly carefully searches for products that meet the various needs and desires of their customers. They know that you want healthier alternatives and look for the freshest fruit and widest variety of products to meet all your gifting needs.
As an example, I am totally delighted with the huge assortment of gourmet organic snack foods to be found in their Organic Ultimate Gourmet sampler! Inside a stylish natural basket with drop handles, discover delicious 100% organic snacks such as pretzel sticks, chocolate cookies, ginger cookies, cheddar cheese crackers, a chocolate coffee bar, chocolate-cinnamon crisps, dark chocolate espresso-vivani, banana chips and cherry oatmeal cookies. To complete this spectacular sampler, they also included 100% organic spicy brown mustard, grape jelly and sweet and spicy herbal tea sachets. What a great selection!
How splendid! Just what I need to satisfy my total Valentines Day experience.
Well then, I do hope all my friends and family enjoy a wonderful and Loving Valentines Day!
Believing in the Power of Positive Energy
Posted by msterilinn on Jan 7, 2008
I am an avid reader, and am always searching for new books to delve into. I am looking forward to reading a book written by Judith Orloff, M.D., called Positive Energy. I am a strong believer in the power of positive energy, in creating a healthy atmosphere for ourselves and the world we live in. I believe it is very important to place mental protective shields around our bodies and spirits to keep negative forces out, and to prevent those who wish to harm us or steal our energy, from doing so. This is something I have taught my daughter as well, and on many occasions I have felt my body totally relax and regenerate energy through simply throwing up my protective shields when I have felt the effects of negative drains upon my body and spirit. I do this whenever I leave my home, and especially when I drive my car, or visit crowded places. I simply visualize a protective bubble all around myself, and ask for protection, stating my wish for only positive energy to enter, whilst keeping negative or draining energy out. In this way I ask that no harm comes to myself, or others around me.
If perhaps negative or harmful energy does attatch itself to me, I am certain to burn a bit of sage, cedar, or lavender to cleanse my body and spirit of this negative energy. I regularly do this in my home as well, to dispel anything harmful that may enter through others, as negative energy attatches itself to people and objects. This is a ritual tradition of many peoples from all around the world, and was once commonplace, yet some folks have simply forgotten about this simple form of cleansing.
Along this line, I am always searching for more information on this subject, and am looking forward to a trip to my local bookstore to buy Judith Orloffs book, Positive Energy.
Dr. Orloff is the pioneer behind Energy Psychiatry, a new field that addresses the subtle energetic components of health and behavior. Energy Psychiatry blends the practice of mainstream medicine with an emerging scientific understanding of subtle energies, revered by many cross-cultural healing traditions as our life force. In Positive Energy, Dr. Orloff explains this exciting new discipline and how it led her to formulate ten essential prescriptions for boosting energy, improving relationships, and combating energy vampires. The prescriptions are:
~ Awaken your intuition and rejuvenate yourself–and learn the cure for technodespair and overload from emails, computers, and phones
~ Find a nurturing spiritual path that fits your own beliefs and inner stirrings
~ Design an energy-aware approach to diet, exercise, and health–and learn how to avoid the “energetic overeating” that sabotages attempts to lose weight–a major reasons diets fail
~ Generate positive emotional energy to counter negativity
~ Develop a heart-centered sexuality
~ Open yourself to the flow of creativity and inspiration to achieve greater joy
~ Celebrate the sacredness of laughter, pampering, and the replenishment of retreat–it’s not selfish to take care of yourself
~ Discover how to attract positive people and situations
~ Protect yourself from energy vampires with specific shielding techniques
~ Create abundance and a continuing flow of energy
Following each chapter are Dr. Orloff’s interviews with luminaries who share their personal secrets about how they use a specific prescription to generate more energy. You’ll discover how Quincy Jones’s intuition opened up after brain surgery, Larry King honed his interviewing techniques, Naomi Judd recovered from hepatitis C, and Jamie Lee Curtis deals with draining people.
If you would like to learn more, and see what others have to say about this marvelous book, please visit Positive Energy to read some reviews from folks who have had life changing experiences after reading this book.
“This compassionate and humorous book offers clear tools to safeguard one’s life force while encouraging a courageous participation in life and all it brilliantly offers us. I’m so grateful for Judith’s generosity in covering so much ground in such a succinct and wise way!” Alanis Morissette
singer-songwriter, activist
The Ancient Celtic Festival of Samhain
Posted by msterilinn on Oct 31, 2007
Shall we venture forth into the world as the Ancients once celebrated? Let us take a look into the times of old and see how the Celts brought in the new year…
Ancient Origins
Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain (pronounced ’sau-en). The Celts, who lived 2,000 years ago in the area that is now Ireland, the United Kingdom, and northern France, celebrated their new year on November 1st. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of the dark, cold winter, a time of year that was often associated with human death. Celts believed that on the night before the new year, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. On the night of October 31st, they celebrated Samhain, when it was believed that the ghosts of the dead returned to earth. In addition to causing trouble and damaging crops, Celts thought that the presence of the otherworldly spirits made it easier for the Druids, or Celtic priests, to make predictions about the future. For a people entirely dependent on the volatile natural world, these prophecies were an important source of comfort and direction during the long, dark winter.
To commemorate the event, Druids built huge sacred bonfires, where the people gathered to burn crops and animals as sacrifices to the Celtic deities. During the celebration, the Celts wore costumes, typically consisting of animal heads and skins, and attempted to tell each other’s fortunes. When the celebration was over, they re-lit their hearth fires, which they had extinguished earlier that evening, from the sacred bonfire to help protect them during the coming winter.
By A.D. 43, Romans had conquered the majority of Celtic territory. In the course of the four hundred years that they ruled the Celtic lands, two festivals of Roman origin were combined with the traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain. The first was Feralia, a day in late October when the Romans traditionally commemorated the passing of the dead. The second was a day to honor Pomona, the Roman goddess of fruit and trees. The symbol of Pomona is the apple and the incorporation of this celebration into Samhain probably explains the tradition of “bobbing” for apples that is practiced today on Halloween.
By the 800s, the influence of Christianity had spread into Celtic lands. In the seventh century, Pope Boniface IV designated November 1st All Saints’ Day, a time to honor saints and martyrs. It is widely believed today that the pope was attempting to replace the Celtic festival of the dead with a related, but church-sanctioned holiday. The celebration was also called All-hallows or All-hallowmas (from Middle English Alholowmesse meaning All Saints’ Day) and the night before it, the night of Samhain, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2nd All Souls’ Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with big bonfires, parades, and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels, and devils. Together, the three celebrations, the eve of All Saints’, All Saints’, and All Souls’, were called Hallowmas.
Modern Traditions
The American tradition of “trick-or-treating” probably dates back to the early All Souls’ Day parades in England. During the festivities, poor citizens would beg for food and families would give them pastries called “soul cakes” in return for their promise to pray for the family’s dead relatives. The distribution of soul cakes was encouraged by the church as a way to replace the ancient practice of leaving food and wine for roaming spirits. The practice, which was referred to as “going a-souling” was eventually taken up by children who would visit the houses in their neighborhood and be given ale, food, and money.
The tradition of dressing in costume for Halloween has both European and Celtic roots. Hundreds of years ago, winter was an uncertain and frightening time. Food supplies often ran low and, for the many people afraid of the dark, the short days of winter were full of constant worry. On Halloween, when it was believed that ghosts came back to the earthly world, people thought that they would encounter ghosts if they left their homes. To avoid being recognized by these ghosts, people would wear masks when they left their homes after dark so that the ghosts would mistake them for fellow spirits. On Halloween, to keep ghosts away from their houses, people would place bowls of food outside their homes to appease the ghosts and prevent them from attempting to enter.
Evolution of a Holiday
As European immigrants came to America, they brought their varied Halloween customs with them. Because of the rigid Protestant belief systems that characterized early New England, celebration of Halloween in colonial times was extremely limited there. It was much more common in Maryland and the southern colonies. As the beliefs and customs of different European ethnic groups, as well as the American Indians, meshed, a distinctly American version of Halloween began to emerge. The first celebrations included “play parties,” public events held to celebrate the harvest, where neighbors would share stories of the dead, tell each other’s fortunes, dance, and sing. Colonial Halloween festivities also featured the telling of ghost stories and mischief-making of all kinds. By the middle of the nineteenth century, annual autumn festivities were common, but Halloween was not yet celebrated everywhere in the country.
In the second half of the nineteenth century, America was flooded with new immigrants. These new immigrants, especially the millions of Irish fleeing Ireland’s potato famine of 1846, helped to popularize the celebration of Halloween nationally. Taking from Irish and English traditions, Americans began to dress up in costumes and go house to house asking for food or money, a practice that eventually became today’s “trick-or-treat” tradition. Young women believed that, on Halloween, they could divine the name or appearance of their future husband by doing tricks with yarn, apple parings, or mirrors.
In the late 1800s, there was a move in America to mold Halloween into a holiday more about community and neighborly get-togethers, than about ghosts, pranks, and witchcraft. At the turn of the century, Halloween parties for both children and adults became the most common way to celebrate the day. Parties focused on games, foods of the season, and festive costumes. Parents were encouraged by newspapers and community leaders to take anything “frightening” or “grotesque” out of Halloween celebrations. Because of their efforts, Halloween lost most of its superstitious and religious overtones by the beginning of the twentieth century.
By the 1920s and 1930s, Halloween had become a secular, but community-centered holiday, with parades and town-wide parties as the featured entertainment. Despite the best efforts of many schools and communities, vandalism began to plague Halloween celebrations in many communities during this time. By the 1950s, town leaders had successfully limited vandalism and Halloween had evolved into a holiday directed mainly at the young. Due to the high numbers of young children during the fifties baby boom, parties moved from town civic centers into the classroom or home, where they could be more easily accommodated. Between 1920 and 1950, the centuries-old practice of trick-or-treating was also revived. Trick-or-treating was a relatively inexpensive way for an entire community to share the Halloween celebration. In theory, families could also prevent tricks being played on them by providing the neighborhood children with small treats. A new American tradition was born, and it has continued to grow. Today, Americans spend an estimated $6.9 billion annually on Halloween, making it the country’s second largest commercial holiday.
The Sweat Lodge… House of the Stone People
Posted by msterilinn on Oct 8, 2007
The old Greeks wrote about the strange people to the north who would whip themselves with pine boughs and climb into little huts with hot stones to make their bodies perspire. A contributor for Smithsonian Magazine wrote years ago about the discovery in Siberia of structures made from the rib bones of mastodons with piles of stones in each center. In Finland it’s called a sauna. Naturopathic physicians call it hydrotherapy. My Lakota grandfather called it Tunkan Ti, the house of the Stone People, or Inipikaga, ceremony to renew the life force. The structure is called “tezi,” meaning Mother Earth’s womb. Warm, dark and safe, our spirits grow inside the structure, and as we exit we are reborn each time, greeting all of our relatives in creation with the words “Mitakuye Oyasin,” or “We are all relatives.” It is a “keya,” the turtle, as well. Shaped like a turtle with the earthen altar as its head, it represents “Turtle Island,” our North American continent, named so from old stories that speak of the Earth coming out of the water on the back of a giant turtle. It is our church, our hospital and our university that we never graduate from. The White Nation calls it Sweat Lodge, but there is so much more, in addition to sweating, that happens inside.
The Stone People Lodge is most importantly a place of purification and prayer meant to heal the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual parts of the self through ritual. Native families who have preserved the ceremony have done so by suffering through years of persecution.
Christian churches were assigned by our Government to run the early concentration camps called Reservations, where food and supplies were denied to those who would not accept forced Christian conversion. My family was one of those who suffered to keep the instructions given to us by the Creator Spirit through prayer and purification. These sacrifices are why we still have our ceremonies today.
The whole structure is gathered and assembled with prayer. Saplings used are spoken to as “spirit to spirit” and “two-legged to standing people,” as they are given offerings in exchange for their “robe.” Even a song is sung to them to ask for their help. The trees help us willingly; they rarely say “no,” and we always remember to thank them. Holes for the saplings are made into our mother Earth, and into these holes are placed prayer with tobacco or cornmeal. The cut saplings are shaped into a structure that looks like an upside-down basket.
In the center of this, a small pit is dug to receive the hot stones. When this pit is opened, it is said that Grandmother is listening to our words, thoughts and intentions for this sacred place.
Our stones are gathered far away in the West where the lava has spilled onto the earth. Offerings are made to these (stone) People, and we listen to them with our spirit to find the ones who are willing to come with us. We are reminded that all things are alive and have consciousness according to their nature. It may seem strange to talk to a stone. But, try it sometime when no one is looking. Sit quietly with a stone and listen closely. It may take a few attempts to quiet your mind and connect spirit to spirit. See what answer your mind reflects from this part of creation that will still be here long after we are earth again.
We awaken and recreate fire in a pit called “old man four generations.” The fire itself is called “oehunkeshni,” or fire without end. It is a spirit and also very much alive. This spirit enters the stones and paints their face red and is brought into the “inipi” (place where we renew our life force) through these Stone People. The structure is covered in blankets instead of traditional buffalo hide. Water, sometimes infused with plant medicines, is offered to the hot stones. The water gives them voices as they hiss in their own language. The old songs are sung in the same order they have been sung for a thousand years, like a very old, worn and familiar path. A spirit or angel shows up as it has for a thousand years and asks, “Grandson or Granddaughter, what is it you need?.” “We ask for health and help for our People!” “Wichozani na wokiyektelo.”
Those who were taught this ceremony, passed down through generations, were taught without any thought of personal gain. There is never any charge for this ritual, as it was given to the two-legged for free and must be given freely for the help of one’s people. Families and extended families will sweat together. Men and women who are unrelated rarely sweat together as they are a distraction to each other.
Also, traditional people do not sweat naked in mixed company. Men and women who have committed themselves to the responsibility of learning this way give years of service to learn the songs, the prayer and the ritual. Everyone who leads a Sweat Lodge has someone they are responsible to so that no one is on their own to do as they please.
There are many who pretend to know these ways and exploit people. There are some who mean well but may hurt people through their own inexperience. East of the Mississippi, there are fewer traditional native people due to the ethnic cleansing that took place here generations ago and the prejudice that still exists today. Fortunately, President Jimmy Carter passed the Freedom of Religion Act for Native People in 1978, and now prayer does not have to be practiced invisibly.
If you have the opportunity to participate in this ceremony, always be respectful to that family and nation’s tradition by following their guidelines of conduct. The rules are in place for important reasons that may be understood later. If you cannot find your local inipi, then jump in a sauna and do your hydrotherapy. Purify yourself and keep your prayer inside and private. Know that Spirit hears all and knows your intention, no matter where you are.
Hetchtu, Mitakuye Oyasin. As I have said, we are all related.
Paul is the son of Lakota elder Buck GhostHorse and intercessor for the Sungleska Oyate Sundance in Washington state. He follows the traditional teachings of his family.
This article is by courtesy of New Life Journal
An interesting site relating to the Sweat Lodge
Earth and Spirit… A tree planting Ceremony
Posted by msterilinn on Oct 2, 2007
Saturday morning, October 13th, Jake Swamp will preside over a Tree of Peace Planting Ceremony. Over a thousand years ago, the Peacemaker and Aiionwatha (Hiawatha) brought the Great Law of Peace (Kaianerekowa) to the warring Indian nations of what is now New York State. The message of Peace, Power, and the Good Mind resulted in the forming of the Haudenosaunee Iroquois Confederacy. These nations were instructed to bury their weapons of war under the Great Tree of Peace. The Tree Planting Ceremony that Chief Swamp shares is an effort to bring awareness to environmental and social concerns.
Jake Swamp has been a Mohawk Sub-Chief and representative on the Grand Council of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and is an internationally renowned speaker on Indigenous, environmental and social issues. He was directly involved in the creation of the
Akwesasne Freedom School - a Mohawk language immersion school of critical acclaim that has been an inspiration to many First Nation peoples in the
What are the indigenous roots of our democracy? Are there other traditions that point the way to a satisfying and sustainable future of peace and consensus?
Lecture: Jake Swamp, Tekaronianeken, will appear at the Natural Way-Indigenous Voices on Friday evening, October 12, 2007, to discuss the traditions of peace and democracy originating amongst his people, the Haudenosaunee or Iroquois Confederacy. As the role models for the Founding Fathers in the writing of the US Constitution, the Haudenosaunee have much experience to share with younger, struggling democracies.
The Natural Way Indigenous Voices begins its ninth season in October, 2007. The mission of this program is to honor all traditions that value the earth. We provide a forum for those who strive to preserve and enhance earth-based, sustainable living to share their traditions, knowledge and beliefs about the earth.
Love, Light and Blessings this May Day.. the Earth Renews
Posted by msterilinn on May 1, 2007
Handfasting couples
the great marriage
the uniting of spirit
of all things combined
I dance for the earth
I dance for the air
I dance for the fire
I dance for the water
I dance for the Goddess and the God
I dance for the universe that we share
I danced for you my friend and wished you were there.
…Let the winds lift your banners from far lands
With a message of strife and of hope:
Raise the Maypole aloft with its garlands
That gathers your cause in its scope….
…Stand fast, then, Oh Workers, your ground,
Together pull, strong and united:
Link your hands like a chain the world round,
If you will that your hopes be requited.
When the World’s Workers, sisters and brothers,
Shall build, in the new coming years,
A lair house of life–not for others,
For the earth and its fulness is theirs.
Walter Crane, The Workers’ Maypole, 1894
Well, it is a fact that May Day, which the children do enjoy with all vibes, is not an overly prominent holiday in America. Yet, it does have a long and notable history as one of the world’s principal festivals. The origin of the May Day as a day for celebration dates back to the days, even before the birth of Christ. And like many ancient festivals it too has a Pagan connection.
For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.
Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today’s customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.
May day observance was discouraged during the Puritans. Though, it was relived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn’t have the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient fertility rights.
The tradition of Maypole and greeneries:
By the Middle Ages every English village had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking. The Maypoles were of all sizes. And one village would vie with another to show who could produce the tallest Maypole. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns they were erected permanently.
The Maypole tradition suffered a setback for about a couple of decades since the Puritan Long Parliament stopped it in 1644. However, with the return of the Stuarts, the Maypole reappeared and the festivities of May Day were again enjoyed. The changes brought about by the Reformation included attempts to do away with practices that were obviously of pagan origin. But the Maypole, or, May tree, was not issued in practice at the behest of the second Stuart.
Although they succeeded in doing this, Maypole with most of the other traditions, many still survived. And Maypole is one of them. In France it merely changed its name. In Perigord and elsewhere, the May Tree became the “Tree of Liberty” and was the symbol of the French Revolution. Despite the new nomenclature, the peasants treated the tree in the same traditional spirit. And they would dance around it the same way as their forefathers had always done.
Maypoles and trees:
Trees have been linked to a part of celebration, perhaps, to the days ancient New Year rites. The association of trees to this celebration has come riding on the back of the spring festival in ancient Europe. Trees have always been the symbol of the great vitality and fertility of nature and were often used at the spring festivals of antiquity. The anthropologist E. O. James finds a strong relationship between the ancient tree related traditions of the British and the Romans. According to James’ description, as a part of the May Day celebration, the youths in old Europe cut down a tree, lopped off the branches leaving a few at the top. They then wrapped it round with violets like the figure of the Attis, the ancient Roman god. At sunrise, they used to take it back to their villages by blowing horns and flutes. In a similar manner, the sacred pine tree representing the god Attis was carried in procession to the temple of Cybele on Rome’s Palatine Hill during the Spring Festival of March 22.
Roots of May Day celebration in America:
The Puritans frowned on May Day, so the day has never been celebrated with as much enthusiasm in the United States as in Great Britain. But the tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbons, survived as a part of the English tradition. The kids celebrating the day by moving back and forth around the pole with the the streamers, choosing of May queen, and hanging of May baskets on the doorknobs of folks — are all the leftovers of the old European traditions.
