Winding the May Pole
May 1, 2008 4:20 AM Subscribe
May Day celebrations of yesteryear.
We never danced around the Maypole, but we did make May Day baskets for our elderly female neighbors and hang them on their doors.
Some people still celebrate by dancing around the Maypole. They say the holiday has its roots in Roman mythology, specifically, to honor the goddess Flora.
We never danced around the Maypole, but we did make May Day baskets for our elderly female neighbors and hang them on their doors.
Some people still celebrate by dancing around the Maypole. They say the holiday has its roots in Roman mythology, specifically, to honor the goddess Flora.
In Oxford, we have Morris dancing. And jumping off of bridges. And singing.
posted by WalterMitty at 5:38 AM on May 1, 2008
posted by WalterMitty at 5:38 AM on May 1, 2008
Yup, DU, I used to belong to a writers' union in Chicago! I am very grateful not to have to work 16 hours a day in a factory. It didn't keep me from making typos, tho' (hoping kind mods will fix it - I asked).
Not related to May Day, but let's throw in some Bread and Roses, too.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 5:40 AM on May 1, 2008
Not related to May Day, but let's throw in some Bread and Roses, too.
posted by Marie Mon Dieu at 5:40 AM on May 1, 2008
Meanwhile, in the US, it's Loyalty Day.
Show your refusal to support pinkos by declaring your loyalty to your country and its military forces.
DECLARE YOUR LOYALTY, DAMMIT.
posted by champthom at 5:54 AM on May 1, 2008
Show your refusal to support pinkos by declaring your loyalty to your country and its military forces.
DECLARE YOUR LOYALTY, DAMMIT.
posted by champthom at 5:54 AM on May 1, 2008
My daughter is being May Queen of Butter Hill this year (near Wallington in Surrey). Butter Hill is one of the “Realms” which are associated with the Merrie England and London May Queen Festival created by Joseph Deedy in 1913 - probably about the smallest. All the realms seem to be south of London.
It's a curious institution in some ways: no voting, you have to work your way up through just being a May Queen attendant, then Banner Bearer, Crown Bearer, Prince (?) and finally May Queen. It obviously pays to start young. All the local May Queens get together for a big occasion on Hay's Common every year, and someone progresses to be overall London May Queen (they are usually at least sixteen or so by then owing to having to have worked their way up through the hierarchy over many years). But this Saturday we have our own local crowning and a march around the streets with a man playing the bagpipes (?).
The Merrie England people really ought to have a website, but so far as I can tell there is virtually nothing online.
posted by Phanx at 6:04 AM on May 1, 2008
It's a curious institution in some ways: no voting, you have to work your way up through just being a May Queen attendant, then Banner Bearer, Crown Bearer, Prince (?) and finally May Queen. It obviously pays to start young. All the local May Queens get together for a big occasion on Hay's Common every year, and someone progresses to be overall London May Queen (they are usually at least sixteen or so by then owing to having to have worked their way up through the hierarchy over many years). But this Saturday we have our own local crowning and a march around the streets with a man playing the bagpipes (?).
The Merrie England people really ought to have a website, but so far as I can tell there is virtually nothing online.
posted by Phanx at 6:04 AM on May 1, 2008
Oh man. First I forgot to wear a green shirt on St Patrick's Day, now I forgot a brown one for Loyalty Day!
posted by DU at 6:25 AM on May 1, 2008 [4 favorites]
posted by DU at 6:25 AM on May 1, 2008 [4 favorites]
I spent some time reading up on Beltane yesterday and figuring out how much of a bonfire I could get away with this year. Probably not much of one. Those maypole postcards are really something MMD, thanks!
posted by jessamyn at 6:32 AM on May 1, 2008
posted by jessamyn at 6:32 AM on May 1, 2008
I celebrate May Day by receiving birthday gifts. Screw that Maypole thing.
posted by fusinski at 7:40 AM on May 1, 2008
posted by fusinski at 7:40 AM on May 1, 2008
I celebrate by building a large man out of wicker and then filling it with...maybe I shouldn't be telling you all this.
But I hear there's some kind of party in the Harz Mountains this time of year?
posted by LionIndex at 7:45 AM on May 1, 2008
But I hear there's some kind of party in the Harz Mountains this time of year?
posted by LionIndex at 7:45 AM on May 1, 2008
THE May-pole is up,
Now give me the cup,
I'll drink to the garlands around it ;
But first unto those
Whose hands did compose
The glory of flowers that crown'd it.
A health to my girls,
Whose husbands may earls
Or lords be, granting my wishes,
And when that ye wed
To the bridal bed,
Then multiply all, like to fishes.
posted by resurrexit at 7:55 AM on May 1, 2008
Now give me the cup,
I'll drink to the garlands around it ;
But first unto those
Whose hands did compose
The glory of flowers that crown'd it.
A health to my girls,
Whose husbands may earls
Or lords be, granting my wishes,
And when that ye wed
To the bridal bed,
Then multiply all, like to fishes.
posted by resurrexit at 7:55 AM on May 1, 2008
Cause it’s the first of May, first of May
Outdoor fucking starts today
So bring your favorite lady
Or at least your favorite lay
The water’s not cold baby dip in your big toe
Maybe I’ll see you in flagrante delicto
Grass below you, sky above
Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called fucking outside.
posted by EarBucket at 8:01 AM on May 1, 2008
Outdoor fucking starts today
So bring your favorite lady
Or at least your favorite lay
The water’s not cold baby dip in your big toe
Maybe I’ll see you in flagrante delicto
Grass below you, sky above
Celebrate spring with a crazy little thing called fucking outside.
posted by EarBucket at 8:01 AM on May 1, 2008
thanks for posting these, Marie Mon Dieu - they're great
also, for those interested, a great essay by Peter Linebaugh
The Incomplete, True, Authentic and Wonderful History of May Day
posted by jammy at 8:15 AM on May 1, 2008 [2 favorites]
also, for those interested, a great essay by Peter Linebaugh
The Incomplete, True, Authentic and Wonderful History of May Day
posted by jammy at 8:15 AM on May 1, 2008 [2 favorites]
Damn commies and their prancing.
posted by Pollomacho at 8:17 AM on May 1, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by Pollomacho at 8:17 AM on May 1, 2008 [1 favorite]
In Oxford, we have Morris dancing.
Also in San Francisco/Berkeley, where there are a number of Morris teams. My favorite: Berkeley Morris. This weekend, they'll travel up to a foothills town, to the brewpub owned by an English guy. They'll do the Maypole thing and drink a lot of beer. They also go up there on Guy Fawkes weekend, which is more fun, because then there's a bonfire.
posted by rtha at 9:15 AM on May 1, 2008
Also in San Francisco/Berkeley, where there are a number of Morris teams. My favorite: Berkeley Morris. This weekend, they'll travel up to a foothills town, to the brewpub owned by an English guy. They'll do the Maypole thing and drink a lot of beer. They also go up there on Guy Fawkes weekend, which is more fun, because then there's a bonfire.
posted by rtha at 9:15 AM on May 1, 2008
See also the White Rats pervert morris team. They have their bells play pierced into their skin!
posted by serazin at 9:52 AM on May 1, 2008
posted by serazin at 9:52 AM on May 1, 2008
I had to do the maypole dancing thing in primary school, and didn't like it. Then I grew up and went to play with the Beltane Fire Society in Edinburgh, and had much more fun.
posted by Lebannen at 10:02 AM on May 1, 2008
posted by Lebannen at 10:02 AM on May 1, 2008
champthom: Meanwhile, in the US, it's Loyalty Day.
Terrifying.
posted by loiseau at 11:02 AM on May 1, 2008
Terrifying.
posted by loiseau at 11:02 AM on May 1, 2008
My alma mater celebrates by dancing around a May Hole instead of a May Pole, which apparently represents the patriarchy. The May Hole is a giant pink silk cloth filled with flower petals. I am not making this up.
posted by rmless at 3:07 PM on May 1, 2008
posted by rmless at 3:07 PM on May 1, 2008
Marie Mon Dieu, I loved these images - thanks for the nice post.
I was May Queen in some seventh grade parochial school religious procession. It was an unhappy event, humiliating, that was just about the age I started wanting to be cool and being May Queen felt decidedly dweebie. Plus my mother gave me a terrible permanent with goofy bangs. Ah, the adolescent angst of it all, I can tap right into all that humiliation just thinking about it.
Unfortunately, I have come to associate May 1 with the quaint tradition of donning codpieces.
posted by madamjujujive at 7:35 PM on May 1, 2008
I was May Queen in some seventh grade parochial school religious procession. It was an unhappy event, humiliating, that was just about the age I started wanting to be cool and being May Queen felt decidedly dweebie. Plus my mother gave me a terrible permanent with goofy bangs. Ah, the adolescent angst of it all, I can tap right into all that humiliation just thinking about it.
Unfortunately, I have come to associate May 1 with the quaint tradition of donning codpieces.
posted by madamjujujive at 7:35 PM on May 1, 2008
Oh man. First I forgot to wear a green shirt on St Patrick's Day, now I forgot a brown one for Loyalty Day!
Today's the day that we dance around the nightstick!
posted by Avenger at 9:35 PM on May 1, 2008
Today's the day that we dance around the nightstick!
posted by Avenger at 9:35 PM on May 1, 2008
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posted by DU at 4:31 AM on May 1, 2008