Beltane
Beltane is a Celtic word, meaning ‘Fires of Bel’ after Belanus, the Celtic god of fire and the Sun. The celebration of Beltane falls between the spring equinox and summer solstice, and is also known as May Day. A fire festival, Beltane is a time to look forward to the life and fertility associated with summer. Festivities begin the night before 1 May, and continue through the day. The celebration centres around the union between the fertile Goddess and the Green Man.
Traditions
Beltane traditions include dancing, flower gathering, and fire lighting. Fires were lit to bring healing, purification, and fertility. The Beltane fire (known as the Tein-eigen (‘need fire’)) was the central point, drawing the community together. During the celebrations, people jumped over the fire to purify themselves, and bring fertility. Couples leapt over together, to symbolise their unity. And livestock were guided through the smoke to protect them from disease, and ensure fertility. After the event, people took home part of the Tein-eigen to restart their own fires at home. Edinburgh hosts an annual Beltane fire festival at Calton Hill. The largest celebration of its kind, visitors come from around the world to join in.
Maypole dancing is thought to have origins in Roman Britain, when soldiers danced around a decorated tree to celebrate the arrival of spring. Over time, the tree was replaced by a pole, and lengths of ribbon were added. People held the ribbon while dancing, to create a woven pattern down the pole. This represented the spiral of life, and the bringing together of the Goddess and God. Maypoles continue to form part of the May Day celebration, often as a children’s dance.
May
As part of the transition from spring into summer, hawthorn trees (also known as May) come alive with blossom. The saying “n’er cast a clout till May is out” warns people not to cast aside outer layers of clothing (clout) until the May blossom is out. At which point, one might hope that warmer days are coming.
The song “here we go gathering nuts in May” is from the original “here we go gathering knots in May”. Knots referred to the bunches of May flowers which children gathered as part of the Beltane celebration.
Evil May Day
May Day 1517, during the reign of Henry VIII, began as other Maydays before, in celebration. But it ended in riots when over 1000 people rampaged through the streets of London. An economic downturn, and the perception that the Crown favoured the goods of foreign merchants over British wares had led to growing resentment. Londoners believed that foreign born citizens were taking their jobs (in fact only around 2% of residents were born overseas). At an Easter sermon, a priest told his audience that foreigners ‘eat the bread from poor, fatherless children’.
By May Day, the tension had built. Add alcohol to the anger, and emotions boiled over. Hundreds of arrests were made, and over a dozen rioters were hanged. Catherine of Aragon (Queen of England) begged Henry show leniency towards the rest, and most of them were subsequently pardoned in a Westminster ceremony. May Day 5017 is remembered as ‘Evil’ May Day, when xenophobic riots took over the capital.
Today
May Day is celebrated in many ways around the world, such as dancing, fire lighting, feasting, and flower gathering. This is a time to use the energy of the Earth to focus on personal growth and development as we build towards the summer solstice.
