Today we descend down a different rabbit hole: that of modern paganism. Often derided and poked fun at, there’s actually something refreshing about a religion that embraces an anti-hierarchical format and a return to nature. A religion that seeks a simpler time.
Or maybe that just hearkens back to a time when holidays were a-freaking-mazing.
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| Parties that involve dancing and fire Credit |
Take tonight, for example. August first is traditionally one of the four seasonal quarter-days (those days that mark the half-way points between equinoxes and solstices) and goes by the name of Lammas, Lughnasadh, Calan Awst, or a thousand other names.
Whatever it was called it was traditionally the day that the grain was harvested. The Celts especially, also treated it as a time to acknowledge the fact that that summer was almost ended and the shortened days of fall and winter were on their way.
But they didn’t just complain and moan about the changing weather. No, they went all out and threw a wake for the Sun-King, Lugh, and mourning his death. Hence the name Lughnasadh.
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| This death is particularly mourned in Seattle. |
Interesting enough, the word “nasadh” doesn’t mean “mass” or “wake” but rather seems closest to the Gaelic word for “to give in marriage.” One of the traditions of the season, in fact, were “Taillten Marriages,” or handfastings. These handfastings were temporary marriages that lasted a year and a day, at which point the couple could determine whether they wished to remain married or part amicably.*
As recent as the 1700’s the farming communities near Edinburgh went even farther, using Lammas as an excuse to throw the biggest, most dangerous game of capture the flag ever. For the weeks leading up to Lammas each community in the area would build itself a seven foot tall tower of sod with everyone in the town working together to make it just perfect, right up to the flag hung at the top.
Once your own tower was built you, and all of the able-bodied males in your town, would stage nightly raids on other towns’ towers, with extra points going to the particularly daring adventurers. And it wasn’t easy, the towers were patrolled by teams of townfolk armed with “tooting-horns” that, if blown, would summon everyone within hearing distance to brawl with the invaders.
And these weren’t play-fights either, over the years at least four people died and many more were injured. By the time Lamas actually arrived many towers had been destroyed and rebuilt, reputations had been won and lost, and everyone was sporting bruises. All for the sake of bragging rights.
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| Like this, but considerably more extreme Credit |
Not everyone staged war on their neighbors for weeks though, townsfolk from Carmarthenshire played a games that were more akin to kidnapping. Also called awrar y gwair (an hour in the hay) workers harvesting the grain in the field had to constantly on the watch for workers of the opposite sex who would grab them, bind them with hay, and not release them until a favor was granted.
Yikes.
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| Sometimes camouflage was used Credit |
Some areas skipped the sexual tension or violence and went right for the fire and brimstone. This took the form of either bonfires or the ever popular Catherine Wheel.** Essentially a large wagon wheel was taken to the top of a big hill and covered with tar. It would then be set aflame and ceremoniously rolled down the hill- which kind of seems like a recipe for destruction.***
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| The Catherine Wheel has survived in a slightly different, but still terrifying, form Credit |
Other communities in Ireland or England had the tradition of carrying the caseg fedi (the harvest mare). The last sheaf of wheat would be braided and stood upright while reapers would take turns throwing hooks at it and trying to knock it down. The one who did then had to carry it to his house without getting it wet while a team of women did their best to make him fail. If he won, he got all the beer that he could drink, or a shilling, depending on how awesome his community was. As an added bonus, sometimes men would hide the “mare” under their clothes- leading to a tradition of the women stripping all the men who tried to enter.
Looking at all of these traditions begs the question: was all of this just created because at that time they didn’t have books, television, or easy music? Or was it simply that in times where death was a constant companion and hard work a necessity the poor really needed a way to cut loose? Either way, the traditions of Lammas show that maybe we shouldn’t be too harsh on those who look at the holidays of the past and think, “hey, we should totally bring that back!”
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| Come on, let’s do this! Credit |
*There’s a bit of a question just who Lugh is marrying, and the name of these marriages is often cited as a clue, given that Lugh’s foster mother was named Tailltiu.
** Even though the date of St. Catherine’s celebration and feast day changed throughout the years Lammas was the popular choice.
***It’s thought that this tradition could also represent the death of the sun rather than Catherine’s martyrdom.