Comments on: Winding the May Pole

Winding the May Pole

Marie Mon Dieu — Thu, 01 May 2008 04:20:07 -0800

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.

By: DU

DU — Thu, 01 May 2008 04:31:09 -0800

Another way to celebrate May 1 would be to pause in appreciation of those that gave us the 8 hour workday.

By: WalterMitty

WalterMitty — Thu, 01 May 2008 05:38:47 -0800

In Oxford, we have Morris dancing. And jumping off of bridges. And singing.

By: Marie Mon Dieu

Marie Mon Dieu — Thu, 01 May 2008 05:40:17 -0800

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.

By: champthom

champthom — Thu, 01 May 2008 05:54:22 -0800

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.

By: Phanx

Phanx — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:04:36 -0800

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.

By: DU

DU — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:25:26 -0800

Oh man. First I forgot to wear a green shirt on St Patrick's Day, now I forgot a brown one for Loyalty Day!

By: jessamyn

jessamyn — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:32:34 -0800

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!

By: fusinski

fusinski — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:40:17 -0800

I celebrate May Day by receiving birthday gifts. Screw that Maypole thing.

By: LionIndex

LionIndex — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:45:48 -0800

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?

By: resurrexit

resurrexit — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:55:34 -0800

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.

By: EarBucket

EarBucket — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:01:31 -0800

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.

By: jammy

jammy — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:15:24 -0800

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

By: Pollomacho

Pollomacho — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:17:48 -0800

Damn commies and their prancing.

By: rtha

rtha — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:15:08 -0800

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.

By: serazin

serazin — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:52:37 -0800

See also the White Rats pervert morris team. They have their bells play pierced into their skin!

By: Lebannen

Lebannen — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:02:12 -0800

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.

By: loiseau

loiseau — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:02:36 -0800

champthom: Meanwhile, in the US, it's Loyalty Day.
Terrifying.

By: homunculus

homunculus — Thu, 01 May 2008 13:05:55 -0800

The Pagan pilgrim: Thomas Morton of Merrymount

By: rmless

rmless — Thu, 01 May 2008 15:07:07 -0800

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.

By: tellurian

tellurian — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:41:20 -0800

Someone publishes cryptic pages on May Day.

By: madamjujujive

madamjujujive — Thu, 01 May 2008 19:35:13 -0800

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.

By: Avenger

Avenger — Thu, 01 May 2008 21:35:41 -0800

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!