Yule
I had a lovely time this solstice. We were invited over for dinner to P's mom H's house. She lives in the market, a great neighbourhood with lots of bohemian spirit. She is Ukranian, and cooked up a lovely goose. I especially loved the goose-grease and dumplings. I ate far more than my share, and delighted in it. It was the most festive I have felt all year, with the crazy work schedule and dull warm weather somewhat dampening my spirits lately.
After the tasty dinner, and some time for my son to play with H's cat, we left for the annual market Solstice festival. As soon as we walked outside, the atmosphere hit me. People all around were dressed in colourful costumes, and held high their coloufully decorated solstice lanterns. The police officers blocking the streets were all in merry moods.
It was really more of a people's march than a parade, with the more "official" participants blending in to the general revelers. They marched around the streets of the market, beating drums and shaking noisemakers, their lanterns held high. There were tall stilt-walkers, some in flowing white and others wearing giant paper-mache heads of women with prominent hands. There were organized drummers that served to unite the heart-beats of the revelers, and hollering and merry-making. Some revellers carried lanterns, others had drinks and still others carried their children on their shoulders.
The march culminated in the park, surrounding the large wading pool. In the summer, the children of the neighbourhood cool of in the water but now it stood empty, transformed into a theatre-in-the-round where the stilt-walkers and other costumed participants danced for the watching crowd.
A true festival of the people, the costumes of the performers covered many archetypes. There were white-clad stilt-walkers, and other stilt-walkers with the giant heads of long-haired women, with prominent hands outstretched. There were horses, galloping and cavorting. One of the stilt-walkers had the giant head of a jester, both eerie and fun. There was the Green Man, his jolly face peeking out of enveloping foliage. There was an eerie monster with red glowing eyes that walked on all fours, baboon-like. It looked as though it came from the depths of some swamp or someone's nightmare, and it frightened S. It was lead on a chain by a women dressed all in white and was always trying to get away to its apparent paramour, a women dressed in rags and with prominent yellow teeth. Two clowns dressed as police officers whistled and gestured and incited the crowd to new whoops and hollers. Drummers played, and dancers waved flags, with pictures of horns and clarinets, and prominently, the Sun, in all its yellow and blue glory. The danced around the centrepiece -- a giant, stylized bonfire built and painted for the occasion.
I have been a practicing Witch for some years, but always alone. I have never attended a Wiccan festival or anyone else's circle. All my knowledge comes from books, and all of my energy from myself and the world around me. In this street festival, I found great bliss. There were images from many cultures, and from many imaginations, all coming from the will of the people, and not some dogma. As the dancers whirled and the drums filled my body, I clutched my mesmerized son to my chest and cried.
At the will of the drummers, the dancers gave way to fire-jugglers and fire-eaters. While band played on the stage, men and women danced with fire for us. There were men with staves lit at each end, a woman with torches swinging on ropes, and one women with a hula-hoop lit in four places, which she twirled around her waist, neck and arms. As the drummers brought our heartbeats to their climax, the fire-breathers ignited the stylized fire. It burned stories into the sky, and warmed our faces while the fire-dancers continued their whirling.
My son, still mesmerized, layed down against my chest. He became very still, and I thought he had gone to sleep, but P said later his eyes were open the whole time.
After the fire and drums died out, the crowd slowly dispersed. I left elated, with all the spirit of the season in my heart.
-Thriceraven
After the tasty dinner, and some time for my son to play with H's cat, we left for the annual market Solstice festival. As soon as we walked outside, the atmosphere hit me. People all around were dressed in colourful costumes, and held high their coloufully decorated solstice lanterns. The police officers blocking the streets were all in merry moods.
It was really more of a people's march than a parade, with the more "official" participants blending in to the general revelers. They marched around the streets of the market, beating drums and shaking noisemakers, their lanterns held high. There were tall stilt-walkers, some in flowing white and others wearing giant paper-mache heads of women with prominent hands. There were organized drummers that served to unite the heart-beats of the revelers, and hollering and merry-making. Some revellers carried lanterns, others had drinks and still others carried their children on their shoulders.
The march culminated in the park, surrounding the large wading pool. In the summer, the children of the neighbourhood cool of in the water but now it stood empty, transformed into a theatre-in-the-round where the stilt-walkers and other costumed participants danced for the watching crowd.
A true festival of the people, the costumes of the performers covered many archetypes. There were white-clad stilt-walkers, and other stilt-walkers with the giant heads of long-haired women, with prominent hands outstretched. There were horses, galloping and cavorting. One of the stilt-walkers had the giant head of a jester, both eerie and fun. There was the Green Man, his jolly face peeking out of enveloping foliage. There was an eerie monster with red glowing eyes that walked on all fours, baboon-like. It looked as though it came from the depths of some swamp or someone's nightmare, and it frightened S. It was lead on a chain by a women dressed all in white and was always trying to get away to its apparent paramour, a women dressed in rags and with prominent yellow teeth. Two clowns dressed as police officers whistled and gestured and incited the crowd to new whoops and hollers. Drummers played, and dancers waved flags, with pictures of horns and clarinets, and prominently, the Sun, in all its yellow and blue glory. The danced around the centrepiece -- a giant, stylized bonfire built and painted for the occasion.
I have been a practicing Witch for some years, but always alone. I have never attended a Wiccan festival or anyone else's circle. All my knowledge comes from books, and all of my energy from myself and the world around me. In this street festival, I found great bliss. There were images from many cultures, and from many imaginations, all coming from the will of the people, and not some dogma. As the dancers whirled and the drums filled my body, I clutched my mesmerized son to my chest and cried.
At the will of the drummers, the dancers gave way to fire-jugglers and fire-eaters. While band played on the stage, men and women danced with fire for us. There were men with staves lit at each end, a woman with torches swinging on ropes, and one women with a hula-hoop lit in four places, which she twirled around her waist, neck and arms. As the drummers brought our heartbeats to their climax, the fire-breathers ignited the stylized fire. It burned stories into the sky, and warmed our faces while the fire-dancers continued their whirling.
My son, still mesmerized, layed down against my chest. He became very still, and I thought he had gone to sleep, but P said later his eyes were open the whole time.
After the fire and drums died out, the crowd slowly dispersed. I left elated, with all the spirit of the season in my heart.
-Thriceraven
posted by --- at 10:48 PM
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