|
Storytime Tapestry Newsletter
The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural
awareness throughout the world.
Special Treat – By Hartson Dowd
June
23, 2006
June 24, 2006
Midsummer Day
I often wonder how it came to be that some Old
Country festivals are regularly celebrated here in the New World, while others that seemed equally important back
in Europe, did not survive on this side of the ocean.
For instance, we celebrate St. Valentines Say, St.
Patrick’s Day, and Halloween, but completely ignore Midsummer’s Day which is
always celebrated in Northern European countries on June 24.
I am all in favor of introducing Midsummer’s Day
into our calendar, and celebrating it at the peak if our warm weather season
would be a wonderful idea.
Just as people lit fires in ancient times to
strengthen the weakening sun at winter solstice, so, too, did they light
“midsummer fires” to help keep the sun strong?
Later, as Christianity spread in Europe, the fires became known as St. John’s Fires, heralding St. John’s Day, June 24th. Many European-Canadians still light midsummer
fires to celebrate the solstice.
Danish-Canadians hold their celebration for St.
Hans Day out in the country on the eve of the 24th. They light a huge bonfire for the burning of
a “witch” and there is singing and dancing and partying.
Poles also light bonfires on midsummer’s eve
(Sobotka) and set candle wreaths afloat on rivers and streams.
Many groups in Canada celebrate Midsummer’s Day, which is also known as St. John’s Day. Some
Swedish midsummer festivals include a Maypole and other traditional dancers.
Latvian-Canadians call June 24th St.
John’s Day, and like many other groups, they celebrate with picnics and
bonfires.
Although Midsummer Day occurs near
the summer solstice, or what we think of as the beginning of summer, to the
farmer it is the midpoint of the growing season, halfway between planting and
harvesting, and an occasion for celebration. Although it's also the feast day
of St. John the Baptist, it features pagan traditions such as bonfires, fire
walking, and a carnival atmosphere, all of which took place on Midsummer Eve.
Certainly, it's a night of magic and soothsaying as well, for as Washington Irving said, this is a time "when it is well
known all kinds of ghosts, goblins, and fairies become visible and walk
abroad." After Midsummer Day, the days shorten. In Lithuanian tradition,
the dew on Midsummer Day was said to make young girls beautiful and old people
look younger. It was also thought that walking barefoot in the dew would keep
one's skin from getting chapped. It was customary to honor all men named John
on this day by fixing wreaths of oak leaves around their doors. This is usually
done in secret, and John must guess who did it or catch the person in the act,
in which case he must give the person a treat.
Midsummer, also referred to as Litha
(an ancient Germanic name for summer) by some Wiccans and other Neopagans, refers
the period of time centered upon the summer solstice and the religious
celebrations that accompany it. Also called "Midsommar" in
Swedish, Midsummer-related holidays, traditions and celebrations, many of which
are non-Christian in origin (apart from the designation "St John's
Day"), are particularly important in Finland and Sweden, but found also in
other parts of Northern Europe, Britain and elsewhere.
Solstitial celebrations still center upon
June 24, which is no longer the longest day of the year. The difference between
the Julian calendar year (365.2500 days) and the tropical year (365.2422 days)
continue to move the day associated with the actual astronomical solstice
forward approximately one day in approximately every seven centuries.
Hartson Dowd
hsdowd@telus.net
|
|
