Raising a maypole

[vera_j]

Yesterday evening was at a sign of "burning the witches" and raising a maypole. It is a long, long tradition but now limited mostly only to villages. There are not real witches burnt, there are big fires and people gather around and share drinks and celebrate a springtime and love. The most resilient ones stay overnight to guard the maypole because the boys from other villages always try to cut down other maypoles.
We were lucky this year, it was not raining and our maypole is intact. Our boys however cut down two other maypoles - and had to ruuuuuuuun!
Raising a tall tree trunk needs a team work and a good logistics:
1.A clean fir trunk with a wreath and ribbons still on the ground


2.The boys secure a wreath



2.3.5. The maypole goes up



a href="http://pics.livejournal.com/vjezkova/pic/0001984e/">


5.Evening celebrations

Comments

[linda-joyce.livejournal.com]

Oh it is so nice to know that the old customs are still practiced some where in the world. Your village should be lucky this year since you kept your Maypole intact and got the Maypoles from 2 other villages. That is a very tall Maypole compared to ours, the British ones are only about 2 meters tall.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Thank you - we are aware of the traditions dying!
Well, this year we were quite sober about the hight of tree! Last year it was even taller but something went wrong during the raising work, it fell and the top broke off. It had to be fixed with nails.

[hafren.livejournal.com]

The most resilient ones stay overnight to guard the maypole because the boys from other villages always try to cut down other maypoles.

The same everywhere then..... my maypole's bigger than yours:)

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Of course - you know: the boys will be the boys forever, let alone with the beers in their heads! :-)

[watervole.livejournal.com]

Many thanks for the photos. I love learning about old customs.

In England, we sometimes have Maypole dancing with ribbons, but the poles aren't as tall as yours.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

My pleasure - the interest is mutual:-)

[vilakins.livejournal.com]

What fun! I wish we had traditions like that here but we're too young--and it's the wrong season all the time anyway.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Well, that´s why I am happy to share all with you!

[entropy-house.livejournal.com]

Looks like an exciting adventure, especially for the Maypole Marauders! :^)

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

You can bet on it - two of the gentlemen we seen yesterday still in the same pub still "guarding" the maypole - I was there at 6pm:-)

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. Oh wow, I love old folklore and seeing how it still works in the modern work. And the photos are lovely!

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Why, thank you, and it works nicely in our village.

[sophiedb.livejournal.com]

Here via watervole's post.

Thank you for this! I used to love dancing maypole at school, but hardly ever see it here in the UK any more :(

[hellblazer06.livejournal.com]

These pics are great! I'd never seen a maypole before last year.

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Thanks you! Grin. It is eery year - but I didn´t know how to post the pics then!:-)

[dougal-al.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit nervous about 'the burning of witches' ceremony. Being one you can understand this is not an easy thing for ne to witness - but I trust you and I know you wouldn't harm anyone! Right!
Alison

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

Indeed, Alison, I can assure you, no harm was done to anybody :-)
All this is only symbolical and you would be welomed as a most honorable guest!Anyway - lots of masked girls appeared around and even if i know them all, they were such nice old and ugly fairy-tale witches that I didn´t recognised them and had to ask! *Grins*

[dougal-al.livejournal.com]

Ok so I may be 39 but until the plastic surgeon says I need his help I remain my true self (and I'm, not all that ugly) I have witnesses to say so!

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

LOL!