Maypole

May Day Íscar.

1. May Day Cuartos Íscar 2002 Kintos Pedrajas 2002 Kintos Íscar 2001

2. MAYPOLE What did you do? When did you go ? Who heped you ? How many people were there ? Why is it special for you ? Where is it celebrated ?

3. May Day The first day of the month of May is known as May Day. It is the time of year when warmer weather begins and flowers and trees start to blossom. It is said to be a time of love and romance. It is when people celebrate the coming of summer with lots of different customs that are expressions of joy and hope after a long winter. Traditional English May Day celebrations include Morris dancing, crowning a May Queen and dancing around a Maypole, parades...

4. Maypoles around the world ENGLAND GERMANY USA CANADA ITALY AUSTRIA SLOVAKIA

5. History . H istorians agree that the Maypole began as a part of the Pagan May Day festival known as Beltane in the UK and Ireland and Walpurgis in Germanic European countries. The Maypole dance was almost definitely a fertility rite meant to symbolize the union of the masculine and feminine, which is a major theme in  May Day celebrations  across the historical Pagan footprint . For the Celts, Beltane was a festival where fires were set to mark the beginning of summer. The Romans celebrated the  festival of Flora , goddess of fruit and flowers, which marked the beginning of summer. It was held annually from April 28th to May 3rd .

6. More details T he month of May is considered to be the time of love and new life. The maypole was usually put up by a young man for the girl he loved. Mostly tall straight trees served as maypoles, especially firs and pines with their bark peeled off. Their tops were decorated with colourful ribbons. Maypoles were put up at night and on the next Sunday, the young men went round the houses with maypoles in front of them and they collected “fees” for the coming festivity -  the   may ball . The custom has been preserved till nowadays, though it is modified a little. Usually only one decorated tree is put up in the middle of the village or the main square. Once installed, maypole usually remains on site the entire month.

7. The event happens every three years, not annually – the last one was in 2017. The next Maypole raising will take place in 2020 on Monday 25th May.  Elmet - ENGLAND

8. GERMANY

9. STOVENIA

10. By William Shakespeare