Witches, Begone!
Today the low pressure systems have decided to howl in from the Atlantic and pretend winter isn't over. Unless one has full body rain gear (I don't) it'll be a wet trip to the woods. But to the woods I should go this afternoon to bring back flowering broom. The ubiquitous bushes have been tapestrying the hillsides with yellow patterns for the past two or three weeks and now they're at their most majestic. And they're necessary to sweep away witches and their spells.
Yes, we're in the twenty-first century. No, I'm not superstitious (I like to think), but I do like to keep up traditions. And the tradition is to put a branch of broom on the doors, gates, and cars on the afternoon of the last day of April. The origins go way back to the Celts, for whom the first of May was one of the most important times of the year. They celebrated spring and the beginning of planting time. And before them the Phoenicians already celebrated. Probably since man stopped being a hunter-gatherer and started to plant crops he has been celebrating the spring season. Through the years and the Christianization of pagan traditions, the last night of April became known as one of the nights when witches would be on the loose, casting spells on neighbors they loathed. And broom was considered a plant with magical properties that would "sweep" the witches. No witch would approach a house, garden gate, or oxen cart that had a branch of broom on it on that night.
May Day is still celebrated in many areas of Spain and Europe. In some towns in the next-door province of Pontevedra it's celebrated with a maypole and people in flower-covered costumes dancing around it. In some towns they also make statues covered in flowers and spring fruits. But with the rain forecast for this weekend, this year it won't be as pretty.
So tomorrow morning most of the neighbors will have yellow broom on their doors and gates, and we'll see cars drive by with small branches stuffed into the motor vents or the license plate. How many do believe in witches? I don't think I want to find out.
Yes, we're in the twenty-first century. No, I'm not superstitious (I like to think), but I do like to keep up traditions. And the tradition is to put a branch of broom on the doors, gates, and cars on the afternoon of the last day of April. The origins go way back to the Celts, for whom the first of May was one of the most important times of the year. They celebrated spring and the beginning of planting time. And before them the Phoenicians already celebrated. Probably since man stopped being a hunter-gatherer and started to plant crops he has been celebrating the spring season. Through the years and the Christianization of pagan traditions, the last night of April became known as one of the nights when witches would be on the loose, casting spells on neighbors they loathed. And broom was considered a plant with magical properties that would "sweep" the witches. No witch would approach a house, garden gate, or oxen cart that had a branch of broom on it on that night.
May Day is still celebrated in many areas of Spain and Europe. In some towns in the next-door province of Pontevedra it's celebrated with a maypole and people in flower-covered costumes dancing around it. In some towns they also make statues covered in flowers and spring fruits. But with the rain forecast for this weekend, this year it won't be as pretty.
So tomorrow morning most of the neighbors will have yellow broom on their doors and gates, and we'll see cars drive by with small branches stuffed into the motor vents or the license plate. How many do believe in witches? I don't think I want to find out.
 |
| This is actually from last year. |
Comments
Post a Comment