Those villages and communities who set up a Maypole usually also have a kind of fête going on for at least on the day itself, sometimes for a whole weekend.
In O.K.'s village, it was a celebration that started on Sunday afternoon with the Maypole and lasted until Monday evening. Of course I had to be there to witness it all! I also helped out a bit, doing a 4-hour-stint along with O.K. and several other people behind the food and drinks counter in the beer tent from 8:00 pm until midnight on the Sunday.
It was all new to me, a bit exciting, and good fun.
Here are the pictures I took of the setting of the Maypole.
Sunday, April 30, just after 3:00 pm - here they come: (Note the low, long white beer tent in the back.)
The village band are gathering in the back. Spectators were lining the main road around the crossing where it all happened.
The tree is brought round the corner to where it is going to be put up.
The men dressed in black and white are carpenters, wearing their traditional uniform.
Metal poles are used to support the big, heavy Maypole with the small tree on top.
It did not look all that heavy to me, but it obviously did take some muscle!
Maybe you can spot the red cable leading from the balcony to the pole. The guys on the balcony were pulling as the guys on the ground were pushing.
Then the pole was up, perfectly straight, displaying the symbols of the village's various trades and crafts as well as the village crest. Pink Lady here had been taking photos all the time but was not allowed near until the pole was securely in place. She had a huge camera and I took her for someone sent from the local paper, but it turns out she is the wife or partner of one of the organisers of the whole thing.
It all took only about 20 minutes. The sun shone, the band played, people applauded, and afterwards free glasses of wine were handed out, along with the invitation to come over to the beer tent where more drinks, food (but also home-made cake and coffee) was being served.
It could not have been more perfect!
Found your blog at last - you have been answering my posts for such a long time - sohello on your own ground!
ReplyDeleteInteresing photos of your maypole over there - so different from the ones which took place here in the UK when I was a child - they do still take place here and there in the UK but most have died out.
Here a pole is raised beforehand with a lot of ribbons attached to the top.
The children learn a dance which weaves in and out, ending with the ribbon being plaited down the pole.
Thank you for popping over, Pat! I think you may have commented once or twice before, or maybe I am just imagining it as I read your posts all the time and therefore you seem so familiar.
DeleteThe maypole dancing with the ribbons you describe is something I know from English books and films, but have never seen "live". I expected dancing last weekend, too, and was a little disappointed when they told me it was not going to happen.
I don't think I've ever seen a Maypole being raised. What I've seen most often here is the pole with the ribbons and the children's dance just like in the comment above! I like the one with the little tree on top in O.K. village!
ReplyDeleteI know the ribbons and dance around the pole from books and films, too, and therefore was hoping to see it last weekend, but it is not part of this particular village's tradition.
DeleteVery interesting. I've never seen this before. How long will the Maypole remain up? We don't have such a custom here for a village, though some groups, especially ones connected to ethnic dancing, have performances with the type of Maypole mentioned in the first two comments. My local township has a horse show as our main event (though there are some others, like the parades for Memorial Day and the Fourth of July). The horse show raises money for the fire department.
ReplyDeleteAs far as I know, the Maypole will remain in place for the entire month of May. Sadly, no dancing around it!
DeleteMy home town has a horse show and parade in May, too, as you probably remember from my blog; I post pictures of it every year.
Another incredible feat of German engineering. Will the pole be returned to Poland where all Poles come from?
ReplyDeleteNo, this one is from the North Pole, as the Christmas tree on top clearly shows. It will go back to Santa for recycling.
DeleteHow many men does it take to raise a May pole? Looks like quite a few!
ReplyDeleteI have never seen a May pole before, only pictures of them. The one you have shown here is very high!
Kay, I was wondering about the number of men, too, and my impression was that several of them were just there to watch and maybe jump in if anything out of the ordinary would occur. I wouldn't be surprised to learn that there is an official EU regulation about it, making the number of men dependent on the height of the pole or something like that! :-D
DeleteIsn't it interesting that in England, and in the US, the maypole is for dancing around. I remember doing it as a kid and just loved it. I'm happy you got to experience this and I'm really happy it still goes on. I love old traditions like this.
ReplyDeleteNan, I think there are dances around maypoles in German villages, too - just not in this one :-)
DeleteO.K. told me that they only started doing this maybe 10-15 years ago, definitely not when he was a kid. The most important and oldest traditions in that area have to do with carnival and the patron saint's days, as is typical for a predominantly Catholic region.
I hope you're enjoying your trip!
ReplyDeleteWe were, Jennifer! (Back since last night.)
DeleteThis got me thinking about the differences between English and German maypoles. The maypole might have been a Germanic tradition that came over with the Saxons. I remember dancing around the maypole at school and to my surprise this is still done at some Mayday fetes in the countryside - I don't believe adults ever dance around the maypole these days. You can see the links with morris dancing though - the ribbons and flowers. I love the idea of flower garlands to celebrate May. If it had been Britain, it would have been a tent selling tea and cakes, methinks! :)
ReplyDeleteJenny, I think you are right about the link to the old Saxons having started the maypole dancing and all that. Who knows, maybe they already offered drinks and festive food along with it, too :-)
DeleteHere in the beer tent, they were also selling cakes, all home-made by the village ladies.
Flower garlands are always beautiful, and so fitting for May!
When I was a child there were maypoles a plenty and there were even 'permanent' ones in our local children's playparks. I have heard of or seen one for decades.
ReplyDeleteIn some places in Germany (mainly Bavaria, I think), there are permanent maypoles, too; I guess they only freshen up the decoration in time for the 1st of May on those.
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