 |
Web Hosting by Netfirms | Free Domain Names by Netfirms |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| The Scottish American Society & (Formerly the Celtic Beltane Festival) Admission cost is Age 8 and under: Free For information contact
Scottish Highland Bealltainn Practices: thanks to Dubh Cumhaill In the highlands of Scotland, the festival of Bealltainn primarily marked a sense of renewal, with fire, of the rebuilding of fortifications and everyone returning to outdoor life after winter. With great risk to the village, all the hearth fires were extinguished with the intent of relighting them from a sacred flame. This flame came from a specialy kindled fire called a teine-èiginn (need-fire). It was build by a sacred number of men (nine, twenty-seven or eighty-one, a power of three) and formed two great bonfires side by side. The hearth fires were then relit from this need-fire and then the cattle, who had spent winter inside, were driven between the bonfires to purify them, to cleanse them,and to protect them from disease and the powers of darkness. Although frowned upon by the Clergy, many Bealltainn superstitions survived into the 20th century. May Day was when the summer grazing began ('shielings', àiridhean). Cattle taken to the hill, with sheep and goats. Women and children lived with them, tending to herding and dairy production. Men would visit now and again, sing songs and recite stories. The youths would court the girls. A lamb was killed as a sacrifice at this time, to later be part of a meal. It should be noted that this practice of going to the shielings had symbolic meaning, as during the dark months the livestock were kept close to home so the natural land spirits could regrow the natural areas, and the cattle away from their harm. During the warming light months the cattle were pushed away from the homesteads, to go into the regrown wilderness, so that they could feed and be out of the way of the cultivation of crops. This
page is hosted by Netfirms
at no cost in return for |
