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![Maypole Sweden](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Maypole_Sweden.jpg)
A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, around which a maypole dance often takes place.
The festivals may occur on 1 May or
Pentecost (
Whitsun
Whitsun (also Whitsunday or Whit Sunday) is the name used in Britain, and other countries among Anglicans and Methodists, for the Christian High Holy Day of Pentecost. It is the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the ...
), although in some countries it is instead erected at
Midsummer
Midsummer is a celebration of the season of summer usually held at a date around the summer solstice. It has pagan pre-Christian roots in Europe.
The undivided Christian Church designated June 24 as the feast day of the early Christian martyr ...
(20–26 June). In some cases the maypole is a permanent feature that is only utilised during the festival, although in other cases it is erected specifically for the purpose before being taken down again.
Primarily found within the nations of
Germanic Europe and the neighbouring areas which they have influenced, its origins remain unknown. It has often been speculated that the maypole originally had some importance in the
Germanic paganism
Germanic paganism or Germanic religion refers to the traditional, culturally significant religion of the Germanic peoples. With a chronological range of at least one thousand years in an area covering Scandinavia, the British Isles, modern Germ ...
of
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the final epoch of the three-age division of the prehistory and protohistory of humanity. It was preceded by the Stone Age ( Paleolithic, Mesolithic, Neolithic) and the Bronze Age ( Chalcolithic). The concept has been mostl ...
and early Medieval cultures, and that the tradition survived
Christianisation
Christianization ( or Christianisation) is to make Christian; to imbue with Christian principles; to become Christian. It can apply to the conversion of an individual, a practice, a place or a whole society. It began in the Roman Empire, conti ...
, albeit losing any original meaning that it had. It has been a recorded practice in many parts of Europe throughout the
Medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
and
Early Modern periods, although it became less popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, the tradition is still observed in some parts of Europe and among European communities in the Americas.
Symbolism
![Near Munich, the new May Pole](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Near_Munich%2C_the_new_May_Pole.jpg)
English historian
Ronald Hutton
Ronald Edmund Hutton (born 19 December 1953) is an English historian who specialises in Early Modern Britain, British folklore, pre-Christian religion and Contemporary Paganism. He is a professor at the University of Bristol, has written 14 b ...
concurs with Swedish scholar
Carl Wilhelm von Sydow
Carl Wilhelm von Sydow (21 December 1878 – 4 March 1952) was a Swedish folklore scholar. A professor at Lund University, he was a pioneer of folklore studies in Sweden and contributed to establishing systematic methods in the field.
Early life ...
who stated that maypoles were erected "simply" as "signs that the happy season of warmth and comfort had returned."
Their shape allowed for
garland
A garland is a decorative braid, knot or wreath of flowers, leaves, or other material. Garlands can be worn on the head or around the neck, hung on an inanimate object, or laid in a place of cultural or religious importance.
Etymology
From the ...
s to be hung from them and were first seen, at least in the British Isles, between AD 1350 and 1400 within the context of medieval Christian
European culture
The culture of Europe is rooted in its art, architecture, film, different types of music, economics, literature, and philosophy. European culture is largely rooted in what is often referred to as its "common cultural heritage".
Definition ...
.
In 1588, at Holy Trinity Church in
Exeter, villagers gathered around the 'summer rod' for feasting and drinking.
Chaucer
Geoffrey Chaucer (; – 25 October 1400) was an English poet, author, and civil servant best known for '' The Canterbury Tales''. He has been called the "father of English literature", or, alternatively, the "father of English poetry". He w ...
mentions that a particularly large maypole stood at
St Andrew Undershaft, which was collectively erected by church parishioners annually due to its large shape.
![Carl Millner Maibaumfest 1848](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Carl_Millner_Maibaumfest_1848.jpg)
The symbolism of the maypole has been continuously debated by folklorists for centuries, although no definitive answer has been found. Some scholars classify maypoles as symbols of the world axis (
axis mundi). The fact that they were found primarily in areas of Germanic Europe, where, prior to Christianisation,
Germanic paganism
Germanic paganism or Germanic religion refers to the traditional, culturally significant religion of the Germanic peoples. With a chronological range of at least one thousand years in an area covering Scandinavia, the British Isles, modern Germ ...
was followed in various forms, has led to speculation by some that the maypoles were in some way a relic of a Germanic pagan tradition. One theory holds that they were a remnant of the Germanic reverence for sacred trees, as there is evidence for various sacred trees and wooden pillars that were venerated by the pagans across much of Germanic Europe, including
Thor's Oak
Donar's Oak (also Thor's Oak or, via ''interpretatio romana'', Jove's Oak) was a sacred tree of the Germanic pagans located in an unclear location around what is now the region of Hesse, Germany. According to the 8th century ''Vita Bonifatii auct ...
and the
Irminsul. Ronald Hutton, however, states that "there is absolutely no evidence that the maypole was regarded as a reflection of it."
It is also known that, in
Norse paganism
Old Norse religion, also known as Norse paganism, is the most common name for a branch of Germanic religion which developed during the Proto-Norse period, when the North Germanic peoples separated into a distinct branch of the Germanic peop ...
,
cosmological
Cosmology () is a branch of physics and metaphysics dealing with the nature of the universe. The term ''cosmology'' was first used in English in 1656 in Thomas Blount's ''Glossographia'', and in 1731 taken up in Latin by German philosopher ...
views held that the universe was a
world tree, known as
Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil (from Old Norse ), in Norse cosmology, is an immense and central sacred tree. Around it exists all else, including the Nine Worlds.
Yggdrasil is attested in the ''Poetic Edda'' compiled in the 13th century from earlier traditional ...
.
Some observers have proposed
phallic
A phallus is a penis (especially when Erection, erect), an object that resembles a penis, or a mimesis, mimetic image of an erect penis. In art history a figure with an erect penis is described as ithyphallic.
Any object that symbolically— ...
symbolism, an idea which was expressed by
Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes ( ; 5/15 April 1588 – 4/14 December 1679) was an English philosopher, considered to be one of the founders of modern political philosophy. Hobbes is best known for his 1651 book ''Leviathan'', in which he expounds an influ ...
, who erroneously believed that the poles dated back to the
Roman
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
*Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
*Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
worship of the god
Priapus. This notion has been supported by various figures since, including the psychoanalyst
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts ...
. Phallic symbolism has been attributed to the maypole in the later Early Modern period, as one sexual reference is in
John Cleland
John Cleland (c. 1709, baptised – 23 January 1789) was an English novelist best known for his fictional '' Fanny Hill: or, the Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure'', whose eroticism led to his arrest. James Boswell called him "a sly, old malcont ...
's controversial novel ''
Fanny Hill
''Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure''—popularly known as ''Fanny Hill''—is an erotic novel by English novelist John Cleland first published in London in 1748. Written while the author was in debtors' prison in London,Wagner, "Introduction" ...
'':
... and now, disengag'd from the shirt, I saw, with wonder and surprise, what? not the play-thing of a boy, not the weapon of a man, but a maypole of so enormous a standard, that had proportions been observ'd, it must have belong'd to a young giant.
Ronald Hutton has stated, however, that "there is no historical basis for his claim, and no sign that the people who used maypoles thought that they were phallic" and that "they were not carved to appear so."
The anthropologist
Mircea Eliade
Mircea Eliade (; – April 22, 1986) was a Romanian historian of religion, fiction writer, philosopher, and professor at the University of Chicago. He was a leading interpreter of religious experience, who established paradigms in religiou ...
theorizes that the maypoles were simply a part of the general rejoicing at the return of summer, and the growth of new vegetation. In this way, they bore similarities with the May Day garlands which were also a common festival practice in Britain and Ireland.
Regional traditions
Malta
![Malta - Valletta - Triq ir-Repubblika - Misrah San Gorg 05 ies](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Malta_-_Valletta_-_Triq_ir-Repubblika_-_Misrah_San_Gorg_05_ies.jpg)
Grand Master
Marc'Antonio Zondadari
Fra' Marc'Antonio Zondadari (1658 − 16 June 1722), from Siena, was the 65th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta, from 1720, after the death of Fra Ramon Perellos y Roccaful, till his own death in 1722.
From 1702 onwards Zondadari ...
introduced the game of
cockaigne
Cockaigne or Cockayne () is a land of plenty in medieval myth, an imaginary place of extreme luxury and ease where physical comforts and pleasures are always immediately at hand and where the harshness of medieval peasant life does not exist. ...
(with the use of the maypole) to
Maltese Carnival
Carnival (Maltese: ''il-Karnival ta' Malta'') has had an important place on the Maltese cultural calendar for just under five centuries, having been celebrated since at least the mid-15th century. Carnival has been a prominent celebration in the I ...
in 1721: on a given signal, the crowd assembled in Palace Square converged on a collection of hams, sausages and live animals hidden beneath leafy branches outside the
Main Guard. The provisions became the property of those who, having seized them, were able to carry them off.
Germany and Austria
In Germany and Austria the maypole (or ) is a tradition going back to the 16th century.
It is a decorated tree or tree trunk that is usually erected either on 1 May – in
Baden
Baden (; ) is a historical territory in South Germany, in earlier times on both sides of the Upper Rhine but since the Napoleonic Wars only East of the Rhine.
History
The margraves of Baden originated from the House of Zähringen. Baden i ...
and
Swabia – or on the evening before, for example, in East
Frisia. In most areas, especially in
Baden-Württemberg
Baden-Württemberg (; ), commonly shortened to BW or BaWü, is a German state () in Southwest Germany, east of the Rhine, which forms the southern part of Germany's western border with France. With more than 11.07 million inhabitants across a ...
, Bavaria and
Austria
Austria, , bar, Östareich officially the Republic of Austria, is a country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous ...
, it is usual to have a ceremony to erect the maypole on the village green. The custom of combining it with a village or town fete, that usually takes place on 30 April 1 May or at
Pentecost (
Whitsun
Whitsun (also Whitsunday or Whit Sunday) is the name used in Britain, and other countries among Anglicans and Methodists, for the Christian High Holy Day of Pentecost. It is the seventh Sunday after Easter, which commemorates the descent of the ...
), is widespread. This tradition is especially strong in the villages of the
Bavarian Alps where the raising of the traditional maypole on 1 May in the village square is a cause for much celebration. The pole is usually painted in the Bavarian colours of white and blue and decorated with emblems depicting local crafts and industry. In Bavaria, the is erected several weeks before 1 May. The young men from the villages try to steal the from each other, which is why the men of each village or city take turns in watching over the . If a village manages to steal a , then the village the has been stolen from has to invite the whole village of the thieves to free beer and a festivity, which then takes place on 1 May.
Just before the is erected, depending on the region, there may be a
procession
A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner.
History
Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...
through the village, usually ending up at a central place and/or restaurant and usually watched by crowds of spectators and accompanied by a
brass band. The actual installation of the tree then takes place in the afternoon or evening. While the crowds usually while away the time drinking beer and eating sausages, the young men busy themselves with decorating the maypole to get the symbols of various trades representing the region into the right position. While the maypole is traditionally set up with the help of long poles, today it may sometime also be done using tractors, forklifts or even cranes. In
Lower Austria
Lower Austria (german: Niederösterreich; Austro-Bavarian: ''Niedaöstareich'', ''Niedaestareich'') is one of the nine states of Austria, located in the northeastern corner of the country. Since 1986, the capital of Lower Austria has been Sankt P ...
ropes and ladders are used.
In the
Rhineland
The Rhineland (german: Rheinland; french: Rhénanie; nl, Rijnland; ksh, Rhingland; Latinised name: ''Rhenania'') is a loosely defined area of Western Germany along the Rhine, chiefly its middle section.
Term
Historically, the Rhinelands ...
in and around
Cologne
Cologne ( ; german: Köln ; ksh, Kölle ) is the largest city of the German western state of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) and the fourth-most populous city of Germany with 1.1 million inhabitants in the city proper and 3.6 millio ...
, there exists a somewhat different maypole tradition. During the night before 1 May, unmarried men erect young
birch
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains ...
trees in front of the houses of their sweethearts. These trees, which may reach five metres of height or more, are sold beforehand by local foresters. The men usually decorate them with multicoloured crepe paper and often with a red heart of wood with the name of the girl written on it. During the month of May, many house front gardens have such maypoles.
If the tree is erected on the eve of 1 May, then the event is usually followed by a May dance or . Depending on local custom, the may remain in place all year round or may be taken down at the end of May. The trunk may then be stored until the following year.
Nordic countries
In
Denmark
)
, song = ( en, "King Christian stood by the lofty mast")
, song_type = National and royal anthem
, image_map = EU-Denmark.svg
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of Denmark
, establish ...
, the maypole tradition is almost extinct, but is still observed on the islands of
Avernakø
Avernakø is a Danish island south of Funen
Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of th ...
and
Strynø south of
Funen
Funen ( da, Fyn, ), with an area of , is the third-largest island of Denmark, after Zealand and Vendsyssel-Thy. It is the 165th-largest island in the world. It is located in the central part of the country and has a population of 469,947 as of ...
and in a few villages in southern
Himmerland
Himmerland is a peninsula in northeastern Jutland, Denmark. It is delimited to the north and the west by the Limfjord, to the east by the Kattegat, and to the south by the Mariager Fjord. The largest city is Aalborg; smaller towns include Hobro, ...
in eastern
Jutland
Jutland ( da, Jylland ; german: Jütland ; ang, Ēota land ), known anciently as the Cimbric or Cimbrian Peninsula ( la, Cimbricus Chersonesus; da, den Kimbriske Halvø, links=no or ; german: Kimbrische Halbinsel, links=no), is a peninsula of ...
. The maypole is generally referred to as a , meaning "May tree".
![Bromarv](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8d/Bromarv._Satama._Juhannussalko_2019-2.jpg)
In
Sweden and
Swedish
Swedish or ' may refer to:
Anything from or related to Sweden, a country in Northern Europe. Or, specifically:
* Swedish language, a North Germanic language spoken primarily in Sweden and Finland
** Swedish alphabet, the official alphabet used by ...
-speaking parts of
Finland
Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...
, the maypole is usually called a midsummer pole, (), as it appears at the Midsummer celebrations, although the literal translation also occurs, where the word refers to the
Old Swedish word which means ''dress'', and not the month of May. The traditions surrounding the maypoles vary locally, as does the design of the poles, although the design featuring a cross and two rings is most common nowadays. A perhaps more original incarnation is the one still in use in the Swedish landscape of
Småland, where the pole carries a large horizontally suspended ring around it, hanging from ropes attached at the top of the pole. This perhaps more original form of course strongly reinforces the procreation symbolism. The cross-arm may be a latter-day attempt to
Christianize
Christianization ( or Christianisation) is to make Christian; to imbue with Christian principles; to become Christian. It can apply to the conversion of an individual, a practice, a place or a whole society. It began in the Roman Empire, conti ...
the pagan symbol into the semblance of a cross, although not completely successful. Common in all of Sweden are traditional ring dances, mostly in the form of dances where participants alternate dancing and making movements and gestures based on the songs, such as pretending to scrub laundry while singing about washing, or jumping as frogs during the song ("The little frogs"). The ring dancing is mostly popular with small children. The central part played by young children in the celebration emphasize the procreation aspect of the celebration. Yet another pointer in this direction is the custom that young maidens expect to dream of their future mate if they pick seven different flowers and place them under their pillow when they go to bed on this day only.
Sölvesborg
Sölvesborg (old da, Sølvesborg) is a locality and the seat of Sölvesborg Municipality in Blekinge County, Sweden with 10,024 inhabitants in 2013.
Sölvesborg is, despite its small population, for historical reasons normally still referred to ...
2013" perrow="5">
File:Maypole erection valje 1.jpg
File:Maypole erection valje 2.jpg
File:Maypole erection valje 3.jpg
File:Maypole erection valje 4.jpg
File:Maypole erection valje 5.jpg
Belgium
In Belgium, the Maypole is called or in Dutch.
Hasselt erects its on 30 April. In
Brussels
Brussels (french: Bruxelles or ; nl, Brussel ), officially the Brussels-Capital Region (All text and all but one graphic show the English name as Brussels-Capital Region.) (french: link=no, Région de Bruxelles-Capitale; nl, link=no, Bruss ...
and
Leuven, the is traditionally erected on 9 August before 5pm. The planting of the is the cause of a friendly rivalry between the two cities, dating back to 1213. In that year, a brawl broke out between Leuven and Brussels which saw the latter victorious. To commemorate this event, the city of Brussels was granted, almost 100 years later, the eternal right by
John III, Duke of Brabant to erect a , but only if they managed to do this every year on 9 August before 5pm. A first attempt by Leuven to steal the tree in 1939 was stopped by the police. In 1974 however, a group of Leuven men found out which tree was chosen by Brussels as that year's Meyboom. During the night of 8 August, the tree was cut down and transported to Leuven where it was erected in front of the City Hall. Ever since, Leuven claims ownership of the only official Meyboom. Brussels, however, denies having lost the right, as another tree was cut down and put up before 5pm on 9 August.
It is also customary, mostly in the
Dutch
Dutch commonly refers to:
* Something of, from, or related to the Netherlands
* Dutch people ()
* Dutch language ()
Dutch may also refer to:
Places
* Dutch, West Virginia, a community in the United States
* Pennsylvania Dutch Country
People E ...
-speaking region of Belgium, to place a branch (also called a ) on the highest point of a building under construction. The erection of the branch is often cause for celebration by both the workmen and the neighbours.
United Kingdom
![Llanfyllin carnival and maypole (7131389767)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/58/Llanfyllin_carnival_and_maypole_%287131389767%29.jpg)
In the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, the maypole was found primarily in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
and in areas of the
Scottish Lowlands and
Wales
Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
which were under English influence. However, the earliest recorded evidence comes from a Welsh poem written by
Gryffydd ap Adda ap Dafydd in the mid-14th century, in which he described how people used a tall
birch
A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains ...
pole at
Llanidloes, central Wales.
Literary evidence for maypole use across much of Britain increases in later decades, and "by the period 1350–1400 the custom was well established across southern Britain, in town and country and in both Welsh-speaking and English-speaking areas."
![Ickwell-Maypole05](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Ickwell-Maypole05.jpg)
The practice became increasingly popular throughout the ensuing centuries, with the maypoles becoming "communal symbols" that brought the local community together – in some cases, poorer parishes would join up with neighbouring ones in order to obtain and erect one, whilst in other cases, such as in
Hertfordshire in 1602 and
Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Av ...
in 1639, people stole the poles of neighbouring communities, leading to violence. In some cases the wood for the pole was obtained illegally, for instance in 1603, the earl of
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there ...
was angered when trees were removed from his estates for use as maypoles without his permission.
![Barwick-in-Elmet Maypole](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/60/Barwick-in-Elmet_Maypole.JPG)
The rise of
Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...
in the 16th century led to increasing disapproval of maypoles and other May Day practices from various Protestants who viewed them as
idolatry and therefore immoral. Under the reign of
Edward VI
Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. Edward was the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour and the first E ...
in England and Wales, Protestant
Anglicanism was declared to be the state religion, and under the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
many maypoles, such as the famous
Cornhill maypole of London, were destroyed; however when
Mary I
Mary I (18 February 1516 – 17 November 1558), also known as Mary Tudor, and as "Bloody Mary" by her Protestant opponents, was Queen of England and Ireland from July 1553 and Queen of Spain from January 1556 until her death in 1558. She ...
ascended the throne after Edward's death, she reinstated
Roman Catholicism as the state faith, and the practice of maypoles was reinstated. Under later English monarchs, the practice was sporadic, being banned in certain areas, such as
Doncaster
Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...
,
Canterbury
Canterbury (, ) is a cathedral city and UNESCO World Heritage Site, situated in the heart of the City of Canterbury local government district of Kent, England. It lies on the River Stour.
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the primate of ...
and
Bristol
Bristol () is a city, ceremonial county and unitary authority in England. Situated on the River Avon, it is bordered by the ceremonial counties of Gloucestershire to the north and Somerset to the south. Bristol is the most populous city in ...
, but continuing in many others, according to the wishes of the local governors. In Scotland meanwhile, which at this time was still an independent state, Protestantism, in the form of
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism is a part of the Reformed tradition within Protestantism that broke from the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland by John Knox, who was a priest at St. Giles Cathedral (Church of Scotland). Presbyterian churches derive their nam ...
, had taken a more powerful hold, and largely wiped out the practice of maypoles across the country.
Royal support contributed to the outlawing of maypole displays and dancing during the English
Interregnum. The
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was an English Parliament which lasted from 1640 until 1660. It followed the fiasco of the Short Parliament, which had convened for only three weeks during the spring of 1640 after an 11-year parliamentary absence. In Septem ...
's ordinance of 1644 described maypoles as "a Heathenish vanity, generally abused to
superstition and wickedness." The only recorded breach of the Long Parliament's prohibition was in 1655 in
Henley-in-Arden
Henley-in-Arden (also known as simply Henley) is a town in the Stratford-on-Avon District in Warwickshire, England. The name is a reference to the former Forest of Arden. Henley is known for its variety of historic buildings, some of which date ...
, where local officials stopped the erection of maypoles for traditional games. Scholars suspect, but have no way to prove, that the lack of such records indicates official connivance in flouting of the prohibition. However, they are certain that the prohibition turned maypole dancing into a symbol of resistance to the Long Parliament and to the republic that followed it.
![Frederick Goodall Raising the Maypole](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Frederick_Goodall_Raising_the_Maypole.jpg)
The church of
St Andrew Undershaft in the City of London is named after the maypole that was kept under its eaves and set up each spring until 1517, when student riots put an end to the custom. The maypole itself survived until 1547 when a
Puritan
The Puritans were English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries who sought to purify the Church of England of Roman Catholic practices, maintaining that the Church of England had not been fully reformed and should become more Protestant. ...
mob seized and destroyed it as a "pagan idol".
![Castle Bytham Maypole Montage](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8f/Castle_Bytham_Maypole_Montage.jpg)
When the
Restoration
Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to:
* Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
** Audio restoration
** Film restoration
** Image restoration
** Textile restoration
* Restoration ecology
...
occurred in 1660, common people in
London
London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
, in particular, put up maypoles "at every crossway", according to
John Aubrey
John Aubrey (12 March 1626 – 7 June 1697) was an English antiquary, natural philosopher and writer. He is perhaps best known as the author of the '' Brief Lives'', his collection of short biographical pieces. He was a pioneer archaeologist ...
. The largest was the
Maypole in the Strand
The Maypole in the Strand was a landmark maypole on the Strand, London, that was in place during the 17th and early 18th centuries, on the site of the current St Mary le Strand church.
History
The first maypole was built in the early 16th cent ...
, near the current
St Mary-le-Strand
St Mary le Strand is a Church of England church at the eastern end of the Strand in the City of Westminster, London. It lies within the Deanery of Westminster (St Margaret) within the Diocese of London. The church stands on what was until rec ...
church. The maypole there was the tallest by far, reaching over , and it stood until being blown over by a high wind in 1672, when it was moved to Wansted in Essex and served as a mount for the telescope of
Sir Isaac Newton
Sir Isaac Newton (25 December 1642 – 20 March 1726/27) was an English mathematician, physicist, astronomer, alchemist, theologian, and author (described in his time as a " natural philosopher"), widely recognised as one of the g ...
.
In the countryside, may dances and maypoles appeared sporadically even during the Interregnum, but the practice was revived substantially after the Restoration. By the 19th century, the maypole had been subsumed into the symbology of "
Merry England
"Merry England", or in more jocular, archaic spelling "Merrie England", refers to a utopian conception of English society and culture based on an idyllic pastoral way of life that was allegedly prevalent in Early Modern Britain at some time ...
". The addition of intertwining ribbons seems to have been influenced by a combination of 19th century theatrical fashion and visionary individuals such as
John Ruskin
John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and pol ...
in the 19th century. However, the maypole remained an anti-religious symbol to some theologians, as shown by "
The Two Babylons
''The Two Babylons'', subtitled ''Romanism and its Origins,'' is a book that started out as a religious pamphlet published in 1853 by the Presbyterian Free Church of Scotland theologian Alexander Hislop (1807–65).
Its central theme is the ar ...
", an anti-Catholic conspiracist pamphlet that first appeared in 1853.
As revived, the dance is performed by pairs of boys and girls (or men and women) who stand alternately around the base of the pole, each holding the end of a ribbon. They weave in and around each other, boys going one way and girls going the other and the ribbons are woven together around the pole until they meet at the base. There are also more complex dances for set numbers of (practised) dancers (the
May Queen
In the British Isles and parts of the Commonwealth, the May Queen or Queen of May is a personification of the May Day holiday, and of springtime and also summer. The May Queen is a girl who rides or walks at the front of a parade for May Da ...
dancing troupes) involving complicated weaves and unweaves, but they are not well known today. However, such dances are performed every Mayday around the permanent Maypole at
Offenham, in
Worcestershire
Worcestershire ( , ; written abbreviation: Worcs) is a county in the West Midlands of England. The area that is now Worcestershire was absorbed into the unified Kingdom of England in 927, at which time it was constituted as a county (see H ...
. Temporary Maypoles are usually erected on
village green
A village green is a common open area within a village or other settlement. Historically, a village green was common grassland with a pond for watering cattle and other stock, often at the edge of a rural settlement, used for gathering cattle t ...
s and events are often supervised by local
Morris dancing
Morris dancing is a form of English folk dance. It is based on rhythmic stepping and the execution of choreographed figures by a group of dancers, usually wearing bell pads on their shins. Implements such as sticks, swords and handkerchiefs may ...
groups.
In some regions, a somewhat different Maypole tradition existed: the carrying of highly decorated sticks. The sticks had hoops or cross-sticks or swags attached, covered with flowers, greenery or artificial materials such as crepe paper. Children would take these hand-held poles to school on
May Day
May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Tr ...
morning and prizes may be awarded for the most impressive. This tradition is known as garlanding, and was a central feature of Mayday celebrations in central and southern England until the mid-19th century. After that time, it began to be replaced by formally organised school-centred celebrations. It still occurs from place to place but is invariably a reinstatement of a local custom that had lapsed decades earlier.
In 1780,
Kilmarnock Council, now in
East Ayrshire
East Ayrshire ( sco, Aest Ayrshire; gd, Siorrachd Àir an Ear) is one of thirty-two council areas of Scotland. It shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Renfrewshire, North Ayrshire, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire. The headquar ...
, paid Robert Fraser 2s. 6d. for "dressing a Maypole", one of the last recorded examples of the rural festival of the first of May in
Scotland
Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...
, having been put down by Act of Parliament immediately after the
Reformation
The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and in ...
in 1560.
The tallest maypoles in Britain may be found in the villages of
Nun Monkton
Nun Monkton is a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. It is situated northwest of York at the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Nidd. Cottages and houses are grouped around a village green of with ...
,
North Yorkshire
North Yorkshire is the largest ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county (lieutenancy area) in England, covering an area of . Around 40% of the county is covered by National parks of the United Kingdom, national parks, including most of ...
(),
Barwick-in-Elmet
Barwick-in-Elmet (pronounced ''Barrick-in-Elmet'') is a village in West Yorkshire, east of Leeds city centre. It is one of only three places in the area to be explicitly associated with the ancient Romano-British kingdom of Elmet, the others ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
(), and
Welford-on-Avon,
Warwickshire
Warwickshire (; abbreviated Warks) is a county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, and the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare at Stratford-upon-Av ...
().
Ireland
Holywood
Holy Wood or Holywood may refer to:
Places
* Holywood, County Down, a town and townland in Northern Ireland
** Holywood, County Down (civil parish), a civil parish in County Down, Northern Ireland
** Holywood railway station (Northern Ireland)
* ...
in
County Down,
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...
has a maypole situated at the crossroads of Main Street and Shore Road/Church Road in the centre of the town. It is the only Maypole in Ireland. Although the origin is uncertain, it is thought that the original maypole dates from the 18th century, when a Dutch ship ran aground off shore. The latest maypole was damaged and removed after a storm in February 2021. The remains were removed by
Ards and North Down Borough Council
Ards and North Down Borough Council is a local authority in Northern Ireland that was established on 1 April 2015. It replaced Ards Borough Council and North Down Borough Council. The first elections to the authority were on 22 May 2014 and it ...
and a replacement pole ordered.
United States
![Children swinging on a maypole - DPLA - 2a01de1553bb6a406eab4f61f4daad67](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Children_swinging_on_a_maypole_-_DPLA_-_2a01de1553bb6a406eab4f61f4daad67.jpg)
While not celebrated among the general public in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
today, a Maypole dance nearly identical to that celebrated in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
is an important part of
May Day
May Day is a European festival of ancient origins marking the beginning of summer, usually celebrated on 1 May, around halfway between the spring equinox and summer solstice. Festivities may also be held the night before, known as May Eve. Tr ...
celebrations in local schools and communities. Often the Maypole dance will be accompanied by other dances as part of a presentation to the public.
The earliest use of the Maypole in America occurred in 1628, where William Bradford, governor of
New Plymouth, wrote of an incident where a number of servants, together with the aid of an agent, broke free from their
indentured service
Indentured servitude is a form of labor in which a person is contracted to work without salary for a specific number of years. The contract, called an "indenture", may be entered "voluntarily" for purported eventual compensation or debt repayment, ...
to create their own colony, setting up a maypole in the center of the settlement, and behaving in such a way as to receive the scorn and disapproval of the nearby colonies, as well as an officer of the king, bearing patent for the state of
Massachusetts
Massachusetts (Massachusett: ''Muhsachuweesut Massachusett_writing_systems.html" ;"title="nowiki/> məhswatʃəwiːsət.html" ;"title="Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət">Massachusett writing systems">məhswatʃəwiːsət'' En ...
. Bradford writes:
They also set up a May-pole, drinking and dancing about it many days togaether, inviting the Indean women, for their consorts, dancing and frisking togither, (like so many fairies, or furies
The Erinyes ( ; sing. Erinys ; grc, Ἐρινύες, pl. of ), also known as the Furies, and the Eumenides, were female chthonic deities of vengeance in ancient Greek religion and mythology. A formulaic oath in the ''Iliad'' invokes the ...
rather,) and worse practises. As if they had anew revived & celebrated the feasts of the Roman Goddess Flora
Flora is all the plant life present in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring (indigenous (ecology), indigenous) native plant, native plants. Sometimes bacteria and fungi are also referred to as flora, as in the terms '' ...
, or the beasly practieses of the madd Bacchinalians. Morton likwise (to shew his poetrie) composed sundry rimes & verses, some tending to lasciviousnes, and others to the detraction & scandall of some persons, which he affixed to this idle or idoll May-polle. They changed also the name of their place, and instead of calling it Mounte Wollaston, they call it Merie-mounte, as if this joylity would have lasted ever. But this continued not long, for after Morton was sent for England, shortly after came over that worthy gentleman, Mr. John Indecott, who brought a patent under the broad seall, for the governmente of the Massachusetts, who visiting those parts caused the May-polle to be cutt downe, and rebuked them for their profannes, and admonished them to looke ther should be better walking; so they now, or others, changed the name of their place againe, and called it Mounte-Dagon.
Governor Bradford's censure of the Maypole tradition played a central role in
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associated with that t ...
's fictional story "
The Maypole of Merry Mount
"The May-Pole of Merry Mount" is a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It first appeared in ''The Token and Atlantic Souvenir'' in 1836. It was later included in ''Twice-Told Tales'', a collection of Hawthorne's short stories, in 1837. It tells th ...
", published in 1837.
Italy
Maypole traditions can be found in some parts of
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, such as in
Veneto
it, Veneto (man) it, Veneta (woman)
, population_note =
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, population_blank1 =
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,
Friuli
Friuli ( fur, Friûl, sl, Furlanija, german: Friaul) is an area of Northeast Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity containing 1,000,000 Friulians. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli Venezia Giuli ...
,
Umbria
it, Umbro (man) it, Umbra (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 =
, demographics1_footnotes =
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, ...
, and
Marche. In the last of these regions, the tradition dates back to the
Napoleonic campaigns
The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
, when the (Liberty tree), the symbol of the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
, arrived in Italy. Liberty trees were erected in the southern part of the region in
Ripatransone
Ripatransone is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about southeast of Ancona and about northeast of Ascoli Piceno.
History
The hill of Ripatransone (whose name means "rock of Tran ...
and
Ascoli Piceno. In 1889, the first congress of the
Second International
The Second International (1889–1916) was an organisation of socialist and labour parties, formed on 14 July 1889 at two simultaneous Paris meetings in which delegations from twenty countries participated. The Second International continued th ...
, met in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), ma ...
for the centennial of the
French Revolution
The French Revolution ( ) was a period of radical political and societal change in France that began with the Estates General of 1789 and ended with the formation of the French Consulate in coup of 18 Brumaire, November 1799. Many of its ...
and the
Exposition Universelle. A proposal by
Raymond Lavigne
Raymond Lavigne (born November 16, 1945) is a former Canadian senator and businessman, and a former Member of Parliament (MP).
Career
Lavigne first ran as a Liberal candidate for the House of Commons of Canada in the Quebec riding of Verd ...
, called for international demonstrations on the 1890 anniversary of the
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
protests. After the institution of the
International Workers' Day the maypole rite in southern part of the Marche became a
socialist
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the ...
ritual. At the top of the tree (
poplar) appeared the
red flag. In the second half of the 20th century the rite of the maypole around Ascoli remained a rite of celebration of spring but it became also a political symbol of the peasant movement () that struggled against the landowners to have decent living conditions. Every year, even today, on the night of 30 April, in many villages of the zone like
Appignano del Tronto
Appignano del Tronto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about northeast of Ascoli Piceno.
Appignano del Tronto borders the following municipalities: A ...
,
Arquata del Tronto
Arquata del Tronto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Marche region of Italy, located about from Ancona. It is the only European municipality located partly within two natural parks: Gran Sasso e Monti della Lag ...
,
Ascoli Piceno,
Castorano
Castorano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about northeast of Ascoli Piceno.
Castorano borders the following municipalities: Ascoli Piceno, Castel ...
,
Castignano
Castignano is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about northeast of Ascoli Piceno.
Castignano borders the following municipalities: Appignano del Tronto, ...
,
Castel di Lama
Castel di Lama is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about east of Ascoli Piceno.
Castel di Lama borders the following municipalities: Appignano del Tront ...
,
Colli del Tronto
Colli del Tronto ("Tronto's hills") is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about northeast of Ascoli Piceno. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of ...
,
Grottammare
Grottammare is a town and ''comune'' on Italy's Adriatic coast, in the province of Ascoli Piceno, Marche region.
The town is crossed by the 43rd parallel north. Economy is mostly based on summer tourism; other sectors include food and vegetab ...
,
Monsampolo del Tronto
Monsampolo del Tronto is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about southwest of Ascoli Piceno.
Monsampolo del Tronto borders the following municipalities: ...
, Porchia (Montalto Marche),
Monteprandone
Monteprandone ( nap, Munneprannù) is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about southeast of Ancona and about northeast of Ascoli Piceno. It is the birthplace of James of the Marc ...
,
Offida
Offida () is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about northeast of Ascoli Piceno, on a rocky spur between the valleys of the Tesino (from north) and Tro ...
,
Rotella,
Spinetoli
Spinetoli is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Ascoli Piceno in the Italian region Marche, located about south of Ancona and about east of Ascoli Piceno. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 6,351 and an area of .All demog ...
,
San Benedetto del Tronto
San Benedetto del Tronto is a city and ''comune'' in Marche, Italy. Part of an urban area with 100,000 inhabitants, it is one of the most densely populated areas along the Adriatic Sea coast. It is the most populated city in Province of Ascoli Pi ...
, citizens cut a poplar on which they put-up a red flag and the tree is erected in village squares or at crossroads.
The same ritual is known from
Lamon
Lamon is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the province of Belluno in the Italian region of Veneto, located about northwest of Venice and about west of Belluno. As of 31 December 2004, it had a population of 3,322 and an area of .All demographics ...
, a village in the Dolomites in Veneto, which likely predates the Napoleonic period. Here, a number of quarters and hamlets erect a maypole in the form of a larch whose branches and bark are almost completely removed. Only the top branches are left. A red flag is normally attached, although Italian flags or flags of other countries (Colombia, Bolivia for example) or artists (Bob Marley) are also attested. Around the maypole, quarters and hamlets give feasts with music, food and alcohol which usually last until the dawn of 1 May. The maypole is locally called 'Majo' (May in the local dialect).
Canada
![Friends and Family](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Friends_and_Family._Maypole_Dance_BAnQ_P48S1P00207.jpg)
In Canada, maypole dances are sometimes done as part of
Victoria Day
Victoria Day (french: Fête de la Reine, lit=Celebration of the Queen) is a federal Canadian public holiday celebrated on the last Monday preceding May 25. Initially in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday, it has since been celebrated as the offi ...
celebrations which occur in May. In New Westminster, British Columbia, dancing around the may pole and May Day celebrations have been held for 149 years.
In literature
Poet
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish satirist, author, essayist, political pamphleteer (first for the Whigs, then for the Tories), poet, and Anglican cleric who became Dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dubl ...
in his poem "A Maypole" describes a maypole as:
"
The May-Pole of Merry Mount
"The May-Pole of Merry Mount" is a short story by Nathaniel Hawthorne. It first appeared in ''The Token and Atlantic Souvenir'' in 1836. It was later included in ''Twice-Told Tales'', a collection of Hawthorne's short stories, in 1837. It tells th ...
" is a
short story
A short story is a piece of prose fiction that typically can be read in one sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the oldest ...
by
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne (July 4, 1804 – May 19, 1864) was an American novelist and short story writer. His works often focus on history, morality, and religion.
He was born in 1804 in Salem, Massachusetts, from a family long associated with that t ...
.
It first appeared in ''
The Token and Atlantic Souvenir
''The Token'' (1829–1842) was an annual, illustrated gift book, containing stories, poems and other light and entertaining reading. In 1833, it became ''The Token and Atlantic Souvenir''.
History
The annual was chiefly edited by Samuel Griswol ...
'' in 1832. The story revolves around a young couple feeling the influence of nature who get betrothed in the presence of a Maypole and face Puritan ire.
Hawthorne based his story on events in colonial New England history, borrowing from a story of Thomas Mortan whose settlement opposed the rigid cultural and religious standards of the Plymouth colony Puritans.
In popular culture
* In
''Mad Men'' season 3,
Don Draper
Donald Francis Draper, born Richard “Dick” Whitman, is a fictional character and the protagonist of the AMC television series ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015), portrayed by Jon Hamm. Up to the Season 3 finale, Draper was creative director of fict ...
becomes involved with his daughter
Sally
Sally may refer to:
People
*Sally (name), a list of notable people with the name
Military
* Sally (military), an attack by the defenders of a town or fortress under siege against a besieging force; see sally port
*Sally, the Allied reporting na ...
's elementary school teacher, Suzanne Farrell, whom he first saw leading her students in an outdoor
maypole dance
A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, around which a maypole dance often takes place.
The festivals may occur on 1 May or Pentecost (Whitsun), although in some countries it is instead erected at ...
(in "Love Among the Ruins").
* In ''
Frozen'', a group of people can be seen raising a maypole as the camera tracks through Arendelle prior to
Elsa's coronation.
* Featured in the credits of the popular 1970 series "
The Odd Couple Odd Couple may refer to:
Neil Simon play and its adaptations
* ''The Odd Couple'' (play), a 1965 stage play by Neil Simon
** ''The Odd Couple'' (film), a 1968 film based on the play
*** ''The Odd Couple'' (1970 TV series), a 1970–1975 televisi ...
".
* A maypole features prominently in the music video to "
The Safety Dance
"The Safety Dance" is a song by Canadian new wave/ synth-pop band Men Without Hats, released in Canada in 1982 as the second single from '' Rhythm of Youth''. The song was written by lead singer Ivan Doroschuk after he had been kicked out of a ...
" by new wave band
Men Without Hats
Men Without Hats are a Canadian new wave and synth-pop band, originally from Montreal, Quebec. Their music is characterized by the baritone voice of their lead singer Ivan Doroschuk, as well as their elaborate use of synthesizers and electro ...
.
* A maypole features prominently in the 1971 ''
Doctor Who'' serial ''
The Dæmons
''The Dæmons'' is the fifth and final serial of the eighth season of the British science fiction television series '' Doctor Who'', which was first broadcast in five weekly parts on BBC1 from 22 May to 19 June 1971.
In the serial, the alien ...
''.
* In the 2019 psychological horror film
''Midsommar'', a maypole dance takes place with the winner being crowned the
May Queen
In the British Isles and parts of the Commonwealth, the May Queen or Queen of May is a personification of the May Day holiday, and of springtime and also summer. The May Queen is a girl who rides or walks at the front of a parade for May Da ...
.
* In the
Netflix
Netflix, Inc. is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and production company based in Los Gatos, California. Founded in 1997 by Reed Hastings and Marc Randolph in Scotts Valley, California, it offers a fi ...
series ''
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina
''Chilling Adventures of Sabrina'' is an American comic book series published by Archie Horror, an imprint of Archie Comics, beginning in 2014. The series is a darker take on the characters and setting of ''Sabrina the Teenage Witch''. It is writ ...
'', a maypole is used in the festival of
Lupercalia
Lupercalia was a pastoral festival of Ancient Rome observed annually on February 15 to purify the city, promoting health and fertility. Lupercalia was also known as ''dies Februatus'', after the purification instruments called ''februa'', the ...
.
* In the video game ''
Valheim
''Valheim'' is an upcoming survival and sandbox video game by the Swedish developer Iron Gate Studio and published by Coffee Stain Studios. It was released in early access on 2 February 2021 for Linux and Windows via Steam, and for Xbox One and ...
'', a maypole can be found as an
Easter egg
Easter eggs, also called Paschal eggs, are eggs that are decorated for the Christian feast of Easter, which celebrates the resurrection of Jesus. As such, Easter eggs are common during the season of Eastertide (Easter season). The oldest tr ...
.
* In the animated Cartoon Network Miniseries ''
Over the Garden Wall
''Over the Garden Wall'' is an American animated television miniseries created by Patrick McHale for Cartoon Network. The series centers on two half-brothers who travel across a mysterious forest to find their way home, encountering a variet ...
'', the villagers of the town Pottsfield do a maypole dance in the episode "Hard Times at the Huskin' Bee."
See also
*
Axis Mundi
*
Beltane
Beltane () is the Gaelic May Day festival. Commonly observed on the first of May, the festival falls midway between the spring equinox and summer solstice in the northern hemisphere. The festival name is synonymous with the month marking the ...
*
Ceremonial pole
A ceremonial pole is a stake or post utilised or venerated as part of a ceremony or religious ritual. Ceremonial poles may symbolize a variety of concepts in different ceremonies and rituals practiced by a variety of cultures around the world. ...
*
Sacred trees and groves in Germanic paganism and mythology
Trees hold a particular role in Germanic paganism and Germanic mythology, both as individuals ( sacred trees) and in groups (sacred groves). The central role of trees in Germanic religion is noted in the earliest written reports about the Germanic ...
*
Walpurgis night
Walpurgis Night (), an abbreviation of Saint Walpurgis Night (from the German ), also known as Saint Walpurga's Eve (alternatively spelled Saint Walburga's Eve), is the eve of the Christian feast day of Saint Walpurga, an 8th-century abbess ...
Notes
References
Sources
*
External links
Barwick-in-Elmet Maypole TrustA
triennial
An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints. ...
maypole festival held in the village of
Barwick-in-Elmet
Barwick-in-Elmet (pronounced ''Barrick-in-Elmet'') is a village in West Yorkshire, east of Leeds city centre. It is one of only three places in the area to be explicitly associated with the ancient Romano-British kingdom of Elmet, the others ...
,
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan and ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and Humber Region of England. It is an inland and upland county having eastward-draining valleys while taking in the moors of the Pennines. West Yorkshire came into exi ...
.
Maypole Dancing FAQFrequently Asked Questions
The tradition of the "red" maypole in PicenoPDF
''The fall and rise of the Barwick Maypole'' (film)
{{Authority control
English folk dance
English traditions
Germanic paganism
German folklore
German folk dances
German traditions