Tree of May

The Tradition of the tree of May is a Rite of fruitfulness related to the return of the Frondaison. Formerly widespread in all the Western Europe, this rite takes its direction in the cycle of traditional May.

The Église denounced its characters allegedly alienating, superstitious, and even satanic (sexual rites of group, company disturbed by the multiplicity of the rules, absolutisation of the vegetable and animal spirits). The clergy endeavoured to order this rite with its suitability, applicant to defend the interest of the person and that of the company, while removing its alienating and disturbing properties. It is with the Concile of Milan, in 1579, that the Church proscribed this related tradition and its rites.

This folklore is comparable with the many habits celebrating the tree, in particular Christmas tree, or that of the Arbre of the freedom established with the French revolution.

Mythology

From a mythological point of view, the May is, since always, the month of the festivals in the honor of the vegetation, the flowers, the sources and water. It is the month of the return of dead and the mythical ancestors. However, all these symbolic systems objects are inseparable from the love, the erotism and the fight of the forces of Darkness.

At the Romain S, May was that of Maia, goddess of fruitfulness, i.e. one of the misadventures of the Ground-Mother. May thus logically became the month of Marie. In the Celtic world, dated May 1st is that of the festival of Beltaine, the great Celtic festival of the Bel god, corresponding to the Gallic god Belenos. It is a festival of Fire.

May knows also the festival of the meiboom, maypole, Maibaum, maggiolata, etc which reactualizes the paramount act of cosmic regeneration. The tree symbolizes here the whole of the forces of Nature domesticated by the paramount Ancestors, heroes and gods.

Origins

In this respect, the Nuit of Walpurgis is a historical episode characteristic of the difficulties which the religious authorities when it was decided to recover, within the framework of the Christian faith encountered, the occult and pagan forces associated with this month. The night of May 1st is that of Walpurgis, bénédictine English called in Germany by Saint Boniface to revive the Christian faith there. Become abbess of Heidenheim, it had been initiated with the Magic and the use of the medicinal plants. After its death, in 778, a miraculous oil was put at sourdre of its tomb. This oil protects from all the evil spells. It also symbolizes the purifying Fire lit everywhere in Germany during the night of May 1st and about which Goethe in its Faust speaks. In Tchéquie, the children disguise themselves as witch and one lights large purifying fires in the campaigns. The Inquisition declared that this night of May 1st corresponded to the Sabbath of the witches. In 1484, the pope Innocent VIII will condemn to roughing-hew any person associated with any act with magic.

Maibaum in Bavaria

In Bavaria, the tradition of the mast of May goes back to mists of time. It would be about a vestige of the Celtes which populated the South of Germany: coming from the Eastern steppes, they venerated nature and celebrated the beginning of the summer, on May 1st, by setting up a tree around whose they danced to drive out the bad spirits. This habit did not cease remaining with the wire of time, in spite of the savage opposition of the Church which saw a pagan rite there celebrating fruitfulness. Finally, like good number of the rites of our ancestors, it was integrated into the Christian worship.

Since the 18th century, and even more since the Second world war, the mast of May became the symbol of the cities and villages of Bavaria of the South. It represents the honor of the commune and its community.

It is source of competition between the Bavarian villages, which compete of ingeniousness and efforts to obtain with largest and the most beautiful tree. Also, the 30 meters heights they is not rare…

And until it is set up, the day of the ceremony, it is the subject of all covetousnesses and for this reason, it is jealously supervised, day and night, by the men of the commune, to discourage the possible kidnappers… The stake is of size, especially because in case of theft, the victims would see themselves in the obligation to pour a ransom in kind (beer and food) and to carry the weight of shame!

Deprived of sound bark, the tree trunk which one is useful oneself for this mast of May is then painted in bands white and blue (colors of Bavaria) and the top of the mast is decorated with a crown in branches of fir tree. Very often, one finds all along the mast, of the figurines representing the various trade associations, like the shoe-maker, the chimney sweeper, the carpenter, the carpenter, etc

Once the ready tree, and the hour of the arrived ceremony, the men of the commune must prepare to install the mast in the center of the village, often on the principal place. It is the occasion to have fun the festival, with the sound of the brass band and the groups folk are present to accompany this ceremony, and to morally support the men who will have to deploy all their efforts to hoist the mast. It is, indeed, a true showdown which requires power, know-how and precision, lasting nearly two hours. All is made manually under the orders of an attentive chief who takes care of the success of the test in full safety. In front of such a exercise, one will thus not be astonished that the mast of May is preserved in the state, in general five years, and for certain communes at least three years.

The tree of May finally drawn up, it any more but does not remain to be gone to celebrate the event with the sound of the traditional music by tasting beer, sausages and Bretzel S!

In Belgium

The Meyboom of Brussels

Meyboom is planted with Brussels the day of Saint Laurent (on August 9th). It is about the oldest tradition of the capital. It goes back to 1308, year when the privilege to plant a tree of May was granted by Jean III of the Brabant. Accompanied by the seven giants, the carriers (" buumdroegers") traverse the streets of Brussels to the street of Sands where the tree must be planted before 17:00 under penalty of seeing the privilege passing to the town of Leuwen.

The plantation from May with Silly

In Belgium and more precisely with Silly, Province of Hainaut, the hamlet of Marcoult Saint plants each year a tree of May. The small agglomeration is grouped in a clearing of the national forest around the vault. Saint Marcoult is venerated since strong a long time. He lived at the 6th century and would have been abbot of a monastery in Normandy. He is known as healer of the scrofula. It is in its honor that the tree was planted in the beginning. Its festival is celebrated first Sunday of May. The use is extremely old but known since the end of the 19th century. It was offered to the young girls of the hamlet formerly and makes think of the bouquets May. Towards 1900, May was a Bouleau or a Peuplier of mature standing timber. Today, a Chêne of big size (14 or 15 m) is cut down Saturday morning and copiously sprinkled beer or of juniper. It is surmounted by a young leafy birch.

Sunday afternoon (nowadays last Sunday of April) the tree is brought to the hamlet and put on sale at the biddings at the profit of the festival. It is drawn up between 16 and 18 hours using scales various heights. The effort of the pushers is liberally supported by abundant drinkings. Once the tree in place, the bell of the vault tinkles. It will be transplanted at the end of the month in a more intimate environment but always abundantly sprinkled.

In France

World occitan

In Corrèze, but also in the Dordogne, in the the Limousin or the Valley of Aoste, the habit to plant a tree of May in the honor of the town councilors is very long-lived. The men will seek the tree in the forest. Then one decorates it with flags, ribbons, of a sign carrying the inscription " Honor with our elected official (E) ". Then one draws up the tree in front of the house of the elected official who, in thanks must level his voters liberally.

Provence

With Cucuron, in the Vaucluse, one plants the tree of May saturdays which follow on May 21st. It is about a poplar which must exceed the bell-tower of the church (24 m). One makes it ravel in the city, a young sitted boy top with - califourchon (" Enseigne"). Once the tree drawn up in front of the church, follows a great at the same time pagan popular holiday (worship of spring) and Christian woman (in the Tulle honor Holy, owner of Cucuron, who saved the city of the plague in 1720). There will remain planted jusq' at August 15th.

Moors

In the Moors, May first is the occasion to plant the tree of May. Generally, one plants it in the honor of a person: 18 years, round age (20, 30…), retirement, birth… or of a group of anybody (marriage). Traditionally, the tree (a pine decorated or a " mai") is planted in front of the house of the person in her absence. Then, that Ci invites people and a pot is organized (the " maillade"). Later, when the tree dies, and more generally with the autumn, the tree is removed and this is a pretext to make a second aperitif or a festival. Approximately, this tradition makes it possible to reinforce the bonds with its vicinity as at the time of the Fêtes of district.

In the villages of the east of France, May , individual tree, tree of love

It is of a young person Arbre or a Rameau, that young people install against the wall of the residence of the young girls to marry, in the night from April 30th to May 1st, to honor them.

In thanks, for " arroser" their May , the girls offer cakes and drinks - formerly with in an individual capacity - nowadays collectively, fascinating of account the little of availability of youth, reserve at the week far from the village.

The fountain is also decorated of a young tree for, according to the Oral tradition, to make sure that it will run during all the year.

A language was formerly associated with the gasoline of the tree: the Charme - you are charming, the alder - you is beautiful, the " foyard " - the major love, the Fir tree - unsteady girl or bêcheuse, the Cherry tree - woman of easy virtue… The current use, consensual, is generally the Hêtre.

This night is also made profitable défouler and to carry out a hullabaloo, a upheaval: Din under the windows of the grumpy people , displacement of the most various objects: pots of flower, shutters, gantry, bench, farm equipment, timber chock… With each one the following day to recover its well!

External bonds

the tradition of the tree of May: * Meiboom of Brussels: * The Tree of May of Cucuron:

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