Dancing round the Maypole

Bits and pieces, Family Stories by LoisMay 9, 2012December 28, 2019

Mayday has been a holiday in Britain since 1978 when it was introduced as a bank holiday and celebration of the workers of this country; however, Mayday had been celebrated for many hundreds of years before then. It may have started as a spring or early summer festival going back thousands of years and involves the crowing of a May Queen and dancing round a Maypole, the symbolism of which is pretty obvious. There are many other local rituals and traditions, for example Morris men, dancing, fairs and celebrations.

I attended Milton Road Junior School in Cambridge and I was crowned May Queen, in a wonderful pageant I shall describe later.In May Day this year, 2012 I attended Eel Day Fair in the city of Ely in Cambridgeshire and watched some young people performing traditional Maypole dancing with great skill!

DSCF0127 — The children get ready to dance

DSCF0141 — The children dance in pairs to make a different pattern with their ribbons round the pole

DSCF0132 — A simple pattern called the Barber’s Pole

DSCF0140 — This pattern achieved by the dance, is called the Single Plait

It is marvellous that this tradition is still kept alive, part of our heritage!

6 Comments

Barbro Donithan on May 9, 2012 at 1:22 pm
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The tradition has carried over to US in Leavenworth, Washington. This is a village dedicated to the Bavarian traditions and has a Maypole celebration each year. Fun to read your blog.

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1. Lois on May 9, 2012 at 1:47 pm
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  I visited Washington State many many years ago and I think I may have been to Leavenworth – how amazing you should mention it and bring back that memory! How interesting that there should be the Maypole tradition there too! Thanks, Barbro!
  
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loonyliterature on May 9, 2012 at 3:23 pm
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Your post has brought back memories of my school days. We always celebrated with a Maypole and dancing. When I think of it, I do feel a little spring in my step when May arrives so really we should celebrate it. Great post.

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Lois on August 10, 2012 at 10:48 am
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Reblogged this on Lois Elsden and commented:

This post is now complete with all the photos restored! If there were no pictures last time you looked, try again now and see some wonderful young people carrying on a very old tradition.

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Alice on August 10, 2012 at 3:13 pm
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When I was a youngster, a teacher thought we should give that a try. Let me tell you, our results looked nothing like the lovely weaving in your pictures. We bumped heads and giggled a lot tho.

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1. Lois on August 10, 2012 at 3:19 pm
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  I’m sure you had terrific fun! The youngsters here had to rehearse a lot and worked really hard… they had a dynamic teacher and so really enjoyed doing it! it was just a shame it was a cold grey day.
  
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