A Joyous May Day to All!
(Image from How to add a May Pole Dance to Your Wedding Celebration https://theamm.org/articles/719-how-to-add-a-maypole-dance-to-your-wedding-celebration)
This weekend I will be attending two separate May Day celebrations, each featuring May Poles, dancing, and seasonal fare. It has been years since we were able to do this and anticipation is high. I have had my vaccines and boosters, of course, and I am looking forward to once again treading the ceremonial circles without a face mask.
The new children’s book “Once Around the Sun – Stories, Crafts and Recipes to Celebrate the Sacred Earth Year” is out at last and available in all the usual places. Adults tell me they appreciate the work too, because the cycle of stories carry a message of hope in dark times. It was written in the depths of the pandemic and I strove mightily to craft a volume that would bring comfort to readers. The annual cycle of Earth festivals does that – even after the darkest night of winter the Sun rises and brings with it the rebirth of spring.
Here is an excerpt from the Beltaine (May Day) story;
(Irish) May Day, Beltaine (May 1)
A Magical Beltaine Journey
“Cailyn was fourteen years old and had just begun her Druid studies. One morning she sat cross-legged on the ground, in a dark little hut lit only by a single candle and the round, central fire hearth that was ringed by stones. It was a beautiful spring day and through the walls she could hear the village laughing and joking as they cut fresh boughs of birch and hawthorn to decorate the fronts of their houses. She also heard the sound of children shrieking in glee as they went out in gangs to gather primroses and lay them across the thresholds, to keep mischievous Faeries from coming inside.
“It’s so not fair!” Cailyn said out loud to no one in particular.
She was now a student in the Druid College, which was all her grandfather’s idea. “I always wanted a Druid scholar in the family!” he would say. And just because she was good at memorizing things she was now apprenticed to Devin, the Chief Poet of their tribe.
“You have to learn your Oghams”, Devin had said, just that morning. “River Ogham and Tree Ogham and Pig Ogham and Cow Ogham. I want you to memorize them all by tomorrow!”
“Tomorrow!” wailed Cailyn. But tomorrow is Beltaine and I…”
“No more complaints!” Devin said, gathering up her staff and the hem of her long white robe as she swished out the door.
Cailyn’s little sister Eren was just outside, hiding behind an elder tree, waiting for Devin to leave. As soon as Devin was out of sight, Eren rushed in the door, hoping not to be seen.
“Can’t you come outside and help me gather rowan branches? This is the one night of the year when they have power. Do you want to miss that?”, Eren pleaded.
Eren had already broken off several twigs of rowan to be bound with red thread, to make protective equal-armed solar crosses for the house and barn.
Cailyn sighed. “It’s so unfair. Just because I am the oldest sister I have to study reading and writing, and memorize stories and alphabets! All so I can grow up to be a Druid. Who wants to be a Druid anyway? I’d rather be running barefoot through the fields like you – having fun like all the other kids!”
“I know”, said Eren. “Let’s escape this dreary hut. If you put on your cape and pull up your hood nobody will recognize you. It will be so much fun to fool the elders and jump the flames, just like everybody else! Oh, please come outside. It can’t be right that you are forced to stay inside this dark, dusty place on Beltaine Eve!”
Cailyn rubbed her chin and thought for a minute, glancing out the open door, seeing warm sun glistening on thick green grass that was dotted with flowers. “You are right! Let’s get out of here!” she finally said. And away they went, with hoods raised so their faces were hidden and they wouldn’t attract attention.
There was a hill outside the village where all the great Fire Festivals were celebrated with bonfires and feasting. For the tribe, Beltaine was one of the most important days of the year – Devin had kept a careful watch on the local hawthorn trees and the moment she found the first tree in bloom she went through the village, loudly announcing that Beltaine had arrived!
“You see, the trees know when it is warm enough to send the cattle up to the hills – they tell us by their flowering”, she explained to Cailyn that very morning. “One of the jobs of a Druid is to keep a careful watch on the local hawthorn trees.”
Preparations had begun on the building of two sacred bonfires made from nine sacred woods, and a third fire just for dancing around. Nine strong men removed all metal from their bodies so as not to offend the Faeries, and walked deep into the forest to search for fallen branches and boughs.
The sweet, yeasty smell of Bannocks baking hung in the air and everywhere women and girls were preparing the oaten cakes to be used in their land blessings. Young men and warriors sat cross legged on the grass, sharpening their swords and tools on whet stones and coating them with goose grease to preserve them from the damp. The whole tribe was preparing for summer.
“Let’s pick all the yellow flowers we can find, to decorate Mamaí’ s May Bush!” , said Cailyn.
Mamaí and the aunts made a May Bush for the tribe every year, decorating it with Sun colored flowers, ribbons, and eggs dyed yellow. The girls were happy to contribute. They bent to their task, searching out marsh marigolds, buttercups, dandelions and primroses, trying hard not to stain their clothing. It felt good to be out in the bright sunshine, with the warm grass between their toes.
“This is so much better than being trapped inside on a warm spring day!”, Cailyn exclaimed. “But I don’t want Mamaí to see us. She will just make me go back to Devin’s hut. We can leave the flowers by the door of our house and she will think they were brought by the Faeries!”
“That’s a good plan!”, agreed Eren…”
Every chapter of the book has an original story, designed to be read out loud by kids or parents. The stories derive from different cultures; Irish, Italian, Polish, Scottish and Norse and there are pronunciation guides for difficult words in foreign languages. There are a hands on craft and a seasonal recipe for each festival. The activities for May Day are making a British style May Pole or an Irish style May Bush. There is also a lesson in Tree Ogham, and a recipe for Bannocks.
Bannock Recipe
Ingredients
2/3 cup coarsely ground organic oats
2 tsp. melted organic butter or lard
1 pinch baking soda
1 pinch Sea Salt
a handful of ground organic oats for kneading
1 cup hot water
Method:
Combine the oats, salt and soda in a bowl and stir together.
Make a well in the center of the bowl with your fist.
Pour the melted shortening and water into the well and stir until a stiff batter forms.
Cover a board with ground oats and empty the batter onto the board.
Cover your hands with oats and knead the batter into a ball.
Roll out to 1/2-inch thickness with a rolling pin (or a glass bottle).
Sprinkle with ground oats and cook on a griddle or flat surface until the edges are curled and slightly toasted.
In ancient times the Bannock would have been rolled thin and stuck to a sheepskin which was placed on a wooden stretcher near the fire until the bread was toasted. It was considered very unlucky and an offense to the Fairies for iron to touch the Bannock if it was intended as a bread for ritual purposes.
Book News
4/5/2022 An interview about books and Celtic Reconstructionist Druidism (video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ophGNc3Vd0Q
A nice review of the new book http://www.facingnorth.net/books/children-parenting/hopman-once
An excerpt from “Once Around the Sun” appeared in Wisdom Magazine. https://www.wisdom-magazine.com/article.aspx/5587
The book is available at https://www.innertraditions.com/books/once-around-the-sun and other retailers worldwide here: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Once-Around-the-Sun/Ellen-Evert-Hopman/9781644114148
The Easter Bunny and Colored Eggs of Eostre: An Anglo-Saxon/Germanic Tale read and narrated by the author. https://innerself.com/living/leisure-and-creativity/27121-the-colored-eggs-of eostre.html?fbclid=IwAR2TwS2XlMwKpnnyqxIjrTr0yRXHs8bcG1Ao3dgsM93zq7-0V36SKihpfPs
Upcoming Workshops & Events
Virtual Event May 9-15, 2022
The Comfrey Conference – Time to End the Fear
A free virtual event that showcases comfrey lovers and herbal teachers who share personal experiences, thoughts, and research.
Premieres May 9 with a keynote on joy by Patch Adams MD.
New presentations and live question and answer zoom meetings every day of the week, Monday through Sunday. Ellen will answer questions at 8 PM Eastern, on May 11
More details: https://www.ashtreepublishing.com/ellen-hopman?fbclid=IwAR0gft5wvZOQGeL7_bFtccM_x0Y8RjcMUgf5TprjBZX6jiaK3WHzloRRkvo
Register here: www.wisewomanschool.com/p/the-comfrey-conference
July 15, 2022 @ 12:00 pm – WitchsFest 2022
WitchsFest 2022 will be held July 15th through July 17th with Virtual days on Friday and Sunday and live classes in-person in New York City’s Astor place on Saturday, July 16th. Ellen will be offering on line talks via Zoom on Friday and Sunday Click here for more info: http://www.witchsfestusa.org/
July 21, 2022 – 4pm Eastern USA time. A Zoom talk (free) Secret Medicines from Your Garden.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conversation-club-secret-medicines-from-your-garden-tickets-235444489807
October 20, 2022 -4 PM Eastern USA time -A Zoom talk (free)
The Sacred Herbs of Samhain
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/conversation-club-the-sacred-herbs-of-samhain-tickets-235465472567
A new Banksy that recently appeared in time for Easter
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