http://www.smat.us/archives/11 Matters of the Smith-Atwood Family Fri, 27 May 2011 22:21:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://www.smat.us/archives/11#comment-3 from beltane to bin laden, via marx: the evolution of mayday « killing denouement Fri, 27 May 2011 22:21:25 +0000 http://x2.smat.us/?p=11#comment-3 [...] This site provides some clues on the transition. Mayday used to involve wandering into the woods to cut down a growing tree for the maypole, and indulging in all sorts of sexual licentiousness along the way. The Puritans didn’t take kindly to this, and banned it in a 1644 act of Parliament. Charles II reinstated it in 1660, with its more subversive elements downplayed. Finally, the 19th century Victorians laid down their moral spin—emphasising its innocence and turning it into the sort of kitschy Merry Olde England fest that I was subject too. Also lost were its political elements, among them, the temporary setting aside of social hierarchy. The taking of the tree, in particular, similarly highlights medieval rights to wood usage and to the commons. [...] [...] This site provides some clues on the transition. Mayday used to involve wandering into the woods to cut down a growing tree for the maypole, and indulging in all sorts of sexual licentiousness along the way. The Puritans didn’t take kindly to this, and banned it in a 1644 act of Parliament. Charles II reinstated it in 1660, with its more subversive elements downplayed. Finally, the 19th century Victorians laid down their moral spin—emphasising its innocence and turning it into the sort of kitschy Merry Olde England fest that I was subject too. Also lost were its political elements, among them, the temporary setting aside of social hierarchy. The taking of the tree, in particular, similarly highlights medieval rights to wood usage and to the commons. [...]

]]> http://www.smat.us/archives/11#comment-2 Happy Beltane! « keltiscribe Sun, 01 May 2011 04:32:33 +0000 http://x2.smat.us/?p=11#comment-2 [...] of all night sexual revelries prior to the rising of the Sun on Beltane were recorded even in late Christian accounts. Matches were made between couples, marriages and partnering before the separation of families, the [...] [...] of all night sexual revelries prior to the rising of the Sun on Beltane were recorded even in late Christian accounts. Matches were made between couples, marriages and partnering before the separation of families, the [...]

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