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Celtic Hist. Newsletter: Scot's Harvest/Autumn traditions
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hist-@historicgames.com
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Sep 08, 2009 15:08 PDT
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The Celtic History Newsletter
Brought to you by
The Celtic Croft
http://www.kilts-n-stuff.com/
&
MacGregor Historic Games
http://historicgames.com
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Scottish traditions of the Harvest or Autumn
(Other than Halloween)
It has be said by some that the ancient Celtic feast of Lugh was held
on the first of August and is the origin of Lammas. But there is
another explanation that claims the name is a corruption of the old
term "Loafmas" the festival of the first wheat harvest of the year,
and it was customary to bring to church a loaf of bread made from the
new crop. In many areas it was a time for harvest fairs:
"Even the herds had a half-holiday; in anticipation of which they
carefully kept their cows off a piece of grass long in advance of the
fair (and hence called a Lammas bite) so the on the morning of it the
animals were turned into the reserve pasture which would furnish them
as much grass in a forenoon as they could get the whole day in
ordinary circumstance"
-"Reminiscences," by J. Simson, 1882.
Lammas was said to also be a favorite time to select a partner for a
handfasting, or the so-called "trial marriage" that could last a year
and be broken at the end of that year with no stigma if no child was
conceived in that time. But, the idea of handfasting as a form of
"trail marriage" has come into doubt. It is thought to be a
misunderstanding of the fact that Scottish civil authorities continued
to recognize marriages that were formed merely by mutual consent and
subsequent sexual intercourse (without the blessing of clergy or
judge) even though by the 18th century, the Kirk of Scotland no longer
recognized such "common law", or "irregular" marriages.
Fires were also on Lammas, as on the other quarters of the year, to
keep away evil spirits. This custom seemed continue until the late
1800's in Ayrshire, where the herdsmen collected wood for weeks in
advance of the date, and a piper danced a reel around it once it was
lit.
Marymas, or August 15th, was in celebration of the Virgin Mary, and
bannock was once toasted in front of a fire. It was then divided among
the members of the family, Each member of family would follow the
father with their bannock as he walked around the house three times
carrying a pot with embers from the fireto protect their home from
fairies, or the evil eye.
Michaelmas was September 29th, and as the patron saint of the sea it
was an important holiday for fishemen and sailors. Fires of oak, rowan
or bramble are said to have been lit in the houses for baking the
"Struan Michael", or Michaelmas cake. A meal of oats, bere and rye
would be moistened with sheep's milk and cooked by the eldest daughter
of the family with a prayer. The struans were taken twith care to the
church to be blessed early on St Michael's Day at a service of
thanksgiving for the harvest. Families then returned home to eat the
cakes with a portion of lamb killed for the meal and some lamb,
bannock, and cheese were later given to the local poor. In some areas
Michaelmas also include "cavalcades" where those who had horses might
ride to a chapel, or burying yard and ride around it three times. In
other areas horse, or foot races were held as well as other games and
dances.
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