Possibilities Newsletter | May 2023

May Day is the original pole-dancing day when the arrival of spring and fertility is traditionally celebrated in parts of Europe. May Day has its origins in ancient pagan festivals celebrating the arrival of spring and in pre-Christian Europe, it was associated with fertility rites, the renewal of life, and agricultural prosperity. In medieval Europe, May Day became a secular celebration involving Maypole dancing, the crowning of a "May Queen," and community gatherings. These traditions symbolized the joy of spring and communal unity.

The Celts celebrated Beltane, marking the midpoint between the spring equinox and summer solstice, with bonfires, dancing, and rituals to protect crops and livestock.

In the English city of Oxford the first of May is still celebrated vigorously with...

But in modern times, May Day is more often associated with Labour Day, or International Worker's Day, when we celebrate workers across the world. May Day became associated with the labor movement and the struggle for workers' right in the late 19th Century. The date was chosen to commemorate the Haymarket Affair (1886) in Chicago, where workers striking for an 8-hour workday faced violent repression. In 1889, the Second International, a socialist organization, declared May 1st as International Workers' Day to honor labor struggles globally. In China and Japan, the beginning of May is known as "Golden Week" due to the practice of workers having a week off at this time.  Interestingly 'Mayday' is also the international signal for distress, based on the french phrase "m'aidez" ("help me").

As a day recognising the dignity of human labour and the struggle for human rights, it represents an important reminder at a time when both ecology and economy are existentially threatened by our enthrallment to 'progress' and 'growth'.

It seems to me that, other than New Year's Day, May 1st is the only common holiday across our multi-cultural, multi-religious world.

At this fragile geopolitical time any commonality is surely cause for celebration?

The dual legacy of May Day as both a workers' holiday and a celebration of spring reminds us to seek balance between work, community, and celebration of life. It's a powerful reminder of our shared history and the ongoing need to advocate for fairness and equity in society. It connects the past with the present, reminding us of the enduring power of hope, struggle, and renewal.