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eight traditional celebrations, most of which exist today
in somewhat different form, date from time immemorial. Many
European festivals date back to earliest times, pre-dating
even Indo-European influences. The celebrations of different
cultures often share many common points. This is because their
myths and mythologies are linked to the same sources: the
sky, the sun, the stars, the earth, and the rhythm of the
seasons.
In ancient European traditions – and in particular the
Nordic and Celtic traditions – the course of the sun
occupies a very important position. Our ancestors were well
aware of the relationship between the sun and the rhythm of
the seasons. The calendar of yearly celebrations was based
on these rhythms and has continued to this day, although some
name and date changes occurred as Europe was Christianised.
The calendar of celebrations revolves around the Eight Nature
Festivals, which have existed throughout Europe for many hundreds
of years.
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The
calendar is based on the sun’s position at various moments
of the year, and on corresponding seasonal activities.
This
link between the sun’s course, the seasons, and the
community made our ancestors feel that they were part of a
long chain of living things including the earth, humankind
and the heavens, which formed a coherent whole.
The dance lime tree, with its three-tiered structure, forms
a link between the earth and the heavens, and serves as a
symbol for the order of things. |
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