LL-L "Holidays" 2002.05.19 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 19.MAY.2002 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: "Nigel Smith" <RNigelSmith at hotmail.com>
Subject: Holidays

Ron Hahn wrote:

RH> Happy Whitsun/Pentecost this weekend to all of you who celebrate it!

I have noticed (this year in particular) that Whit (as we called it in
my
family) has almost completely disappeared from the secular calendar in
the
English-speaking UK. As a non-churchgoer, I have been made aware that
this
is Whit weekend from only two sources: several mentions on German
television, and a Welsh-language programme called _Oedfa'r Pentecost_
'Pentecost Service' in the television listings for today. Even my diary
doesn't mention it (!) despite marking such important events as St
Swithin's
Day and the ever-popular Grandparents' Day.

I am almost certainly over-stating the case here, but in my own
experience
these are the only mentions of Whit I have come across this year.

Two questions: has anyone else noticed this in the Lowlands area?

And on a different but potentially more interesting theme: would it be
true
to say that in those areas where 'minority'/'minoritised' Lowlands
languages
are spoken, religious observance has not declined to the extent that it
has
in general in, say, Western Europe? I ask because one of the reasons why
Welsh has survived and is now in an extremely strong position as far as
minority languages are concerned is because of the tradition that Welsh
was
the language of the chapel and the Sunday school (and related events).
Many
Welsh-speaking communities still have a high level of religious
observance.

I should perhaps apologise for mentioning Welsh again, but as a Scot now
living in Wales I find it interesting to draw comparisons between the
status
and recognition of Welsh (high) with that of Scots (low). I am often
told of
the low regard and esteem with which Welsh used to be held in Wales, and
it
reminds me of nothing so much as the status of Scots, which is unknown
even
to many educated people in England and Wales.

Any comments?

Nigel Smith

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Holidays

Nigel, Lowlanders,

For descriptions of the ways people used to celebrate (and some people
still celebrate) Whitsun in the Lower Elbe area, please see three of the
posted Low Saxon (Low German) pieces (with my English translations) by
our own Clara Kramer-Freudenthal under "Vörjahr | Spring":
http://www.sassisch.net/rhahn/kramer/contents0801.htm

She recently wrote another piece about it, but I have not yet
"processed" it.

As you can see, it is/was more than simply religious observance,
certainly has retained elements of pre-Christian spring rituals.

The homepage of it is here:
http://www.sassisch.net/rhahn/kramer/

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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