LL-L "Festivities" 2002.10.10 (06) [D/E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 10.OCT.2002 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.lowlands-l.net>  Email: admin at lowlands-l.net
 Rules & Guidelines: <http://www.lowlands-l.net/rules.htm>
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Server Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
=======================================================================
 You have received this because have been subscribed upon request. To
 unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
 text from the same account to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or
 sign off at <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
=======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
               V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================

From: burgdal32admin <burgdal32 at pandora.be>
Subject: LL-L "Festivities" 2002.10.10 (02) [E]

> From: Ansgar Fehnker <ansgar at ece.cmu.edu>
> Subject: LL-L "Festivities" 2002.10.09 (03) [E/LS]
>
>> From: Hyazinth Sievering (Zintus) <hyazinth.sievering at ewetel.net>
>>
>> Ansgar Fehnker, I'm quite surprised that there is no St. Martins
>> tradition
>> in Teglingen as that place is only 30 km away from Wippingen. The
>> other
>> customs in the Meppen area are almost the same except for
> "Pinksterblömken"
>> which is unknown here in Northern Emsland and Hümmling. Maybe you can
>> tell
>> about that. I would like to know if the custom of "Pinksterblömken" is
> still
>> alive there. In the village of Schwefingen, where my mother was born,
>> this
>> tradition has died in the 1960s. However, I think that it still
>> exists in
>> the Haselünne region.
>
> Frankly, I wouldn't know what a "Pinksterblömken" is. Regarding the St
> Martin tradition I would guess that keeping this kind of traditions
> alive depends also on individuals who take the responsibility. When I
> grew up in the late 70's we also didn't do the ususal "three kings
> singing". Later, when I was involved in the church youth group, there
> was somebody to took the lead, and organized the "three kings singing"
> again. And it was fun.
>
> So, what is a Pinksterblömken?
>
> Ansgar

Dear Ansgar,
In Dutch:  "Een pinksterbloem", is een bloem die rond de tijd van
Pinksteren bloeit.Het wordt ook wel veldkers of koekoeksbloem of geel
lis genoemd.
Dit is de letterlijke betekenis.

Een pinksterbloem is ook een jong meisje dat met bloemen en sieraden
getooid werd en op Pinksteren rondgedragen  of rondgeleid. Daarbij werd
gezongen en geld ingezameld.Dat meisje werd ook de pinksterbruid
genoemd.

Nu betekent het ook nog iemand die zich in het nieuw steekt met
Pinksteren.

Groetjes
Luc Vanbrabant
Oekene

----------

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

In many parts of Europe, including much of the Germanic-speaking area,
Christian Whitsun ~ Pentecost replaced various types of pre-Christian
fertility and courtship festivities.  In the Middle Ages, this was the time
for "goin' courtin'," involving all sorts of rituals, some less mentionable
than dancing. In many traditions it involved also the maypole (which can be
found thoughout Eurasia, as far as Eastern Central Asia), whose shamanist
symbolism is that of both fertility (Need I explain?)and connection between
earth and heaven (thus, a rather Tantric approach).

(A glimpse at the medieval goings-on is offered for instance in the section
"Uf dem anger" [On the Meadow] in the _Carmina Burana_, a medieval
Latin-French-German song cycle made famous by the composer Carl Orff.  See
here for the words and their translation:
http://www.mgeurts.tmfweb.nl/carmlyr.htm)

In Germany, including Northern, Lowlands Germany, Whitsuntide celebrates the
height of spring (formerly as the beginning of Summer, or Midsummer), which
nowadays is still marked by way of special flower decoration in home and
church.  In some areas' folk customs some remnants of the old
courtship/fertility rituals survive in fragments.  (Among the Slavonic Sorbs
of Germany, this has been distributed over the customs of "Easter Riding,"
"Birds' Wedding," and the like, involving round-dances, wedding-like
celebrations and a custom in which the unmarried men build flower-decorated
bowers or gazebos for the unmarried women to meet in and sing while being
watched/chosen by potential suitors.)  What Zintus and Luc referred to is no
doubt a part of all that.  What exactly the people of the northwest do, I do
not know.

In some parts of Germany there are celebrations revolving around a "Whitsun
Bride" (_Pfingstbraut_, or _Pünkösdikirálynõ_ "Whitsun Queen" as in Hungary)
and a "Whitsun King" (Pfingstkönig), and bunches of flower-bearing maidens.
A very nice overview of it is provided here (in German):
http://www.religioeses-brauchtum.de/sommer/pfingsten.html

Similar customs survive in Scandinavia, Britain and throughout Eastern
Europe (e.g., http://www.dailyastorian.com/Scandi/History.html,
http://www.headmap.com/book/words/thegoldenbough/19.html,
http://www.cyberwitch.com/wychwood/Temple/midsummer.htm).

Cheers!
Reinhard/Ron

==================================END===================================
* Please submit postings to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
  <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
=======================================================================