Song and dance around the Midsummer pole

The tradition & historical record

A maypole is a tall wooden pole erected as a part of various European folk festivals, around which a maypole dance often takes place. The festivals may occur on 1 May or Pentecost (Whitsun), although in some countries it is instead erected during Midsummer (20–26 June). In some cases, the maypole is a permanent feature that is only utilized during the festival, although in other cases it is erected specifically for the purpose before being taken down again. Primarily found within the nations of Germanic Europe and the neighboring areas which they have influenced, its origins remain unknown. It has often been speculated that the maypole originally had some importance in the Germanic paganism of Iron Age and early Medieval cultures and that the tradition survived Christianisation, albeit losing any original meaning that it had. It has been a recorded practice in many parts of Europe throughout the Medieval and Early Modern periods, although it became less popular in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today, the tradition is still observed in some parts of Europe and among European communities in the Americas. ¹

English historian Ronald Hutton concurs with Swedish scholar Carl Wilhelm von Sydow who stated that maypoles were erected "simply" as "signs that the happy season of warmth and comfort had returned." Their shape allowed for garlands to be hung from them and were first seen, at least in the British Isles, between AD 1350 and 1400 within the context of medieval Christian European culture. In 1588, at Holy Trinity Church in Exeter, villagers gathered around the 'summer rod' for feasting and drinking. Geoffrey Chaucer mentions that a particularly large maypole stood at St Andrew Undershaft, which was collectively erected by church parishioners annually due to its large shape. The symbolism of the maypole has been continuously debated by folklorists for centuries, although no definitive answer has been found. Some scholars classify maypoles as symbols of the world axis (axis mundi). The fact that they were found primarily in areas of Germanic Europe, where, prior to Christianisation, Germanic paganism was followed in various forms, has led to speculation by some that the maypoles were in some way a relic of a Germanic pagan tradition. One theory holds that they were a remnant of the Germanic reverence for sacred trees, as there is evidence for various sacred trees and wooden pillars that were venerated by the pagans across much of Germanic Europe, including Thor's Oak and the Irminsul. ¹

In Belgium, the Maypole is called Meiboom or Meyboom in Dutch. Hasselt erects its Meiboom on 30 April. In Brussels and Leuven, the Meyboom is traditionally erected on 9 August before 5 p.m. The planting of the Meyboom in Brussels is reminiscent of a long-standing (folkloric) feud with Leuven, dating back to 1213. In that year, a brawl broke out between the two cities, which saw the former victorious. To commemorate this event, Brussels was granted, almost 100 years later, the eternal right by John II, Duke of Brabant, to erect a Meyboom, but only if they managed to do this every year on 9 August before 5 p.m. Following a "theft" of the tree in 1974, Leuven has also claimed ownership of the only official Meyboom. Ever since, the two cities have been involved in a friendly rivalry to decide who has the "real" Meyboom. It is also customary, mostly in the Dutch-speaking region of Belgium, to place a branch (also called a Meiboom) on the highest point of a building under construction. The erection of the branch is often cause for celebration by both the workmen and the neighbors. ¹

In Germany and Austria, the maypole (or Maibaum) is a tradition going back to the 16th century. It is a decorated tree or tree trunk that is usually erected either on 1 May – in Baden and Swabia – or on the evening before, for example, in East Frisia. In most areas, especially in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, and Austria, it is usual to have a ceremony to erect the maypole on the village green. The custom of combining it with a village or town fete, which usually takes place on 1 May or April 30 at Pentecost (Whitsun), is widespread. This tradition is especially strong in the villages of the Bavarian Alps where the raising of the traditional maypole on 1 May in the village square is a cause for much celebration. Some poles are painted in the Bavarian colors of white and blue; most are decorated with emblems depicting local crafts and industry. In Bavaria, the Maibaum is procured, prepared and then stored in some building, such as a farmer's barn days or weeks before being erected on 1 May. The young men from the villages try to steal the Maibaum from each other (out of the storage places) which is why the people of the village take turns in watching over it. If a village manages to steal a Maibaum, then the village the Maibaum has been stolen from has to invite the whole village of the thieves to free beer and a festivity to get it back. Just before the Maibaum is erected, depending on the region, there may be a procession through the village, usually ending at a central place and/or restaurant and usually watched by crowds of spectators and accompanied by a brass band. The actual installation of the tree then takes place in the afternoon or evening. ¹

In Hungary the common term is Májusfa. They were danced around and usually decorated with a full bottle of wine, with hímestojás, flowers and ribbons. May Poles and similar decorated branches, collectively called Zöld ágak were believed to have magical properties. All of them were often put up as an ornament to bring good luck and protect against witches' spells, since it was generally believed by the Hungarians that they can be protected against with different types of weed and herbs. The base was a tall tree stripped of its bark, with the foliage left only at the top (usually 12–15 meters), but it could also be a smaller tree or a large, flowering, greenish branch. They also tried to personalise the trees, decorating them with small gifts, combs, mirrors but also thorny branches and rags, reflecting negative qualities. Often it was only in front of the priest and judge's house that a tall May Pole was erected, but every girl had to have at least one branch. Usually each suitor would put one in the girl's garden. Often they would carve it out and write the boy's name on it. The cutting and wood delivery had to be done in secret, under the cover of night, so that the lady in question would not suspect anything. When the family saw the boys, if the girl liked the suitor, they invited them in to dinner and proudly left the tree in the garden. In the morning, they compared who got the longer May Pole, and tried to guess who gave it to them and often, which envious lover has plucked the tree. Unlike other May Poles, in Hungary it was the length of the tree that mattered, which would ultimately convince the girls to go out with the men. ¹

Maypole traditions can be found in some parts of It… ¹

The text above is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Maypole”, available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 licence. ¹

Song and dance around the Midsummer pole is singing, dancing and games around the Midsummer pole, according to the structured record cited below. This entry was generated automatically from that record and has not yet been reviewed by a person familiar with the tradition. ²

The source record links this tradition to 2 external registers, which can be verified through the citation. ²