Re: [OT]: May Day
On Sun, May 1, 2016 at 10:45 AM, Lisi Reisz <lisi.reisz@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Sunday 01 May 2016 18:13:38 Dan Hitt wrote:
>> (And wasn't May day an American idea originally, which
>> our ruling class wanted to tone down?)
>
> I am speechless!!
>
> "The earliest May Day celebrations appeared in pre-Christian times, with the
> Floralia, festival of Flora, the Roman goddess of flowers, held on April 27
> during the Roman Republic era, and with the Walpurgis Night celebrations of
> the Germanic countries. It is also associated with the Gaelic Beltane, most
> commonly held on April 30. The day was a traditional summer holiday in many
> pre-Christian European pagan cultures. While February 1 was the first day of
> spring, May 1 was the first day of summer; hence, the summer solstice on June
> 25 (now June 21) was Midsummer." Etc.
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/May_Day
>
> USA, you are a very YOUNG nation. You haven't got the oldest anything (except
> Californian Redwoods, which antedate the USA.) Yes, there are younger
> nations and peoples - but there are an awful lot of older ones.
>
> (I am still reeling from having been told by this list that the USA had the
> oldest continuous democratic government!!!!!)
>
> Lisi
>
hahahahaha, my bad for sure Lisi!!
I should have said "Labor Day" instead of "May Day", though.
Because in fact May 1 was chosen as the date for Labor Day (or International
Worker's Day) because of the murder of four striking workers May 4, 1887
in Chicago.
Natural spring didn't originate here, and of course the idea of the holiness
of labor was much earlier (when the Creator labored for 6 days and rested
on the seventh).
Thanks for pointing out my bug though!!
dan
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