Celebrate Mayday!

Subject: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Bennet Zurofsky
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 04:36 PM

A pet project of mine is to try to restore Mayday to its rightful status as the International Workers Day and to celebrate accordingly. Although the celebration of May 1 as a leftist holiday seems to have begun in the U.S. (in connection with the fight for the eight-hour day), its association with Russian Communism seems to have killed it on these shores. The right has even tried to co-opt the day by re-naming it "Law Day" and holding courthouse observances!

The main thing that I have done is to work with the American Labor Museum/Botto House National Landmark in Haledon, N.J., so that we have now had four annual Mayday festivals featuring music associated with the labor movement. This year, my group, The Solidarity Singers of the New Jersey Industrial Union Council, will not only perform but will also release its first cd, "Solidarity Can't Be Beat!"

If you're in the area, please join us. I would also like to hear about other Mayday events and encourage people to start more of them.

Here's our announcement for the Botto House event:

Celebrate MAYDAY! The International Workers Holiday!

And the NEW CD by the SOLIDARITY SINGERS of the IUC!

SOLIDARITY CAN'T BE BEAT!

The BOTTO HOUSE/AMERICAN LABOR MUSEUM 83 Norwood Street, Haledon, NJ [phone]

MAYDAY FESTIVAL! May 1, 2002 At 7 p.m.

Also appearing: ANNE FEENEY! Mother Jones a/k/a Peggy Orner! YOUNG and YOUNGER! & Paul Robeson a/k/a Marvin Kazembe Jefferson!

This will be the first time that SOLIDARITY CAN'T BE BEAT! will be offered for sale anywhere! ONLY $15.00!

For mail orders send $15.00 to: Bennet Zurofsky; 744 Broad Street, Suite 1807; Newark, N.J. 07102; [phone].

This event is FREE! Refreshments too!

Labor Donated

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 05:41 PM

It was the 20th century Johnny come lately leftwing political shenanigans that ruined the 1st May pagan fertility celebrations ....

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: greg stephens
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 05:56 PM

Well what we do in England on the night before is to have a bit of a do in the pub, head for the woods,have a bit of a bonfire and a few jars,sing some songs, find a quiet spot (some serious pagans dont bother with a quiet spot) and do the ancient ritual to ensure good crops for the coming (sic) year, have a few more jars,head back for town and then: well ifyouve go any energy left you process around with whatever combination of morris dancing/trade union banner carrying suits you. personally, I feel the occasion is all the better for both. It's us against them, life against death, growth against decay, fun against constraints, relaxes against braces, music against silence, I cant say I do it every year, but I do know that when I do I feel the better for it.Hoist the Maypole!!(That stinking idol, as that boring old twat puritan Stubbes called it). And, in the old saying "Hooray Hooray the First of May/ Outdoor fucking starts today"

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 06:01 PM

Hooray!! Hooray!! It's the First of May!
Outside screwing starts today!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 06:10 PM

Yes, well, doing it properly means being up at dawn to observe and dance in the sunrise - preferably with a Jack-in-the-green - possibly achieved by not going to bed the night before, and finding a hostelry to open for breakfast. And doing it on 1 May, not the designated Bank Holiday Monday

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: greg stephens
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 06:13 PM

Ha ha beat you GUEST

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 06:35 PM

Bennet

You've certainly raised an interesting point about politics and traditions (including American isolationism).

America has Labor Day in September. IMHO the Founding Fathers wouldn't have wanted to have anything to do with left-wing Mayday celebrations. 1 May has workers' rights resonance in continental Europe but hardly any in Britain - except for the people who will be demonstrating against globalisation next week.

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 07:32 PM

Looks like both "wings" co-opted May Day and tried to politicize it. When I was a kid, we made May baskets and filled them with candy and left them on the doorstep of people we liked in the nighborhood. A few years ago, we revived May Day at the Museum where I worked, doing dancing around the May Pole and making May baskets to bring home with candy and little gifts. Sounds a lot more fun than Workers Unite!

Jerry

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Hawker
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 07:36 PM

I'll be down Padstow with the Oss!
Cheers, Lucy

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: masato sakurai
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 09:01 PM

May Day from CHAMBERS'S BOOK of DAYS: A Miscellany of Popular Antiquities in connection with the Calendar (an electronic reprint of the original: Chambers's Book of Days. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1879).

~Masato

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Art Thieme
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 09:15 PM

There hasn't been an 8 hour day in the U.S. since Raegan busted the wimpy white collar and easily broken Air Traffic Controllers Union strike. Ever since unions have become less and less effective here. Terribly sad. All the battles and strikes won and lost --- and martyred workers sincere efforts tossed away and forgotten like so much filthy dishwater.

Good people, it wasn't Socialism the Russians ought to've tossed away. It was totalitarianism !!! Any sane person with a whit of smarts knows that Socialism and Democracy can work well together unless the military and the corporate structure conspire to keep that from happening. It is in the huge best interest of the majority of people that Socialism be chosen and implimented as the way to go. BUT, as Utah Phillips told me once, "If elections could really change anything, they'd be illegal." George Bush, his cohort trillionaires and their military would kill every one of us before allowing that to happen.

May Day is still a good day to sing those old songs though ---and remember. Don't mourn. Organize!!!!!!

Art Thieme

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: greg stephens
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 09:23 PM

Unite and unite and let us all unite/For summer is a come unto day/And whither we are going we all will unite/In the merry morning of May.

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Amergin
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 09:36 PM

i remember a couple of years ago there was a mayday march here in portland that got a bit rough....the next year they said if you want to cause trouble then stay away...

sad to say...I agree with art about the state of the unions...they seemed to have wimped down quite a bit....it just seems they do not know how to do it...now if all the unions in the afl-cio would strike when a local of one union would strike...that would solve alot of problems...the trouble is...Uncle Sam has some strict laws for the labour unions....

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Mark Ross
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 11:17 PM

Remeber that the 1st International WOrkers Day was an idea that came from America(it was part of the movement for the 8 hour day)! Reagan declared May 1st as Law Day,but no matter what he says May 1st is the real Labor Day.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: CapriUni
Date: 23 Apr 02 - 11:39 PM

When I was in tenth grade, the art teacher decided to revive May Day... and it began in October, a highschool art class built a great big "Dragon of Winter" out of paper mache, for the little kids to climb around on during lunch.

On May Day, the whole school gathered to sing, and the high school students erected a may pole and tried to dance around it (creating wonderful tangles in the process) then the Dragon was marched into the soccer field, and the biology teacher came out of the woods behind the school, in a mask, and dressed as the green man with a quiver and bow and arrows, behind a student in a full head unicorn mask. The gathered students then began to chant "Kill the Dragon!". The teacher shot three flaming arrows into the beast, and with the third try, the dragon burst into flame, and we all cheered. When the bonfire died down, the only thing left was a green tissue paper flower that had adorned tip of the Dragon's tail... Pretty cool.

And May Day has been my favorite holliday ever since... :-)

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Troll
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 12:16 AM

On May Day Memsahib and I will celebrate our 20th wedding aniversary.
We ran off to Folkston, Georgia (no waiting period) and got married, then drove to Fernandina, Fla to perform at the annual Blessing of the Fleet Festival. Nine months and one week later, our son, Martin was born.
It's been an interesting 20 years. I think that we may stay together.

troll

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: paddymac
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 01:20 AM

Mayday celebrations were actually quite common in the states at an earlier time, before they became associated with communist militarism (not to suggest that they had a lock on that phenomenon). Here in Tallahassee, FL, the locals had the longest running celebration (from the 1840's to 1961) of the "May Queen" variety, when they shut it down rather than integrate it. Since then, the old "May oak" has died and attempts to revive the celebration have been unsuccessful. Personally, I like the ancient Celtic notion of a fertility rite. Go forth and act like you want to procreate (or al least practice procreation). If you're lucky, somebody might take you up on the offer. :>)

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Bert
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 03:21 AM

...May Day is still a good day to sing those old songs though ... Free beer for all the workers!!!!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,micca at work
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 04:44 AM

For many years it has been our custom to go to Hastings for a long weekend of singing, drinking, Morris dancing, and processing through the streets on the Bank Holiday Monday with the Jack in the Green and Bogies and Giants, to participate in welcoming Summer, epitomised in the Demise of the Jack and the release of the spirit of Summer. Sadly due to recent events ,this may not happen this year, or at least ,not in its usual form..so this Mayday who knows??!!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,MBS Lynne
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 04:49 AM

I go up to the top of a local hill before dawn every year to watch the Morris Men. Not sure if they will make it this year as the side is very depleted, but I will still be there and I will sing the sun up myself is there is no one else there! I always keep my kids off school, and they come too. It's a religious holiday as far as I'm concerned.

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Bennet Zurofsky
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 11:14 AM

I am enjoying these postings and hope we get some more. I also hope that some of you can join us in Haledon, N.J., for our little festival on Mayday.

A couple of comments on the above: It is certainly arguable that the left co-opted the traditional pagan Mayday observed in England, but if I remember my history right, the Haymarket Massacre occured at a Mayday demonstration for the 8-hour day and the resulting desire to commemorate the Haymarket martyrs gave a lot of impetus to the observance.

Mark Ross is certainly right that Mayday is the real Labor Day. As I understand that bit of history, the originators of the September Labor Day were relatively conservative union leaders who wanted to disassociate the American Labor Movement from the Socialist International connotation of Mayday events. In other words, they wanted to separate the United States from labor around the rest of the world.

While when I was growing up in the fifties and sixties Mayday was generally associated with the militaristic (Stalinist) parades of the Soviet Empire, traditionally Mayday was more closely alligned to a broader view of Socialism than that which became Soviet-style Communism. The democratic-socialist sentiments voiced by Art Thieme are entirely in keeping with the tradition of the day, and are the ones that I personally favor.

In this regard it should be particularly noted by Mudcatters that the "Internationale," which is the song most closely associated with Mayday (and which we will be singing among others in Haledon), was composed and was popular in many countries and languages long before Mr. Lenin ever got off his train at the Finland Station.

As to the U.S. Labor Movement's current strength and militance, or lack thereof, while it is far from what it should be, I believe it is greater than is often thought. The AFL-CIO has become considerably more militant under President Sweeney's leadership and a younger generation of leaders with more militant views is taking over many international unions. The Seattle demonstrations against the WTO, which were very effective in a lot of ways, were largely built by Labor support. When it comes to the movement against Corporate Globalization, which I believe to be the most important movement today, Labor is the only ongoing institution providing ongoing support and direction, despite the media focus on the anarchists.

Of course, it is true that US Law is terrible and has been since Taft-Hartley was passed by the Republicans over Truman's veto in 1948. Human Rights Watch published an extensive study about two years ago which concluded that our labor laws amount to a Human Rights violation. We all need to work to change them, and so far labor has been unable to do so (which is another story).

In the meantime, we need to do the best we can with what we've got in the hope of having greater strength in the future. Celebrating Mayday as an International Workers Day can be helpful in this regard.

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: CapriUni
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 11:35 AM

Actually, I can see how Mayday as a religious observance welcoming summer and as a social observance and celebration of work and workers probably arose together.

Simply put, Summer = Work

...If you've ever grown your own crops, or tended your own herds, you know that the start of summer is also the start of the labor intensive season. The work doesn't slow down a jot until the last sheaf is harvested, and the last cow is brought down from the mountain pastures (which is the event that was the initial motivation for the celebration of November 1).

The young men of Padstow,
They might if they would,
For summer is a-coming today,
They might have built a ship
And guilded it with gold
On this merry morning of May!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Mrs.Duck
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 12:49 PM

Oss, oss!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: CharlieA
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 02:03 PM

wee oss

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 02:52 PM

O where are the young men who here now should dance?
For summer is icummin today...
O some they are in England & some they are in France
In the merry morning of May.

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: CapriUni
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 03:46 PM

Jean --

I have a hunch that verse commemorates some war or 'tother... But there have been so many. To which one does that refer?

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 05:50 PM

Micca

If you're not going to Hastings, what's your alibi for not getting to Upton? (Shellbacks are booked too!)

Kitty

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,LesB(uk)
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 06:11 PM

I'll be up at dawn on the 1st May erecting and dancing around the Maypole with the Southport Swords and having a bacon buttie & a pint of Coniston Bluebird, in the Scarisbrick Hotel, Southport, when we open their Beer Festival.
LesB
Whoops forgot to close the quote marks.

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 06:44 PM

Les B

You might want to think about some strategically placed commas and/ or dashes too! What's this about the 1 May erecting?

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: vectis
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 07:01 PM

Greet the dawn on a local hilltop with dance and song. Drink ale, eat cake. Go to BLOODY work. Pagans don't get religious days off unlike christians. It's not fair
after all
WE WERE HERE FIRST!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: sponge
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 07:01 PM

. Sadly due to recent events ,this may not happen this year, or at least ,not in its usual form..so this Mayday who knows??!!

So what is happening about Hastings that you aren't sharing with us Micca? There's been nothing in the publicity about it......

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Gareth
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 07:07 PM

Er ! Hastings - The Normans are landing ??

Gareth

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Gypsy
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 10:44 PM

That's right, CapriUni. We will kick of Mayday with the opening of Farmers Market. The ground is plowed and fecund, the garlic is ripening....and oh yeah, outdoor fuckin'is just begun!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: CapriUni
Date: 24 Apr 02 - 11:40 PM

Ga-a-ar-lic! Now there's a reason to celebrate! *BG*

Combine with outdoor *frolicking* :::Ahem::: at your own risk (if you're fortunate, you'll find someone who doesn't care ;-))

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,micca at work
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 04:50 AM

Sponge, due to circumstances not connected with the event, I may not be present, Kitty, Upton??? Upton what?Where? when?? (Upton o good, maybe)?? moi?

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 08:40 AM

Kitty, 1st May erecting is obviously necessary if we are going to have the outdoor f---ing they have been talking about! Vectis...book a day's holiday. I keep my kids off school, and I'm perfectly honest to the school about why I do so. I believe we should have the public holiday on May 1st, not the nearest Monday. This is done too much these days. How long before we have to have Christmas on the nearest Monday to 25th December?

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,vectis at work
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 09:40 AM

I'd love to but I'm the one teaching everyone elses kids.
Buggeritt

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,MAG at work
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 12:52 PM

Les B., please say hi to Patrick Ryan for me if you know him. He belongs to one Morris team or another. (redheaded yank living in England.)

anyone have any good pic links of a real hobby horse costume? I want to show it at storytime next week -- a May Day program, natch. -- MAG

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,Les B(UK)
Date: 25 Apr 02 - 01:47 PM

Kitty, don't knock it till you've tried it!
Mag i'll look out for a red headed yank with bells on, I'm sure to see him somewhere.(Sudden thought-He's not the storyteller chappie is he?) Les

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: simon-pierre
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 01:43 AM

Mayday survive communism! Capitalism is next!!!

(printed in Adbusters last year)

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 05:08 AM

Celebrate Mayday, a couple of songs I couldn't find in the DT have been added in this parallel thread.Here

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,MAG at work
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 02:06 PM

Yes, LesB, Patrick is a storyteller. that is mainly how I know him, from our old Chicago Storytellers Guild. If he has access to this list, please have him PM me. It is wonderful to be able to connect with old friends. He can PM me at mag' .

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 04:04 PM

I don't know which war it was, CapriUni- maybe the one involving the tennis balls? Anyway, that was one of the verses sung when we were there making the film, all those years ago...1953? Those are my feet dancing under the old Oss's skirt! Jean

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: CapriUni
Date: 26 Apr 02 - 05:21 PM

You mean the one Shakespeare wrote about (Where Henry V beat the French at Agincourt)?

Interesting. I was just watching tennis on the tv, last weekend, and started thinking about that play...

What whas the title of the movie you did in 1953? (If I can find it, I'll look for your dancing feet!) :-)

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 07:02 PM

"OSS!OSS!WEE OSS! George Pickow, my husband did the filming; Alan Lomax the directing; Peter Kennedy was the producer. I did the sound (a magnacorder, the first portable machine with good quality, they say). Set up the recording machine in the back of our Citroen Normal 11CV, and we followed the procession around Padstow.

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: CapriUni
Date: 27 Apr 02 - 08:13 PM

Jean --

Now that sounds like a fun experience!! Is it available on VHS, by any chance?

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,Jenna Shrub
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 11:31 AM

How could it be that no one on Mudcat has mentioned...

...the largest active May Day celebration I know of, which combines both the worker's holiday and the pagan one, is Minneapolis' In the Heart of the Beast Puppet & Mask Theatre's May Day Parade and Festival:

http://www.heartofthebeasttheatre.org/mayday/index.html

It is astounding, beautiful, inspiring and HUGE!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: CapriUni
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 12:00 PM

Jenna --

I saw a bit of that on the kids' show Zoom last year -- as one of their "Guests" spots highlighting kids who do interesting things. Looked like a blast!

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 12:03 PM

Les B

Don't knock what??? (And how do you know I haven't tried it?)

Patrick Ryan the storyteller was at the English National Folk Music Festival a fortnight ago.

Micca - Upton = Upton on Severn, next weekend. There is a separate thread up on this, but I can't do clickies yet. PM me if you want to know more.

Kitty

Subject: RE: Celebrate Mayday!
From: GUEST,Jenna Shrub
Date: 28 Apr 02 - 12:29 PM

It is a blast! And not just for the kiddies either! ;-)