Celebrated on the night between the 30th of April and 1st of May; Beltane is a festival which commemorates the beginning of summer. The modern celebration is a reinterpretation of an ancient Iron Age Celtic ritual brought back to life in 1988 in Edinburgh. Since then its success immensely grew.
Beltane roughly translates to ‘bright fire’ therefore, the entire festival orbits around performances which involve fire. The renewed fertility of the land is the main theme celebrated during the event. The central moment of the night is the lighting of the Beltane fire. This was seen as a symbol of purification and members of the community would have walked around, danced and jumped around it. Beltane celebrated the growing power of the sun after months of darkness and it provided an opportunity to cleanse and renew the conditions of the community.
Abandoned as a practice during the nineteenth century; Angus Farquhar brought it back into Edinburgh in 1988. He was inspired by the idea of recreating a sense of community and appreciate the cyclical nature of the seasons, and our connection to the environment. The festivity was relocated from Arthur’s Seat to Calton Hill- where it is still celebrated nowadays.
The 2019 festival consisted of a procession starting from the Acropolis (National Monument) and proceeding anti-clockwise around Calton hill. During the night, there were also independent performances scattered around the hill.
The festival follows a narrative led by the May Queen and the Green Man. The former is the goddess of Summer and the latter is her spouse. The Green Man has to die, symbolizing the letting go of his past and metaphor for the past season, and the Queen has to ascend bringing back summer. Other characters hinder or support the procession. These are the Whites- May Queen’s Protectors, which ensure the return of Summer- and the Reds, chaotic creatures of the night which hinder the procession. There were, as well, magical creatures such as the Kelpies- water horses- which were one of my favourite presence at the festival. The ceremony culminates in the reconciliation of the Green Man and the May Queen, and the ignition of the bonfire. The queen has resurrected her spouse as she gives nature a new life with the warmer season.
Beltane represents a unique experience which fills its spectators with awe and wonder. Rich of otherworldly settings and performances with strong visual appeal; this festival has the capacity to connect the public to its historical and cultural roots. Moreover, this event can be appreciated in a modern key as it offers the chance to reflect on our connection to the environment. This theme is enhanced by the performers who encourage the viewers to follow ‘with their own eyes’ rather than filter the magical experience through the means of technology. The only stain of Beltane is the impossibility to see everything as performances are often happening simultaneously around Calton Hill. I strongly recommend the event as a unique night capable of appealing to your fantasy while having historical and cultural relevance at the same time.
- Backbone @ Underbelly Bristo Square - 23rd August 2019
- Goliath in the Water @ Assembly Checkpoint - 22nd August 2019