Beltane Fire Dance by Lorena McKennitt.
In
addition to May Day, International Labor
Day, yesterday was the much older
celebration of Beltane in Celtic traditions and Walpurgisnacht, a thinly Christianized
celebration of the Night of the Witches in
Germanic and some Norse cultures. Both are half season holy days marking the
mid-pint between the vernal equinox and
the summer solstice. Here in Northern
Illinois the weather was damn
near perfect—mild and sunny during
the day, nature erupting everywhere,
and perfectly mystical that night
with occasional clouds scudding past
a half moon. Somewhere there were neo-pagans dancing around a fire
in the woods.
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An Irish Beltane bon fire.
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Among
the many customs ancient and re-created in both traditions are the bonfires lit to warm the earth and summon a sleeping earth goddess and the warming
sun that brings forth a lush natural re-birth. In dance
and art the Goddess often trysts with
the Green Man who will rule at Midsummer.
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The Earth Goddess and the Green Man.
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To
sing about all of this we have Loreena
McKennitt, a Canadian singer, composer, harpist, accordionist, and pianist known for her Celtic,
World, and New-Age music. Her pure, ethereal soprano is well beloved
and she has sold more than 14 million albums
world-wide.
Loreena McKennitt.
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This
version of Beltane Fire Dance was recorded before a live audience for her
2007 album Nights from the Alhambra.
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