I was there! Believe me when i say it was incredible, the moment the may queen appeared on the acropolis, everyone went silent, and the flames seemed to flow as if from within her. It truly felt like we were watching a goddess be born
This is the kind of stuff that births practices, beliefs, and communities that last through the ages. It importantly doesn't ask anything of its participants, but it is founded on ideas and values that people share. How cool!
That man lit a cultural spark that’s become a big beautiful yearly hearth for people to celebrate the coming spirit of the seasons, such deep historical roots connected to a movement all its own, people all around coming together must be so exhilarating! Would love to join some day 🏛️🔥
It breaks my heart when people comment and think that this is somehow evil worship. And, just like what mostly squashed the old cultures, traditions, etc. of the Celtic people (let alone the rest of Europe) people today still look at it as cringe, evil worship, or satansim. Let people be and let cultures be reborn! EVERYONE on this planet deserves to find the things that were taken from them and/or do with THEIR cultures as they see fit. Edit: I say this as a Christian myself who, in fact, doesn’t practice any “traditional” ways of Christians either. The church is my forest and God everywhere. Let the natural ways of Earth prevail! Edit #2: Since so many are thinking by comments I mean in this video I don’t mean that. I mean out in the world in general. I should have specified that but I guess I thought people would understand I didn’t mean here (besides a chain that has since been deleted after I wrote all this initially). Also, for those commenting saying I’m condoning everything just read my first reply and you’ll understand that no, I don’t worship any other gods and some other things. Please leave me alone. I can’t explain everything in one post.
All three of the Middle Eastern monotheisms emphasize human repression and alienation from the natural world. It's no surprise that they would be frightened by an event that does exactly the opposite.
@@OvertheseathroughthehillI apologize if this is long or hard to understand (as some of this is hard to explain) so, I’ll try to keep it short. I believe in Christ Jesus as my savior, and only through Him can we get to Heaven. Yet, I also am heavily aware of how different cultures are (and see NO WRONG) in this and in my own heart I feel a VERY strong calling to the old ways of my ancestry in every way except deity worship. While I would never worship the old gods like they do at Beltane, I do not see dancing, signing, etc. as they are doing here as devil worship or anything else than what they said because they literally said what they’re doing. To Christianity is it sinful because it’s not worshiping God? Yeah, but personally I am just happy other parts of the old ways are coming back. For I believe God is in all creation and many other things. While I would never worship creation, I recognize God in it all, and just how alive everything is in our world… how we are literally made from this world, sentience in animals, etc.. I believe it’s perfectly fine to honor, respect, etc. our world and its inhabitants, become one with them, etc.. Again, I apologize if this is hard to read and/or long… some things I’m still figuring out in what I’m aloud to do (God telling me) and how to explain his to people. Edit: Word clarity
@@Sora-ud6dp I appreciate the love that I read and feel in your explanations. Do you believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one and that God came to Earth as Jesus, was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, rose from the dead and walked among us, then ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the Father? Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? Have you asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit? The Holy Spirit will lead you to find all truths. All you have to do is ask for the Holy Spirit and trust God that you will receive Him and allow Him to guide you as you submit everything about yourself to Him to be first loved then examined and changed. For some people they are able to recognize that the Holy Spirit has come into them right away. For others it has happened they are not able to recognize it right away. It's ok to just accept that you are given the Holy Spirit when you ask and then seek Him within yourself thru prayer. I ask for Him to reveal Himself to me in a way that I can understand... Also confessing your sins and repenting causes you to be able to feel His presence more. For me I do this in my own personal prayers. I'm not Catholic. You don't have to confess to a priest to be able to do this. I confess every sin I can remember then I ask God to show me whatever I'm missing and then confess those and repent and then cover the rest by asking for forgiveness for anything I cannot remember or I may have missed. The Holy Spirits presence within you will be stronger after this. Also I try to read my Bible every day. I pray everyday as well. I enjoy reading my Bible. It's exciting to me and there's a lot I don't understand. I don't worry about it. I just trust that God will lead me and guide me thru the Holy Spirit. I have lived a very crazy life full of sin. I used to be a stripper and an IV drug user. If I can feel the Holy Spirit then I'm sure that most people can feel Him with a little work on their part too be able to recognize Him.
Great to see people returning to their indigenous spirituality. Better for the planet than religions that get people to put all their hopes on getting happiness, justice, and community in an afterlife rather than this life and protecting this biosphere as a wonderous gift.
"indigenous?" please. this is an amalgam of thousands of heathen practices from no particular region or origin. modern paganism is just a rejection of the tropes of more popular religions while using entirely anachronistic combinations of music, instrumentation, practices and costumes, as well as an incredible addition of new age iconography. half the interviewees are americans who have no indigenous practices. I'm not saying the festival is a bad thing, I'm actually quite in favour of it. but I wouldn't claim it is any accurate representation of anything from any specific region or origin.
There's nothing indigenous about this. Historically, there's never been any documentation of Europeans painting themselves fully blue like a smurf; did this type of paint even exist in Europe back before Christianity took over nevermind the ability to mass produce it enough to cover your ENTIRE body like in 3:03? There's actual traditional pagan practices, which I fully respect, and then there's... this.
It’s impossible to return to what Celtic pangas religions actually were. For one because we lack the records of them, and second because they both involved human and animal sacrifice. There were also aspects of ritual war which can no longer be done. These people are practicing a modern religion, not an indigenous one.
"pagan (or paganus)" is the Roman Latin term for "country district" and specifically was used to refer to the people who still worshipped the old roman gods in the countryside once Christianity became the predominant religion of the empire. the term has nearly nothing to do with the ancient (and nearly impossible to claim as original, as someone always was there earlier) religions of Europe, beyond the occasional addition of local gods to the Roman pantheon
@@Pan_Galactic_Gargle_Blaster That was then, this is now. The current common definition of "pagan" is someone who isn't a believer in the god of the Bible. But maybe in the case of folks in Scotland, you'd prefer the term heathen, which has nothing to do with the Romans?
@@c.a.t.732 heathen or animist are much more accurate terms from a historical or anthropological standpoint. the meanings of words change, but it just seems a bit unfortunate to call things paganism when it's fairly distant from the original usage.
@@Pan_Galactic_Gargle_Blaster I actually tend to be a stickler for terms myself. But for quite awhile now Pagan or Neo Pagan have become somewhat standardized nomenclature for Wiccans, Goddess worshippers, followers of pre-Christian religions (or re-imagined versions of them anyway), etc.. As an old agnostic, I find it all interesting, and have even, at the invitation of "pagan" friends, gone to a gathering or two, but I didn't really fit in. But I wish them all well!
What I think is helpful about understanding the root of the word though is that it was a pejorative, but it also didn't necessarily mean non-Christian by the middle ages. Plenty of medieval pagans were just Christians who didn't practice the regulated version the Church wanted everyone to follow. People who had married together folk tradition with a devout belief in the Christian god. And why we get so many people claiming continuity but forgetting that those people in the middle there were actually Christian. And Christianity has really shaped the folk traditions and religions which "survived". The fusion is inescapable for both sides.
@@B4CKWARDS_CH4RMit is a tradition in many senses (yes some may be guesswork), most villages had may queen or maypole events celebrating this festival for hundreds if not thousands of years, it was just celebrated through a Christian lense. It’s only become less pervasive post World War Two. The fact that British people were celebrating in the same way for so long until very recently, must mean that a lot of it is very traditional. I’d argue that some modern Christian practices may be quite foreign to early Christians too - especially considering many practices were adopted from ‘pagan’ traditions in Europe so it was easier to bring those communities into the fold
Hello from the United States. I hope in my lifetime I get the opportunity to go into this huge pagan festival in Scotland to celebrate Beltane. It’s a goal. I would love to see more events like this in United States.
This is going on my bucket list!! As a Wiccan, this would be an amazing spiritual experience! Just hearing the snippets of drums and hearing people talk about it and seeing the procession fills me up with pride. I hope I am able to save up to attend this event while it continues! It always seems to be that I get to be old enough to do something or finally have the money to do something only to find out it got shut down a couple years before. Please keep this alive!
Folks curious about The Green Man might read Russell Hoban’s novel Riddley Walker. Whereas every woman is connected in an unbroken line of umbilical cords to the first human mother (literally), with men the chain is broken. The man becomes fertile in death. In the Green Man imagery, this fertility is represented by the leaves growing out of his mouth. The GM was a favourite theme of wood and stone carvers in the Middle Ages: it has been claimed that there are more GM in old British churches than crosses.
The Green Man does not appear in any folklore 'he' is simply a carved decorative feature. Linking him to fertility is a neo-pagan idea - based on no historical evidence whatsoever.
Well, Beltane Fire Society welcomes everyone regardless of nationality, and we select the deity roles according to who fits best out of the applicants and who has the best concept for their performance. The May Queen holds the role for several years, so Alix will remain in the role for a while yet, but the Green Man is selected each year. Previous Green Men include people from Scotland, other parts of the UK, France, and yes the USA
Beltane isn't a specifically Scottish thing. It's drawing on Celtic beliefs with a modern interpretation. In the Iron Age this festival was potentially practiced over a wide area of northern Europe. The same areas that a great many Americans originally came from. Even if they come from outwith Europe, there's nothing to say a person can't be involved. It's simply a celebration of the changing of the seasons, and anyone, of any age, sex, gender, nationality, etc, are welcome to participate. I say that as a Gaelic speaking Highlander who was a Red Man back in the late 90's (and dragged a wooden tower along Princes Street and up the hill one year).
@@falgalhutkinsmarzcal3962 You said it was a "Scottish festival". The word choices and context make it clear that it's what you meant. Just accept that your point is nonsense and move on.
@@macgonzo the context is that the festival takes place in Scotland, which is why I thought it is funny that the two most prominent figures were not Scottish. You lack reading comprehension, and also seem a wee bit like you got a Beltane up your trousers. Cool off.
Well if you couldn't make make it this year then next year there will be another Beltane Fire Festival, same place on the same Hill. Just make sure to book a ticket and place to stay well in advance😊
Would love to attend this Beltaine festival one day! I've always celebrated alone, but it would be so magical to celebrate with others. I'll be moving to Scotland next year if all goes well, so it will be much easier to attend. Hope everyone had a lovely Beltaine this year! ❤️
@@stoveone4031 "Some people just want to spend a moment with the May Queen as a figure, a goddess", 8:07. In short I think no one wondered who @hurtighansen1 was referring to
This looks and sounds amazing! I've been to Edinburgh before for the Fringe Festival and I had a blast, but this has a wholesome spiritual quality to it that's my jam. I need to see if I can visit for next year!
I was born in east Calder, my parents moved us to Canada when I was a toddler. Now in adult and a practicing hedge Druid, from as young as 10 I felt a pull to my ancestors. I am currently saving up so I can move my children and myself back to Scotland. I can’t get back home fast enough
There is a resurgence of the Celtic festivals in the truest sense, for those Christians who call this heathen or devil worship, where do you think the Christian holidays come from? It was easier to assimilate the established holidays/festivals then establish new holidays upon the masses.
Midsommar is the next festival after that. Beltane is the midpoint between Easter (the spring equinox) and Midsommar (the summer solstice). Beltane is also the polar opposite of Samhain. Whereas Samhain is the festival of death, Beltane is the festival of life.
Was a Red Man back in the late 90's, before it was a ticketed event. Burnt most of my goatee off while fire breathing one year 😂 It was quite a windy night 😂 Also dragged a massive tower along Princes Street and up this hill one year, which was mental 😂
Outlasted Thatcher - the people's festival has continued to grow in spirit and togetherness, ...as MT slowly drifted into the isolation of dementia and death.
Crash Worship was a musical group from America that had a live experience that had this same level of mystical, sometimes scary, energy. This looks like a party.
But then you would provide fuel for the negative viewers who imagine that there is a bad group of people doing bad stuff. Fae better to encourage visitors who will find out the truth.
As a devout pagan, I appreciate that our way of life is finally being shared in a positive light, but there’s a few details that they got completely wrong 😵💫 1. This celebration is not just “old”, but ANCIENT. Predates Christianity by THOUSANDS of years. 2. The May Queen is actually “The Maiden”; one of three faces/phases of Goddess, and Beltane was celebrated because it is her wedding day to the Stag God of the green. 3. Beltane is a sacred time for us witches/pagans/wiccans, as a lot of us hold our own weddings on this day. It is also one of two times of year when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is thinnest, the other time being Samhain, AKA “Halloween”. Hope this straightens things up! GBWY ✨🌱
Government didn't like it when it was a proposal to enact the beacons of old, ie the hills of Calton Hill, Arthurs Seat, and the trinity one "Traprain Law" , thesewould all have Beltane fires at the same time hence bringing the energies of the land up !!
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I remember sitting in the center with my family when suddenly a congregation of red people with black robes were going about, they were looking at everyone with an eerie, and almost angry,look in their faces. It was an… interesting experience
Its always fascinating to see happenings like this. Very intreging i like to look a bit mor into this stuff because it feels so authentic and connected to us but never happening XD
The Edinburgh Festival .... Whooohaa...🤔... Ho...Ho. Ho. Santa sends his blessings, Love, Peace and Joy... Jingle Bells. Jingle Bells all the way...😊😅...
Depends what you use. I have that fluorescent paint and that rinses off with water. You barely even need any soap or scrubbing. On the other hand, the gold and silver body paint require some work.
As a Christian, I believe, and I will say as a Christian, that justice is justice no matter who it is for or against, that this concept forms the cornerstone of all human rights, and that human rights are universal! And I have, unlike many Christians, gathered together with Wiccans! I have gotten to know them and have learned from them! They even taught me to see us Christians as.those who are not see us! And this has helped make me a better Christian!
Dark and light can’t coexist. To do so is to not be for Christ. You can’t drink from the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. We love, but we do not affirm sin. We love but we don’t cheapen truth or exchange it for a lie.
Here in America, at the end of summer around late August the tribes gather at Black Rock City, Nevada for the annual Burning Man Festival...eighty thousand people or about ten times the population of the Beltrane Festival, are in attendance. Quite the experience I hear...too weird for me but I watch all the videos after the Festival as there are dozens of them every year. I think there are more and more of these pagan, tribal festivals all over the world.
It's so nice to me that part of being a pagan is your Doctrine isn't to say that other gods are lesser than, but to embrace all forms of divinity, but it's so crazy that judeo-christianity and Muslim faith is built upon destroying all other states and denying that we can all have different faiths as long as the general idea is the same. No one's Heaven or Hell or whatever is better or worse than anyone else's
Crowds + fire/soot/ash + loud sounds = a horrible time for someone like me lol. It looks cool, and the thought/story of it is neat...but woof i don't think i'd ever go to something like that. Burning man also seems like a nightmare.
Tell us about the craziest festival you've been to 🫣
Lost Lands! you guys should definitely do a video on that one!!
@@CJ_222hi
La vela Muxe in Juchitán, Oaxaca, México! The celebration of the 3rd gender!
Rambu Solo', Torajan people funeral festival ❤❤❤
Wow, all of these sound so interesting! 😯
Ngl i see this out of my flat and was completely clueless what on earth was happening - now i know! Great vid, really intriguing!
😂
You unknowingly got a front row seat to the festival 😅 Love it!
Should attend next year
Oh hey, can I come to ver for a beer the last of April? :)
I was there! Believe me when i say it was incredible, the moment the may queen appeared on the acropolis, everyone went silent, and the flames seemed to flow as if from within her. It truly felt like we were watching a goddess be born
Ick
I would love to attend this magical and wonderful festival . It looks like a wonderful experience to have ,even if only once.
It'd be amazing to see this face to face!😍
Hopefully you will one day 💫🤞
This is the kind of stuff that births practices, beliefs, and communities that last through the ages. It importantly doesn't ask anything of its participants, but it is founded on ideas and values that people share. How cool!
That man lit a cultural spark that’s become a big beautiful yearly hearth for people to celebrate the coming spirit of the seasons, such deep historical roots connected to a movement all its own, people all around coming together must be so exhilarating! Would love to join some day 🏛️🔥
It breaks my heart when people comment and think that this is somehow evil worship. And, just like what mostly squashed the old cultures, traditions, etc. of the Celtic people (let alone the rest of Europe) people today still look at it as cringe, evil worship, or satansim. Let people be and let cultures be reborn! EVERYONE on this planet deserves to find the things that were taken from them and/or do with THEIR cultures as they see fit.
Edit: I say this as a Christian myself who, in fact, doesn’t practice any “traditional” ways of Christians either. The church is my forest and God everywhere. Let the natural ways of Earth prevail!
Edit #2: Since so many are thinking by comments I mean in this video I don’t mean that. I mean out in the world in general. I should have specified that but I guess I thought people would understand I didn’t mean here (besides a chain that has since been deleted after I wrote all this initially). Also, for those commenting saying I’m condoning everything just read my first reply and you’ll understand that no, I don’t worship any other gods and some other things. Please leave me alone. I can’t explain everything in one post.
All three of the Middle Eastern monotheisms emphasize human repression and alienation from the natural world. It's no surprise that they would be frightened by an event that does exactly the opposite.
What makes you a Christian? What’s your belief?
@@OvertheseathroughthehillI apologize if this is long or hard to understand (as some of this is hard to explain) so, I’ll try to keep it short. I believe in Christ Jesus as my savior, and only through Him can we get to Heaven. Yet, I also am heavily aware of how different cultures are (and see NO WRONG) in this and in my own heart I feel a VERY strong calling to the old ways of my ancestry in every way except deity worship. While I would never worship the old gods like they do at Beltane, I do not see dancing, signing, etc. as they are doing here as devil worship or anything else than what they said because they literally said what they’re doing. To Christianity is it sinful because it’s not worshiping God? Yeah, but personally I am just happy other parts of the old ways are coming back. For I believe God is in all creation and many other things. While I would never worship creation, I recognize God in it all, and just how alive everything is in our world… how we are literally made from this world, sentience in animals, etc.. I believe it’s perfectly fine to honor, respect, etc. our world and its inhabitants, become one with them, etc.. Again, I apologize if this is hard to read and/or long… some things I’m still figuring out in what I’m aloud to do (God telling me) and how to explain his to people.
Edit: Word clarity
People think kids dressing up for Halloween and asking for candy is devil worship in America, don’t take those people seriously they are simply dumb😂
@@Sora-ud6dp I appreciate the love that I read and feel in your explanations. Do you believe that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are one and that God came to Earth as Jesus, was crucified for our sins, died, was buried, rose from the dead and walked among us, then ascended into heaven and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
Do you believe in the Holy Spirit? Have you asked to be filled with the Holy Spirit?
The Holy Spirit will lead you to find all truths. All you have to do is ask for the Holy Spirit and trust God that you will receive Him and allow Him to guide you as you submit everything about yourself to Him to be first loved then examined and changed. For some people they are able to recognize that the Holy Spirit has come into them right away. For others it has happened they are not able to recognize it right away. It's ok to just accept that you are given the Holy Spirit when you ask and then seek Him within yourself thru prayer. I ask for Him to reveal Himself to me in a way that I can understand... Also confessing your sins and repenting causes you to be able to feel His presence more. For me I do this in my own personal prayers. I'm not Catholic. You don't have to confess to a priest to be able to do this. I confess every sin I can remember then I ask God to show me whatever I'm missing and then confess those and repent and then cover the rest by asking for forgiveness for anything I cannot remember or I may have missed. The Holy Spirits presence within you will be stronger after this.
Also I try to read my Bible every day. I pray everyday as well. I enjoy reading my Bible. It's exciting to me and there's a lot I don't understand. I don't worry about it. I just trust that God will lead me and guide me thru the Holy Spirit.
I have lived a very crazy life full of sin. I used to be a stripper and an IV drug user. If I can feel the Holy Spirit then I'm sure that most people can feel Him with a little work on their part too be able to recognize Him.
Great to see people returning to their indigenous spirituality. Better for the planet than religions that get people to put all their hopes on getting happiness, justice, and community in an afterlife rather than this life and protecting this biosphere as a wonderous gift.
"indigenous?" please. this is an amalgam of thousands of heathen practices from no particular region or origin. modern paganism is just a rejection of the tropes of more popular religions while using entirely anachronistic combinations of music, instrumentation, practices and costumes, as well as an incredible addition of new age iconography. half the interviewees are americans who have no indigenous practices.
I'm not saying the festival is a bad thing, I'm actually quite in favour of it. but I wouldn't claim it is any accurate representation of anything from any specific region or origin.
Haha this is not pagan, this is just halloween
There's nothing indigenous about this. Historically, there's never been any documentation of Europeans painting themselves fully blue like a smurf; did this type of paint even exist in Europe back before Christianity took over nevermind the ability to mass produce it enough to cover your ENTIRE body like in 3:03? There's actual traditional pagan practices, which I fully respect, and then there's... this.
It’s impossible to return to what Celtic pangas religions actually were. For one because we lack the records of them, and second because they both involved human and animal sacrifice. There were also aspects of ritual war which can no longer be done. These people are practicing a modern religion, not an indigenous one.
@@Orwellian-Purple-Grapes-1984
Your wrong the Picts painted their bodies blue this is well known
The Beltane fire festival is a beautiful way of respecting history, Paganism is ancient, the original religion of Europe
"pagan (or paganus)" is the Roman Latin term for "country district" and specifically was used to refer to the people who still worshipped the old roman gods in the countryside once Christianity became the predominant religion of the empire. the term has nearly nothing to do with the ancient (and nearly impossible to claim as original, as someone always was there earlier) religions of Europe, beyond the occasional addition of local gods to the Roman pantheon
@@Pan_Galactic_Gargle_Blaster That was then, this is now. The current common definition of "pagan" is someone who isn't a believer in the god of the Bible. But maybe in the case of folks in Scotland, you'd prefer the term heathen, which has nothing to do with the Romans?
@@c.a.t.732 heathen or animist are much more accurate terms from a historical or anthropological standpoint. the meanings of words change, but it just seems a bit unfortunate to call things paganism when it's fairly distant from the original usage.
@@Pan_Galactic_Gargle_Blaster I actually tend to be a stickler for terms myself. But for quite awhile now Pagan or Neo Pagan have become somewhat standardized nomenclature for Wiccans, Goddess worshippers, followers of pre-Christian religions (or re-imagined versions of them anyway), etc.. As an old agnostic, I find it all interesting, and have even, at the invitation of "pagan" friends, gone to a gathering or two, but I didn't really fit in. But I wish them all well!
What I think is helpful about understanding the root of the word though is that it was a pejorative, but it also didn't necessarily mean non-Christian by the middle ages. Plenty of medieval pagans were just Christians who didn't practice the regulated version the Church wanted everyone to follow. People who had married together folk tradition with a devout belief in the Christian god.
And why we get so many people claiming continuity but forgetting that those people in the middle there were actually Christian. And Christianity has really shaped the folk traditions and religions which "survived". The fusion is inescapable for both sides.
Thumbs up to keep tradition alive
What tradition, that's just a modern reconstruction.
@@kzm-cb5mrthe big stack of wood being lit on fire in one of the pics is def tradition though, usually done around easter
It’s not tradition, it’s a modern invented religion lightly an older religion we know very little about.
All the Abrahamic followers getting very triggered here lol.
@@B4CKWARDS_CH4RMit is a tradition in many senses (yes some may be guesswork), most villages had may queen or maypole events celebrating this festival for hundreds if not thousands of years, it was just celebrated through a Christian lense. It’s only become less pervasive post World War Two. The fact that British people were celebrating in the same way for so long until very recently, must mean that a lot of it is very traditional. I’d argue that some modern Christian practices may be quite foreign to early Christians too - especially considering many practices were adopted from ‘pagan’ traditions in Europe so it was easier to bring those communities into the fold
I was at that nearly ten years ago. It was great fun, so happy to see people continuing Celtic celebrations.
Hello from the United States. I hope in my lifetime I get the opportunity to go into this huge pagan festival in Scotland to celebrate Beltane. It’s a goal. I would love to see more events like this in United States.
I remember that hill from when I lived in Edinburgh as a child!
We're loving the nostalgia in the comments 🥹🫶
Oh that looks so liberating! I would go to Scotland just for Beltaine!
I've wanted to go to the motherland since I was a young boy, now I just know what time of year I'll go.
This is going on my bucket list!! As a Wiccan, this would be an amazing spiritual experience! Just hearing the snippets of drums and hearing people talk about it and seeing the procession fills me up with pride. I hope I am able to save up to attend this event while it continues! It always seems to be that I get to be old enough to do something or finally have the money to do something only to find out it got shut down a couple years before. Please keep this alive!
Blessed be 🖤
@@yvonnemurray1253 Blessed be to you as well!!
Folks curious about The Green Man might read Russell Hoban’s novel Riddley Walker. Whereas every woman is connected in an unbroken line of umbilical cords to the first human mother (literally), with men the chain is broken. The man becomes fertile in death. In the Green Man imagery, this fertility is represented by the leaves growing out of his mouth. The GM was a favourite theme of wood and stone carvers in the Middle Ages: it has been claimed that there are more GM in old British churches than crosses.
That parallels genetics. Mitochondrial DNA is passed through the female and is mostly unchanged while male DNA is always changing and variable.
The Green Man does not appear in any folklore 'he' is simply a carved decorative feature.
Linking him to fertility is a neo-pagan idea - based on no historical evidence whatsoever.
Kinda funny that the most prominent people in this Scottish festival (May Queen and Green Man) are both Americans. I say that as an American.
Well, Beltane Fire Society welcomes everyone regardless of nationality, and we select the deity roles according to who fits best out of the applicants and who has the best concept for their performance. The May Queen holds the role for several years, so Alix will remain in the role for a while yet, but the Green Man is selected each year. Previous Green Men include people from Scotland, other parts of the UK, France, and yes the USA
Beltane isn't a specifically Scottish thing. It's drawing on Celtic beliefs with a modern interpretation. In the Iron Age this festival was potentially practiced over a wide area of northern Europe. The same areas that a great many Americans originally came from. Even if they come from outwith Europe, there's nothing to say a person can't be involved. It's simply a celebration of the changing of the seasons, and anyone, of any age, sex, gender, nationality, etc, are welcome to participate.
I say that as a Gaelic speaking Highlander who was a Red Man back in the late 90's (and dragged a wooden tower along Princes Street and up the hill one year).
@@macgonzo I know Beltane is not precisely Scottish in origin, but this festival literally takes place in Scotland. That is what I am saying.
@@falgalhutkinsmarzcal3962 You said it was a "Scottish festival". The word choices and context make it clear that it's what you meant. Just accept that your point is nonsense and move on.
@@macgonzo the context is that the festival takes place in Scotland, which is why I thought it is funny that the two most prominent figures were not Scottish. You lack reading comprehension, and also seem a wee bit like you got a Beltane up your trousers. Cool off.
دنیا کی خوبصورت ترین جگہوں پر مختلف لوگوں ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
fantastic video! Id love to attend this at least once in my life, the story of the may queen is so fascinating.
just go to church.
Well if you couldn't make make it this year then next year there will be another Beltane Fire Festival, same place on the same Hill. Just make sure to book a ticket and place to stay well in advance😊
lol. church is for prudes and fashies, no thanks.
Would love to attend this festival someday. Really, I'd love to travel across Europe and have adventures there and meet people.
I love this video! So well done. This is why I’m so glad great big story is back.
This is not crazy at all but this feels the most natural festival that I have ever seen. I cannot wait to go next Beltane!
Would love to attend this Beltaine festival one day! I've always celebrated alone, but it would be so magical to celebrate with others. I'll be moving to Scotland next year if all goes well, so it will be much easier to attend. Hope everyone had a lovely Beltaine this year! ❤️
Hope your move to Scotland goes well and that you get to experience the festival while you're there 🫶
ah, the drums of liberation! JOY BOY has returned !!
Glad you bring back summer, Pagan goddess
There is no god named Pagan goddess.
@@stoveone4031 "Some people just want to spend a moment with the May Queen as a figure, a goddess", 8:07. In short I think no one wondered who @hurtighansen1 was referring to
@@Vantrakter Ty
@@Vantrakter Calling it the Pagan Goddess would be just as descriptive as calling it the Devil Goddess.
@@B4CKWARDS_CH4RM If you are a Christian from the year 1500, sure
This looks and sounds amazing! I've been to Edinburgh before for the Fringe Festival and I had a blast, but this has a wholesome spiritual quality to it that's my jam. I need to see if I can visit for next year!
Amazing. Beautiful traditions and culture. No hate only love and unity.
I really want to go. It just jumped to the top of my vacation list!
How exciting and fabulous.
I hope to be able to go one year
I was born in east Calder, my parents moved us to Canada when I was a toddler. Now in adult and a practicing hedge Druid, from as young as 10 I felt a pull to my ancestors. I am currently saving up so I can move my children and myself back to Scotland. I can’t get back home fast enough
Scotland, never change.
I live in Canada. I would love to go to this festival!
together , celebrate, good spirits, comunities, wishing well, conection to nature, going into summer together ... we need to use tose words more often
There is a resurgence of the Celtic festivals in the truest sense, for those Christians who call this heathen or devil worship, where do you think the Christian holidays come from? It was easier to assimilate the established holidays/festivals then establish new holidays upon the masses.
Great Big Story never ceases to amaze me
Great coverage of an amazing night.So proud to be a part of it xxx💖💜💖
🫶🫶
I;m definitely going there! I've always wanted to go to a May Day Wicker Man-style festival! I want to dress up as a hare!
I would love to attend this one year
Probably rolling in their graves with laughter at the sheer ludicrous nature of this 'ritual'.
I was at the first Beltane fire festival, it was unique x
What was your favorite part of the festival? 👀☺
Being a part of something bigger than itself🩵
LOL
Gives Mid Sommer vibes 😎❤️
That's right 😎
Midsommar is the next festival after that. Beltane is the midpoint between Easter (the spring equinox) and Midsommar (the summer solstice). Beltane is also the polar opposite of Samhain. Whereas Samhain is the festival of death, Beltane is the festival of life.
Going next year, can't wait
Love the big triform at 5:40 symbols for Taurus and Venus combined and also Mercury for the communication to the gods ❤
I love this, such a great festival!
Sounds like a great time and lovely people The Urkultfestival in Näsåker Sweden carries the same Spirit.❤
Long may the Old Ways endure! ❤
What old ways?
This is just theatrical nonsense.
Was a Red Man back in the late 90's, before it was a ticketed event. Burnt most of my goatee off while fire breathing one year 😂 It was quite a windy night 😂 Also dragged a massive tower along Princes Street and up this hill one year, which was mental 😂
I think I'll visit family there and check out the festival as well. Looks like a good time.
Angus is such a Farquhar its unreal. All those Farquhar are amazing. And, what's more, he's a big Farquhar ... nearly 6'3".
I live in the US and would love to attend. There’s a pagan group in San Diego, California that I have joined in their celebrations.
What's the name of the group ?
I would love to go to this! Looks like a ton of fun! ☺️🥰
that is so freaking beautiful, I wish I could attend one day
Europe NEEDS more pagan festivals like this! Make Europe PAGAN again!
Which pagan religion? Germanic Woden and friends or Celtic fairies? Or are we going even older with the Bell beakers?
@@Maryland2All of it.
@@Maryland2 All of those.
Well, the content of America was also pagan at one point wasn’t it? Different gods different names.
Outlasted Thatcher - the people's festival has continued to grow in spirit and togetherness, ...as MT slowly drifted into the isolation of dementia and death.
This looks like such a fun time 😁
Crash Worship was a musical group from America that had a live experience that had this same level of mystical, sometimes scary, energy. This looks like a party.
I need to find more channels like these!
We're one of a kind 🤭🥰
There was lot's of content that couldn't make it into the UA-cam video. Might have to start releasing uncensored versions on the Patron 😅🤣
give the people what they want
OnlyStories
But then you would provide fuel for the negative viewers who imagine that there is a bad group of people doing bad stuff. Fae better to encourage visitors who will find out the truth.
🤣😂
I am in favor of restoring the old and classic religion and removing the Abrahamic religions
Removing?
Where's your tolerance?
@@YorkyOne on the edge of the sword :D
@@marcelpavlik7976
You just lost the moral high ground.
As a devout pagan, I appreciate that our way of life is finally being shared in a positive light, but there’s a few details that they got completely wrong 😵💫
1. This celebration is not just “old”, but ANCIENT. Predates Christianity by THOUSANDS of years.
2. The May Queen is actually “The Maiden”; one of three faces/phases of Goddess, and Beltane was celebrated because it is her wedding day to the Stag God of the green.
3. Beltane is a sacred time for us witches/pagans/wiccans, as a lot of us hold our own weddings on this day. It is also one of two times of year when the veil between the worlds of the living and the dead is thinnest, the other time being Samhain, AKA “Halloween”.
Hope this straightens things up! GBWY ✨🌱
This 'ancient celebration' goes all the way back to errr....1988.
May Queens were part of the Victorian 'Merrie England' movement.
What a beautiful religion. I'd give anything to be there.
A place to let loose and go a bit crazy for the better
This would be interesting to see
As an American (from the Pacific Northwest), I’m simply envious.
Of course you are, west coast people are lost souls.
Government didn't like it when it was a proposal to enact the beacons of old, ie the hills of Calton Hill, Arthurs Seat, and the trinity one "Traprain Law" , thesewould all have Beltane fires at the same time hence bringing the energies of the land up !!
I'm so happy to see your content again! I was wondering what happened to you guys.
Thank you for watching and check out our 'New Releases' playlist for our recent video uploads ☺ ua-cam.com/play/PLMFGVXWuJ1C7Bcu6apMqmP3B0yL0BeJRe.html
I remember sitting in the center with my family when suddenly a congregation of red people with black robes were going about, they were looking at everyone with an eerie, and almost angry,look in their faces. It was an… interesting experience
The Germanic, Swedes and Scandinavian folk are really great for upholding these types of festivals...and of course the Garlic people..😊
Autocorrect strikes again. 🧄
@@musikgirl7maybe they don't like vampires...
*Gaelic
@@gizmomac1520
The 'Garlic People'.
Probably means the French.
Paganism: Each love is a soul and infinite multiverses.🌀🌌
they should do one of these in Wales
Do Sammhuin next! Best experience of my life
Added a new and amazing festival to my bucket list. Thankyou for sharing this video.
Loveee that!
I would so love to go to that...😮
Once a year, the white deer becomes the green man.
Neo-pagan codswallop.
Beautiful!
I think in the USA we have this... It's called Burning Man 😂🔥
Cool.
It would be such an interesting experience to see in person. I would love to go one day 💖
Wonderful!
Hail the old Gods.
I’m pretty sure there’s pagan images on Rosslyn Chapel that survived .
I was under the impression that historically Beltane was more specifically about fertility.
historical accuracy is one of the last thing these people care about. it's just a guise applied to having fun and new age hedonism
Ooh finally some sensible “gods” I can try* to believe in
Caveman 😂
Its always fascinating to see happenings like this. Very intreging i like to look a bit mor into this stuff because it feels so authentic and connected to us but never happening XD
Why did I read the title as, "we WANT Scotlands pagan festival" lol
What a dream to attend 😩
Do they do this at Like Stonehenge or something..???
keep calm and stick it up to Thatcher
The Edinburgh Festival .... Whooohaa...🤔... Ho...Ho. Ho. Santa sends his blessings, Love, Peace and Joy...
Jingle Bells. Jingle Bells all the way...😊😅...
So, a real matriarchal, pagan festival! Great!
lol Scottish summer but still wearing thick jackets😂 in Texas we are practically swimming the moment we open the door
It was actually pretty warm! Stayed up there till past midnight and it felt fine. I'm Scottish though so I might be used to it lol.
So a Scottish burning man basically, got it
Happy Birthday by Altered Images would've been perfect for this!!!
The github beanie goes hard
Im a mechanical engineers i dont know shit about code but i know the importance of github to coders
Great Big Story is back!?!?
Yesss, we are ☺️ Check out our 'New Releases' playlist to catch up on our latest videos 🚀
Imagine having to take off the body paint after such a night of festivities 😅
Depends what you use. I have that fluorescent paint and that rinses off with water. You barely even need any soap or scrubbing.
On the other hand, the gold and silver body paint require some work.
My partner back in the mid 90s went full blue mode one year, we were finding bits of blue rubbing off on things for weeks !!
It's called a shower.
@@VitaKet Some products take a good scrubbing to get off, and I can imagine the annoyance of trying to do so when you're ready to zzz
There is an art to it, in applying and removing and it is one that is very quickly learnt.. 😆🤣
As a Christian, I believe, and I will say as a Christian, that justice is justice no
matter who it is for or against, that this concept forms the cornerstone of all
human rights, and that human rights are universal! And I have, unlike many
Christians, gathered together with Wiccans! I have gotten to know them and
have learned from them! They even taught me to see us Christians as.those
who are not see us! And this has helped make me a better Christian!
Dark and light can’t coexist. To do so is to not be for Christ. You can’t drink from the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. We love, but we do not affirm sin. We love but we don’t cheapen truth or exchange it for a lie.
Here in America, at the end of summer around late August the tribes gather at Black Rock City, Nevada for the annual Burning Man Festival...eighty thousand people or about ten times the population of the Beltrane Festival, are in attendance. Quite the experience I hear...too weird for me but I watch all the videos after the Festival as there are dozens of them every year. I think there are more and more of these pagan, tribal festivals all over the world.
It's so nice to me that part of being a pagan is your Doctrine isn't to say that other gods are lesser than, but to embrace all forms of divinity, but it's so crazy that judeo-christianity and Muslim faith is built upon destroying all other states and denying that we can all have different faiths as long as the general idea is the same. No one's Heaven or Hell or whatever is better or worse than anyone else's
Crowds + fire/soot/ash + loud sounds = a horrible time for someone like me lol. It looks cool, and the thought/story of it is neat...but woof i don't think i'd ever go to something like that. Burning man also seems like a nightmare.
Well Burning Man…that’s a desert country festival. Great for Mad Max maybe….
You might be thinking of the Rainbow Gathering.