Maîade, a spring celebration

I was really surprised when a maypole suddenly turned up in front of my neighbours house on the first of May. We had just moved in and I had no idea this was a tradition typical for Landes. As the day passed I realised that there were plenty of them around the village. Little signs indicated if it was to celebrate a birthday or a wedding day or something else....

In Landes the night preceding the first of May is full of activities for many people. The maypoles decorated with paper flowers are transported and put up in the secret of the night. Measuring 4-6 metres, this represents some work! Each pole is unique. It is made with a tree, with or without bark, decorated with garlands of ivy and paper flowers. The decoration work can demand a couple of evenings for ten people... if they are done properly.

To be real honest, I have since then seen the same kind of maypoles in Gironde and Dordorgne, but it seemed to me that they usually celebrate the local politics, not birthdays.

In Sweden we traditionally celebrate the arrival of summer at midsummer, Saint John`s eve, dancing around a flower decorated midsommarstång. Our flowers are real and we add a horizontal bar and two garlands, but otherwise they are pretty similiar to the French ones...