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Comments, suggestions, lesson information, student artwork/writings submissions?
Email:temple@ladyishtar.org
Email:temple@ladyishtar.org
Festival of Green Corn" in honor of the Corn Grandmother. Though it's
exact origin remains a mystery, corn is thought to have been derived
from a wild grass called Teosintl. Corn was planted in Mexico's Tehaucan
Valley as early as 8,000 years ago. The oldest corn found north of the
border, was found in New Mexico's Bat Cave. This corn is about 5,500
years old.
The Hopis say, "Moingiima makes corn. Everything grows on his body. He
is short, about the height of a boy. He has a female partner. Every
summer, he becomes heavy. His body is full of vegetables: watermelon,
corn, and squash. They grow in his body. When the Hopi plant, they ask
him to make the crop flourish: then their things come up, whether
vegetables or fruit. When he shaves his body, the seeds come out, and
afterward, his body is thin. He use to live on this eart5h and go with the
Hopi. When things grow ripe, he is thin and unhappy. He stays in the
west."1
To other tribes, corn came from The First Mother, also know as Corn
Grandmother, who directed the people to kill her and to scatter and bury
her flesh and bones within the earth. She said, in the Penobscot tradition,
"Wait seven Moons, and then come back, and you will find my flesh there,
flesh given out of love, and it will nourish and strengthen you forever
and ever" 2 Corn sprouted from the scattered flesh, and was given to the
people so that they might survive. They saw corn as being goodness that
had become substance. To them, the Corn Grandmother had given her
life so that the Penobscot people would live. Their belief is that "She is
not dead, She lives. In undying love, She renews Herself again and
again."3
To celebrate the corn harvest, the Native Americans gathered their large
clans together and celebrated the Festival of Green Corn in honor of the
Corn Grandmother who resides in the corn stalks. The festivities usually
lasted several days, and featured feasting and games of skill, as well as
religious rituals. The Cherokee called the Green Corn festival "Busk",
and to them, it was a time for the rekindling of the sacred fires, offerings
of thanksgiving, and re-dedication to their personal deities.4
Even though separated by the Atlantic Ocean, we can see the obvious
parallels from these few examples to the Celtic celebration of
Lughnasadh, in honor of Lugh, (which means "shining one). Lugh was a
god of many skills, and was said to change into human form to worship
among the Druids for whom he was the primary deity. He was also the god
of harvests, fire, light, metallurgy, agriculture, and the defender of the
weak and sick.
Lughnasadh, or Lunasa, is principally a grain festival to honor the first
harvest of wheat, thus the Anglo-Saxton word Lammas meaning "Loaf
Mass". In the 16th century, thanks to the Native Americans, the
Europeans added squash, potatoes, corn and melons to the feast.
Tomatoes were considered poisonous and not eaten until sometime in
the late 1700's or early 1800's. Before then, they were grown only for
decorative purposes.
Even though this sabbat is named after a God, the Goddess aspect is also
prominent, because there is much more to be grown and harvested in the
coming months. The Goddess is honored and thanked for bringing forth
the first fruits of the season. She is revered and treated with the respect
and care shown to a new mother. And yet She is still pregnant with the
future harvests of autumn, and nurtured as such. Lughnasadh is a sabbat
of thanksgiving where grains and vegetables are sacrificed, but it was
also a traditional time for regicide (king killing). This practice came from
an ancient belief that the King, who was the earthly vessel of the God,
must periodically die and spill his blood upon the earth in order to bring
fertility to the soil, and for human life to continue. This reflects the Pagan
belief that the God must periodically die at some point in order to be
reborn at Yule.
So the elements of Lughnasadh, include feasting, celebration, fire (in
honor of the Sun), purification, fertility, harvesting, thanksgiving,
sacrifice (to sustain and further the continuance of life), generous
libations, and to honor the Lord and Lady. So Celebrate Lughnasadh, for it
is another reminder that there are things greater than ourselves in the
cosmos. Our own little problems diminish, and we are a part of the great
natural rhythms.
1 "American Indian Myths and Legends" by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso
Ortez, Pantheon Books, New York, pages 11 and 12.
2 Ibid p. 13
3 Ibid
4 "The Sabbats" by Edain McCoy, Llewellyn Publications, pages 175-176
exact origin remains a mystery, corn is thought to have been derived
from a wild grass called Teosintl. Corn was planted in Mexico's Tehaucan
Valley as early as 8,000 years ago. The oldest corn found north of the
border, was found in New Mexico's Bat Cave. This corn is about 5,500
years old.
The Hopis say, "Moingiima makes corn. Everything grows on his body. He
is short, about the height of a boy. He has a female partner. Every
summer, he becomes heavy. His body is full of vegetables: watermelon,
corn, and squash. They grow in his body. When the Hopi plant, they ask
him to make the crop flourish: then their things come up, whether
vegetables or fruit. When he shaves his body, the seeds come out, and
afterward, his body is thin. He use to live on this eart5h and go with the
Hopi. When things grow ripe, he is thin and unhappy. He stays in the
west."1
To other tribes, corn came from The First Mother, also know as Corn
Grandmother, who directed the people to kill her and to scatter and bury
her flesh and bones within the earth. She said, in the Penobscot tradition,
"Wait seven Moons, and then come back, and you will find my flesh there,
flesh given out of love, and it will nourish and strengthen you forever
and ever" 2 Corn sprouted from the scattered flesh, and was given to the
people so that they might survive. They saw corn as being goodness that
had become substance. To them, the Corn Grandmother had given her
life so that the Penobscot people would live. Their belief is that "She is
not dead, She lives. In undying love, She renews Herself again and
again."3
To celebrate the corn harvest, the Native Americans gathered their large
clans together and celebrated the Festival of Green Corn in honor of the
Corn Grandmother who resides in the corn stalks. The festivities usually
lasted several days, and featured feasting and games of skill, as well as
religious rituals. The Cherokee called the Green Corn festival "Busk",
and to them, it was a time for the rekindling of the sacred fires, offerings
of thanksgiving, and re-dedication to their personal deities.4
Even though separated by the Atlantic Ocean, we can see the obvious
parallels from these few examples to the Celtic celebration of
Lughnasadh, in honor of Lugh, (which means "shining one). Lugh was a
god of many skills, and was said to change into human form to worship
among the Druids for whom he was the primary deity. He was also the god
of harvests, fire, light, metallurgy, agriculture, and the defender of the
weak and sick.
Lughnasadh, or Lunasa, is principally a grain festival to honor the first
harvest of wheat, thus the Anglo-Saxton word Lammas meaning "Loaf
Mass". In the 16th century, thanks to the Native Americans, the
Europeans added squash, potatoes, corn and melons to the feast.
Tomatoes were considered poisonous and not eaten until sometime in
the late 1700's or early 1800's. Before then, they were grown only for
decorative purposes.
Even though this sabbat is named after a God, the Goddess aspect is also
prominent, because there is much more to be grown and harvested in the
coming months. The Goddess is honored and thanked for bringing forth
the first fruits of the season. She is revered and treated with the respect
and care shown to a new mother. And yet She is still pregnant with the
future harvests of autumn, and nurtured as such. Lughnasadh is a sabbat
of thanksgiving where grains and vegetables are sacrificed, but it was
also a traditional time for regicide (king killing). This practice came from
an ancient belief that the King, who was the earthly vessel of the God,
must periodically die and spill his blood upon the earth in order to bring
fertility to the soil, and for human life to continue. This reflects the Pagan
belief that the God must periodically die at some point in order to be
reborn at Yule.
So the elements of Lughnasadh, include feasting, celebration, fire (in
honor of the Sun), purification, fertility, harvesting, thanksgiving,
sacrifice (to sustain and further the continuance of life), generous
libations, and to honor the Lord and Lady. So Celebrate Lughnasadh, for it
is another reminder that there are things greater than ourselves in the
cosmos. Our own little problems diminish, and we are a part of the great
natural rhythms.
1 "American Indian Myths and Legends" by Richard Erdoes and Alfonso
Ortez, Pantheon Books, New York, pages 11 and 12.
2 Ibid p. 13
3 Ibid
4 "The Sabbats" by Edain McCoy, Llewellyn Publications, pages 175-176
LUGHNASADH
THE FIRST
THANKSGIVING?
THE FIRST
THANKSGIVING?