Latvian Leaf Hats and Straw Boys and Bears - 2008-02-19 21:03:29
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I never know what'll I'll run into when I read things on MetaFilter. But it usually starts me out on the oddest journeys through the internet. For instance this thread - "witness the strangest customs of the red, white, brown, black and yellow races ... attend their startling rites, their mysterious practices ... all assembled for you." The link leads you to this series of books, which have been scanned so that you can read them all online:
The Secret Museum of Mankind
From that opening page:

"Published in 1935, the Secret Museum is a mystery book. It has no author or credits, no copyright, no date, no page numbers, no index. Published by "Manhattan House" and sold by "Metro Publications", both of New York, its "Five Volumes in One" was pure hype: it had never been released in any other form.

Advertised as "World's Greatest Collection of Strange & Secret Photographs" and marketed mainly to overheated adolescents (see the 1942 Keen ad, left), it consists of nothing but photos and captions with no further exposition. This was not a book published to educate (despite appearing on some public library's shelves), but to titillate (literally)— it's emphasis was on the female form ("Female Beauty Round the World") and fashion, and it featured as many National-Geographic-style native breasts as possible. But anything lurid, weird, or just plain unusual is fair game. This was a book to gawk at by flashlight under the bedcovers."

So you have the condescending text, often racist - but then you have all of these fascinating photos. The MeFi thread discusses whether it's worth looking at or not - I found the photos interesting, but then I'm interested in the people, their clothing, what they were thinking. Some of the ornate headdresses are truly works of art. Also I find inspiration in some of them. Like this photo and caption:

"WEARING O' THE GREEN" IN THE LATVIAN COUNTRYSIDE
"The feast of S. John's Day, June 24, called by the Lettish people "Ligo," is one of the merriest Latvian holidays. It is on this occasion that the country people decorate themselves and their houses with garlands of foliage, preferably oak leaves. Old and young participate in this festival, which is a remnant of pagan celebrations in connexion with the ancient nature-worship of the Lettish"

Someone in the thread directed me to the Wikipedia page for Midsummer:

"In Latvia, Midsummer is called Jāņi (Jānis being Latvian for John) or Līgo Svētki (Svētki = festival). It is a national holiday celebrated on a large scale by almost everyone in Latvia and by people of Latvian origin abroad. Celebrations consist of a lot of traditional elements - eating Jāņu cheese, drinking beer, singing hundreds of Latvian folk songs dedicated to Jāņi, burning bonfire to keep light all through the night and jumping over it, wearing wreaths of flowers (for the women) and leaves (for the men) together with modern commercial products and ideas. Oak wreaths are worn by men named Jānis in honor of their name day. Small oak branches with leaves are attached to cars in Latvia during the festivity.

In the western town of Kuldīga, revellers mark the holiday by running naked through the town at three in the morning. The event has taken place for the past seven years. Runners are rewarded with beer, and police are on hand in case any "puritans" attempt to interfere with the naked run."

I'm always interested in artwork with the Green Man, and I think my original interest was the fact that the bearded gentleman in the middle of the original photo reminded me of that artwork. But now I'm very into trying to design a leaf hat with oak leaves. Granted it's really more of a wreath, except I associate wreaths with things you hang on doors rather than wear on your head.

Thank you, MetaFilter, for inspiring me to wear leaf hats.
Now to find a nearby oak tree...

Another photo in the book also struck a memory for me:

IN THE FANTASTIC DRESS OF THE NOTORIOUS STRAW BOYS
"During the early years of the nineteenth century sections of Ireland were overrun by one of the many terrorist gangs that have from time to time existed there, known, from their peculiar but effective grass masks, as the Straw Boys. Through these masks they could see without being recognized, and their habit of dressing as women added to their grotesque appearance."

From there I moved on to this site on the Dingle Penninsula:

"...On St. Stephen's Day, December 26th, crowds of people take to the roads in various parts of Ireland, dressed in motley clothing, wearing masks or straw suits and accompanied by musicians – remembering a festival with antecedents that long predate Christmas. The Wren – sometimes pronounced and written, wran – was once common all over Ireland. In some areas, the Wrenboys are called Mummers and the festival has a strong English influence, incorporating characters like St. George.

...The straw suits worn by the Wrenboys also have historical resonances, though more recent ones. In the 18th and 19th centuries, they were worn as disguises by the Whiteboys during Ireland's prolonged agrarian wars. The suit is woven in three parts: head, chest, and skirt. The straw of choice for the suits is that which comes from oats and, since there is little demand for oats, good straw is becoming increasingly difficult to find. In many cases, oats are grown specifically for the Wren.

The Wren, in common with many customs in rural Ireland, came close to extinction. From the twenties and thirties onward emigration took a great toll among those who would have taken part. There was strong clerical opposition – the money raised in the collections the Wrenboys took up went towards holding a ball in a local hotel or public house and naturally there was alcohol involved. The Church saw the Wren, as it saw the house dances that kept traditional music alive in those times, as an "occasion of sin."

That the Wren survived at all was due to the efforts of a few individuals and small groups of people working in isolation. Nowadays, the Wren is enjoying a revival...

Also googled my way to the Guild of Straw Craftsmen website. Where I found the Whittlesea Straw Bear Festival link. Which completely reminds me of local celebrations of Mardi Gras in rural Louisiana. Also reminds me of the wheat weaving crafts that were made in Kansas and that I used to see a lot of around Christmas time - my mother the school teacher often received these as gifts from her students. Meanwhile here's a BBC site on the Fermanagh Men of Straw. Lots more straw and harvest lore all over the place...

Here's a good little mini documentary video:
Men Of Straw, an intro to the Fermanagh Mummers



Meanwhile this page - Mardi Gras in Rural Acadiana - will give you some idea of why I'm seeing parallels to some of the Louisiana celebrations.

I know I've seen these Staw Bears on Reuters Oddly Enough And Finally podcast. But since I can't seem to find it...

"Jan. 31 - Free doughnuts and eating competitions are a big part of a Polish feast day known as "Fat Thursday."



and how bout...

"Jan. 24 - Ice bar in north China offers people a chance to experience a world of ice from chairs and tables to glasses."



Because drinking something out of a glass carved out of ice is always a cool thing. Although it has nothing to do with mummers, mardi gras, or straw. Oh well.

For more unusual video news check out the Oddly Enough site.

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