Beltane

"Years ago, there were Beltane festivals held on every hill in the country to herald the return of spring and bring the community together. Just over 20 years ago, Edinburgh's Beltane festival began as a group of friends – drummers, fire spinners – coming together on Calton Hill to do just the same, and re-birth this legendary event. Since its modern beginnings in the 1980's, the festival has grown to involve around 300 participants and up to 12,000 spectators."

As producer of this year's May Day celebration, Rob Sproul-Cran has a strong sense of the event's history – and pre-history. As one of the four important festivals of the Celtic pagan calendar, rituals on Beltane welcomed the return of the sun following the winter cold.

"Our current festival originates in the Scottish and Irish Gaelic pre-Christian festival of the same name, explains Rob. "The name itself is thought to have derived from a Gaelic-Celtic word meaning bright or sacred fire. All the fires of the community would be extinguished and a new, sacred ‘Neid Fire’ was lit by either the village head or spiritual leader. From this source one or two bonfires were lit, and the animals of the community would be driven through or between them. The inhabitants of the village would then take pieces of the fire to their homes and relight."

Its adoption in modern times followed on from a renewed interest in our pre-Roman civilisation that begun in the folk revival of the 1960s and led to the reinvention of both pagan religion and folk traditions across Britain. However, the contemporary version responds to modern culture, without abandoning the essential message.

"The ethos remains one of building community and reconnecting with our surroundings," continues Rob. "Nowadays,the festival also incorporates a level of story, complete with a cast of characters, designed to give structure and meaning to these rituals."

As an event founded in pagan ritual, but existing within a multicultural Edinburgh, the modern Beltane does not necessarily have the same ritual meaning as in the past. Yet its warm celebration of nature and community organisation resonates with environmentalist concerns alongside its undeniable power as pure performance. "For me," affirms Rob, "hearing the drums thunder out from the torch-lit stone monuments still brings goosebumps. Beltane means something different to everyone that takes part," he adds. "It is also very special to everyone involved, and you could say that some folk hold it sacred."

Much of this reverence can be traced to the characters that form the narrative, effectively symbolising the change of season through performance, music and ritual.  "The main focus is a counter-clockwise procession around the hill, led by the May Queen and Green Man," Rob explains. "She is a Mother Nature figure, representing the earth; he is representative of all living things. The procession encounters many groups on the way, such as Elemental Points of Fire, Air,Earth and Water."

Unlike many rituals, Beltane is evolving. While key characters remain from year to year, Rob notes that "anyone can suggest things to do differently the next year. Beltane in ten years time will be a totally different night – so everyone should make sure they come at least once!"