The Pagan corn festival is a traditional celebration that dates back centuries. It is an annual event held in many ancient cultures around the world, particularly in agricultural communities. The main idea behind this festival is to honor and celebrate the corn harvest, which is an essential crop for these societies. During the festival, people gather together and engage in various rituals and activities that highlight the significance of corn. This includes decorating their homes and temples with corn husks, creating corn-based crafts, and even participating in corn-themed games and contests. The highlight of the festival is often a feast where corn dishes play a central role.
In traditional Pagan style, a festival wouldn’t be complete without joyous celebration – dancing, drink flowing and giving blessings to the deities for the harvest that would have ensured the safety of our community into the colder months. Beer and whisky are significant to this festival as the grains provide wheat, hops and barley for those delicious beverages. Cheers!
The term Lammas is also derived from loaf mass which is synonymous with the baking of the harvest bread that is made and shared amongst the community. The outcome for this last piece of crop was the same though it would be made in to a corn dolly to house the spirit of the fields until she could be returned when planting for the following year.
The highlight of the festival is often a feast where corn dishes play a central role. The Pagan corn festival is also an occasion for people to express gratitude for the abundance and fertility that the corn harvest brings. Many communities hold ceremonies to give thanks to the gods and spirits believed to be associated with the harvest.
Lammas and Corn Dollies
For as far back as people have farmed the earth, communities have honoured the cyclical nature of the year. The Celtic Wheel marks eight festivals, including summer and winter solstices and autumn and spring equinoxes. Interspersed between these are Samhain (commonly known as Halloween), Imbolc (Candlemas), Beltane (May Day eve) and Lammas or Lughnasadh.
Wheel of the Year
“These festivals, which go back to time immemorial, are part of the deep oneness with Nature that the people of olden days experienced…”
Doreen Valiente, An ABC of Witchcraft Past and Present
Lammas is traditionally celebrated on 1st August and is the festival of the first harvests of the year, specifically the grain harvest. The name Lammas is from the Anglo-Saxon meaning Loaf-mass (hlafmaesse). Lughnasadh is also celebrated at this time and is the festival of Lugh, the Celtic sun god.
There is little evidence of how Lammas was celebrated in pre-Christian times, as records are scarce, but it was certainly adopted into the Christian year with the coming of Christianity to Britain. It is also a festival that is included in the pagan calendar and celebrated as one of the eight witches’ sabbats.
What is clear is that Lammas was the start of the hardest and most important part of the year for communities reliant on their crops and that traditions and superstitions have been passed down through time.
One belief was in that of a Harvest Spirit, who lived in the fields and who retreated ever further as the crops were harvested.
“Rural people believed the Harvest Spirit dwelt in the fields, and that as the reapers cut the corn the spirit was forced to retreat in to the ever-dwindling remainder. No man wished to be the one who destroyed her refuge, so the reapers took their turns to throw their sickles at the last stand of corn. It was then plaited in to a woman’s form – known as the corn-dolly or kern-baby – which represented the Harvest Spirit. This was set in a place of honour at the harvest supper”
The Reader’s Digest Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain
A similar story is told by Dee Dee Chainey in A Treasury of British Folklore but she adds that in Cornwall and Devon, when the last standing corn was cut, there was a tradition of “crying the neck” where the reaper would shout there times “I ‘ave ‘un” and the other farmworkers reply, “What ‘ave ‘ee?”, with him replying, “the neck” to which everyone would cheer. The outcome for this last piece of crop was the same though – it would be made in to a corn dolly to house the spirit of the fields until she could be returned when planting for the following year.
Although the account above says the corn was plaited into a woman’s form, the word corn would have meant any food grain and dolly is more likely to be from the word idol rather than a doll shape. They were actually called harvest trophies before the term corn dolly was adopted and come in a variety of shapes or forms, only one of which is the human shaped female form. Many of the shapes are regional, such as (left to right) the Suffolk horseshoe, the Yorkshire spiral and the Staffordshire knot.
I looked to see if there was a Hertfordshire speciality before attempting my own corn dollies, but as there wasn’t, I tried a simple loop and a simple female form. Once I had started, I soon became grateful that I wasn’t trying a complex regional version as the plaiting is hard to keep uniform and the stalks soon become tangled in each other.
The grain stalks I used are windblown oat stalks found along a field edge, and on the “doll” the arms are meadow grasses plaited together.
I will display the corn dollies to give harvest thanks and will keep them for luck until, as the tradition goes, I will return them to the fields for the seeds to grow once more and for the Harvest Spirit to return to her home.
Lammas is traditionally celebrated on 1st August and is the festival of the first harvests of the year, specifically the grain harvest. The name Lammas is from the Anglo-Saxon meaning Loaf-mass (hlafmaesse). Lughnasadh is also celebrated at this time and is the festival of Lugh, the Celtic sun god.
These ceremonies often involve offerings of corn and prayers for a bountiful harvest in the following year. Furthermore, the festival serves as a means of connecting with nature and the cycle of life. The corn harvest is seen as a symbol of the earth's fertility and the interconnectedness of all living beings. People often take this opportunity to reconnect with the land and appreciate the hard work and dedication required for successful agriculture. In conclusion, the Pagan corn festival is a vibrant and meaningful celebration that brings people together to honor the corn harvest. It is a time to express gratitude, connect with nature, and celebrate the abundance that the earth provides. Through rituals, ceremonies, and feasts, communities unite in their shared appreciation for this vital crop..
Reviews for "Navigating the Pagan Corn Festival: A Guide for Beginners"
1. John - 1/5 - I attended the Pagan Corn Festival last weekend and I have to say it was a complete disaster. The whole event felt disorganized and chaotic. The advertised activities were either canceled or poorly executed. The corn maze was a joke, with dead ends everywhere and no clear path to follow. The food options were limited and overpriced. Overall, I was extremely disappointed with this festival and would not recommend it to anyone.
2. Sarah - 2/5 - I was really looking forward to the Pagan Corn Festival, but it fell short of my expectations. The location was far from ideal, with limited parking and poor signage. Once inside, the lack of entertainment or engaging activities left me feeling bored and unentertained. The vendors were also lacking variety, offering mostly generic merchandise. The only redeeming aspect was the live music, though the sound quality was subpar. I won't be returning to this festival in the future.
3. Michael - 2/5 - The Pagan Corn Festival was a disappointment for me. The organization seemed haphazard, with long lines and disinterested staff. The corn maze was poorly designed, making it difficult to navigate and enjoy. Additionally, there were limited food options, especially for those with dietary restrictions. Despite the potential for a fun and unique experience, the festival fell flat and I left feeling unsatisfied. I'll be looking for other events to attend next year.