This week’s Lens-Artists Challenge, set by Donna, asks us to look at Time. So … I’ve decided to focus on traditions: traditions about celebration – long enjoyed, long maintained, and still meaningful in the communities where they take place.
Transhumance for instance. It’s that time of year when in the Pyrénées (and in other mountain regions too), near where we lived in France, the cattle and sheep are moved from the lush summer pastures in the mountains down to their winter quarters down on their lowland(ish) farms . They stay there till spring, and then they’re taken up again. And each time, it’s the excuse for a party. Here are some scenes from Seix a few years ago, of the upward part of the year.
They were dancing in Seix. We dance to celebrate wherever we live – always have. Here are Morris Dancers in England, traditional dancers in Catalonia (and more of them in the featured photo) and dancing for the big Harvest celebration of Chuseok in South Korea.
What next? How about Shrove Tuesday, the day when it’s the last excuse to have a bit of fun before the privations of Lent? The day when eggs and butter and other indulgences get used up in the making of pancakes, some of which end up in a race. Participants run the course, pan in hand, tossing their pancakes as they run towards the finishing line. It’s part of every Shrove Tuesday, as it has been for hundreds of years here in Ripon, and in towns and villages throughout the land.
Street entertainers have engaged out attention as long as there have been streets. Jugglers, Punch and Judy shows … anything goes.
Anyway, let’s finish off with a dance, the Sardana, dear to Catalonians for … well, centuries. It’s easy enough – join in the circle and just copy the person opposite you. Come on – you don’t even need a partner!
It’s nice to see folks celebrating and having fun. Introvert me would never be one of them but I admire their pleasure…and your images of them. Those traditional clogs are both cute and scary. 🙂
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I know. Anyone would need a nice sit down by the fireside after a morning wearing them, I think.
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Great post. Love that first picture. What a collection of faces.
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Indeed! A real snapshot of a nation’s physiognomy. Maybe.
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Fabulous photos Margaret but I wouldn’t fancy trying to walk in those clogs
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Oh, come on Sheree! Where’s your spirit of adventure? (Erm, actually, neither would I)
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😎
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A great selection Margaret. I love your dancers, so full of life. But those clogs are lethal!
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You’d think. But as far as I know, those clogs never hurt a soul (or sole? Durr)
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Do you know why the clogs are as they are? Surely for more than aesthetics? That apart, a great celebration of the art of celebration!
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Thanks Sandra. Sadly, I never thought to interrogate the clog-wearer. We shall never know …
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Lovely post! Your first shot reminds me of alpine walking holidays seeing cattle adorned with flowers being let down to winter pasture. I was very disappointed to have missed the Cows’ Ball in Bohinj.
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A cows’ ball? This I must see!
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I see this year’s is scheduled for September 17th. You could just about make it!
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Aw shucks, I’m indisposed!
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Rats! Hope you’ll be better soon.
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Awesome footwear. So many other uses I would imagine: hoopla for bored kids, somewhere to store excess bagels maybe.
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You’re really taking your imagination for a walk!
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Lots of fun celebrations. Great pics.
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Ah! Thanks. Great memories for me, as a bonus.
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Love all the colour and fun Margaret. Fabulous photos 🙂
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We should all get along to one of these this weekend, I think. See you there?
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There may be a corroboree somewhere I guess 😁
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Had to look that up. See you there!
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There you go. I’ll soon have you fluent in Australian.
Make sure you bring your didgeridoo
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And my hat with corks? Or is that a Man Thing?
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A net is far more effective. The aim is to drink the bottles and thread the corks on your hat as you go. So you have to forego stubbies for while and drink plonk until you get an effective fly screen
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*reaches for cheap bottle immediately*
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I love the community spirit that these celebrations bring and even the animals seem to enjoy the transhumance.
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These days (sssh, don’t tell) they don’t even have to yomp up and down the mountainside. Transporter lorries might be involved ….. No wonder they’re cheery.
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And lost sheep are found by drone. What is the world coming to?
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What is the world coming to, eh? Now. When I was young ….
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…Exactly!
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😉
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I love how each of us has interpreted this theme differently, and your focus on traditional celebrations is a great idea. Plus, it makes for such a colourful post!
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Time turned out to be a brilliant prompt, didn’t it? It took me a while – I was devoid of inspiration at first. But we all got there, it seems.
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Tradition and celebrations go so well together. This colorful post brightened my morning. Thanks Margaret.
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Oh, Anne – thanks so much. Well, celebrations are meant to be fun!
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Fantastic photos! The pointed clogs!
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Everyone wants (or doesn’t want, perhaps) those clogs.
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A happy post! But I’m a little concerned about the Morris dancer who seems to have forgotten his trousers…
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Don’t worry about him. He has knobbly knees to show off.
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Such a fun approach to the challenge Margaret! How nice to see so many happy people enjoying life. Festivals, I think, bring out the best in us. They give us reasons to smile and most importantly help us to let down our defenses and enjoy the company of strangers. Well done!
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Thanks Tina. We need a spot of fun every now and then, so why not now?
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What a fantastic way to interpret time. Traditions and celebrations!!! I love the colorful dresses, and the smiling faces. Everyone loves. good reason to dance. And your last photo is so reflective of your culture. Just come as you, you will be fine and fit right in. Excellent photos Margaret. Happy post, and the most interesting photo to me was the clogs. Thank you for this. I enjoyed 4 years of my life in Spain, and we loved that the people just loved to love life!
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Ah, four years in Spain! We spend time there too as my daughter lives and works there, with a Spanish partner and their daughter. Not a bad place to live at all. Thanks for your lovely comments on my post.
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Welcome Margaret. Thank you for your lovely posts.
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Excellent. I’m feeling a little stilted! Gotta be the shoes!!!
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Haha! I’d love to see any one of us on those stilts.
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What a lovely post of celebration! I love the vibrant colours and the smiley faces. t
Thanks for sharing, Margaret.
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It’s good to have excuses to smile. Thanks for coming.
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You’re welcome.
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An amazing collection of photos and celebration from many places. And dance! Strange coincidence today we go to a ceilidh to celebrate a friend’s 60 th. Have not been to a dance for many years now! But my parents and friends met dancing and danced at least every Christmas and New Year. Glad you can show so much trad fun.
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We had fun at all these places, even though I’m famously all left feet when it comes to dancing. I love a ceilidh though. Have fun!
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Thanks, need to find my dancing shoes!
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Traditional celebrations always seem so much fun and so colourful too
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They’ve had centuries to practice 😉
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What a fabulous post, Margaret! Dancing, costumes, Musics, smiles… what a way to celebrate!
Thank you for sharing these happy moments!
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Thanks Amy. But please take some credit. Your own post must have started me off!
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I appreciate your comment, Margaret! 🙂
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I love how you took part in the local culture and fully enjoyed it. Just wonderful, Margaret. Your photos and memories are priceless, true snapshots in time.
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