The Sacrifice of the May Day Virgin

In the dim dark days of ancient history May Day was the festival of the Roman Goddess of flowers. For Germanic countries in particular, it was the dancing of the Maypole and crowning the Queen of May. This was the celebration of midway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice, or the first day of summer.

The Queen of May is normally a virgin teenage girl, who plays a high profile role in the May Day parade. She is dressed-up in a white gown, representing purity and crowned with flowers. In ancient history, the May Queen was killed once the festivities were completed.

The Roman Catholic church, says May is the month of celebration to the Virgin Mary, with small baskets of sweets or flowers put anonymously on neighbour’s doorsteps. The 1st of May is also acknowledged as being the Feast of St Philip and St James, who became the patron saints of all workers.

Of course the banks weren’t going to be left out and ruled that the 1st May was another ‘bank holiday’.

Through the Act of Union between England and Scotland, the Kingdom of Great Britain was formed, on the 1st May in 1707.

May Day is also known as International Worker’s Day, or as some like to call it, Labour Day, in remembrance of the wrestle for the eight hour working day. This became a worldwide remembrance of the social and economic accomplishments of the labour movement. It is a day some choose to use for demonstrations and political protest. That is so long as you do not belong to the 54% of the world’s population that still live under dictatorial regimes.

The employers of Vanuatu, a tropical island in the South Pacific, grumble, "Another day without staff". "Another holiday. Let’s celebrate", laugh the fun loving Vanuatu people. It’s a day to hire (if you happen to be fortunate to have a job) an amplifying system and music your way through the day. Don’t be concerned about the neighbours. They should be celebrating as well.

If you stop to ask 99% of the Vanuatu people, what they are celebrating, they wouldn’t have the vaguest idea. Some of the educated minority may answer, "Because it’s the first day of the month." The rest just make the most of a day lazing around in the sun, waiting to go off to the Kava bar (a local variety of native pub) to down some shells of evil smelling Kava with their friends. Kava, unlike alcohol, makes the drinkers comatose, rather than firing them up. Unless of course they decide to blend it with alcohol.