May Day: A Local Rite Of Passage
By Vernon Robison
Editor
Submitted May 7, 2008
The origins of the May Day tradition are mysterious and clouded by time. It is believed that the celebration of May Day began way back in pre-Christian Europe. May 1 was celebrated by the Northern European pagan cultures because it came about halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. Thus the people of that time hailed May Day as the first day of summer, with Midsummer’s Eve being celebrated on the solstice itself. Later the celebration was assimilated into the Christian tradition as the beginning of what was deemed as Mary’s month (May). As a result, a more secular form of the holiday eventually evolved which included more modern traditions such as dancing around the Maypole.
The local May Day festivities, as observed by Moapa Valley youngsters, is similarly rather unclear in its origins. No one seems to be entirely certain exactly what year the local tradition was established. According to Bowler Elementary Vice Principal Pledger Solomon it was instituted at least 80 years ago. What is certain, however, is that no one who has grown up in the Moapa Valley in, at least, the past three generations of students is without fond memories of preparing for, and dancing in, the May Day festival.
In any case, May Day has become firmly entrenched as a staunch tradition, and even a rite of passage, for local students. When Shawna Jessen came on board a few years ago as principal of Bowler Elementary, she tells the story that the first thing she was told was not to mess with May Day! That tradition was sacrosanct.
Thus, Bowler students last week performed in a festival that is firmly rooted in ancient tradition, both global and local. This week the tradition will be fulfilled at Perkins Elementary as well. Then this local rite of spring will be complete for another year.
It is interesting that many of the local parents measure out the stages of their lives by how many ‘May Days’ they have attended; and how many they have left to attend. Many parents, myself included, have been heard to mildly murmur about the necessity of attending this ritual year after year. But still we dutifully clear our busy schedules and set aside the evening so that we can crowd into the fairground bleachers and watch our children perform. I think this fact belies an underlying, irresistible and unspoken love for this simple community tradition, despite its inconvenience.
The festival this year had some added significance for me personally. I participated in the local May Day festivities during my elementary school years here. In fact, I performed in May Day every year of elementary school except the last one. The summer before my fifth grade year, my folks moved the family into Las Vegas. I remember being stunned to find that my new school didn’t observe the sacred May Day tradition. I was also bitterly disappointed that I had been robbed of my chance to braid the May Pole. Since that time, I have always joked that I feel a little cheated by missing out on that crowning elementary school experience.
Well, this year, my son was finishing fifth grade and, as such, was to participate in the very May Pole honors of which I was deprived many years ago. As is tradition, he was allowed, at one point in the ritual dance, to call a parent out to assist him in performing the ceremonious task.
Knowing that this was coming, and being the self-sacrificing husband that I am, I gracefully offered this great honor to my wife to perform. To my surprise, she firmly declined.
“This is your big chance to complete unfinished business,” she said with a smile. “I wouldn’t dream of getting in the way of that.” Besides that, she just didn’t want to do it.
So there I was on Thursday night, standing behind my son, braiding the May Pole. I had come around full circle (in more ways than one). Through my son, I experienced this rite of passage, finally fulfilling my full fifth grade potential. Nearly three decades after I left elementary school, I can now say that I have truly finished it. What a relief that is!
Finally, on a more serious note, I would recognize that it is National Teacher Appreciation Week. It is important to recognize here that the success of this long-standing community May Day tradition has been mainly due to the efforts of teachers and administrators. In this day and age, school faculty and staff spending so much time preparing classes for an annual dance festival (in addition to the regular curriculum) is way over and beyond the call of normal duty.
This year’s festival, in particular, seemed to run very smoothly from a logistical standpoint. The dance numbers were mercifully brief and the program progressed quickly and, seemingly, without a hitch. I don’t even want to think about the huge task of planning and coordination that went into accomplishing this.
And so, I would close by giving a hats-off to local teachers and school staff for their hard work and the pride that they show in all that they do. I appreciate the positive role that teachers throughout the years have played in my life. Even more so, I deeply appreciate the role that these good teachers continue to play in the development of my own children. Thanks, truly, to all of you!
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