May Day in Oxford and Cambridge
by Joseph K-W Lam
photo by Joseph Lam
May Day is a centuries-old tradition which was originally a pagan fertility rite dated back as early as 238 BC. It was a Roman festival in celebration of Floralia - the goddess of flowering and blossoming. This took place around end of April and beginning of May.
Nowaday, May Day is a Bank Holiday providing an opportunity for families to get together as days get longer and the weather improves. Maypole and Morris dancing are among the activities associated with this time of the year celebrating the fertility theme. They still take place in some villages and towns.
May Day is celebrated in Oxford and to a much lesser extend in Cambridge. In Cambridge, Morris dancers dance around the streets in Cambridge. In Oxford, the festivity is much grander. Oxford starts the festivity with chorus singing by the Magdalen College choir on the Magdalen Bridge at dawn. The bridge is packed with on-lookers from early hours of the moring. The angel voices of the choristers linger
in the silent morning air. After the chorus singing, the crowd disperses into surounding streets and continues the celebration. Music and Morris dancing are found around the streets in Oxford. It was a tradition to jump off from the Magdalen Bridge to the River Cherwell below on May Day. This danger activity was banned, however, some unruly students do jump off and some even jump off as nude.
You can reach Joseph at: joseph@fluent.co.uk
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