During the rainy season, the men of Tilling run into the river
Aude clasping long sticks. They stand there all day.
The reasons are lost in the mists of time but it can be assumed
that the original basis is a fertility ritual.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
2 comments:
I wonder if it might be less mythic and more practical---since the river widens in this area, it could have been a practice to help rescue anyone who might have been caught in the rising waters and was unable to get ashore by themselves.
I know this sounds awfully pragmatic and not at all romantic but having seen the Aude at various stages throughout the year and having lived in a somewhat similar area (in US mts) I know what happens. Driving around with a good stout rope is de rigeur there (for many reasons) but ropes tend to go where they will when thrown while a good stick can be held out and then grasped. Several men could then form a chain: The one closest to the river bank would hold out his pole to the next, and so on, so the full burden wouldn't be on just one person.
I've lived in rural areas and visited a lot of the rural areas in the south (both Aude & Ariege) and while there may be local traditions it doesn't mean they'll explain them. If you can puzzle some behavior out and comment on it (as to why it is such a good idea) then you might get a confirmation...or not. Same thing with local herb/plant uses. (Esp. true with the local Native Americans).
Could also be that in your area the 'work' was handed down father to son but somewhere along the line the reason was forgotten.
On a less pleasant note, it could be with snow melt, a body that had recently surfaced might come downstream as well.
to be honest, a fertility ritual that takes all day? I think the men would find a way to foist it off on the women and go home to smoke a pipe and think about other things...
or if the men did have a ritual, they'd do it quite private and probably at night...
but those are just my thoughts...
You raise some very interesting points, Gabriele,which will cause me to reconsider my thinking. Many thanks. We are on Orange Alert today, which if the past is anything to go by means its raining a bit, but I shall be watching the river and observing the males. Will report further findings.
Post a Comment