Glowing bonfires — Ancient ritual of purification, protection and bounty
<p>Living among farmers and landed gentry in the East of the Netherlands, I was privy to the grand tradition of Easter bonfires. All over the countryside, communities battle traditionally for the biggest fire. Families build huge mounds of wood together and watch as they burn, while drinking wine and spirits, as has been a tradition for thousands of years.</p>
<p>Just like the Celts and Teutonic tribes that came before, as the first whispers of spring begin to stir the slumbering earth, we find ourselves standing at the threshold of a timeless tradition, a beacon of light that pierces the remnants of winter’s shadow. In the Germanic heartlands of the Netherlands and Germany, the Easter bonfire, or “Osterfeuer” as it is known in the Teutonic tongues, rises like a phoenix from the ashes of the old year, a symbol of rebirth and renewal that resonates deeply with the ancient Celtic celebration of Beltane. These fires, kindled with the gathering of communities under the watchful eye of the burgeoning moon, speak to us of an unbroken lineage, a thread of gold that weaves through the tapestry of European folklore, connecting us to our ancestors in a ritual of light and life.</p>
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