I FELT LIKE I WAS THERE! Faun "Walpurgisnacht"

[@duizeltjeeekhoorn6890]

Walpurgisnacht and Beltane are related. Beltane was the pre christian ritual to celebrate the return of spring. It was a fertility ritual. In Europe there are still many places where people come together and celebrate this in a pagan way. The name Walpurgis was made up by the early christians. The name stems from Walburga, a female Saint. Later the german writer Goethe wrote in his book Faust about this night. In his tale, Walpurgisnacht was the night witches and demons came together at the mountain Brocken to dance and feast.

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

wow this all sounds soooo awesome! I want to do one of these celebrations!

[@elricthebald870]

Over here we call it 'Meierblis' (May fire). Many farmsteads and definitely every village throws up huge pyres that are lit shortly before sunset. Fire is a symbol of cleansing and renewal. The old and dead is burned and the ashes fertilise the land. Fire brings warmth and light (summer) and drives away the cold and darkness (winter).

[@elricthebald870]

@@witte_raaf Meierblis is ook Nederlands. 😉

[@draug7966]

As far as I know, this celebration is held in Scandinavia, Germany and I think Estonia too. It was originally a pagan thing with the bonfires meant to scare away dangerous spirits, since the night between april 30th and may 1st was believed to be very magical with lots of these spirits out and about. Later it got merged together with a celebration of Saint Walpurga, or Valborg in swedish, probably smth the Christians came up with so they could claim another tradition and be like "Hey, we have this celebration too but for the proper reason" as they did with many things. Here in northern europe many traditions are Christian on the surface but if you look deeper they're often kinda rooted in paganism one way or another.

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

I love learning about this. I felt a drawing to this immediately!

[@witte_raaf]

It's your primal instinct being triggered by the Ancient ancestral ways

[@anco89]

Same thing as Valborg, just another name for it in Germany:) They really needed a bigger bonfire though, just saying😂 In Sweden there's usually no dancing, just grilling food, enjoying the company and maybe some singing (and getting drunk). The dancing around the pole with the ribbons we usually do at the next (pagan) holiday which is Midsummer. Not always with ribbons though:) Valborg has pagan roots and was celebrated to wardoff evil spirits around the time cattle was released for grazing which is a vulnerable time. The date is also considered a gateway to summer when the barrier between worlds is at its thinnest and it's easier for evil spirits to pass through. In the medieval times the celebration was mixed together with the catholic saint Walpurga, and that was the name that stuck. She was known for protection against evil so they probably just added her name to it to make it christian (and therefore acceptable), as has happened with many pagan holidays🙂

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

I WANT THAT NETTLE SOUP!

[@anco89]

@@TheWolffAndTheMelody Hahaha😁 I ate two bowls today and I thought it was a pity you weren't there to experience it🤣 I'm over hyping the soup here lol. It's a good soup but nothing mind blowing😆 I had some awesome grilled lamb sausage though, but I managed to turn half of it to charchoal because I forgot it on the stick over the fire. Charcoal tastes of Valborg though so it's part of the tradition😆

[@Moleman0815]

It's still a tradition to dance on that day here in Germany. We have something called Tanz in den Mai so Dance into May. On the 30th of April there are a lot of parties, celebrations and dancing. Also the May Tree the one the girls attached the ribbons on is still a tradition. Mostly young men place a small May Tree (Maibaum) decorated with ribbons and often a heart with the name of the desired person, in front of the place where a girl/ guy, they have a crush on, lives. Faun is the best example, that the german language can also be beautiful. ;)

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

I have to experience this!

[@angiewegenerdjmetalamazon4468]

Walpurgisnacht is traditionally the night between the 30th of April and the 1st of May, and it is considered the night all witches fly to the Brocken Mountain in the Harz mountain range to meet up, dance and fly through the night. :D For "non witches" it is traditionally a night of concerts, disco or other dance festivities. :D In Germany many people celebrate it, unfortunately the night is also often the night of riots in the lager cities like Berlin.

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

I'm gonna move over near you!

[@jameshitchens9045]

This song and video was the first taste of Faun i experienced back in 2019. Love the song and video

[@Ameslan1]

I love this videof rom Faun. What i find amazing in this video are the unique instruments! The instrument with the hand crank is called a "Hurdy Gurdy"

[@BRacingGreen]

If i'm not wrong this thing is called 'Drehleier' in german... As 'dreh' means turn around and 'Leier' is a music instument that resembles to a guitar?.?. Lyra: - de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leier_(Zupfinstrument)

[@Ameslan1]

@@BRacingGreen The instrument with the hand crank is called Herdy Gurdy in English. Perhaps that is what you call it in German? However I do not know the name of the instrument that is played with the bow like a violin. That is a new one for me.

[@elricthebald870]

​@@Ameslan1A bit hard to see but Im pretty sure it's a Nyckelharpa. The strings are bowed similar to a violin but it's played with keys similar to a Hurdy Gurdy.

[@Buffaloheart68]

The song that introduced me to Faun

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

Thats so cool!

[@Tasuva]

Some say this originally was about keeping dark spirits away - and it might have been partially but also it's mostly about embracing spring and fertility. In the beginning of the video you can see the women gather around a Maibaum (May tree) which is still a common symbol for spring in Germany. They also show something interesting at around 4:20 which probably is the meeting of duality - night and day, heaven and earth represented by male and female. Thanks for checking this out! :-)

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

thats so cool! Thanks for teaching me.

[@Tasuva]

@@TheWolffAndTheMelody You're welcome!

[@TheErikBallew]

Can you believe our ancestors gave this up for 9-5 jobs and meaningless existence?!?

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

Because we allowed others to dictate our lives. We have become slaves and don't even realize it.

[@lizardanya]

I have been wanting to do a Walpurgisnacht celebration since I first heard this song, but every year, it's either rainy, snowy, or cold where I live. And, to be completely honest, I totally dance around bonfires every time I go to one. It feels natural, like I'm somehow connected more to the earth when I do, and I love it. I'm glad you liked the song. It's one of my favorites by Faun. The connection and meaning of the song only make it better.

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

This was such a great song. Great idea!

[@BabeDogGsD]

In German, the W makes the sound of the English V. Easy way to remember is instead of Double U, it’s Double V. The R, comes from the back of the tongue instead of the tip. Hard to get used to because it sounds like a hair lip to native English speakers. Now what’s tricky is remembering the V makes an English F sound 😅 Verstehen sie? 😁

[@devonvergiels5185]

Remember the German W is pronounced as V. Easiest way to start. By the way, your longing is not strange at all. I agree.

[@andrexhg]

Que grande es faun , excelente elección, te recomiendo escuchar "omnia" es gran banda también

[@elricthebald870]

A nice follow up to this would be "Tanz in der Mai" by dArtagnan.

[@sagebooker]

I love this one, as much for the theme, Walpurgis / Beltane as the for the catchy music ! And aboveall, it remains me of a german region, the Harz mountain where people celebrate Walpurgis, and I can work on my german, listening to the lyrics ^^

[@soleywolfgangsdottir]

the video is nice, but i don't like how they sound. i was at their show on lichterweihnachtsmarkt in dortmund last december, but i left after two songs.

[@gabrielkain1]

This is obviously not something I would ever listen to, but it sounded really good, and the vocalists are talented. I also appreciate what they did with the video.

[@christophersims3319]

I really like the current line up. But Man, just something special about Katja I miss her.

[@Moleman0815]

I miss Fiona playing the flute. Her way of playing it was special.

[@jamesnelson1968]

Another very talented band that has an enormous catalog, another rabbit hole to fall down. They are a good live band so you might try some of their live stuff.

[@jondoe1538]

suitable for May 1st😉👍

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

You see what we did there! lol

[@WNYretiree]

To me it is very interesting to see historical roots brought up into the modern day. I enjoy the fact that this is still celebrated today. This was also a very fun video and I found the music very cheering.

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

Right! Like I want to celebrate this!

[@AP-RSI]

I wish I was there... 🙂

[@milohobo9186]

I feel like a sad nostalgia, like we lost something that was beautiful but can't get back, just remember it

[@Buffaloheart68]

It reminds us of our primal nature, before the modern world killed us.

[@therealCelticViking]

That's why I moved to rural Sweden. Historical traditions, nature and freedom ❤

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

We can bring it back.

[@TheErikBallew]

So, the Portuguese have a word for this. It's Saudade. Saudade is an emotional state of melancholic or profoundly nostalgic longing for a beloved yet absent something or someone.

[@ronnoe6708]

I agree. Every time I hear music like this and see the kind of imagery shown in the video, I get that feeling. There's this little part way in the back of my brain that wakes up, opens its eyes and says "I remember this. Why aren't we part of this anymore?" And then there's just a feeling of loss and disconnection. I especially loved the scene showing the handfasting between the moon goddess (Diana?) and the nature god (Cernunnos?).

[@experimentalelemental92]

Happy HexenNacht & Beltane Blessings 🔥🌻

[@experimentalelemental92]

At sunrise maidens collect the dew to wash their face.

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

Indeed dear friend!

[@experimentalelemental92]

@@TheWolffAndTheMelody 🤗

[@MetalGoat84]

Faun is an amazing band and I love to listen to this and other songs a lot. Not even at the night when the Walpurgisnacht(Beltane) is celebrated. In the middle of Germany in the Harz mountains (at mount Brocken) this event is celebrated every year and it is very popular and well visited (some kind of tourist attraction) but I´m also addicted to the old spirits. I feel more dragged to the ancient events that nowadays are nearly the same with modern events/bank holidays in Germany or got assimilated by christian church to make it their own events like Ostara(Easter), Samhain (Halloween) and Jule (Christmas). If you want I can translate the lyrics of this particular song for you.

[@sanjuro66]

As a side note "Beltane" is the Gaelic version of Walpurgisnacht. You may like the video "Beltane Fire Festival Edinburgh" by specifically Armandary Photography. (put out this year, though filmed 2023) You can find it here on youtube.

[@Robert-gc9gc]

Glad you made it to the bonfire 🔥

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

Indeed!

[@lisalong9393]

Absolutely love this! The vocals, the music, the video itself, the lore.... Love it! ❤❤

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

RIGHT! Such a good time!

[@Mossy-Rock]

This is a beautiful song and video, and one of my favorites! The song is lively, upbeat and the instruments are incredible! Yes, there is something that draws some people to Pagan celebrations. I think it is the connection to our ancient roots, to nature and just the exhilaration of letting go and becoming one with the others without judgement. If you ever have the opportunity to attend a Pagan celebration, by all means do so!

[@TheWolffAndTheMelody]

You said it best. I felt at home watching this, like one around the fire.

[@aequitasvox2488]

Walpurgis​Nacht pronounced (val-ˈpur-ges-ˌnaḵt). : the eve of May Day/Apr 30 on which witches are held to ride to an appointed rendezvous. In parts of Europe, people continue to light bonfires on Saint Walpurga's Eve in order to ward off evil spirits and witches. Others have historically made Christian pilgrimages to Saint Walburga's tomb in Eichstätt on the Feast of Saint Walburga, often obtaining vials of Saint Walburga's oil.