BRATTLEBORO — In thinking of May Day, what arises in my mind appears at first to be a medley of disconnected images: sweet baskets of posies, men with ribbons and bells stomping and jingling through town, workers around the world celebrating their strength and their labor history, and maypoles.
The disconnect, however, is due only to gaps in our history books, for May Day is International Labor Day. The two holidays share the same story.
The story began with European pagan traditions that celebrated the fertility of the Earth, animals, and people. Later, when land was no longer communally owned and lords ruled the lands and its people, May Day continued to be very important both as a pagan holiday and as an important business day for peasants as the day for the annual allotment of seeds, tools, and renewals of land-use contracts between peasants and landlords.
This special day to celebrate fertility, the Earth, and the security of another year of security granted from the landlords was eventually transferred to the post-industrial era. Factory workers who were often only a generation from their pastoral culture fought with their lives for the right to organize, to demand dignity, political representation, and a decent standard of living, on May Day! Labor organizers chose May Day to organize labor demonstrations. It was, after all, their day, the day when their ancestors found inspiration and power, from the Earth and her life force rising once again.
Now, all over the world - except here in the United States, where the story is edited out of history books - people remember the Haymarket martyrs, who struggled in Chicago during the late 1800s and organized for the eight-hour workday. From France to Mexico, nurses, teachers, farmers, secretaries, mothers, builders of bridges, mechanics, solar engineers, and other workers all celebrate International Labor Day because of their great courage.
For 33 years, members of the Liberty Union Party, labor unions, musicians, dancers, and others have celebrated May Day/International Labor Day here in Brattleboro. In solidarity with workers all over the world, Liberty Union envisions May Day being a national holiday. But until that time, we continue to hold space for people to gather, celebrate, and remember, continuing the pagan traditions of song and dance.
To be empowered members of society, it is essential to connect with one another, with our sisters and brothers around the world, as well as with our history.
This Sunday, May 1, people in this area can participate in Brattleboro's 33rd annual May Day Celebration on the Common. Festivities will begin with Morris dancers at 2:30 p.m. Folks are invited to bring a song to share at our Community Sing. There will be songs to celebrate spring/Earth and workers of the world, including some from Pete Seeger. We will dance the maypole and, of course, remember the Haymarket martyrs with a special reading of their final words in court. (Volunteers are always invited to come help with the reading; no rehearsing is needed, so just come and be bold!)
We will offer a soapbox for community members to share the thoughts and ideas that are important to you, now, in this day and age. There is power in community, in unity, and in history, as well as in the beauty of spring.
So, let us go forward with the wisdom from knowing our roots, to continue to carve the society we we desire, with our brothers and sisters - the workers of the world. And let us sing together on May Day!