Summer
solstice celebrated in Saskatchewan
By Frank Flegel
LUMSDEN, Sask. — Two
summer solstice celebrations were held in southern Saskatchewan to welcome
the long, lazy days of summer. In both locations — Gravelbourg
and St. Michael’s Retreat House — the weather co-operated
with sunny skies and a dearth of mosquitoes.
The winter solstice has been
celebrated at St. Michael’s for 10 years and this year supporters
of the retreat house began what they hope is a tradition of celebrating
the summer solstice.
“It’s so different
from winter, where we wait in the darkness and celebrate the return
of the light,” said Cindy Seiferling of St. Michael’s. “We
also want to make it a family celebration with Father’s Day.”
The summer occurs on or near Father’s Day, the third Sunday in
June.
While St. Michael’s
was beginning a tradition, thousands attended Gravelbourg’s 10th
anniversary of celebrating the summer solstice. This bilingual community
celebrated in both French and English over three days with cultural
demonstrations, including dance and music groups, art, artisan and craft
displays, ending on Sunday June 20 with a choral presentation in the
historic Our Lady of Assumption Co-Cathedral.
“It’s a three-day cultural festival,” said Shelley Hirstwood, Gravelbourg’s economic development officer and summer solstice co-ordinator. “Each year we celebrate a particular nationality and this year it was German so we had several German themed cultural events.”
There were several other cultures present and it was like a mini mosaic,
said Hirstwood.
The number of people who attended St. Michael’s — about
30 — was minuscule compared to Gravelbourg, but they were enthusiastic
and enjoyed the afternoon. Vince Murphy, one of the organizers, noted
the initial turnout for the first winter solstice celebration was also
small, but attendance has grown each year. He expects it will take time
to build the summer solstice celebration.
It was a casual day with few organized
activities. A huge “summer circle” was drawn on the parking
lot and everyone was encouraged to draw their favourite icon of summer
in chalk. A few drew various images of the sun, water, earth and sky
and Joe Dufour drew a trumpet that brought back memories, he said, of
playing the instrument with a summer band.
There was one activity in which everyone participated: standing around
the circle chanting a four-line rhyme about summer, readings of a few
prepared lines about summer and a small fire representing the heat and
light of summer.
Some walked down to the labyrinth, which plays an important role in
the winter solstice celebration, then up to the summer circle on a nearby
hill. Both were listed as meditation sites.
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