Midsummer Riding

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Johannisreiter on a GDR postage stamp from 1982.

The locust riding ( Lower Sorbian rejtowanje JANSKE ; Upper Sorbian Janske jěchanje ) is part of the now rarely committed Johannis festival .

history

Many peoples believed that St. John's Eve was the greatest miracle day of the year and that all roots and herbs received sacred powers. However, this thought has receded a long way, even if the events that are still taking place can be related to this cult.

tradition

Up until the 19th century it was customary to celebrate the festival in many villages in Niederlausitz . However, since this was a Sorbian festival, it was largely forgotten due to the assimilation and Germanization.

Today the Midsummer Festival with the associated Midsummer Riding is only maintained in the village of Casel near Drebkau .

Midsummer Riding in Casel

At the Midsummer Riding, which takes place every Sunday around June 24th, a young man is first selected, who is completely sewn with cornflower tendrils by the girls and dressed with a pyramidal crown made of rushes and decorated with flowers. In the 19th century the mask was still made of birch bark.

This disguise is supposed to represent the humanized growth spirit, referred to as Johann or Jan.

He then rides with a companion to an open area, where the people of the village have to try to separate Jan from the group, stop the horse and finally take the flowers from them, which are then kept in the attic as a good luck charm.

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