Suzanne’s Blog for 12/21/2022

Blog – The Tradition of Mari Lwyd

In the ancient Welsh tradition, the time from around Solstice through Mid-January was the time of the New Year for those cultures. Many ancient cultures used generational storytelling as a way to educate and keep traditions alive while bringing joy and optimism to the darkened days of winter.
They were an excuse to celebrate a New Year in festive ways with music, poetry, ale, and song.
Mari Lwyd is a neighborly tradition where a horse skull would be draped with a tablecloth or a sheet, and glass bottle bottoms were used to make eyes. The mare would be draped in bells, ornaments, and colored ribbons with a man underneath holding the stick with the skull of the mare.
They would go from door to door asking for entry by singing a song. (One wonders if this is the beginning of caroling during this holiday.)

The Mare would be accompanied by its merrymen who would bring fiddles and also sing along.

This is where it became a playful battle of wits. The men and the mare would sing a song asking to be let in.
The mare and the merrymen would sing why they needed to be let in. The owner of the house (behind the door) would try to resist by singing as song to not let them in.
Thus, the banter would go back and forth until there were no more reasons to not let the mare in.
Once inside, everyone would eat and drink and wish everyone a good New Year.

Mari Lwyd coming to your door was a symbol of good luck for that home.

While the tradition pretends to not allow entry. The idea is that to sing a song was designed to be a blessing for that house. It would cast a spell on the home to bring prosperity, health, and good cheer.
The words, Mari Lwyd, means Gray Mare, Gray Mane, Or Gray Mary. She was the powerful pale horse that could carry those in death to the underworld.
The Gray color is also associated with aging horses, thus it shows the wisdom of the elders being passed to the younger generation.
Such stories are important because they bring a rich heritage to celebrations during difficult and dark times.
This story is a part of the dark humor we find common in the British Isles. While it might seem troubling with the skull of a mare. The story is  transformed into a metaphor of protection, positivity, optimism, and love.

It was an excuse to lift spirits, laugh, and play music with others. It was to show the children to not be afraid of older people, death, or the darkness.

It reminds us that in ancient traditions, ways of finding joy in small things was very important.
It is how community, connection, songs, and traditions are shared to celebrate the heritage of an area, the richness of the people, and the learning for a quick wit, and the ability to sing and rhyme.

~Suzanne Wagner~

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