Post by Joanna on Oct 8, 2013 17:01:34 GMT -5
Harvest Corn Dollies: Pagan Fertility Cult Kept Alive by North East Craftswoman
The tradition of weaving straw to create intricate sculptures is one that dates back thousands of years.
Thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt the art of making corn dollies was originally a way of giving thanks to the gods for healthy crops and throughout the centuries has come to symbolise fertility and good luck.
Keeping the craft alive is Helen Moran from Hebron, Northumberland, whose many works were on display at Beamish Open Air Museum in County Durham ahead of the 170th anniversary of the Christian celebration of harvest festival.
Helen, 60, who has been making corn dollies for around 40 years, said: “Through the years and the generations and the coming of Christianity, corn dollies didn’t stop being made, they took on a new meaning.
“It was a safeguard and if you had a corn dolly in your house it was to ward off evil, so there was a lot of superstition and it was all founded on lack of education and when you work in nature you’ll do anything to help."
More than 100 of the straw works will be on display in St Cuthbert’s Church in Hebron as part of the harvest event on October 12 and 13.
Helen added: “I can’t imagine that I’ll still be around to celebrate the 200th harvest festival anniversary and I’d really like to think that somebody else will take on that role and continue it through to the next millennium.”
Source: India Adams, Tyne and Wear News, October 6, 2013.