June 22 2000 BRITAIN
Modern pagans reclaim Stonehenge
BY SIMON DE BRUXELLES http://www.the-times.co.uk/ & Index
THE tribes of ancient Britain who congregated at Stonehenge to celebrate the
summer solstice yesterday could hardly have been less colourful than their
ancient predecessors.
There were the New Age travellers in dreadlocks and
home-knitted woollens, the "brew crew" with cans of lager and mohican
haircuts, a Brazilian samba dancer dressed in a chain-mail bikini and even a
handful of yuppies with picnic hampers and BMW estates. Every strand of
British culture was represented, from "crusties" to a handful of "crumblies"
who found themselves standing in a field in the rain longing for a cup of
Horlicks long after their usual bedtimes.
And then there were the druids,
wizards, warlocks and witches who like to think they are continuing a
tradition that dates back to the 4,000-year-old origins of Stonehenge. It
was their lobbying that persuaded English Heritage to reopen the site for
the midsummer celebration for the first time in 15 years. But the druids
could not even agree among themselves on the appropriate way to welcome the
dawn on the longest day of the year. Some huddled in a private conclave
beneath the stones.
Others blew horns made from the dried stems of giant
seaweeds. Members of the Insular Order of Druids formed a circle near the
Heel Stone while their leader announced, "I'm no Pam Ayres" and read a poem
he had composed. His reading was interrupted by a Liverpudlian called Bob
who removed all his clothes apart from his woolly hat and proudly
demonstrated the consequences of drinking far too much Ice Dragon Cider.
"I'm going to get pneumonia or get arrested," he shouted, before staggering
off towards the stone circle, leaving his discarded underpants to be
trampled in the mud.
Three women dressed in black capes sitting on a tartan
rug stared angrily at the crowds surrounding the druids. "Why is everyone so
interested in the druids?" one asked. "What about us witches?" Dylan Ap
Thuin, Archdruid of the Insulars, hinted that not all was peace and harmony
within pagan ranks. Two years ago, after 100 worshippers were permitted to
see in the summer solstice, there were bitter complaints that the event had
been "hijacked" by Rollo Maughling, self-styled Archdruid of Stonehenge, who
appointed himself master of ceremonies. "This time we're not having any
organised celebration," said Mr Ap Thuin. "It led to too much trouble last
time." Trying to recreate Stonehenge's ancient rituals is like
reconstructing the story of Christianity from the floor-plan of St Paul's
Cathedral.
Although the detail may have been lost, the atmosphere was still
magical, according to those who stayed up all night to watch the Sun fail to
appear through a blanket of cloud and drizzle. The giant stones were
illuminated by the ghostly green glow of arc lights set up by English
Heritage. From the shadows emanated hypnotic drumming and exotic aromas.
Julia Newman, a lecturer from Southampton, said: "I just wanted the chance
to walk among the stones which you are not normally allowed to do. It's so
completely different at night.
There's a very medieval feeling about it,
with all the drums and musicians and fire jugglers." More than 6,000 people
made the pilgrimage to Stonehenge. Some drove all night to arrive in time
for dawn at 4.44am. Craig Cotton, a video producer from Worthing, West
Sussex, packed his wife and three children into the car at 10pm. It was his
daughter Yasmine's ninth birthday.
He said: "We wanted to give her a
birthday she wouldn't forget. It's just a shame it's raining." Asked what
she thought, Yasmine replied: "Cold and wet. . . but fun." Lew Pope, 78,
had driven up from Torquay with his wife Ginny, 58. "She was planning to
come on her own but I thought I'd better come along to look after her," he
said.
John Candy, a healer from Exeter, arrived with the Arthurian War Band
who wore cardboard crowns and blue face paint. He said: "I'm with them but
not one of them. I refuse for personal reasons to go under the sword." The
woad-covered warriors stood in a circle and sang "Reunite the Stones of Our
Ancestors".
The Barking Batteria, a group of drummers from East London,
ensured the carnival atmosphere was not dampened by the rain. Blowing
whistles and waving torches, they paraded around the stones dressed in
little more than their counterparts in Rio. As daylight chased the
revellers home, police said they arrested nobody - not even Bob the
Liverpudlian. For English Heritage, the night was a vindication of its
open-stones policy. Elspeth Henderson, a spokesman, said: "A happy and
peaceful solstice was had by all."
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