The We’re all ears challenge for the month of May 2020 is based on the festival of May day. After a gap, I am participating this time with two May Flower earrings. May Day is celebrated for different reasons around the world. So let us break out the good old “Did you know” here.
May Day around the world
In Russia and India May Day is celebrated as Labour day. It acknowledges the efforts put in by labourers in building an industrial society. the “Triumph of Labour” is a very famous statute at Chennai, made by Debi Prasad Rai Chowdhury. Many countries celebrate the festival to honour Flora – the goddess of Flowers. A pole is decorated with a leaves and flowers on the top and tied with ribbons. People go around the pole sort of braiding the ribbons in this process. I find this very similar to the Pinnal Kolatam (braid based dance) of Tamil Nadu which would be performed by young women during spring. But Spring in Southern India is February-March and May-July is peak summer. Nevertheless, both seem like a celebration of fertility and rebirth. Other countries have picnics and bonfires to celebrate relationships and protect the family and the livestock.
‘Mayday’ written as one word without a space in between May and day refers to a distress signal. It is a call that originates from the French “m’aidez” meaning “Help me.”
May Flower earrings
The first pair of May flower earrings is inspired by the celebrations for Goddess Flora. People put flowers on leafy wreaths and hang them on doors or on a pole which is then braided with ribbons. Boxes or baskets are used too, instead of the wreaths. My idea was to create an abstraction of the wreath and flowers on top of th emay pole. It incorporates fabric buttons (with zardosi embroidery) and metal blanks. I coloured the antique metal (filigree) blanks with patina inks and curved them slightly to give them some dimension. The earrings are large yet light in weight. This pair is not for sale, but I can whip one more up on order.
Gulmohar tree a.k.a May flower tree
One of the best parts of growing up in an industrial township was the abundance of trees on the roadside. I previously wrote about my love for the glorious yellow flowers of the Cassia Fistula trees. The vibrant red orange flowers of the Gulmohar tree (Delonix regia), also known as the May Flower tree comes a close second. There was this huge gulmohar tree at a crossroad near my house and I would zoom past it on my cycle soaking in the rich colour. There have been times when I have stopped and picked flowers fallen on the roadside, fascinated by how the petals and sepals were arranged in layers.
I had a plan to use the red lampwork flowers in my stash but I could find only one flower and not its pair. The other ideas did not materialise due to insufficient beads/materials. Eventually, I made a simple pair of beaded may flower earrings using Czech glass ovals and glass flat briolettes.
I wanted to make a pair based on the Labour day observance as well. But for the life of me, I couldn’t figure out a way to represent it in earrings. If any of you can think of a way, do share. Until then head over to Earrings Everyday and participate in this blog hop.
I hope you find it interesting
Cheers
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