Tracking Change: Lily-of-the-Valley Custom and Festival in France. (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Griffin-Kremer, Cozette
• Is Part Of: Folk life. Volume 53:Number 1(2015)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 18
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: lily-of-the-valley, -- muguet, -- French customs, -- May Day, -- maying, -- Rambouillet; Folklore -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Folklore -- Ireland -- Periodicals; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- Periodicals; Ireland -- Social life and customs -- Periodicals; 398
• DOI: 10.1179/0430877815Z.00000000035
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0430-8778

Abstract

Abstract : Some ten years of casual, then concentrated, observation of May Day and maying customs in France, including a particular town festival, has led to many questions about continuity and the resilience (or stimulation) of holiday custom in the face of the changes that affect it. There are considerable commercial stakes involved, as well as aesthetic aspects, and the strength of convictions that it is possible to wish someone well at this time. There are also multiple actors in a web of community, whose adhesion and agency may be tried by incremental or even incidental change.