Come one and all from 0years to 101!;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Do you know of any beasts in New Cross-
Real or imaginary- from the wild spaces,
garden or under the bed!;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Come to New Cross Peoples' Library
and bring them to life and then parade them
up to Telegraph Hill on Winter Solstice. To celebrate and mark the shortest day of the year
and the returning of the sun!;;;;;;;;;;
;;;;;;;;;;;
Dates: Draw and Design The Beasts, Saturday 26th November 2011- 12-5pm
Building of the Beasts, Sunday 18th December 2011- 11-5pm
Telegraph Hill Winter Solstice Parade, Thursday 22nd December 2011- gather at 4.30 to leave at 5 to join the Telegraph Hill parade.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Are you creative and would you like to microvolunteer your time and learn how to teach others how to make the beasts? Come along to New Cross Library on Saturday 3rd December 2011-2-5pm;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
Donations to the library and transition town are most welcome but definitely not expected. This production is brought to you by Transition Town New Cross together with The Unextinction Machine;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
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The Unextinction Machine may have disappeared to do its work elsewhere but a great crowd of animals is making a come back to the Telegraph Hill area. Reinventing the old forgotten tradition of this area, just as the Garlick Man was rediscovered for the Summer Solstice, there will be a Winter Solstice celebration. Everyone is invited to dress as an animal, wear a beasty headdress or mask, or hold an animalistic sculpture, bring a cuddly toy or walk your pet dogs or polecats, and bring your lanterns and your musical instruments. Meet at the Telegraph pub at 5pm, a cheer at 5.30 pm at the moment of the turning of the year, then set off for an illuminated musical parade around the streets, ending at the Hill Station for wassailing, eating and drinking. The winter solstice relates to animals because in ancient times it was the time of year when animals were slaughtered for meat supplies to last through the winter. In Finland, the Sami sacrificed animals for the sun-goddess Beiwe to eat. In Mali, they celebrate the arrival of humans in the Ark of the World, full of animals to populate the earth. The Hopi of North America bless their houses and all their animals. We don’t know exactly why the people of Telegraph Hill celebrated the Night of the Beasts, but documents recording the existence of the ceremony have been recently discovered by the curators of the Nunhead and District Municipal Museum and Art Gallery. To make sure lots of amazing animals will show up, artists are invited to gather and show people how to create masks, headdresses, furry costumes, beasty lanterns, or other wondrous creations. Feel free to drop in to this workshop (if it’s crowded we may ask you to come back later or show you some ideas to try at home). This will be 11.30-4.00 on 17th December in the Art Room (behind the Narthex) in the Telegraph Hill community centre. For more information, contact Bridget on [email protected]
We’d also like to hear from anyone willing to write a funny wassail song, with verses celebrating different animals, for everyone to join in singing.
