Men's Day

Visiting Germany I learned of one of their cultural traditions which kind of makes the mind boggle as to its roots. On Ascension Day, one of the many Christian holidays that western European countries celerbate by taking the day off - again - the Germans do something a bit different. Every year Ascension Day is also known as Men's Day (Herrentag), and all the men get hold of little wooden pull-along trolleys, like the things kids put lego in, fill them with bottles of drink and cans of beer, and walk around getting drunk.

Fascinating.

The German who told me about it said they go for walks in the woods and then get drunk. I'm not sure what the significance is of going into the woods, but somehow that't the only bit that was suggestive of any tradition. Searching for something more meaningful, I imagined an old tradition of German peasants taking the religious day, the day Jesus's soul rose to heaven, and walking in the woods together in some clan-like brotherhood, reflecting upon their spiritual lives. Or perhaps even a pagan tradition, where the men walked together as warrior hunters, in the spring lit woods, where life is teeming, orienting themsleves for the summer, finding where the animals have been nesting, banding together as brothers, teaching young boys the ways of being a man, and connecting with the fertile spring energy in nature to bring home their mating energy to their women.

I liked the images that came to mind, but my German friend assured me it's just as excuse to start drinking at 10am and keep going all day.

He was telling me this while we were watching a young muscular man dressed in a pink tutu, pink fairy wings and a pink crown, being forced to sweep confetti and streamers and other messy things from the steps, while his friends continued to strew them about, making his task impossible. Every few minutes another swig was taken from a bottle of spirits (this was on the university grounds at 5pm) and another beer can was opened. Apparently on your 30th birthday if you are not married this is what you are subjected to. Another old tradition with unknown roots - surely in this day and age most of the 30 year olds aren't married?? Or is it kept alive because of the excuse it is to drink and make fun of friends?

I asked if there was a Women's Day as well. Apparently there is, but there's no drinking tradition that goes with it. My friend couldn't really tell me much about it - he knew more about International Women's Day on March 8th.

So what to make of it? There is actually an International Men's Day on Nov 19th to celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of men to their communities and familes, improve gender equality, mens and boys health. Awesome stuff if you ask me, but not many people know about it. Perhaps they should combine this with the pink tutu and the drinking and the walking in the woods and there might be some more enthusiasm for it.