If you venture out into the night-time ancient streets of Penzance around the solstice festivals of Montol (Midwinter) or Golowan (Midsummer), you may encounter some very strange, and potently Pagan goings on… There seems to be an ancient and deeply held desire within the people of Penzance, and surrounding areas in Penwith, to mark with revelry these extreme points in the year’s tides. Attempts were made in the past by the authorities to bring a stop to such ‘unruly’ celebrations, in particular the Golowan festivities, which in the past would have involved long lines of burning tar barrels and huge cuts of burning tar-soaked sail-cloths being swung through the air from poles or lengths of chain. Thankfully these festivals refused to be buried and survive today. The fires survive also, at Golowan in the form of fireworks, burning torch processions and the occasional fire-breathing. At Montol – beautiful lanterns and the glorious Montol fire. Penglaz – revived and evolved from old Penwith tradition is Penzance’s very own ‘Oss. Genuine traditions are living and evolving creatures, and for many years now Penglaz has stomped, stalked and dashed through the Penzance streets as a striking mare-skull pole-‘Oss, draped in black cloth, netting and wild red, black and gray green tatters and her appearance in the crowded, torch-lit night-time streets inspires a primal awe. For the people today, she is a central part of the old magic and ritual of the festivals she visits, the very vessel and vehicle of the seasonal energies led by the Teazer known locally as ‘The Bucca’ a local spirit/deity of light and dark aspect associated with the land and the weather – being the reason for his/her importance to fishermen and farmers. At Montol, Penglaz is the sacred vessel of the death and rebirth mid-winter tide and is led by the Teazer in the role of Bucca Dhu – the black god/spirit – who presides over the dark half of the year and the winter season energies. Here Penglaz is crowned with the sacred Yew of death and rebirth. At Golowan she is crowned with flowers as the vessel of the mid-summer season tide presided over now by Bucca Gwidder – the white god/spirit. At the time of writing, the Teazer – Bucca role has been potently performed by Cassandra Latham – the village wise-woman of St Buryan. In 2008 Cassandra formed the Penglaz Co-operative to ensure the survival and proper, respectful continuation of the Penglaz tradition – which has always been provided to the community for free. Please visit the Penglaz Co-operative’s website at www.penglaz.co.uk

Excerpt from 'Traditional Witchcraft - A Cornish Book of Ways:

"...it is also a time of transformation, the gradual return of the sun and of the serpent celebrated with sacred fires upon which the Montol ‘Mock’ is burned. This is the Cornish ‘Yule Log’ as it is called in other areas where Oak is used with its solar associations. In Cornwall the Ash is often used instead and is regarded as a highly magical tree, associated with the serpent. The Mock is marked with a white chalk figure and burned with great ceremony and celebration of the re-birthing into the world, the energies that the Mock represents. Young folk would dance indoors around many candles stood up within a vessel of sand, or around a bonfire outside and the mysterious ‘guise’ or ‘geese’ dancers would jape about; transformed by their animal spirit masks. The holly, yew, ivy and mistletoe would be brought into the home, affirming life in this darkest time and as a charm to encourage the return of abundant greenery to the land. As the mock was brought into the house and placed upon the fire, each member of the household would light a painted candle from it to partake of the re-birthing of the serpent and the sun. Children were allowed to stay up for this and to drink to the Mock.

In Penzance, the Montol street celebrations have thankfully been revived with fire, guise dancing and of course the town’s beloved Penglaz cutting a startling figure along the icy cold streets as she was always meant to do. She is crowned at this time in yew and led by Bucca Dhu, for at Montol she is the vessel for the spirit of the winter season, and the continuation of life within the cold, hard land..."

All images below © Jane Cox. For prints or other Penglaz related items, please visit the Penglaz website where money is raised from all sales to help ensure the continuation of the penglaz tradition.

www.penglaz.co.uk