Photo from 2006

Here is a picture of the Celtic Heritage Society and friends at the Mt Franklin Beltane 25th Anniversary.

My Beltane People

When I agreed to help initiate this weblog I had spent a pleasant afternoon chatting with Linda and Michel about the old days at Mount Franklin and, inevitably, the talk turned to people of Beltanes past. Beltane has always been about people and regardless of whether you attend one or twenty-nine, it becomes a part of you and you indelibly become a pert of it too. I have brought many friends to Beltane, my sister Susan was handfasted at Mount Franklin and a swarm of friends came to share in it. When I see these (non-pagan) friends now, years later, they still remember their Beltane and the people that they met there.

Some, like my sister, are no longer with us, and Beltane has missed the contributions of David O’Conner (remember his fire walking?) or Simon Goodman who guided the organizers in the early years. One who I particularly miss is Leon, the country boy from Gordon who was the most natural-born pagan that I have ever met. Leon was the first to jump up for a job that needed doing and the last to leave when the clean-up crew were done. I miss him at the mountain and I am sad that I won’t hear him growl a greeting at me again (in this life).

Others have drifted away, like Gary Trevers who loved the music of the weekend. I also miss seeing Jerry & Carol who have wandered away now but were once regular and enthusiastic attendees. And, over the years, there have been those who have drifted through and gone, taking something of the Beltane spirit with them. There was Michael Jackson (I kid you not!) who helped me to spit roast a goat for the handfasting feast. That same year, Susan’s friend Dave Munday burned his bum on the bonfire, after the main ceremony, trying to jump it after Linda told him that it would increase his virility!

But, I think that the most memorable character for me was the Lady Tanith who flew to Victoria from Perth one year for the weekend. She was a grand old dame and, I am sure, a fine witch. We escorted her (and her po-mouthed assistant) to and from Mount Franklin, ran her errands and generally indulged her for four days and, as she left, she gave me a very generous gift of Frankincense oil (which Cazz may still have! Ha Ha!). She was great fun- and a real character too, and I always hoped that she remembered her Beltane at Mount Franklin with affection.

by David Mattichak

An Excellent Review of the MFAPG Blog Site!!

There is a great review and link to the site that has been posted on wildhunt at http://wildhunt.org/blog/2010/11/pagan-community-notes-women-and-the-changing-face-of-paganism-pagan-health-mount-franklin-gathering-turns-30-and-more.html
Check it out!

Thanks to Cazz Tully for the link.

My First Mount Franklin

Photo: by Simon Goodman.

In 1986 I was 20 years old. Me and my then boyfriend – the person who introduced me to magick – David Mattichak, had been together for two years. Living in inner city Melbourne, we had somehow come across copies of the alternative farming publication, Grass Roots magazine, and we liked what we saw. We subsequently made a pact to move to the country no matter what, and later that year lugged most of our gear to Central Victoria where we knew people: Linda and Mischael Marold. 

Linda and Mischael were (and still are) experts in all things alternative, from farming, to gardening, to crafts, and to alternative lifestyle festivals. Speaking of which, October eventually came around and it was time for the 1986 Mount Franklin Annual Pagan Gathering. David and I had never been there before and so did not really know what to expect. It had been quite a hot day, back at home in Guildford, and I did not see any reason to bring warm clothes – or even shoes – with me up to the mountain. I can’t remember what I did bring, but it seemed to have involved at least a tent.

It was much colder at Mount Franklin than it had been down on the plain. So cold that I had to borrow a blanket from a guy to wear during the day (you can see me wearing it in this photo). Unfortunately he wanted it back that night, when it was even colder! So I had no warm clothes and no shoes... Then it started raining. Our tent had no side ropes holding the roof part away from the tent walls, so every time we lent on the tent material from the inside, it became wet and the water seeped through.

I’m not sure whether we had any blankets, pillows or other types of comfort, but I do recall being freezing and having hardly any sleep because of it. Nor can I remember whether this Mount Franklin went for one or two nights but at some stage, at night, there was a large group ritual. I recall that this ritual crystallised for David and I our identities as Thelemic ritual magicians, rather than Wiccans or Pagans – an identification that I, at least, have modified somewhat over the subsequent years – as we realised how stylistically different this sort of ritual was to what we had been doing.

I did not know anyone except the Marolds at the 1986 Mount Franklin, although I’m sure people who I would later become good friends with – and who were famous long-time attendees – were there. I do recall that Simon Goodman took the photo of David and I, but that’s about it. I’m sure we had fun though, despite my foggy memory, because I subsequently went to eleven more Mount Franklins, and because this blog is making me nostalgic, am considering returning there again.

By Caroline Tully.

A New Thread in an Old Tapestry

As this site has so many active followers and has garnered some small amount of interest among Pagans around the world (yes folks, the world has been watching!) I thought that it may be constructive to begin a thread where we can all make a positive contribution. I would love to hear what all of you like most about Beltane, and other celebrations, at Mt. Franklin. What do you think are the essential events of the Beltane gathering? What kind of ceremony should there be? What elements of the ritual are the most vital, exciting, meaningful to you? What direction do you think that the Beltane celebrations should go in from here?

Leave a comment here or e-mail us at mountfranklinpagans@gmail.com and we'll get it posted for you.

Looking towards 2011 and the 30th Anniversary of Mount Franklin Annual Pagan Gatherings!!

Well, what can we say the excitement is already upon us as we stir the pot and conceive of some wonderful and innovative ideas for next years 30th anniversary! One of the ways in which we have decided to celebrate the unique place that the gathering holds in so many hearts is to expand this blog site to include great articles from both Traditional and Pagan streams of Craft. Here we hope that readers and followers of this blog will enjoy both contributing and indulging in information which is unique to the practices found in Australia.

Housekeeping!:
No inappropriate material will be permitted on this blog site. Any further inflammatory postings by persons indulging in pointless illogical attacks will be removed post haste. This is not the forum for your particular angsts either real or imagined.

What we do welcome is educated articles regarding Craft and Paganism, books, memories and discussions. If any out there are hogging those special Mount Franklin memories somewhere in pictorial form or deep in the cerebral vaults then please,  by all means dig them out, extract them and send them in for publishing!

That said, it is time to move forward. It is time for rising above that which would seek to bind us. Light well your lanterns! Proceed with all due care to illuminate the winding path,  the long walk that leads us home.

Blessed Be

Mods.

Cool Pic from 2002!

This photo of that appears to be hooded spirits was taken on the last Saturday of October in 2002, by my friends’ friend. It was a digital camera, and the picture appeared fine until it was uploaded, and appeared like this. This picture has not been doctored at all.
The location is campsite called Mt Franklin, a very beautiful volcanic crater in central Victoria near Daylesford, where an annual pagan ritual has occurred. At the time this picture was taken, the festival was in its 21st year. The picture faces the actual ritual site used every year. Other rituals are held by pagans in this campsite, all year round, but none as large as this annual event. This was taken the morning before the ritual. It’s a very sacred place to pagans of Victoria.

I have even had a strange mist appear before me in a photo at the mountain just before I was actually going to run the ritual as priestess, this occurring in 2003. Over the years other people have seen strange things – children-sized little people sitting cross-legged on tent roofs, and aboriginals ancestors watching over the gatherings. I also saw a child/faery in a tree for a split second as I was driving out of the mountain in 2002, only a few hours after this amazing photo had been taken.

I am not sure the picture can be enlarged any more than this.

TANIA

2010

More Great Shots from Tania

Great Photos of Beltane 2010 by Scarlett DeMasson

constructing the marquee

huddling under shelter

constructing the bonfire



& constructing the bonfire



lake franklin

before the ritual

more before the ritual

sunday morning before the maypole

Thanks to Scarlett DeMasson for these great photos- I especially like this last shot, it sums up the spirit of the weekend very nicely. Well done!

From the organisers of the Gathering :

You've got to love a La Nina year! All our prayers and workings for rain were answered in one hit on the weekend. We all gathered on the beloved mountain, cunningly armed with a large waterproof marquee, and sang, laughed, danced and cavorted for the feast of Beltane. Friday was warm and mild, but down it came on Saturday, as the heavans opened. But, as has happened before, the ritual circle was blessed with a cessation of the rain, for exactly as long as it took for the ritual to be completed. The spiral dance opened proceedings as the God was called to bring us the fire of the sun. We then called the Goddess who entered the circle escorted by her bird messengers. She danced with her sacred spouse and they both disappeared to the north as we passed a loving cup to bind us in love and amity. The participants then adjourned to the marquee where we all shared the lamb roast that had been sizzling all day over a hot fire of eucalyptus wood. Sunday saw much drying out of gear, good humoured comments on the sense of humour of the gods, and a lovely maypole dance . The Moot was called and we all agreed it was a wonderful Gathering, and are looking forward to next year - number thirty! It's going to be a ripper! Thanks so much to everyone who has helped and encouraged us, too numerous to mention, we couldn't have done it without you all. All the best, Blessed Be    The Organisers.

Beltane 2010

The Mount Franklin Annual Pagan Gathering was held to celebrate Beltane on the weekend of the 29^th-31^st October 2010, making this the 29^th consecutive year of the festival.

Friday morning Central Victoria was bathed in warm sunshine as the Pagan folk assembled at the mountain and set up their campsite in the north-west corner of the park, making a neat little village for the weekend’s social activities.

After weeks of fretting over the Eclectic Witches coming up and repeating the bad behavior of past years, in the end only a small, quiet group of them actually came to the mountain this year and, after a bit of quarrelling amongst themselves and meeting the Daylesford constabulary late on Friday night, they proved to b less than an annoyance and the Mount Franklin Annual Pagan Gathering camp reveled happily into the night in spite of the inclement weather that had blown in on Friday evening.

Saturday rained all day, which kept the numbers of visitors to Beltane down, but by late afternoon sixty or so hardy Pagans had gathered to celebrate Beltane and in fine Mt. Franklin tradition the heavens cleared as the crowd was called by the sound of a drum for the ceremony.

To begin the ceremony we all were faced outwards in the circle, joined hands and did the Spiral Dance which ended in us all facing inwards. The High Priest circumambulated and then the High Priestess called the Elements, the Wind, Fire, Waves and Stone, to attend the rite.

Next, the High Priest faced the south and invoked the Horned God who entered our circle dancing, accompanied by his attendants, and carrying a torch that he used to light the Bonfire. As the flames took hold the congregation chanted to “Fire” before the High Priestess called to the Triple Goddess who entered the circle from the west as a flock of birds, come to consummate the yearly union with her consort and to beget the bounty and fertility of the summer season.

Following this, the wine was blessed by the High Priest and Priestess in the north, who then passed the brimful horn of wine around the circle for us each to take a sip and receive and then give the blessing as we passed it on, all the while singing the songs of Beltane. Finally, when the congregation had all partaken the High Priestess refilled the horn and made with it the offering of wine to the Mother Earth before announcing that we had successfully celebrated the Sabbat of Beltane and giving us all the charge to depart in peace.

With the ceremony done, the good Pagan folk gathered around the Bonfire and began the Beltane revelry in earnest with wine and a song for Bacchus, and later with a lamb on a spit as the centre of a fine Pagan feast along with the enjoyment of the good company, ensuring that the celebration went on for the remainder of the night. As in years past, the Pagans of Mt. Franklin didn’t allow the weather to dampen their spirits and Beltane 2010 was a genuine celebration of the new summer season once again.

David G Mattichak jr

On the Eve of Beltane

So we have come to the eve of Beltane again this year and all of the preparations are in place for a great celebration. Tomorrow afternoon the good Pagan folk will begin arriving at Mt. Franklin and the crater will be full of life for another celebration of Summer. From all of the responses and RSVPs this year it is shaping up to be a Sabbat that we will remember for years to come.

I would just like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has contributed to this blog with photos and stories of their time on the mountain. I have re-connected with many long cherished friends and made many new friends to enjoy in the future. Without your help this forum would be filled with only my meagre offerings. I hope that you have all enjoyed this blog and that we can all use it to continue to make Beltane at Mount Franklin better and better with the passing years.

See you all at the mountain!

Blessings

David G Mattichak

Permit Details for Beltane 2010

Just to clear up a few queries, the situation re the permits for Mt Franklin is as follows: We-the Organisers of the Gathering, have a permit for 80 people. Brian Head ("darkwolf") has a permit for 30. Both lots of permit holders have to be clean and tidy, bring our own toilet paper and firewood, and clean up the mountain after our camping is over. Brian and his followers have to stay at least 30 metres away from our folk. What Brian unaccountably failed to mention was that we, the Organisers of the Gathering, have exclusive access to the ritual area from 12.30pm on Friday, to 12.30 pm on Sunday. We also have a permit for a ritual fire.

Over the years we have shared the mountain with an amazing variety of folks who have all been lovely in their own ways. The Daylesford Baptist church 100 year reunion, Scouts, Girl Guides, a busload of geology students,a wedding with horsedrawn carriages, the Winnebago group (boy can they party). The only exception has been the group calling itself the "trolls". Everyone knows about their anti social behaviour, so I don't have to go into details. If they had been as pleasant and co operative as all the other groups, and genuinely dedicated to Pagan ways, rather than their own egos, they would be as welcome as anyone. Sadly this has not been the case.

We are greatly looking forward to this weekend, to positive Pagan networking and planning for next year, a happy ritual and a good time to be had by all. We welcome all good pagan folk to this Sacred Mountain. Blessed Be, The Organisers.

What is Beltane?

Beltane ('bεltən) [Adopted in Lowland Scotch from Gaelic bealltainn, bealtuinn (in Irish bealltaine, Manx boaltinn, boaldyn) the Celtic name of the first of May, the beginning of summer.- O.E.D.- 2^nd Ed. 2009

The Wiccan Sabbat Beltane has its roots in an ancient Celtic festival held on the first day of May when bonfires were lighted on the hills. Originally, on May Day, the Druids are said to have alighted two fires between which they drove their cattle to protect them from disease. The practice of lighting fires on Beltane continued on in the Scottish Highlands and Beltane became one of the Quarter, or Term, days of Scotland that divided the legal year and upon which rents and interest on loans were due and when servants were hired and paid. Although the dates have been shifted, these Quarter days survive to this day and were regularized by the British Parliament as late as 1990.

Since 1998 the tradition of lighting fires on Beltane has been revived in modern Edinburgh where the Beltane Fire Festival continues the ancient celebration of the beginning of summer. Whilst many of the celebrations are based on the traditions, the organizers do not claim that it is any sort of continuation of the old Gaelic Beltane; rather it is a modern recognition of the day and its cultural importance to the Scots.

Regardless of the question of the traditional roots of Beltane, Pagans observe the Sabbats as the celebrations of the passing seasons and the long history of the celebration of Beltane makes for a renewed and continued significance in the traditional festival of the beginning of summer.

The Chart of the Heavens over Mt. Franklin for Beltane

Beltane 2010- October 30 2010 7:30 EDST

P 14°52’   b

A 06°51’    h

B 05°00’    e

C 15°18’    h

D 04°21’    h

E 01°30’    i

F 24°12’ R  l

G 11°18’    g

H 27°25’ R  l

K 25°55’ R  k

J 03°24’ j

L 05°36’ j

M 05°36’ d

MC 22°54’k

IC 22°54’e

PF 13°01’k

I just thought that everyone might be interested in the astrological arrangements for the evening of the Beltane ceremony on the mount. I had a look at the fall of the planets and jotted down a few quick notes as best as my meager astological talents allow:

Sol in the first decan of Scorpio indicates the beginning of a period of awareness of change. i.e. winter to summer.

(note: in the Northern Hemisphere Sol is in the first decan of Taurus implying an awareness of the endurance of nature.)

Luna in the first decan of Leo shows a gradual growth towards a period of strength and prominence.

Mercury in the middle decan of Scorpio indicates a magickally transformative period.

Venus in the first decan of Scorpio shows this Beltane will be a celebration of the enjoyment of love and friendship. It also indicates a successful consecration!

Mars in the initial decan of Sagittarius has us at the beginning of a period of more evolved state of affairs, but not without some friction.

Jupiter in the final decan of Pisces indicates a time that is on the verge of a greater fortune yet is held back by the retrograde motion of Jove.

Saturn continues to creep through Libra bringing a period of adjustment, co-operation and egalitarianism (also restriction by natural law).

The outer planets, show this period to be one that is on the verge of important and lasting spiritual change in the world although ambition drives this generation and this time.

The Head of the Dragon in the first decan of Capricorn indicates a period when it will be fortuitous to pursue ambitions or secretly held plans, but the Tail of the Dragon in the first decan of Cancer balances this out as these ambitions will not come to a triumphant end.

The Part of Fortune for Beltane falls in mid Aquarius showing good fortune in matters of spiritual insight.

The conjunction of Sol and Venus makes this day about the awareness of the importance of friendship and of love. It marks this day as one of fellowship.

Luna is square to Venus causing tension between the emotions and intuition and spiritual insight/awareness. whilst Sol being also square to Luna shows a tension between inner and outer consciousness for the day.

If anyone out there would like to add their own interpretation of this chart to the blog please e-mail us at mountfranklinpagans@gmail.com and I will get them up (comments are also appreciated but have a strict word limit).

David G Mattichak jr

Beltane Photos 2000-08 by Tania Poole

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