When Tradition Needs A Rethink

There are many so-called traditional practices that have been outlawed, either because they are cruel or because they are dangerous. One or two – mainly fox hunting and game shooting – still remain despite fierce opposition. We have taken a step back and looked at many practices from the perspective of welfare and safety, we have cast a modern eye on past traditions; but there are some that fly completely under the radar.

On 1 August many pagan followers acknowledge the turning of the seasonal wheel when they celebrate Lughnasadh/Lammas, which traditionally represents the first harvest, the grain harvest. There are a number of symbols associated with this celebration, obviously bread, but also fire – fires were traditionally lit upon hill tops. Nowadays you cannot light a fire atop any hilltop of your choosing, so the fires are kept within the boundaries of the festival itself, this is important because it is already a digression from tradition. This year (2026) is an especially dry year in much of the northern hemisphere and the land is utterly parched, with many wildfires raging on the continent and some in the UK as well. We have not had any significant rainfall in some time, so the land is extremely susceptible to fire – a discarded cigarette end, a rogue piece of glass are all it takes to start a wildfire. With this in mind it seems sensible that the many Lughnasadh celebrations omitted fire from their celebrations this year, nobody would have been upset I am sure, indeed most people would have applauded their sensible and considerate attitude. Instead, some celebrations still involved fire! Yes, precautions were taken, but you can never guarantee a rogue spark won’t make landfall and begin something catastrophic, because it only takes that one spark! Fire has a life of its own and should be respected as something that can take life away, as well as give it. It is not something to be played with, to be paraded around for fun.

Coming from people whose belief system is rooted in nature, loving mother earth and what she provides, I find this decision to be utterly selfish and utterly disrespectful of nature – had a wildfire started the death and destruction to what so many hold dear would have been terrible. Would it not have been better for organisers to approach this year’s Lughnasadh celebrations with a more cautious, modern, eye? Could they not have released a statement declaring their respect for nature to be far more important than the traditional fire and placed more emphases on the other symbols of this celebration? Would that not have been more in keeping with their belief system? Fire is not necessary to celebrate anything and to do so when the ground is tinder dry is irresponsible.

I understand this is a controversial subject that may see me met with some criticism, but I feel it is important to call this sort of thing out. As a lover of nature myself and as someone who grew up in a rural area, I understand just how easy it is for a fire to take hold and the devastation it can cause to both plant and animal life. It is a risk that is not worth taking during the hot summer months. Maybe this is why I choose to follow my own path entirely alone – this way I make choices that I feel are most respectful to the natural world and I bear the consequences of those choices entirely on my own shoulders. There is no committee, or assembly, to share the burden, no one else to pass the blame to, just my own conscience.

It would be nice to see a little more thought for this planet coming from those who claim to love it so. Although I hasten to add that many groups did opt to forgo fire this year, so perhaps there is hope yet?