For ten of the twelve last years, I have had the honorary duty I enjoyed yesterday: Being Rudesheim Herbstmuck.
Starting out with historical walking acts, being asked in 2002 to help out the local vintners, this turned fun.
Herbstmuck is a symbol of the last grape, like the last oar or Pacha Mama in corn-growing cultures. We designed her with a medieval rural costume, headscarf, crown of wine, and 'Stutz', the earthen, regional wine pincher.
She is fun. A mixture between Celtic Cerridwen, Greek Baubo, German Holle, and ancient Sapientia.
Hildegard Bingensis sees her clad in the Green Mantle of Creation.
She follows the wine queens to church, participates in Thanksgiving Mass in choir (an act of grace and tolerance, ending up in a nice little choreography at Eucharist, for I am Lutheran), is part of the opening, and gives a speech. Declaring herself as the symbol of this year's harvest, remembering all season, the hard cold winter, the hot summer, the yearning for rain, the labour of the vineyard, desk and cellar, the joy of harvesttide.
Then she offers the first toast of the new season to the community and welcomes the guests afterwards.
Herbstmuck is fun.
A good symbol for roots, earth and harvest.
For plenty. And for gratitude.
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