Lughnasadh is widely referred to as the First Harvest. It is generally around this time of year when corn, wheat, and other grains are ready for harvesting. In modern Pagan circles, this sabbat also commonly goes by the name Lammas, stemming from the Anglo-Saxon term for “loaf-mass,” a logical title in conjunction with the season’s harvest. While many instantly think of wheat when it comes to Lughnasadh and Lammas, we must not forget the equally important grain of corn. Corn is quite central to many Lammas celebrations and cross-culturally corn plays a role in many other cultural celebrations that occur around the time of the First Harvest. Corn grows on every continent except Antarctica, since it has such a wide growing range, and, being a versatile grain with so many uses, it’s no wonder that it has risen to sacred status among so many peoples.
The Green Corn Ceremony, also referred to as the Green Corn Dance, is a prime example of the celebrations that occur around the First Harvest honoring the corn crops. The Green Corn Ceremony has manifestations among many of the North American First Nations, especially in the east and southeast. Ritual customs and procedures vary from nation to nation; however, they share the common theme of honoring and giving thanks to the earth and spirits for the year’s corn crop and supplication for continued abundance.
The Corn Mother is a central figure to many Green Corn Ceremonies and Festivals. To North American First Nations, she is a benefic and loving figure. Many versions of her story depict her as a beautiful woman, with her story including variations of a romance with a tribesman. In connection with their union, the Corn Mother provides the people with the information on how to grow, tend, and use the corn crops. Still other versions of the story paint her as an older, almost grandmotherly, loving maternal figure who brought the corn grain to the people through various methods, including rubbing her body and magickally producing grains of corn that would fall from her!
Death and rebirth as well as creation and destruction are common themes for many of the sabbats, and Lughnasadh is no different. Some variations of the Corn Mother stories credit the actual grain of corn with being a child of the Corn Mother, and its harvesting as a death. This parallels the tale from English folklore of John Barleycorn as the grain god, who meets his death at Lughnasadh as well. The planting, growing, raising, tending, harvesting, and eventual replanting of the grain, or John Barleycorn, is symbolic of the cycle of death, life, and rebirth. While John Barleycorn is most often seen as the barley crop personified, in modern times he is very much an applicable personification to other various grains, including, of course, corn.
In a season revolving around the harvest of corn and various grains and celebrations of divine manifestations such as the Corn Mother and John Barleycorn, it is worth visiting a classic Pagan ritual chant that is practically made for this sabbat! The rhythmic cadence of “Hoof and Horn” can be heard in many a sacred circle at Lammas time. Its lyrics succinctly tell the story of the earth at this time of year in an infectious manner perfect for raising energy. There are many variations of the wording; however, one common version is as follows:
Hoof and horn, hoof and horn
All that dies shall be reborn.
Corn and grain, corn and grain
All that falls shall rise again.
Again, we see a call back to the theme of life, death, and rebirth within the lines of the chant. A most perfect chant for raising power at your First Harvest observance!
Due to its sacred nature, corn has without surprise found its way into ritual use as well. Corn and corn meal are a common offering in many different cultures. The Hopi people actually use different varieties of corn as offerings to the sacred directions of their cosmology: yellow corn to the Northwest, white corn to the Northeast, red corn to the Southeast, and blue corn to the Southwest. Due to the sustenance that corn brings and the sacred stories of its origins, it is no wonder that it became a fitting offering to use in sacred ceremonies. An offering is seen as a form of sacrifice in many cultures and a sacrifice must be something of value. Corn undoubtedly has value. In Haitian Vodou, cornmeal is used to draw veves, symbols used to represent and invoke the Lwa (spirits of Vodou). Many shamanic cultures variously use corn as an offering representing fertility, prosperity, abundance, and even the ancestors.
A good deal of the magick and rituals that are performed around Lughnasadh season revolve around giving thanks for an abundant harvest and working toward assuring that next year’s crop will be successful. The corn dolly is one of the magickal creations of the season that work toward that end. It was thought by many that saving the last piece of husk from the corn harvest and preserving it would help in carrying the energy of the successful crop to the next year. Traditionally, the corn dolly is made of this last husk to safely house and carry forth the spirit of the corn. At the time of the next planting, the old dolly is ritually disposed of, generally by either burning or tilling it into the fields during planting.
The prominent position of corn in world culture and spirituality has endured the test of time. Cultures across both space and time have a common ground in the magick, abundance, and sacred mysteries of corn. I do hope you’ll incorporate some corn lore and horning of this sacred grain into your Lammas and Lughnasadh celebrations! Whether you offer some blue corn to your ancestors, serve up homemade corn bread during cakes and ale, or create a corn dolly, may your First Harvest be blessed with sacred corn!
Bibliography
Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham’s Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1985.
Franklin, Anna, and Paul Mason. Lammas: Celebrating the Fruits of the First Harvest. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2001.
“Hopi color Direction Symbolism.” West Virginia University. Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, accessed August 26, 2014. http://www.as.wvu.edu/~scmcc/colordirections.pdf
McCoy, Edain. Sabbats: A Witch’s Approach to Living the Old Ways. St. Paul, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 1994.
Wigington, Patti. “The Legend of John Barleycorn.” About.com. Accessed September 1, 2014. http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/lammas/a/Barleycorn.htm.