Area events to light up the longest night of the year

Photo by Andres F. Uran, Unsplash.

By Stewart McFerran and Pat Stinson

MANISTEE COUNTY – Two local villages will celebrate the first day of winter, also known as the winter solstice, with special observances this evening, the longest night of the year.

The winter solstice occurs at 10:59 a.m. today, when the Northern Hemisphere reaches its maximum tilt away from sol, the Latin word for sun. This earthly occurrence marks the transition from the shortest day and longest night of the year to longer days and shorter nights. Since ancient times, humans celebrated this passage with specific rites designed to illuminate the longest night.

In Kaleva, townsfolk and the public are invited to help place 1,000 luminaries on graves at Maple Grove Cemetery, located at Nine Mile Road and Kaleva Street. All are asked to meet across the street from the cemetery at 4 p.m. to participate in this annual event.

In Copemish, Archangel Ancient Tree Archive encourages tree lovers and others to gather at 5 p.m. today at its headquarters at 16880 Front St. to walk a spiral of evergreen boughs lit with the flickering light of candles. The ceremony will be followed by wagon rides from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Afterward, all may gather for a bonfire, hot chocolate, tea, cookies and s’mores from 8 p.m. until 9 p.m. at the “island” park area in front of Archangel. The events are free, and a donation jar will be available to community members to help defray the cost of supplies.

“The spiral walk is celebrated by Indigenous people around the world, people of the Earth,” said Caryssa Rouser, Archangel tree caregiver and propagation specialist.

This inaugural event also includes “tree music” provided by ancient trees “speaking out” with the help of Tom Wall, a musician with the band “Cosmic Knot.” Florganoleptic music, as it is called, is created when electrical signals from plants are translated into different pitches.

Archangel invites people of all ages to “come share the wonder” of the changing seasons with others who love trees. Each participant will light a candle they receive at the center of the spiral from an “angel.” As they walk out of the spiral, they will place their lit candle inside a white paper bag along the path, “adding the gift of your light to the spiral.”    

To learn more about Archangel Ancient Tree Archive, go to www.ancienttreearchive.org  and follow them on Facebook @ArchangelAncientTree.

To read more about winter solstice traditions across the planet, visit https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/13-fascinating-winter-solstice-traditions-around-the-world/ar-BB1bNbtk

Read Nikki Schneider’s story, “Heading into the light”