From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An unlit bonfire for Swiss National Day

A bonfire is a large controlled outdoor fire. The word is a contraction of "bone fire". The practice is believed to derive from the Celtic festival of Samhain when animal bones were burnt to ward off evil spirits. In Great Britain, bonfires are particularly associated with Guy Fawkes Night (also known as fireworks night or bonfire night), an annual commemoration of the discovery of the The Gunpowder Plot on 5 November 1605. In Sussex they are particularly associated with the execution of Protestant martyrs. In Northern Ireland, they are associated with celebrations on the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne, which took place on 12 July 1690. Along with the Maypole, it is an important component of the Wiccan and Neopagan celebration of Beltaine, also known as May Day. In the United States, a bonfire is often held at the end of a Homecoming rally.

On Christmas Eve in Southern Louisiana, bonfires are built along the Mississippi River levees to light the way for Santa Claus as he moves along the river with his skiff pulled by eight alligators. This tradition is an annual event in St. James Parish, Louisiana.^[1]

A bonfire at Dartmouth College

In many regions of continental Europe, bonfires are made traditionally on 24 June, which is, for Roman Catholics, the solemnity of John the Baptist, but as well on Saturday night before Easter. The rite is, however, older, and originally was a pagan celebration of the summer solstice and hence celebrated as "midsummer" on 21 June.

In Denmark, the bonfires are held on the night of the 23rd of June, combined with the burning of a witch made from straw and clothes.

In Ireland, bonfires are always held on the night of 31st October to celebrate Halloween.

In Iceland, bonfires are traditional on New Year's Eve, and on January 6, which is the last day of the Icelandic Christmas season.

In Japan, large fires called bon-bi are set to welcome the return of the spirits of the ancestors. Though the two terms are not etymologically or historically related, they serve similar purposes and indicate the universal importance of large fires.

In Israel, in the eve of Lag Ba'Omer, youngsters and their parents light bonfires in open spaces in cities and towns throughout the country. One knows that Lag Ba'Omer is drawing near when children begin collecting wood boards, old doors, and anything made from wood that can burn. This happens from a week to 10 days before Lag Ba'Omer. As Lag Ba'Omer approaches, the situation gets to the point where building contractors have to employ extra night watchmen to make sure that wooden planks and scaffolding are not taken by the eager youngsters. And, of course, the fire department is kept very busy on Lag Ba'Omer eve when the bonfires are lit and where the danger exists of fires getting out of control.

The bonfire is part of a ritual of purification and consecration. In ancient times, cattle, important symbols of wealth and status, were led through the smoke of a bonfire. Couples who were to be wed on May Day would leap through the flames of the bonfire to seal their vows. Coals from a bonfire would be taken home to light the fires in family hearths, a practice thought to bring good fortune. It was also believed that the residents of the Faery realm were incapable of producing fire themselves; embers of bonfires would be carried to the underworld and tended there.

Nine types of wood are commonly placed into a traditional Wiccan balefire. Collectively these are known as "The Nine Woods" or "Nine Woods". These woods are Birch (representing The Goddess, or female energy), Oak (representing The God, or male energy) Hazel (representing knowledge and wisdom) Rowan (Mountain Ash) (representing life) Common Hawthorn (representing purity and fairy magick) Willow (representing death),Fir (representing birth and rebirth), Apple (representing love and family), and Vine. In some regions, superstition, religious belief, or tradition prohibits the cutting of certain trees, most notably in Witchcraft customs the Elderberry tree; "Elder be ye Lady's tree, burn it not or cursed ye'll be" --A rhyme from an Oral tradition.

A Wiccan bonfire or balefire	An unbuilt bonfire in the Braniel, Northern Ireland	Aggie Bonfire

• Aggie Bonfire; includes 1999 disaster that killed 12 people when it collapsed during construction
• Need-fire
• Burning Man
• Fire
• Fire ritual
• Bonfire Rally
• Sussex Bonfire Societies

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Bonfire

• Dancing May Day Through History