The Resurrection Dance

This dance is known as the Hag of the Mill Dust (Cailleach An Dudain). This dance dramatized the seasonal cycle to come as both a man and a woman would play the parts of the changing seasons. The woman represented mother nature and the fertility of life. The man represented the reaper and the coming winter.

To begin the dance, the man held the druid wand, Slachdan Druidheachd, first over his head and then over hers. When the wand passed over her head, she dropped down to the ground as if dead. Dancing aroud the body to mournful music, he greived the loss of life. Then, he raised her left hand and touched it with the wand. The hand seemed to come alive. It began to move up and down. Overjoyed, the man continued to dance around her. Next, he would bring her other arm to life. The legs would follow and finally, he kneals over her, breathing into her mouth and touching her heart with the wand. She leaps joyfully to life and they both dance together.

This passion play illustrated the death of the Mother during the barren months to come and also, the promise of her reurrection in Springtime.