Estate Living Magazine Smart Moves - Issue 38 February 2019 | Page 63

G O O D
L I F E
Think again
Easter, eggs, renewal, fertility, bunnies and spring symbolisms
are so colonial. We have our own megalithic traditions in southern
Africa, even if they are not as well understood as the northern
hemisphere ones, and here it is not spring, it’s autumn, so perhaps
it’s time to create our own traditions. It requires an open mind and
a spirit of adventure, but you can celebrate the autumn equinox
close to home by visiting some local stone circles – less well
known than the northern hemisphere ones, but equally fascinating.
sacredsites.co.za
Or just chill
start of a new year. Celebrations include festive countryside picnics
featuring foods that symbolise new beginnings (eggs, wheat grass),
bonfires are lit to banish the darkness of winter, people spring-clean
their houses, wear new clothes, and gather flowers to celebrate the
coming of the new year and the ‘return of the sun’.
Probably the best idea of all – head for the hills or go to the bush.
If you’re thinking of Kruger, the north is quieter, but avoid the N1
over Easter. Another option is to paddle the Orange River – lots of
people do it, but the operators deliberately spread out so it’s not too
crowded. Or do a staycation, play golf, go for long walks and spend
time with the family, and – most importantly – avoid the national
road snarl-up.
In Poland, Marzanna – the Ice Queen – is symbolically killed as a
celebration that winter is over.
R
In Japan it is traditional to visit the graves of ancestors and relatives,
tidy them up, replace the flowers, burn incense and generally
celebrate life (in the presence of the dead).
In Mexico, celebrants gather at Chichén Itzá to watch as the rising
sun creates the illusion of a dancing snake on the side of the pyramid
that forms the Temple of Kukulcan.
And – as if you needed any more assurance of the significance of this
date – at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, the sun rises directly over the
middle of the largest temple.
Jennifer Stern