HELVETIA, WV
“Burn him!“
This will be the opening hymn… the cry of the folk that stand around a burning blaze of a bonfire –alcohol in hand –about 7 p.m.
The festival dates back to the 1520s, with Swiss and Germanic roots. It is a carnival designed to burn up the fattening foods of winter before the 40 day fast of Lent, and also to frighten and burn Old Man Winter.
Hundreds are in the crowd under that ghastly, vast full moon that seems like it came forth from the darkened clouds of a medieval age.
Some fellow that lurks in the wickedness behind me whispers, “Prophecy fulfilled.”
If that biblical reference to Christ’s death doesn’t get your attention and make your hair stand on end, as they march what they call, “Old Man Winter,” (He and I pictured below) down the long corridor to be burned in a fire that is hotter than Satan’s cauldron… probably nothing will.
To me, this is not a family friendly environment, unless you’ve raised your children watching Häxan, Incubus and The Wicker Man, while praying to a horned goat that hangs on your wall.
The family that stayed with us at our bed and breakfast had a very young child. They learned this lesson quickly, as the poor girl wailed and cried behind an old style closed door of their room in horror, of what she described as monsters.
The Beekeeper Inn was the small bed and breakfast in which we stayed. The Inn, (pictured below) was quite cozy and had a very otherworldly appeal. It is part of a restaurant, called The Hutte, which has a similar, old-world charm.
Those who make claim to Helvetia are very kind and wonderful folk, which gave me a feeling as if, perhaps I was being fattened up for the kill, or going to be burnt inside a Wicker Man at daybreak while they all watched on with smiles while singing songs, hand in hand. I jest… sort of.
All joking aside, the business owners and employees were all very inviting and lovely people. The sweet gal at Swiss Roots, (pictured below), which is an old country store, bed and breakfast, and restaurant, was beyond kind. All smiles and very sweet. She whipped up a toasted cheese sandwich and sold me a six pack of Sam Adam’s at a very reasonable price.
You are as deep in the Appalachia as you can get, no phone service… what’s Wi Fi? Really no problem for me, I could care less, but for many, being detached from the phone that they were born with can be a very traumatic experience.
The grounds are wet and muddy, as one would expect from a warm, wintery day, so don’t have holes in your shoes like I did, or you’ll be even colder.
Boots are the golden ticket at this gem.
The trucks and UTVs never stop running up and down the streets, so make sure you take hold of your child that probably won’t be able to be raised back from the dead on the dark of the moon, and bring lots of booze, because even if you don’t drink, you’ll wish you did.
Don’t think I am trying to divert you from a good dose of Paganism… no, no, no, this is something that should not be missed.
The attention to detail in the papier-mache masks just completely blew me away, with many looking to me as if they took months to do.
Around the bonfire, some looked like demons in the night, (pictured below) Scary, but everyone is controlled and it’s all about age-old tradition. Afterwards, there is dancing. I wish I could have attended. You need a ticket long in advance for that portion, so keep that in mind if you plan on making the trek.
Back to the masks and costumes, they are elaborate. Blue jesters with wicked, yellowish grins. Women with reddish fox masks. Large bunny ears and dark-haired rabbit faces. The frog, the fish, and many other unique designs that had me staring in awe. I saw more owl masks at the event than any other type.
My wife used to keep many owl themed decorations at our home, and as a Hispanic friend that once came to our house later told me, that he thought my wife and I were Satanists. He believed that the owl is the demon. Anyone that has this presence around them or on their person should not be taken lightly in the circle of the religious, that’s how he felt anyway. What the hell does he know?
Am I a satanist? I will leave that to the imagination. Do I think owls are demons? No. But, when I witnessed so many wearing owls as false faces, it made me think of what my old friend had to say.
In Helvetia, you will find a small dose of the Swiss Alps, as it was built in 1869 by German and Swiss immigrants. The old log cabins, cuisine, and traditions are paramount to their society, and this should not be missed if you are one that wishes to gain knowledge of different ways of life.
The Hoppy Hiker 
Leave a comment