Burning the Clavie

The Burning of the Clavie takes place in Burghead, a fishing village in the region of Moray, Scotland, on January 11. Local residents make the clavie by sawing a tar barrel in two, breaking the larger half into pieces and stuffing it inside the smaller half with tinder and tar. At dusk, the Clavie King sets the clavie on fire and leads a procession through town to a high headland along the coast, where the flames ignite a huge bonfire. At the end of the festivities, townsfolk gather pieces of the clavie to light a New Year fire, which is believed to keep witches and evil spirits away for a year. Discuss

Source: The Free Dictionary

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