The last full month of Spring has faded into yesterday’s memories. Now, we embrace June and the promise of Summer to come here in the Northern Hemisphere.
The name June can be traced back to Ancient Rome. One possible origin is from Latin iuvenis which means “young”—there is something about the month of June which embraces the notion of youth and rejuvenation.
In addition, June is associated with Juno, the Roman Goddess and wife of Jupiter, the supreme ruler of the gods. As we know Rome adopted their gods from the Greeks—the Romans were architects of this syncretism in their conquests of various people groups and their cultural heritage.
Juno was the goddess of marriage and blessing the birth of children from this union. As we know June Weddings are favorite ceremonies as two lives are launched into the tomorrows with a cornucopia full of dreams and hopes.
There are those who believe the Romans named June after the founder of the Roman Republic Lucius Junius Brutus. Of course, Lucius is formed in the legends of ancient times, but his reverence for overthrowing the monarchy and establishing the republic is genuine because both legend and myth of old have factual elements which cannot be so easily dismissed by the iconoclasts who seemed to accept their predestined role in society to establish and defend their own supreme belief system.
Sadly, over the millennia iconoclasts have robbed this atavistic planet traversing the cosmos of many of its cultural heritages—the destruction of the Library of Alexandria is a prime example. Even today, these people still carry on their work based on a misguided mandate to rid the world of what they believe to be rubbish and the icons of a decadent society.
The New Moon will appear in our night skies on June 6. The Full Moon will mark its arrival on June 21.
The Full Moon has had many names over the centuries. The most common name is Strawberry Moon which the Algonquin people of the Northeastern North America observed that the time to enjoy the fruits which the Great Spirit materialized from the soil, especially strawberries.
Here are some other names for the Full Moon:*
• Berries Ripen Moon (Haida)
• Birth Moon (Tlingit)
• Blooming Moon (Anishinaabe)
• Egg Laying Moon (Cree)
• Hatching Moon (Cree)
• Green Corn Moon (Cherokee)
• Hoer Moon (Western Abenaki)
As you enjoy your strawberries in whatever form you prefer, there is nothing like fresh strawberry pie prepared by loving hands with the right topping. Perhaps, your pièce de resistance is a parfait chock full of luscious berries from the fields.
Enjoy the last days of Spring. Frolic in the exuberance of life.
Each morning embrace the dawn. As night falls and the stars appear in the sable sky, perhaps a besprinkling of star dust in those argenteus lunar rays will grant you affable dreams.
May those dreams prepare you for the Summer to come. Thrive in all your undertakings.
G. D. Williams © 2024
POST 1037
Origin Of The Month Of June’s Name | Dictionary.com
Library of Alexandria – Ancient, Burning, Destruction | Britannica
*The Asheville Citizens-Times Asheville, North Carolina
Saturday, January 13, 2024, page A8
The 12 full moons each year have names given by Native Americans, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac. UNCA Asheville Associate Professor of Astronomy Britt Lundren told the Times-News on Jan. 5 that full moons occur approximately every 29.5 days.
“The period of the lunar phases, which astronomers refer to as a synodic month, is caused by the orbit the Moon makes around the Earth. As the Moon moves in its orbit, the relative position of the sun illuminates different fractions of the lunar surface, as seen from the Earth,” she said. “A full moon occurs each time the Moon is located on the opposite side of the Earth, relative to the sun. During this time we on the Earth see its maximum surface illuminated.” As far as the full moon names, Lundren said when sharing common Native American names throughout the year, it’s important to acknowledge the cultural diversity of the tribes across Turtle Island (also known as North America). “Each tribe has a close relationship with the land, and their Moon names will reflect the seasonal changes unique to their environments,” she said.
The Asheville Citizens-Times Asheville, North Carolina
Saturday, January 13, 2024, page A1
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