Roger Thompson, retired Eufaula High School history teacher and quintessential traveler, kept his audience engrossed at the Eufaula Area Arts Council’s pre-Easter brunch at the Chamber of Commerce Friday, April 18.
His topic, “How the Bunny Hopped into Easter,” started with the significance of the month of April in United States history, beginning on April 18, 1775, when British troops planned a sneak attack on American militiamen in Concord, Massachusetts, leading to British troops in Lexington and the “shot heard round the world” that launched the American Revolution.
“All it took was seven minutes for eight Americans to be killed and seven wounded, and the world was never the same,” said. Thompson. “I believe Lexington is the beginning of the United States of America and sometimes in the midst of our patriotic celebrations, it is overlooked. I hope we’ll start remembering it.”
April is also an important month for Christians, Thompson said, pointing out that in the first 250 years of Christianity, there was disagreement about when Jesus’s resurrection should be celebrated.
In 325 A.D. Roman Emperor Constantine’s Council of Niceae with 318 Bishops set the date as the first Sunday after the first full moon following the Spring Equinox (March 21).
He explained that’s also when ancient Egyptians celebrated the resurrection of Osirus, the god of the Nile, and also when Babylonians, Sumerians, and Mesopotamians celebrated the rebirth of Inana/Ishtar who emerged then from her death in the underworld.
German mythology’s goddess of spring Eostre/ Ostara, ancient goddess of agriculture, was believed to die as the days grew shorter and colder, but come to life in the Spring Equinox, bringing back warmer, longer days and new plants that saved the people.
Eostre is believed to have rescued a wounded bird, and turned it into a hare, but it remained part bird and laid eggs.
Osterhase (Easter Hare) symbolized fertility and good luck (rabbit’s foot). By the 1600’s the idea arose that hares brought eggs to children, and now the ugly hare has been converted to a cuddly bunny who lays colorful eggs for children to find on Easter morning.
The board of EAAC, who felt privileged to have Thompson speak at their Easter brunch. Is seeking new members. If you’d like to be invited to events like this and/ or are interested in promoting both artistic and performing arts in our community, please join us. Individual membership is $25, and the fee for business and family memberships for four people is $50. Online joining can be done at www.eufaulaareaarts. org.
