Summer Soltice

Sun's longest sojourn

Heat waves dance in the daylight

Melting ice cream dreams.

The summer solstice is an astronomical event that occurs annually around June 20th or 21st in the northern hemisphere and around December 21st or 22nd in the southern hemisphere. It marks the longest day and shortest night of the year.

Astronomically, the summer solstice happens when the Earth's axial tilt is most inclined towards the sun. This means that the North Pole is tilted directly towards the sun, resulting in the sun appearing at its highest position in the sky, and the rays of sunlight falling more directly on the northern hemisphere. Conversely, in the southern hemisphere, the South Pole is tilted away from the sun, leading to shorter days and longer nights.

During the summer solstice, the sun reaches its highest point in the sky at noon, and the length of daylight is at its maximum. This phenomenon occurs because the Earth's axis is tilted approximately 23.5 degrees relative to its orbit around the sun. As the Earth orbits the sun, this tilt causes the amount of sunlight received by each hemisphere to vary throughout the year, leading to the changing seasons.

Many western european cultures celebrate the summer solstice. Some examples. 

• Stonehenge, England:  People gather to witness the sunrise aligned with the ancient stone monument.
• Midsummer's Eve  in Scandinavia (countries like Sweden, Denmark, and Norway) is celebrated with bonfires, traditional dances around maypoles, and feasts. It is a significant holiday in these cultures, often associated with fertility, love, and the celebration of nature.
• Sankthans (St Johns Eve), Norway: is celebrated on June 23rd in Norway. People gather around bonfires, sing songs, and enjoy traditional food and drinks. It is a time for community bonding and merriment.
• Fête de la Musique (Music Day), France:  musicians of all genres perform in the streets, parks, and public spaces. It is a day of music appreciation and open-air concerts.

However, summer solstice festivities tend to be less common or less significant in regions closer to the equator (eg: parts of Africa, South America, and Southeast Asia). This is because the equatorial regions experience relatively consistent day lengths and sunlight throughout the year, with only minor variations so the seasons are less pronounced. As a result, the solstices do not bring about significant changes in the length of the day or the angle of the sun, as they do in regions farther from the equator. 

There are however some festivals in these regions that somewhat align and happen around the time of summer solstice. 

• The Massai of East Africa (Kenya and Tanzania): A traditional  warrior dance called Adumu (jumping dance) is performed during special occasions, including the solstices, as a way to celebrate and mark important events in their calendar.
• The Kukuya of Central Africa (Congo): have a solstice ritual called the "Iboundji" ceremony where people gather around a sacred tree and engage in traditional dances and songs to honor the sun and its role in their lives.
• The Dayak of Borneo: The  "Gawai" festival is held around June 1st coincides with the rice planting season and the beginning of the rainy season, and includes various rituals and celebrations that pay homage to the sun, earth, and spirits for a bountiful harvest.
• The T'boli of the Philippines:  During the summer solstice, people perform ceremonies and rituals related to the T'nalak art form (traditional weaving of abaca fibers into intricate patterns), which is believed to have spiritual and cosmic significance.