A number of pagan traditions can be recognized in his celebrations.
In Sweden on the isle of Runö where it goes under the name of Martinshesta (Martin’s stallion), these stallions are represented by masked men.
Again, this Ommegang leader rides a white grey (Schimmel) horse just like Greif and Sinterklaas. In some cases he is known to be carried on a chair or cart to go around the village in procession like old tribal leaders were transported during special events. But most usually the Ommegang is lead by Maarten on his horse, just like the Wild Hunt was headed by Wodan on Sleipnir. In Germany children would dress together to look like a big eight legged horse. They would hand out baked cookies, bread or cakes in the shape of a horse. As with other winter traditions, the white-grey horse, sacred in Germanic culture, appears central. The psychopomp of death is the vehicle of magical transportation for the leader of the Ommegang.
One of the most noticeable traditions on Sint Maarten was to ignite great bonfires at night. The church went through great effort to try and abolish these but they didn’t succeed, so great was this traditions with the people. It was also custom to place a lit candle by a window or door so that the dead could find the house. People would also carve out faces from beet and the Ommegang would carry the beet with a candle inside.
We find laws from the 16th to the 18th century regularly calling out not to ignite “Sinte Martensveur’ and also not to make a horrible racket using devices that produce horrendous sound, these proclamations were made so regularly by the church in such a way, that is obvious the church did not condone the practice.
The burning of bonfires is a clear pagan element used during equinox celebrations but also in sacred ritual. The making of horrendous noise also turns up in other midwinter celebrations around Europe, and was a way to announce the coming of the dead: the Wild Hunt legends for example go hand in hand with the making of a terrible noice across the sky or in other cases a leader warning people with a sound or yelling of the coming of the hunt/dead so that they may be prepared with offerings, or in later Christian twist: so that they can hide and look away, for the hunt were demons who would carry off anyone they would meet, which meant death.
Just like in Sinterklaas and Greif tradition, speculaas, candy, cake, pepernoten are present elements. With Sint Maarten hot apples and pancakes were also a prominent element. People would disguise themselves with scary masks and go house by house. Depending on time and space, they may be asking for wood, to create the Sint Maarten’s fire, or they would ask for food. In some cases it was custom they would make a small fire in front of the residence door. The singing of songs during this Ommegang was common but many were lost. Whenever the party was refused by a house one of the customs was to sing these lines:
“Hoeg hôas, lieg hôas, er zit een gierige pin in hôas!"
= “Big house, little house, there is a cheapskate in this house”
Witch is again a punishment served by the Ommegang members who perform the sacred task of keeping the community in check.
In Germany, the Percht and Krampus traditions work the same way, only there Percht and Krampus have been demonized to more extreme ways by the church to make the custom unattractive and negative. But the lines that are song when a house refuses to open for them are nearly word for word the same, which is further proof of these traditions to have a common root.
Another interesting line that is sung with Sint Maarten:
"Kreupt al gaa in de schaa, leut wa appele en peire vleege, ge zult ons nie bedriege.”
= “Crawl into the chimney, ignite some apples and pears, you won’t deceive us”
It places the chimney in its central role again where the offering is made. It speaks of deception too, which may relate to the shapeshifting maskerade or the ability of the Ommegang leader to see and know everything.
