Wild on Congress: Ebune, Procession of the Ram

"Once upon a time, in a land far, far away."

That's how stories started when we were young.

But as adults, good stories start with different phrases. Things like: "It was spring break 1995..." or "I was in college, and feeling confused..." or "There was this one-legged trapeze artist who needed a ride to the bus station..."

And lately, it seems like more stories are starting with the phrase, "So I was on Congress Street in Portland..."

Last week, unwitting pedestrians and passersby bore witness to a cluster of topless women. [Read the story on pressherald.com]

This weekend the scene on Congress stopped passing pedestrians too, but for fully clothed reasons.

Ebune: Procession of the Ram took to the streets Sunday, with a barrage of banners, masks and paper mache ram accoutrements.

The annual parade, organized by Oscar Mokeme of Portland's Museum of African Culture, is a celebration of spring renewal. And judging by the warm weather and sunshine, spring approved.

Participants gathered in front of MECA just before noon, prepped with face paint and artistic ram renderings.

Drummers drummed:

Dancers danced:

And spring rituals were performed.

The festive ensemble paraded down the road to the Eastern Prom, the rhythm of the drums leading the way. And participants and street-watchers felt the happy confirmation that winter is now a fond memory and the greening of spring is here to stay. Until November, anyway.

Of course, this is Portland. And you never know what you're going to see, should you just look up.

Rams overtake Congress Street during Ebune: Procession of the Ram

It was a takeover of paper mache proportions during Ebune: Procession of the Ram on Sunday afternoon.

In front of MECA a crowd gathered just before noon. Ram heads were donned and brightly pattern flags were raised. And the rhythmic drumming could be heard for blocks.

Ebune is led annually by Oscar Mokeme, director of the Museum of African Culture and draws inspiration from West African ritual traditions invoking Ebune, the ram, a symbol of fertility and the harbinger of spring renewal.

And spring was definitely listening (I have the awkward face sunburn to prove it).

A couple of friends and I spectated for a bit, and while we wondered at the puppetry and the crafty nature of Portland in general, we spotted a man in an African mask and full regalia walking amongst the crowd. He carried what appeared to be an animal's tail - Mother Nature's pom pon - and sporadically touched a person on the face or head with it.

After he so anointed a friend, she remarked: "I've either just been cursed or I'm now incredibly fertile." Only time will tell.

The masks and large overhead puppets were impressive - quiet the zoo on Congress Street.

Though nothing quite compared to the enormous - and I mean gargantuan - creature that approached from a side street.

It's the closest I've come to being run down by any of Maine's wild predators (well, there was that unfortunate incident with the pigeon, but let's allow that memory to just drive right on by).

It was at this moment we decided that simply sidewalking ourselves to watch the parade march past would not be an adequate experience. So we found some rams and flags of our own (extras were on hand for just such a change of heart), lifted them high and joined the festivities.

At noon parade-goers spilled onto the street, lined up en masse and started toward the Eastern Prom.

The welcome sun amplified the colors on the street - a spotlight on Portland's menagerie.

The drummers and dancers kept the parade loud and lively.

Once at the East End, the crowd gathered on the still-yellowed grass to celebrate the season and affirm the agreeable notion that winter really is over. (Though I'm not officially putting my shovel away for it's summer slumber until June 1. It's Maine - you just never know.)

We've always heard that "Spring comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb." No one ever mentioned the ram parade in the middle.

They should note that in the future.

More Ebune parade photos