Like every February 2, the United States and Canada have celebrated the Marmot Daya tradition that goes back at the end of the 19th century and in which the field workers try to predict the arrival of spring and the end of winter. At present, this celebration has become famous worldwide thanks to a very peculiar act: the prediction of the Punxsutawney marmot, in the state of Pennsylvania. But how does it work?
The main event takes place in the hill of Gobbler’s Knobwhere thousands of people congregate every year to witness the moment when the rodent makes its prognosis. According to tradition, if the animal leaves its burrow and sees its shadow reflected in the ground, it means that winter will last six more weeks. Otherwise, spring will arrive soon.
How long will winter last?
This year, Marmota Phil has decreed that winter will continue for six more weeks. In a cold morning and before an excited crowd, the rodent has left its den and has seen its shadow projected on the ground, an unequivocal sign that winter temperatures will continue to dominate the region. As tradition marks, Tom Dunkel, president of the Punxsutawney Marmot Club, He has been in charge of interpreting the animal’s message and transmitting it to the present public.
The ceremony has followed the usual ritual. The organizers have knocked on the burrow door with a special cane while the crowd repeatedly chanted the name of Phil. Moments later, the marmot has been taken from its shelter and elevated to the attendees, who have celebrated their appearance with cheers. After a few moments of expectation, the animal has been placed on the wood stump where its burrow resides, from where it has ‘communicated’ its prediction to Dunkel.
A centenary tradition
The Marmota Day ceremony has 139 years of history and its first predictions date back to 1886, when a group of Punxsutawney marmot hunters, in Pennsylvania, founded the Marmota Club. What began as a local tradition soon gained notoriety, especially when an editor of a newspaper proclaimed that Phil was the only marmot capable of predicting the weather.
Since then, the celebration has grown until it becomes a national and international event, with thousands of attendees in Gobbler’s Knob and live retransmissions that keep alive the magic of this picturesque tradition.
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