What the heck is a lek?
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
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Enjoy watching five seasonal folk customs captured on film by Create Studios, highlighting unique traditions across the year.
This sensitive film captures the beginning of May through the joyful eyes of the ‘Merry Wessex Morris Men’. Every year in May people gather at dawn near the chalk carving of the giant in Cerne Abbas, to welcome in the summer, drink local ale, sing and dance and scare the children with the mystical and striking Ooser.
This film captures Great Wishford Oak Apple Day, a unique village tradition that takes place on 29 May each year. The film highlights the pride, joy and enduring spirit of community that this centuries-old tradition brings to Great Wishford as they go from the village to Salisbury Cathedral to renew the ancient right to collect wood from Grovely Woods.
This film captures one of the most important events in the Pagan ritual year in England – the Summer Solstice. The opening of Stonehenge to the public at sunrise and sunset attracts a large throng of people from all over the world to celebrate the longest day of the year at this most spectacular of England’s prehistoric structures.
This film captures the intricate ceremony which happens around Twelfth Night, the end of the 12 days of Christmas. The Richard Jeffries Museum and their partners from Swindon Folk Club come together with singing and rejoicing to encourage the growth of the apple trees. People celebrate and make noise with instruments, pots and pans to wake up Old Man Apple!
This colourful film captures one of the most significant celebrations within the South Asian calendar, Diwali, the festival of lights. It is held in the autumn every year. In Poole and Bournemouth, the Indian community comes together to pray and rejoice through the lighting of candles and the sharing of food.
Create Studios
Director Gurch Singh
Production Manager Kiara Wakeley
Editor Caitlin Amer
Photographer Tom Arthur
Production Assistant Faraz Falahi
Production Assistant Charlie McCrae
DOP James Willmott
Males great bustards perform spectacular courtship displays, gathering at a ‘lek’ or small display ground to try to impress the females.
The great bustard has a dignified slow walk but tends to run when disturbed, rather than fly.
The hen-bird on display at The Salisbury Museum was one of the last great bustards to be eaten in the town!