And why not, say I? Being a born-again pagan I’d much rather venerate the generative organ of the human male in all its splendour than abase myself before one of the invisible sky gods; I had my fill of that when I was an unwilling young Catholic. And besides, what gay man doesn’t worship the phallus in some form?
Most people have heard of the Japanese festival, Kanamara Matsuri, a Shinto fertility celebration. Giant ceremonial phalluses are paraded through the streets and a good time is had by all. Less well-known is a similar Dionysian festival which takes place in the small town of Tyrnavos, Greece on the first Monday of Lent.
If you want to eat phallus-shaped bread, drink through phallus-shaped straws from phallus-shaped cups, kiss ceramic phalluses, sit on a phallus-shaped throne and sing dirty Greek songs about the phallus, then you should visit the little Greek town of Tyrnavos each year on “Clean Monday.”
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The festival is in honor of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine, madness and ecstasy. While the men, women and children of Tyrnavos celebrate the penis, the rest of Greece marks the beginning of the pre-Easter fast more modestly by flying kites and eating octopus, olives and unleavened bread. More.
Bronze statuette of the Roman fertility god Priapus, made in two parts (shown here in assembled and disassembled forms).
Fitting then, now that spring is passing into summer, that Taschen are following up their Big Book of Breasts with the Big Penis Book. The splendid cover needs to be seen in action (as it were) since the underwear is printed on a clear wrapper which can be removed to expose the wonderful tumescence beneath. I like the sly humour in the design which makes the background of the breasts book blue while the penis book is pink. I’m not too sure about the quality of the contents from their previews, much of it seems to be filled out with photo shoots from gay porn of the Seventies. But I’ll suspend my judgement until I’ve given it a proper viewing. If anything was going to be the phallic worshipper’s bible, this must be it. Good to see Taschen flying the flag as always for high-quality porn/erotica.
Elsewhere on { feuilleton }
• The book covers archive
Previously on { feuilleton }
• The art of ejaculation
YAY!!!
In this years didn’t exist photoshop ?, jejejeje
Well, I’m not a phallus worshipper, I’m really into women (no pun intended!). But I’m not a homophobic and certainly not a prejudicer. I’m unemployed as a journalist in my hometown today, after ten years of hard work, because I’ve refused to praise crap and politicians (if there is any difference between these two), and due to envy and prejudice, so I know the harm this last one can cause.
Above and beyond being gay, I think you’re one hell of an illustrator, and I know we share some enthusiasms.
That’s what really matters.
Sorry to hear that Márcio, I hope you find something better soon.
I usually think straight men indulge in some phallic worship, to their own penises at least.
Well, actually, at 54, I think I had my share already. I leave it to my wife to indulge in that one, at least concerning our own sexual life (not that I do not appreciate it!). But I understand phallus worship, especially in paganist cults. And Priapus, yeah…
I discovered many years ago that I am a worshipper of the God-Cock and Phallus. My screen name on Yahoo (Letmeworshipit) is clearly designed to be a visible symbol of my intense sexual and oral passion. I encourage others interested in the subject to contact me here in San Diego.