The month of May is the month of the Maja or Maibaum.
This tradition is still found in Camporosso, where the Maja is raised in the evening of the Celebration of Corpus Christi, and in Coccau.
In these areas, the Maypole (Maja), is a symbol of fertility and the power of spring is personified in the tree of life.
The celebrations are organized by 18 year olds who have just reached adulthood.
The plant (a pine trunk stripped of its bark) was traditionally dragged into place using oxen, although now a tractor is more common.
Before it reaches the spot where it will be raised, the plant is carried through the streets of the town as a kind of procession to bring good luck.
The tip of a pine tree is fixed to the top of the trunk and a crown made of pine branches (Kranz) hangs in top of it.
The young girls decorate the pine tip and the crown.
Given its size, raising the trunk requires skill and strength, but also patience and the slow and careful use of ladders and stacks of wood.
Once the pole has been erected, the celebrations can begin.