Any Mummers Here?

[genjen]

Me, too, ThrelfallYorky.  As a someone who doesn't know much about Morris dancing, but has seen a few of them performing in different parts of the country, I have to say that I have never seen them with blackened faces. Am I alone in this?

It's only the Border and Molly Sides which use blacking so, if you have seen Cotswold or North West styles of Morris, you wouldn't see black faces. Having said that, there are more sides dancing N.W Morris in the South than there are in the North and the side I was with, based in the North West, dances Cotswold, Border and Rapper Sword ( from the N.E.). There are no rules!!

[Mike in Cumbria]

I'd be interested (genuinely) to hear how this debate plays out within the world of morris.

Some thoughts from an outsider:

1.  Would the dancing be any less fun or interesting if they didn't black up?  I doubt it. How about other forms of face painting - green leaves, abstract patterns etc?

2. Traditions change and evolve with society. Plenty of things that were taken for granted in the past would be unthinkable now. Scolds' bridles or ducking stools for talkative women, "No blacks or Irish" signs on doors, bear-baiting, persecution and prosecution of gay men are a few that come to mind.

3. The Morris tradition pretty much died out at the end of the 18th century and was revived by the Victorians, along with other traditions such as maypole dancing. Many of the associated costumes and traditions only really go back as far as the 19th and early 20th century.

4. The history of blacking up has very uncertain origins. Some think it goes back to rural disguises, some that it references coal miners, but there is a strong thread linking it to the American Negro Minstrel tradition (to use a slightly more polite version of the original phrase.) If this is the case, blacked up morris dancers have far more in common with the black and minstrel show than they would like to believe.  Personally, I have no idea which version of history is correct, but I can understand why morris dancers cling to the rural disguise version.

5. It's not the most important thing in the world to those facing ongoing stereotyping and discrimination. There are much bigger problems.

6. I can't see why preserving a dubious tradition of blacking up is so important either. Why not just let it go and let the tradition evolve?

Just my thoughts

Mike

[Chilternbirder]

I do hope the Britannia Coconut Dancers referred to earlier don't have to unblacken their faces, too.

The Nutters are the one traditional side where there is a possible link to minstrelsy.

[genjen]

I'd be interested (genuinely) to hear how this debate plays out within the world of morris.

Mike

Really....you really want to hear what the Morris world thinks of this? 

This debate has been going on for such a long time that I lose the will to live when I see yet another round appearing on social media.

All of your points have been aired ad infinitum, they are all very valid and worthy of consideration. But the Morris world, as I suspect is true in any group, has people on both sides who simply will not listen to any other point of view than their own and the result has been, at times, unpleasant and vitriolic.

My suspicion is that the "tradition" of blacking up will die out within the next twenty years or so but that the in-fighting will continue for much of that time. In the meantime, I'm keeping my head down whenever I find myself in the company of anyone of extremist views - on either side!!

[Mike in Cumbria]

In the meantime, I'm keeping my head down whenever I find myself in the company of anyone of extremist views - on either side!!

Sounds like a good plan!

[Mike in Cumbria]

Speaking of changes in tradition - I guess that women Morris dancers are pretty much accepted as the norm now?

Apologies to Norm.

[Mowsehowse]

Totally agree with ALL your thought processes Mike in Cumbria.  Green, white or camouflage seems like it might be acceptable, though I guess the intent could still be viewed as the same.

There is a female side I often see who do use face paints.... one of them has such bad skin reactions she now uses a veil rather than face paint.  If I were part of that side I guess I would push for everyone to do the same.

But part of me still feels that all Morris dancers want is to have fun and be entertaining.  Any minority group can hurl accusations and insist that traditions must be changed.  Perhaps, as a minority group, Morris dancers should "move the boot to the other foot" and threaten litigation on the grounds of being intimidated, degraded and humiliated due to a hostile spectator??  However I will not hold my breath for that to happen. 

[genjen]

Speaking of changes in tradition - I guess that women Morris dancers are pretty much accepted as the norm now?

Apologies to Norm.

There are still those who believe it ought to a men only tradition but they are dying out (literally). If it weren't for women, the whole thing would be pretty pathetic by now. Lots of sides struggle to attract younger dancers - there can't be much about a load of old men who struggle to get two feet off the ground when "dancing" to appeal to the younger generation. The same applies to some of the women's groups when the image is staid, sober, middle-aged and frankly, downright dull. If I were a young person now, I'd probably just walk past without a glance.

But there are many, many young people involved, giving a whole new lease of life to traditional dance. Rapper sword is really exciting at the moment; there are young and vibrant Cotswold sides around and the clog-stepping tradition has some wonderful dancers.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-vAMDEGvdY

The link is to a show which is a few years old but it gives some idea of what the younger element is up to at the moment!