little chickadee Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 (edited) I'm making a costume for playing in my local morris side and am having great fun (thanks snowy for sending me some fabric ) I've got some of my own too and there's a bag of stuff from the morris side, but that was running a bit low. thought I'd post pictures as I progress I'm pinning stuff on in lines and will use my mum's sewing machine when she gets back from hols. My silly green top hat arrived on monday Edited April 28, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Splendid LC! Let's see the hat then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted April 22, 2009 Author Share Posted April 22, 2009 Splendid LC! Let's see the hat then! Oh alright then Claret. Just for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 That's super-dooper LC, and even more rags pinned on too. Rosie's school have a morrising head teacher and they all learn how to maypole and stick dance while he plays the squeeze box. They have rag coats too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Wow that is fantastic - love the colours! It kind of reminds me of Mr. Scasrecrow man from Worzel Gummidge. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted April 22, 2009 Author Share Posted April 22, 2009 That's super-dooper LC, and even more rags pinned on too. Rosie's school have a morrising head teacher and they all learn how to maypole and stick dance while he plays the squeeze box. They have rag coats too. That's so cool Claret. Any idea which side he dances for? I'm off to a festival soon which has loads of different sides dancing and I could keep an eye out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 Love it. My friend dances but wears a patchwork jacket, I'm going to ask her why she's not making one of these numbers. What are you wearing on your feet? (an excuse to see how many more rags have been added ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 I don't I'm afraid but I can find out. His wife dances too. I think he plays the squeeze box more than dancing now. Morris dancing is very popular around here and I always enjoy watching it. There's even a side which dances 'blacked up', which I understand it quite rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted April 22, 2009 Share Posted April 22, 2009 What do you mean by 'blacked up' Claret - do you mean black greasepaint on the faces? I also wondered what you wear on your feet & I presume you wear rag skirts / trousers? Is a squeeze box the same as an accordian? Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Yes, they black their faces. I wasn't sure whether it was offensive at first but apparently it's a very old form of morrissing. LC will probably know more about it than me. Oh, just found this on Wikipedia: About the black face In recent years, the black face has created some controversy, particularly in North America. The usual explanation for the black face is that it is for "disguise", and that during the hard winters of the 17-18th Century out of work labourers and builders sought to anonymously supplement their income by a bit of dancing and begging. The use of the black face as a form of disguise is certainly well established in early 18th century England - so much so, that in 1723 it became a capital offence under the Waltham "Black Act" to appear "in disguise, either by mask or by blackened face". Another theory is that the black face tradition derives from earlier forms of the dance involving a Moroccan king and his followers (which links into the theory that the word "morris" is derived from moorish or moresco). There is recorded evidence from 1688 of payments in Shrewsbury of 10 shillings to Ye Bedlam Morris and 2 shillings for Ye King of Morroco [1]. There are even earlier recordings of a black-face morris tradition in Europe. Carved figures from 1480 in Munich, Germany show "moriscan dancers" with black faces and bells and evidence from France includes the quote from Arbeau circa 1580 which stated "In fashionable society when I was young, a small boy, his face daubed with black and his forehead swathed in a white or yellow handkerchief, would make an appearance after supper. He wore leggings covered with little bells and performed a morris". However, there is too little recorded evidence to prove or disprove any linkage to the dances on the English Welsh borders. More recently, some people have postulated that the black face tradition was linked to the much later introduction of the American minstrel shows into Victorian England in the late 1830s. However, there is no direct evidence of this nor any explanation for why rural border morris dancers would choose to adapt their traditional folk dances to partially dress like the minstrel performers, but not adopt the whole costume or any other element of the show. By the early 20th century, border morris dancing was known colloquially in some villages as "nigger dancing" or "going niggering". Some view this as direct evidence of the link with minstrel shows: others regard this as nothing more than an obvious description of an older black-face tradition using the terminology and culture of the times. Whatever the theory, there is certainly no evidence that modern border sides attach any racial significance to the blacking of their faces and most choose to accept the explanation of "disguise" for the tradition. Despite that, a few recent sides have chosen to paint their faces in colours other than black to avoid controversy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted April 23, 2009 Author Share Posted April 23, 2009 Blacked up does mean black face paint. Most morris sides don't do it any more as it's deemed to be "politically incorrect" but it was traditional to disguise the dancers. There are lots of different styles of Morris dancing though. Our side has Green faces, although I won't be doing that as I don't want to get facepaint on my sax reed! (just read Claret has answered since I started this reply!) Our side is here (before I joined on Sax) some sides do still black their faces, including the witch men One side I really like (which I havn't actually seen in the flesh yet) is Pig dyke molly. They have black and white faces! Anyway. Here are some further pics of the progress of my tatters jacket In answer to your other question, I'll be wearing crocs personally as I'm not dancing, but I think the dancers wear black boots/ shoes. We also wear black trousers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I like the Pig Dyke Molly side LC - their costumes and faces are very stylish - a new ring on the old tradition. Funny, I can't see that last two images on your post - anyone else finding images taking ages to load today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Thank you for posting the videos. The Pig Dyke Molly ones were so energetic and the costumes of all were brilliant. Lot of bells in your group The images have come up fine for me Claret Your jacket is coming on well LC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 I'm loving those Pig Dyke Molly's! They dance so good & the look is fabulous - sort of witchy, magic & haunting if you know what I mean. I liked watching your group doing a sort of weaving dance - very clever! Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 23, 2009 Share Posted April 23, 2009 Just found the site of one of our local sides http://www.adderburyvillagemorrismen.co.uk/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 There's even a side which dances 'blacked up', which I understand it quite rare. They perform quite often at the Stratford Farmers' Market - haven't seen them for a while now..........perhaps next week, May 2nd market Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 24, 2009 Share Posted April 24, 2009 Ooo, we'll have to stay and watch then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted April 24, 2009 Author Share Posted April 24, 2009 I'm just about finished now apart from using some of the bits from Aunty E when they arrive I'll be using my mum's sewing maching to finalise the design when she gets back from holiday. I've now got some lovely Magpie Tail feathers in my hat from my son for my birthday and some Green beads from my daughter. I'll probably sew some around the collar My camera broke for good yesterday and am just awaiting the arrival of a new one, so I'll post photos when it arrives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted April 25, 2009 Share Posted April 25, 2009 Great costume! We have a big morris weekend in Rochester every first May Bank Holiday. It's called a sweeps festival, as it was one of the only (if not the only?) day of the year sweeps were given a day's holiday. Hence the blacked-up faces of many of the morris folk who perform in sweeps - they're sooty of face from being up chimneys. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A707861 It annoys me that race has been brought into blacking-up in the context of morris, because it's not part of the context at all! I totally understand minstrels being offensive, but it seems to me that oversensitivity and ignorance are stamping on English traditions because they're getting the contexts and histories mixed up which is of itself, paradoxically racist. Bonkers. Back to the point - morris costumes rock. You're going to look ace! So much effort and colour and detail in the outfits. Any chance of some youtube footage of the side dancing in your fabby costumes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted April 26, 2009 Author Share Posted April 26, 2009 Great costume! We have a big morris weekend in Rochester every first May Bank Holiday. It's called a sweeps festival, as it was one of the only (if not the only?) day of the year sweeps were given a day's holiday. Hence the blacked-up faces of many of the morris folk who perform in sweeps - they're sooty of face from being up chimneys. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A707861 It annoys me that race has been brought into blacking-up in the context of morris, because it's not part of the context at all! I totally understand minstrels being offensive, but it seems to me that oversensitivity and ignorance are stamping on English traditions because they're getting the contexts and histories mixed up which is of itself, paradoxically racist. Bonkers. Back to the point - morris costumes rock. You're going to look ace! So much effort and colour and detail in the outfits. Any chance of some youtube footage of the side dancing in your fabby costumes? We'll be at Rochester. Do come and say hello. We're called the Green Dragons and will be in groups dancing 10 - 11.15 - George Vaults 11.30 - 12.45 - Visitor info centre 13.00 - 14.00 War memorial 14.15 - 15.30 Two Brewers 15.45 - 17.00 I'll be the one with the saxophone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 I've finished Feels very nice knowing all the bits aren't going to fall off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 That is gorgeous LC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 Fab! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted April 28, 2009 Author Share Posted April 28, 2009 Fab! Can you see any of your fabric Snowy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A chickychickychick-ENN!! Posted April 28, 2009 Share Posted April 28, 2009 Wicked! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
