Culture Padstow

the old oss capturing passing maiden during mayday festival

padstow best known obby oss festival. although origins unclear, stems ancient fertility rite, perhaps celtic festival of beltane. festival starts @ midnight on may eve when townspeople gather outside golden lion inn sing night song. morning, town has been dressed greenery , flowers placed around maypole. excitement begins appearance of 1 of obby osses. male dancers cavort through town dressed 1 of 2 obby osses, old , blue ribbon obby osses; name suggests, stylised kinds of horses. prodded on acolytes known teasers, each wears mask , black frame-hung cape under try catch young maidens pass through town. throughout day, 2 parades, led mayer in top hat , decorated stick, followed band of accordions , drums, oss , teaser, host of people - singing morning song. [1] - pass along streets of town. finally, late in evening, 2 osses meet, @ maypole, before returning respective stables crowd sings of obby oss death, until resurrection following may eve.

the old oss party attending oss dozens of accordions , drums


mummers or darkie day

on boxing day , new year s day, tradition residents don blackface , parade through town singing minstrel songs. ancient midwinter celebration occurs every year in padstow , part of pagan heritage of midwinter celebrations regularly celebrated on cornwall people guise dance , disguise blackening faces or wearing masks. people of penzance have revived midwinter celebration montol festival padstow @ times have had people darkening or painting skin disguise masking.)

folklorists associate practice widespread british custom of blacking mumming , morris dancing, , suggest there no record of slave ships coming padstow. once unknown local charity event, day has become controversial, perhaps since description published. suggest racist white people black reason. although outsiders have linked day racism, padstonians insist not case , incredulous @ both description , allegations. long before controversy charlie bate, noted padstow folk advocate, recounted in 1970s content , conduct of day reviewed avoid potential offence. devon , cornwall constabulary have taken video evidence twice , concluded there no grounds prosecution. nonetheless protests resurface annually. day has been renamed mummers day in attempt avoid offence , identify more established cornish tradition. debate has been subject academic scrutiny.

other similar traditions use black-face disguise , still celebrated within united kingdom border morris dancers, , molly dancers of east midlands , east anglia.