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Following on from yesterday about English eccentricity, I expect you are wondering what strange ritual is carried out on Easter Saturday?
No, not a trip to Sainsbury’s, but dancing around with blackened faces, in little white skirts!
Well, that’s what the “Britannia Coco-nutters” get up to on Easter Saturday in Bacup, Lancashire.
Come gather lads 'n lasses, it’s Easter Saturdi!
An' t' ‘Nutters’ are owt dancing’ i' their own special way.
Weevin’ thru’ t' town, this age owd pagan dance.
Spring spirits they invite, nowt 's left t‘ chance.
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It must be a unique hobby, that requires middle aged men to don a white skirt, black velvet knee breeches and iron-soled clogs, black-up his face and then dance around in the street or local market square.
But, these Lancastrians do it every year and it draws in the crowds.
They are known locally as the “Nutters” - and I’m not surprised.
As with nearly all other folk dances these ‘garland’ dances have their roots in pagan fertility rites. Blackening the faces is done to protect the dancers from any evil spirits that may be present. The black faces are topped with white caps decorated with rosettes, blue poms and feathers.
With those rosettes and blue poms, let’s hope they don’t get mistaken for prospective Conswervative candidates!
In addition to the black knee breeches, there are white stockings and real Lancashire clogs.
As all the “nutters” are, allegedly, males; so when dancing, half of them have to take a female part. The difference is indicated by the white sash over the left shoulder for the female dancer and over the right for the male.
They dance all round the town and as you would expect, stop off at many of the pubs and inns on the route.
So there you go.
You can read all about them here, and watch a bit of their dancing here.
What other hobby keeps you fit, gets you free beer, takes you all over the country, raises money for charity, lets you dress up and gives you the biggest stage in the world, all at the same time?
Long may it continue.
Great post... I smiled a lot as I read it. Yes, people do the strangest things. Just a thought, perhaps the Nutters would do a better job than the other nutters. At least they'd keep people smiling.
ReplyDeleteAs usual another great post.
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised the PC Police haven't got onto this one! Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteThank you all for dropping in. There are hundreds of old customs still being enacted by enthusiasts all over the country. However outdated and weird, I think it is important that they are maintained and I am quite grateful to these, and other 'nutters' for carrying on these old traditions. I would join in myself if there was something like this locally.
ReplyDelete