Sometimes I get tired of all the gloom and misery about the terrible time the North has with all their problems. But then the Wakefield Morris Dancers come dancing across my screen and for all those moaners who want it to be "like it was before". Just cop a look at this, for gaiety and frivolousness you can't beat a Morris dance, as I'm sure Ariel would agree.
It was the dance in the sea that made me laugh out loud, you can only find it on F/B on their site, (Wakefield Morris Dancers) and it is at Sidmouth Folk Festival, I think the group will now be found in Whitby for the festival there.
Their Wakefield appearance at the Rhubarb Festival here, note Ramsdens,(famous fish and chips outlet) but now the once famous name has become a pawnbroker!
Wakefield has plenty of culture by the way, plenty of sculpture in their outside spaces and galleries. All spurred on by what must be the two most famous names that were born here - Barbara Hepworth and Henry Moore.
Writing in his The Anatomie of Abuses (1583), a sort of Elizabethan version of the Daily Mail which excoriated the declining state of England and the degenerate behaviour of its people, Stubbs turns the full force of his censorious quill on the morris men: "They strike up the Devil's Dance withall: then march this heathen company towards the church and churchyards, their pypers pyping, the drummers thundering, their stumpes dancing, their belles jyngling, their hankercheefes fluttering about their heads like madde men." More than four centuries later, they are still doing so; in fact, the pastime appears to gaining popularity. taken from The Independent.
Further north from you, people do moan and whinge, but actually they don't seem to be doing too badly. If there is poverty, it not obvious on the streets. Midsummer I didn't see people sleeping on the streets like I do here, which they do even midwinter. Sadly they seem tempted by Farage and his ilk.
ReplyDeletePeople have always whinged and moaned Andrew, it is second nature. I follow an American Jay Vail, he has been in England for five years and is trying to convert American tourists that it is not all violence on the streets in London and that we have more freedom than Americans have. Though............. since a few Reform councillors got in the Caldervale here they have banned Rainbow flags. That from the most flag waving group around, but hopefully they are on their way out.
DeleteI find the “it should be like it was” people tend to be straight and white and right wing (though they would claim to be centrist).
ReplyDeleteI suggest people read Sajid Javid’s autobiography to get a view for what it was like to be a brown kid growing up in the 70s and the racism he faced. I pick Javid because he is Conservative for people can’t claim he is a loony left. Another reason is while his parents were Muslim he is not practising so people can’t question why a “little Muslim leader” is making comments. Sadly I could not comment on that person’s blog because I am banned - can’t remember why now.
We all have fond memories of the past Traveller, it just can't be revisited, everything moves on. Also I think racist attacks on Javid, the mayor of London, points to one thing, perhaps the most important point, is that a population the size of London voted for him.
ReplyDeleteYou are right about fond memories of the past but people tend to forget the bad things - the casual racism that was accepted, the homophobia, the treatment of women to name but three. Unfortunately I see some of that coming back.
DeleteI always enjoy seeing Morris Dancers, but the dancing in the sea was new to me. Great fun, and it's so good to see youngsters joining the company.
ReplyDeleteI really know nothing about the Morris Dancers. Is it a folk-dancing group or is there some sinister history behind it all?
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