Black Faced Morris Dancers Banned at ShrewsburyFolk Festival

ana's suggestion of more public information about Morris dancing traditions is a good one too. One of the team could give a little spiel before they begin, or when they finish a dance. It doesn't have to be high tech, just a bit of spreading the word to people who are watching.

I understood it, anya. Still do.

If the one white person hadnt complained, and since no people have colour have,and perhaps see no need to, who has "won"? A white person.

Nobody seems to have understood my post...or perhaps I was being too obscure, again.

We have a very famous Folk Festival here and a very multicultural society. This year I noticed that two of the Morris Dancers, in one of the the Black-Faced Group were in fact black themselves. So, this would seem to indicate that they were happy with this.

What a fuss about nothing and as for anyone trying to justify this ban.....

Here's a story to mess with the PC brigades head.
Retired midwife, Charlotte Nightingale runs a campaign called: Gollynomics. She makes gollywogs and dresses up as a gollywog at events to raise the awareness of black heritage. By the way, Charlotte is black.

now you're talking!

Perhaps they should put up giant posters everywhere they intend to perform, explaining the origin of the tradition...?

(In many languages, of course!)

I am sort of being a devils advocate about this.

That last to granjura!

Initially ( on here) I posted that the dancers had no axe to grind about race ( which is true) but then I thought about being black, being in a pub garden, and seeing the blacked up faces dancing about.I say a pub garden, because they often perform outside inns, but it could be the market square or wherever.Nobody is going to explain that this is an old tradition pre-dating by hundreds of years, our multi-cultural society,
Are they?
So, this is something all these groups of dancers will have to think about, I would certainly not ban them, but ask them to think about it carefully ( if I was a power-that-be) it may not have even entered their heads.

OFFS!!!

As usual in these cases, no one seems to have consulted any black people as to how they feel about the black-faced Morris Dancers. Someone has, as usual, complained 'on their behalf'.

The blacked faces of the Morris Dancers are in no way connected with black people, slaves or any other ethnic minority. Why see a problem where there is none?

sarahc- sorry your post is not clear. Could you make yourself clearer please.

Again, especially in the post Ukip/Brexit context.

Perhaps you haven't read my post properly- or perhaps you choose to misconstrue.

All I am saying is that we should indeed try and perceive how others of different cultures may feel or react- and that this is fine. We live in a different world today.

As said, in my country, where Conservatism rules large for many, espcially in rural areas- one political party has used the 'black sheep' image in many guises for their racist purposes for years- and that does make me more sensitive to the image, perhaps. If the image had been used by Britain First and the EDL, you might feel the same.

I do agree with the singing of the nursery rhyme, it just happens to be a black sheep, just as a cat or dog may be black.Although we say 'the black sheep of the family' this has nothing to do with the rhyme ( and the rhyme only has positives about the black sheep anyway!) It has plenty of wool.

There needs to be a national campaign that whenever this nazi non-sense rears its divisive head - the whole country breaks out in a blacked up dancers - or whatever else it is celebration of our traditions - a blacked-up dancer fest in every town.
All it takes is people to confront these people and say enough is enough. Trolling on the internet is the cowards way out.

granjura People have been over thinking this since these ideas about "political correctness" occured often in attempt to pour scorn on the ideas of what are and what is not offensive.
Yes I know the term "black sheep" has these connotations about people who go off the rails etc. But the rhyme is not talking about black people.

Most black people define themselves as such as a statement of their race. "Black lives matter" etc. There was also a black is beautiful campaign.
So how should anyone refer to my trousers or my M&S black pants come to that are they demeaned by using the word black. Read this.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baa,_Baa,_Black_Sheep

This has nothing to do with the dreadful British past in slavery either. Also that rhyme is just that. it has good rythm, alliteration etc it is easy and memorable for little children to sing.

What about "wind the bobbin up"
Wind The Bobbin Up - Lyrics

Wind the bobbin up,
Wind the bobbin up,
Pull, Pull, Clap, Clap, Clap,
Point to the ceiling
Point to the floor
Point to the window
Point to the door
Clap your hands together - 1, 2, 3,
Put your hands down on your knees.

Wind the bobbin up,
Wind the bobbin up,
Pull, Pull, Clap, Clap, Clap,
Point to the ceiling
Point to the floor
Point to the window
Point to the door
Clap your hands together - 1, 2, 3,
Put your hands down on your knees.

This could to those who like conpiracies might wish to construe this as encouraging child labour in cotton mills.

greyduster- the aborigines have never had white slaves, have they? Can't you perceive the difference?

There are tribes in Africa, and aboriginal peoples in Australia, who ceremonially paint their faces white. No-one queries why they do it - they have been doing it for centuries - or sets up a hue and cry about that being offensive to some group or other (who probably couldn't care less anyway)! For Heavens sake, why are people allowed to let things get so out of proportion?

Having thought about this thread, have now come back to it to post more or less what granjura has posted ( blacked up faces).There well may not be many/any black people in this town watching the Morris Men, but if there were visitors, how would they feel ( try and imagine it's you, and how you would feel.) So, although it is an old tradition, remember that when it was started, and for maybe centuries, there were no black visitors watching, but now there may be.Just a thought.

Nelliemoser, re the black sheep. Sadly, the name black sheep still has very unplesant connotations, in more ways than one.

And no, I don't think the song should be changed either- this is how I taught it to ma grandchildren.

But your comment made me think. In Switzerland over past 10 years or so, the UDC/SVP party- somewhere half way between Ukip and the National Front- used posters all over Switzerland in their campaigns- showing a big army boot kicking out black sheep out of Switzerland, whilst white sheet smile and approve.
So for me, because of this- the black sheep symbol is very strong.

Not quite sure on this one Tegan. On the one hand, I agree with you- because of the history of it all- unlike black and white minstels and gollywogs.

However, many of the people watching, of all ethnic backgrounds- may not realise this and feel really uncomfortable. We have to remember that slavery, discrimination (apartheid ended very recently), etc- some people are really sensitive to this kind of representation.

Would the Morris dancers have been any less enjoyable and talented, and having massive fun- had they chosen to colour their faces blue or green. This especially post Brexit and the rise in racist attacks in the streets, schools, workplaces, etc.

I guess I'm a bit biased. A few years ago I had a temporary [thank goodness] estrangement from my DD and the children. I was so wretched during that time. But two things cheered me up. One was the gransnet meet up in Birmingham which was something to look forward to and which I thoroughly enjoyed, and the other was a day out at Southwell when the streets were full of Morris dancers. For the first time in ages my feet were tapping, I was smiling and, had my knees not been so awful would have wanted to join in. And it was the Border Morris that really made my heart sing.

Obeione No. The singing blacked up white men and white singers was a whole different political frame work.
The Morris men blacking up has been discussed down the tread.