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Page: Profile: Wren's Nest News Local
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Article: 11820
[Culture]
Date Posted:
12/18/2004
5:41:30 pm EST
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Views: 17,659
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Comments: 9
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Christmas 'Mummers' In Newfoundland Both Scary And Entertaining
Author: Dene Moore Source: Yahoo
Title: CHRISTMAS 'MUMMERS' IN NEWFOUNDLAND BOTH SCARY AND ENTERTAINING
  If Newfoundlanders are a little nervous at the prospect of Santa popping down the chimney on Christmas Eve, they may have good reason.
On the island, unannounced Christmas visitors are as likely to expect gifts as they are to give them, and they may be difficult to convince to leave.
Mummering, as it's called, dates back hundreds of years and was brought to the New Found Land by its original Irish and English immigrants.
During any or all of the 12 days of Christmas, mummers will get "jannied up" (dressed up in disguise) and go door to door unannounced and often unrecognizable.
True mummers will perform the Mummer's Play lasting as little as 15 minutes - if the homeowners are antsy - to hours if the food is good and the drinks are flowing.
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Community Thoughts: There are 9 comments posted | Reverse Sort |
| Some Links: | Dec 19th. at 3:00:45 pm EST |
| Winter Celebrations... | Dec 19th. at 2:53:51 pm EST |
by Sorana (Iasi, Romania) - wc_xemail
Well, this is one of the times of the year I am happy I am Romanian and still live here (as opposed to "emigrated to a place with better opportunities") !
Mummers's-type celebrations are the norm here - encouraged by the authorities, as they are part of our folklore. Young boys and men go about with the "Plough" (Plugul, plugusorul) telling a story/intoning a chant about an exceedingly hardworking landowner with a super-fertile field (he sows wheat in the morning and reaps it by early afternoon) , married to an excessively worthy woman, who bakes breadrings for the entire community in a snap... and wishing the hosts a happy and prosperous new year, while cracking whips (more recently it's firecrackers) , beating drums, sounding bells and making ox-lowing sounds with a special intrument... Manatzi mai! Haaaaai-haaai! Oh, I forgot: apples, walnuts and cake (similar to panetone) and sometimes a drink as well (depending on age) for all the well-wishers for their effort!
The Goat's dance (Capra) is another lively "happy new year, now give us sweets" song/dance/custom. Tza-tza-tza, capritza, tza!
Obviously, a people of agriculturers and shepherds! :-)
In some regions there's also the custom of going from house to house with the Stag (a hunting play) and with the play of the... Outlaws (Jienii, that is Iancu Jianu's men - Iancu Jianu was a famous RobinHood-type outlaw in the Fanariot times) , who are hunted by the posse, but when the messenger informs them that the Tartars are upon them, the outlaws and the posse join forces and they fight the Tartars, defending their country as one man! (very patriotic, that one!)
All the above-mentioned companies have "roles" and wear masks, which differ from one region to another. It's customarily men doing the rounds, be it in "drag" (allowable for the holidays, you know...)
And the actual eve of January 1st is a magical time (don't know whether it was always Jan 1st, maybe it used to be earlier) - animals speak (but you're not supposed to listen to them, under penalty of death) , it's a good time to rub some garlic on the doorposts, to keep the bad spirits away (no, no Dracula here, sorry!) and to try to tell the fortune of the entire family, to find out what the weather is going to be like in the following 12 months (with 12 hollowed onions filled with salt, gathering water until morning: little water - little rain etc.) or whether a lass is going to get married that year or not (still a big thing here) .
Well, thank you for listening, ladies and gentlemen! Wiching you good health and prosperity in the new year!
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| Caroling | Dec 19th. at 10:52:45 am EST |
by bill matula (calimesa, california) - wc_xemail
this practice, though sans the colorful costumes but still dressed in finery, has been altered to fit contempary thinking. it is christmas caroling. going door to door singing yule time songs where the household would bring drinks and noshes showing thanks for the entertainment that they bestowed upon them. seems though you do not hear much of this practice being carried out anymore. probably not news worthy enough.
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| Some Further Facts... | Dec 19th. at 10:22:34 am EST |
by Cyana (North Bay, Ontario, Canada) - wc_xemail
The Mummerin' Song was a song done by Simani...you can find it on WinMX. I have a great copy of it. I lived in New Brunswick from '69 to '73, when my Dad was posted there. Being on base meant having quite a collection of Canadians from coast to coast in one small area. My parents got Mummered one nite, and it was priceless. It's a practice that is still carried on today in the CAF, as a Snowball, without the costumes. It's like a pubcrawl. You literally go door to door, have some fun and drinks, go to the next door. It's done on foot, no driving. We did this in Germany, and every other base we've been on, and it's all in good fun. Mummering is just a way of having fun. Similar stuff is done in Germany, high point being around December 6th, St Nicholas Day. They have the Fool's Guild go around town, complete with a Bishop*Phony* and they bless your house after having a drink. The Mummering Song is worth the download, and yes, it's got a strong Newfie accent. It brings a smile to my lips whenever I hear it. Ironically, the first place I heard it was in CFB Lahr. So, if you have some oddly dressed folk show up at your door, bring them in, welcome them, and have a drink with them. They are simply carrying on a tradition that's based in old lore. Merry Yule from a Yule Bride.
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| Santa Mummers | Dec 19th. at 1:36:07 am EST |
by Ramemareh (Cumberland, WI) - wc_xemail
This reminds me of an article I've read before, only it involves a Santa type of figure.The play, acted out, mimiced the wild man (sometimes a bear) .Only Santa was a Pan type of figure.He went from door to door banging on the doors with a phalic symbol and demanded entry.
He was accompanied by a Bessy (a man dressed as a woman) , and other various merry makers wearing goat or bear skins and masks.Interseting enough, after the Wild Man was slain, has was amazingly resurrected.Wow Christmas and Easter all put together, us Pagans are an efficiant bunch aren't we.
If you'd like to read more I strongly suggest going to www.forteantimes.com/articles/118_santan.
shtml.I've tried to connect this link before, as I've suggested it before. Unforunatly it didn't work.If you have any troubles, type santa the last wild man in your search engine.One of the first listings you'll see is The Last Of The Wildmen-FT-118.It's a very good article.
However, if you're going to mummer this Holiday season, I suggest going to somone's house who understands this tradition.As here in the States, we've been conditioned to such a fear based society by the government and the media, you could get shot.
So mummer safely,
Blessed Be,
Ram
(0) ! Find More info -- HERE
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| "any Mummers 'llowed In?" | Dec 18th. at 10:34:28 pm EST |
by Brenna (Mt. Pearl, Newfoundland) - wc_xemail
If I remember correctly, mummering is now illegal in Newfoundland. It might still be practiced in some smaller towns - I'm in the suburbs, I wouldn't know. :)
There's a Newfoundland Christmas carol about mummering. "The Mummer's Song" is the title, I believe.
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| Mummering In The US | Dec 18th. at 9:50:10 pm EST |
by Lionschil (Below the Bible Belt) - wc_xemail
I've done mummer's plays at Winter Solstice and Beltaine here inthe US adapted from some of the ancient mummer's tales, such as George and the Dragon and the Battle of the Trees. It's great fun at Pagan holidays to come a-mumming into a Pagan home and begin the play, in exchange for food, drink and donations to charity.
After all, theater has its roots in the temples of antiquity, so sacred theater such as mumming is a great way to keep the Old Path alive.
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| Interesting | Dec 18th. at 7:09:01 pm EST |
by Rowan Foxfyre (Indianapolis, In) - wc_xemail
My Grandmother spoke of things like this, remembering them from her childhood in Alabama, she couldn't remember what it was called (although she did remember almost losing a finger to a firecracker during one expedition) but she did mention masks and singing.....its wonderful to read things and understand my Grandmother just a little more. (sadly she passed away back in '92, I miss her still)
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| A Song... | Dec 18th. at 6:41:56 pm EST |
by Liz (san marcos texas) - wc_xemail - Web
I know a song.. Loreena McKennitt's the mummer's dance and it speaks of such gift giving... I always was curious.
I think society needs ways and days where they can lose themselves in another role. It, I am certain, is greatly theraputic.
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