May Day

[Fenster]

Padstow must be the whitest place in England, not a single black/brown face, not even a tourist. Must have been all Poles and Romanians.

[Beanz]

Padstow must be the whitest place in England, not a single black/brown face, not even a tourist. Must have been all Poles and Romanians.

Actually, If i remember rightly, to take part you have to have at least two generations of family born before you in Padstow.


Not a single black/brown face you say ? Depends on what day you visit






They will sing all kinds of songs, some folk music going back hundreds of years but also more problematic modern (as in less than 200 years old) like Stephen Foster's Uncle Ned which for me sounds as much like a recognition of Black workers and musicians as anything derogatory. Of course a lot of American folk music has its roots in Welsh, Irish, Scottish and English folk songs anyway, but I think accusations of racism here and of mummers or Darkie day in Padstow are a bit simplistic. While there are plenty of racists in Cornwall there is also a lot of tolerance as you find among many minority communities and there are certainly families with various shades of dark skin from Marrying Moors. The Spanish and other traders, sailors or merchants whose boats landed or were wrecked off the coast.

Interesting thing on the great American songwriter Stephen Foster and his statue here

http://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/...s/201708230295


It's interesting as border and black faced Morris dancers (Dark Morris) are a huge part of tradition down here and I know many, but that has other entirely different origins. Farm workers would black faces to dance in mid winter unrecognised by Landowners who would not have employed such pagan fools in the summer and spring time.