Mummers by Jane Scherer Illustrated by Kenneth Vincent

FCES_OCT04 pp1_48.e 8/14/04 4:56 PM Page 26

No Christmas Without Mummers by Jane Scherer illustrated by Kenneth Vincent

26 FCES_OCT04 pp1_48.e 8/14/04 4:57 PM Page 27

alda, a kindergarten teacher are to keep their hosts from guessing in St. John’s, Newfoundland, who they are and to have fun. Christmas watched as her mother put on cake, cookies, and a glass of blueberry, longV woolen socks inside out. Then, her dogberry, or Purity syrup (a Newfound- mother pulled on a big orange rubber land sweet drink) are their reward. jacket and bibbed oilskin pants. Taking Mummery, or “jannying,” is a very old two pillows from the bed, she pushed Newfoundland custom that English and them down inside the big green pants. Irish settlers brought with them. Trac- A pillowcase with holes cut out for eyes ing further through history, we find that went over her head. A blue wool scarf kept mummery goes back to the pagan days her mask in place. She finished of Greece and Rome. Every her costume with some funny nation had its festivals, red gloves and a pair of Valda’s most marked by parades dad’s steel-toed work boots. and merrymaking. As far Valda’s mom and dad were back as 400 B.C., Roman getting ready to perform as mum- laborers observing the feast mers. The word comes from the of the Saturnalia visited Old French word momer, meaning friends and exchanged to wear a mask or pantomime. gifts as New Year greet- “Mummer” means a masked ings. It was a time when or costumed merrymaker. masters gave their slaves These people disguise themselves new robes and everyone by wearing old clothes, hoods, and roamed the streets masks sometime during the 12 days wearing “dress- of Christmas (the period from up” outfits. Christmas day through Janu- It’s important ary 6), and usually on the to be completely night of “Old Twelfth,” which covered (face, Newfoundlanders call Old hands, and body), Christmas Day. At that when you perform time, the mummers go mummery. In the out to visit the homes of past, months neighbors and friends. before Christmas, Knocking on a door, men would go to they will call out, “Any the mills and get mummers ’lowed in?” They have rope yarn. Separating practiced disguising their voices by the strands, they would use them to speaking from deep in their throats. With make whiskers for their costumes. Men musical instruments in hand, they play, will sometimes dress as women, and sing, dance, and “carry on.” The goals women as men. Even gestures and body

27 FCES_OCT04 pp1_48.e 8/14/04 4:57 PM Page 28

movements must be changed so that people who have grown up, gone to school, and worked together will not be able to guess each other’s identity. bad guy. Not to worry! A “doctor” would At one time, there were three types bring him back to life. Before they left, of mummery. The oldest form was the the group would ask for money. This parade. In St. John’s, the Mummers’ practice stopped before World War I, Parade was held every year. Because more than 90 years ago. they felt hidden by their disguises, The third type, the house visit, was merrymakers often got rowdy. As a the most popular. Newfoundland is result, sometimes someone got hurt. made up of close-knit communities. Life After a man was killed, the parade was in the past was harsh and Christmas banned for a time. was a time of great celebration — a full The second type of mummery, the per- 12 days of freedom from rough physical formance visit, involved a group of mum- work for men and women. It was also a mers going to someone’s house and celebration of the community’s survival putting on a small play. It was always through another year. Unfortunately, the same — the hero was killed by the these performances, too, often turned

28 FCES_OCT04 pp1_48.e 8/14/04 4:57 PM Page 29

violent. Some mummers carried “splits,” singing duo called Simani, are credited large sticks, and fought with other with reviving the ancient festivals. In groups. Horns and tails from goats, 1973, their humorous “Mummer’s sheep, and caribou, as well as their Song” was released. Written in New- skins and those of seals, were used to foundland dialect, it cautioned, “Be make the costumes. A few even used the careful the lamp and hold on to the dried heads of bulls and cows as masks. stove./Don’t swing Granny hard ’cause Because their costumes were wild and you know that she’s old.” because mummers damaged houses, Today, most mummery is fun. It’s a wharves, and fences, people were afraid way for close-knit people to exchange of them. In fact, mummers were once visits and play the game of “Guess used as bogeymen to frighten children. who?” Instead of sticks, mummers carry Bud Davidge and Sim Savory, two accordions and guitars. They bring good songwriters from the Newfoundland cheer, adding laughter and merrymaking to the holiday season.