If you’re reading this outside of the UK, chances are you’ll doubt me if I tell you that there exist in this country groups of people who dress in white, wear large hats, strap bells to their belts, place furry things around their ankles and whack each other with sticks while dancing around public places, all to the sound of an accordion. It is, however, true. They’re called Morris Dancers and it’s a very old form of folk dancing. I just saw some:
It’s traditional to take the mickey, but I don’t think anybody really dislikes them. They have a certain charm, although Skuds points out that it’s open to misinterpretation…
(note: YouTube doesn’t seem to like this video, and it may well disappear at some point)
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3 Responses to “Morris People” 
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We had a morris dancing team at my primary school and (don’t tell anyone) I was on it. We used to do that dance where you whack the stout sticks and we also did the one with the flat sticks which end up in a star of david shape.
I know its not the same thing, but I can’t see morris dancers now without being reminded of the olf Bill Tidy cartoon strip The Cloggies. If you ever see it in a secondhand bookshop do yourself a favour and snap it up! Its brilliant - nearly as funny as Footrot Flats.
I find Morris dancing backward and typical of the ‘heritage’ nonsense that holds this country back.
As a socialist I also find the blacking of faces extremely offensive and yes I have heard the arguments that its not what it seems but it just doesnt wash.
I actually agree that ‘heritage nonsense’ holds the country back. But, morris dancing? Seems entirely harmless to me…I’ve never seen any dancers with blacked faces, though, and that does sound entirely stupid.