GRAVESEND: School cancels black-faced morris dancing event (From News Shopper)
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GRAVESEND: School cancels black-faced morris dancing event
7:00am Tuesday 30th June 2009 in
A SCHOOL has cancelled a performance by a troupe of morris dancers over fears their blackened faces might cause offence.
The Dartford-based Motley Morris team, formed in 1981, was due to perform at Chantry Primary School in Ordnance Road, Gravesend, on Friday (June 26).
But the school, which has 272 pupils aged from three to 11, chose to pull the event saying it was “a difficult but well intended decision”.
Headteacher Hazel King said: “We organised the event to bring a diverse and fragile community together.
“To celebrate all cultures we booked a Morris troupe having failed to recognise the possible significance for our community of their tradition to perform with blackened faces and for this we sincerely apologise.
“We found ourselves in a difficult position of weighing up any potential offence versus not wishing to compromise the Morris dancers' tradition.
“It's a 'damned if we do, damned if we don't' scenario and quite understandably it will be a talking point as to the rights and wrongs of our decision.
“I apologise to the Morris troupe for any inconvenience caused and ask for people's understanding at what was a difficult but well intended decision.”
The Motley Morris team, which practises at the Hawley Pavilion in Hawley Road, blacken their faces using burnt cork as part of a tradition that originates from the Welsh borders.
Two hundred years ago, agricultural workers who could not work during the winter months, would “black up” to disguise their faces so they could beg on the streets and not be recognised.
Begging was illegal and punishable with prison, hence the black disguise.
The troupe’s secretary, Jim Snelling, said: “We are saddened and disappointed the school has passed up the opportunity to delve into a bit of English history and culture.
“We as a team understand that it can be perceived as a contentious issue.
“We haven’t got a problem with that at all, we can see how a black face could be misconstrued.
“It’s a shame that people don’t seem to be interested in finding out why we black up.”
Find out more about the Motley Morris team at motley-morris.co.uk
Do you think the school’s decision was right or wrong? Leave your comments below.
Comments(23)
Carparkattendant
says...
9:48am Tue 30 Jun 09
Carparkattendant wrote:A true story:-I once had a Ugandan girl friend. I had invited her to a Halloween party and she asked me to buy her some face paint for the occasion and a witch's hat. While painting her face as a cat using white face paint for whiskers she said to me “what colour shall I paint my nose? I think I’ll paint it black”. I said “well that will show up then won’t it”. But I knew she had a sense of humour. It’s a pity that schools don’t teach people to have a sense of humour instead of teaching them to have chips on their shoulders. It only makes things worse.
Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong Wrong
madras
says...
11:02am Tue 30 Jun 09
Carparkattendant
says...
11:11am Tue 30 Jun 09
madras wrote:Then they would all be white and racist!
couldn't they just have asked them not to blacked their faces and got on with the morris dancing?
Daz1
says...
11:16am Tue 30 Jun 09
As said WRONG
Total disgrace
We might as well not have any English/British culture as its bound to upset someone
PC ****
When will it stop?
Carparkattendant
says...
11:32am Tue 30 Jun 09
Daz1 wrote:In my experience it is the white middle classes in positions of power that are imposing this institutionalised racism which they call ‘Political Correctness’ which is actually causing racial tension and resentment in this country. I have never experienced or heard of any objections from non-whites to this sort of thing. It would be interesting to hear comments from some local non-white people about this.
Legit reason to black up As said WRONG Total disgrace We might as well not have any English/British culture as its bound to upset someone PC **** When will it stop?
YoungGun!
says...
4:35pm Tue 30 Jun 09
caley
says...
4:50pm Tue 30 Jun 09
StayFrosty
says...
5:04pm Tue 30 Jun 09
Unfortunately these dancers have got to accept this kind of attitude. Blacking up has unfortunate connotations. The swastika used to be a sign of peace. But we can't all go around displaying it can we. The context has changed. why don't these fellas have a bit of a boogie without the black stuff?
MissBexleyheath
says...
5:29pm Tue 30 Jun 09
Make Life
says...
8:59am Wed 1 Jul 09
Carparkattendant wrote:The only reason that the "white middle classes" are imposing these rules is because some people within the ethnic groups kick up a stink and moan that they are being targeted due to their colour. Im white and if a none white wanted to paint their face white and dance around a pole then it wouldnt bother me in the slightest.
Daz1 wrote: Legit reason to black up As said WRONG Total disgrace We might as well not have any English/British culture as its bound to upset someone PC **** When will it stop?In my experience it is the white middle classes in positions of power that are imposing this institutionalised racism which they call ‘Political Correctness’ which is actually causing racial tension and resentment in this country. I have never experienced or heard of any objections from non-whites to this sort of thing. It would be interesting to hear comments from some local non-white people about this.
Carparkattendant
says...
9:09am Wed 1 Jul 09
Make Life wrote:Well as I have already said I don't think non-whites do object and I have invited non-whites to comment on this. But no response so far.
Carparkattendant wrote:The only reason that the "white middle classes" are imposing these rules is because some people within the ethnic groups kick up a stink and moan that they are being targeted due to their colour. Im white and if a none white wanted to paint their face white and dance around a pole then it wouldnt bother me in the slightest.Daz1 wrote: Legit reason to black up As said WRONG Total disgrace We might as well not have any English/British culture as its bound to upset someone PC **** When will it stop?In my experience it is the white middle classes in positions of power that are imposing this institutionalised racism which they call ‘Political Correctness’ which is actually causing racial tension and resentment in this country. I have never experienced or heard of any objections from non-whites to this sort of thing. It would be interesting to hear comments from some local non-white people about this.
StayFrosty
says...
3:34pm Wed 1 Jul 09
personally, i find the very act of morris dancing offensive anyway.
Carparkattendant
says...
5:46pm Wed 1 Jul 09
StayFrosty wrote:We don't, but if any previous bloggers here are non-white and object please say so. Then it will prove me wrong.
Carpark, how do you know no "non-whites" have commmented? How would you be able to tell what colour the people on here are? personally, i find the very act of morris dancing offensive anyway.
doc 1
says...
10:12am Thu 2 Jul 09
Carparkattendant
says...
10:22am Thu 2 Jul 09
doc 1 wrote:I think you mean 'chimney sweeps'. You have been watching too many Mary Poppins films, how many open fires are there now that we have the Clean Air Act. But what about banning the SAS blacking up to go on missions.
What about chimley clearners?
Carparkattendant
says...
10:37am Thu 2 Jul 09
StayFrosty wrote:Forgetting the blacking up business for a moment. I am curious to know: why do you find the very act of morris dancing offensive?
Carpark, how do you know no "non-whites" have commmented? How would you be able to tell what colour the people on here are? personally, i find the very act of morris dancing offensive anyway.
doc 1
says...
12:34pm Thu 2 Jul 09
They are a group of people who like to keep the art of chimney sweeping alive in the form off dancing.
I belive the doc has taught you something, car park attendant. So now you can go for that job you always wanted, the taffic attendant. No need to thank me as I allready no you do in your heart.
Carparkattendant
says...
1:28pm Thu 2 Jul 09
doc 1 wrote:Well, I'm afraid I have never heard of them and because you didn’t mention dancers in your description I would not have known who you were talking about even if your spelling had been correct. I assume this group also black their faces, otherwise where do they fit in this discussion? In which case obviously the same would apply to them as does the morris dancers.
First off all Carlarkattendant, can I thank you for being my spell check, When I said chimney sweeps, I am on about the chimney sweep dancers. In case you have never heard of them, let me educate you to add to your world of nowingness. They are a group of people who like to keep the art of chimney sweeping alive in the form off dancing. I belive the doc has taught you something, car park attendant. So now you can go for that job you always wanted, the taffic attendant. No need to thank me as I allready no you do in your heart.
YoungGun!
says...
8:04pm Thu 2 Jul 09
madras wrote:I think thats the whole point of this discussion?!?!?! Why should they not black thier faces?? Is supposed to be soot, not a rasict attack on anyone! And anyone who says it is is just looking for a row.
couldn't they just have asked them not to blacked their faces and got on with the morris dancing?
madras
says...
5:19pm Fri 3 Jul 09
YoungGun! wrote:point was they felt they had to cancel just because of the blacked faces - so why not compromise, and if they wanted to they could explain how they used to black their faces. Throw in a little history. Job done. All happy. Better things to worry about...
madras wrote:I think thats the whole point of this discussion?!?!?! Why should they not black thier faces?? Is supposed to be soot, not a rasict attack on anyone! And anyone who says it is is just looking for a row.
couldn't they just have asked them not to blacked their faces and got on with the morris dancing?
Carparkattendant
says...
9:05am Mon 6 Jul 09
Carparkattendant wrote:Well, it is now 5 days since my post requesting non-white people to express thier views/objections regarding this, but there is only silence.
StayFrosty wrote: Carpark, how do you know no "non-whites" have commmented? How would you be able to tell what colour the people on here are? personally, i find the very act of morris dancing offensive anyway.We don't, but if any previous bloggers here are non-white and object please say so. Then it will prove me wrong.
Pete Beat
says...
3:50pm Mon 6 Jul 09
Blacking up is as old as the hills.
But in our mulity cultural country, anything that is englaish old or christian is not ok.
So move to errr mmmmm to Scotland
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The Dartford-based Motley Morris team was due to perform at Chantry Primary School in Gravesend
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Carparkattendant says...
9:01am Tue 30 Jun 09