What is the Mummers Song?
The classic Newfoundland Christmas tune, usually called “The Mummers Song,” was released in 1983 by Simani, a two-man band from Fortune Bay. Bud Davidge and Sim Savoury originally pressed 2,000 copies of the single, which they distributed themselves.
What is murmuring in Newfoundland?
Mummering, or mumming, is a Christmas-time house-visiting tradition practised in Newfoundland and Labrador, Ireland and parts of the United Kingdom. Once the mummers have been identified, they remove their disguises, spend some social time with the hosts, and then travel as a group to the next home.
Who wrote the Mummer’s Song?
Bud Davidge
The Mummer’s Song/Authors
Popular singer Bud Davidge wrote “The Mummer’s Song” as a tribute to a centuries-old custom in danger of disappearing. Since its publication in 1973, it has fostered a revival of mummering, as noted author and Newfoundland son Kevin Major points out in his afterword.
Why are they called Mummers?
The Mummers derive their name from the Mummers’ plays performed in Philadelphia in the 18th century as part of a wide variety of working class street celebrations around Christmas. The Mummers continued their traditions of comic verse in exchange for cakes and ale.
What do Mummers mean?
1 : a performer in a pantomime broadly : actor. 2 : one who goes merrymaking in disguise during festivals.
Is mummering illegal?
The mummer returns Thanks in part to the 1862 ban, the mummering tradition slowly faded over the decades, though it did remain an active practice in some parts of the province like the Southern Shore, Dohey said.
Can anyone be a mummer?
You Can! While each Mummers organization may have its own policies and requirements for things like age or musical experience, there are still plenty of opportunities to participate – even if you don’t want to dance, strut, or play an instrument in costume!
What is the history of Mummers?
The Philadelphia Mummers Parade is believed to be one of the oldest folk festivals in America, and a tradition that has been going on since the time of ancient Egyptians. However, the word Mummer can be traced back to ancient Greece. It is derived from Momus, the personification of satire and mockery.
What is the story behind Mummers?
Do Mummers win money?
They do it because it’s fun and for bragging rights and for family traditions. If you’re not a Mummer, you probably wouldn’t get it. The city used to dole out $150,000 in prize money but not anymore.
What is the Canadian word for Mummers?
The earliest record of mummering in Canada is in 1819. It now takes place each year around Christmas. Also known in Newfoundland as jennying or jannying, this folk tradition involves people dressing up in flamboyant clothes, masking their faces and distorting their voices in order to conceal their identities.
Is mummering illegal in Newfoundland?
After the alleged murder of a man named Isaac Mercer in 1861, authorities in Newfoundland made mummering festivities illegal, and the ban remained in place for almost a century.