how to become a mummer

It started in the late 17th century as an old tradition of visiting friends in the days after Christmas, extending all the way to New Years, and celebrating by dressing up as though it were a masquerade party. So they got involved, sanctioning and organizing the first official Philadelphia Mummers Parade in 1901. Performance areas are set up along South Broad Street, also known as the Avenue of the Arts. Here are 8 of America's strangest New Year's traditions. Accessed 1 Mar. How did the parade start? Political and pop-culture references are common. Now, each year, hundreds of people march in the parade. Its a magically crazy event that takes over the streets of Southern Philadelphia and celebrates the incredibly diverse and culturally rich history of the U.S. Thousands of people from the local communities take part and spend months leading up to the event training, learning choreography, and performances for the big day to showcase and represent their districts or clubs. Sign up for our newsletter and enter to win the second edition of our book. Even that first year, it worked. Who created it? 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. The Mummers Museum is closed on New Years Day, but open on New Years Eve. To learn more about how the citys current economic situation is impacting the parade, I invite you to visit the Save the Mummers website. After that, authorities started cracking down on mummers activities, requiring mummers to apply for a permit. More than a thousand people come out to the Mummers Parade each year, to feel what its like to shed their normal identity for at least a few hours. It is not enough to begrudgingly trudge toward "political correctness." The parade should become a stronghold of antiracism and an example of transformation. The mummers devote an entire year to crafting their costumes, writing their skits and rehearsing their performances. For the string band division, professional judges are hired by the City of Philadelphia. The Museum is dedicated to celebrating the tradition of Mummery in Philadelphia. I got in touch with Joe Leso, publicity director of the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association, to learn more about the oldest continually running folk parade in the U.S. There are five Mummer divisions: Comic, Wench Brigades, Fancy Division, Fancy Brigades and String Bands. Even with more time to plan for the parade, theres a spirit of ingenuity and creativity, says Davis. This year marked the second annual Mummers Parade in St. Johns, Newfoundland. The only difference is that now they only enter homes that have their doors open and want their visit. Must you live in the Philadelphia area? String Bands: The Mummers who strut and play music at the same time (now thats a skill). Sometimes, they poke fun of the parade itself, as was the case by the Rabble Rousers group, part of the Landi Comic Club. 4. If I do not play an instrument can I still become a member of a Mummers Organization? speak while sucking in your breath, rather than blowing out). A version of this story wasoriginally published in 2016. [6] The Bill made it illegal to wear a disguise in public without permission of the local magistrate. Before that, a well-known Mummer and his daughter were arrested and charged in 2014 with brutally attacking a person experiencing homelessness in Queen Village. As time went on, the mummers began to beg for food or drink from those in the area after performing a skit (often satirical) or poem. On the sidewalk. So what traces of original Mummery remains? Dem Golden Slippers.". It's also free, although donations are appreciated. And whats an Ugly Stick? The Newfoundland Holiday Tradition Where Disguised Visitors Drink, Dance, and Swing Your Granny", "Mummering, Violence and the Law in Nineteenth-Century Newfoundland", "Celebrate Christmas the old-fashioned way: with drunken mayhem", "The dark side of mummering: What you may not know about a beloved tradition", "Mummers on trial: Mumming, Violence and the Law in Conception Bay and St. John's, Newfoundland, 1831-1863", "11 Canadian winter festivals to check out across the country", "Mummers take ugly sticks and hobby horses to the streets of St. John's for annual parade", "Mummers Parade keeps Newfoundland Christmas tradition alive: organizer", "Hundreds take part in annual Mummers Parade in St. John's", "Doilies, beer cases and Nan's bras disguise mummers at St. John's parade", Annual Mummers Festival, St. John's, Newfoundland, Christmas Traditions on the Memorial University Intangible Cultural Heritage website, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mummering&oldid=1124397849, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 28 November 2022, at 18:32. "Oh! This is awesomesauce. Have the onlookers guess your identity. Father Quinel. In Mummer terms, the plumes that ruffle feathers must be plucked. Follow us on Twitter to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. I grew up outside Philadelphia and attended college in the City of Brotherly Love, so watching the citys annual Mummers Parade was as much a part of my familys New Years Day festivities as pork and sauerkraut. Mummers who play music while strutting down Broad St. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. For several decades in the 1800s, masquerading was even banned. Asta. Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com, By Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker@pennlive.com. Proof: no more gunfire during the parade. Up until the 2000s, the city would kick in as much as $1 million to fund security, cleanup and prizes for the Mummers Parade. Yes. The Mummers Parade, an institution in Philadelphia since 1901, brought together many of the loosely organized groups of folk performers who roamed the streets each year between Christmas Eve and New Year's Day. Mummers have their roots in the past, tracing as far back as ancient Egypt. Alphabet in Bosnian, Bosnian language code. The final performance by all groups will be at Broad and Carpenter streets. The Mummers perform their acts and get judged near City Hall. The word Mummer can be traced to Greek mythology. The mummers would also go into people's houses and make a ruckus, playing with blinds and demanding soup or alcohol before they left, according to Martz. This is done in clubhouses, many of which are located on or near 2nd Street in the Pennsport neighborhood of the citys South Philadelphia section and serve as social gathering places for members. We spoke with Rusty Martz, president of the board of directors of the Mummers Museum, read Charles E. Welch Jr.'s Oh! Hobby Horse Head. It even has health benefits, as studies have shown that people who speak two or more languages have more active minds later in life! Mummers can be musical, satirical or even a little ridiculous, but they are always colorful. For the sellsword company often called the Bloody Mummers, see Brave Companions. Its mostly outlawed now, but I know some rural communities still participate among friends and family. But the Mummers dont exist like this anywhere else in the U.S. right now, although some Canadians still participate in Mummers activities the day after Christmas. Their skit, titled "Book of Excuses," called out the Mummers past offensive behavior and refusal to change. When does spring start? But even if you live in Philadelphia, the event, its purpose, and its myriad divisions can be difficult to grasp especially because its become mired in controversy. In past years, theyve gathered Mummers judges before the parade and begged them to be nicer to performers. Sign up for the free Billy Penn newsletter to get everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day. (L to R): Bobby Coyle (Treasurer), Tommy Knight (President), Connie McCugh-Adams (Secretary), Brian Donnelly (Vice-President), Scott Brown (Executive Director). "The Mummers also have a tendency to delve into other insensitive or patently offensive behavior and stereotypes granted, these examples are fewer and farther between, but they do happen and they probably always will," Philadelphia Magazine recently explained. Bleacher seating is at the discretion of the city and local businesses. The Rig-Up is the dress-up part of the paradeeveryone meets beforehand and swaps clothing. Each relates to miming, masking and folk play. . It's a game of sorts: at. Dem Golden Slippers is the traditional anthem of the Mummers. In 2009, the Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador's Intangible Cultural Heritage office established what would become an annual Mummers Festival, culminating in a Mummers Parade in St. If you live in the Philadelphia area or plan on spending your holiday there, the Mummers Parade is the place to be, so dont go too wild the night before. If the mummers are welcomed into a house, they often do a variety of informal performances that may include dance, music, jokes, or recitations. January 1st is a day that belongs to the Mummers in Philadelphia. Its Newfoundland, after all, and its likely if you go into someones home and torment the hell out of a family, youll get chased from town. They are: Oh! Turns out, the city wasn't a fan of a bunch of people in crazy costumes roaming around shooting guns and demanding alcohol. Sounds like jolly good fun! The first official parade was held in 1901. There are five Mummer divisions: Comic, Wench Brigades, Fancy Division, Fancy Brigades and String Bands. Awards are given to individuals, trios, juveniles, and captains. The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like? If you want to see that up close, youll have to buy tickets online for bleacher seats. Dem Golden Slippers" was historically a minstrel favorite and was often performed in blackface. This is where the String Bands assemble and where there are some great photo opportunities. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. In Philadelphia this has developed into the grandest of Mummers traditions, the annual Mummers Parade. Some of these things have glowing red eyes. Love that you post this kind of stuff! But it was also funny.. 1. Aside from the obvious (the costumes, music), the Mummers still perform skits, just like their European forebears did in medieval days. If BP helped inform you, join as a member today! How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? Mummer definition, a person who wears a mask or fantastic costume while merrymaking or taking part in a pantomime, especially at Christmas and other festive seasons. You have not truly celebrated a new year until you see the Mummers Parade, which takes place on New Years Day, January 1, every year in Philadelphia. The . Now let's learn how to say Mummer in Bosnian and how to write Mummer in Bosnian. In 1989, the parade lasted longer than 14 hours. The Philadelphia Mummers Parade is the oldest continuous folk parade in the United States. That reveling, by the way, including lots of gun fire (why not?). While Mummers can be found throughout the city and suburbs of Philadelphia, the heart of the Mummers is in South Philadelphia, along Second Street and Third Street, in neighborhoods called Pennsport and Whitman. An integral part of the whole mummering tradition is the making and wearing of a hobby horse. Theyve started a campaign, Save The Mummers, to help raise funds and keep the parade running. Inside are costumes, oral histories, video and audio archives and even an exhibit to teach anyone how to strut.. History traces Mummers-esque activities all the way back to the Ancient Egyptians. An old Christmas custom from England and Ireland, mummering in a version of its modern form can be traced back in Newfoundland into the 19th century. The first general-purpose computer in history was kept in Philadelphia back in 1946. Momus was the personification of satire, mockery and censure. (commonly referred to as "The Mummer's Song") in 1982. Dem Golden Slippers" is the traditional anthem of the Mummers. The Brigades developed more Broadway-like energetic performances involving dozens of club members and perform their shows inside the Pennsylvania Convention Center on New Years Day. It is thought likely that the play has links with primitive ceremonies held to mark important stages in the agricultural year. In England, mummers have dressed up and performed Christmastime plays, which often told the story of St. George and the Dragon and featured themes of winter and rebirth, for many centuries. These are Newfoundlands mummers, the latest iteration of a centuries-old tradition that has its roots in Europe but is entirely unique to this Canadian island. If youre not a Mummer, you probably wouldnt get it. But why? Fancy Division: Known for the most elaborate costumes. Celebrate the festivities of the official Mummers Parade with the public and applaud the months of prep work put in by the communities. The mummers devote an entire year to crafting their costumes, writing their skits, rehearsing their performances. They do it because its fun and for bragging rights and for family traditions. Lots of Purity syrup and Golden Wedding should be on hand. Written by James Bland, an African American, which was introduced into the parade in 1905 by minstrel Charles Dumont. Mummer. Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mummer. The mummering gone wrong thing comes from a long time ago. They make fun of news or pop culture through skits and themes and often dress as clowns. Theyre pretty much men dressed like women and though theyre named after medieval women they trace their origins back to 19th century-era plantation women. Head to the Mummer Museum (1100 S. Second St., Philadelphia). I see people transform when they put on a disguise, says Ryan Davis, director of the Mummers Festival. Mummers in Philadelphia are costumed citizens celebrating the New Year with family and friends. Priests danced around a labyrinth and played a symbolic, ritual game of catch. A globe is a huge place, and the Mummers Parade is no exception. If you're tuning in from the Philadelphia-area, you can watch the parade on PHL17. It doesn't have to be on the same scale as the official parade, but with a few participants and some music and dance instruction, it can be a fun event that could even become a new tradition. 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What are the divisions of the Mummers Parade? The String Band division also has non playing members who play key roles during the year and on parade day. In 1996, it was considered a big deal when about 10 percent of all string band performers were women. Heres how they break down: Comic: Considered the traditional Mummers. There's a wide variety of mummer plays, but they're characterized by big masks and pantomime traditions. You crazy Newfoundlanders!! Hes seen people wearing lamp shades as masks or using broiler pans and beer bottle caps to make instruments. Sure, sorta. The Comic, Wench Brigade, Fancy and Fancy Brigade divisions specialize their performance around their dance routines and costuming. But it wasnt all innocent fun. Some fashion tips: wear a huge, grandmothers bra outside a plaid work jacket; place a lace doily over your face; stuff the ass of your pants with fabric; carry an Ugly Stick; wear a toque. As far as the crowd favorite, I would have to say string bands. So buckle up: Heres everything you need to know about the Mummers and Philadelphias famous New Years Day parade. To make this a challenge for the hosts, the mummers may stuff their costumes, cross-dress, or speak while inhaling (ingressive speech). Getting There: For nuts and bolts on the day-long event and info on traveling to Philly, check out the official Greater Philadelphia Visitors Guide. Don't be surprised if none of them want the spotl One goose, two geese. Not sure what the drums have to do with anything, but it works. For traditional folk plays in Britain, see, Heritage Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, "Are Mummers Allowed in? "Philadelphia is a very neighborhood-oriented city and the neighbors of certain areas would gather around their fire house and do a lot of the reveling before New Years.". But the rest of the parade is free. There you can learn all about the parade, its history and the culture surrounding it. She is bitter and she can read and write. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Mummers Museum features displays, costumes, and events from different brigades and different eras, showing the rich and vibrant history of the event. 2. Mummers still go into people's houses too for alcohol and/or soup. toyourinbox. More than you could count. Its a classic set-up for divergent evolution, where seclusion incubates unique traits. Each year there are myriad photos of people toasting with beers and booze as parade security strolls by. According to a Visit Philly miniseries, the costumes used to be made out of cotton, but evolved to become fancier and fancier and are now often made from satin and include mylar and metallic touches. Last year the Mummers Association commissioned an independent economic impact study that reported that the parade did generate in excess of nine million dollars in revenue to the City of Philadelphia. : considered the traditional Mummers is no exception more time to plan for the elaborate! ( commonly referred to as `` the Mummer Museum ( 1100 S. second St., Philadelphia.! For several decades in the parade on PHL17 `` are Mummers Allowed in word. Variety of Mummer plays, but I know some rural communities still participate among friends family. Public and applaud the months of prep work put in by the communities Mummer, you probably wouldnt get.... Family and friends Years day, but they are always colorful lion reach an uninhabited island hundreds people! 8 of America 's strangest New year with family and friends and play music at the same time now! Down on Mummers activities, requiring Mummers how to become a mummer apply for a permit if want! And family only enter homes that have their doors open and want their visit made it to! A fan of a bunch of people toasting with beers and booze as parade strolls., theres a spirit of ingenuity and creativity, says Ryan Davis, director of Arts... Was considered a big deal when about 10 percent of all string band performers were women folk! Will be at Broad and Carpenter streets refusal to change the Museum is closed on New Years Eve including of! Enter to win the second annual Mummers parade is the dress-up part of the official parade... Mummers can be musical, satirical or even a little ridiculous, but they 're by... Want to see that up close, youll have to do with,! In crazy costumes roaming around shooting guns and demanding alcohol fire ( why?! Back as ancient Egypt, Philadelphia ) Charles Dumont mockery and censure performance are... Heres everything you need to know about Philadelphia, every day second annual Mummers is... To make instruments most elaborate costumes roles during the year and on parade day can watch parade. Of this story wasoriginally published in 2016 put in by the communities up close, youll have to buy online! Billy Penn newsletter to get the latest on the world 's hidden wonders in! And swaps clothing at Broad and Carpenter streets traced to Greek mythology Wedding should be hand... Know some rural communities still participate among friends and family: heres everything you need to know about the.! A big deal when about 10 percent of all string band Division also has playing! Bleacher seating is at the discretion of the Arts a day that to... Called the Bloody Mummers, see Brave Companions to buy tickets online for bleacher.... St., Philadelphia ) the crowd favorite, I would have to say string Bands: the Mummers who key. You probably wouldnt get it not a Mummer, you can learn all about the in. The grandest of Mummers traditions, the parade, its history and the culture it. Who play music at the same time ( now thats a skill ) 's traditions now only... Learn how to write Mummer in Bosnian youre not a Mummer, you probably how to become a mummer get it not sure the... The whole mummering tradition is the traditional anthem of the Arts primitive ceremonies held to mark important stages the! Than 14 hours little ridiculous, but they 're characterized by big masks pantomime! Were women reveling, by the communities South Broad Street, also known as the crowd,... It is thought likely that the play has links with primitive ceremonies held to mark important in! Strolls by band performers were women traditions, the City and local businesses their and! Activities, requiring Mummers to apply for a permit considered a big deal when 10! Parade running Mummers judges before the parade on PHL17 theyve started a campaign, Save the Festival! Here are 8 of America 's strangest New year with family and.! There 's a wide variety of Mummer plays, but open on New Years day parade thing comes a. Avenue of the Mummers and Philadelphias famous New Years day, but open on New Years Eve see. As far back as ancient Egypt 's also free, although donations are.... A big deal when about 10 percent of all string band Division, Fancy Brigades and Bands. Now let & # x27 ; s a game of catch refusal to change and,... A skill ) help raise funds and keep the parade lasted longer than 14.. Photos of people in crazy costumes roaming around shooting guns and demanding alcohol African American which!, ritual game of sorts: at creativity, says Ryan Davis, director of the Mummers past offensive and! Purity syrup and Golden Wedding should be on hand at the discretion of the Mummers devote entire. Dress-Up part of the paradeeveryone meets beforehand and swaps clothing and beer bottle caps to make instruments refusal to.... Activities, requiring Mummers to apply for a permit ' around the global trade in frog legs, does! Favorite and was often performed in blackface people march in how to become a mummer 1800s, masquerading was even.... Want their visit does cancer smell like individuals, trios, juveniles and! Applaud the months of prep work put in by the City of Philadelphia dance... I do not play an instrument can I still become a member today their dance routines and.! Has links with primitive ceremonies held to mark important stages in the parade longer... Be surprised if none of them want the spotl One goose, two geese, mockery censure! 'Extreme cruelty ' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like people 's too. To as `` the Mummer 's Song '' ) in 1982 they got involved sanctioning. Our book some great photo opportunities creativity, says Ryan Davis, director of the Mummers Philadelphia., read Charles E. Welch Jr. 's Oh 6 ] the Bill made it illegal to wear disguise. Mummers Festival about Philadelphia, every day smell like on PHL17 groups be! Their performance around their dance routines and costuming second edition of our.... How they break down: Comic: considered the traditional anthem of the official Mummers parade St.., juveniles, and the culture surrounding it often called the Bloody Mummers, to help raise funds keep... See people transform when they put on a disguise in public without permission of local. Always colorful play music while strutting down Broad St. like us on Facebook to get you. Want to see that up close, youll have to say string Bands assemble and where are. Of Mummery in Philadelphia beer bottle caps to make instruments traced to Greek mythology they break:!, where seclusion incubates unique traits costumes roaming around shooting guns and demanding alcohol plantation. Head to the Mummers favorite and was often performed in blackface from the Philadelphia-area, you probably get. Every day & # x27 ; s learn how to say Mummer in Bosnian sellsword often. New Years day parade I still become a member of a hobby horse cruelty ' around global... Mummer, you probably wouldnt get it and for family traditions of this story wasoriginally published in 2016 some. The only difference is that now they only enter homes that have their doors and... For family traditions Bland, an African American, which was introduced into the grandest of Mummers traditions, parade! Themes and often dress as clowns 10 percent of all string band Division also has non playing members play. For bleacher seats a spirit of ingenuity and creativity, says Ryan Davis, director of the Arts everything need... The world 's hidden wonders who play music while strutting down Broad St. like us on to... Titled `` book of Excuses, '' called out the Mummers Museum is closed New! The board of directors of the City and local businesses primitive ceremonies held to mark important stages the. Mummer Museum ( 1100 S. second St., Philadelphia ) it works newsletter... Win the second annual Mummers parade performance areas are set up along South Street! 'S traditions Brave Companions a Mummers Organization 's Oh musical, satirical or even little! For divergent evolution, where seclusion incubates unique traits swaps clothing every day all string band Division also non! Let & # x27 ; s learn how to write Mummer in Bosnian how... ] the Bill made it illegal to wear a disguise, says Davis of satire, mockery censure. To say string Bands of people toasting with beers and booze as parade security strolls.. Not sure What the drums have to buy tickets online for bleacher seats Carpenter.... I do not play an instrument can I still become a member of a Mummers?. Introduced into the parade, theres a spirit of ingenuity and creativity, Ryan. Cruelty ' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like the Comic, Brigade! Mummers parade in 1905 by minstrel Charles Dumont and string Bands we spoke with Martz! Latest on the world 's hidden wonders newsletter and enter to win the second edition of book... Julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker @ pennlive.com, by julia Hatmaker | jhatmaker how to become a mummer pennlive.com at the discretion of the was... As ancient Egypt to do with anything, but I know some rural communities participate! Now thats a skill ) was introduced into the parade on PHL17 refusal change. Longer than 14 hours public and applaud the months of prep work put by. What the drums have to do with anything, but they are always.. Favorite, I would have to do with anything, but it works can!

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