Wassail and the
Mummers in Philadelphia, PA.
History of the Mummers
History of the Mummers
Some say the origins of The Mummers Parade can be traced as far back as
1642, forty years prior to William Penn's arrival and is the result of
a blending of Northern European, British and African American cultures.
Many claim the tradition has Swedish roots, stemming from the holiday
celebrations of settlers outside of Philadelphia along the roads of
Tinicum and Kingsessing.
The early Swedish Mummers were even said to have a special dance step,
performed to rhymes such as this, as they went house to house bringing
and seeking cheer, often being rewarded with cakes and ale.
As we stood the year before
Give us whiskey, give us gin,
Open the door and let us in.
It is said that George Washington, following his inauguration, began
the official custom of New Year's Day calls and continued it during the
seven years he occupied the presidential mansion in the then capital
city of Philadelphia.
Mummers History Highlights
1808 Legislation is passed by Philadelphia social leaders, upset by the
masquerading and noise making of The Mummers. The mandate was ignored.
1840 The Chain Gang is established, becoming the earliest "club"
1879 Philadelphian James Bland composes "Oh dem Golden Slippers" widely regarded as the theme song of the Mummers.
2000 Mayor Ed Rendell becomes the city's first Mayor to march as a "Comic" in the parade, clad in wench attire.
Life Liberty and the Mummers by E.A. Kennedy at AMAZON
E. A. Kennedy writes
It started in 1900 as a Philadelphia attraction for the Worlds that would continue as a Philly tradition - point of pride.
The comic brigade
mission is to make fun of anything and everyone who behaved in an
outrageous manner during the year. Nothing is sacred ex. Priests who
molested children, Politicians who stole.
They had and have a
attitude that the CITY can not tell them what they can and cannot say,
for them it is a free speech issue. They are right.
The string divisions and the Politicians don't like it, so there has always been this fight through the years.
Also
historically there were as many black mummers as there were white. When
the depression hit - it hit the black mummer divisions harder and they
weren't able to recover - and now doesn't seem to be an interest.
The parade as we know it today, officially began in 1901.
The Mummers Museum
E.A. Kennedy's book filled with the history and street photographs.
Life, Liberty and the Mummers by E.A. Kennedy at Bryn MawrPhiladelphia Mummers -- See
Philadelphia New Year Shooters and Mummers Association
Philadelphia New Year Shooters and Mummers Association
Philadelphia Mummers Organization History : Masters, Patricia Anne,;
BMC, HC, SC
Philadelphia Mummers Organization Pictorial Works : Kennedy, E. A.; HC
Philadelphia Mumming Pennsylvania : Welch, Charles E; BMC
Wassail History
"Wassail - An etymology of this word wassale [is that] common people do = often, on those nights, wash their throats with ale." - Thomas Blount's Glossographia, 1656
See Irish Wassail History The Origins of British Mummers' Plays.
Plays For Wassailing
Wassail is closely related to the mumming traditions. Mummers also travel from door to door. They perform plays and drama do tricks and sing. This play dates from the 15th century and is a good piece of drama to add to your Wassail experience.
CULTURE OF HONOR
Bryan
Palmer article explains the connections between charivari, rough music
and forerunners of the KKK in American Southern history in a Canadian journal called Labour. There's new scholarship on Klan history, including the role of women in the Klan.
Primarily the KKK hated Catholic, Jewish, Black and Franco-American,
French Canadian communities. Roger Abrahams in his classes at Penn on
public display events pointed out the CHARIVARI / KLAN connections, building on the work of rough music, skimmington, whitecaps, and other related European-American masking traditions and community morality.
Philadelphia Mummers Parade and Tradition - Philadelphia tradition alive and well can still be seen every January 1ST. History, club info, picture gallery. Mummer 101
Fralinger String Band's Swashbuckler's Serenade performance in the Philadelphia Mummers Parade on January 1, 2004. Buccaneer is an Irish Word
2008 Mummers Parade Line Up
