Comments on: Thanksgiving Maskers http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 19:43:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: PaulR http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648720 PaulR Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648720 At least the Newfoundlander/Labradorians are still mummering. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzJW65XwKPY At least the Newfoundlander/Labradorians are still mummering.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzJW65XwKPY

]]> By: bjacques http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-649013 bjacques Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-649013 Those costumes were pretty topical--Spanish-American War, Boer War--and I wonder if anyone went as General Funston administering the "water cure?" Those costumes were pretty topical–Spanish-American War, Boer War–and I wonder if anyone went as General Funston administering the “water cure?”

]]> By: Dominic http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-649014 Dominic Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-649014 "Mummering", or "jannying" as it is known locally (http://www.heritage.nf.ca/dictionary/azindex/pages/2388.html), is still practiced to a limited, and somewhat ironic, extent in the outports of Newfoundland. This is done more often at Xmas than Thanksgiving and involves the adults (kids rarely do this these days) cross-dressing in old clothes, putting on masks and going from house to house to "get their Christmas"...meaning that they will get drinks and food at each house they visit. It's basically a mobile party and an excuse to get good and drunk over the Xmas holidays, but there's also often some live music, dancing, storytelling and recitation involved, making it a last vestige of a very old way of life in the outports. That being said, one of my most bizarre memories is of spending a week one night snowbound in a bumhole town in Newfoundland while a recently returned military man of questionable orientation in his mother's dress took it in turns to attempt to molest both myself and my wife. Egad, I love living in the city. “Mummering”, or “jannying” as it is known locally (http://www.heritage.nf.ca/dictionary/azindex/pages/2388.html), is still practiced to a limited, and somewhat ironic, extent in the outports of Newfoundland. This is done more often at Xmas than Thanksgiving and involves the adults (kids rarely do this these days) cross-dressing in old clothes, putting on masks and going from house to house to “get their Christmas”…meaning that they will get drinks and food at each house they visit.
It’s basically a mobile party and an excuse to get good and drunk over the Xmas holidays, but there’s also often some live music, dancing, storytelling and recitation involved, making it a last vestige of a very old way of life in the outports.
That being said, one of my most bizarre memories is of spending a week one night snowbound in a bumhole town in Newfoundland while a recently returned military man of questionable orientation in his mother’s dress took it in turns to attempt to molest both myself and my wife. Egad, I love living in the city.

]]> By: Ignatz http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-649024 Ignatz Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-649024 Here's an article about Thanksgiving maskers/ Ragamuffins in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The practice appears to have survived into the 1960s. http://www.greenpt.com/anytngftkg.htm Here’s an article about Thanksgiving maskers/ Ragamuffins in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. The practice appears to have survived into the 1960s. http://www.greenpt.com/anytngftkg.htm

]]> By: braininavat http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648798 braininavat Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648798 A while back I was looking at a book of photos of life in tiny British Columbia mining towns circa 1900 - 1920 and was amazed at the number of photos of masquerade parties - it seemed like a favorite recreational activity. A while back I was looking at a book of photos of life in tiny British Columbia mining towns circa 1900 – 1920 and was amazed at the number of photos of masquerade parties – it seemed like a favorite recreational activity.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648560 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648560 proto underwear perverts? proto underwear perverts?

]]> By: thewomanyoustole http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648580 thewomanyoustole Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648580 Those costumes are scarier than any I've seen on Halloween. So so creepy. Those costumes are scarier than any I’ve seen on Halloween. So so creepy.

]]> By: arkizzle / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648590 arkizzle / Moderator Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648590 But not quite as creepy as this traditional Irish turnip Jack'o'lantern.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Traditional_Irish_halloween_Jack-o%27-lantern.jpg But not quite as creepy as this traditional Irish turnip Jack’o'lantern..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Traditional_Irish_halloween_Jack-o%27-lantern.jpg

]]> By: thewomanyoustole http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648593 thewomanyoustole Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648593 Holy crap that was frightening. I'll have to remember that for next Halloween. Holy crap that was frightening. I’ll have to remember that for next Halloween.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-649362 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-649362 My grandmother actually told us about this yesterday, she was born and raised in Brooklyn. My grandmother actually told us about this yesterday, she was born and raised in Brooklyn.

]]> By: Xeni Jardin http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648596 Xeni Jardin Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648596 @arkizzle, a SCARE THE SHIT OUT OF YOU warning on the turnip next time PLEASE @arkizzle, a SCARE THE SHIT OUT OF YOU warning on the turnip next time PLEASE

]]> By: arkizzle / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648618 arkizzle / Moderator Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648618 It's the teeth, isn't it? :D The Irish have been doing Halloween for a long, long time. It’s the teeth, isn’t it? :D

The Irish have been doing Halloween for a long, long time.

]]> By: ackpht http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648633 ackpht Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648633 Seems in those days, if didn't have a hat, you weren't fully dressed. Dirt roads, no cars- it must have been relatively quiet compared to the distant-but-perpetual roar of engines we have today. Seems in those days, if didn’t have a hat, you weren’t fully dressed. Dirt roads, no cars- it must have been relatively quiet compared to the distant-but-perpetual roar of engines we have today.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648650 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648650 Trash Humpers! Trash Humpers!

]]> By: InsertFingerHere http://boingboing.net/2009/11/26/thanksgiving-maskers.html#comment-648694 InsertFingerHere Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-648694 A bi-racial couple happily walking arm-in-arm down the street. What could be scarier than that in 1915 ? Gives me chills. A bi-racial couple happily walking arm-in-arm down the street. What could be scarier than that in 1915 ?
Gives me chills.

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