There is a whole load of facinating stuff to do with ancient rituals and their connection with fire.
Blacking up is one of them. The ashes from a bone-fire applied to the face would convey the magic of the fire to the person wearing them, and to those he "blessed". I say HE because this magic was mans stuff, tho the actual tending of a fire was considered womans work. Hence the man/woman Molly (tho for some reason SHE is usually the only one NOT blacked up in black face morris sides, go figure)
The "Moorish" connotation should be well and truly debunked, as should the use of the "n" word which in any right thinking society, not cowed by misplaced guilt or preconcieved notions of racism, would be seen as merely another term to describe people of colour.
Black is a colour. Brown is a colour. Mulatto is a colour. It's only the association it has been given by racists which make it a "bad word" and subject to what is, after all, senseless sensorship.
I am not in any way racist, and I deplore racism in any form.
By I object to being told I cannot use a word in its proper context because it offends the sensibilities of the ignorant.
Having said that, I am not going to use the "n word" gratuitously, to shock, or to hurt. I use it when I sing sea shanties that were sung by ..................people of colour...........non white.........of African stock............or whatever word DOES suit my readers/listeners.
Sorry if this sounds a bit over the top, merely putting my own personal feelings out there.
It sickens me to know that folks take exception to what was a perfectly normal word 100 or less years ago. And all because of bloody racists.
P.S. I just LOVE cajun AND zydeco music, and make no distinctions of black or white in that area either.