Untie and untie and let us untie!.. oops

Okay, champers and oj are just sooo good when the breakfast singing gets going. Yesh, in Victoria we have _three_ Morris sides taking on our enjoyable responsibility to 'ensure' the sun returns daily for the rest of the year.

Ric has done a fine job of collecting NA left coast Morris May Day material at:
http://rgoldman.org/morris/mayday.htm

Had a great morning, lots of Morris dancers, more than you could shak.. yeah, yeah.

Of the BC sides we're likely the furthest west at approx 123 deg, 21 min West. Sunrise was 0555 PDT. err, 1255 UTC.

On the web I've just discovered Rant and Raven, in Anchorage, AK. Have just written to find out if they dance up the sun, nothing in their calendar about it. Nothing found in Hawaii or otherwise west of us, regardless of latitude. "May Day, is Lei Day in Hawaii", almost learnt how to play the tune during my uke lessons in Waikiki a few years ago. It is.

Looks like 2 1/2 sides did dance up Sol in NZ again on Mt Eden, Auckland.

Sure, some sides connect paganism, some don't; some connect some bits of paganism and not other parts. We don't get too heated about it here, just have another coffee or pint and sing a song. In a day and age where folks haven't a clue where their food comes from, let alone how it is raised, gathered, processed (".. and streamed, program, print out, regress to the mean". Well now, that was fun.), killed or WHY (what-have-you, not "Why!?") _I_ believe there is little harm in making some connection with fertility (of everything! Be careful!), crops and schtuff. We don't overly invent the history, however leave the passing person with a brief, plausible connection or rationale to in part answer, "why are those folks doing that mummy?" It's not a street corner dissertation.

One of our dear members often loudly counters that the traditional bit is to give us some change that we may proceed to the pub (the traditional part) and have a drink.

Ah, tradition, where would be without it.

Of course, May Day here is mostly for us, or anyone that wants to come and celebrate it with us. It's certainly not a regular dance out or performance. That's not a policy, just the way it is, something we live. Our folk.

Cheers, JD
QBM - three hours behind Mudcat Daylight Time
VI_Morris · Vancouver Is./Victoria Morris dance list

Hi AC.