Well my husband is VERY black (West African) and he loves and adores watching morris dancing. He's been to Whittlesea and was dragged in to dance with the Witchmen and then with Red Leicester. He's been loads of times to the Sheringham Pottie Festival and danced again holding Moss Ambrose's hand with the Leicester Morris. He's had his photo taken with Old Glory (who are very blacked-up) and laughed because he said he didn't need the make-up. He doesn't see anything wrong with the black faces, it's just tradition. In his part of the world, traditional dancers often white-up!!