Morris

The Morris have been a feature of Beltane up on the Tor for years now, 30 I think. The Cam Valley Morris have performed their dances to the old ways every time I've been here for Beltane. Sometimes their number is supplemented by members of other Morris, this morning there were a couple of folk from the White Horse Morris. I noted one of them had 'Hong Kong' on their sash, and I had to ask why. It turned out that the dancer had live in Hong Kong for many years and had been in a local Morris, she described herself as White Horse and Hong Kong Morris 'British Chapter'. It transpires that morris dancing is very popular in Hong Kong with the the local populous. Crazy, ay? I found that funny and sad. Funny, that a people from so distant a culture could love something so earthy British, and sad, that we don't love our traditions more, on the whole we support the establishment traditions that bind us (house of lords, fox hunting, monarchy, elitism, class, that sort of thing), while we neglect the traditions that bound us, that joined us to each other, our communities, the seasons and the nature, real things. I've long believed that our national outcry and hand wringing with regards to 'others' destroying our culture, is merely projected guilt at how we've turned away and neglected our cultural and cultural heritage, and when we see other communities holding on to their traditions our guilt really tweaks us as envy bites. Tht said, there were three Morris up on the Tor this morning, Cam Valley, White Horse and (newly formed, I think) Glastonbury Morris, all served as fitting entertainment for the occasion, continued tradition, as did a dispersed community gathering to celebrate nature and her seasons. Hope?