The Black Roots Of The Philadelphia Mummers (Part II)

Edited by Azizi Powell

This is Part II of a two part post on The Black Roots Of The Philadelphia Mummers. This post presents comparison videos of and information about three parade traditions: The Philadelphia Mummers, The Bahamaian Jonkanoo (as well as information about Jonkanoo in Jamaica, and in the USA), and the Mardi Gras Indians (New Orleans, USA).

It's my position that the type of elaborate feather outfits that are worn by divisions of the Philadelphia Mummers (fancy, fancy brigade and string divisions, excluding the Comic division) were purposely copied by the Philadelphia Mummers from the earlier African American Mardi Gras traditions which in turn derived from the Caribbean Jonkanoo traditions. I find it hard to believe that it's just a coincidence that those Philadelphia Mummers feathered costumes so closely resemble the Mardi Gras Indian costumes. Furthermore, my informal research leads me to believe that those Caribbean Jonkanoo traditions mainly came from West African masquerade traditions such as the Nigerian Egungun festivals.

Part I provides historical information the outfits that were worn by early Philadelphia Mummers up to the change to the elaborate types of costumes that are still worn by present day paraders (with a focus on the fancy, fancy brigade, and string division Philadelphia Mummers.)

Click http://zumalayah.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-black-roots-of-philadelphia-mummers.html for Part I.

The content of this post is presented for historical, cultural, and aesthetic purposes.

All copyrights remain with their owners.

DISCLAIMER: These posts do not imply that African American influences were the only influence on the Philadelphia Mummers parade traditions. Without any question, the Swiss, British and German customs- key among other European Christmas and New Years traditions- influenced the parade traditions & practices of the Philadelphia Mummers.

****
EDITOR'S NOTE ABOUT ADDING COMMENTS ON THIS BLOG
With considerable regret, I have disabled the comment feature on this blog (and on my other blogs except for https://pancocojams.blogspot.com, because of the large number of spam comments that I received on those blogs.

Comments for those blogs can be sent to my email address azizip17 dot com at yahoo dot com for possible inclusion in a specific post on those blogs.

****
FEATURED VIDEOS

Video #1: PHILADELPHIA MUMMERS
1st Prize Routine's Through The Years



69mets86, Uploaded on Jan 30, 2011

A compilation of clips from each 1st Prize winning String Band theme from 1978 to 2010. Watch as the bands evolve from simple music and routines in the late 70's to elaborate music and the extravagent drill's and props of today.
-snip-
Information about the Philadelphia Mummers from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mummers_Parade
"The Mummers Parade is an American event held each New Year's Day in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is believed to be the oldest folk festival in the United States.[1]

Local clubs (usually called "New Years Associations") compete in one of four categories (comics, fancies, string bands and fancy brigades). They prepare elaborate costumes and moveable scenery, which take months to complete."

****
Video #2: JONKANOO IN THE BAHAMAS, WEST INDIES

Saxons Boxing Day Junkanoo 2011 Shirley Street 13



Hugomanager, Uploaded on Dec 27, 2011
-snip
Junkanoo is a street parade with music which occurs in many towns across The Bahamas every Boxing Day (December 26), New Year's Day and, more recently, in the summer on the island of Grand Bahama. The largest Junkanoo parade happens in Nassau, the capital. There are also Junkanoo parades in Miami in June and Key West in October, where the local black American populations have their roots in the Bahamas.

Also, click http://sandyslipper.com/the-history-of-junkanoo-in-the-bahamas/ for descriptions of Jonkanoo costumes in the 1930s to date.

Click http://www.caribbean.com/cgi-bin/cms/page.cgi?g=detailed/351.html for information about Jonkanoo in Jamaica.

Also, click http://www.melanet.com/johnkankus/roots.html for information about John Canoe [kunering] in North Carolina, USA including this quote:
"The festival was distinctive for its unusual costumes all made out of rags and tatters, found objects and recycled materials. The Jonkonnu members wore masks that were wildly original made from whatever odds and ends the slaves could find. The African-American slaves were some of the first environmentalist creating the entire festival from garbage and genius. The John Conny was also known for the inventing of songs and original chants, loudly and rhythmically performed to the beat of the drums called gumba (gombe) boxes made from animal skins pulled over a frame.

Other instruments for the celebration were made from animal bones, sticks, reeds, cows' horns and triangles. The basic instruments for a Johnkankus festival in North America were a drum, a reed instrument and a triangle."
-snip-
This description of John Canoe attire & the information about the custom of John Canoe processions going door to door asking for treats is very similar to the attire, early musical instruments, and customs of early Philadelphia Mummers [Then called "shooters"] as found in specific quotes & links given in Part I of this post.

****
Video #3: MARDI GRAS INDIANS
Indian Tribes meet in the Treme on Mardi Gras Day



rabbitfist, Uploaded on Feb 25, 2012

Two Indian Tribes meet in the Treme area of New Orleans on Mardi Gras day 2012

-snip-
Here's some information about the Mardi Gras Indians from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras_Indians
"Mardi Gras Indians are African-American Carnival revelers in New Orleans, Louisiana, who dress up for Mardi Gras in suits influenced by Native American ceremonial apparel...

Collectively, their organizations are called "tribes". There are about 38 tribes. They range in size from a half dozen to several dozen members. The tribes are largely independent, but a pair of umbrella organizations loosely coordinate the Uptown Indians and the Downtown Indians.


Mardi Gras Indians have been parading in New Orleans at least since the mid-19th century, possibly before. The history of the Mardi Gras Indians is shrouded in mystery and folklore...On Mardi Gras in 1885, fifty to sixty Plains Indians marched in native dress on the streets of New Orleans. Later that year, the first Mardi Gras Indian gang was formed; the tribe was named “The Creole Wild West” and was most likely composed of members of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show.[1]...

Mardi Gras Indian suits cost thousands of dollars in materials alone and can weigh upwards of one hundred pounds.[5] A suit usually takes between six to nine months to plan and complete. Each Indian designs and creates his own suit; elaborate bead patches depict meaningful and symbolic scenes.[6] Beads, feathers, and sequins are integral parts of a Mardi Gras Indian suit. Uptown New Orleans tribes tend to have more sculptural and abstract African-inspired suits; downtown tribes have more pictorial suits with heavy Native American influences.[7]"
-snip-
Click http://www.jambalayah.com/node/1144 for an earlier post that I published on this subject on my jambalayah.com cultural website.

Click http://cocojams.com/content/mardi-gras-indian-songs-chants for more information about and videos of Mardi Gras Indian songs and chants.

****
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND THANKS
Thanks to all those featured in these videos. Thanks to those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the producers and publishers of these videos.

Thanks for visiting zumalayah.

Zumalayah showcases videos of dances & singing games done in circles or in lines, and other movement performance arts from African American culture, from African cultures, and from other cultures of the African Diaspora.

Visitor comments are welcome.