| The FoolMy first direct experience of the | | | | teeth.What is the role of the fool?The fool |
| fool in masking was watching Morris Dancing | | | | traditionally questions. S/He challenges the |
| here at home in Yorkshire, England. The | | | | norm. S/He goes beyond the routine and |
| Morris dancers were dressed up in their usual | | | | everyday. S/He crosses the boundary between |
| dancing shoes with bells and baggy pants. To | | | | the physical and the spiritual. The fool |
| be absolutely honest I have always found | | | | knows both sides but sadly does not |
| Morris men a bit funny! Perhaps I should | | | | understand either. The fool is beyond |
| explain about Cecil Sharp, no I'll leave that | | | | judgement but is incapable of judging. The |
| to a footnote.The Boars Head Morris Men were | | | | fool is a go-between, a hinderer, a creator |
| dancing in a pub car park. ( Pub short for | | | | and destroyer. He sets things up only to |
| Public House a place for drinking beer etc. | | | | break them down.To be honest I love the fool, |
| in the UK.) They were doing the usual dances | | | | because I feel I am one, at times. The fool |
| that are related to fertility, good crops and | | | | embodies the contradictions of the world. He |
| harvests etc. But of course they really don't | | | | accepts our human frailties and |
| quite have the pagan beliefs off pat. Mind | | | | simultaneously challenges them. For those of |
| you when you see them drink ale in the | | | | you who know the symbols on the tarot cards |
| quantities that they did then you would | | | | consider the fool, for those of you who do |
| realise that they had perhaps fully | | | | not make some time to find out.Some Examples |
| understood the pagan ways of having a good | | | | of Fools in Masquerade Italy In Masks the Art |
| time. ( Not to say all people who follow the | | | | of expression Cesare Poppi describes the |
| pagan ways drink lots of ale, just a | | | | Carnival at Moena in the Italian Dolomites. |
| convenient concept )What you are probably | | | | Two Arlechign, a local version of Harlequin, |
| asking by this juncture is this to do with | | | | lead the masked group. They are dressed in |
| fools?Well the Boars Head Morris Men had a | | | | chequered costumes, with a tall pointed cap |
| masked fool. He was complete with boars mask | | | | below which is a loose veil giving them a |
| pantaloons and boars headed stick. He also | | | | featureless appearance. They carry horse |
| carried a bucket for collecting cash | | | | whips. Around them the crowd of cheering |
| donations for charity, or maybe beer money. | | | | young boys follows their moves. Suddenly the |
| He followed the dancers mimicked them and | | | | dash into the youths slashing fiercely with |
| cajoled the watchers for change to fill his | | | | the horse whips, striking vicious blows to |
| bucket.Interestingly I knew the fool quite | | | | the confused youngsters. Panic ensues. A |
| well and in real life, with out the mask, he | | | | pleasing village scene has suddenly been |
| would never do what he did with the mask. | | | | turned upon its head.China In China, or your |
| Being English he was just far too polite!The | | | | local China Town, when the New Year is |
| Boars Head stick became a threatened cudgel, | | | | celebrated the Lion Dance is performed. This |
| never used, just pointed and waved. The mask | | | | often acrobatic masked dance is performed by, |
| was a place to hide behind, for a normal | | | | usually two dancers accompanied by two Happy |
| everyday person. As you will find by looking | | | | Face dancers wearing their papier mache masks |
| further on this site the mask allows people | | | | complete with large grins painted on them. As |
| to change personalities. He bullied and | | | | the dance progresses through the streets the |
| pranced and enjoyed his dual mission to | | | | dragon collects lettuces and money to help |
| collect money and to protect the dancers from | | | | bring luck in to the New Year. Around the |
| the crowd. Sometimes the children get too | | | | dragon the two fools pester the crowd for |
| close. That is not allowed. Sometimes the | | | | money and simultaneously keep the crowd, |
| dancers space is threatened by cars entering | | | | especially the children, at a safe |
| the parking space. Wow! That is not a good | | | | distance.Pacific West CoastNoohlmahlDuring |
| idea!But suddenly the fool sets off in | | | | Kwakwaka'wakw Potlatch ceremonies in the West |
| pursuit of three attractive women. He rattles | | | | Coast Areas of Canada another fool prowled |
| his bucket and rounds them up as a sheep dog | | | | around. He is Noohlmahl. A filthy creature |
| would. They are pressed into donating | | | | with a long nose from which snot streams he |
| generously. He just leaves his dancers | | | | is up for a laugh but should the watchers |
| unprotected to fend for themselves. The next | | | | mention his state, especially his nose, a |
| ten minutes is exchanged in good natured | | | | violent reaction can be expected.Iriquois |
| banter. ( The wife of the fool is present! | | | | False Face SocietyThe Iriquois False Face |
| )The above is from memory, probably about 20 | | | | Society also have a fool mask to support the |
| years ago. In terms of mask traditions that | | | | processes of healing that they undertake. |
| is very recent. For mask traditions can be | | | | These corn husk mask are relatively simple |
| traced back at least 25,000 years. I am | | | | and disposable. As with other traditions the |
| certain they go back to the time of the first | | | | fool plays his amusing and organising |
| questioning peoples; | | | | role.Playfulness has a major place in many |
| 50,000.................or more years?What | | | | masquerades.In our lives we all play the |
| then is this reference to fools and masking | | | | fool, despise the fool in others and love the |
| traditions. Well as you dig through this site | | | | fool who entertains. Sadly the fool who |
| you will find that the fool crops up in | | | | entertains can also be torn apart by internal |
| several other traditions.In Masquerade the | | | | mental divisions.The masked fool is the one |
| fool is an essential figure. On the surface | | | | who maintains order and at the same time |
| he, occasionally she, is the one who keeps | | | | questions it and sometimes on a whim destroys |
| order. He controls the children, he stops | | | | it. Traditionally the fool treads a fine line |
| their prying eyes invading the dressing room. | | | | between the known and the unknown, the |
| His stick maintains the performance area. He | | | | acceptable and the unacceptable. Even without |
| cracks jokes, entertains, juggles pulls faces | | | | the mask I am sure you recognise the fool in |
| and GETS VIOLENT. He chases the children with | | | | your life.The fool is a universal being. |
| a whip and hits them mercilessly if he gets | | | | Today (15/12/04) I lost my fool, she was our |
| the chance. He tries to seduce women, and | | | | cat. If you wish to know she died of old age. |
| does if he can!Suddenly he becomes bored and | | | | She had the soft luxury of a purring fur to |
| goes away to sit and talk philosophically | | | | stroke and in a moment she transformed into a |
| with a group of friends from his unmasked | | | | fanged biter. She had the gourmet taste of a |
| time. As the conversation progresses he | | | | French chef yet licked her own arse. She |
| introduces new ideas. He begins to ridicule | | | | refused to go outside when the wind blew, |
| the accepted norm. He questions the accepted | | | | because it was cold, yet sat happily on the |
| reality. He attempts to turns arguments on | | | | wet grass when it was raining and blowing a |
| their headsThe Ubiquitous FoolThe fool is a | | | | gale. Tango, the cat, was my fool, just as I |
| ubiquitous. The fool occurs in the masking | | | | was hers when playing hide and seek. I loved |
| traditions of North and South America, | | | | her affection and was saddened by her |
| Africa, Europe, Asia, China, | | | | rejection of the food I gave her. All in all |
| ........................ if you know some | | | | Tango, our family cat, was all contradiction |
| more please fill in my blank.Universally the | | | | and beautifully herself. She is a very missed |
| fool treads the line between normality and | | | | little being.FootnoteCecil Sharp collected |
| the incongruities that the world. The fool is | | | | folk sings in the British Isles. Amongst folk |
| both sensible and totally none-sensible. Not | | | | enthusiasts he is something of a hero as he |
| that he does not use his senses he just uses | | | | preserved may folk songs and traditions. He |
| then in a different way. He questions and | | | | was instumental in helping preserve the |
| cajoles. He jokes and makes fun of others. | | | | hundreds of different Morris dances. Yet as |
| Yet when someone over steps the arbitrary | | | | with the song lyrics he collected they were |
| boundary, (who decided ) he changes. Suddenly | | | | purged for naughty bits. Anything that went |
| he becomes the quiet hearth cat, the sleeping | | | | against his strict Victorian morality was |
| feline, domesticated, sleek and silky. And as | | | | censored. The whole of British folk tradition |
| you stroke and pleasure the cat she begins to | | | | was made "nice".Inspired by Masks the Art of |
| become claws and teeth and worse growls. He | | | | Expression ed. |
| becomes the raging tiger, claws and | | | | |