Mummers!!!!

In Newfoundland, a Mummer is as much a part of Christmas as Santa Clause. A group of festive men and women, dressed in outlandish costumes, visit homes on foot, knocking loudly on the front door and shouting in a disguised voice, "Any Mummers 'llowed in?".

If they are indeed "'llowed in", then the mummers bring laughter, merriment, and Christmas cheer. Residents have to guess who is behind each clever disguise. Once their identity has been revealed, they break out an accordion or guitar, sing a few songs, dance a jig, and, in keeping with tradition, have a drink of "spirits" before moving on to the next house, leaving a puddle of melted snow in their wake.

The people of Newfoundland love Christmas. On da Rock, it is a time of great joy as husbands and fathers return from their jobs on the Great Lakes and fishing grounds, and sons and daughters return home to be with their families, and possibly bring new family members with them. Reunions are common place in every outport community and inland town throughout the province.

Christmas Day is typically a family event, with gift giving, huge feasts, maybe a card game or two, and a lot of Christmas cheer. But, once the sun sets and Christmas Day turns into Christmas Night, a strange and unusual creature emerges from the darkness; a creature that is very jolly and often times very thirsty.

No, it isn't Santa back for more milk. It's Newfoundland "Jannies", "Johnies", or "Mummers", as most people know them by, and no, they aren't looking for milk either.

Mummer's Origin

Mummering is a tradition that can trace it's roots back to Sixth Century Rome, where there were no organized theatre groups, and the church had condemned all forms of drama. Any would-be performers and entertainers were forced to find other venues for their craft.

At Christmas time, these out of work actors would visit the homes of wealthy citizens and perform tricks and short skits in the hopes of receiving donations. Because the church had declared what they were doing illegal, these "actors" often wore masks to conceal their identity.

Over the years, this Christmas occurrence found its way to England and Ireland, and eventually to Newfoundland by those who settled the province, where it lives on today.

Modern Mummering

Lots of fun for both the Mummers and the hosts

In Newfoundland, a Mummer is as much a part of Christmas as Santa Clause. A group of festive men and women, dressed in outlandish costumes, visit homes on foot, knocking loudly on the front door and shouting in a disguised voice, "Any Mummers 'llowed in?".

If they are indeed "'llowed in", then the mummers bring laughter, merriment, and Christmas cheer. Residents have to guess who is behind each clever disguise. Once their identity has been revealed, they break out an accordion or guitar, sing a few songs, dance a jig, and, in keeping with tradition, have a drink of "spirits" before moving on to the next house, leaving a puddle of melted snow in their wake.

What it Takes To Be A Mummer

The most important part of being a mummer is having a really good disguise. A mummer's get up is much more than just a collection of old clothes and pillow cases, a "professional" mummer knows not to wear a shawl or dress that his grandmother wore to bingo last week because that might give his or her identity away. Many a mummer has also been done in by mistakenly wearing his or her own boots. It takes very little to be identified in a small community.

The craftier one is at selecting items for his or her mummer's disguise the better their chances of not being recognized.

Besides a mummer's physical appearance, every mummer must also change his or her voice in order to avoid being identified. This can lead to some strange, funny, and sometimes scary sounding mummers.

Twenty-First Century Mummering

There are some people who believe that the tradition of mummering has faded away. Others beileve that the tradition is fading away. These people are all wrong.

For a time, the old tradition seemed to fade, especially in the larger centers of Newfoundland. But in recent years, thanks to the popular musical duo, Simani, who wrote and recorded "The Mummer's Song" in 1982, mummering has been revived. It is as prevalent and popular as it was years ago.

Now-a-days, both young and old look forward to dressing up during Christmas, knocking on a friend's door and calling out "ANY MUMMERS ALLOWED IN?".

Special thanks to Simani for giving us permission to make "The Mummer's Song" MP3 available to UpAlong.org patrons.

Do you have a Mummering Story or Experience that you want to share? If so, send it to kevin@upalong.org