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