Mummery is as ancient as man's dream of getting outside of his customary life; it is as old as man's imagination. Tracing back through the mazes of history that led to England and Germany, to ancient France, pagan Rome and Greece, we find mummery has influenced customs and perpetuated many interesting traditions.Every nation had its festivals at one time or another, each marked by parades and displays of fanciful costumes. The pagan Saturnalia and carnival, for example an ancient Roman festival of Saturn, beginning December 17th, was marked by unrestrained merry-making.As far back as 400 BC Roman laborers observed the feast of the Saturnalia inhonor of their god, Saturn, and the reaping of the harvest.
They made calls on friends, they exchanged gifts and it was customary for some of the gifts to bear grettings for a happy new year.
Slaves
sported robes from their masters, and the patricians, wearing fantastic
costumes, roamed the streets with their slaves. Age and rank were
forgotten for the fiesta and all persons were free for the day. There
was a musical background for the capers of the multitude with song and
ballads befitting the joyous occasion.
An early custom was the
Florentine Carnival usually held in the beginning of lent - a day set
aside by the monks of the Middle Ages for the lords of misrule and the
abbots of unreason.
At this time, England and
Germany celebrated their Christmas Mosque, resulting in riotous
indulgence. This tookthe form of a dramatic entertainment popular in
the 16th and 17th centuries, and followed usually an allegorical theme
which embodied pageantry, music and dancing.
Immigrants and travelers
brought these customs, celebrations and festivities when they came to
America. Continued throughout the centuries of American history, this
traditional gala pagent of Philadelphia symbolizes the ushering in of
the new year.
One of the earlest known
accounts of a mummers' parade was written by Dr. Henry Muhlenberg, who
esablished the Lutheran Church in America. He wrote in 1839: "Men met
on the roads in Tinicum and Kingsessing, who were disguised as clowns,
shouting at the top of thier voices and shooting guns.
When the Swedes came to
Tinicum, just outside of Philadelphia, they brought their custom of
visiting friends on "Second DayChr......
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