Padstow Blue Oss And Supporters
by Terri Waters
Title
Padstow Blue Oss And Supporters
Artist
Terri Waters
Medium
Photograph
Description
On May Day, or, as it’s also known, ’Obby ’Oss Day, the quaint fishing town of Padstow on the north Cornwall coast shows off its Padstonian flavour when it comes alive with the sound of music and merriment and the wild dancing of two ominous-looking ’Osses.
Throughout the day, the town reverberates with the strain of the May Song, a unique call to all Padstonians and two ’Obby ’Osses, each one consisting of a 6ft-wide wooden hoop draped in black sail cloth and hoisted onto a fearsomely masked local chap are let out from their ‘stables’ to prance through the town preceded by an acolyte known as a teaser, who uses a wooden rod topped with a leather pad to tease and dance with the swirling beast.
Finally, late in the afternoon the ’Osses meet at the maypole and dance together before a mock death ritual at midnight that bids the ‘Osses farewell until resurrection the following May Eve.
Uploaded
March 29th, 2018
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