Wayzgoose

A few more pictures from Otley's May Day celebrations... These dancers are Wharfedale Wayzgoose, a Border Morris side from Otley who 'make a lot of noise, drink a lot of beer and occasionally do some dancing'. It's lively stuff, with sticks, face paint and elaborate costumes. 

Incidentally, the proceedings were taking place under the watchful eye of Otley's Bellman (Terry Ford), the town crier (see above left), accompanying the town's current mayor, Councillor Paul Carter.

'Border Morris originated in the agricultural communities of the Welsh Marches – Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Shropshire. Farm workers dancing at festivals and collecting money from the very landowners who employed them walked a fine line. The solution was simple and brilliant: if no one could tell who you were, no one could hold it against you come Monday morning. Their disguise took many forms: rags, tatters, blackened faces, but the principle was the same. The dancer disappears; the performance remains.'

The Morris side is led by a Squire. (I assume that is the man pictured above, who seemed to be taking charge, but I may be wrong.)  They also had a (Wayz)Goose with them, dressed in a 'tatter' cloak of rags, who was delighting (or terrorising) the youngsters, depending on the bravery of each individual child.