The Dark gathering is a yearly event in Boscastle where members of two "Dark Morris" groups get together to put on a brilliant show.
I will confess that I am not usually a great traditional Morris fan but these guys have taken it to whole new level. Great costumes, great music, so much energy and excitement in their dances. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lost of images posted here in several albums if anyone is interested.
There has been a great deal of controversy and several attempts in recent years to stop Dark Morris groups from "blacking up" for their performances, on the grounds that ethnic minorities might find it offensive. These people have sadly missed the point.
There is nothing racist or offensive about what these guys are doing. In fact, the "blacking up" tradition dates back many centuries to a time when the Christian church had banned the mostly Pagan population from dancing. So people would wear rags and tatters and put soot on their faces so the authorities would not be able to recognise them if they were seen dancing or taking part in Pagan festivities.
