Fireworks are promised by a women's festival inspired by St Catherine.
Stuart McHardy reports.
THE twenty-fifth of November is St Catherine's Day. She was the
fourth-century Christian saint and martyr who was tortured on a spiked
wheel by the Roman Emperor Maximinus. Legend recounts that when she was
strapped to the wheel a flash of lightning killed her torturers and set
her free. Her relief was only temporary though, as Maximinus had her
whipped and beheaded soon after.
Today most people associate St Catherine with the Catherine Wheel
firework. Fireworks of a different sort are promised by a women's
festival inspired by the saint -- Women Makmerry.
Taking place in Glasgow over the weekend of November 20-22 at the
Atheneum, Maryhill Community Halls, The Tramway, and the Clutha Vaults,
this is a celebration of women based on traditional rites associated
with St Catherine's Day.
She was the patron saint of lacemakers and spinners among others, and
these were exclusively female preserves. The use of circular patterns
and implements in lace-making and spinning may account for the
connection. Be that as it may, St Catherine's Day used to be a special
day for women involved in these and related trades.
At night on St Catherine's Day there was the custom in many parts of
Britain for women to dress up as men. They would then go round pubs and
inns where their men were drinking. Here they would sing songs to the
men who would in turn be expected to buy them drinks. After this they
would then move on to the next pub and it is believed that as the night
wore on the singing got louder and more out of tune.
This ancient custom began to die out in the eighteenth and nineteenth
centuries as cottage-based industries were replaced by great factories
of the industrial revolution and soon St Catherine's Day rituals were no
more. That is, until last year, when the first Women Makmerry Festival
took place.
Initially it was the brainchild of Fiona McGowran and Chris Miles.
They had been talking about the lack of opportunities for women singers,
even in the folk ''scene''. All too often the only gigs for women were
at benefits for one good cause or another. And, in the way of these
things, most such performances were voluntary -- no-one got paid for
their performance. They therefore decided they should try to create
opportunities for women performers where they would get paid.
After a great deal of research they came across the old customs
described above and decided to revive them. As Chris said at the time,
''I think it's a pretty good idea for men to buy us drinks anyway.''
The result was last year's Women Makmerry, a series of concerts,
workshops and singalongs held over two days. It was so successful that
they are running another one this year. If things go as well as it looks
it is hoped the event will become an annual feature in Glasgow.
Fiona went on: ''We would really like to develop some of the old
traditions. For instance many of the craft guilds used to hold St
Catherine's Night banquets where the tables were all laid out in circles
and they would have fire jugglers as well as musicians and dancers.''
There are obvious limits to having fire jugglers indoors and outdoor
banquets are hardly a great idea with our weather, but if commitment is
anything to go by then Chris and Fiona will find a way.
This year the ''bill of fare'' includes concerts, workshops,
singarounds, and a ceilidh. Although men are in no way excluded from the
proceedings, many of the events show the decidedly female aspect of the
weekend's festivities. There are workshops on topics such as ''well
women'' and ''women and decision-making'' and the performers are all
women. The performances will include a monologue on pregnancy by Libby
McArthur, who directed the recent successful The Lions of Lisbon;
Lorraine Jordan, and the singing group Palaver.
When you add in Chris Miles herself doing ''Women's Lives In Song'', a
multicultural concert featuring Manta Yadaf, back by public demand after
her show last year, and a writers' workshop by the redoubtable Joy
Hendry of Chapman magazine, it can be seen there is just about something
for everyone. An intriguing extra will be the installation of a papier
mache figure of a ''folk personage'' by the artist Jan Miller.
Last year's Women Makmerry showed there is an audience for this type
of women's activity. Today people are increasingly becoming interested
in their own history and background as opposed to the usual standard
history of kings and battles. The combination of the feminine aspect and
the revival of traditional fun and games in this way seems to be a
recipe for success.
* Women Makmerry: For further information and programme contact Ellen
Morris on 041 812 2064.
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