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Early Mumming |
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Early mumming in
Philadelphia consisted of “simple costumes, smearing lampblack on the face
and performing from house to house in return for food and drink.” The odd thing is that the first reported three
people, two of whom were female, performed mumming and females were generally
not involved in mumming practices.
Government tried to outlaw mumming by claiming it was “masquerading”,
but the attempt was useless and lifted in 1859. |
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Information on even
earlier mumming rituals can be found on the origins
page. |
From: http://www.wb17.com/misc/mummers2000/history.htm