From the Coconutters flyer: Without doubt the, "Britannia Coconut Dancers" in Lancashire present an extraordinary, eccentric, exotic and unique spectacle once a year every Easter Saturday in Bacup. For over a century, astonished visitors have marvelled at the distinctive and precise movements of the dances and they have achieved a status unique in folk and traditional dance circles; although frequently associated with English Morris dance there is nothing that compares. The history of the dance does raise as many questions as there are answers. Similarly, over the years instead of just marvelling at the dances, all too often 'knowledgeable' outsiders conjure up elaborate, fanciful and plausible suggestions: a fertility rite, pre-Christian or Pagan ceremony to welcome in the spring. Our history is one based on "oral testimony" handed down over one hundred and fifty years. A popular story is firmly held that the dance and the costume were brought to Rossendale Valley by Cornish tin-miners after their industry depleted. The Cornish miners took their skills to many parts the world and came to the nearby Whitworth quarries. Mining stone and coal at the turn of the nineteenth century was the largest industry in this part of Lancashire with over 3000 men and boys involved at its peak. The migrating tin miners who settled in the area are thought to have taught the dances in Rawtenstall and Whitworth including an original Tunstead mill group. There were also other teams of coconut and garland dancers prevalent in Lancashire in the 19th Century; Whitworth, Shawclough, Cloughfold, Waterfoot, Lee-mill, to name but a few, the "Britannia Team" formed in the village of "Britannia"are the surviving team. We do know that in 1857, William Hargreaves created a "Tunstead Mill carnival dance troupe and the dancers delighted thousands of people annually at Easter week by their dancing in the street. A two-day tour on Good Friday and Easter Saturday often travelled as far as Rochdale and Crawshawbooth. Inevitably, objections from church-goers led to stopping the Friday perambulations. The "Tunstead Mill" dancers ceased and the tradition was taken up by the Britannia men. The early references to "Moorish Pirate Dance" recorded by one-time leader Arthur Bracewell in 1948 has frequently been seen as just a fanciful description by the creators of the dance but recently found ence from these originators reveal a surprising knowledge of "Cornish History". An element of English history untaught at school it seems, but familiar to these individuals... reference to "Moorish" marauders who, for centuries searched the Cornish coastline and seized people as slaves. Descriptions of the kilts and turbans all relate to the Moorish Pirates and their "Dance of Mad Revelry" which certainly sums up the extravagant activity of our dancers. Said to represent a Moorish Pirate; the hat is of a turban style, white & trimmed with either red or blue ribbon alongside blue feathers and a rosette; the black polo neck woollen jumper worn above black velvet knee breeches is finished with white knee length socks and the footwear - originally said to be soft pirates moccasins - is replaced with traditional iron-shod Lancashire clogs, the footwear of the original Lancashire miners, finally , each dancer has a set of "five nuts" similar to castanets and a white kilt with three horizontal red stripes completes the curious costume. Today's costume and guising conform to the early description of the dancers attire although the 'burnt cork' for anonymity has been replaced with stage make-up - more accessible and sensible! The dances are unique and are as enigmatic to the team as they are to a casual audiences and aficionados. There are two nut dances: 'Thowd Crash' and 'Figures' these have the 8 male dancers carrying a set of 5 'coconuts' - comparable to wooden castanets. - attached to hands, knees and waist. These are tapped together in a very precise pattern creating a rhythmical percussive accompaniment to the dance. A conspicuous, but non-dancing character in full costume known as a 'whiffler' accompanies the dancers with a long whip to keep control! There are two nut dances: "Thowd Crash' and 'Figures' these have the 8 male dancers carrying a set of 5 'coconuts* - comparable to wooden castanets. - attached to hands, knees and waist. These are tapped together in a very precise pattern creating a rhythmical percussive accompaniment to the dance. A conspicuous, but non-dancing character in full costume known as a 'whiffler' accompanies the dancers with a long whip to keep control! There are five Garland dances, where the performers hold a garland, covered in red, white & blue rosettes, held in both hands these are used weaving in and out the dances in an intricate and complicated formation. On Easter Saturday, the troupe are joined by the Stacksteads Band who play continuously in support over a route of some seven miles, dedicated, professional and sharing the dancers endurance. Throughout the year at all rehearsals and at many booked events we are accompanied by our traditional concertina players who are also dedicated to the dancers tradition and its music. "It's not pretty and it's not clever. It is, simply, awe-inspiringly, astonishingly other. Morris men from southern troupes come and watch in slack-jawed silence. Nothing in the civilised world is quite as elementally bizarre and awkwardly compelling as the Coco-nutters of Bacup."

What an excellent display of English folk eccentricity long may it continue 👍😊

Loved it, black faces as they should be, keeping our traditions and heritage true for generations to enjoy.

Absolutely barmy - wonderfully and eccentrically English, and long, long may such things continue! Love it. Makes me proud to be English.

I loved this!! It made me happy!

Love it, keep it up, never stop, its out heritage.

Looks like a nice sunny day.

Well done boys , keep it up 👍

Glad to see you back. I’m sure you have your reasons for removing your previous channel, but it’s great to have you either way.

Please upload casual binaural tests like you did in your old videos. It can be unintentional just you talking and doing random stuff with mic. It's so soothing to feel each and every thing picked up by the microphone.

The dance has absolutely nothing to do with Cornish miners or Moorish pirates or other spurious origin theories. It is based on 'coconut dances' performed by touring theatrical troupes in the early 19th century. In particular the Chiarini family who were a very popular entertainment group on the stage. They did circus acts, but there are also many playbills showing that they were performing the ‘Pas de Coco’ in the 1830s and 1840s and later. The earliest Rossendale dance team was formed in 1857. So, what we are seeing is a street dance of theatrical origin - an early 19th century take on an imagined African or Polynesian dance.

오~~프랭크 반가워요 영국의 올리브 하우스에서 축제하나봐요 직접볼순없지만 좋은 비디오와 음성서비스로 구경하고갑니다 감사합니다

bro! where is Allan ?

Ours is not to reason why.