For Padstow, on the Cornwall coast, celebrating May Day is a special tradition and cultural event. Dating back to pagan times when the Danish fleet landed in England and women put on costumes to scare the invaders away, the Oss Oss, as it’s known, is a highly anticipated day for the people of Padstow. It’s also become a tourist attraction for people around the world who come each year to celebrate the first of May. Using archival film clips and current May Day preparation activities, film director Barbara Santi highlights the colorful tradition of May Day and the Oss Oss.
Oss stands for horse, and, in the Celtic tradition, the horse stands for fertility. For the May Day celebration, one individual dons the costume of the ‘oss’, and one individual is the ‘teaser’. Two groups compete for the privilege of showing off the duo in song and dance. The Old Oss Oss Wee Oss wear red and white attire for the celebration and display red and white flags and banners in their parade area. This group owns the May Pole and proudly sets it up each year –decorating the pole with streamers, ribbons, and flowers. The other group, the Blue Oss, wear blue and white attire and decorate their parade streets with blue and white flags and banners. The entire community is involved; this includes the master of ceremonies, musicians with accordions, singers, people preparing food, and others who decorate the parade and May Pole area with flowers and ribbons.
Producer and director Barbara Santi interviews several prominent people participating in the event to gain a sense of the history of the town and the importance of Padstow’s tradition. She captures the beautiful locale of Padstow along the water. Once a prominent fishing town with a railroad to market their products, now Padstow is reduced to being a tourist and second home destination—bringing in little income for long-time residents. Padstonians don’t want to leave despite the economic hardships. It’s clear they love their May Day celebration and consider it the highlight of the year.
One man demonstrates how the costume is made and maintained each year. Shaped like a cylinder, the top black circular surface is painted to a vivid black gloss. A hole is cut in the center of the stiff disc for the individual playing the ‘oss’ to stick his or her head through. He or she wears an ‘oss’ head, and a weighty helmet with a strap beneath the chin to hold the mask on. A pagan face in red, black, and white is painted onto the mask with circles cut out for the eyes. Attached to the disc is a cylindrical skirt of canvas or similar fabric that moves and sways as the ‘oss’ dances around the ‘teaser.' A ‘oss’ tale is attached to the disc. The teaser carries a shield-like object which he teases the ‘oss’ with, as they both dance.
King for a Day presents a wonderful cultural display of a well-preserved tradition. Good. Recommended.
What academic library shelves would this title be on?
King for a Day would fit in with Cultural Anthropology, Travel, Music, and History.
What types of library programming could use this title?
King for a Day would be an interesting travel documentary in terms of the locale of Padstow in Cornwall and viewing its traditions. It could also be used to promote the importance of preserving the past, cultural traditions, and heritage. In Padstow, the community has archived its May Day Celebrations, preserved how to craft the costumes, and ways to enhance their May Pole decorations, music, and festivities.