THE BRITISH INQUISITION
27 February 2005
For 2 centuries the people of the Cornish fishing port, Pedstow, have held what is termed ‘Darkie Day’ processions. This local celebration is believed to have been started when a slave ship was forced to dock in Pedstow by a storm one night in the 18th century. The African slaves danced and sang plantation songs on the Pedstow quayside, to the fascination of the townspeople, who have re-enacted the scene ever since.
Twice a year, for 200 years, the locals black up their faces and sing traditional ballads in a procession which also holds collections for charity. Tourist chiefs have described the festival as a ‘traditional Cornish custom’.
But now the police, who descended in force with video cameras for the last procession on New Year’s Day, have sent the tapes of the procession to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will decide if the procession is in breach of the Race Relations Act.
For 2 centuries the people of the Cornish fishing port, Pedstow, have held what is termed ‘Darkie Day’ processions. This local celebration is believed to have been started when a slave ship was forced to dock in Pedstow by a storm one night in the 18th century. The African slaves danced and sang plantation songs on the Pedstow quayside, to the fascination of the townspeople, who have re-enacted the scene ever since.
Twice a year, for 200 years, the locals black up their faces and sing traditional ballads in a procession which also holds collections for charity. Tourist chiefs have described the festival as a ‘traditional Cornish custom’.
But now the police, who descended in force with video cameras for the last procession on New Year’s Day, have sent the tapes of the procession to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will decide if the procession is in breach of the Race Relations Act.
posted by erc @ 11:09 pm
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